Some of the questions that you should be asking yourself should not be how much, but for what is the camper going to be used for. Let me explain, the most important aspect of selecting a specific camper is not the price point, it's the number of people or how big you want to go. There are sizes that range from a small camper to the extremely large ones, and for the sake of this blog we will discuss three different sizes which should cover a wide range of options. We will start with the small popup style campers, then discuss a bit about the hybrid, and finally end with the larger campers. For the purpose of this blog we will also limit to the most popular options such as travel trailers over the big hundred thousand dollar campers, fifth wheel style campers as well as the smaller drivable RV's.
When my wife and I decided we wanted to upgrade from tent camping, we did so with the intention of wanting to have a more comfortable experience and also the ability to not worry about our kids having to trip over ropes, tie downs, and zippers when getting out of a tent. Most individuals decide they want to get a camper or "upgrade" because of comfort. When we decided to do so we decided to start from the beginning and start with a pop-up camper. There were no guides, no real life experiences as to the do's and don'ts of the process of buying a camper...to some degree we lacked the knowledge. We decided we wanted to start small as we didn't know if we wanted to spend thousands of dollars at the time.
Price point for a used pop-up which is one of the lightest pull behind campers can range from under a thousand dollars to 4-6 thousand dollars. Weight for such a camper is around the 2-4 thousand pounds which make it incredibly easy to pull with a minivan or small V-6 vehicle without having to upgrade the vehicle you are pulling with. Their size make it easy to store in your own driveway if need be or pay for an inexpensive parking spot throughout the year. Pulling such a camper is the easiest and experience pulling a camper isn't necessary, backing up however is just as difficult at times as a camper that measure 20+ feet. Besides the price point of only a couple of thousands of dollars and the small frames, there are limitations to them, such as a small fridge, plush mattresses over actual mattresses, usually no bathrooms (although there are some that do have this feature), and limited cooling options (air conditioner) as well as very limited options for storage.
Next trailer to discuss is the hybrid style, this is a type of camper is a mixture of the tent style and a camper style. These types of campers (used) range in prices from a couple of thousand dollars to around the 8-9 thousand dollar range, what this means are options, such as steel siding on it or full fiber glass siding. These two options have an impact on insurance quotes as most insurance companies prefer fiber glass siding compared to steal however the price also increases for this style. Hybrids usually range in size from the 12-22 feet and are usually light weight, however their weight does increase to between 3-5 thousand pounds or a bit more which indicates that a smaller pickup or light truck might be needed in order to pull this camper. Options at this point eliminate small SUV's, minivans, or small V-6 vehicles. They do include bathrooms, full size fridges, and the tent part of the trailer is the actual bed area so this eliminates the bedroom or mattress. Other options include full air-conditioning features, water tanks, and same commodities as at home such as big screen tv's and surround sound systems.
The last option is a full travel trailer, sizes can range from smaller 17 foot to around the 33 foot RV's. Just like the hybrids there are options for siding between full steel and fiber glass siding, again this having an impact on insurance coverage and a huge impact on price. Another important aspect of these trailers and price point is that they include all the amenities that you would want such as full heating and air conditioner, in more expensive models even ducted air-conditioning is available. Another major impact on price and weight is the ability to have a slide on the RV itself - pending on size. These slides can be either motorized or manual - motorized being a more expensive option as well as added weight to the overall weight. Travel trailers usually require 1/2 ton or higher hauling capacity on the pulling vehicle which means that most individuals have to have a truck with said capabilities. Travel trailers at this point range from the 5-7 thousand to the low 20's, weight also ranges from the ultra light 5500 lbs. to the heavy 9500 lbs.. All amenities and comforts of home are usually available such as large living room areas, full kitchens, bedrooms, and even bunk bedroom lofts. All major amenities such as TV's outside, outside showers, surround sound with speakers outside and inside, large awnings, and at times full self-cleaning mechanisms for water tanks.
Overall these are some of the 3 major options, although there are more available options for each type of camper, however these are some of the most generic and simplified options available for newcomers and those wanting a general idea for what they are looking for.
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