Right this very moment, there are literally thousands of people in the United States wondering what are the best campers on the market, the best RV’s to buy for part-time or full-time RV travel.
I hope to provide all of them with a satisfactory answer to that question in this article.
First, what is a camper?
I think it’s always a good idea to find common ground with a definition or two when talking about RVing. It clears the way for better understanding in an article like this.
In the old days, a “camper” referred specifically to a truck camper, a structure for living which fit into the bed of a pickup truck. But somehow, over the years, the word “camper” has morphed into any RV sold on the market, from the large Class A motorhomes to any travel trailer to converted vans. So that is the definition we are using for this article as we try to help you determine which is the best camper for your future RV living.
What are your specific needs?
Now we get down to the nuts and bolts of this discussion. What are your needs in an RV? How many people will be traveling in the RV? Do you want an RV you can drive, or do you want to tow a travel trailer? Do you want it to be self-contained, meaning a sleeping space, kitchen, bathroom, or can you vacation without a bathroom? Do you want energy self-sufficiency, as in solar and propane, or are you planning on full-hookups at RV parks?
My suggestion: make a list of the specifics you want in an RV, specifics which will make your RV life fulfilling and enjoyable. Once you have made that list, move on to your budget.
What is your budget?
You can buy a used RV for as little as $500. You can spend as much as $100,000 or more for new RVs like a Class A motorhome. How much do you want to spend? How much can you spend? Remember, also, that there are expenses associated with RVing and the RV lifestyle. Large RVs use up a lot of gas. RV parking spots cost money nightly, unless you boondock, of course.
Generally speaking, the smaller the RV, the less you will be spending, but even the least-expensive RV will cost you, and things are always breaking in an RV. People get into RVing wearing rose-colored glasses, only to discover there are a ton of hidden costs, or costs they simply were not aware of.
What are you towing with?
Okay, you have your list of needs, and you know your budget. The last thing you need to consider is what are you towing with if you are purchasing a travel trailer? If you have a small pickup truck or RV, with a towing capacity of five-thousand pounds, your choices in RVs is severely limited. If you have a small pickup truck, your options for truck campers are limited by weight capacity. And, of course, if you are purchasing a Class A, Class B, or Class C, you won’t be towing at all, but they are also much more expensive in most cases, and anything with an engine, especially large engines which are propelling a large amount of weight, will break down more often than a passenger car.
Is your head spinning yet?
The answer to the question “what are the best campers?”
We are finally ready to answer the question “what are the best campers,” and the answer to that question is the one you can afford which best fits your needs. Period! End of discussion!
It is our opinion that RVing should be fun, and if we all waited for the absolute best circumstances, for the stars to perfectly align so that we could afford the best RV on the market, none of us would ever get out on the road and enjoy RV travel. With that in mind, find the RV which you can afford NOW, and get out there and have some fun and, in the process, improve your quality of life.
There will always be time, in the future, to upgrade to the next largest model or the next RV which has more bells and whistles. For now, find one you can live with, one which will provide you with enough necessities so you can actually leave your driveway, have some fun, and improve your quality of life.
