Thoughts on 2023 Ford Super Duty for Family Travel?

phsycle

Adventurer
I used to be a minimalist packer. I still am, when I go solo. For family trips, my process changed when I was watching some guy on YouTube where he said, when he goes out camping with his family/kids, they are never ever bored, because he takes so much stuff with him. Bikes, sand buckets, tubes, etc.

I love going out in the sticks with the fam. Driving through the back end of the back country. But if they’re not having fun, what’s the point?

My 100-series was ok with 1 or 2 kids. Now with 3, nothing less than a full-size truck will work. Half ton gets the job done for me, but hoping to justify a HD one day.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
I used to be a minimalist packer. I still am, when I go solo. For family trips, my process changed when I was watching some guy on YouTube where he said, when he goes out camping with his family/kids, they are never ever bored, because he takes so much stuff with him. Bikes, sand buckets, tubes, etc.

I love going out in the sticks with the fam. Driving through the back end of the back country. But if they’re not having fun, what’s the point?

My 100-series was ok with 1 or 2 kids. Now with 3, nothing less than a full-size truck will work. Half ton gets the job done for me, but hoping to justify a HD one day.

Justify the HD by purchasing something big enough to require it for "safe" towing. Or buy it just because, life is short, get a HD truck and be a man! LOL
 

phsycle

Adventurer
Justify the HD by purchasing something big enough to require it for "safe" towing. Or buy it just because, life is short, get a HD truck and be a man! LOL

I mean, the double locked PW is a safety precaution, right? Could mean life and death. Or the Tremor with factory winch could mean the difference between coming home and being stranded. Think of the kids, honey!!!

In reality. I really would like to add a FWC some day. When that day comes, I’ll go HD. Something like a Tremor w 7.3 or PW.
 

Todd780

OverCamper
I mean, the double locked PW is a safety precaution, right? Could mean life and death. Or the Tremor with factory winch could mean the difference between coming home and being stranded. Think of the kids, honey!!!

In reality. I really would like to add a FWC some day. When that day comes, I’ll go HD. Something like a Tremor w 7.3 or PW.
If you're wanting to carry a FWC I wouldn't go with a PW. They pretty much have the same payload as a 1/2 ton.
I think the Ram equivalent of a Super Duty Tremor would be the Ram Rebel HD.
 

phsycle

Adventurer
If you're wanting to carry a FWC I wouldn't go with a PW. They pretty much have the same payload as a 1/2 ton.
I think the Ram equivalent of a Super Duty Tremor would be the Ram Rebel HD.

If I went PW, I’d probably go with a Proj M or AT Habitat.

Rebel HD is cool. But between the two, I’d most likely go with the Ford. I like the rear seat area in the Ford better, too (Super Crew).

Additionally, the Ram’s MSRP is $9k higher than Ford’s. Historically, I’ve been able to get better deals on Ram’s but that’s a lot of ground to make up.

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Todd780

OverCamper
If I went PW, I’d probably go with a Proj M or AT Habitat.

Rebel HD is cool. But between the two, I’d most likely go with the Ford. I like the rear seat area in the Ford better, too (Super Crew).

Additionally, the Ram’s MSRP is $9k higher than Ford’s. Historically, I’ve been able to get better deals on Ram’s but that’s a lot of ground to make up.

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You need more room for your kids. Ask your wife if she'd prefer to travel with grumpy cramped kids who knee the back of your seat or travel in a truck with generous room in the back?


step-brothers-room-for-activities.gif
 

phsycle

Adventurer
Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Reaching the upper limits of the F150 as far as payload.
But tough to justify an HD truck when 95% of the time it's just me commuting 60 miles per day.

What’s your payload?
Mine’s 1,900 or so. For a weekend trip, it’s fine. For 3+ day trip, it gets up there. If we end up with a camper, it’ll be over, I’m sure.

60 miles/day commuting. I don’t know if I could justify that, either. But you do feel safer in an HD truck, eh?
Cost wise, in US dollars, given $4.50/gallon, 18mpg in the 0.5 ton and 12mpg in HD, difference is $150 per month. Not bad.

I only drive about 6-700 miles a month, average. So fortunately, it’s not a factor for me. Am I selling myself on trading in a truck I just bought 🤣😭
 

Todd780

OverCamper
What’s your payload?
Mine’s 1,900 or so. For a weekend trip, it’s fine. For 3+ day trip, it gets up there. If we end up with a camper, it’ll be over, I’m sure.

60 miles/day commuting. I don’t know if I could justify that, either. But you do feel safer in an HD truck, eh?
Cost wise, in US dollars, given $4.50/gallon, 18mpg in the 0.5 ton and 12mpg in HD, difference is $150 per month. Not bad.

I only drive about 6-700 miles a month, average. So fortunately, it’s not a factor for me. Am I selling myself on trading in a truck I just bought 🤣😭
1,777 lbs. Loaded up with firewood for a week and the trailer filled with water and loaded it's heavy...

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Plus I want to start bring kayaks with us, haha
 

phsycle

Adventurer
Wow, yeah, you’re right at the mark (cool onboard scale by the way).

That’s a lot of wood. I just take a chainsaw and cut wood on site.
 

givemethewillys

Jonathan Chouinard
Wow, yeah, you’re right at the mark (cool onboard scale by the way).

That’s a lot of wood. I just take a chainsaw and cut wood on site.
Finding your own firewood is a crapshoot in most camping areas around me in Virginia. There's so few good places to camp, that they're always picked clean, down to the small kindling branches.

I'm assuming it's similar everywhere on the east coast, where the population density is much greater.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
Finding your own firewood is a crapshoot in most camping areas around me in Virginia. There's so few good places to camp, that they're always picked clean, down to the small kindling branches.

I'm assuming it's similar everywhere on the east coast, where the population density is much greater.
Pretty sure thats not due to campers. Wood burning is the primary source of heat in the hills of Virginia. It’s especially popular if its free.
 

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