Types of Recreational Vehicles

Towable RVs:

Travel Trailers

Designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, travel, or camping use, conventional travel trailers are towed by a motorized vehicle using a bumper- or frame-mounted hitch.  Ranging from 13 to 37 feet in length, travel trailers offer facilities and space comparable to larger motorhomes.  Woodalls notes their great advantage is that they can be disconnected and left at your camping location while the tow vehicle is used for local transportation.  They are suitable for larger families and often offer full bathrooms, separate showers, and full galleys.  Slide-out rooms are becoming very common.  The price range, even with the tow vehicle, is far below the higher priced motorhomes, usually between $20,000 and $60,000.

Fifth-Wheel Travel Trailers

Fifth-Wheels are constructed with a raised forward section that allows a bi-level floor plan and are designed to be towed by a truck equipped with a bed mounted device known as a fifth-wheel hitch.  This gooseneck design allows for forward placed trailer torque weight that contributes to improved traction and handling, since the raised neck section actually rides on the bed of the tow vehicle.  This model provides the maximum living space for any given trailer length, making them very popular among full-time RVers.  Multiple slide-out rooms are common.  Most will require at least a one ton pickup truck for towing, which is not the best vehicle for local travel once you are set up for camping.  Relatively easier to tow than travel trailers, fifth wheels generally range in price from $15,000 to $90,000.

Folding Camping Trailers

Also known as pop-ups or fold-down travel trailers, these models are ideal as a minimum cost RV.  Great for young families, they are lightweight, offer lots of sleeping capacity (up to eight people), and can be towed by just about any size car.  Built like tents on wheels with collapsible walls made of canvas or fiberglass, they can be set up in less than 15 minutes, extending to up to 15 feet in length.  Their low profile saves on gas and provides greater towing stability.  Amenities often include a portable dinette table, exterior storage trunk, two- or three-burner stove, sink, small refrigerator, and a hydraulic lift.  Prices range from $3,000 to $15,000.

Truck Campers

Designed to be loaded onto, or affixed to, the bed or chassis of a truck, these recreational camping units are popular for weekend RVers who use their truck during the week.  They are great for backroads driving and remote, primitive camping.  Truck campers can go places no motorhome or trailer could ever dream of going.  When camping or storing, the camper can be set up on its own jacks, freeing the truck for use.  Even though the living space is a bit compressed, this model offers full containment.  Prices range from $4,000 to $30,000, a great deal if you already own a pickup truck.

As you can see, the RV lifestyle offers choices suitable to just about anyone.  For a quick breakdown on choosing the right RV for you, visit the Go RVing site.  It's very important to select the recreational vehicle best suited to your RV travel needs.  After all, getting there is half the fun.

Previous Page - Self-propelled RVs

Graphics courtesy of  Retha's Camping Icon Collection and the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association.