Whether or not to get a larger travel trailer

[Wisco Dude]

Originally Posted by jenoble99

Our trailer is 30’ tip to tail. There is only one state park that is difficult to get a site in. The sites there are not very big and sites that can accommodate the length are limited. No other issues with going where we want to go. I have never encountered a site that I couldn’t get the camper in. We had a 10’ box popup prior to the unit we now have so the learning curve was similar. Honestly I find it easier to get the larger camper parked. On one trip last year I took a wrong turn and pulled into a fast food place to turn around. I couldn’t tell that you couldn’t go all the way around the building until it was too late so I had to get turned around in that tiny parking lot with multiple cars in the way. After towing for 6 years you get used to it and learn to maneuver in tight spots. You’ll be fine.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. This is reassuring. I'm just curious about why it's easier to get the larger camper parked than the pop up.
Another factor for us is that the tent ends on our x17z can be a pain, especially when it rains.

[Wisco Dude]

Originally Posted by bono

My 28DSBH is 33' long. I bought it almost two years ago when my daughter was 6 months old and son was 2.5. Two years later all works well.

I have never towed any other travel trailer before this one. I am extremely happy with the choice.

One of the considerations: a bigger trailer limits number of sites you can fit into. I am generally booking 6-7 months in advance, but still there are limitations (e.g. Yosemite Valley).

Thanks, Bono. This helps me to feel a little bit more confident about the whole thing.

[itsaJayco]

Originally Posted by Wisco Dude

Hello,
My wife and I are trying to decide whether or not to get a larger travel trailer. We currently have a Jayco Jay Feather X17Z. It is small but easy to pull and very easy to get it in and out of pretty much any campsite. We have two boys, ages 3 and 6, and we've been considering getting a bunkhouse to better accommodate everyone as the boys get bigger.

I'm wondering what other people think, what your experiences have been like with larger trailers, and what your advice would be regarding whether to get a larger trailer or stick with the small one.
Thank you!

Hi,
I have twins under 10 plus another under 6 all three are boys. We just picked up the 224BH. Just came back from our first two week outing. First few days kids rotated beds to see what they liked (top bunk, bottom bunk and dining table). One night the twins had a friend each sleep over (two in each bunk bed, little one on dinning table). We never felt like we didn't have enough space. I get each family is different.

we looked at the 224BH,242BH and a larger 28something. We didn't want a slide out if possible. The couch is nice in the 242 but we didn't want to tow something too bid to fit in some sites we like. The bed location in the 224 worked great as a couch.

We also considered storage, the 224 is just under 26" long tip to tail, which for the storage lots we were looking at had monthly parking of $75 for 25ft and under and $150/month for bigger. Talked to them and was okay just being a shade over 25ft .

Good luck in your decision.

[Merrick]

Interesting thread. I bought a 22-foot hybrid in October 2017 and have been out 6 times. The last time we went we had 4 adults and 3 small children, with no problem. Put an air mattress on dinnete area. It was at the same level and next to fold out queen, and called it good.


So Ive already started dreaming of a 32 foot TT and larger truck. But have pretty much made up my mind to stick with the 22 foot hybrid for at least a few more years, as most of the time it will just be 2 people and no kids. Its a breeze to pull and maneuver, and meets all our needs. Whatever you decide, enjoy making your camping memories.

[dopplemeyr]

We had the x17z trailer too and we loved it. Problem with it was storage space for a week long trip. We upgraded to a 33BHBS and what a difference. Only problem I have is not all gas stations can accommodate the size. The sleeping and storage is perfect though and makes week long trips much more enjoyable.

[Mick]

Look at your camping style, and make a list of must haves, would be nice and can do without.

Do you shower/bathe in your unit?
Do you cook most meals inside/outside.
How many people do you need to sleep.
How long do you plan to keep it
Do you spend all your time outside
Is your unit just a place to sleep
Do you entertain inside or need a tv
What do you do during inclement weather.
Are you a weekender or camp 5+ days at a time.
What type of campgrounds do you like to stay at.

The answers to these and other questions will guide the features and size of unit. We did the same analysis and ended up with a 39' TT because it met our punch list.

As far as maneuvering yes it can be an issue in some cases but I use Google Maps to plan fuel stops of tow vehicle (gas in my case) if your using diesel than any truckstop will do. I plan stops based on distance/driving time and consumption then used the satellite view option to look at aerial views of potential gas stops and selected/saved stations to google maps to aid during travels.

[Ally]

We recently upgraded from a pop- up to an X213 and LOVE IT. Because the slide is out the back end, it's still pretty short for towing. Best of both worlds, in my opinion.

I think there's a very similar model with a bunk room instead of just the two bunks we have...X254 maybe?

[chesterBurnet]

My girlfriend and I had a 2013 X17Z and we liked it but quickly found limitations. Our first time out was a week on the beach in Massachusetts and there was a Nor'easter. The trailer got through it with no issues but it was disconcerting at times as it felt like the canvas was going to blow off. The canvas also has a lot of condensation and would drip if you hit it by accident. We frequently invited my brother and wife and son. It was fine until it rained. Too small for 5 people hanging out. I sold it after a year and got a 25' Trail Runner which I didn't like after a short while. The quality was poor and the windows were so small it was like being in a cell. No feeling of being outdoors. I was constantly checking different models looking for a trailer with front or rear windows like the late 70's Nomad I had. You always felt in touch with the outdoors and had great views. Finally I found the Jayco 23 RLSW. My GF said don't you dare buy a new camper. We ended up booking a mid September vacation in mid August so I went out to measure mattress to upgrade. I notice that the floor felt spongy and started investigating. In a 3 year old camper there was so much water damage that I talked my insurance company into totalling the Trail Runner. So in less then a month we got it totalled and I bought the Jayco 23RLSW online and picked it up a week before vacation. Talk about luck, I got out of a camper I hated, didn't piss off my GF and got a camper that we love. The 23 RLSW is billed as a couples camper and it is perfect for 2 people and an Airedale. The rear of the camper is the kitchen / living area and has windows all around with a slide out. It really gets you in touch with the outdoors, especially when we camp at the beach. Great views and tons of natural light. (See Picture)The dinette is in the slideout and converts to a decent size bed if you had weekend visitors. It's 23" and tows easy and gives 2 people plenty of room. For us it's perfect. One last thing, we bought all 3 trailers online and the savings were so substantial that it has allowed us to afford getting out of the previous model and into new ones. 3 New trailers in 4 years.

[mtdawg]

It's all about priorities. We have steadily moved up through the years from 28.5 to 42, where we are now. Certainly when you get parked and the slides out, all that room is enjoyable. Heading down the road isn't bad until you have to find a place to get fuel. There are a lot of places you can't go so that's a trade-off. My wife is extremely happy with it and that counts for a lot. Still, I miss the days of pulling into a USFS campground by a lake.

Jim

[slsventek]

Love our Jay Feather X213. Check it out. Works great for the two of us or with the bunks and sofa sleeper when we take the grandkids. Also the front storage is nice for indoor storage of bikes. We even can put our 2 kayaks inside with the bikes. The rear slide king bed is another great feature. We tow with a Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel with no problem.

[Ohiofinlander]

Love our x23b with two kids. Usually go 3 weekends every month. More storage than we know what to do with.

[vcbice]

So, we started with a 27ft Class A for camping. Why that size? Cause that was the length limit for the NF campgrounds that we liked to camp in. It went everywhere and was fairly easy to maneuver. Even if we had the toad it could be easily unhitched to turn the rig around.

Then we went to a 24ft fifth wheel. That was what I considered a perfect size for the two of us and our largish dog. Easy to get in and out of places and would fit in almost any campsite and most gas stations.

Now we full time in our 35ft. It has served us well as our 'mobile home', but, is a bit long for most camping. Yes, there are more and more parks and campgrounds being fixed up with longer spaces, but, you do have to check to make sure. Some may only have a few spaces for longer rigs so reservations become the norm.

Maneuvering is not that easy, despite what some may say. You cannot pull into any gas station and get fuel. More than half the gas stations out there cannot handle our rig. Our choice of diesel truck was partly done so we could use the truck pumps and not mess around with the 'car' pumps.

There are some road junctions that are just too tight to make a turn without crossing over into the opposing lane or running over the curb, especially in some small towns. Remember that semi in town that crossed into your lane to make a turn? When you get to longer trailers that will be you. And watch the 'swing' of the back end of your trailer Some of the twisty roads we liked to take to campgrounds required a few tense moments as we were using up more than our lane.

Yes, you can go to plenty of places, but, you have to plan ahead. Make sure your route does not take you through a length restricted area. Plan your stops at places that have enough room to turn around and park. Take your time. You have a lot of size and weight back there to consider.


PS when we stop full timing we will go back to a small trailer for camping, less than 20ft. After all, camping is to enjoy the outdoors, not spend the weekend inside the trailer.

[WVDusty]

Since purchasing our 32BHDS we have realized that every time we have bought a larger TT we have camped less. We are mostly weekend campers and the size of our current TT is kinda a pain for short trips. We have decided to keep this one for our two week long trips every year and to buy a MUCH smaller used camper for the weekend trips.

[Forsyth1933]

We are super happy thst we went 32bhds so the kids have space at night. We go 3 weekends month typically. If we were not so comfotable we would go less. So few state parks here have full hookups with 4 ladies showering we need that so we are used to private cg. It is big but we dont think twice at going at drop of hat. Only downside is the tv required.

[pamschultze]

If you will be in your camper more than a week at a time go for the bigger one. We leave in the winter and spend a couple months traveling. Nice to spread out.

[bdreinv]

Maybe a lot depends on your tow vehicle!

[edowsfamily]

Originally Posted by Wisco Dude

Hello,
My wife and I are trying to decide whether or not to get a larger travel trailer. We currently have a Jayco Jay Feather X17Z. It is small but easy to pull and very easy to get it in and out of pretty much any campsite. We have two boys, ages 3 and 6, and we've been considering getting a bunkhouse to better accommodate everyone as the boys get bigger. The tt we want is 31' overall. My truck will be able to pull it, so that's not a problem, but I am hesitant because right now we can go anywhere we want with the little trailer, and with a larger trailer I'm worried we may not be able to.
I'm apprehensive, not only about driving, turning corners, etc., but getting the longer trailer into sites and even just getting through some of these campgrounds. Although maneuvering/hauling large things isn't entirely new to me, as I grew up on a farm, that was many years ago, and in wide open spaces! So it really comes down to a trade-off between maneuverability versus space, or I guess comfort getting there versus comfort while we're there.

I'm wondering what other people think, what your experiences have been like with larger trailers, and what your advice would be regarding whether to get a larger trailer or stick with the small one.
Thank you!

we wanted nothing longer than the 22FB was we go to state parks and sites are tight to get into.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by vcbice

After all, camping is to enjoy the outdoors, not spend the weekend inside the trailer.

Awesome idea! Best comment I have heard on this site...

We have virtually no TV reception, and we don't care. Why do you need a Satellite dish? We like the microwave, and the fridge and AC make life a bit more comfortable. But we lived without all those "luxuries" for 30 years before we upgraded from a 50 year old trailer that only had an ice box.

Camping is what you make out of it. If we didn't relish being in the great outdoors we would probably just go to a motel. If bigger and better floats your boat, then you should go for it.

[jp_brown]

My wife and I grew up tent camping and loved it. When our 3 boys were old enough to head out we took them tent camping. Children don't care about where and how they camp, but as adults tent camping was much less fun than we remembered it as children, especially if the weather wasn't cooperating. So we upgraded to a large pop up, which was much more comfortable to sleep in and super easy to pull around, but with 3 growing kids and a dog that goes camping with us, our pop up quickly just became a glorified tent. Inclement weather still meant camping became no fun.

My sister and some of our friends whom we camp with often both made the jump to TT first. We admired the storage space and ease of setting up and breaking down and having a place to keep your camping stuff permanently without the need to move stuff in and out all the time. So as others have mentioned we made a list of what we wanted to make camping more enjoyable. Our list was long and quickly we were looking at very large trailers. I wanted a big truck anyhow, but the cost of the TV and TT upgrade have been substantial, but I made a plan and have made it work.

We absolutely love our 33RBTS, checked all the boxes of everything we wanted out of a camper. We are primarily weekend campers, but part of why I wanted to upgrade to a more comfortable camper is so that we can take some longer road trips. Now if it rains, we have plenty of room to be comfortable and hang out inside. Too hot, cool off in the AC. Too cold (as it was on our first trip out), read a book inside. Now we can extend our camping season just about year round here in the Midwest outside parts of January-February when it is just brutal cold.


It is a beast to tow, but with practice, backing it into storage or a site is a piece of cake. We are limited on some places we used to camp, but as we really enjoy sites with full hookups, we have plenty of RV park options anywhere we want to go that easily accommodates our large trailer. Yes we have to plan ahead a little more, but here in the Midwest that was the norm anyhow, people love to camp around here, so you weren't just hooking up and going to your favorite state park without a reservation most weekends in the traditional camping season anyhow.


When our children are grown and/or stop camping with us, we will probably downsize a bit to a slightly shorter yet nicely equipped 5er, but until then we are loving our family time in our very large TT!

[alexykranjec]

Originally Posted by itsaJayco

Hi,
I have twins under 10 plus another under 6 all three are boys. We just picked up the 224BH. Just came back from our first two week outing. First few days kids rotated beds to see what they liked (top bunk, bottom bunk and dining table). One night the twins had a friend each sleep over (two in each bunk bed, little one on dinning table). We never felt like we didn't have enough space. I get each family is different.

we looked at the 224BH,242BH and a larger 28something. We didn't want a slide out if possible. The couch is nice in the 242 but we didn't want to tow something too bid to fit in some sites we like. The bed location in the 224 worked great as a couch.

We also considered storage, the 224 is just under 26" long tip to tail, which for the storage lots we were looking at had monthly parking of $75 for 25ft and under and $150/month for bigger. Talked to them and was okay just being a shade over 25ft .

Good luck in your decision.

This is helpful. We are seriously considering this unit, for the same reasons as you. We only have two girls (5 and 2). Feel like it would be a great fit. How have you found the storage? One of the reasons I really like this one is the larger shower. How have you liked it? Two things I dislike - 1) I wish it had the drawers under the dinette both seats like some other models, but maybe that's a mod we can do, and 2) I wish the awning went all the way to the back to cover the outdoor kitchen...

Also, you mentioned the bed location worked as a couch. What do you mean? I am wondering if this unit is sufficient for hanging those few hours in a storm or when you might want to get away and cool down. Heck, most hotel rooms don't have a bed and a couch, so we're used to chilling on a bed while on vacation. How has that worked for you.