30 foot trailer too big?

[Camping_wego]

Hi! I’m narrowing down travel trailers to buy and wondering how difficult it is to boon-dock in a 30 foot trailer, or even visit National parks and so on. We mostly boon-dock but will begin traveling the country and sight seeing.

[lsbrodsky]

I am not sure there is a good answer as I have heard many times, when driving you would like the smallest trailer, when camping you would like the biggest.
My own personal experience with a 25 is that I have been to a number of places where anything bigger would have been trouble to get into the space I was assigned. At Shenandoah National Park the sites with the gorgeous views would not handle anything larger than a 25; I almost could not park my truck next to the trailer and anything over 25 would have extended into the road. Of course there were many bigger sites, but not with the view I had.
However, only you know what will be best for you. Buy what you want to use for camping and adjust your travels accordingly.
Larry

[OTRA15]

Very well said, Larry.

Camping wego, what is your family size, kids' ages, and do you plan to take any pets?

Peter

[pmclemore]

I downsized from a 31' Limited to a 30' Signature. I have to be aware of my size, but I would hate to give up what I have to go to a 25 or a 20. I enjoy national and state parks - you'd be surprised how you can maneuver when you need to.

Pat

[Mrjkq]

I fall in the middle as a 28' would be the perfect size for me. I like the sofa & separate dinette setup vs the front lounge on my 25'. Most places that you can park a 25' you can park a 28' in mho.

[Al and Missy]

When we did our Crater Lake, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons run last year it was hard to find a space in the park for a 30. Some places had sites but they were full and in some you had to park the TV elsewhere. We previously owned a 25 and I'll take the comforts and space of the 30 over the sites available to the 25. A 25 with a dinette, or a 28? Maybe not.

Al

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There will *always* be a cute site that is "to small" even if you get a 16' trailer. That's just the way it works. There always is some hypothetical group of "friends" that only will fit in a 45' three axle 5th wheel. That's just the way the world works.

First step is to figure out how many people / pets / others are in the group most of the time. If "part of the time" also factors in, just how much? ( = is an add on tent an option? ). There *will* be days where the thunderstorms are rolling through and everybody will be inside.

Next up - is this a weekend mostly sort of thing? Are you headed out for a couple months at a time? Is it a "we stop by home once or twice a year" kind of deal? What works for three days may not be ideal for three months.

You all *do* have to sleep someplace. Is person A climbing over person B in the middle of the night an issue? Can everybody *fit* in the sleeping spaces provided? ( this includes large dogs in aisles ....). Is converting the space for different uses ok?

You also have to eat / sit somewhere. Are you a "everybody eats at the table" bunch? How well does this or that table work with your sized people? What about the seating? Can your crew spread out or is there one place *everybody* wants to sit?

Minor issues like storage often get overlooked early on. Can everybody store their junk someplace? If you are boondocking, are the various water tanks big enough ( = for long enough ) to make things practical? Will the fridge hold adequate supplies? Will your toys and chairs fit someplace?

Spend some time in real trailers. A day hopping from this one to that one is not at all out of the question. There is no way to figure out some of this from drawings or pictures.

Hopefully that will get you to a list that sort of has several categories:

1) Nope, we just aren't going to make it in that one
2) Could fit with some compromises
3) Hey, this one is pretty nice ....

Indeed it's a good bet that category 3 also costs more / is bigger than category 1. What you are very likely to find is that some trailers in a given size are in different categories depending on the floor plan / layout.

The point of all this is that buying the wrong trailer is not a good idea. A lot of people move up in size after a year or three. A few people move down. You really don't want to be in either group if you can help it. Fit seems to be the reason people move up.

Once you have that list of what might fit, go online and start looking at what various campground will and will not allow you to have. Site sizes are listed in a lot of places. Reviews will tell you how close the listings are to reality. Older parks are going to be tighter parks. That's true of State / Provincial , local, or National parks. Open land areas ( = BLM land) may be restricted by how crazy you happen to be. I have yet to find a COE campground that seemed cramped. Commercial campgrounds also seem to be quite well adapted to "big".

So lots of options / choices / decisions. Look around a campground and you will see that those around you have a wide range of opinions on "what's right". Yesterday we had 50' (at $10K / foot) motor homes in with 12' popups. Some folks would tell you that anything under 35' ( or without slides ) is simply too small. Others love their 16' fiberglass wonders.

So far, we're well into year 3 of fairly intense use of a 30'. There has been no place that we wanted to go that the trailer size kept us from going. Indeed there are sites that we picked to fit, but not locations.

Lots to think on .....

Bob

[Camping_wego]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Very well said, Larry.

Camping wego, what is your family size, kids' ages, and do you plan to take any pets?

Peter

We have 2 children (7 yrs and 10 months) and 3 dogs (2 standard Poodles and 1 toy poodle). We know we can’t go too small mainly bc of the horse dogs.

[Camping_wego]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

I downsized from a 31' Limited to a 30' Signature. I have to be aware of my size, but I would hate to give up what I have to go to a 25 or a 20. I enjoy national and state parks - you'd be surprised how you can maneuver when you need to.

Pat

So you have no problems getting into National parks with your 30 footer? That. Was a concern...

[Camping_wego]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

There will *always* be a cute site that is "to small" even if you get a 16' trailer. That's just the way it works. There always is some hypothetical group of "friends" that only will fit in a 45' three axle 5th wheel. That's just the way the world works.

First step is to figure out how many people / pets / others are in the group most of the time. If "part of the time" also factors in, just how much? ( = is an add on tent an option? ). There *will* be days where the thunderstorms are rolling through and everybody will be inside.

Next up - is this a weekend mostly sort of thing? Are you headed out for a couple months at a time? Is it a "we stop by home once or twice a year" kind of deal? What works for three days may not be ideal for three months.

You all *do* have to sleep someplace. Is person A climbing over person B in the middle of the night an issue? Can everybody *fit* in the sleeping spaces provided? ( this includes large dogs in aisles ....). Is converting the space for different uses ok?

You also have to eat / sit somewhere. Are you a "everybody eats at the table" bunch? How well does this or that table work with your sized people? What about the seating? Can your crew spread out or is there one place *everybody* wants to sit?

Minor issues like storage often get overlooked early on. Can everybody store their junk someplace? If you are boondocking, are the various water tanks big enough ( = for long enough ) to make things practical? Will the fridge hold adequate supplies? Will your toys and chairs fit someplace?

Spend some time in real trailers. A day hopping from this one to that one is not at all out of the question. There is no way to figure out some of this from drawings or pictures.

Hopefully that will get you to a list that sort of has several categories:

1) Nope, we just aren't going to make it in that one
2) Could fit with some compromises
3) Hey, this one is pretty nice ....

Indeed it's a good bet that category 3 also costs more / is bigger than category 1. What you are very likely to find is that some trailers in a given size are in different categories depending on the floor plan / layout.

The point of all this is that buying the wrong trailer is not a good idea. A lot of people move up in size after a year or three. A few people move down. You really don't want to be in either group if you can help it. Fit seems to be the reason people move up.

Once you have that list of what might fit, go online and start looking at what various campground will and will not allow you to have. Site sizes are listed in a lot of places. Reviews will tell you how close the listings are to reality. Older parks are going to be tighter parks. That's true of State / Provincial , local, or National parks. Open land areas ( = BLM land) may be restricted by how crazy you happen to be. I have yet to find a COE campground that seemed cramped. Commercial campgrounds also seem to be quite well adapted to "big".

So lots of options / choices / decisions. Look around a campground and you will see that those around you have a wide range of opinions on "what's right". Yesterday we had 50' (at $10K / foot) motor homes in with 12' popups. Some folks would tell you that anything under 35' ( or without slides ) is simply too small. Others love their 16' fiberglass wonders.

So far, we're well into year 3 of fairly intense use of a 30'. There has been no place that we wanted to go that the trailer size kept us from going. Indeed there are sites that we picked to fit, but not locations.

Lots to think on .....

Bob

we live in Western Washington and have many rainy days , and to me (husband on the contrary) we’d all be more comfortable in a 30 footer. We are between a 26-30footers. What I really like about airstream is the living space in the forward cabin. It’ll be optimal for rainy days and a place for the dogs to lounge. Where we live there are more 30’ trailers available and some less expensive. I also love the wrap around windows and sky lights in a 30’ that’s for sale nearby. Sorry if I’m drifting from the original subject of size, it makes the decision hard...
Question: if someone mentions needing a hose replaced but says they “caught it before it did damage”, is that a red flag? Has anyone hired an airstream inspector? I see it’s mentioned

[Camping_wego]

We’ll be camping up to 5 days in the trailer during summers. We’d love to
Travel cross country when the baby gets a bit older also

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Camping_wego

we live in Western Washington and have many rainy days , and to me (husband on the contrary) we’d all be more comfortable in a 30 footer. We are between a 26-30footers. What I really like about airstream is the living space in the forward cabin. It’ll be optimal for rainy days and a place for the dogs to lounge. Where we live there are more 30’ trailers available and some less expensive. I also love the wrap around windows and sky lights in a 30’ that’s for sale nearby. Sorry if I’m drifting from the original subject of size, it makes the decision hard...
Question: if someone mentions needing a hose replaced but says they “caught it before it did damage”, is that a red flag? Has anyone hired an airstream inspector? I see it’s mentioned

If you go to the top of the page and click on the Community tab, then Members List, then Advanced Search you can enter a city and/or state, and at the bottom there are check boxes for various inspectors. These people have volunteered to inspect trailers or motorhomes for others. The service is provided for free, with no obligation on either party. Also, if you go to:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f138...ist-43294.html

You will find an inspection checklist to aid you in inspecting trailers yourself.

Al

[majorairhead]

My wife and I were in a 25 rear twin, and moved to a 30 rear twin. The couch in the 30 is a big plus, there is enough room in front of it to dance, the separate dining table permits one to be working on a laptop, while one stretches out on the couch.

Heck, I can lay longways, and Mrs. T. can lay on the short side, and we both can nap on the 30's couch.

The rear twin setup gives us the bathroom we like, not having knees hitting the sink, or the door, when seated....

PLUS, it gives 4 outside storage compartments, a majorly nice thing to have.

I'll find a place to park it

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Before you start closing in on *any* specific floor plan (new or used) head over to a dealer and look at what's what. There are a lot of subtle differences in how things are done. The floor plan does not change a lot from year to year. What you see in a 2019 is pretty close to what you would see in a 2009 as far as seating and storage.

With four people and three dogs, the 16' is out . We did this with two Newfoundlands and a Lab for a while. They take up space. Water bowl and food bowls and food bags all need to go somewhere.

Kids grow fast. An Airstream should be a "decade(s)" sort of deal. You will (hopefully) be out camping with two teenagers in your purchase. Indeed, that might involve a tent for sleeping. It might or might not involve the same group of dogs.

The difference getting a 27.x' vs a 30.x' long trailer into this or that spot can indeed be significant. For the other 98% of the sites out there, both fit or both don't fit. If the one and only site you have *is* in that 2% ... talk to the camp host. Often there is a solution. ( = some places have spare sites).

======

About the only thing I can think of that is part of an Airstream and would get described as "hose" are the flexible gas lines. They show up going to the propane tanks. They also get used to hook the stove to the main lines. Having one fail is really odd. Once replaced, not a big deal.

The normal "thing to worry about" on a used trailer is a rotted floor. It's wood underneath the covering. If it gets good and wet, it can rot. Have some sort of flood that does not get dried out quickly and you can have a problem. Have repeated exposure from some sort of leak and you will have a problem.

That said, to save significant money, you will need to go back 5 to 10 years on a used trailer. A lot can happen in 10 years of use (or even of non-use). Tires, brakes, bearings, batteries, all would show up on a short list of things likely to need replacement. Past that there are the normal wear and tear items that fall into the "who knows..." category.

With a brand new trailer you have a cost up front. You also get a 3 year warranty. Getting things fixed under warranty involves getting it to a dealer (some sort of dealer). Not quite everything is covered so it's not going to be zero cost. There will be things you fix and "upgrade" even on a new trailer.

Lots to think on.

Bob

[jnm30327]

I think it is important also to think of what happens to the TV requirement as you go longer. I pull a 27' FB with a 1/2 ton pickup. I think at 30', you will have to go to 3/4 ton. In addition to the higher first cost of a 3/4 ton, if you plan to use the TV for personal transportation when back home, you will also have higher costs from operating the heavier TV.

[gklott]

Originally Posted by Camping_wego

how difficult it is to boon-dock in a 30 foot trailer

Boon-docking, in general - have had no issues.

Originally Posted by Camping_wego

or even visit National parks and so on.

This article seems to have researched this issue and provides some of the numbers you need. Overall, the article found "RVs up to 32′ in length fit in 81% of all national park campgrounds." Not always sure if the article always references total vehicle length or trailer length. Check the details provided park by park.

Our 30' length has been too long for a few National Parks, National Forest, and State Park camp areas, which specified either a maximum total combined length or maximum trailer length for roads or RV sites. You need to check specific sites within the park, as some of the back-in sites will only accommodate shorter trailers.

We have run into cases where 30' trailer length is fine, but there were no "long" spaces available. In those cases, we stayed at commercial sites just outside the parks.

You need to check park by park, as this example on vehicle restrictions. Also, check the camp site map for longer sites.

Good luck.

73/gus

[drbrick]

There is no answer to your question because it really is about you - your needs and your wants. You will find pros and cons with any unit. The bottom line is you have to live with your choices. The obvious is the smaller the unit the easier it is to handle and find camping sites - the larger the unit the more room you have for your family and pets on those rainy days. You asked a great question but only you can answer it.

PS we have an Int'l 25 that we can go just about anywhere and need an intercom to talk to each other

[jimfa440]

We have owned two 25' Airstreams and currently own a 30' Airstream. We love the living space in the 30', however we are missing out on some places we would like to camp. I want a 23', my wife wants a 100'. We might settle on a 26RBT.

[57Wanderer]

We have a 30ft, and we boondock all over the place, mostly in the western states; kind of difficult to boondock on the east coast and midwest. And the comments about sitting in the rain: better to be bigger.

[kscherzi]

Originally Posted by gklott

Boon-docking, in general - have had no issues.



This article seems to have researched this issue and provides some of the numbers you need. Overall, the article found "RVs up to 32′ in length fit in 81% of all national park campgrounds." Not always sure if the article always references total vehicle length or trailer length. Check the details provided park by park.

Our 30' length has been too long for a few National Parks, National Forest, and State Park camp areas, which specified either a maximum total combined length or maximum trailer length for roads or RV sites. You need to check specific sites within the park, as some of the back-in sites will only accommodate shorter trailers.

We have run into cases where 30' trailer length is fine, but there were no "long" spaces available. In those cases, we stayed at commercial sites just outside the parks.

You need to check park by park, as this example on vehicle restrictions. Also, check the camp site map for longer sites.

Good luck.

73/gus

Lengths referenced in the above linked report are combined tow vehicle plus trailer length. For example, my F150 at about 19 feet plus 28 feet trailer comes to 47 feet combined length. According to the report only 7% of National Park sites are this big.