Camper Shopping

[ACbob]

Grand Design Imagine 23BHE. Good little trailer. Got a smaller one so we could make switchbacks in the mountains. Our shakedown trip was to Choke Canyon last July. 104 outside with little shade, and the AC did just fine. Took it a couple of hours to cool down, but once it did we were fine. I believe the Imagine comes in a 25 and 28 bunkhouse as well.

[Tyrex750]

I have a 2018 jayco 287bhs, has a big slide out and 2 full size bunk beds in the back. Also has a big stand up shower also. U can sleep 8 adults and 2 kids, but it will be packed. We have been pleased with it so far

[RascalArms]

I’ve been really unimpressed with recent Jayco products. I’m a fan of Keystone RV for median price point products, and currently own a Keystone Hideout 28BHS.

DEFINITELY GET THE SLIDE! Resale value is reason enough, but it the slide is a must for me, and my next one will have 2-3.

My trailer only has 1 AC, and if it’s over 100 degrees outside, and the trailer is in full sun, it will not cool down until dark. Once cooled down overnight, it does fine the following day, and 50% shade helps a ton. I did black out some windows, and dark tinted all the others. It’s ok now, because I know what to expect and how to plan for it, but it’s on the verge of not being good enough. I’m going to treat the grey roof with a white UV reflective sealer very soon.

If we decide to keep the trailer for 3-4 more years, I’ll probably add a small ac.

We love our Keystone Springdale 5th wheel and agree with you on several points here DMo. The slide out is a MUST and I’ll never own another trailer without one. And our 31’ camper also only has the 1 roof AC unit. During those HOT 100° sunny summer days I too think that the one AC just isn’t enough. It will cool down fine after dark to where you can sleep well and we just plan around the temps.
Another thing we love about our trailer is the full size walk in shower. It also is a must. I’m too big and old to be fighting a **** baby shower. 😜

[c3products20]

I would imagine there is going to be a bunch of campers hit the market in the next few months"slightly used" from all the covid shoppers.

[Txfshrmn]

I have a 2020 Forest River Rockwood Ultra Lite model 2912BS and really like it. I can sleep 6 comfortably utilizing the recliners. has a good shower but need to go with a instant hot water heater when I have all the kids with me. the existing is 6 gallons so it goes quick. Otherwise I like everything about it. Easy to tow and has a good outdoor kitchen set up. Amazing how easy they are to set up and break down these days.

[TA_Fab]

Cougar, Lance, Winnebago. I’ve known and work with a lot of guys who live in campers. These seem come up as the better trailers.


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[Gulfcoastin]

Tagged, great information so far.

[txcooker10]

We were dead set on the bunkhouse. 2 young ones. We thought why not give them their own room back there, but I will say if you opt for the bunkhouse your usually giving up space in your bathroom. If we did it over I'd just get the bunks in the corner to have a bigger bathroom because that thing is tiny!! Plus the kids usually just fall asleep wherever. A friend of mine also has bunks that raise up and down in the back with a door on the rear of the camper. This is super handy for storage when travelling to campsite.

I'd without a doubt get one with a slide. As stated before, 2 AC's, and I'm selfish so I made sure one of the ACs was in the master bedroom instead of the rear of the camper. I'd recommend going to the camper shows. They usually have them twice a year in the DFW area. Helps you look at different models, and features you think you might want.

We have a 2016 Heartland Sundance 291QB! Good luck! There are pros and cons to all of them.

[Briar Friar]

Weve a 34’ (29’ body) Coachman Catalina Deluxe with double doors. The rear door goes straight to the bathroom. It has one slide. I havent had any issues with the slide…except keeping toys and organic matter from sitting on top while retracted. I check the slide roof before extending and always find some kiddo toy,etc. I was dead set on no slide…less things to break IMO…but the wife found our model where we can still move from front to back with slide in and it creates a lot more space when extended. We had family just visit us and they were in the same floor plan but a Coleman and a foot or two shorter. Theyve been perma traveling with 3 kiddos…living the RV dream. The cousin had a problem with their slide leaking during a downpour but largely because he had the camped canted toward the doors… so the water on the slide went toward the camper not away. I prefer the leave a slight tilt towards the rear left for AC condensation drainage…sometimes rear right when the wind blows the rear left tilt ac drainge onto my electrical hookup.

I looked at all the models you mentioned MrRunner. The deal breaker on those models to me would whether I could access the crapper on the road without having to kick out the slide. Having an outside access to the bathroom is super sweet and none of the models you mentioned had that as far as I could see for the newer models. The older 2016 Jayco 26bhs seemed to have the double door access straight to bathroom but not the 2021s…as far as I saw. Selling points of outside access:
- can duece it with the outside door open for super venting
- when the kids get messy they go straight from outside to the tub and dont trapse all their nastyness through the camper.
- while on the road…I can load the kiddos straight to the potty and back out into the vehicle and on the road again without wagging them through the camper
- When flushing the system I can stand outside the camper and work the bathroom water valves while working cleaning the system. Itd be annoying to me to have to walk through the entire camper to access the water points for cleaning and flushing.

Most RVs break and something needs fixin fairly often. I was lucky that icepocolypse only got my water pump which was a simple replacement. The heat had dried out all my ptraps but the pex piping still had water in it when I replaced the pump. When I saw water coming out of the pipe during pump replacement, I saw it as a great sign that the pex piping did not fail. The water heater had water but wasnt full when it froze. Neither my water heater or pex piping failed.

I dont really like any of the models you chose because of the lack of outside bathroom access. I reckon maybe because Im partial to my setup.

Good luck which ever direction you go MrRunner.

[Matthewc131]

Tagged, great information so far.

agreed, Im looking to buy just not anytime soon. maybe a year or so from now

[jkk831]

I’ve got a like new jayco 264 I’ll sell. Pm if interested

[DEREKG22]

i have a question for camper owners as i been looking into getting one myself someday...i realize that slides are super important when it comes to space, but the way i see it when it comes to a camper for the deer lease- the slides are a potential area for failure....Especially leaks and failure of the motor i suppose. Id almost consider sacrificing the space for the comfort of knowing its not going to be a problem area in the future.

[TxnRunner]

Thanks for all the resposnses. Someone above mentioned Grand Design. I have been looking at them online and really like the layouts available. The construction and roof material seems to be of high quality. We will be looking at an imagine 2400 and an xplor 261bh today. Based on everything we've looked at so far, I think one of these two GD trailers is going to get the last look.

[FamousAmos]

We bought a camping trailer to use primarily at our lease. We take one or two family trips each year before it gets so hot. We recently upgraded primarily for slide outs. The extra space is needed!!!!!

[captainsling]

i have a question for camper owners as i been looking into getting one myself someday...i realize that slides are super important when it comes to space, but the way i see it when it comes to a camper for the deer lease- the slides are a potential area for failure....Especially leaks and failure of the motor i suppose. Id almost consider sacrificing the space for the comfort of knowing its not going to be a problem area in the future.

If strictly for the lease, I agree 100%.