What is the perfect travel trailer length?

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by bikendan

My wife's family has had RVs for many years and they call them tipouts. Could be a regional thing also. Like bumper pull trailer.

I had a tip-out/bump-out that wasn't a slide-out, on a Coleman popup. The kitchen cantilevered ("tipped") out over the wall, providing a sink and stove at normal cabinet height. The canvas "bumped out" to accommodate it.

PS: in the context of Dan's answer, it's correct.

[Joe M.]

Our first TTwas 23" v-nose and the wife and loved it. The only down side to that small of a TT is usually the bathroom is small. It was easy to tow and back up. We recently upgraded to 26" and we love it. Honestly I didn't think the extra 3" would make that much difference. But backing up I had little learning curve to over come. So my opinion is anything from a 23"-26" would be perfect for almost all campgrounds. But it comes down to your needs, we have found we don't spend much time in the trailer during the day. But we did want something comfortable for showering and sleeping. When shopping for a TT take your time in each one. Lay down on the bed for a few minutes then try climbing out of it a couple times. Do the same with the bathroom and shower. Stand I. The shower and pretend to shower that way you can see if you have enough room to love around. Never rush when looking.

[dm6]

Originally Posted by MTRCYCMAN

My 2 Cents:

The old cliché, "A 25 ft. travel trailer is the largest small trailer and the smallest large trailer" has some merit. I had the Bigfoot 25B25RQ and IMO it is the best trailer ever made for two people. Plenty of storage, all the necessary facilities, and you can pretty much take it to any park. The only problem I had was I couldn't take my motorcycle.

Enjoy
MC

Just to clarify, when you guys give a length, are you talking about the box length or from tongue to bumper? The two floor plans we like best so far are the murphy bed with bunks in the back that is about 26' total tongue to bumper and then another floorplan with bunks in the back and a separate bedroom in the from with doors that is about 28.5" tongue to bumper (but the box is more like 25').

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

Did you see the part about "turtling" in a hybrid?

Yep, one of the positives of a hybrid.
You can open up the tent ends and have a 30ft+ trailer, in a 24ft length. Or you can keep the bunk ends closed and use the dinette or sofa as beds, like any smaller hard-sided TT.
Part of the versatility of a hybrid TT.

[Rorschach]

When I said <25 I am referring to tongue to bumper, which should work for the majority of the National Parks.

[oxcamper]

I am very happy with our "28" which is actually 31 1/2 from tongue hitch to bumper.

"If you can't camp with the one you love, love the one you can camp with"

[Larry Bill]

Originally Posted by dm6

Of course there are going to be many opinions on this, but just wanted to see what you think is the perfect balance where it is big enough to feel like you are not cramped and have room for storage, etc. but small enough where it is easier to maneuver and will fit in most campgrounds. I am talking about for a family of 4 so definitely something with bunks. I am thinking somewhere in the mid 20' range but was wondering at what point does it start to seem "big" where you are more limited where you can take it.

I pull a 2506S Forest River 25’. It all depends on what you pull it with. I have a 1/2 ton Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2 L engine. No problem at all.

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by dm6

Just to clarify, when you guys give a length, are you talking about the box length or from tongue to bumper? The two floor plans we like best so far are the murphy bed with bunks in the back that is about 26' total tongue to bumper and then another floorplan with bunks in the back and a separate bedroom in the from with doors that is about 28.5" tongue to bumper (but the box is more like 25').

When people talk about length (especially when it comes to making sure your trailer will fit in a certain site)they are referring to total length, hitch to bumper (if you have one!). The Murphy bed is great because you have so much more room in a small camper. Up and out of the way during day. No kids, so no bunks for us. Seems like many of us are older, no kids to fit somewhere. I guess that's why they call us FROGS. We're older and more prone to croaking, lol.

[gcharles]

I have a 37-foot Coachmen 5th wheel, but it doesn't move...
I live in it year-round.

I just recommended a 28-foot to 32-foot TT to my friend in Florida.
She'll move it all over.

I recognize that each person has his own needs/wants.

[Cricker12]

As with everything, this is very subjective. We are also family of 4 with 2 kids in the 7-12 range. I researched a ton of National and state (Michigan) parks that were on our bucket list and found we really wanted to stay under 25ft to allow the most flexibility. I was worried after many rv shows that this would feel cramped. 3 years in camping 30+ nights a year we love our 25 footer. We have a hybrid to get the floor space inside and number of beds we wanted (233s). A little more maintenance on the tent ends but worth it in the end for us. Good luck in your search.

[Palinduff]

Quote (Originally by AlaskaErik)---
The one mid-size trailer I've found that has very good fresh water and holding tank capacity is the Keystone Cougar half ton series. While most of their trailers would be a challenge for many half tons, except for one of the 22 footers, the mid-size lineup has a 60 gallon fresh water tank, 76 gallon gray tank and 38 gallon black tank. Tank capacity is one of the first things I look at when checking out trailers. It amazes me how many manufacturers put in tanks that leave you with too little fresh water capacity and/or holding tanks that are way out of proportion to the fresh water tank.
---End Quote---

Storage and tank capacity, along with being half ton towable were the main reasons for us choosing the Puma 253FBS. 52 gal fresh, 35 black and two grey tanks along with the most inside and outside storage we could find in a shorter (27’) fifth wheel.

[Dwjackson59]

Family of 4 needs bunks or bunkhouse. Your truck and ability can easily mean 4' plus or minus. I have 32' and my friend with same size family has 26'. They wished they went bigger and it seems we always fit in the same campgrounds.

[mixerman]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Bump outs and tip outs are older terms for slideouts.

Yeah, I was trying to be funny but pretty much nobody uses either of those terms any more as they really never were good terms as they don't make any sense, and actually didn't back in the day. Nothing about a slide out could ever mean a tip out. That term really makes no sense at all. And as far as bump out, I guess if a person was pressing the switch with a nervous twitch, then bump out might describe that one. Lol

[mixerman]

Originally Posted by forestwendel

We have found the ideal TT length is 3 feet longer than the one you you have now.

If our camper was 3' longer than it is now, we wouldn't be able to fit it into our pole building. So 3' longer is not always the case as to having the perfect camper. We know you were trying to be funny so we'll let that one slide.

[mixerman]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

I had a tip-out/bump-out that wasn't a slide-out, on a Coleman popup. The kitchen cantilevered ("tipped") out over the wall, providing a sink and stove at normal cabinet height. The canvas "bumped out" to accommodate it.

PS: in the context of Dan's answer, it's correct.

Still doesn't make any sense. It ran out over a wall so it tipped? Slide makes more sense. Maybe the canvass bumping out would better be described as billowing out or folding out or pushed out but bumped out? I guess they had to describe it with some sort of term so the first thing that came to mind was bump. Lol Funny terms but for our modern day slides, the term slide makes way more sense, in my opinion any way, for whatever it's worth which often times isn't much.

[mixerman]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

Did you see the part about "turtling" in a hybrid?

So does that mean they're going real slow with their hybrid? Lol

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Palinduff

Quote (Originally by AlaskaErik)---
The one mid-size trailer I've found that has very good fresh water and holding tank capacity is the Keystone Cougar half ton series. While most of their trailers would be a challenge for many half tons, except for one of the 22 footers, the mid-size lineup has a 60 gallon fresh water tank, 76 gallon gray tank and 38 gallon black tank. Tank capacity is one of the first things I look at when checking out trailers. It amazes me how many manufacturers put in tanks that leave you with too little fresh water capacity and/or holding tanks that are way out of proportion to the fresh water tank.
---End Quote---

Storage and tank capacity, along with being half ton towable were the main reasons for us choosing the Puma 253FBS. 52 gal fresh, 35 black and two grey tanks along with the most inside and outside storage we could find in a shorter (27’) fifth wheel.

I went to check it out to see if it fits our needs, but the factory web site states it only holds 43 gallons of fresh water. And it's a 5th wheel.

https://palominorv.com/travel-traile...ma/253FBS/2496

[Palinduff]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

I went to check it out to see if it fits our needs, but the factory web site states it only holds 43 gallons of fresh water. And it's a 5th wheel.

https://palominorv.com/travel-traile...ma/253FBS/2496

Interesting. The 2015 has 51 gal fresh, 84 gal grey and 32 black. Also a much lighter dry pin weight of 1027 lbs. loaded with water I’m usually between 1200 and 1400 lbs depending on I load it.

https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2015-...253fbs-tr22954

[Chuck_S]

For my family we determined the best way to get decent interior space in a convenient external package was to not get a travel trailer or "rv" but get a hybrid camper. Roo 23SS is only 23 feet long if you count the rear bumper and front tongue, the actual body is maybe 20 feet. All that 20 feet, though, is cabin space and there are no beds using any of it as they're external under tentage. Overall length on site is about 30 feet. Yep, it's a camper, not a RV or travel trailer.

-- Chuck

[hbneil]

Now that it is just my wife and I, a 21' (box) is all we need (24' hitch to bumper). It has a queen walk around bed, nice size shower, and a 6 cubic ft refrigerator.