I'm a lifelong camper, always in either a tent or a pop-up. I've camped in extremely primitive conditions, backpacking, etc. all the way to parks with hook ups for everything. Now, I have 2 kids (5 & 2) and a dog. It's not so easy to just pack up and go like a used too. My husband and I miss camping, but it is such a pain in the ass to pack for four.

Here lately, I've been fantasizing about an RV/5th wheel/trailer/airstream. Right now, it's just an indulgence of mine, and I have no realistic plans of buying one at least in the next year.

So, tell me about your RV. Why do you love it? Why do you hate it? What's the upkeep like? What are the PITA things about RV'ing? Do you rent yours out on Outdoorsy? Pros/cons? Would you buy one again?

Also, pics please. Let me live vicariously through you.

I know she has posted on Texags before but she's a great follow on social media if you're interested in the RV life:
Home with the Hoopers

I also have a dream of one day having an RV and traveling the country! Close friends of mine just started their journey and I'm so excited to follow along with them and ask a ton of questions.

We bought a used 38.5' 5th wheel last year and are currently full-timing. We renovated most of it before we set off on our trip. It's big and works well enough but I would never buy this big of a camper for a weekender rig

With kids, I think you will want bunks. Also look into 2 doors so you can put kids to bed in their room and still use the other door

I think Airstreams look cool, but would not be as useable for a family of 4. (Less interior space, no slides) They are built better, and will last longer. But I really believe there is no "forever RV". Your needs change, your kids get older, etc.

They will all break. Most are not built very well. Do not buy new

I think a 18-24' travel trailer/bumper pull would be a good size for you. I like the idea of a class C, but you would really need to find a road vehicle to flat tow behind it.

Lance and Artic Fox are both manufacturers that are getting a better rep as far as build quality goes. These are difficult to find on the used market though.

I would highly recommend renting a camper first. Maybe even try several different types. It isn't that cheap, but it is way cheaper then buying your own, storing it, repairing it etc. Outdoorsy and RVshare are the 2 most popular.

If you are looking to go somewhere popular next summer, like a National Park or even many of the Tx State Parks, you need to make reservations now.

SuzyQ06 said:

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JB said:

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Lance and Artic Fox are both manufacturers that are getting a better rep as far as build quality goes. These are difficult to find on the used market though.

I would highly recommend renting a camper first. Maybe even try several different types. It isn't that cheap, but it is way cheaper then buying your own, storing it, repairing it etc. Outdoorsy and RVshare are the 2 most popular.

If you are looking to go somewhere popular next summer, like a National Park or even many of the Tx State Parks, you need to make reservations now.

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So....Got a lil story for ya Ags.

Memorial Day 2018. Two kids; at that time, 4 mo old and 3.5 (ish). We decided back in February/January 2018 to go camping in Colorado at Bear Lake (or somewhere like that in the mountains in South-ish Co.). It was a remote, little known campground that we'd been to before and loved.

Since I was trying to work, lawyer, mom, and keep a new human alive, I told my husband that he was in charge of all aspects of this trip. I would pack all things related to me and baby, but he was responsible for everything else.

As the camping trip draws nearer, I ask about reservations. Him: "Nah, not worried about it. This place is so out of the way, that no one knows about it. Besides they have walk-up sites." Me: ".....uh, maybe this is not a good idea...they only have 12 sites total and we won't be getting there until close to dusk". He does not listen.

Weeks pass. He invites his sister and brother in law. They agree to meet us at the campsite. Still no reservations. I look online. The reservable sites are gone. Only availability is walk-up now. I calculate drive time from DFW to Colorado--I estimate 14 hours if we do a straight shot in one day with bathroom breaks, play breaks etc. My husband disagrees and believes we can do it in 9 hours. I state that this is a very bad idea with a 3.5 year old and a (nursing) 4 mo old. I then state that we should leave a day earlier and get a motel in Amarillo so that we can break the drive up into 2 six hour driving days. Again, my husband disagrees. (can you see where this is going?). I bite my tongue.

Day of departure: We leave at 4 am. The 3.5 yo never falls back asleep in the car, so he's awake and chattering from 4a until the Colorado state line. I'll leave the driving drama out, but I can assure you that mandatory potty breaks were had, stops for playing and getting out wiggles, nursing, gas, etc....we arrive at the destination campground around 6:30p.--12.5 hour drive time.....AND.....ALL SPOTS full. I had never in my life seen my husband so deflated. All color drained from his face....I thought I was going to have to carry him back into the car myself.

There was a campground that we passed on our way in and, on our way back out....also full. The third campground...full. No cell service. No way to call his sister and let her know. This was turning into a clusterf--- of the epicist proportions. Luckily, the fourth campground we went to (also the first one off the interstate and largest, most populated campgrounds), had two spots available. We jumped on those, unloaded as fast as we could and then my husband set back out to drive back to town to get reliable service and call his sister. To say that the tension was palpable is an understatement, but we are still married and our kids are still alive, so I guess it turned out ok. Although, he and I can both agree that this was probably one of the very worst trips of our lives, due solely to poor planning. I never said I told you so, until about a week after we got home.

The camping trip did turn out ok, but my husband learned to heed to my advice about securing reservations well in advance and not driving more than 6 hours in a day with children. I am a veteran of LOOOOONG 15/16 hr road trips, so I know how to roll with the BS the car camping/roadtripping can throw at you.

But yes....reservations must be had.

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wow, kudos to you! total rookie mistake by your hubby....hopefully lessons were learned and not repeated!

Bachelor99 said:

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SuzyQ06 said:

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But yes....reservations must be had.

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wow, kudos to you! total rookie mistake by your hubby....hopefully lessons were learned and not repeated!

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Yes, lessons were learned! We have gone camping in New Mexico since then, with an Amarillo/Santa Rosa overnight. Amarillo has some GREAT splash pads btw, which is a GREAT way to break up the trip and a fantastic way to get out LOTS of kid energy in a condensed amount of time.

Couple of points based on my experience...

We bought a 30' TT a few years ago. It belonged to a family friend and was basically brand new. My mom (who is widowed) absolutely loves camping and suggested buying it together. We basically set it up at the coast from May to October. We do enjoy that but it's not easy to get a lot of use out of it with kids in sports but my mom uses the heck out of it so it's worth it us for that.

So far I have paid to store it one off-season and I hated having to pay for that each month. The last two off-seasons we've stored it on a lot my brother has in Gruene. Nice and free but not convenient access so it just sits the whole winter and spring.

If I had my choice I would have a pop up. I really feel like a pop us would allow us to store it in our garage and make us more likely to just hook it up and go on random weekends. It would also pull a lot easier behind my half ton.

Even in a 30' TT with one slide out it is CRAMPED when we are all 4 inside. I only like to go inside to shower and sleep. I could do that in a pop up! Everyone has personal electronics so if they want to watch a show at night they can just do it on that and don't need a tv at all. We don't use the kitchen much but would if we went on longer trips.

Anyway just some rambling thoughts, but I just really think for me I prefer either a pop up for now or a nice big fifth wheel if we were at a point in life where we could go on extended vacations.

My wife and I have been RV owners for about 6 months now. We did a ton of research before buying and looked at hundreds of listings and designs before making a purchase. We were tent campers and occasionally borrowed RVs from relatives in the past so we had a pretty good understanding of RVs and camping in general before buying. We went the used route and found a really good deal on a 2017 Keystone 239ML.

Why do you love it?

First of all, we love the outdoors and want to have experiences that are centered around being outside. We like to go to a spot and relax. An RV allows for us to pull up to a forest, beach, mountain, or river location and set-up a comfortable base camp. We like the creature comforts an RV provides with young kids. We like not having to ferry back and forth from a hotel room and being able to eat, sleep, and play all in one location in the heart of our outdoor destination. We like being able to prepare for trips and load our RV with everything we'll need for a trip and taking a bit of home with us anywhere we go.

Why do you hate it?

RVs do force you to slow down. I mean that in how you drive and in how you plan and conduct a trip. Doing things on a whim is not always ideal and once you're set-up at a location, it can be a pain to have to pick-up and leave if you're wanting to switch things up. We're learning to embrace slowing down so I'm not exactly viewing this as a complete negative, but just know that if you're used to flying by the seat of your pants and doing things impulsively then RVs do not always lend themselves to that way of travelling. You have to think about utilities and dump stations. Road conditions and clearances. Weather and other hazards.

What's the upkeep like?

Mostly routine stuff thus far. Make sure everything is sealed up good, tires are at the right pressure, and electrical items are squared away. You need to at least have some ability to diagnose and repair routine plumbing and electrical issues. Those are the two things that are probably going to pop-up the most. I've had to re-attach the p-trap drain on the shower at least twice and had my first blow-out last weekend. On the subject of tires, buy a good set of American made tires if you do purchase an RV. I'm getting 4 new Goodyear Endurance tires installed this weekend. The "China bomb" tires that come standard on most RVs are complete junk.

What are the PITA things about RV'ing?

I think for most people it's going to be towing the RV. Although, I'm kind of unique in that I like towing heavy trailers and I get some satisfaction out of dialing in weight distribution hitches and balancing cargo loading for the most optimal ride. My granddaddy and father were both truck drivers so this hobby kind of brings out that fondness for trucking and hitting the open road. For me, the biggest PITA is probably planning ahead and trying to secure campsites. It seems like everyone is wanting to camp these days which is good and bad. I do not get too upset because I am one of those people who bought an RV during the midst of COVID, but man it is crazy how quick even mundane state parks in the middle of East Texas get booked out. I look for this to ease up in 2021.

Do you rent yours out on Outdoorsy?

I do not rent mine and probably will never plan to. To be honest, these things can be a bit fragile and I do not want to get my trailer back and discover an issue halfway into a trip that was caused by the previous renters. I keep my rig parked beside my house basically ready to go on any given weekend.

Would you buy one again?

I would say yes. Our current RV is a bunkhouse design that works well with young kids, however, I can definitely see us going up to a fifth wheel in the future once we have older children who demand a little more space. Our base usage centers around my deer lease and we'll pretty much always have one for lodging at the lease each fall, however, we also have a ton of my trips in mind all across the country and I can see us owning one for many years to come.

TommyGun said:

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. For me, the biggest PITA is probably planning ahead and trying to secure campsites. It seems like everyone is wanting to camp these days which is good and bad. I do not get too upset because I am one of those people who bought an RV during the midst of COVID, but man it is crazy how quick even mundane state parks in the middle of East Texas get booked out. I look for this to ease up in 2021.

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Will 100% agree with you. When we were booking, June, July, August, it sucked because we hadn't planned far enough ahead. Bookings have been much better post Labor Day.

Campendium.com has been the only thing I use to find RV parks/campsites etc.

We love traveling by RV - you get to see the country and get to know the place you go a lot more intimately. The RV community is also pretty incredible.

We have a family of 4 with a dog and we have a 2018 Casita Spirit Deluxe 16' that we bought new.

It is basically a hard shelled tent with a bathroom, so it's closer to real camping than a lot of people's idea of RVing, but we've got over 100 nights in it now and we love it.

We bought it because we know resale is great on them, we could store it in our garage, it is super simple so there are few things that can go wrong, and we don't need a truck to tow it.

Resale on them is incredible. Right now I could list it for 10-15% ABOVE what I paid for it new and have multiple offers. Even under normal circumstances, the resale is great - we considered selling pre-COVID and listed it back in Jan/Feb for $1k less than we bought it for just to see what the market was like and had lots of interest.

We have also realized we can get a lot more reservations due to its size - a lot of campgrounds will let us use a tent site or have an odd sized site that they don't normally book out but we can fit in it.

The trade offs for us are that its small - there is no getting around that on a rainy day or at bed time.....and that in order to keep it under 8' tall to fit in the garage, we had to order it with a front A/C, which is only an 8,000 BTU unit, so in the summer it struggles to keep up with local heat.

We rent ours out several times per year through Outdoorsy and RVShare....it pays our note for the year.

We do a pretty extensive screening process before we accept a renter - we are picky. We also verify what they're going to be using as a tow vehicle.

Since we just have a little 16' Casita it's pretty simple. If we had a driveable I don't think I would rent it out.

It's a great way to make some extra cash but it certainly has its pain points.

You have to have time to meet the renters for pickup (and to do a quick walkthrough training) and dropoff and be on call for when they run into snags on the road and they call in a panic needing troubleshooting. They don't realize that something is ALWAYS going to go wrong with an RV on a road trip.

Make sure you give them the hitch height so they can attempt to have the right drop hitch - they're welcome to use mine, but it doesnt always work with their vehicle....and make sure they understand what electrical connection they need....just having a "tow package" on the vehicle doesn't mean it has a 7 pin round connection (or for that matter, a brake controller)

On dropoff, don't try to squeeze it into a tight schedule. You will always get a text sometime within 2 hours before the agreed upon time letting you know they're running behind.

You could certainly do a delivery/setup if they're camping somewhere local and cut out a portion of the hassle.

We went to a 4 night minimum just because it wasn't worth our time for a 2 night weekend rental.

We had it pull it from both sites at the beginning of the summer because we were literally getting overwhelmed with questions and requests and just couldn't keep up....or have the desire to spend that much energy trying to. It was bonkers.

The Casita looks perfect! I was looking for smaller ones that we could hope to fit in our garage!

How old are your kids, if you don't mind me asking? I think this would be a great intro for us.

Great....now my day is shot because all I am doing is looking at RV/camper pictures and websites!

We tent camped in 20s with no kids.

Then pop up camping for two summers with two kids, 4 and 5 and a year younger.

Then upgraded after selling pop up for what we paid for it. Got a pretty good deal on a new one, even though they had an empty lot. 30% off of retail.

It's a double bunkhouse with a large kitchen counter ( 7' of counter top) and lots of storage. Slide out dinette, outdoor kitchen.

My son is 12 and my daughter is 9

The bunk has a weight limit of something like 110 lbs so we had to flip my son and daughter this year putting her on the top bunk....but she's a long way from 110 lbs.

The Casitas look amazing but whats up with the carpeted walls and ceiling? They seem to be very well made, low maintenance and easy to tow as long as you are ok with smaller spaces. Am I missing anything?

ocag said:

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The Casitas look amazing but whats up with the carpeted walls and ceiling? They seem to be very well made, low maintenance and easy to tow as long as you are ok with smaller spaces. Am I missing anything?

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The carpet has an insulation backing. You gotta cover the fiberglass with something, and the curved walls makes it difficult to put up some type of rigid material.

Casitas are indeed made very well. No wood to rot other than the floor, which is encased above and below in fiberglass. No rubber roof to replace every ten years. The attention to detail is much higher than in something like an Airstream or a Jayco or any number of poorly made trailers. For anyone shopping a travel trailer, open the cabinets and storage doors and look at how the trailer is constructed in areas that are not easily seen. Casita takes time to seal the gaps in the bottom shell where the pipes go through to the outside. Almost every other make of trailer does not do this. These gaps are where rodents and snakes and other vermin make their way into the trailer cabinetry. Casitas aren't fancy, but they command some of the highest re-sale values you will find in travel trailers, and this is mostly because people know how well they are built, and how long they hold up.

Yes, one needs to be ok w/smaller spaces. Any RV of any size is a trade-off between size and convenience. I couldn't imagine traveling in one with more than two people, and could not see full-timing in one, but there certainly there are people out there who do this. I met a couple that was well into their second year of full-timing in a 17' Casita, and they loved it.

After looking at every brand of travel trailer available in TX, we decided on a 17' Casita. We originally had our sights set on an Airstream Nest, but poor quality control made us look elsewhere. If anyone has a specific question about Casita trailers, let me know and I will try to help.

AgRyan04 - any chance you want to rent out the Casita the weekend after Thanksgiving?

We bought a Rockwood Signature 8332SB, and we love it. King sized bed, plenty of living area, and rear kitchen. We got back from Concan yesterday. I think SP's are only taking reservations 5 months out right now.
It's also dog approved.

The 2nd pic down looks like Palo Duro. I think it is the same campground Im sitting at as I type this. It's *really* nice here this time of year.

Caladan said:

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The 2nd pic down looks like Palo Duro. I think it is the same campground Im sitting at as I type this. It's *really* nice here this time of year.

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Yep! We were there in August but lucked out with some slight rain and overcast!

Love that kitchen set-up in the back. Very nice rig you have there!

I bought an rv spring 2019. it is 31 feet. We keep it at Lake Texhoma and have enjoyed it.
I am looking at selling it soon and buying a lake house that will fit our needs better.
it is a starcraft super light 311. will be selling it for 33k with all the accessories. it is a 2020 model

Damn! Chop 10' off and we might be interested!

We went to look at RV's about a week ago and I was really impressed by a Coleman Light (or some model like that). It was 23'ish, had bunks and an outdoor kitchen. I loved it far more than I thought.

What are the general travel trailer brands to avoid? General reputation? Coleman seems to be on the lower end, which I infer to mean lower quality...maybe?

Send me an email stevehorn1@verizon.net.

SuzyQ06 said:

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Damn! Chop 10' off and we might be interested!

We went to look at RV's about a week ago and I was really impressed by a Coleman Light (or some model like that). It was 23'ish, had bunks and an outdoor kitchen. I loved it far more than I thought.

What are the general travel trailer brands to avoid? General reputation? Coleman seems to be on the lower end, which I infer to mean lower quality...maybe?

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Coleman is made by Dutchmen and has a good warranty but it all depends on how that unit was made. Some come out great while others not so much. We have an Astoria which is also made by Dutchmen and although we like it you can see some laziness in the final touches. If buying new make sure and get all the kinks out with warranty work. Be prepared to wait months for dealership work though. They're crazy busy right now.

If buying used get a good inspection done and be willing to tinker and fix things. Other than that buy it and get out on the road!

Yesterday said:

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SuzyQ06 said:

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Damn! Chop 10' off and we might be interested!

We went to look at RV's about a week ago and I was really impressed by a Coleman Light (or some model like that). It was 23'ish, had bunks and an outdoor kitchen. I loved it far more than I thought.

What are the general travel trailer brands to avoid? General reputation? Coleman seems to be on the lower end, which I infer to mean lower quality...maybe?

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Coleman is made by Dutchmen

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and dutchman is a Thor brand. There really aren't many RVs manufacturers out there.

Thor owns Airstream, CrossRoads, Cruiser RV, Dutchmen, Jayco, Starcraft, Thor Motor Coach, and Jayco, which includes the Jayco, Starcraft, Highland Ridge, and Entegra Coach brands.

Forest River owns Coachmen, Dynamax, Forest River, Palomino, Prime Time, and Shasta. FR itself is a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.

Winnebego is independent.

That is a pretty large market share of brands just under those 3 companies.

Just ordered our Oliver Legacy Elite II. Got all the upgrades we could afford. Pick up in February and then plan some serious boondocking. At 23', we should be able to get almost anywhere.

I've had 3 RVs. A ~2007 28' Copper Canyon bumper pull (purchased new), a 2007 American Coach American Eagle Class A (purchased used in 2012), and a 2011 Airstream 23FB bumper pull (purchased used 2018).

Why do you love it?
Copper Canyon - was nicer to be inside than outside at times
American Eagle - plenty of room, easy to drive, family able to eat, use bathroom, entertain themselves while I drove, outside fridge, outside TV, loads of storage, 150 gallon fuel tank, 600HP
Airstream 23FB - easy to pull, very simple, very reliable, great resale

Why do you hate it?
Copper Canyon - did not pull well, not enough AC for size, not enough heater for size, built with particle board, glue and staples, all 4 original tires blew out while properly inflated, plumbing leaks, electrical problems, depreciated like toilet paper
American Eagle - better quality than Copper Canyon, but still lots of small issues to address, too big to maneuver in tight spaces, acquisition cost and depreciation
Airstream - hate is a strong word, but I wish it had a little more outside storage and my family needs just a little more room.

What's the upkeep like?
Copper Canyon - repair the many things that break, dump tanks and clean after each use
American Eagle - repair things that break, dump tanks and clean after each use, service engine
Airsream - dump tanks and clean after each use

What are the PITA things about RV'ing?
Loading and unloading items before and after trips, storing the RV, paying insurance, booking campgrounds additional time and planning versus driving regular auto.

Do you rent yours out on Outdoorsy?
No. RVs have enough potential problems without letting an irresponsible or inexperienced person use them.

Pros/cons?
The above pretty well covers it.

Would you buy one again?
Absolutely. I'm casually shopping now, but prices are crazy due to COVID. Looking at Super C classes. I would advise against buying new unless you just have to be the first owner and don't care about depreciation.

I don't have any photos of the Copper Canyon. Here are the other 2:

Airstreams look awesome!

75AG said:

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Just ordered our Oliver Legacy Elite II.

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Oliver is the best travel trailer going right now. I'm surprised they can get one to you so quickly. It is a year wait for a new Casita.

Many congratulations!

Caladan said:

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75AG said:

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Just ordered our Oliver Legacy Elite II.

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Oliver is the best travel trailer going right now. I'm surprised they can get one to you so quickly. It is a year wait for a new Casita.

Many congratulations!

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Thanks! We placed the order in July. Last week was final choices and the building begins this week!

75AG said:

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Caladan said:

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75AG said:

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Just ordered our Oliver Legacy Elite II.

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Oliver is the best travel trailer going right now. I'm surprised they can get one to you so quickly. It is a year wait for a new Casita.

Many congratulations!

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Thanks! We placed the order in July. Last week was final choices and the building begins this week!

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Wow just took a look at their website. Very nice trailers and looks like they'll last forever. Congrats!