Hybrid Travel Trailers? Pros/Cons?

[-LadyDirt-]

Just curious if anyone out there has or has had, or knows someone who's using them. We were kinda steering away from them, but it's hard to ignore the lighter weight. Looking for any feedback.

Thanks

 

[Murminator]

Setting up and taking down in the rain really really sucks, humidity in the spring and fall sucks also

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Setting up and taking down in the rain really really sucks, humidity in the spring and fall sucks also

Not to mention when you get home you should open it up to dry and air out.

 

[arff]

A friend of mine has one and now wishes he did not.

Rain and moisture issues,and wind/air leaks

Can be a pain he said to setup.

 

[fat tire]

Just curious if anyone out there has or has had, or knows someone who's using them. We were kinda steering away from them, but it's hard to ignore the lighter weight. Looking for any feedback.

Thanks

Your not talking tent trailers are you.........??? hope not.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Your not talking tent trailers are you.........??? hope not.

No the ones that are part travel trailer with a tent trailer pull out bunk.

 

[-LadyDirt-]

Yeah, those were the kinda things we were worried about with em.. here's the thing though.. the one we want to look at has only one fold out. It has a corner double bed like some standard trailer layouts, which would be the bed we would likely use on a regular basis if its just the two of us.. If we had to cram a few other people in that is when we would use the queen fold out..but definitely wouldn't use it all the time. Has a queen dinette too so the fold out part definitely would get used rarely.. but the trailer itself is light, easily towable for my taco, and has all the options we want..

thanks for the feedback!

 

[-LadyDirt-]

Your not talking tent trailers are you.........??? hope not.

nope.. i'm iffy about the hybrids let a lone a tent trailer..

 

[TylerG]

LadyDirt,

My Parents have had one for the last 11 years now, they love it, they went from their tent trailer to it as its easier for my dad to setup. As long as you don't put it away with the materials wet, you won't have any issues. They have a 19' tandem axle, and used to pull it with their Ford Aerostar minivan. They aren't the most roomy inside but still a very nice trailer.

 

[Murminator]

uhuhuuh uhuhuhuh you said taco

 

[higher n you]

too many headaches imop. wet=mold, they seem to always have a funny smell inside. canvas repairs, heat loss, noisy in the wind. some floor plans when the bed is in you can't quick access some cabintry etc.

 

[-LadyDirt-]

LadyDirt,

My Parents have had one for the last 11 years now, they love it, they went from their tent trailer to it as its easier for my dad to setup. As long as you don't put it away with the materials wet, you won't have any issues. They have a 19' tandem axle, and used to pull it with their Ford Aerostar minivan. They aren't the most roomy inside but still a very nice trailer.

Yeah i've heard that you really need to be cautious with them, take care of them properly and treat them well and make sure you air them out really well after use. Actually TG, we've looked at a few at dealerships before and found that they are even extra roomier than a standard 19' trailer without the pop-outs. That's the other thing we kinda like about them..that little extra space. I'm not sure what the condition is like of the one we want to look at it, but it sure does look like its been well-maintained.. thanks for the feedback

too many headaches imop. wet=mold, they seem to always have a funny smell inside. canvas repairs, heat loss, noisy in the wind. some floor plans when the bed is in you can't quick access some cabintry etc.

Yes I have heard they can be headaches for sure.. but considering we have an emorous tent that is a huge pain to set up..any kind of trailer..hell, even a tent trailer is better then what we have to deal with now LOL. I'm not a huge fan of the hybrids with two pop-outs on either end..but as I mentioned the floorplan of the one we are interested in looking at only has one pop-out, a pop-out we likely wouldn't use very often unless we had more than 2 other people staying with us...which wouldn't happen often..would mostly just be the two of us so pop-out would rarely even come out...

 

[TylerG]

Yeah i've heard that you really need to be cautious with them, take care of them properly and treat them well and make sure you air them out really well after use. Actually TG, we've looked at a few at dealerships before and found that they are even extra roomier than a standard 19' trailer without the pop-outs. That's the other thing we kinda like about them..that little extra space. I'm not sure what the condition is like of the one we want to look at it, but it sure does look like its been well-maintained.. thanks for the feedback



Yes I have heard they can be headaches for sure.. but considering we have an emorous tent that is a huge pain to set up..any kind of trailer..hell, even a tent trailer is better then what we have to deal with now LOL. I'm not a huge fan of the hybrids with two pop-outs on either end..but as I mentioned the floorplan of the one we are interested in looking at only has one pop-out, a pop-out we likely wouldn't use very often unless we had more than 2 other people staying with us...which wouldn't happen often..would mostly just be the two of us so pop-out would rarely even come out...

If you have any specific questions you want my folks to maybe address for you, let me know in a pm, and I'll get answers from them for you.

I like them because they are not as stuffy as a standard hard walled trailer, still have lots of air movement, but yes, like with anything you do have to take care of it.

 

[-LadyDirt-]

Thanks TG

Well I think I have a pretty good idea of the good/bad.. anyway, here's the one i'm gonna go check out..

Surveyor SV210T - St. Albert Travel Trailers, Campers For Sale - Kijiji St. Albert Canada.

 

[ram4tow]

looks not too bad comes with a equalizer hitch.. but i must ask ... why do you want a pop out style? I can see them getting kinda chilly.

Kinda seems awkward to be climbing over the table and stuff to get into bed.

But hey they were towing it with a xterra haha..

Surveyor SV210T

hitch weight claimed - 542
Dry weight - 3486
Load capacity - 1798

 

[-LadyDirt-]

looks not too bad comes with a equalizer hitch.. but i must ask ... why do you want a pop out style? I can see them getting kinda chilly.

Kinda seems awkward to be climbing over the table and stuff to get into bed.

But hey they were towing it with a xterra haha..

Surveyor SV210T

hitch weight claimed - 542
Dry weight - 3486
Load capacity - 1798

We definitely wouldn't use the pop-out very much. Only when we have extra ppl stayin with us. It has a furnace, lol like tent trailers.. I think they stay decently warm...either way...ITS BETTER THEN A TENT!! Haha. Anything is better then what we have now, I just want a dry bed thats off the ground, shelter, electricity, and running water lol oh and of course something light enough for the Taco to pull.

Hmm.. well I talked to the guy and he said it weighs 3400 lbs loaded with water, propane, some gear, etc. He said it's 2850lbs dry. Hitch weight is 300lbs. Said he tows with the Xterra with no problems.

 

[slednek]

Never had a hybrid but found the furnace in our tent trailer actually worked fairly well when the temps dipped down to around 5 degrees. The hybrid would definately be better. If the hybrid is used definately take a look and make sure there isn't a mold issue under the canvas. Also take a look and make sure everything fits together properly. If the fold out is closed improperly doesn't take much for connections to break or rip.

 

[SilverGrizz700]

I used to have exactly the same set up you are looking at. we had a 19' tandem with 2 popouts. A king in the front and a queen in the back... we used to go camping with 4 sometimes 5 kids and 2 adults.. I pulled it with my 2007 Taco.

Pros..
1. Lots of interior room.. we could all fit in once the ends were out
2. Very light.. easy to pull no problems pulling the trailer with my v6 even with my 700 grizz in the back of my truck.
3. The furnace worked fine.. I really never got too cold but like i like it cool. I would not use it in the winter.
4. Held everything i needed to go camping and setup was down to about 30 minutes including awning out and outside kitchen setup. Ends alone were maybe 5 min?
5. Slept 8 in a pinch.. King, Queen, Dinette, folding couch.
6. Could sleep in it even with ends in.. just the 2 of us got to a campsite late one night and it was raining so we did not set up just slept on the couch.
7. Still had access to nearly everything inside even with the ends up.
8. Easy to park
9. never had mildew smell...
10. Full bathroom with shower (GF+ kids)

We used to own a tent trailer and this is a huge step up from that, no compairison. At the time we needed to pull it with my taco and this was the perfect unit. Since then I have bought a GMC Duramax 2500 and 27' 5th wheel so i could pull my quads behind.

Cons..
1. in the spring/fall on cold evenings with all those people you could sometimes get condensation from the tent dripping on to you.. I thought it was funny.. girlfriend did not.
2. Furnace runs a lot more on cold nights than my hardwall
3. If its raining when you setup or take down you have to air out at home but really you need to do that with anything including an awning on your 5th wheel.
4. When ends are in the unit space inside was a little limited but far better than a tent trailer.
5. Had to patch 1 canvas because I did not put it away properly and it wore through during travel.. my fault.

All in all it was not a bad solution... it fit all of us and I could pull it with the truck i had at the time. The most important thing was it got us out camping. Reguardless of what you have, just get out and use it. Who cares if someone has a $60,000-$120,000 unit parked beside you? i went out with what I had and years from now that is what my kids will remember not how much we spent on the unit. it did everything we needed at the time.

In some ways I like my new 5th wheel better.. but i have a lot more invested and I needed something bigger to pull my quads so we moved up.. but all in all i would do it again.

 

[sledderdoc]

There are so many options for hardwalled ultralights now I would consider one of those instead. Less hassles more efficient heat etc. etc.

 

[ZRrrr]

If you plan to camp in a lot of the National or Provincial Parks, many are starting a policy of no soft walled trailers if bears are in the area. It's due to the fact soft walls/hybrids still have fridges and food storage inside the trailer.