How To Pick The Best Fifth Wheel-5 Step Guide
How To Find The Best Fifth Wheel For You!
Want to make sure you pick the best fifth wheel? Since everyone’s situation is unique, its nearly impossible to have one definitive answer. Fifth wheels vary so much from brand to brand but its wise to determine your general needs before setting out to find the right brand and floor plan. Here is our 5 Step Guide to finding the best fifth wheel. We hope that it will help you find the right trailer for your needs.
1- How Long And Often Will You Use The Fifth Wheel?
The first step for finding the best fifth wheel is to determine how often the fifth wheel will be used. If you simply want a trailer that you can hitch up to and head up to your favorite spot a couple times a year, then a smaller lightweight trailer may make more sense. However if you are looking to live/travel in the fifth wheel full-time you may consider a much more solidly built trailer with some more features.
A washer dryer and a full size refrigerator may not be that important to you if you are only getting out for the weekend but could be vital for full time living. The amenities can really make the difference when you are full-timing like a full-size shower or bath.
2- Where And How Often Will You Travel?
Where you will be taking the trailer will have a pretty big impact on what type of fifth wheel you are looking for. Following the weather and staying in mild climates throughout the year will help the coach remain at a comfortable temperature without worrying about extra insulation. If you think you may be in some extra hot or cold areas for an extended period, you probably want to consider a cold weather package.
Living in one place for 6 months at a time? It may be worthwhile to purchase a bigger rig with more room. If you plan on living in your fifth wheel for real long term you may want to consider a custom built trailer. Traveling often with a longer fifth wheel can be a real chore. Not only is it harder to back and maneuver through tight spots, but you will also need to plan ahead as many parks have limited spots for large units.
3- How Many Occupants Will You have?
Since we would be bringing our two girls we knew that a bunkhouse with storage would be important. We wanted to be able to put the girls down for naps and still be able to work and do things in the trailer. If your children are older they may not necessarily need their own room or even a permanent bed. A fold down couch or dinette may do the trick.
Even if there will only be one or two of you in the trailer you may still want to consider how many beds can be made in case you want to take friends/family with you on a camping trip.
4- What Is The Best Fifth Wheel For Your Budget?
When considering your budget, it helps to know if you will finance or pay with cash. Its important to obtain financing before finding the right model to ensure you know what you qualify for.
Depending on your budget there are a lot of different options. On the luxury end of things, there are some very comfortable coaches. Even on the more modest end of things there are several custom built options. Custom Fifth wheels allow you to get just what you want and not pay extra for what you don’t want.
With a tight budget you may want to look into used models. If you are willing to overlook some minor wear, you can avoid the dreaded first year of depreciation from buying new and still get a quality fifth wheel. You may not be able to find the exact model you are looking for but if the price is right.
We wanted something newer to avoid some of the wear of older models. We also weren’t set on a new model. So we did some searching and found a model that was less than two years old and in great shape.
5- Where Will You Stay?
Full service parks can give you all the comfort of a home. With constant power and a sewage dump, it makes sense to run full size refrigerators, TV’s, and even a washer/dryer. If you plan on doing some boon docking (setting up with out any electric, sewage, or water hook ups) larger storage tanks and a battery bank and solar and/or a generator could be nice.
We want to get as close as we can to the wilderness and mountains as possible. So keeping our fifth wheel relatively short with larger tanks made a lot of sense. Our trailer is also solar ready which will make connecting a solar panel to our battery bank a breeze.
Deciding on what fifth wheel to purchase can seem daunting. There is no definitive answer. Thinking through the 5 Step Guide to finding the best fifth wheel should help.
Was this helpful? Please consider sharing. Or if you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to comment below.
Embrace The Kids Life Style Blog
Email: ContactUs@EmbraceTheKids.com
“Make Them The Reason, Not The Excuse”
P.S. Looking to start traveling full time but not sure how to fund your adventures? Learn how to follow a simple process to start building a full-time income online.
If you enjoyed this post on How To Pick The Best Fifth Wheel-5 Step Guide, comment, share, or follow us on Instagram #EmbraceTheKids.
