Trailmanor vs. Hybrid

GL

globemaster66

Guest
Hello All,

Last year while camping in our Jayco Pop Up I had the opportunity to check out a fellow camper's Trailmanor. I was very impressed. I have since sold our pop up and my wife and I are looking to upgrade to a Trailmanor or Jayco 21M Hybrid with Slide. If I decided on a Trailmanor, it would have to be the 2720SL as I believe it would still fit in my gargage. But the downside is we have 3 dogs and the wife wants to have more room than a pop up.

Do you think the Trailmanor is too small for just the wife, me, and the three dogs? The downside to the Jayco...I would have to park it in a RV storage lot. Towing capacity is not an issue...I have a Ford F150 with 9800 tow capacity.

Can you all help out with advice and let me know what made you decide to get a Trailmanor. Thanks in advance.

Dan
 
I sold my Jayco Jay King 6 sleeper for a 2720. We have a dog and a teenager that we travel with. I have noticed almost no decrease in mileage with the 2720. We keep are dog in a kennel box in the trailer when we are away. If your dogs are really big then you may have to go to the big trailer.
We decided on the 2820 for the bath and the sofa and easy chair. We had gotten tired of the bench and table of the old Jayco. There is a lot of space and comfort in the 2720, Hope this helps!
 
Thanks Roger...what made you look to the Trailmanor vs. other light weight hybrids or trailers? I do like the more open floor plan on the Jayco, and it is quite a bit less in price. What do you like about the trailmanor and would you purchase another one?
 
globemaster66 said:
Hello All,

But the downside is we have 3 dogs and the wife wants to have more room than a pop up.
Do you think the Trailmanor is too small for just the wife, me, and the three dogs? Dan
Click to expand...

My wife and I camp with three dogs also. We have a 2619 (full sized beds in front and rear). Dogs sleep in the front bed, and we're in the rear bunk. Also have an F150 TV. No doubt about it, three dogs and two adults makes for a snug fit, but we've been doing it for several years now and it seems to work for us. We take those dogs everywhere!!:)

Nick
 
Huskies, Great Danes, or Chihuahuas? There is a big difference.

We no long have dogs, so I can not help with that aspect of your questions.

But I can tell you why we got the TM.

We wanted the largest hard sided (no fabric walls) trailer that would fit in our garage. Must have, stove, oven, fridge, shower, toilet, sleep 6, not longer than 19 feet, short enough to clear the garage door.

We looked at HiLos, but the biggest was 17 feet, and those do not sleep 6.

We have been very happy, since March 2005.

Back to the dogs, if you have a 2720 like mine, the dogs will end up on the front bunk. I would not like that while I was eating dinner. I would get one of the 2720 models that has the living space in the front instead of the bunk, so the dogs are at floor level instead of eye level.
 
To add to PopBeavers reply,
We have 2 German Shepherds and we first were thinking of the 2720 SL so that we had additional floor space for the 2 (large) dogs. After looking at all of the 27XX variants (we were stuck on 27 as that was the biggest that would fit in our garage, and my tow vehicle is only a Ridgeline, so didn't want to push the tow capacity either) we finally decided on the 2720 exactly so the dogs would always end up on the front bed - keeps them off the floor and not underfoot. There is not much floor space when you are talking about 2 large dogs. Of course the down side (as PB mentioned) to that approach, is that they are at eye level when we are eating - not a problem for us as our dogs are very well behaved, but it is almost impossible to eat a meal without a "side" of dog hair :). If you look at my avatar, you will get the idea.
 
Dan - our reasons for getting a TM are a little different, but no less valid for us. We have no dogs so our biggest issue was to have hard sides. After camping in national forests and state parks in Colorado for 5 years in a Starcraft popup, my biggest complaint (aside from the setup) was having to move food to the TV each night - due to bears. I've never had an incident, but the rules are that no food can be in a softsided camper (tents or popups) overnight. The TM provided the best compromise of light weight towing and hard sides.

I never have liked the SL design because I don't like the table folding out from each side. We like the dinette arrangement so we can seat 6 people comfortably for dinner if needed. We have the front bed in our 3124KB, even though it is just the two of us, so it ends up being an additional handy storage area. And if our grandson ever joins us for a campout, we have a place for him (his mom and dad will "rough it" in a tent - they're young! :D ).

Good luck with your decision.

Alan
 
Dan, We had a neighbor that had a TM. We didn't want to buy a big tow vehicle or suffer the fuel cost of towing an upright. When I found a nice 2005 2720SL for sale we jumped on it. Sold the Jayco after that. We tow with a Jeep Liberty with the 4 cyl. diesel. 26 highway, 19 towing at 70 MPG. Our neighbor tows with a Dodge minivan and said they have no problems and good fuel efficiency.
 
We also travel with three dogs (Boston Terriers). We initially were looking at the 2720SL but when the wife saw all the extra storage and counter space of the 3124KS, that's what we had to have. Getting the TM in the garage was not a consideration for us as we can't get it up our driveway because of the steep incline off the main road - we knew we would need to keep it in a storage lot even if we got the 2720. Usually, we have a dog on each end of the sofa with either my wife or myself in the middle, and the third dog will snuggle with whomever is in the recliner. We flip out the sofa at night and the dogs sleep there. Sometimes gets a bit cramped but we wouldn't change anything.

We had also considered hybrids but I didn't relish the thought of towing something with that high of a profile. Fuel mileage was also a consideration because of the extra weight and wind resistance. Our fuel mileage didn't change from the popup to the TM.

Good luck, and enjoy whatever you decide to get.

Bob
 
Thanks For Assistance

Thanks everyone for the insight about Trailmanor and camping with dogs. We just can't seem to leave them at home either. I am still debating...wife has not decided how much room she actually wants in the camper...lol.

I have had a TT previously several years back before I downsized to a popup. I do like the slide option...but honestly, we are not in the camper unless it is pouring down raining or sleeping at night. We spend all our time outside enjoying the surroundings.

If I opt for the extra space beyond the 2720...I will go for the gusto and get the 33 footer. Right now, I am deployed to Iraq and cannot visit a dealer to inspect the trailers. So for right now, I will keep in mind your comments and wait until September to look. We don't usually travel over 300 miles on our camping trips, but I don't want to pull a behemoth either. That's what is so appealing about trailmanor....low profile, low weight.

Thanks again.

Dan
 
We have three dobermans

So that adds up to about 250 pounds of dog...They do not like lying on the floor, so we got the TM with the double bed up above and behind two sofas, the 3124KB, and the upper bed then has all the cozy dog beds for them...the photo with the GSDs was a selling point. The only problem we have had is that the dogs have not yet really learned about the table, so we mostly keep it folded up..They do tend to jump down to the floor rather than first onto the sofas, and that is a bit high for safety...and they really seem to prefer the sofas...more like home, I guess. Our dogs don't appreciate extra floor space, so that is why we chose this model. They mostly stay off the bed in the back, as it is off limits, even though they do sleep in/on our huge bed at home. We cannot keep our TM in our garage, and not even at home as we live on a very steep hill with one way streets. Someone accidentally pulled a 20 foot trailer into our driveway last weekend, and it took them three hours to back the 1/4 mile out. A neighbor had to drive the truck for them when he heard all the noise of their failed attempts.
 
Thank you for your service.

Dan;

I too was interested in the Hybrid type of TT when the pop-up was becoming a bit of a pain. That is why I started to read your thread. Then I came across your statement...

" Right now, I am deployed to Iraq and cannot visit a dealer to inspect the trailers."

Thank you for your service. Come home safe and enjoy what ever it is you decide to go with... For what it is worth one of the reasons we went with the TM instead of a Hybrid is there is still canvas that has to be worked with while the TM has none and can be put up and taken down wet.

If there is anything any of us can do for you while you are deployed just holler!

Thanks again for your service.:new_usa:
 
Why a Trailmanor?

Dan, First, let me say "Thanks for Serving". Please be safe.

We just got our 2720SD last Oct. We have not had the chance yet to get out with it, but sure spent time in it last fall transferring our 'stuff' from the popup before we got all our snow! We spent several hours on many nights sitting and working through our 'routine' and did get a very good feel for how we will camp. Now that spring has come to N. Idaho, we are unwrapping it and getting ready for the 'trial' run!

We are selling the Jayco 1207 popup, which opens to 22ft w/queen and full beds, and really gave us 'room', even with 2-3 kids along. But we are like you and spend our time outside most of the time unless the weather goes sour. We had admired the Trailmanor for some 5 years, having seen one next door in Olympic NP. Like Alan, and for same reasons, we were looking for something hard sided and with a shower/toilet, but wanted the light weight towability I'd come to enjoy with the Jayco. Meaning decent milage, ease of towing in various terrains and getting into back woods camp sites, etc. This tows and feels very much like the Jayco and the room, with a dinette in the slide rather than the sofa, gives us room to easily work at the table with extra floor space. And now that the kids are gone, we feel like we have a lot more room. But I can't answer the dog question - we have no dogs to share space with!!

We did pick it up used (though it was only 3 months with prvious owner!) and there are several 'out there' worth looking at. Saves a bit of the out the door price!

Good luck! And again, come home safely!
 
DW and I have a 2720SL which was an upgrade from a PUP. We also spend most all our time outside and have one large dog. The nice thing about the TM is you have room to move when forced inside due to cold rain. Also simpler to open and close in the rain and no need rush home and open up to dry canvas after a rainy close. A hybrid will still have the drying out issue for the bunks.

Thank You for serving your country
Be safe.
 
God bless you and come home safe...then buy a Trailmanor. THey tow safely and economically. They go anywhere. We have had ours since 2005 and have been very pleased. Q
 
Thank you for your service to our country. It is very much appreciated and we wish you a speedy and safe return. We traded in our tent trailer after a couple of nights of below freezing temps, coming to the realization that it was more tent than trailer! We loved the TM and thought it was the best of the hard walled popups. The most important factors in our purchase of the 2720SL was easy of towing (didn't want to get a new tow vehicle) and that it fit in the garage. If we had a bigger garage, we would have gotten a bigger TM. We don't travel with kids, dogs or anything else that takes up room, so I can't really address the floor plan issues. They all have pluses and minuses. Good luck with your decision.
 
Storing TM in Garage

I guess I should have asked this earlier....will the 2720SL fit in an average two car garage? I would like to purchase something larger than the 2619, but don't want to give up the ability to store in garage. Thanks.

Dan
 
globemaster66 said:
I guess I should have asked this earlier....will the 2720SL fit in an average two car garage? I would like to purchase something larger than the 2619, but don't want to give up the ability to store in garage. Thanks.

Dan
Click to expand...

We bought the 2720 with swing tongue, because it is about the same length as the 2619, but has a bigger rear bed and more storage.

My garage is about 19 feet 6 inches long, and the TM 2720 with swing tongue fits in it. I have roof a/c and the factory lift kit.
 
globemaster66 said:
I guess I should have asked this earlier....will the 2720SL fit in an average two car garage? I would like to purchase something larger than the 2619, but don't want to give up the ability to store in garage. Thanks.

Dan
Click to expand...

Garage lengths can vary significantly. Best bet would be to measure your garage space and compare it to specs on Trailmanor web site. The swing away hitch will save about two feet. We have a 2619 with S/A hitch, and it easily fits in the two car 'drive under' garage.

Nick
 
I'm in the process of getting my 2720SL to fit in a one car garage.

I'll be posting details once I'm through...
 
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