DarkStar,
As the owners of both a 31'
Sovereign and a 24' single-axle Tradewind (and, for a brief time, a 17' Caravel), we have had experience with both sides of the coin.
Our
Sovereign is a joy to own and extremely comfortable. In fact, we've often noted that we could live in it comfortably for a period of time if we ever decided to build a house or were caught between houses. We could not say that for the Tradewind. However:
- we wouldn't consider pulling the
Sovereign with anything but a 3/4 ton truck or SUV with a long wheelbase - we have a crew cab long bed Ford truck for our primary tow vehicle
- we can't park it in our driveway before trips and have to back it all the way down our dead-end street. It stays in storage except for trips.
- there are several state parks in Missouri at which we can't camp with it due to its length
- everything is a consideration with it - i.e. what gas stations we can use, what exits and streets we can take in larger cities, where we can and can't turn it around
- backing is a learned art and isn't all that bad with the larger trailers. In fact, it can be easier than the short single-axles that are prone to jackknifing
- it's more prone to sway in high winds
- it tends to drag on dips
But the Tradewind:
- fits in the driveway
- isn't even noticeable behind either of our trucks, even the single-cab
- is really easy to back
- fits in nearly any campground, even most state and national (though the cut-off for some is 22 feet)
The bottom line is that a 31' or 34' is manageable with the proper tow vehicle, a good hitch system, and attentive driving combined with practice and experience. But know going into it that there's a tradeoff. For the extra room you get inside (and you'll undoubtedly use that extra room), you'll have to put up with a certain amount of challenges and limitations that you wouldn't have with a smaller trailer. If you're taking shorter trips (less than a week) to state parks, go with the smallest trailer you can live with. If you're taking longer trips or staying in private campgrounds, go with a more comfortable trailer. Just make sure your tow vehicle and hitch system are up to it.
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