Slide in or travel trailer for Family?

[Trav0302]

Hey yall! Id like some input from you. I have a 74 f250 with a 6" lift, 360 v8, and of coarse 4x4. Well im wanting to use this as my family camping, fishing, and hunting truck. So my issue is should i use a slide in camper or travel trailer? If i choose slide in i'll box it in since i already have a flatbed on but this works both ways as the flatbed also has a gooseneck. My family consists of my wife, 2 boys 11 and 10 and of coarse me. Thanks in advance.

 

[INSAYN]

We had a 22' Toy Hauler for about 7 years and although it did what it was designed for, we never had the freedom to camp, or park where the truck alone would go. Now after 9 years with a truck camper (slide in), we won't be going back any time soon. Our family of 4 (myself, wife 12yr old boy, and 16 yr old girl) and 3 small dogs hit the road for 7 1/2 weeks this summer, covered 7500 miles, 20 states and never had a better time. Parking was a breeze in any town, camping was easier. With the roof top AC and small Honda E2000, we handled 105+ degrees in stupid humid southern states with comfort.

With the 4wd of our 1 ton, we have camped at 7000 ft on Superbowl weekend in 11 degrees just to be able to go ATV'ing in the snow, in a non crowded area. Total blast!
Same with the dunes. Truck just wanders out into the soft sand like it's no big deal all while towing our ATV trailer.

I may seem bias, but have travel trailer experience to compare my slide in camper experience. YMMV.

 

[dddonkey]

I would go with the TT instead of the slide in. That is what my family has done and then we have the truck to run around in. We have actually sold the TT and looking for a class A do to my familys new size but we loved the TT. Slides are great for 2 people or if you was to explore and camp in deeper that a TT will go. It is all opinion and what you want to do, on bad weather days the slide in may be a little cramped. Good luck on your search and have fun!

 

[INSAYN]

I would go with the TT instead of the slide in. That is what my family has done and then we have the truck to run around in. We have actually sold the TT and looking for a class A do to my familys new size but we loved the TT. Slides are great for 2 people or if you was to explore and camp in deeper that a TT will go. It is all opinion and what you want to do, on bad weather days the slide in may be a little cramped. Good luck on your search and have fun!

The camper can come off and still have a truck to run around with, or as we do, just take the whole camper with us. It's no different than just driving the truck by itself.
We only hook up to power if in a park, never hook up sewer or water line. This makes trips in and out of camp quick and painless.

In bad weather, we get creative and spend quality time either outside playing in the "bad" weather (fishing, kayaking, ATV'ing, puddle jumping, collecting rocks, hiking, etc...), or bust out the games or a movie inside the camper.

 

[Dawgboy]

Undaunted makes a great point about having to leave the 'Towd' behind, but I would be pretty concerned about the '74 lifted suspension after adding the weight if a large modern camper, so do factor in the costs of suspension upgrades if you how with a big heavy slide-in. I did run an 86 F250 diesel with a 12' cab over on it, but I Al's air bagged it and added sway bars.




Brought to you by Cyberdyne Systems

 

[JHa6av8r]

We have FWC pop-up slide in for family of 3. We almost never plug in and it's pretty easy making day trips. I didn't want to tow or be limited to where we could go. It's on a 1 ton but not lifted. I'd be concerned about high CG with a big hardside on a 6" lift, but with a pop-up the CG will be lower and wind won't be much of a problem.

 

[INSAYN]

My neighbor (well x-neighbor, he moved last month), as a 96 F250, that he converted the front to a 1 ton suspension/axle combo, and it has a 4" lift. With wider heavier duty wheels, and wider 10 ply 36" tires, his rig handles his 10' S&S camper great.

Something we noticed this summer.
Out here in the PNW (ie OR, WA, ID) , truck campers (slide in's) are more popular than we saw visiting states East of the Rockies. Once we dropped out of the Rockies, and ventured across the plains, all they way to Tennessee, down through Alabama to the gulf, and back west to Texas, we didn't start seeing truck campers in numbers again until we were in Northern New Mexico, and headed back up through Colorado/Utah region.

Out here you will see every combination of truck with a slide in camper you can imagine. Some are pushing the limits, some are barely tapping the potential. The great thing similar to towing a travel trailer is you can always change either the truck or the camper down the road as your needs change.

 

[Trav0302]

Thanks for the info all! I like the idea of a slide in pop up. I'm at the moment trying to think if it would be worth it to pull the lift off. Yes it looks cool and all that but it's a highboy to start so it is already taller then most. Then add the 6" lift and its huge! Not to mention (oh im mentioning LOL) It's a pain in the tookus to get in at times.