Lack of Bunkhouse Models

[Dkevdog]

The wife is now fully convinced of the need for a bunkhouse in our next fifth wheel. I got her to give this option up last time, and believe me, I will never hear the end of it!! My problem is (as i tried to explain) that there are a lack of available floor plans that have bunkhouses. A scan of the major manufactures revealed this was obvious. Now before this turns in to a :-{} , yes I know there ARE some available, Ken I know Arctic Fox Makes one . And so do others. But they almost all only make ONE. What I would love to see is a unit in the range of 29 - 31 foot with two slides (preferrably a bedroom slide) and a bunkhouse. It must be well made and not $2k per foot ! Does such beast exist? Or are there only one floor plan- seems like every manufacture offers the same floor plan for a bunkhouse? Am I alone on this??



Kev

 

[klenger]

While I haven't ever looked for or needed a bunkhouse trailer, it seems that most of them are built as travel trailers, not 5ers. A Coleman pop-up camper has better sleeping arangements for a large family. Good luck.

 

[icarus33]

Kev,



Can you list the manufacturer's that you have come across? I'm in the process of looking at all floor plan options and walked through a couple myself this weekend. I know of Arctic fox, Sunnybrook, and Wildcat by Forest River.



ic

 

[Rockcrawler]

I owned a 2000 Tahoe for a while that may suit you. It was a 28DBSS with a large single slide (Dinette and sofa). it had a medium height profile, slept 8 but better yet slept 4 without changing the dinette or the soaf around. List price was around 26K for a fiberglass unit with a few options.



I went with a smaller fifthwheel and built a trailer under it and behind it to haul my jeep. For just camping the Tahoe was a great unit- especially for the money. Good luck!

 

[MABurns]

Ive got a pretty decent one(Jayco 325BHS). Just one slide though, but very livable. Lots of storage space and closet space too. Check em out at www.jayco.com



#ad




two options on the rear "bunk room"



#ad




and



#ad




Personally with kids I can't imagine anything else but bunkbeds. Good luck.



(oops forgot) @$26,000 it is $812 a foot

 

[Batman]

FWIW, I have a Keystone Cougar 28. 5' 5er that has triple bunks. I've only owned it one year and have had good luck with it so far. Cost was around $25K.



Happy hunting.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Jayco has a couple of bunkhouse models in the Eagle line - doesn't look like any of them are dual slide models though.

 

[The Sequel]

I've looked at numerous bunkhouse models and Ken is right, they are usually in the travel trailer lines. Some of the brands I can think of offhand are Sunnybrook, Layton, Nomad, Aljo, Jayco, Terry, Artic Fox, Nash, Keystone etc. There are others but you are right that they typically have the same or very similiar floorplan. I can't think on any that have a double slide. BTW we have a Layton bumper pull bunkhouse and like it. I do wish we had gotten a slide though.

 

[Dkevdog]

Your point about travel trailers is my whole point. It seems to me that there is a much better selection of TT's due to the popularity of the SUV's. I have had a TT before and after pulling a fiver, don't think I'd ever go back. So I guess I'm stuck with what the manufactures are making- which is basically the same, or somehow figuring out a way to BOMB another floor plan?? Who knows. It seems to me there are two floor plans that do not vary much between any manufacturer. Either a mid bath or a rear bath, but everything else stays in the same place, and the same length (27-33). I did find that King of th Road makes a 40' triple slide bunkhouse, but I don't have the money tree or the truck to pull it !!



Kev

 

[MABurns]

Also try-- www.titaniumrv.com,

they make a few 5th wheels with bunks.

 

[RJOL]

Try this link for Titanium models:



http://www.titaniumrv.com/SPECS/specs.htm

 

[CharlieMiller]

One of the guys I work with has a Newmar American Star 5th with a bunk house. I believe its a 33' but it seems to me he said its may not be made in the American Star line anymore. You may want to check it out.

Charlie

 

[Dkevdog]

Titanium Look pretty nice

We looked at the Titanium Line at the RV Show in Pomana last October. We liked them quite a bit amd they seem to be fairly well built. The closest dealer is a long ways away, they don't have an established dealer network just yet. Does anybody have one that can comment on ownership??



Kev

 

[DHarvey]

You may want to look at the Keystone Sprinter. I've got the 350 with bunks, 1-1/2 baths. Nicely done! It's a 2002 and have had it since dec. , 2001... . great build and no problems. I've found that the unit is made extremely well, is roomy, has 80" ceilings, and a helluv a lot of cabinet space!. . much more too.

THe wife and I were about to buy the Wildcat, until we saw this one. Here is a link to their web site... . unfortunqtely they have not placed the 350 on their yet.



http://www.keystone-goshen.com/sprinter.html

 

[airmoore]

We have been looking very close at bunkhouse fifth wheels with slides. You want to look at the Cardinal, by Forest River. It is the nicest bunkhouse we have seen, it has a double slide (living room and bedroom) and appears to have very good quality. We were leaning toward the Wildcat until seeing the Cardinal. I also suggest you try to go to a large RV show, I am going to the Dallas show this weekend to look at everything side by side. As mentioned earlier, Titanium also makes a bunkhouse, but is more $.

 

[Dkevdog]

Thanks Airmore- I will check our Forrest River. I wish I wouldn't have made such a hasty decision before . Oh well- guess thats what they say by "live and learn". We've used our unit enough to know what we do and don't want. And bunks is hugely high on the list. My 2 kids often take friends and breaking down couch and sofa and stepping all over kids is a PITA ! Dharvey- The sprinter sounds good, but is just a bit bigger than I'd like. We camer dangerously close to buying one last weekend it was the 275BHS or something like that. It is a 28 foot bunkhouse. The only problem is it was wood frame, (would like aluminum) and I know nothing about Keystone as a company. And I'm not going to make those mistakes again!!



Kev

 

[The Sequel]

Take a look at this one . I don't know a thing about them, but for one slide, they put the kitchen in a different place than usual. Although it is still a very similiar plan.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Keystone Sprinter

Dog, I went through the exact same search you are last summer. The bunk floorplans are definetly limited. I don't think you will find a bunk w/aluminum frame in the Fleetwood/Keystone price range. We ended up buying the bunk model you were looking at. We are very happy with it so far. At least on our unit, the workmanship is much better than all the Fleetwood class trailers we looked at. We had a Fleetwood trailer so I am aware of the way they are made and found the Keystone trailers(we looked at quite a few of Sprinters) and found the build quality fairly consistent. I can't comment on how well Keystone and their dealers handle warranty work because I haven't had any yet. Our's is a 2002 model, so if you are close to the San Bernardino/Riverside area, you are welcome to look, crawl in, crawl under my trailer without a saleman breathing down your neck.



Sam

 

[jelvington]

I ended up buying a 2002 Wildcat 28bh by Forest River from the Tarrant County Rv Show last month. We liked this one most of all. Lots of cabinet space and outside storage. I am 6' 4" so I appreciate the tall ceiling. The kids get their bunks in their own room with a wardrobe and entertainment center, we get our own up front. It is a nice well built unit. I agree it is hard to find a 5th wheel with bunk floorplans. This is our first 5th wheel and I'm sure we'll enjoy it much more than the 21ft. expandable that we had.

 

[Dkevdog]

Just an update... ... Barry? Thought for sure you'd chime in on this one! I found that Sportsmen made by KZ ?? also makes a pretty neat 2 slide bunkhouse. The slide is in the kitchen and then the typical dinette/sofa slide. Seems to be a pretty nice layout, something different anyway. The Forrest River Cardinal 31-2BH looks to be exactly what I want, but can't seem to have. They have no dealer in Southern California, and I've heard some very dissapointing stories about poor support on warranty from the manufacturer. I hope this is not the case, because I'm already on that boat now! Still also trying to find out if a Titanium dealer is out there in So Cal. Want to take a closer look at them.



Kev