(by Bill Bishop – Ottawa RV Enthusiast)
When shopping for an RV or trailer, you’ve got some important choices to make.
Perhaps the biggest is whether to go full-fledged RV, or one of the trailer options (travel trailer, 5th wheel or hybrid trailer). It’s a big decision that will have an impact not only on your finances but on your enjoyment of life.
Here’s our story and some of the factors you may want to consider.
Travel Trailer, 5th Wheel or Hybrid Trailer
Five years ago, we upgraded from a pop-up camping trailer – which we bought brand new and had many wonderful experiences – to a travel trailer. During the process we considered our options – hybrid trailer, travel trailer or fifth wheel trailer. Since we had a brand new 2014 Ford F-150 all options were available to us as long as we stayed within the towing capacity.
At first, we focused on hybrid trailers but after looking at a couple we realized it was a limited upgrade because it still had the tent portions which need to be set up when on-site. After those ten years of setting up and tearing down the pop-up, a couple of times in a torrential downpour, we decided it was not enough of an upgrade.
Narrowing Down to Fifth Wheel or Travel Trailer
Now it was either a travel trailer or a 5th wheel trailer. My parents had had a fifth wheel when they first retired and they loved it after having a cottage for more than 30 years. They travelled as far as North Carolina, which says a lot because my father was a nervous driver when towing. Dad very much loved the stability inherent in a 5th wheel They still had it when my father passed away.
When my sister’s husband retired, they also bought a fifth wheel after having several travel trailers over the years – my brother-in-law loves wheeling and dealing in RVs. Their big retirement trip was travelling from Nova Scotia to Alberta through the northern United States and back again. They had a great trip and we even met up with them in New York state on their way back east. We still had our pop-up so needless to say we spent more family time in their roomy rig than in our “tent on wheels”.
So, we had first hand experience in why people choose 5th wheel travel trailers rather than towing a travel trailer and a big factor is the towing stability as it was for my father and my brother-in-law.
The Pluses & Minuses of a Fifth Wheel
Now we like to travel when we head out with a camping rig from Ottawa. And a huge factor for us is that we can head out in any direction from our home in Barrhaven and have incredible experiences – from camping in suburban Toronto at Glen Rouge Campground to take in some Blue Jay baseball games, along the shores of the St Lawrence River or past Algonquin Park into the beautiful, natural gems of nature with water and trees. So yes, stability is an issue. We even towed the pop-up to Nova Scotia and back twice.
But we have three issues with hauling a 5th wheel:
- we lose most of the benefit of having a box on our truck because of the fifth wheel hitch;
- 5th wheels tend to be larger so the choice of lots can be limited and often treeless – we did not like some of the full sunshine lots we had to choose when camping beside my sister in her 5th wheel
- fifth wheels tend to require 50 amp lots to use all of their amenities which limits the lot selection and cost more per night
Now it was just a question of stability – how would a feel towing a travel trailer behind our F-150. First while having spent those ten years towing a pop-up, I also noticed not a small number of people towed a travel trailer and I am very much of the opinion if someone else can do it why not me?
Why a Travel Trailer Is Right for Us
So, the decision was made – in 2014 we bought a 2013 Jayco 26RLS used travel trailer which has a dry weight of 6005lbs and a gross loaded weight of 8500lbs, well within our towing capacity of 9500lbs (after four years we upgraded our truck and now have a towing capacity of 12,500lbs.)
Included with the used travel trailer was the Reece’s hitch, weight distribution bars, and stabilizer bars. We hooked on – without the stabilizer bars – and brought our new-to-us travel trailer home. We were so excited we booked a campsite that night at Fitzroy Harbour to try it out. After those ten years in the pop-up it was awesome. Over the next four years we travelled near and far, as far as Cape Cod and I never used the stabilizer bars but always the weight distribution bars. And I never had an issue while towing – the weight distribution bars were enough to provide a stable towing experience.
However, when we upgraded to a new 2018 Ford F-150 it was a foot shorter and we did notice a difference when towing – some sway when windy. So, we thought why not try the stabilizer bars that had not been out of the boxes since we bought the trailer. And I must say they made a difference to the point that I always use them because I feel very stable, even more so than when I had the longer truck and did not use them.
Best of All Trailer Worlds
In conclusion we now have the best of all worlds. No more pop-up, we have our truck box fully available for bicycles, paddle boards, BBQ, propane tank, tool box, life jackets, cooler – all of those things we do not want to leave in the trailer. Also, if we see something larger that we might buy while travelling we have the space to bring it home.
Also our travel trailer is very stable when towing, small enough to allow us to choose smaller, treed lots that 5th wheels often cannot get into, and 30amp service that allows us to use all of our amenities – air conditioning, microwave, television, DVD player, furnace – on either a 30 amp or 50 amp lot. And with a 30 amp it gives us a better chance of getting a better lot which often means on or closer to the water like the shores of the St Lawrence River.
We asked ourselves this summer after five years of travelling in this travel trailer if we wanted to upgrade again and we both agreed, no, we have exactly what we want for what we love to do – leaving our Ottawa home several times a year for weekends and extended vacations. After putting our beloved rig in storage for the winter we are already talking about where we will strike out next year.
Trusted RV Dealer in Ottawa
Whether you’re ready to hit the road in your existing RV or trailer or are looking to upgrade or buy for the first time, Travel Mor Trailer Sales is your trusted RV and trailer dealer in Ottawa.
Contact us today to find out about our services – including sales, rentals, service and more.
Bill Bishop is a passionate RV enthusiast based in Ottawa. When he’s not spending quality time with his grandchildren, you can usually find Bill enjoying the highways, scenic byways and bountiful nature offered in Ontario and parts beyond.
