Camper Recommendations

[CBlack]

So my BIL and family are talking about buying a, as he calls it, "ultra-light" 5er to tow behind his 1500 Chevy, or even upgrading his truck. He does drive a Peterbilt for his day job and has grown up driving such trucks.

That now has my bride talking about a camper for our family.

I don't want a large 5er as per my sig truck, I do not have DRW or really the rear end for it.

I also don't think i want a bumper pull.

What are all of your recommendations? It will be for long weekend get-a-ways, holidays, etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JR]

I can't really give you any solid recommendations on a specific unit but can offer my limited experiences so far. Last year we bought a very well maintained 2003 Forest River Wildcat 28 ft 5th wheel. It was stored indoors during the winter and parked at a campsite full time during the summer as an occasional get a way for an older couple. We were able to get it at a very reasonable price despite a few suggestions from members on here to stay away from the cheaper brands. While we have had no major problems with our unit so far, I can definitely see this would not be a good rig for dragging cross country or full timing in. My biggest gripe is the lack of insulation, I sometimes question whether our unit even has any in the walls and ceiling. Very hot in the summer and this time of year the furnace will be running half the night. This has been a good camper for us to get our feet wet but I'm already eyeballing a replacement. It will definitely be a 4 seasons rated camper.

 

[CBlack]

I'm glad you said that. My BIL has been eyeballing a Forest River and I recall some discussions on here about the low quality of those.

I will definitely stay away from that one.

 

[KenHwy61]

Do your research. Some trailers are better built than others even within a certain manufactuer. As an example, Forest River builds everything from entry level models to full-timer fifth- wheels with very large differences in material quality. Be wary of ultralight weight claims. This often means cheap components were used to reduce weight. Plastic plumbing fixtures, skimpy mattresses, single pane windows, and paper thin walls and roofs with little insulation. I wouldn't rule out a bumper pull. A fifth wheel will tow better but I have no issues towing my travel trailer at all.

 

[GAmes]

As Ken pointed out, most of the makers have different quality levels

. I have found that aerodynamics is much more important than weight when towing. A unit with rounded front and rear caps will put less stress on the drivetrain while going down the road which leads to better mileage and fewer failures. Smooth fiberglass is much better than corrugated aluminum siding. 5ers are better than TTs. Last year we downsized from a 32' triple slide full time capable unit to a more compact "23 ft" (which is actually 27 ft long) single slide which is four seasons capable. It is pretty well suited for our style of use, long trips with usually single night stops, and no, we are not parking lot campers. I pulled the 32 to AK seven years ago and the new one to AK this summer. The shorter trailer (which is only 2500 lbs lighter) was a much better towing experience. Since the company I lease to pulls several different brands I had the opportunity to not only look at a lot of options, but also pull them to see how they towed. Our choice was a Fox Mountain made by North Wood. It is Arctic Fox quality without as many bells and whistles. Be aware that RVs depreciate worse than Cadillacs. The only real advantage of buying one new is getting the choice of options. The majority of people who own RVs only use them a couple times a year, so finding a used unit in good condition for a lot less money than a new one is pretty easy if you don't have a specific make and model in mind.

 

[Killgore]

There is a big difference between a weekend recreational unit and a full-timer's unit as most of us know. The biggest difference is the money or initial outlay. I am in the transitional stage; the full-timer is under construction and the weekender is for sale. (We're suppose to take delivery from Augusta RV in Bristol, IN the latter part of November.) We intend to put our present camper on consignment up there after unloading our personal effects, etc. However, if you have an interest in a well-maintained 2011 Cougar High Country, send me a private message.

- Ed

 

[Jim W]

I have towed three different models of 5ER'S all by different manufacturers. I am now towing a 2016 Cedar Creek and we love it. But this is one of the higher end fivers built by Forest River, so it is quite different then a entry level 5ER, such as our 2010Keystone cougar. I would not hesitate and buying another Cedar Creek at all.

 

[Killgore]

Jim, don't tell me you wouldn't buy another Cougar, LOL

 

[BarryG]

As has been mentioned there are different levels of quality from the same manufacturer. A couple years ago we purchased a new 5er. We ended up with a Jayco Eagle HT it is rated as a 3 star by the consumer group organization (which is a lightweight model I am guessing that the HT stands for half ton towable but at 9950gvw and a pin weight of 1800lbs that is going to be a stretch for any 1/2 ton by the time you add in passengers etc but a piece of cake for a 2500. It is not a high end unit but I don't think it is a low end unit more like lower-middle in the medium quality category. So far so good. You will also find quite a bit of price difference between quality levels. We looked at some that were over 100k (just to get an idea of what that offered as far as quality and amenities) and we looked at some that were 25k for the same reason. No one wants to buy a pos but nor does everyone need 100k unit even if they could afford it, I know we couldnt. We thought long and hard about how we were going to use our unit before we purchased and for us it Is for as many weekends in the summer as we can get which in reality is perhaps 4 to 6 as well as a couple week long or so vacations a year. One thing I have found and I did think about it beforehand but not to the degree I should have was having a 30 foot 5er does limit where you can go On our old popup trailer if I got into a bad spot and couldn't get turned around if need be I could unhook the trailer turn it around by myself and then get the truck turned around and hook back up and be on my way didn't have to worry about low hanging branches, low bridges etc now we do. There are many roads I wont go on because I don't know what's down there and is there a way to turn around if need be. So with a larger trailer you are more limited to real campgrounds at least here in the mountains. While I am not opposed at all to going down forest service roads I just want to have personal knowledge of the road beforehand. Is it a big deal no but it does limit us to a certain degree. We used to boondock a lot more than we do now as places we used to go the 5er wont go period. Not necessarily a bad thing but different. On the other hand we certainly have more space and amenities and it is more comfortable and livable and in that respect more enjoyable.


A brand that I really liked was Arctic Fox and they have a very good reputation for quality without glitz but they are somewhat heavy and they were at the very very high end of our budget. However they also make a lighter weight line called Fox Mountain which I also really liked and would have went with it but they discontinued the model we wanted (285) and saw at the show but it had sold. The next model (235)the wife just didn't care for the plan/size though she did feel it was a better trailer than the one we ended up with quality wise as did I for sure but it also cost 25% more than what we ended up with.

You might be served well to check out some of the rv forums like IRV2 and RV.net as well as any owners group forums of brands you are looking at.

 

[Jim W]

Jim, don't tell me you wouldn't buy another Cougar, LOL

One Keystone product is enough for me!
One thing I like about Forest River is I can contact someone at Cedar Creek and get support even after our warranty period is up.

Jim

 

[JR]

For the record, I wasn't bashing Forest River in particular, I was merely reflecting on my particular model.

 

[shorthorn]

Our Coachmen is also made by forest river and we have had good luck with it so far. Sure it has a few things here and there, but when they are new you will have issues with any manufacture.

One thing to keep in mind... with a SRW truck, you will more than likely be overweight on your payload with about any 5er... they are much heavier pin weights than bumber pull trailers. This is why I got rid of my '05 2500 for the dually when we got this Coachmen 5er.

 

[RustyJC]

While I'm not a fan of travel trailers (i.e., "bumper pulls"), if he's committed to use that 1500 as a tow vehicle, he should be aware that he can pull a heavier travel trailer than he can a 5th wheel because of the lower (10%-12% of loaded weight) tongue weight of the travel trailer versus a 5th wheel which will have ~20% of its loaded weight transferred to the truck as pin weight. The limiting factor on that 1/2 ton truck is more than likely going to be GVWR or, even if he ignores GVWR, rear axle GAWR. Remember, 1/2 ton trucks use semi-floating rear axles that carry the weight on the axle shafts, unlike the full-floating axles on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that carry the weight on hub assemblies and only transmit torque with the axle shafts.

Rusty

 

[CBlack]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

So I guess the consensus is a quality bumper bull that has good aerodynamics? Kind of what I was thinking for the reasons mentioned but wanted some input from people who've had experience.

 

[CBlack]

While I'm not a fan of travel trailers (i.e., "bumper pulls"), if he's committed to use that 1500 as a tow vehicle, he should be aware that he can pull a heavier travel trailer than he can a 5th wheel because of the lower (10%-12% of loaded weight) tongue weight of the travel trailer versus a 5th wheel which will have ~20% of its loaded weight transferred to the truck as pin weight. The limiting factor on that 1/2 ton truck is more than likely going to be GVWR or, even if he ignores GVWR, rear axle GAWR. Remember, 1/2 ton trucks use semi-floating rear axles that carry the weight on the axle shafts, unlike the full-floating axles on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks that carry the weight on hub assemblies and only transmit torque with the axle shafts.

Rusty

I get that. Unfortunately, my BIL is one of those who'd put a 30k dozer on a 8k trailer and tow it behind his F250. Why? Because it has a Powerstroke in it.

Kind of like my FIL who has 3 Mack trucks with 24 yard trailers, changes the oil in them once a year (Rotella) and almost burns his Allison transmission up towing his 5er.

 

[GAmes]

.... a quality bumper bull that has good aerodynamics

The only bumper pull that fits those criteria is Airstream. Conventional TTs are less aerodynamic than 5ers.

 

[GCP]

I have owned both an Arctic Fox travel trailer an an Open Range 5th wheel. I enjoyed both units while I owned them. If I had to make another purchase, and I will in the future, I would probably scoop up another Arctic Fox. They're great quality, all season trailer that is perfect for the long weekend and short camping trips that I would like to start making again. They also make 5th wheels that maybe of interest to you. My '07 and '09 2500s had absolutely no problem towing either style of trailer.

Do your homework and take your time finding the layout that works best for you and your family.

Best set of luck,

GCP

 

[Charley67]

Your 2500 CTD will handle most 5ers under 30' without difficulty. Hook to it and pull it a few miles before buying, if possible keeping in mind that it doesn't have all your stuff in it, yet. As to your BIL, I suspect he'd find more pleasure with a bumper pull. I once bought a "light weight" 5er to pull behind a 1500, and I saw very quickly that there were many negatives.