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| Spreadsheets and notes. |
Being a RV newbie it’s hard to know what I really want
in a travel trailer. I think I may know what I want but it may be a totally
different story when I get out on the road and am living in it. I also have no
concept of what the actual length is going to be. I have never hauled anything
so my husband gave me a reality check last week. I had researched models for
weeks, created a detailed spreadsheet, and was finally ready to reveal to him what
my top 3 favorites were. When it came time to tell him what the lengths of the
trailers were, we came to a screeching halt. He informed me that he didn’t want
me hauling anything longer than 26’. Slam on the breaks, what? I had spent
weeks researching trailers only to find out that he wasn’t comfortable with us
being in. And smaller? We all have to fit in comfortably and I want a travel
trailer that sleeps at least 6 people in case we had any guests staying with
us.
After digesting a quick
dinner, and this new requirement, I took my oldest son to his Cub Scouts meeting. It
was probably the most productive meeting only because I downloaded the RV Trader
app and typed in my new length restrictions. I was relieved to find out there
were some nice options. I grabbed a scratch piece of paper out of my purse and
started recording model numbers and brands of trailers I wanted to see on a
bigger screen.
These are the features that I think I want
These are the features that I think I want
- Must sleep at least six.
We are a family of four and I want a little extra space in case we have visitors.
- Designated beds for the boys.
I don’t want to have to worry about them picking up their bedding so I can turn their bed back into my table.
- An outdoor kitchen.
A simple outdoor kitchen has a mini fridge, a cook top, and a sink. More living and can be done
outdoors.
- Direct entry bathroom.
When one of us has to go to the bathroom we can just open up the door and go straight into the
bathroom. There would be no need to tromp mud and dirt through the trailer to go.
- Plenty of storage.
If the boys and I leave for the whole summer we’ll need storage space.
We are a family of four and I want a little extra space in case we have visitors.
- Designated beds for the boys.
I don’t want to have to worry about them picking up their bedding so I can turn their bed back into my table.
- An outdoor kitchen.
A simple outdoor kitchen has a mini fridge, a cook top, and a sink. More living and can be done
outdoors.
- Direct entry bathroom.
When one of us has to go to the bathroom we can just open up the door and go straight into the
bathroom. There would be no need to tromp mud and dirt through the trailer to go.
- Plenty of storage.
If the boys and I leave for the whole summer we’ll need storage space.
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| jayco.com White Hawk 24MBH |
When
I looked at these shorter models I found some that either have a direct entry
bathroom or an outdoor kitchen. Most didn’t have both. Then I discovered the
Jayco White Hawk 24MBH. It has all of the features I am looking for! Jayco is
the number 1 selling brand of travel trailers. From what I have heard they are
the brand that most others try to imitate and they sell at a reasonable price
and come with a 2-year warranty. Their beds are typically longer and mattresses
thicker. This model fits my vehicle’s towing capabilities but it is longer than
Todd’s 26’. It’s actually 27’8”. I showed him a video of the model that a RV
dealer made and he was impressed by it.
dealer made and he was impressed by it.
We
may have found a winner! Now to research the other details of this model.
A quick comment about the direct entry bathroom. This was on our "must have" list for the exact reason you mentioned...
ReplyDeleteBut, in reality- unless it has a keyless lock on it, that door will *always* be locked when you want it and dollars to donuts, you won't have the key with you. We actually hung towels bars blocking the door to the bathroom because we literally never used it until we added a keyless entry back there. Now it does get more use, but still nothing like the main door.
Secondly, people rarely go to the backside of their camper in RV parks. That is often the "yard" of your backside neighbor. I would think it ends up being a little awkward to use that door.
All of that said, the one main reason why I still like having it is that it acts as an emergency exit in case "stuff" happens.
Doug S
www.learntorv.com
Thanks for your comment. That is definitely food for thought. I liked the direct entry concept but wasn't crazy about the door going on the left of the trailer. I always think the worse but we could be outside enjoying ourselves and someone could sneak in that door on the other side. I know, I know, I read to many scary stories!
DeleteYou will see by my recent post that we made our decision.