How much does RV size (length) really matter?

[Gemini1771]

My partner and I have been looking at RVs for a couple of years and plan to shove off for full time living in September-ish. We’ve imagined a host of scenarios (and even almost bought a 5th wheel)- we’re currently leaning toward a 25-28 foot class C or A. We’ll be living and remote working in our rig full time (with a cat and dog), so we need workspace and a little room to move. I feel claustrophobic in some of the smaller rigs, especially ones without slides.

My question is, is going up to 30 or even 32 feet really going to make much of a difference? I have been trying to prepare myself for a smaller living space because we plan on boondocking and I imaging getting a 26 ft rig down a dirt road is going to be a lot easier than getting a 30 ft rig down the same road, but I don’t know if that’s really true. We own a Jeep Wrangler that we dispersed camp in a lot (and also plan to tow)- I know we won’t have nearly the same access with an RV, but the rougher roads we can get down the better. If we could afford one of those 4WD Earthroamer type rigs, we’d totally be there.

Expanding our search to include slightly longer rigs also gives us more options that can tow our Wrangler (4,500 lbs) and some of the longer rigs are cheaper. We’re looking to stay around $25K, so we’re looking at old rigs.

Any thoughts on length? Also, any thoughts on trying to boondock down rough-ish roads in a Class C or Class A? We’ll need pretty consistent internet access, so the will be a limiting factor as well. We’re in Washington state now- a lot of the forest roads here are terrible, but there also isn’t much of a cell signal in the mountains once you leave the main highways.

Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[highdesertranger]

Couple of thoughts I tow a trailer off road

I find length doesn't really matter until you get into a very tight forest road.
Ground clearance is needed, especially where the dump valves are. I have built skid plates around the dump valves on a few trailers.
Stick and staple constructed RV's will not last long off road.
Height in forested areas is a big concern.
Slide outs and off road DO NOT play well together. If you want to off road with slide outs you better know how to do field repairs on them. If at all possible go with the hydraulic slides.

Highdesertranger

 

[RoamerRV428]

length matters more when negotiating a tight corner. longer ya are the harder for that turn for sure.

like HDR said ground clearance and placement of dump values/pipes etc. is important.

shorter is easier if you are truly going off onto somewhat sketchy roads.

will 30 vs. 32 ft really matter, depends on where ya take it

We had it all from tent to truck camper while pulling our boat, to 34 ft rv, to 38 ft 5th wheel and then the monster, 40ft toyhauler 5th wheel and one day we said, crap too big, damn thing was not fun, you could hardly take that thing anywhere and we do mostly state parks so we sold it and bought 30 ft travel trailer toyhauler. Love it. Never will we go beyond 30 ft again (this is a 30 ft box) so with hitch we are 34 ft total length and that is it for us....we want to be able to get around easier and we are holding on this length....heck I even dream of another floorplan and look at campers etc but all the floorplans a tad better and more exciting than mine are like 34 or 36 ft box, then add 4 for your hitch area and damn, you are big again

how you plan on using this and traveling with it is very important if you really are gonna push the roads you are wanting to take. A stuck 32ft camper on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere ain't pretty

 

[JDub]

Lord,

and here I am thinking 18' sounds like a lot!

Cheers!

 

[tx2sturgis]

Most RVers who have a large RV often wish it was smaller, and most of those with small RVs often wish it was larger.......this is almost a 'constant' in the RV world.

Its much easier to add outdoor living space (awnings, tents, canopies) to a small or mid-size rig once you are situated, compared to trying to remove length, size, and weight from an existing rig that is stuck in a sand berm or mudhole and won't move.

In most cases, for a slight increase in floor space and length, when it comes to motorhomes, the added length is nearly always BEHIND the rear axle...not in between the axles. This often means that a 30 foot motorhome compared to a 26 foot motorhome, you have a LOT more hardware...back THERE...hanging low and subject to damage even on paved driveways...never mind dirt roads and 2-track forest trails.

I am always amused at all the RVers on youtube who end up with 'ginormous' RVs, motorhomes, fifth wheels, travel trailers, etc, and get themselves in tight situations, or worse, they tear stuff up.

Just give it a lot of thought...and realize no matter what, all RVs are a compromise in one way or another.

 

[WanderingRose]

We have always gone the small, ClassB, route.

What I think of first with something 30-32 feet long plus a tow vehicle is how many places you would NOT be able to get into.

 

[RoamerRV428]

yea your length is truly all about what traveling roads you are taking and how you want to camp.
I know we can manuever into alot of spots with our rv and tow vehicle, but it truly suits us, like I know we are not going up the side of a mt or down muddy tight low hanging tree service forest roads.....so know your type of camping adventure you want and truly suit the rv you want to that.

 

[MrNoodly]

What I think of first with something 30-32 feet long plus a tow vehicle is how many places you would NOT be able to get into.

Or get out of. Gotta have room to turn that puppy around.

 

[bullfrog]

The trick is to simplify enough to be as light, short and have as much clearance as possible without feeling uncomfortable or deprived. If you have tried 28' and it is your minimun then don't go smaller and maybe go even a little biger unless you just can not get to where you want to go and in that case use a 4x4 truck as a towed vehicle and a topper or tent as well while using the RV as a base camp. Most places can be day or weekend trips from a base camp.

 

[maki2]

Go for the shorter length and get a Quickset Clam screen room. The real key is to try to do longer term stays in places with good cell reception where you can spend time outside of the RV. Using the screen room for setting up your office and using it for dining and lounging will get rid of the claustrophobic feeling of a too small space. You can even use it on rainy days.

Gives you a space to get away from each other. A place to meet with friends without having them inside your RV. Not healthy to sit in direct sunlight all day, protects you from flies and mosquitos, etc.

Smaller RV works for many reasons but the space for living gets cramped.

Remember Bob Wells says you don't live in your RV, you live out of it. Sheltered outdoor living space to expand into is very cost effective and easy to achieve. Think...outside your box on wheels.

 

[jacqueg]

OP, it's true that it's a false economy to buy a rig you really don't like living in. But you will have to accept the tradeoff of not being able to get to many of those gorgeous and unpopulated places you see in youtube videos, unless you also have an AtV or a compact car with you.

Many unpaved backcountry roads start out as plenty wide and sufficiently graded for a larger rig. But as you continue along them, you might unexpectedly find yourself in a spot where you realize you need to go back, but turning around means you have to back up or down the hill and around semi-blind corners, maybe with even a steep drop-off to one side, to get back to a place where you CAN turn around. And keep in mind that most emergency towing insurance policies, such as AAA, limit how far from pavement you can be. And I don't mean miles from pavement - I mean yards from pavement. You can still find someone to tow you - but you will pay for it out-of-pocket.

It all depends on which you want more - more room inside the rig vs more privacy outside. If you are in a position to rent a larger rig for a one-week vacation, I suggest you do so. It sounds to me as if you don't have enough experience to make a reason-based choice.

 

[Gemini1771]

Thanks all! I really appreciate your responses. It sounds like getting the shortest rig I feel comfortable in is the way to go. Thinking about more outdoor living/ working options is a good reminder too. Being in cold and rainy WA, it’s easy to forget that we’ll be in warmer places gat are more conducive to outdoor activities. I can’t wait to shove off!!!

 

[maki2]

Cold rainy conditions equal battling mold and condensation. I am a WA state residentbut having gone through October and Novebmber in Wester, WA in my RV last year I realized that mid June through mid September is really the only time to llive there full time in an RV either offgrid or ongriid. Otherwise you will be drying off the walls, windows and the i sides of cabinets as well as every window, door frame and object made of metal. The only other option is to run a good sized dehumidifier many hours a day.

 

[barleyguy]

This is a topic I think about a lot. I currently have 30 foot fifth wheel, and for me right now it's perfect. But for my next rig, whenever that is, I'll probably go smaller rather than larger. I'm pondering either a truck camper or a 21 foot Escape fifth wheel.

I personally really dislike bumper towing. It stresses me out, and that's so not the point of travelling. Just personal to me though.

Another thing to consider is height. My current rig is 13 feet high, which is a concern anywhere with trees.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I personally really dislike bumper towing. It stresses me out, and that's so not the point of travelling. Just personal to me though.

If the travel trailer is small, like the one I have, then bumper towing is a non-issue...almost enjoyable, but my little trailer only weighs about half what the tow vehicle weighs. This is of course, not a full-time rig.

Bumper-towing a large travel trailer (for full-timing) is (or can be) a lot like work....constantly fighting the trailer in windy conditions for control, dragging hard parts in certain situations, and parking in crowded parking lots, lining up in gas stations, and fitting into small to mid-sized camping spots can be a problem at times.

 

[mpruet]

Of course - to each his own.  

I started out with a 37 foot diesel pusher with two slides.  There was a lot of comfort with that RV, but it was too difficult to just get up and go.  

I’m a part timer and want to be able to spend as much time on the road as I can.  I found that the diesel pusher simply require too much planning.  There were a lot of public campgrounds that I simply didn’t fit in.  Also it seemed to take way too much time just to prepare to go on the road.  

I’m currently in a class-B, 21 feet long with no slides.  I have a lot of windows so do not feel cramped.  I’m very comfortable in it.  Best of all, it seems that I can just ‘get up and go’ when I get the urge to get on the road.  I need very little preparation time - usually less than an hour.  Just grab my clothes and make a quick stop at the Walmart for groceries.  Also by being shorter, I fit much easier in state campgrounds so am often able to get a spot that wouldn’t work if I were much larger.  

Also I’m fairly comfortable getting into the back spots.  Ground clearance is a bit of an issue, but I can fairly easily back out or turn around if I need to.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

We were very happy with our 17foot trailer as far as living in it, it was like a palace compared to the van.

But we found that towing a trailer was a pain in the ass and it really limited us (or me when I traveled alone). No such thing as attempting to stealth dragging a trailer around. The logistics were more than I wanted to deal with. So we sold the trailer and now only have the van. Better.
Ted

 

[ckelly78z]

My wife and I have a 32' bumper pull Heartland travel trailer that is awesome to camp from, but not so fun to pull, or store. It has one long slideout, is very comfortable, and spacious and sits higher than our previous campers by about a foot. This means there are 3 steps to get into it, which sometimes can be a PITA.

I would much prefer a 25' camper that didn't require a diesel Excusrion to pull it.

 

[squatting dog]

28094[/ATTACH]Gemini1771My question is, is going up to 30 or even 32 feet really going to make much of a difference? I have been trying to prepare myself for a smaller living space because we plan on boondocking and I imaging getting a 26 ft rig down a dirt road is going to be a lot easier than getting a 30 ft rig down the same road, but I don’t know if that’s really true. We own a Jeep Wrangler that we dispersed camp in a lot (and also plan to tow)- I know we won’t have nearly the same access with an RV, but the rougher roads we can get down the better. If we could afford one of those 4WD Earthroamer type rigs, we’d totally be there. pid='529266' dateline='1616344299']
Expanding our search to include slightly longer rigs also gives us more options that can tow our Wrangler (4,500 lbs) and some of the longer rigs are cheaper. We’re looking to stay around $25K, so we’re looking at old rigs.

Any thoughts on length? Also, any thoughts on trying to boondock down rough-ish roads in a Class C or Class A? We’ll need pretty consistent internet access, so the will be a limiting factor as well. We’re in Washington state now- a lot of the forest roads here are terrible, but there also isn’t much of a cell signal in the mountains once you leave the main highways.

Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!


I'm happy with an older, longer RV. It tows what I need, and with a little pre-checking, I have never been somewhere I shouldn't. A big plus is the 13' wide room when the kitchen and living room slides are out. Makes staying somewhere with the 6 dogs much easier. We have pulled our 24' enclosed, 18' open and even a tow dolly with no issues. Don't be afraid to take the plunge. 

 

[bullfrog]

So something to consider is how much more the longer or type of RV will weigh. Also something to consider is how much will it cost to have it towed if you get stuck or break down especially off pavement. I bought an older all aluminum body motor home because it was lighter by far and only 28' so it would fit most older campsites that were designed for shorter RVs. Neither mattered as I ended up seldom going off paved roads or dirt roads that were wet and had an excellent road base if it did rain! One main reason we have bought bumper pull trailers is it is easy to get both the tow vehicle and the trailer towed or moved to where they can be towed. Not so easy in a 32' motorhome. Not even easy with a "light" 28' motor home! Older motor homes are cheap for a reason one being they are hard to dispose of.