All look good! Have fun!

I would go with the small 5th wheel option since you said you didn't want a toad. We have a Toyota motorhome and it's great on gas but when you want to sight see it's a bit of a hassle.

Many years ago I read (and re-read, several times) Wall Byam's book Trailer Travel Here and Abroad and remembered that his recommendation was for the trailer to weigh less than the tow vehicle. While brakes and suspensions have improved greatly since that book was written, I still like the idea of the towed vehicle weighing less than the tow vehicle. To my mind that combination reduces the chance of the trailer trying to drive the tow vehicle.

Early in our research we realized that, as full-timers, we were going to have something towing something else, no matter what we picked. I suspect that you will end up with the same idea, too.

I'm wondering about your reasons for wanting to buy your full-time rig five years before you will need it. You have something that you are happy with now, so why not keep using that while you research? Full-time living, by all accounts, is much different that vacationing. For one thing, you will need to take everything with you all the time, unless you have some sort of home base somewhere. Storage space needs increase greatly, as does the cargo carrying capacity for it. I've heard up to 2,000 pounds per person is necessary. You sound like more of a minimalist, so you will probably get by with much less than that, but it is still a consideration.

My suggestion would be to look at your "mission profile" first, and let that guide you to the right full-time rig. How many people and pets will be living in the rig? Are you going to stay in one place for weeks or months at a time, or will you be moving frequently? Will you "chase 70 degrees" or will you spend time in hot or cold places? All of these questions, and many more, will help you decide on the type of rig.

Another big area is quality. We have some friends who purchased a new diesel pusher motor home for a full-time coach. After less than a year they realized that the quality just wasn't there, so they traded it for a 10-year-old Foretravel. Many full-timers feel that a used higher quality coach is a better choice than a new lower quality one, even if the price is the same.

Enjoy the research phase. Ask lots of questions. Get on some brand-specific owners' forums for brands that you are considering and ask specific questions about how well that brand will work for you. Find out how much influence the factory has on that forum, and also how much attention they pay to it. While we were researching I probably should have had as my sig file "I'd rather ask a thousand questions before writing a large check than ask the same question a thousand times afterward" because I did ask lots of questions.

First of all.. welcome!

Your progression of possible rigs strikes right at home for us.

We started full timing in a 16' T@b teardrop trailer pulled by a Jeep. Yup, two of us - in a tiny trailer, for a year. No bathroom, no A/C, no fridge. It was fun.

Our second full timing RV was a 17' fiberglass egg by Oliver Travel Trailer. We did that for 3 years.

When we decided we were ready for something larger, the ~26' Class As came on our radar too - many of the sames ones you're considering.

We ultimately however decided to go bus conversion, and ended up in a 35' 1961 vintage model.. and we're loving it.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that anything can be made to work for full timing. And nothing wrong at all with mixing it up as you go along and adjust your RV to your travel style. We loved all of our setups, and they fit different times of our journey.

- Cherie