Fulltiming in a Trailer?

[osetoast]

I was considering to go full time in a Class B van. However, I believe that they are way to small for me!

I am a 6’5 male. I need to find something that would still be compact. But,an rv that would have a reasonable amount of space in which I would still feel comfortable.

would it be possible for me to go fulltime with a trailer or even a 5th wheeler?

Please, post suggestions of what I should consider buying!

[Roger]

At 6’5″ tall, only a Class A or a 5th wheel would allow you to stand up straight inside. Forget about any other class unless you want to live like the Hunchback of Notre Dame…

[Pippi]

Yeah, good thing you disposed of the van idea. That wouldn’t be a comfortable long term solution. Class A’s, class Cs trailers and fifth wheels are all usually plenty of standing room. Though I’ve never judged ‘plenty’ when standing 6’5″ tall!

A fifth wheeler might be the most desirable to you because they are like 10 or more feet in the common area because of how they have a curved or hunchback-looking roof. The bedroom though might be the same size as a small RV but there’s not much space in there anyway except for hanging up clothes and laying on the bed.

Fifth wheelers are also nice because some have multiple rooms. If you get one with slides you’ll be living in luxury!

Best of luck, let us know what you get and how it turns out 🙂

[Umbilical]

Hello osetoast,

Jam your head once or twice and ending up with neck pain and headaches no fun!

I looked at an RV buying catalog and noticed some folding trailers named Chalet and Aliner both of which had several models. These fold down to ~6′ off the ground for travel but set up quickly (i watched a YouTube video showing it) and some have close to 11′ headroom in the middle. I’m new to researching this subject though and these types of trailers may not have enough insulation to be appropriate for full-timing (especially up here in Canada where we never need air conditioning according to a certain poster on this site – wink!). In the catalog some Class Cs seemed to have 6’9″ headroom but that may be the maximum and if you may not get that under the air conditioner. I read on one RV forum that 5th wheels were best for taller people and they seem to be in some disfavor these days which can lead to lower prices.

Good Luck!
Mike

[Pippi]

Hey Umbilical, thanks for your thoughts 🙂 Any background on why you say 5th wheelers seem to be in disfavor these days? Just curious. The other day someone said they knew an owner of one that had a frequently leaky roof.

[Umbilical]

Hi Pippi,

While browsing used RV dealers some said they were not taking 5th wheels in trade nor on consignment due to lack of demand. It’s odd because many on forums have said that they would never go back to towing a trailer even with sway control after trying out towing a 5th wheel. I can’t think of any reason why any type of RV would have more issues with leaky roofs in comparison to others although I have read that slide-outs can have leak issues and that they are a common reason for repair bills. I read that you consider them to be a must but as another person posted they add weight. These things are all a balancing act and it’s nice that we have options. Another option for osetoast might be a popup camper as I read some of the HiLo’s had good headroom. If one is looking at RV’ing it would be nice to be able to trade in some of one’s height as there are far more options when a person is 5’5″ instead of osetoast’s 6’5″. Making an RV ‘taller’ adds weight, makes the centre of gravity higher, and makes it more susceptible to wind issues while travelling all of which are negatives. A friend told me that he purchased a travel trailer, left the dealer and drove ~30 min, turned around and went back and traded it in on an Airstream due to how uncomfortable he felt when towing the other type. Pictures of jackknifed trailers scare the heck out of me, and it can happen with 5th wheels as well although apparently much less frequently.

Thanks for this site Pippi and your YouTube videos!

Cheers,
Mike

[Pippi]

Very interesting. Yeah, the weight issue is true. I guess it depends on what the user is intending to do. Long term living in a smaller vicinity might benefit from slides but the weekend warriors or constant travelers might prefer the lighter weight of a trailer with no slides. Thanks so much for your input Mike! 😀

[Author]

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