Finding the Best Fit

Our first camping trip of 2019 is in the books and our biggest topic of conversation over the weekend was downsizing. We’ve only had our beloved camper for one year, but it’s funny how much our wants and needs have changed in that short span of time. We feel like our camper is just too much space for us and that we might benefit from shopping around. It can’t hurt to look, right?

When shopping last year, we were very concerned about having enough space. Will we have enough room for Alex to work while we’re on the road if need be? How much space will we need if we have more kids? What we ended up purchasing was on the smaller side of what we were looking at, which is scary to me now. It’s a great camper, but 30 feet feels like too much space for us to haul around. It’s big enough that we don’t really like the idea of taking it long distances.

The Specifics

Our current RV is a 2012 Jayco Eagle 256RKS, which can comfortably sleep 6 adults, more than double our family. Measuring 28.5 feet long (not including the hitch) and weighing 5,690 pounds unloaded, it’s a pretty large camper for our small family of 3. You can check out our layout in the photo below. I’ll start by going over the things I love about our camper, then things we don’t really need, and finally some features that we don’t have, but like the idea of.

Our Favorite Features:

• Large refrigerator – We love to pack lots of fresh fruit and veggies and tend to fill up our fridge.
• Large awning – We appreciate our large awning so much when we happen to be in full sun in the middle of summer.
• Exterior storage – We tend to pack a lot of outdoor gear and things that get really dirty, which makes ample exterior storage seem like a necessity. We don’t currently have a bed cover or camper shell, both of which would help in that realm.
• A queen-sized bed – We are usually all piled into the same bed on our camping trips even though we currently we three different beds, so a queen-sized bed is a must.

Features We Don’t Need:

• Tons of interior storage – We currently have so much interior storage space that a lot of it is left empty when we camp, and, trust me, we bring a lot of extra stuff. Minimal, yet smart, storage is our preference.
• Shower/tub – Our bathtub/shower combo has been used twice. We like to grunge it or use the shower houses, and don’t really even need the shower.
• Stove & Oven – We barely use the stove and oven and could definitely do without. In fact, we would enjoy the challenge. We like cooking over the fire whenever possible.

Features We Would Like To Have:

• Outdoor kitchen – I like the idea of having a refrigerator and built-in prep space on the exterior of the camper. Most usually have some storage, which would be nice as well.
• Solar-ready – We don’t use solar currently, but would like to in the future.

Shopping

Whatever the outcome, I think we will enjoy the process of exploring our wants and needs and discovering the best fit for us. Shopping for RV’s, exploring what they all have to offer, is very fun. After one night of browsing the internet, we found a few we like. We will update as our search continues. The list below is ranked in order of our current preference, with #1 being our favorite.

1. Coachmen Apex Nano 203RBK – 23 ft., dinette slides out, full-size refrigerator, outdoor kitchen, double sink
2. Keystone Bullet 1900RD Crossfire – 22 ft., dinette in back with big windows, no slide, no outdoor kitchen
3. Keystone Bullet Crossfire 1750RK – 20 ft., dinette slides out, rear kitchen, no outdoor kitchen
4. Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser 19CSK – 23 ft., couch slides out
5. Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser 17RWD – 20 ft., dinette with big windows, small refrigerator, full bed
6. Keystone Bullet Colt 171RKCT – 20 ft., compact, dinette slides out, queen-sized bed, small awning

Do you have any suggestions for us in our search?