In hindsight, what are most important features?

[dummin4fun]

My husband and I are wanting to get a travel trailer for our family of 4, including a dog. We currently have a 2010 GMC Acadia AWD with tow pkg that we are considering upgrading. We like the self contained travel trailers and want a good mix of storage and space. Kids are boy/girl aged 7 & 9, geting older and bigger, so seperate sleeping areas they can grow into are a big consideration. We like the bunk beds for kids and queen bed for us with a bump out for extra room. Not having camped much before in anything other than a pop-up and tent, in hindsight, what features/options would you consider must haves?

Thanks for your help! Mary

[Rsgtivr6]

One of my "musts" was hard walls and minimal canvas. We were looking at a Roo/Shamrock 183, 19S or 233S. We needed sleeping for 6 minimum (really only 4 but have you looked at campers that sleep 4? I wouldn't put anyone on the foldout couch or dinette for the length of time we need to) and room for a baby. The only reason we shied away was the canvas maintenance/possible repair. I know plenty that are fine with it, but I had the extra towing room and opted for a hard side BH.

Another was no carpet. I dont want to clean carpets after a camping session outside. I will Swiffer a linoleom floor fine, but not getting that stain out of the burbur...

AC, and a good one at that. I grew up tenting (parents didnt get an RV til i left the house) and hated my cousins for their RV during 90F days and 80F+ nights with 80% RH. Since I was dropping the money, it was going to drop the temperature!

"Big" bathroom. Now I put the big in quotations because in a lightweight bunkhouse camper, that is a falacy. Our model has the outside entrance to the bath which makes it about as big as you can get for a bunkouse. We also needed a full enclosed tub to wash the baby.

Finaly, our last "must have" was living area slide out. My girlfriend didn't like the floorplans where only the beds slide out. (rear slide expandables). She wanted living space to open up (thats where the 233S Roo shined). Our TT doesn't slide much, since it is a kitchen slide, but it does open the living area up some. Its amazing what even a 12-18" slide accomplishes to open a space.

All of these were considerations we had to make, but weight is ultimately the final issue we had to contend with, as we only have a 1/2 ton truck. If you upgrade to a deisel 3/4 or 1-ton, the sky is the limit...

Our 27BHKS gave us all of what we wanted for a fairly low weight, and for a fairly low price. Biggest thing is, write down what you want, take it to a good dealer, and they will guide you (hopefully) to your dream rig.

Good luck!

[Terier]

You are going to get a long list of "must have" from everyone. My recommendation would be to picture where everything would go and how it would work out. Open the cabinets and visual place your kitchenware, clothes, bath towels, food, toys, etc. After I took delivery it was a bit of a challenge to find the right spot for everything. I have good amount of storage but without shelves or s panty it took a bit of trial & error to find the right method to use.

Space is a big deal - you need to have enough space to be happy campers.