TOP TRAILER PICKS 2017
Slide in truck camper
Slide in campers have really evolved in the last few years with multiple slide out’s and luxury features. Much more spacious than Grandpa’s one man sleeper. Choosing a top pick was not easy and I must say that the runner up was oh so close but the top pick of the Camper Couple is the Mammoth by Host Industries.
This Mammoth camper has many of the comforts of a nice travel trailer. Sofa, TV, Fireplace, you could easily forget you are in a slide in camper.
Triple slide out
Side entry
Base Weight 3360 lbs.
Overall Length 19’3”
Interior height 76” (Tall enough for me to be comfortable)
Fresh Water Capacity 65 Gallons. (Enough to get you through the weekend)
Gray water Capacity 51 Gallons
Black water 15 Gallons
A Camper great for all four seasons with furnace and AC
Pop Up
Pop up campers are great for people with low tow capacity vehicles. Another advantage to a pop up camper is storage. You can have a lot of space while camping but it doesn’t take up a lot of space when in tow or in storage. Pop ups today are much more luxurious than the “Tent on wheels” campers of the past which brings us to our top pick of 2017. The Forrest River Rockwood HW 296
This camper has many of the luxuries of most travel trailers with a slide out dinning area and an actual enclosed bathroom/shower. 6 people can sleep comfortably in the HW296 so it is a family friendly model and very budget friendly as well. (Prices vary according to location)
Hybrid Camper
Hybrid campers are just as their name suggests, a cross between a travel trailer and a pop up. Still good for most low tow capacity vehicles. The lightweight also helps with your MPG ratio. The sleeping areas fold up when in storage or in tow so it doesn’t take up to much space. The greatest features in most hybrid campers that makes it a slight advantage over a Pop up is the full bathroom and shower and larger kitchen areas.
Our top RV pick for 2017 is The Rockwood Roo 21SSL by Forrest River. It has a full length slide out and the two bed extensions on each end. Lots of space in this one. Another great feature is the large storage deck which is great to haul all your outdoor toys on.
Travel Trailer
This is the toughest decision of them all. There are so many awesome floor plans for travel trailers and so many varieties of features that it was almost impossible to make a decision but we finally came to a conclusion. Believe it or not the one thing that tipped the scale for this one over the runner up is tank capacity. We are so impressed with this travel trailer that it is still number one just like last year. The Kodiak 303BHSL by Dutchmen. The back bedroom is great for the kids to have their own space or it can serve as an office instead for those of us that have to work in our travels. The master bedroom provides great privacy for Mom and Dad with direct access to the bathroom. The Living area is really spacious with a full length slide out and the kitchen has great storage. This camper is lightweight enough to be easy on your tow vehicle yet big enough to be extremely comfortable if you get stuck inside by the weather.
Hitch Weight 844 lbs
CCC 1386 lbs
Avg. Ship Wt. 7514 lbs
Length 37’
Height 10’ 11”
Fresh water 52 gal
Black Water 28 gal
Gray Water 67 gal
Fifth Wheel
The fifth wheel design offers the greatest amount of space for those long extended stays. Many full timers choose a fifth wheel to be their home on the road. Fifth wheels come in such a variety of floor plans with multiple slide outs to provide the ultimate comfort When we went to the 2017 trade show we were blown away with all that this Fifth wheel had to offer. The Forrest River Sandpiper SAF383RBLOK is big enough for a large family to sleep comfortably and it is the first I have seen to have a second full bathroom for the kids. The master bathroom even rivals the one in my house. The master Bedroom is roomy with lots of storage and even comes with a washer dryer hook up.
Toy Hauler
For those of you that like to bring your own toys to the campsite I highly recommend a good toy hauler. Jet ski, motorcycle or four wheeler, you can bring it along for the trip and enjoy the great outdoors to the fullest. Our top pick of a toy hauler is the Seismic 4212 By Jayco. This Rv is a bit of an investment but it is pretty awesome. The ramp to the garage becomes a deck as the garage becomes a bedroom/ living area with it’s own entertainment center and half bath. Then the living/dining area has a sofa with removable tables, an entertainment center with electric fireplace, large kitchen with full size fridge and another loft sleeping area. The bedroom is big with direct access to the full bath, A stack set washer dryer, large closet and another entertainment center. But here is the kicker the living area opens up to another outdoor deck entertainment area. Perfect place to grill out and watch TV (that makes 4 TV’s in this RV) This is the party house on wheels.
TOP MOTORHOME PICKS 2017
Class B motor home
For most RV’s it is about the destination but with class B motor homes it is all about the ride. It is amazing how many features they can cram into such a small space. Most class B motor homes are not much bigger than a passenger van but they offer all you need to live out on the road. Out top pick for 2017 is the 210 Popular by Roadtrek. We really like the sky lights in this one. It has a full bathroom, kitchen with a convectional microwave, an entertainment center with surround sound, and a back seat sofa that converts into either twin beds or a full king size bed. Everything you need packed into a van.
Class C motor home
The class C motor home is usually a good family friendly RV with a bed over the driving area for the kids. For those of you that don’t understand the various classes of motor homes the difference is in the frame. A class B is built from a frame of a van, a class C is built from the frame of a truck and a class A is built from the frame of a bus. Class C motor homes offer a lot of space for a pretty decent price. Our top class C pick for 2017 is the Minnie Winnie 31G by Winnebago. This motor home offers a lot of sleeping space for when the kids want to bring their friends. There is the bed over the cab area, a sofa bed, a set of bunk beds and the master bedroom which has it’s own private entry into the bathroom. Lots of storage space and floor space but not a lot of counter space in the kitchen. Something that is easily remedied by a small folding table. We love the pull out pantry that is right next to the fridge. This Class C offers extreme comfort at your destination and while going down the road but what made it catch our attention the most was the price. This motor home is surprisingly affordable compared to many others considering all the features it has to offer.
Class A motor home
The price range on a class A motor home can range from 90,000 to over 1,000,000 dollars with some offering elegant features like marble floors and countertops. Most of us don’t have millions of dollars to invest into a motor home though so when we chose our top pick we try to choose not only what is elegant but what is affordable as well. Of all the Class A motor homes we looked at nothing could rival the features of the Thor Outlaw This Class A is everything in one. it has the garage of a toy hauler, the loft space of a fifth wheel and the luxury living space you would expect from a class A. The ramp becomes a private deck and the garage can be a kids area. Check it out, it offers so much more than you would expect.
Super C motor home
We added this section after seeing the Super C motor homes at the trade show. While a C class is based off of a truck frame a Super C is based off of a semi truck design which is much bigger. The Forest River Dynamax Force 37BH HD is our top pick in this category. This Super C offers the most sleeping space with a loft bed over the cab, bunk beds and a master bedroom. Extra nice bathroom and it even has washer/ Dryer hook up. Surly a family friendly model.
We hope these reviews have been helpful as you navigate which camper or RV is best for you. Though we know everyone is different and therefore has different priorities in their RV or camper, it is our desire to give solid information on which to to make your choice. Happy camping!