Newbie all the way around

aa8shot · 03-09-2019, 10:24 AM

Where to start, retiring next fall, want to see the country. Been looking at 5ers seem to like the Cougar models! New or used? Would maybe like to get the right one now ( what ever that could be) and keep it and hopefully get about 10 years use. Don’t need huge but want room and some comfort! So no bunk house or toy hauler. I plan on a 1ton Chevy diesel pick up! What hitch 5 th wheel type? Pulling a trailer not an issue been trucking for 40 years, Ha you ask I’ve already seen the country and right your are, but only through the windshield, now want to enjoy some of it

Prefer a 2-4person sleep size, rear living room, queen bed, want it length ways or no slide in bed room, must have tables next to the bed for sleep pap machines, don’t know if I want or need outside kitchen or tv, kitchen I think prefer an island, also would prefer dinner table and chairs.

Is a generator necessary? I kind think so, what type, fuel type? Solar power worth it?

I should say the model we like is the 310RLS

Probably much more to ask but good enough for now! Thanks in advance!

**sourdough** · 03-09-2019, 11:40 AM

Lots of questions and thoughts. You will probably receive a books worth of ideas/recommendations.

How many folks are there? You and DW? There are just 2 of us and we like to have some room. Spent years in smaller trailers, most without slides and the "cooped up" feeling came quickly (1-2 weeks). Now with 3 slides I'm happy but DW gets that "closed in" feeling after a few months - I think it's just because she misses the big house and neighbors.

You mention having a bed that runs length wise; I will only have one in a slide preferably in the front. The reason is the full length closet it allows across the front. So much more room than the little things they try to put in when the bed takes up the front of the trailer. You can get them with night stands beside the bed that would possibly work for your pap machine. If so, that's what I would shoot for and the 310RLS looks like it is made that way.

This trailer is the first we have had with an island and we love it and what we will get from now on. Same with the free standing table and chairs. Dinettes used to be OK but the table/chairs is more comfortable and versatile.

As far as a generator we don't carry one any longer. We used to but used it for boondocking and impromptu overnight stays. We don't do that anymore and all our stays are booked in advance with full hookups. We have done that since 2014 and are now considering a generator to allow us a little more flexibility to get out in the boonies a bit more like we used to....we miss it. You should get lots of feeback on the generator and solar questions.

I would also encourage you to look at the capacities of the truck you intend to get. The 310RLS grosses about 12,450 lbs. so could have maybe 2500 lbs. sitting on the pin. Make sure the payload of the truck is adequate for the trailer you get.

I will confirm that getting the RV and taking the time to SEE the country is much different, and much more enjoyable, than seeing it pass by at 70 mph (or from the sky).

Good luck on your choices. I'm sure you will get lots of good feedback from the members - there is a lot of experience here.

Edit: WELCOME to the forum! Failed to put that at the front of this post. Looking forward to your participation.

Tbos · 03-09-2019, 01:03 PM

Welcome to the forum. The Cougars are a pretty popular rig. Enjoy looking for a rig and truly seeing the Country.

Cbrez · 03-09-2019, 03:38 PM

Glad To have you on the forum. Sourdough pretty much nailed it. Our RV has an island also and we love it. Downside is that if we are camping with the slides in we cannot get to the living area. That doesn’t happen too often so overall it’s a great feature to have.

Regarding generators our first trip was to Alaska. In Alaska you can pull off the road just about anywhere there’s room and camp for free so we did a lot of Boondocking. If Alaska is on your bucket list I would recommend buying a couple of small portable generators. Other than Alaska though we have done much Boondocking and don’t normally bring our generators with us on our camping trips.

If you’re going to spend a substantial amount of time in your RV going across country you definitely want a rig that has opposing slides. It makes the living area feel very spacious Especially with the high ceilings in a fifth wheel.

Many happy trails and keep us posted on your adventures.

roadglide · 03-09-2019, 03:42 PM

Where on the road 7 months a year . This is our first year using solar if you do the work your self saving half the coast . We like boondocking when possible . A lot of national Parks have no electric it's nice to have generator if your on the move like I do. I have been seeing cougar fifth wheel around that seem pretty good . Seeing the country in a different view have fun .

yesiamapirate · 03-09-2019, 04:22 PM

We are in love with our Cougar 27SAB! Bought it last month. Haven’t camped in it yet but have it all set up in the yard today. What a beautiful rig.

**JRTJH** · 03-09-2019, 05:54 PM

If you post a photo of any floorplan, you'll have members state, "That is our floorplan, we bought it because of XXXX" and you'll have members state, "We looked at that floorplan and eliminated it because of XXXX" (XXXX being exactly the same reason in both situations).

My DW and I have walked into some trailers and "just the color was enough to make us say no" and we've walked into the same trailer in a different color and thought, "Maybe this one would work". I'm not trying to express "vanity" in color choices, but what each of us likes is (or can be) totally different from what someone else likes and thinks would work for their purposes.

Take some time, look at different floorplans, ones you think will work, spend a couple hours, just sitting, imagining how it would feel if it was raining outside and you were "forced to stay inside all day". Is there enough room for you, DW and pets to move around without feeling you're stepping on each other? Is there enough room to sit down without people crawling over you to get to the other end of the trailer? Is there enough ventilation so you don't feel like you're breathing old air? (figuratively of course).

In other words, are you comfortable being "in that trailer" for an extended time? Are the chairs and sofa comfortable? is the bed long enough for you? can you stand up in the shower, sit on the toilet without your knees being in the tub? Can you get dressed in the bedroom and/or in the bathroom? Is there a place for dirty/muddy shoes? Is the silverware drawer big enough to hold what you know you'll have onboard the trailer? Is there a place to hang two wet towels? How about a place to put a dirty clothes hamper?

Those are just a few of the "oh my, why didn't I think of this before we bought this trailer" comments that we've all heard time and time again on the forum.

Good luck finding the trailer that will work for you. It's definitely a "joint venture" but only between the two people who will be sharing "that little box"... Happy trailer hunting !!!!!

ADDED: I almost forgot one of the most important questions: Can you sit on the toilet and close the bathroom door? You'd be surprised that in some trailers, some people can't..... And sadly, they never tried until that first camping trip, at which time they realized... "OH NO!!!!"

aa8shot · 03-09-2019, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the words so far. It’ll just be the wife and I! Boondocking is definitely on the list when ever possible! But those of you that have generators, what is the preferred form of fuel? Is it wise to carry 1-2 extra 20# propane cylinders( strapped down of course) assuming the generator runs on propane. I’m sure more ? too follow!

aa8shot · 03-09-2019, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

If you post a photo of any floorplan, you'll have members state, "That is our floorplan, we bought it because of XXXX" and you'll have members state, "We looked at that floorplan and eliminated it because of XXXX" (XXXX being exactly the same reason in both situations).

My DW and I have walked into some trailers and "just the color was enough to make us say no" and we've walked into the same trailer in a different color and thought, "Maybe this one would work". I'm not trying to express "vanity" in color choices, but what each of us likes is (or can be) totally different from what someone else likes and thinks would work for their purposes.

Take some time, look at different floorplans, ones you think will work, spend a couple hours, just sitting, imagining how it would feel if it was raining outside and you were "forced to stay inside all day". Is there enough room for you, DW and pets to move around without feeling you're stepping on each other? Is there enough room to sit down without people crawling over you to get to the other end of the trailer? Is there enough ventilation so you don't feel like you're breathing old air? (figuratively of course).

In other words, are you comfortable being "in that trailer" for an extended time? Are the chairs and sofa comfortable? is the bed long enough for you? can you stand up in the shower, sit on the toilet without your knees being in the tub? Can you get dressed in the bedroom and/or in the bathroom? Is there a place for dirty/muddy shoes? Is the silverware drawer big enough to hold what you know you'll have onboard the trailer? Is there a place to hang two wet towels? How about a place to put a dirty clothes hamper?

Those are just a few of the "oh my, why didn't I think of this before we bought this trailer" comments that we've all heard time and time again on the forum.

Good luck finding the trailer that will work for you. It's definitely a "joint venture" but only between the two people who will be sharing "that little box"... Happy trailer hunting !!!!!

ADDED: I almost forgot one of the most important questions: Can you sit on the toilet and close the bathroom door? You'd be surprised that in some trailers, some people can't..... And sadly, they never tried until that first camping trip, at which time they realized... "OH NO!!!!"

JRTJH, spent most of my life in a “big” truck, long days and short nights, or weekends waiting for that next load, snowed in to extended periods of time, I can live well in small areas, my wife, well she spent some time with me and totally understands, which is why we like the cougar 310RLS, not too big but big enough to stretch out! We don’t plan on extended (like months on end or selling the “palace” to camp) don’t like motels, and prefer our own bed. We are pretty set on the cougar model new, but between now and next winter maybe we will find a nice lovingly late model used. Oh ya, already checked out the shower and toilet, thanks!

Pmedic4 · 03-09-2019, 06:56 PM

Like several others have said, if you and the DW are going to spend any amount of time in the RV, definitely opposing slides. Our first fifthwheel was a 291RLS, and it was in the family of the half-ton fivers. The space in the rear living area was small, and it worked for the weekend to 10 day trips, but you'll be bumping into each other and everything on those rainy, inclement days. You mentioned the 310RLS, which has the front bedroom slide, and as Sourdough points out you'll like and need that full front width closet and storage space.

We traded our 291RLS in on a 333MKS, which is much larger Perhaps we got use to being squeezed into the old fiver, so we're enjoying the room in the new model.

We've never really gotten into boondocking, as most campgrounds have power everywhere.

The only thing I'd mention, which hasn't come up so far, is if you're planning on summer, southern trips, positively consider two AC's when you buy. RV's aren't necessary the best insulated home, and even some northern summers can be quite a task for a single AC unit. The consequences of this 2nd AC, also may affect the decision of generator sizing, or at least trip planning to avoid the need for that 6kw generator.

Good luck on your upcoming retirement, and your RV selection, enjoy!

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