R value comparison - RV-Dreams Community Forum

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

R value comparison

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

My vote would be Northwoods for sure, I just purchased a TT Artic Fox from Them. Four season capability is more than just R-Value, IMO Northwoods overall has the most experience building four season units. In addition the reputation they have regarding customer service is top notch..

Racerguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm a big fan of Forest River products but agree with Gene.Heat rises, so to me it makes sense that the higher R value in the roof is what you want.Artic Fox is a great trailer.

Mike n Angie · RV-Dreams Community Member

You might even look at Open Range. Our 393RLS has R-38 floor and ceiling. Heat vents in lower area too (basement) She has been a great unit so far!

Exceptional manufacture support also.

Good luck with your search.

-- Edited by Mike n Angie on Tuesday 8th of November 2011 10:15:48 PM

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

THanks for the suggestions. After searching hundreds of floorplans these two units seem to work the best for us. I really like the Open Range, but their smallest bunkhouse starts at 38ft and from everything I've read we need to stay under 35' if we want to us National Forest campgrounds most of the time. Please do correct me if I mis-understood. We don't have kids but the bunk models will allow us extra storage and a place for a small solar chest freezer for the 4-legged children's food! Priorities :)

Mike n Angie · RV-Dreams Community Member

Our first RV purchase was a 28ft Bunk House travel trailer. What a terrible mistake! We gave up useable space to have bunks that would RARELY be used by Grandchildren. We have since talked with several other people that made the same mistake. We had the trailer for two months and traded up to the Open Range 5th Wheel. What a wonderful change. Should any grandchild want to go .... there are two recliners and a sleeper sofa!

Regarding the Open Range.... my DW spent many days online comparing makes, models, weight, floor plans, dealer and manufacture support and Price (value). That is how we ended up with the Open Range 393RLS. It is 36ft long and tows like a charm with our f-250 super duty.

Hope all this helps. Good Luck with your choice!

Mike

Tim & Robyn · RV-Dreams Family Member

... and there are inflatable mattresses you can put on the floor in your living room for those occasional visits... When I was doing my research R-values were important to me. Your mileage may vary, but there may be times when you can't move - a workcamping job commitment for example.

Or if you stay in places where you have to pay separately for electrity for heat/AC.

As small as it may be in an RV, as was said in 'The Wizard of Oz' there's no place like home... and to me that's one place, above all others, where I would want to be comfortable.

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

OH we're not using the bunkhouse for visitors. I have neices and nephews but I highly doubt they would stay with us longer than a day here or there and once in a blue moon at that. i would definitely use the couch or blow ups for them.

My thought on the bunkhouse is this--we would be travelling with 2 large dogs and 2 cats and they are raw fed. They require alot of food and an RV doesn't have sufficient freezer space for them and us. I would like to get a small chest freezer & I've been researching them to use for their food plus my husband still wants to hunt here in Montana in the fall so we need game space in the freezer also. so I thought the bunkhouse would allow for storage of that freezer plus we would put some shelves in there and use it for bulk purchase of grocery items when we're parked somewhere for 30 days. I'm the wife of a 18yr Costco manager, I don't know how to not think in bulk :)

Felicia

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

OH, we wouldn't be using the bunk house for visitors. I have neices & nephews but I doubt they would spend more than a couple of nights a year with us and then they can definitely have the couch or blow ups.

Here was my thought for the BH. We will be traveling with 2 large dogs and 2 cats. They are all raw fed and require a large amount of food, additionally, my husband still wants to hunt here in Montana and we will need game meat storage. So my thought was, get the BH model, put in a small chest freezer back there and also shelving units that can be used for stocking up on food items whenever we are parked for 30 days at a time.

We could also put a washer back there at some point if we want it.

good thought/bad thought?

Felicia

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

if it's just space you want, have you considered a toy hauler? One of the smaller seperate garage models 36' or so would fit the bill nicely.
I would be a little concerned about the weight of a freezer, food stuffs and washer dryer all in the rear or to one side of a bunkhouse.

The toy haulers are designed to carry the extra weight in the rear. Hubby could even slide in a 4x4 for those hunting trips if he wanted.

just food for thought.

Phil

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

I have considered a toy hauler but stopped short because they just didn't seem to have a very homey feel. They seemed more like something to take out riding but not a full time unit, my personal thoughts of course.

I re-visited the idea last night after your suggestions and it does look like some companies are trying to get away from the edgey look and go more for the homey feel. The Montana Mountaineer TH was a good example and maybe one that would work for us.

I like everyone's opinion and I am very grateful for this board since I don't think of all these things.

So I looked at the weight, the freezer is 145lb empty and the washer is 172lb and I would guess we would have 100lb of game meat in the freezer at any given time, the shelves would be empty before travel. do you think 417lb in a bunk house on the back end (not to the side) would cause a big weight issue?

Felicia

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Filicia,

your question has a lot of variables. The weights of the trailer would have to be known to see what kind of impact it would have. Any weight put on the rear does have an effect on the pin weight (think of a teeter totter) and that does effect how the 5th wheel tows. Is 417 lbs significant, well not sure, a lot depends on your rig but it is something that needs to be considered.

On my 5th wheel the Unloaded Vehicle Weight subtracted from the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating leaves me 1400lbs for my "stuff" inside my 5th wheel. Sounds like a lot but it adds up pretty fast with food, clothes, full tanks etc.
The 400lbs you talk about would take away from the amount of "available" weight you could carry.

Perhaps Howard or someone with a little more experience with weights and their effects will chime in.

Phil

felicia · RV-Dreams Community Member

gotcha, ok, see this is why I ask all you smart folks these questions :)

Okay the main units we're comparing

Northwoods Mfg--

Gross Dry Weight - Lbs.: 7955Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) - Lbs.: 9500

Wildcat--Gross Dry 9,154 lb.

GVWR 11,820 lb

MT Mountaineer Toy hauler--

Shipping Weight

10838

GVWR 14320

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

FWI, Northwood makes the Desert Fox, True Four Season Toy Hauler. nice garage that can Morph into bedroom with the touch of a switch...Northwood will also make some custom alterations based on your needs, the garage can have a warm homey feeling.....keep us posted.