Grey Wolf 26DBH Review

[therabidlama]

When trying to find the “perfect” travel trailer for my family, information on a great deal of models seemed to be in short supply. “How is the camper, can I tow it, do you like it?” I’ve noticed that’s still the case and figured I might be able to help someone in the future with any kind of review I could post. So, here we go.



Background: My wife and I started from scratch, moving up front tent camping. We looked at what had to have been every floor plan available in the eastern US. Ultimately, we were constrained by money and our tow vehicle and decided something small like a wolf pulp would be just right. Well, we started gravitating to Grey Wolf’s bunk house floor plans because we have two small children which, as you know, only get bigger with time. In the end the small wolf pulp had grown into either the 23dbh or 26dbh. The weight difference in the two was negligible so we opted for the extra 3 feet of interior space. So our “small camper” became a 2018 26dbh new off the lot.



Camper: We love the camper. It’s perfect for our family. Each kid has a bunk that they can grow in to, the kitchen has enough space to be usable, and the pantry gives you tons of space to store everything you need. Even the bathroom has enough room, although I feel that at 6 feet tall and 230 pounds the shower is awful tight. I have replaced the shower head with an Oxygenics shower head and it seems to really stretch the hot water out. We also removed the shower curtain and track system for a regular curtain rod. The tracked system kept getting caught up and I (accidentally) ripped the shower curtain to pieces. So far our only issue was a loose connection on the radio/DVD that required 2 minutes to remove and push the wires in tight. One think I didn’t like on the lot was the small cook surface you get right behind the front door. I was enamored with the large outdoor kitchens on larger campers. Now, I wouldn’t trade if I could. The cook top is compact, easy to use, and has a small fridge right there. Most importantly for my kids, doesn’t take up any space from the bunks. Finally; the bunks. Great for kids, mattresses are way too thin for adults in my opinion. We'll have address that when they get bigger.



Tow Vehicle: This seems to be one of the biggest question marks when purchasing a camper. We started with a 2008 Chevy Suburban Z71, 2wd. I crunched every number I could find, ran every spreadsheet, and stressed to no end over pulling this camper. Seeing as most of our outings would be long weekends, and as a result wouldn’t require much payload, we went for it. I added a Tekonsha Prodigy P2 brake controller and a Husky Centerline weight distribution hitch. I will comment more on those later.



To be honest, without packing too much, we were still probably over the limit on payload. On a long trip we would have definitely gone over. I’ll give the Suburban credit; it pulled and stopped that camper well. It also turned into a white knuckle experience if the wind blew. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the driving experience was wearing me out when towing the camper. I’m a cautious driver anyway, then add in the stress of keeping the wife and kids safe and I was exhausted by the time we reached our destination. I also got uncomfortable with the tired 5.3 constantly turning high rpms any time we encountered a hill. We really wanted to strike out toward more mountainous adventures, but I just didn’t trust the Suburban to survive a trip with too much elevation change.



The writing was on the wall, we needed to upgrade our tow vehicle. The Suburban was my wife’s daily driver so we had to get her something that she could “mom” around town in and also tow the camper comfortably anywhere we wanted to go. I really wish Chevy or Ford still offered the ¾ ton SUV’s. Sadly they don't and the used market prices reflect this. This would also be our first “new” vehicle in 10 years so we wanted something newer, with the warranty still in place if possible. Mrs. Lama likes SUV’s and wasn’t opposed to a truck so we started casually looking. Ford’s Expedition with max tow is reported to be a beast. I liked the idea, but she wasn’t sold on them. I had read a lot about the F-150 eco boost with max tow and heavy duty payload package and have friends that drive Ford trucks that give glowing reviews so I was interested in them. My requirements were factory tow package and brake controller. I think it just looks nicer on the inside. Her only requirements were remote start, heated seats, and that it be an F-250………. She doesn’t care for the looks of any of the ½ ton trucks. Well, instead of tow number crunching we were now budget number crunching. I decided that a new or gently used F-250 with the 6.2 gas engine would be overkill for our towing needs, make her happy as a daily driver, plus allow for a bigger camper in the future if life took us in that direction. Since a gas F-250 with XLT package was the most reasonable choice given our constraints and amenity requirements, we naturally brought home a 2016 F-350 Platinum with the 6.7 Powerstroke. Did we “need” this truck? No. Is it at all reasonable for our requirements of a daily driver to work with occasional camper pulling duty? No. Do we care? Not one bit. This thing pulled that trailer down I-95 in the middle of severe thunderstorms better than the Suburban pulled it in nice calm weather. The stress and fatigue from towing were gone. It was a magical experience. The first piece of advice I will give someone getting into camping; overdo it on the tow vehicle. It makes the experience more enjoyable. Any downsides to the F-350? Of course. The most glaring fault, someone at Ford decided to put a 26 gallon tank in this truck. That’s my only real complaint so far, but one that I can rectify.



Gear we use: I’ll run over some stuff we were told we needed, suggested to us, or something shiny that I thought I couldn’t live without.



Tekonsha Prodigy P2 – Fantastic controller; easily hooked up and operated. I’d recommend it to anyone. Necessity if you’re pulling a larger trailer.



Husky Centerline weight distribution hitch – Only WDH I have experience with. It did a great job transferring weight to the front wheels. I can’t speak to sway reduction because I never towed the camper without it hooked up. I really wouldn’t have felt comfortable without it. The setup was easy enough to work with as far as hooking and unhooking, but added just a little more “chore” to the journey. That being said, I’d never attempt to tow without it, absolute necessity for our ½ ton vehicle. I have stopped using it with the 1 ton though.



Camco 15’ Rhino sewer hose – good hose, only one I’ve had. Get the kit that includes the caps. They’re worth it. Also, get a second hose for an extension when funds allow. I’ve only needed more than 15’ one time, but it really sucked not having it.



Camco Sidewinder sewer support – supports the hose so you have a nice downward slope to your waste deposit point. I’ve used it every time, and it’s been necessary all but one time. A lot of places have pipes that extend above the ground and you’ll be out there holding the hose like Cousin Eddie if you don’t have the support.



90 degree elbow for city water hook up – I think it’s a necessity to keep stress off of the water hook up on the camper. For the price, the peace of mind is worth it.



Water pressure regulator – Necessity. Not every park will have crazy water pressure, but it just takes one to turn your travel trailer into a water park. I’d get one with a gauge that allows you to adjust the pressure.



Surge protector – Necessity. Mine is not the $200 variety, but should work if the worst happens. Buy whatever level of protection helps you sleep at night.



50-30 amp adapter – I bought one when I got the camper but haven’t needed it yet. I will say that if you need it and don’t have it, you’ll be in a pinch. For the price, might as well grab one and throw it in your electrical supply box. It opens up more site options for you as well since you can reserve that 50 amp site if you need to.



30-15 (or 15-30?) amp adapter. Not a necessity. However, for the price I wouldn’t give it up. I move the camper to the house and plug it in before a trip to get the refrigerators cool.



2 way splitter for water faucet – Not a necessity, but allows the use of a second hose if your tied into city water. I have a one with water shut offs so I can use the black tank flush without too much hassle. For the price, put it closer to the top of your list.



Water filter – Another item that for the cost I’d just rather have it. I have the standard blue in line filter. Depending on your water purity requirements you might not need it.



Lynx Levelers and Harbor Freight wheel chocks–I like the Lynx because they hook together when you stack them and have a carrying case. I just use heavy rubber wheel chocks from harbor freight to secure the wheels. Honestly cut up 2x4’s and 2x6’s will do the same thing if you have some scrap wood lying around. We started with scrap wood, then upgraded when the funds allowed.



X Chocks – I read a lot about them and decided to give it a whirl. The camper will not roll away with these things in place, but I really can’t say if they reduce movement in the camper over just using the stabilizers. It seems like they do, but without some testing it all could be in my head. If funds are tight, I’d put them lower on your list of things to buy. Definitely not a necessity.



Smore ingredients – Absolute necessity. Doesn’t matter if you have a campfire or have to use your outdoor propane cooktop, smores are a requirement on all of our trips.



Well, that ended up longer than intended so I’ll stop there. Any questions or comments, I’d be happy to respond and will update this if something changes or comes up. Hopefully it can provide some insight for anyone looking at a 26dbh.

[ProCharger]

We have around 70 nights in ours and could not be happier when it is just the 3 of us. Going into season 3 and 2 weeks ago had our first "problem" which was a leak/drip on the toilet water valve plunger when you press the foot pedal. Ordered one and a spare on Amazon for $30.xx shipped.

We have pretty much every accessory you listed but also added a TPMS (TST 507), swapped the tires for Goodyear Endurance, added a 10 inch gel memory foam mattress up front, and portable progressive EMS.

I will admit though when it is just my wife, 4 year old daughter, and myself there is plenty of room. But we are looking at large 5th wheels for the times we do entertain as space becomes an issue, something along the lines of mid bunk fivers. 4 adults and a child quickly become too tight for us but it is doable.

Happy camping!

[2016Pup]

Nice review, we need pics!

[therabidlama]

Originally Posted by ProCharger

We have pretty much every accessory you listed but also added a TPMS (TST 507), swapped the tires for Goodyear Endurance, added a 10 inch gel memory foam mattress up front, and portable progressive EMS.

TPMS is on my ever expanding list of items to acquire. They will probably be added when we put new tires on the camper. How do you like the TST 507?

We also added a mattress pad from Sam's to our bed. It's not bad, definitely better than just the "mattress." I'd like to upgrade the mattress itself one day.

Originally Posted by 2016Pup

Nice review, we need pics!

First outing with camper.





Suburban bringing the camper home.





First tow with the new TV.

[rfifer]

Like you, we started out with tent camping, then moved up to a 277 HW pup, and this year a Grey Wolf 26 DBH. We have had it out twice and love it. We are doing a little inside work to bring it up to what we want such as an extendable arm for the TV so I don't sit on the sofa with a twisted neck. We got a Tempurpedic foam topper for the queen bed, and that made a world of difference in comfort. We are using an Equal-i-zer WDH, and that seems to work well. I still feel a cross-wind, but then I would be surprised if I didn't. And we went with Anderson levelers - so easy to work with. Our TV is an F150 eco-boost, and that seems to have plenty of power for the way that I drive. Apart from that, we have much of the same add-on equipment that you do. Looking forward to a series of short weekend trips this summer and then a much longer vacation trip to Ashevill and Brevard, NC later in the summer.

[ProCharger]

Originally Posted by therabidlama

TPMS is on my ever expanding list of items to acquire. They will probably be added when we put new tires on the camper. How do you like the TST 507?

Absolutely love the TST 507. We went with the color monitor with capped sensors on steel valve stems. It is real time as well. I can take a sensor off and immediately the alarm sounds. I can adjust the air pressure, screw it back on and within seconds the alarm stops and the new pressure readout shows. It is also within 1 psi of my guage as well so fairly accurate. I screwed the repeater onto the top of the propane cover and wire it directly to the battery. I have never had a dropped signal. It definitely helps with that warm and fuzzy feeling over factory tires without a tpms.

[jbdoughty01]

Like you, I began towing my 23DBH with an Avalanche 5.3, but soon traded up to a 2500 diesel. Diesel pulls like a dream compared to the Avalanche. I also considered the 26DBH, but decided to save the 3 feet overall -- now the wife and I sometimes wish for the extra interior space!

Some mods I've done to mine that I find helpful:
- Blackout fabric clothes-pinned or painters-taped on some of the windows.
- Propane quick-disconnect mod for the Coleman Roadtrip.
- Various versions of hanging shoe storage, cut, re-grommeted, and hung with 3M hooks (these are especially useful storage compartments for the kids' bunks!).
- Stromberg Carlson Bike Bunk over the a-frame: although a bit pricey, a genius way to carry bikes and keep an eye on them in the rear-view!

And I'm definitely thinking about the TPMS before my next long trip!

Happy Camping!

[therabidlama]

Originally Posted by jbdoughty01

Diesel pulls like a dream compared to the Avalanche.

So true. That one "upgrade" has made the camping trips so much more enjoyable for me. I still wouldn't change how I did it because of the experiences I had and the knowledge gained, but I'd really hate to go back.

Originally Posted by jbdoughty01

I also considered the 26DBH, but decided to save the 3 feet overall -- now the wife and I sometimes wish for the extra interior space!

I can attest that the couch you get with the extra 3 feet is nice, although our dog has laid claim to it so I haven't gotten to enjoy it all that much.

I can also attest that on my last trip I would have loved to have had a trailer that was 3 feet shorter. We stayed at a place in Myrtle Beach SC called Pirateland and the space to maneuver a large truck and trailer made getting into and out of my space a nauseating experience. It was still worth the stop though because the kids had a blast.