Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

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Originally Posted by shredgnar

Quick question: Why don't travel trailers typically come with a built in generator? Fifth wheels and toy haulers do, but in my searches I never see them in travel trailers. What gives? Some weird RV building code?

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maybe because of fuel supply...not for sure...but my class c used the same rv fuel tank. also the genie was stuck underneath an area whereby it was in outside compartment, well vented and exhaust clear path away from interior (due to CO2) I guess, but this info would not support them still being in 5th wheel and toy haulers...except that those rv's are usually (not always) longer, bigger than bumper pull rv's

and maybe this too

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Originally Posted by m2711c

Trying to keep the msrp low.....?

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Bought this last year as the Misses wanted one... Bought a lot on the backside of our little mole hill and enjoyed the RV more than I ever thought... The bitch was our lot was unlevel as F... The bar manager of our hill owns a landscaping company and came up today and level the shit out of it and put down crush rock/whatever it was... Tamped it down and it is like concrete... He built a firepit for us and to this day swore I would never own an RV and could not be more than wrong...Attachment 287909Attachment 287910

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^^^^^Got a 2nd rig just to haul your bricks ? ^^^^

^^squashing joy, frown.>>\{{::\..

Saw this Rig, which started life as a Toyota Landcruiser pick-up, at the local supermarket. A young Swiss couple headed for Argentina... I’m in Maine. Sounds like a fun trip!

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Originally Posted by singlecross

Saw this Rig, which started life as a Toyota Landcruiser pick-up, at the local supermarket. A young Swiss couple headed for Argentina... I’m in Maine. Sounds like a fun trip!

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That's dream material.

I've had this thought in my head for a while about finding a single cab tundra and doing the same type of build on it.

^^^ Check out some of single's stuff before he started building go-fasts.

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Originally Posted by Conundrum

^^^ Check out some of single's stuff before he started building go-fasts.

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I still see those 2 rigs around town. They're fucking awesome. Really really really regret not getting in on the go fast preorder when he first started.

Read through the last 10 or 15 pages of the thread looking for some maggot camper knowledge. It was pretty much all geared toward winter camping as this is obviously the Ski forum. Some good stuff here. Did not see any other threads anywhere else in searching and the last page or so turned a bit into some summer camper info.

Like some of you, I never thought I would get a camper, but taking a 3 yo and 1 yo tent camping has been a bit much lately and the time it takes to get packed, setup, tear down, clean up...it is a bit of a pain. So, we just put down a deposit and ordered a small camper for delivery first week of April.

Because we live 25 minutes from the resorts, we won't winter camp in it. The primary goal was a trailer that had beds all setup and ready to go, a place to do a little cooking and sit inside if it was pouring rain. Just easy and fast. Considered a pop up, but do want to be able to camp in the shoulder seasons and for base camp for elk hunting. Plus it would defeat the purpose of being fast and easy to setup and move around.

Ended up settling on a Casita Liberty egg camper. No bathroom, bunk beds in the front, bed for the Mrs. and I that can be as big as a king and as small as a double. Heater, no AC, fresh water and grey water, water heater for outside shower and a canopy, sprung for the microwave option. High lift axel and larger tires, solar power...for now, don't think we will need much else. Should not have any issues with most forest roads around us.

Wife has always been anti-camper and definitely did not want a bathroom. Will probably camp 99% of the time within an hour of home...maybe head down toward Telluride and the Juans a little. Hunting in New Mexico.

I do wish we would of thought of this in the spring and had it for this summer, but no reason to get it now and have it sit all winter. Guess we are camper people now....seems like a fancy tent to keep the bears out and keep packed and ready.

It makes things so much easier with kids.

I think the no bathroom was a mistake. You just made things much harder with the littles.

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Originally Posted by Danno

It makes things so much easier with kids.

I think the no bathroom was a mistake. You just made things much harder with the littles.

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Would of needed too big of a trailer to pull with the Tacoma and still be able to sleep 4. Didn't want a stick built trailer, etc. They will never know any different, a tent doesn't have a bathroom and so many other reason. Besides, it was a non-starter for the wife. It was either a tent or a camper without a bathroom that is small enough to park anywhere.

Taught the 3 yo how to hang it over a log and bury, he does great and only wants to pee outside anyhow. He has to learn as there is only a deep hole at elk camp.

By the time the second one is out of pullups at night, we will be using the camper as base camp and backpacking anyhow. They just have to learn...no bathroom on our raft either...just wag bags.

Wish I would of learned to squat over a hole like the Indian's as a kid. Would of made the adjustment easier for me.

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Originally Posted by Danno

It makes things so much easier with kids.

I think the no bathroom was a mistake. You just made things much harder with the littles.

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Just spend that time and energy that you would have been cleaning/emptying a toilet system teaching your kids to pee and poo (properly) outside.

Although the middle of the night or in weather can be challenging. Guys can use a pee bottle. Girls aren't always excited about using a go girl or similar device.

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Originally Posted by gretch6364

Didn't want a stick built trailer, etc. .

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What does this mean? Just starting to dip my toe in the water of considering a trailer and am curious of pluses/minuses of different types.

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Originally Posted by zion zig zag

What does this mean? Just starting to dip my toe in the water of considering a trailer and am curious of pluses/minuses of different types.

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If you look at the Casita, Scamp, Escape and such brand trailers, they are a molded fiberglass shell, just like a boat. Each brand has its pluses and minuses, but that is what ties them all together.

Generally, straight walled trailers are wood frames on top of steel trailer frame with vinyl, fiberglass or other material attached to the straight walls and then a rubber roof. This means lots of seams and some additional annual maintenance. You can however, generally get a larger trailer for the money, but some say they tend to not last as long.

Stick built are also generally heavier than molded fiberglass

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Originally Posted by gretch6364

If you look at the Casita, Scamp, Escape and such brand trailers, they are a molded fiberglass shell, just like a boat. Each brand has its pluses and minuses, but that is what ties them all together.

Generally, straight walled trailers are wood frames on top of steel trailer frame with vinyl, fiberglass or other material attached to the straight walls and then a rubber roof. This means lots of seams and some additional annual maintenance. You can however, generally get a larger trailer for the money, but some say they tend to not last as long.

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Makes sense, thanks!

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Originally Posted by gretch6364

If you look at the Casita, Scamp, Escape and such brand trailers, they are a molded fiberglass shell, just like a boat. Each brand has its pluses and minuses, but that is what ties them all together.

Generally, straight walled trailers are wood frames on top of steel trailer frame with vinyl, fiberglass or other material attached to the straight walls and then a rubber roof. This means lots of seams and some additional annual maintenance. You can however, generally get a larger trailer for the money, but some say they tend to not last as long.

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You ignored the biggest functional difference: the fiberglass (often called "egg") campers are very light. A 13' can be pulled by most cars, and a 16' can be handled by pretty much any 6 cylinder rig. The "regular" hard sided campers (I have not heard the term "stick built" before, always heard them called hard side) require a bigger tow vehicle. Occasionally people will tow a hard side with a light truck like a Tacoma/Frontier, but I wouldn't do it. Even the small ones (mine is only 17') generally require a full size truck or SUV.

The eggs are CRAZY expensive, but they also hold their value. A 16' egg is going to cost many thousands, even if it's 20 years old.

Fiberglass definitely better longevity. Eventually they all need maintenance, but it's less frequent with them. Pricey, though. With some shopping, whatever stick built you want can be found somewhere for significantly less than MSRP, making them even cheaper. We looked kinda seriously at the Geo Pro with bunks. Nice little TT, and not crazy expensive, but still more than I wanted to spend.

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Originally Posted by Danno

You ignored the biggest functional difference: the fiberglass (often called "egg") campers are very light. A 13' can be pulled by most cars, and a 16' can be handled by pretty much any 6 cylinder rig. The "regular" hard sided campers (I have not heard the term "stick built" before, always heard them called hard side) require a bigger tow vehicle. Occasionally people will tow a hard side with a light truck like a Tacoma/Frontier, but I wouldn't do it. Even the small ones (mine is only 17') generally require a full size truck or SUV.

The eggs are CRAZY expensive, but they also hold their value. A 16' egg is going to cost many thousands, even if it's 20 years old.

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They do tend to be pretty light, but they also tend to be much smaller. Outside of Oliver, Escape and Scamp, there are not a lot of larger egg campers. It becomes too expensive to manufacture in the larger sizes. They do seem to hold their value much better and there are many "remodeled" fiberglass campers floating around.

You won't see many stick built/hard side campers, whatever you want to call them (eggs also have hard sides...pop-ups obviously do not), that last long enough to be remodeled, however, you can get much more space inside this style.

It seems like most families end up going for the bigger campers, or maybe that us just us Americans. Those "miniature" fiberglass 5th wheels are pretty darn cool if you need more space, but as Danno mentioned, they get expensive fast. We went middle of the road price/brand wise which seems to go from cheapest to most expensive:

Scamp
Casita
Escape
Oliver

One of the things I learned during the shopping process....the "egg" camper measurements include the tongue and bumper. Not sure if stick builds/hard sides are the same???

For example, the 17 foot Casita Liberty that we ordered is actually only a hair over 13ft long on the inside. Maybe everyone knows this and I just have not been around campers enough in my life.

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Originally Posted by gretch6364

One of the things I learned during the shopping process....the "egg" camper measurements include the tongue and bumper. Not sure if stick builds/hard sides are the same???

For example, the 17 foot Casita Liberty that we ordered is actually only a hair over 13ft long on the inside. Maybe everyone knows this and I just have not been around campers enough in my life.

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Yes.

For those interested in egg trailers I checked out a relatively new brand built in Armstrong, BC called Armadillo. They have lots of experience (ex Bigfoot employee if memory serves) and are different from old school eggs in that they are insulated sort of an outer shell of fiberglass and an inner shell of insulation. Escape is also made in BC in Chilliwack and I wonder if the massive US/Canadian exchange difference would offset some of the price difference between sticks and staple units VS egg.
https://www.armadillotrailers.net/

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Originally Posted by apex dave

For those interested in egg trailers I checked out a relatively new brand built in Armstrong, BC called Armadillo. They have lots of experience (ex Bigfoot employee if memory serves) and are different from old school eggs in that they are insulated sort of an outer shell of fiberglass and an inner shell of insulation. Escape is also made in BC in Chilliwack and I wonder if the massive US/Canadian exchange difference would offset some of the price difference between sticks and staple units VS egg.
https://www.armadillotrailers.net/

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Those look pretty cool.

Yeah, the egg ones are smaller. The rounded edges (plus they're not as wide I don't think) mean a lot less space. And the biggest one is generally 16' (except for the rare 19' 5th wheel) which is pretty small for a family of 4. Our 13' Scamp was ridiculous with 2 adults, a baby, and 2 dogs.

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Originally Posted by Danno

Yeah, the egg ones are smaller. The rounded edges (plus they're not as wide I don't think) mean a lot less space. And the biggest one is generally 16' (except for the rare 19' 5th wheel) which is pretty small for a family of 4. Our 13' Scamp was ridiculous with 2 adults, a baby, and 2 dogs.

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I'm liking the height of some of those. I have 8'2" to get back to my garage and some of those are tickling that. It's just my wife and I (and 2 dogs) at this point, so it could work.