Nature or 40 feet 5th wheel?

[Nomad Hiker]

I just, 5 minutes ago joined this forum, and we only have a few months to make some major decisions. We are getting ready to retire in December 2016 and we are jumping into full time rv'ing in May 2017 in a 5th wheel - never owned any kind of RV. We want to do this because of our first passion - hiking, and there are so many places we want to go. We know how we like to live and herein lies the rub! We like the space offered in a 40 footer, on the other hand, we like some semblenc of privacy in location and it seems(from what we have read) that 35 footers will open up more camping spaces that might be to our liking. We don't want to always have to be in private camps where we are stacked like dominoes. Are there enough "natural settings" out there for 40 footers or is it worth giving up 5 feet to perhaps gain more natural settings? We won't go shorter than 35?

[jjwicklund]

We went with a 35 ft 5th wheel just for that reason but I'm sure there are some who will pipe up with get the rig you'll be the happiest in. You won't be too large for all but for some and even with a 35ft you'll have to pass on some.

[VallAndMo]

Howdy,

 

We're trying to be as close to 30' as possible for the same reason, but not succeeding with the kind of floorplan we've in mind (bunkhouse/toyhauler to be remodeled as an office). Our current plans are to try and stay in the 33-35' range.

 

Cheers,

--

Vall.

[alan0043]

I just, 5 minutes ago joined this forum, and we only have a few months to make some major decisions. We are getting ready to retire in December 2016 and we are jumping into full time rv'ing in May 2017 in a 5th wheel - never owned any kind of RV. We want to do this because of our first passion - hiking, and there are so many places we want to go. We know how we like to live and herein lies the rub! We like the space offered in a 40 footer, on the other hand, we like some semblenc of privacy in location and it seems(from what we have read) that 35 footers will open up more camping spaces that might be to our liking. We don't want to always have to be in private camps where we are stacked like dominoes. Are there enough "natural settings" out there for 40 footers or is it worth giving up 5 feet to perhaps gain more natural settings? We won't go shorter than 35?

 

Hi Nomad Hiker,

 

Welcome to the forum. Can you tell us what part of the country you live in. And also what parts of the country you want to travel to. This can help the group to give you some ideas about trailer size and amenities. Are you thinking about boondocking ? If you are planning to go full timing you want to have a trailer that can handle full timing. There is a lot of great info here on the Escapees site. The search box can also be a big help to you.

 

Good luck on your journey,

Al

[AFchap]

And don't forget that a larger fifth wheel requires a larger truck to adequately and safely handle the larger trailer.

[Second Chance]

We went with a 35 ft 5th wheel just for that reason but I'm sure there are some who will pipe up with get the rig you'll be the happiest in. You won't be too large for all but for some and even with a 35ft you'll have to pass on some.

 

X2. At 36', there are some spaces we just can't get into (had to move to a walk-up from a reserved site in the Ohio state park we're leaving today). On the other hand, there are many beautiful places we can fit and we took the car (my wife follows in a Toyota on travel days) to where we wanted to bike and hike yesterday. Find a size and floorplan you can live with and make it work for you.

 

Rob

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapees forums. We are here to help so ask anything you wish and we will do our best to help.

 

It seems to me that there is far more that you need to consider than just the length of trailer that you will buy. Things like the quality construction and issues related to towing and what to tow with are of major importance, along with how to get your mail and keep insurance, driving licenses, vehicle registrations and such things as that are of critical importance unless you already have those worked out. California does not allow you to do those things using a mail forwarding service but requires you to keep a physical address so you will need to change your place of domicile. If you have already taken care of all of those things, then perhaps it is time to choose an RV and a truck to tow it with. If not, this is a good place to get information on the various options, so feel free to ask as much as you wish. You might also be wise to read a book or two on the subject of full-time RV living, if you have not done so and you can find a great deal of helpful information by visiting the linked websites of those who post here, which can be found in the signature lines of those posts.

 

RVs of 40' and more length can find ample places to park in most areas but what type of accommodations you are looking for is important. RV parks that have "big rig" sites are becoming pretty common today but there are areas where they are limited. If you wish to park on public land, there are many places where you could take one, but not nearly everywhere. Some RV owners also travel by dry camping in parking lots at places like truck stops and Walmart stores and those are pretty easily found to accommodate large RVs. The places you wish to spend your time do play a part in your best choice of RV, but there is far more to consider as you shop. A bit more information about you would give us a better way to respond to your post.

[Al F]

Having owned and traveled fulltime in a 40 diesel pusher (DP), it is more difficult, but not impossible to get into many NF, BLM and similar campgrounds. However the more you wish to get into the less used and more remote camping areas, the harder it is to get the 40'er into those places. 35' does open up more options for camping.

 

One thing, as mentioned in a posting above, with a 40' 5th wheel, or a 35'er as well, you will need at least a 1 ton dually pickup to tow it. The dually P/U is less comfortable and more difficult to drive on the more remote back country dirt and gravel roads, than a smaller 4X4 SUV or Jeep. That is one reason why people who want to explore more remote places opt for a MH (motorhome) and tow a vehicle.

 

We are now back in a sticks & bricks, but travel in a 29' MH for 5-8 months a year. I love the flexibility the 29' gives us, but don't recommend it for fulltime travel.

 

For a different perspective on hiking and where to stay, check out this blog. Browse back through their archives for the last 4 years or so to see where they hike and where they stay. In general they always stay in a nice RV Park in their 40' DP and drive their car to where they hike. While their style of camping is not for me. They many times drive one to two hours each way to hike, when, if they were to dry camp or boondock they could stay any where's from 5 to 15 minutes from the place they want to hike. That style of travel, especially that much driving to go hiking is not for me. However they seem to be very happy with their choices.

 

It come down to what makes you happy. That is one of the great things about RV'ing. You have so many options to do what makes you happy.

[Nomad Hiker]

A little more info: We are determining the rig size before buying the truck so we can make sure the truck is adequate. We are looking at a F350 diesel , long bed, extended cab(extended not Quad just to keep a little shorter). We are strongly considering Montana or Solitude 5th wheel, but that may change after the RV show in Pamona next week, but right now that is where our heads are. The Montana and Solitude seems to be the best in our price point. If our heads need to be elsewhere PLEASE chime in. We have researched extensively( that is my life right now) but are more than happy to listen to all input! We don't want bunkhouse or toy hauler. We are thinking new for warranty, but would consider 1 year old - pristine cond. We are considering 35-40' 5th because if our truck is in shop, we still have a house and don't want to tow another car. Also, I like the idea of not driving all day in the same place I sleep - I like the "change". It would be more like going home. I used to work from home and would never set up my office in our living space. This feels the same (it's ok if you think that's weird LOL) We plan ,quite frankly, to hike in every state in the US even if it I only 1 mile as as we pass through. Our family is in Midwest so that will be on the trip plans as well. We currently rent a house (sold ours May 2016). Lease is up 4/30 /17 and CA will no longer be our state of residence. Which brings another question. Can we claim another state close to time to leave CA , in order to set up mail, license etc? It is just my husband and me, no pets.We don't even know where we are going to purchase the RV..wherever makes the most financial sense. We plan to collect it, stay in the area around the dealership for a few days and try it out, then take off. Our first route to see family includes Ohio(1 week), Iowa (2 weeks), Kansas (2weeks) Arkansas(1 week)...not necessarily in that order . After that we hope to head up the east coast and hike sections of the AT maybe ending up in New England states for fall, then back to the Midwest for Christmas. After that we are dropping south to get out of the cold and want to get more settled into a routine as we want to find places we can stay for up to a month and explore. I hope this helps to understand our situation a bit better. Thanks for the input and I'll look for more once you read this. Especially on best RV for full timing and more on size. Happy Trails!

[freestoneangler]

Welcome to the forum. My first advice is to heed what Kirk and a handful of the other long time, experienced members have to offer in advice and information. As for RV length, if you want to be able access more spaces, it stands to reason that shorter is better. It will all come down to trade offs in floor plan and/or amenities. One thing I'm observing on threads in this and other RV forums is that folks seem to be reverting back from the "bigger is better" mentality.

 

My wife and I have been through the "which type RV" loop at least 3 times now... 5th wheel, Class A, DP or gas... suspect many chuckle at my threads over the last few years . We're currently settled on a TT around 24-26'. That allows us to get in most everywhere and, while a bit small for snowbird temp full-time living, manageable (we think).

 

Good luck.

[gjhunter01]

We have a 34' fifth wheel for full timing and it works good for us. We have met others that have 40' fifth wheel campers pulled by 3/4 ton pickups and they seem to be doing fine also. What makes a good combination for some, others would say no way. No matter which rig you chose, you can always change or upgrade as your needs and desires change. As we age, we will probably go to a MH with a toad as a way of simplifying things.

Kirk is right, being there are a whole lot of other things to look at, rig size being just one apple on the tree.

Greg

[MrSeas]

Check out these guys.......

 

http://northwoodmfg.com/

[Kirk W]

We are thinking new for warranty, but would consider 1 year old - pristine cond.

While many here advise that a lightly used RV is a better choice, but in my experience there are advantages to both ways. We chose to go with new for our fulltime living because if you order it you can get the RV pretty much configured to suit your needs and preferences, rather than settling for someone's cast-off. A warranty is a good thing in my opinion and there is less risk in the purchase, but it does cost a little bit more. If you drive a hard bargain, an RV dealer can actually sell you a special ordered RV for less than those in stock on the lot because they have almost no costs in the special orders. There is really no set of rules to explain why one person is happy in a fifth wheel and another in a motorhome, but it is mostly just personal preferences and priorities. The best choice is whatever makes those living in the RV happiest.

 

The Montana and Solitude seems to be the best in our price point.

While budget is critical to the success of most of us who go fulltime RVing, it is also very important to have one of high enough quality to hold up well over the time that you expect to live in it. Full-time RVs should have things like dual pane windows, enclosed & heated waste tanks, extra insulation, solid wood drawer fronts and cupboard doors, as well as high quality in all surfaces that sustain major wear from constant use.

 

Can we claim another state close to time to leave CA , in order to set up mail, license etc?

The key thing to remember here is that there are laws in CA and also in the state that you choose for your new domicile that must be considered. Changing your domicile is a process that generally doesn't just happen with one event. I suggest that you read this article which was published by Escapee's Magazine to help you understand the issue. What most of us suggest is that you join the Escapees RV Club and then set up an address with them in one of the three most popular states, at least 3 months before you actually leave CA. In that way you can get your mailing address changed, and possibly even move some of your business functions before you leave CA. As you leave CA, it would be wise to file a partial year of state income tax, to serve as a notice to the state that you are moving away and will no longer be paying taxes there. A booklet that will probably answer many of your questions about such changes can be down loaded free from Escapees called How To Become A Real Texan.

 

After that we hope to head up the east coast and hike sections of the AT maybe ending up in New England states for fall, then back to the Midwest for Christmas.

To spend Christmas in your RV in KS you need to be sure that it has the fulltime qualities that I mentioned above in order to keep things from freezing, including those inside! (I am a former Kansan myself.)

[Nomad Hiker]

Hi Nomad Hiker,

 

Welcome to the forum. Can you tell us what part of the country you live in. And also what parts of the country you want to travel to. This can help the group to give you some ideas about trailer size and amenities. Are you thinking about boondocking ? If you are planning to go full timing you want to have a trailer that can handle full timing. There is a lot of great info here on the Escapees site. The search box can also be a big help to you.

 

Good luck on your journey,

Al

[Nomad Hiker]

Ok, I'm also learning to use this site, so. Not sure this is going to fall where I want it to. Al, Yes we plan to do some boondocking, but not all the time. Thanks for your reply!

[Nomad Hiker]

While many here advise that a lightly used RV is a better choice, but in my experience there are advantages to both ways. We chose to go with new for our fulltime living because if you order it you can get the RV pretty much configured to suit your needs and preferences, rather than settling for someone's cast-off. A warranty is a good thing in my opinion and there is less risk in the purchase, but it does cost a little bit more. If you drive a hard bargain, an RV dealer can actually sell you a special ordered RV for less than those in stock on the lot because they have almost no costs in the special orders. There is really no set of rules to explain why one person is happy in a fifth wheel and another in a motorhome, but it is mostly just personal preferences and priorities. The best choice is whatever makes those living in the RV happiest.

 

While budget is critical to the success of most of us who go fulltime RVing, it is also very important to have one of high enough quality to hold up well over the time that you expect to live in it. Full-time RVs should have things like dual pane windows, enclosed & heated waste tanks, extra insulation, solid wood drawer fronts and cupboard doors, as well as high quality in all surfaces that sustain major wear from constant use.

 

The key thing to remember here is that there are laws in CA and also in the state that you choose for your new domicile that must be considered. Changing your domicile is a process that generally doesn't just happen with one event. I suggest that you read this article which was published by Escapee's Magazine to help you understand the issue. What most of us suggest is that you join the Escapees RV Club and then set up an address with them in one of the three most popular states, at least 3 months before you actually leave CA. In that way you can get your mailing address changed, and possibly even move some of your business functions before you leave CA. As you leave CA, it would be wise to file a partial year of state income tax, to serve as a notice to the state that you are moving away and will no longer be paying taxes there. A booklet that will probably answer many of your questions about such changes can be down loaded free from Escapees called How To Become A Real Texan.

 

To spend Christmas in your RV in KS you need to be sure that it has the fulltime qualities that I mentioned above in order to keep things from freezing, including those inside! (I am a former Kansan myself.)

[Nomad Hiker]

Thanks Kirk...Lots of valuable info and more to talk to my spouse about at our "ERB" meeting (Executive Retirement Board) . We are making a list of needs and wants for our trip to the RV show. We will add your recommendations to them.

[Jimalberta]

My advice.....get what you want and what you like and dont worry about size. You will always find a place. There many people on this forum with large rigs and they have just as much fun as the people obsessed with getting as remote as possible.

 

Just to give you a bit of an example we have a 40 ft diesel pusher with a toad. We travel with 2 other couples who have large fifth wheels one is 39 ft and the other is a 40 ft with side deck. We usually boondock and circle the wagons .....we always find somewhere to do so in the west. Then we do our remote exploring with RZRs or hiking or whatever.

 

Another example is a guy who pulled in beside us while we were in an RV park in Las Vegas. He has a 40 ft motorhome he refered to as the mothership. He tows a VW westfalia with a kayak on the roof and a mountain bike on the back. He disappears for up to 2 weeks at a time into remote places with the VW. A very nice setup in my opinion.

 

Just do it. Jim

[2gypsies]

We successfully full-timed for 8 of our 16 years in a 40' motorhome towing a Jeep. We had absolutely no problems staying where we wanted to stay and the majority of time was in public parks or boondocking up to 20 miles down a gravel road. We've stayed in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Zion and many other national parks and tons of national forest campgrounds, Corp of Engineers, state parks, county and city parks. No...you won't fit in every park or in every site but neither will a 30'.

 

I will say we had two differences - our Jeep (which gave us lots of off-roading fun) was a LOT shorter than your truck will be. The majority of our stays were in the south, Midwest and western states, including Alaska - not New England.

 

We had a 33' 5th wheel for 8 years prior to the 40' motorhome and we enjoyed the motorhome a lot more. We absolutely hated to drive the big diesel truck around and ours wasn't even that big compared to what is driven nowadays to haul the heavy 5th wheels.

[Nomad Hiker]

Thanks so much for all the good input! I'm thinking being part of the "RV community" is a good place to be!

NH

[kb0zke]

You mentioned that you have little RV experience. Unless you are very wealthy I'd suggest that your first RV be USED rather than new. You probably already have some price information on the two brands you are considering. Check out http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/ for a one or two year old version of what you are looking at. How much difference is there? Now remember that you are looking at the retail numbers, so take a couple thousand off of the PPL price to come closer to the trade-in value. That's how much you will lose if you don't buy the right coach the first time. Very few do. Most full-timers have at least a couple of RVs behind them before they buy their full-time coach. Those who don't often trade once or twice before they get the right one.

 

My suggestion echoes what others have said. Figure out your "mission profile" before deciding what type of coach you need/want. Are there any health or mobility issues for either of you? Any pets? Are you going to be boondocking much? How long will you stay in one place? Generally, a towable is a better choice for staying in one place for more than a month, while a motor home is a better choice for moving more often. That isn't a hard and fast rule, though, as you may have circumstances that dictate one over the other.

 

Many fifth wheels really resemble an apartment on wheels, but at the price of many steps (just count how many steps from outside to the bathroom). A motorhome can be landed and set up without going outside other than to plug in the electricity, and if it is really stormy outside you can just run the generator for a bit (good idea anyway).

 

BTW, many of us did quite a bit of research about full-timing and coaches before we ever went shopping for a coach. We researched for a couple of years before we started shopping for our coach three years ago.

[AFchap]

Most full-timers have at least a couple of RVs behind them before they buy their full-time coach. Those who don't often trade once or twice before they get the right one.

That definitely is a pattern for many, but frankly I wonder if it is true for "most." We looked at rvs for almost 30 years before the final 3-4 years of serious research. When we happened on a good buy in a higher level coach than we were settling on it meet our requirements well so we bought it two years before hitting the road full-time. That was 13 years and over 100k miles ago, and we still have the same rv ...the only rv we have ever owned. Know yourself, your likes and dislikes, and buy to suit yourself regardless of what others might think. And enjoy the adventure!

[GlennWest]

We bought a 33' fifth wheel, DRV, and was not content with the room. Got our current Teton and all is good. We don't do state parks and such. We do know we much better enjoy the room, storage in our current unit.

[Kirk W]

 

You mentioned that you have little RV experience. Unless you are very wealthy I'd suggest that your first RV be USED rather than new

As I mentioned, many will advise you to avoid new for a host of reasons, but if you do your research well enough it can be just fine. We know several people who bought their first RV new and kept it for more than 10 happy years. If you don't bother to study, they used is clearly true.

 

There many people on this forum with large rigs and they have just as much fun as the people obsessed with getting as remote as possible.

Absolutely true, but size can be limiting as there are just as many who choose small because of the places that they wish to go. The choice is one of lifestyle and priorities as well as budget. We chose to go with a smaller, lower cost RV than would have been our first choice, because we felt that it was important to keep our nest egg money from the home that we sold and still leave for the road completely debt free. In our financial situation this proved to have been a wise choice because it allowed us to stay on the road for 12 years and then buy our present home-base for cash and remain debt free! Each one of us have our own priorities, lifestyles, and budgets and the decision is one of balancing things for what we like best. Be very careful of taking the advice from anyone over what you believe to be best for you.

[Al F]

 

There many people on this forum with large rigs and they have just as much fun as the people obsessed with getting as remote as possible.

We are some of the people "obsessed" with getting as remote as possible. Although I don't view it as "obsessed".

 

We absolutely love the piece and quiet of boondocking in remote places. Seeing the sun rises, sunsets, the moon rising & setting. Being in a dark area with a close to full moon gives great views in the subdued light.

 

Others prefer to be in an RV park or an established campground with other people around. I guess I would say they are "obsessed" with being near other people.

 

There is no right or wrong. It is just what different people like and prefer.

 

If you don't have experience with RV'ing, it is not easy to "know" what you will like and really enjoy until you start doing it.

 

Granted there are exceptions, people who have bought the right rig and stayed with it. There are others who have tried multiple rigs before they got the one they think is best.

 

We started out with a 28' travel trailer, while I was still working. We didn't get to use it as it was stolen off of the storage lot within a couple of weeks of being there.

 

We moved to a 33' travel trailer, which we still had when I retired. It served us well. We moved to a 34' 5th wheel for the room and somewhat easier towing. We really liked the5th wheel. Much more like a small apartment.

 

At that time I was dead set against a motorhome. Of course we would be towing a 2nd vehicle. So having 2 drive-able vehicles to maintain and insure was the reason I was absolutely against the MH.

 

The above covered the our first five years of large RV's. We had been camping in poptop trailers, taking 3 week vacations camping out of the back of our 4x4 Chevy Suburban, vacations in slide on campers, for 35 years before this, so we had a lot of experience with camping and RV'ing. Just not with large RV's.

 

For several reasons, in 2008 we moved into a 40' diesel pusher and stayed with that until we stopped fulltiming in early 2011.

 

We have stayed with motorhomes ever since for most of the same reasons Kirk stated earlier. And we do tow a second vehicle. BTW, we did travel in a 26' class C MH for 3 years not towing a 2nd vehicle. We were spending 4-5 months a year in the class C. It worked pretty well for us not towing a car. Lots of compromises.

 

Would we go back to a large 5th wheel. Yes, if we were to stay in the same location for extended periods. I define extended periods as 2 weeks to a few months. There is no question in my mind, the large 5th wheels are like being in an small house, yet you are still mobile.

 

In the end, we have not determined which RV is perfect for us. Each of the RV's we have had was and is good for what we want to do at that time.

 

The 29' class A gas towing a small pickup is great for now. We will have been in this rig for 8 months when we get back to our S&B in early November. We recently finished a 139 day driving trip to Alaska and back and are visiting family in Oregon. The 29' was close to perfect for getting to the places we wanted to. The maneuverability is much better than a 35-40 footer. However, every nook an cranny in this RV is filled with stuff. If we want to add something we must get rid of something else. A larger RV would be better. Just not as maneuverable.