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Old 10-08-2015, 11:16 AM   #1
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Toy hauler vs travel trailer

I am looking for input and would appreciate any advice.
I have been tent camping a lot with kids,9 and 4. We are looking for a camper now. We take kayaks and bikes every time. They will fit in truck bed but I am really trying to convince myself a toyhauler is the way to go. We are looking at
The 222 toyhauler and the x254. I don't want to buy one and regret not getting the other. TV is 2015 tundra crew w/ 4.30 gears and 5.7.
Thanks ahead of time
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Old 10-08-2015, 11:33 AM   #2
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Welcome to JOF and good luck on your search.

My opinion, toy haulers are nice but there's a trade off in functionality. Both look nice when compared to tenting but the smaller toy haulers sorta become sleeping in the garage. If it was my money, I'd opt for the bunks to give the little ones their own space and the larger bathroom of the X254 I think your truck is capable of both but the X254 being lighter makes it easier to get around. Again, just my .02
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Old 10-08-2015, 11:37 AM   #3
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Consider that your truck's payload is somewhere around 1,500# With the 6,000# GVW of the x254, you're looking at 600#-900# of tongue wt; leaving you only 600#-900# for cargo. Now subtract your passenger's weights and any of yours over 150# and the question is do you have enough cargo capacity left for the kayaks and bikes?
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Old 10-08-2015, 12:08 PM   #4
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I appriciate the input, I did see some jayco 26 and 28 bh I like the slick fiberglass look. The dealers down here in Louisiana don't deal much so I have been on rv direct site a lot. And I like road trips
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Old 10-08-2015, 12:10 PM   #5
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The kayaks only weigh about 60 lbs a piece and that's what I liked about x254, I could put them in front bunk room
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Old 10-08-2015, 11:55 PM   #6
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Just wondering why you are looking at the x254? Are you planning on having more kids, aka friends, stay with you? Have you possible looked at the x213? I have had both and I really liked both, the only reason we upgraded to the x254 is because we have 3 kids. The storage up front on the 213 should be plenty for your kayaks,and it is about 600lbs lighter than the 254 if weight might be an issue
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Old 10-09-2015, 08:16 AM   #7
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I have opened the E-exit window on our 23B HTT, to slide large things in and out. I have been thinking about that with the canoes on one trip, just to see how it goes.

In reality, I would prefer a roof rack for the canoes. This way when I want to go somewhere they can be loaded on top and go. Especially if we want to do a one way trip down a river, or if our campsite is not near the water?
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Old 10-09-2015, 04:02 PM   #8
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Jtv

I did look at the 213x, and I do like it. But with the 2 kids I am sure they will have friends and I kinda like the separate room. I am not really worried so much about the extra weight, I think I am rated at 10,000 lbs. I have pulled a lot of trailers with tractors and bobcats and am comfortable with 8,000.
I have towed a couple bumper pull travel trailers for friends up in the oz arks and the tundra does well. The only thing worried get me about the x254 is the seating area. There are no jayco dealers within 300 miles of me and I don't know how much I will like having only the u shaped dinnette.
I guess that is why I like the octane 222, raise the beds and have a big open area.
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Old 10-10-2015, 12:32 AM   #9
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The nice thing about the 254 is you can put up the small table in the bunkhouse and the kids have their own game table, or you can get a TV up front and they can watch it from their bunks. We really like the u-shaped dinette, it fits our family of 5 very nicely compared to the booth table, I know some people do not like the u-shaped, but we really do
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Old 10-10-2015, 10:19 AM   #10
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Jtv, thanks for the input. I guess my question is, how comfortable is it sitting there watching tv and hanging out when the weather turns bad. How many can sit comfortable at the dinnette? Is there room to set up any folding chairs or similar thinks for seating? Redirect has several for under 18k and. 2015 for 15k. Of course it's 700 miles to pick up, but I am not opposed to it
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Old 10-10-2015, 08:23 PM   #11
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It does get a bit snug with 5 in there trying to cook, when kids are going back and forth when everyone is in the unit, but my kids are older 18,14,10, but nothing to bad. The dinette will fit six,a little tight trying to eat, but when watching TV we will spread out by someone getting up on the bed and the rest of us use the dinette. The table does move and we have moved it to get more comfortable. There isn't any room to put extra chairs in it, but you do have the bunkhouse that will give you extra room.I know some people do not like the u-shaped dinette and is a deal breaker for them, but for our family we really do like it, I guess it is just personal preference.We are real happy that we got the x254.
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Old 10-11-2015, 11:25 PM   #12
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BTW I'm not trying to sell you on just the x254, it is just personal experience on this unit, I think whatever camper you decide to go with, you and your family will be happy and enjoy camping even more.
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Old 10-12-2015, 08:02 AM   #13
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The x254 has been on my short list for a couple months, I really think it would fit us well. Thanks for the input.
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Old 10-12-2015, 09:54 AM   #14
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Lovin the toy hauler

As fulltimers with four kids, we have debated this as well, and a little over a year ago we went toy hauler. If you are carrying gear and need a place to, say, change out of wet and sandy stuff after being out, the toy hauler has a rubber floor in the back. Our previous unit was a five slide bunkhouse, but with the toy hauler I have the same amount of floor space once the back beds are up, and don't need the back two slides. I know that is a bigger unit than you are looking at, but the parallels are the same. The toy hauler also has bigger tanks typically, and can go off grid easier for longer periods of time. There are other reasons as well, but suffice it to say we have been very happy with our decision to go toy hauler as opposed to a travel trailer.
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Old 10-12-2015, 08:30 PM   #15
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Great info

Thank y'all for the info,
I just wanna make sure I get what I want!
I know resale on campers is horrible so I wanna
Buy what I want with no regrets.
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Old 01-17-2016, 09:58 AM   #16
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X254

Well I just bought a ram 2500 so I don't have to worry abut weight.
I am shopping 2015 x254, left overs! Maybe x213. There are several within 300 miles of me going for under 17k. If Anyone has any pics of either I would appriciate them, I love the Cochran and dinnette of 213, but quad bunks of x254. I wander if there is a way to pull the u shaped dinnette of 254 and retrofit
A sofa and dinnette?
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Old 01-17-2016, 03:11 PM   #17
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Idea! Get what works for family and gear on typical outings. Don't try to purchase for the "what if" situation. Maybe ration the friends and rotate between kids/trips. Aux tents are also a good idea for the kids with friends as they have their space out of the watchful eye of the parents. Remember unless you're into going big, what ever you buy you will have to tow, park, set-up, and store. Bigger is not always your friend as it limits choice of sites and tends to make a lot of things more complicated.

Not in the toyhauler game, so can't help there, but they would be nice if you're into bikes, cycles, atvs, or whatever. They save driving a 2nd vehicle pulling a trailer. Otherwise I agree they can be like sleeping in your garage.
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Old 01-17-2016, 03:20 PM   #18
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A headache rack on the new Ram to hold the kayaks or bikes is another space saving option. But, like others have said, keep a close eye on your tongue weights, TV limits, and trailer limits.
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Old 01-18-2016, 02:00 PM   #19
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That's good advice, kids already said they want their tents,lol. Daddy wants the camper for bad weather. I want to stay under 30 ft anyway. The campgrounds here in north lousiana are great and just ready to get camping. It's gonna be either the x254 or the octane 222/273
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Old 01-18-2016, 05:19 PM   #20
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We have the 254 and LOVE it! We have 4 kids so the bunks are nice. I wanted the U-dinette "because" it fits all of us together. We have even had extra people and set up a chair (maybe could fit two chairs) in the open area to fit 7-8 people around table. I have some pictures in my gallery if you want to view. Ours is a 2016 but nearly identical to the 2015. We put our bikes in the bunk area easily through the little door for traveling.
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