WHY ARE WE LIKE THIS?

We are on our second go-around of purchasing a camper and what we have discovered is that buying a camper is a lot like buying a house…except you plan to drag it down mountain roads, squeeze it into campsites, and somehow convince four people to live happily inside 250 square feet for weeks at a time.

My husband and I approach camper shopping kind of like we do car shopping- he’s looking at build quality and feafeatuures and I am looking at if it is pretty- very different views, but I would like to argue they are equally important.

So here’s our completely biased, husband-and-wife guide to what actually mattered when we chose ours.

When your camping, especially long trips, the last thing you want is to be constantly tripping over each other and supplies. Its so important to find a unit that can not hold just your family, but all your gear as well- both inside and out. My goal is to find a camper that makes our trip preparation more efficient and less frustrating. No one wants to be dealing with lack of storage or extra maintenance when they are on the road.

What I Look For:

Propane Capacity

If you’re camping in cooler weather or cooking outside a lot, running out of propane halfway through dinner isn’t exactly ideal. On a four day weekend in Georgia we went through about half of a 20lb tank. The propane on a camper should mirror what type of camping you plan on doing. Its also important to take note of which systems run on electric versus propane. In our next unit I am looking for a double propane- two tanks mean fewer interruptions and longer trips without hunting for refills.

Stabilization

Depending on the size of the unit the number of stabilizer jacks you have will vary. Remember that most dealerships will be showing the units on pretty even pavement, so how it feels in the lot will not be accurate to how it feels at the campsite. I am looking for a little more stabilization in our next unit- though its also good to note that you can easily upgrade the jacks later down the road.

Holding Tank Capacity

Nothing ends a camping trip faster than full holding tanks. Larger capacities mean fewer dump station visits and more freedom to stay in national parks, state parks, and other campgrounds without full hookups.

Again this is something that is going to depend on how your family wants to use their camper- we tend to take Number 2s and showers to the campground bathroom. We like to be open to sites that are electric only, but some prefer to have full hook ups only. When we are not at full hookup sites I see our grey tank fill pretty quickly between the four of us. So family size and how you intend to camp will be the big factors in how big of a tank you should be looking for. External tanks are a great option if you end up with a unit that has smaller tank capacities.

Upgraded Exterior Features

The little upgrades make a surprising difference:

• Outdoor shower for rinsing off muddy boots, sandy feet, and dirty dogs.
• Exterior speakers for evenings around the campfire.
• A large kitchen sink that’s actually usable after cooking a real meal.
• Pass through exterior storage so you don’t have to keep running around the camper to get what your need.

These are not must-have’s, but are defiantly great upgrades that I look for.

Build Quality

This is by far the most important thing when looking for a camper. All the interior features can scream luxury, but if it has a poor build quality none of those features are going to matter cause your camper will constantly be in the repair shop (or your front yard waiting on some DIY). We look for smaller lightweight campers so we pay careful attention to make sure we are not trading the weight of quality build materials for nicer looking cabinets. For example, we looked at a Grand Design Transcend One and noticed all of the storage used OSB for thier build while the Jayco Jay Flight used standard plywood.

I look at:

• Roof construction
• Wheel wells
• Frame design
• Flooring materials
• Cabinet attachment
• Water intrusion protection
• Overall fit and finish
• Quality of build materials and fittings.

Ease of Maintenance

Some campers are clearly designed by people who have never had to maintain one.

Things worth checking:

• Can you easily repack the wheel hub bearings?
• Is routine maintenance accessible?
• How difficult is the siding to clean?
• Can you reach common service points without taking half the camper apart?
• Is the roof accessible and sturdy for cleaning and maintinence?

Outdoor Storage

Where do the leveling blocks go? What about hoses, chairs, grills, fishing gear, hiking poles, and the giant tote of random camping supplies every family somehow owns?

More exterior storage means less clutter inside. Try to have an idea of what you will need to store so you can make sure it will all fit. On my next unit I am looking for exterior pass-through storage. Our last camper had a decent amount of outdoor storage, but I always felt like I was taking everything out to get to what was on the other side. Pass-through will make set-up and tear down so much easier.

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A camper can have every upgraded feature imaginable, but if the inside doesn’t doesn’t work for your family, those weekend trips start feeling cramped pretty pretty quickly. Knowing that we enjoy short weekend getaways as well as weeks on the road it is really important to me that the camper feels like a home away from home.

Here’s what I focus on:

Floorplan over Square Footage

The biggest camper isn’t always the best camper. We need to be be able too survive in this thing for weeks at a time without wanting to kill one another. I need to be able to make coffee without a kid bumping into me. We all need to be able to get some space from the person we were just stuck in a car with for the last 12 hours.

For some this might look like getting a camper with slides or deciding if you want a dinette, couch or both? As hectic as it is to bring your kids along it is the best way to see how the unit feels with everyone in side. If it feel crowded when you are in it for five minutes, its not the camper for you!

Indoor Storage

Every family has different necessities that they bring- often more than they think

This is my home away from home so there are going to be certain things I want to store like plates, bowls, cooking pans etc.

Then you add all the outdoor gear like hammocks and chairs.

Thing to do for fun- paddle boards, hiking boots, fishing poles, etc

You get the picture.

If I was shopping for the first time again I would make a list of all the things I think I would need to bring and use that to visualize storage. That being said I also feel like you can get really creative with storage solutions!

Room to Grow

Our kiddos wont stay little forever. We want a a floor plan that is going to give our kids a little more space, privacy, and more room as they start bringing more gear along.

Things I am specifically looking for:

• Double Bunks
• Couch and Dinette
• Separated Bathroom Space

Buying for the next five years—not just this camping season—helps avoid feeling like you’ve grown out of your camper too soon.

The Aesthetics

I know, I know, looks aren’t everything- but you do want to feel happy and cozy in your home away from home.

Now don’t get me wrong. We are NOT luxury campers. I am not mounting a tv or looking to sit around in the camper all day. Most the time we are out hiking, cooking outside, or chilling by the fire. Our camper is just our basecamp, but it can still be cute!

Camping Style

Where do you plan on camping? Boondocking and full hook up sites are very different. Take a look at how you like to camp and communicate that to your sales rep so they can help point you towards units that are better suited to that style.

For us, we don’t want to hindered by size. Many campgrounds only offer a few spots for larger rigs, so we look for campers that are under 30 feet to ensure we can camp anywhere!

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The Best Camper is the One That Fits YOU!

Everyone camps differently. Every family has different needs and wants.

What might be our dream camper could be your nightmare.

Features you might love, we might never touch.

Campers are not one size fits all.

Before you go shopping, sit down together and create a list of must-haves and would-be-nice features. You might be surprised how different your priorities are…and how much better your final decision will be because of it.