Looking for our first travel trailer the 23D

[LolaT]

We recently took our first week-long camping trip as a family of five (kids 5-10) and immediately realized we might need to consider some kind of little trailer just for the fact that we could hardly fit all our gear in the back of our SUV. Tent camping went just fine in three different locations.

Traditional campers have never appealed to us before, but reluctantly we started kind of looking around starting with the T@B, Pallomini, and then some 19 to 24ish ft. trailers like the EVO, Nomad, and a couple of other better built ones where the price started getting not so fun considering I would be ripping down most of the brown chenille decor in there, but with double or triple bunks for the kids. Then .... I told my husband we should look at the Airstreams which we knew are way too expensive but we were having fun looking at TVs at this point, so it was just for funsies. He was reluctant to look at them, but I had been explaining to him, how despite the hideous decor of tradional TTs, the main thing that bugged me was the dark, boxy feel with the few and tiny windows. Well, he immediately became obsessed with getting an Airstream.

We don't want to get a new TV and have limited parking space on our side yard where we would need to pour a cement pad for the TT. So we quickly learned that we are limited to the 23'. We have an LR3 and even that is a little iffy with the hitch weight. But we are interested in getting a 2012 or newer 23D with bunk or without, not sure, and the hubby has been combing the internet for used listings at a very reasonable price.

Would love any advice, other than to get a bigger one because we can't.

[KJRitchie]

The 23d could be used to sleep 2 adults and 3 small children. Finding a nice used 23d with a bunk will be hard. I looked at the photos of a 23d Bunk at Colonial and it appears to me the bunk would be hard to get into and out of and you loose the rear storage cabinet. It would also make it harder for someone to get into and out of the rear main bed.

With a non-bunk model one small child and parent could sleep in the rear bed and the others in the dinette/side couch area.

There are two wardrobes. One could have shelving added to store folded cloths.

5 cu/ft fridge should be enough for several days of meals, but carry a cooler for drinks.

Hitch weight on these models is posted as 720lb but real world will be higher. Add 100lbs.

The grey holding tank is only 21 gallons.

It will be tight for 5 but you'll spend most of the time outside.

Best thing to do is find a 23d at a dealership just to get an idea of the size and space. There is a 23d Bunk at the Salt Lake City dealership as well as a preowned Serenty 23d (no bunk).

Kelvin

[SCOTTinNJ]

I know it's creeping bigger and costlier, but the 25 is a bigger jump from 23 than 2 feet would suggest. It is also wider.

[LolaT]

Still not sure about the bunk. I'm afraid if we get the one without, we'll regret not having it later. I'm afraid if we get the bunk, we'll hate the cramped space below. It's harder to find a used one with a bunk too so we would probably have to wait longer for one of those. Ironically, I kind of like the cabinet style of the Flying Cloud better than the signature model.

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

I know it's creeping bigger and costlier, but the 25 is a bigger jump from 23 than 2 feet would suggest. It is also wider.

Yes, I see that the 25 is more like 26 ft. minus an inch. It wouldn't gain us any additional sleeping space for the kids anyway.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Wasn't so much about the sleeping space. More the width and usable space. Sort of have to be in each to appreciate the difference.

[kscherzi]

Why not have the kids sleep in a tent outside? The other option is get the larger trailer with bunks and store it off site at a RV storage yard.

[LolaT]

Well, it looks like they'll be camping outside when they get bigger.

We're getting the International 23D. We have to go get it from Boise, ID. So what's there to see on the way back from Boise to Salt Lake? We'll probably stay in it for a night.

[PharmGeek]

dang...that was quick! sweet!

[PharmGeek]

I don't know....for the money, I probably would find a bit older used one, have it customized with bunks to sleep all the kids as some other uses (such as "skatiero") have done on here...but many ways to "skin a cat" and get out and have fun!

Good Luck.

Also, I cannot help but contrast:

You are 3 posts in upon your purchas...I will need to go back and find my post announcing my decision...it was more than 3

[LolaT]

Well, that was a pretty quick and expensive purchase. Returned back from our first tent camping vacation on a Tuesday (injured, mind you -I have two herniated disks now. No fault of the camping though.), started looking at trailers on a Thursday, went to the Airstream dealership on Saturday, and found a used one to purchase by Thursday. I think it's the getting older that is changing the way we make big purchases now. How much time do we really have to mull it over. If we thought about it too long, we probably would've "come to our senses" and decided it was too expensive.

We're excited as we've never had a trailer before but a bit nervous about pulling it and all the preparations we have to make for it: fixing the self leveling suspension on the LR3, finding and buying the right hitch, installing the break whachamacallit, pouring a cement pad to park it on our side yard, figuring out how to drive it a few hundred miles home, figuring out how the hell to drive it backwards up our inclined driveway and round the corner around the double side load garage and straight third car garage between the 10' gate opening. Uh. That part seemed more do-able when we hadn't found the trailer yet.

I just hope we get to use it often enough to really enjoy it.

[Sbb]

Congrats....enjoy every moment. I looked into adding a bunk to my Bambi, was going to be 5k, so we said no.

Pharmgeek, three posts and purchase....how many for your camp chairs? Pretty funny, but you save me time, I just follow your lead!

[PharmGeek]

Awesome! Get out and enjoy!

Sbb - to be fair - the coffee maker thread trumps my chair thread by a factor of ? 10?


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