Depending on the manufacturer and brand, a toy hauler can either be towed as a travel trailer or as a fifth wheel. The open garage space available at the back of the rig makes toy haulers unique. The RV’s back opens into a ramp that you can easily use to load and unload your toys like bikes, mopeds, golf carts, boats, ATVs, and snowmobiles.
Just like you would carry your clothes and camping gear in a camper trailer, you can carry your oversized and motorized “toys” in these toy haulers, which are also called Sports Utility RVs.
While purchasing a toy hauler, you can opt for a minimalist, frill-free, Spartan version or a luxurious palace on wheels. Whichever one you choose, you would always have the luxury of carrying around your goodies without double towing.
There are three kinds of toy trailers available in the market: fifth wheels, motor coaches, and travel trailers. All three of them come with a garage and living space. The more luxurious models have a loading ramp door that can be converted into a seating area or patio and a drive-up rear gate.
The Benefits of a Toy Hauler
There is no better reason to get a toy hauler than the easy unloading and loading as well as the protection of all your previous vehicles. Once you are parked on your next trip and have unloaded the vehicles from your garage, you can use that area for other stuff like sleeping space or dining space. Some toy haulers can turn the back ramp into a patio, and this kind of open space is hard to come by in an RV, so many people prefer toy haulers over RVs even if they don’t own toys.
Consideration When Choosing the Perfect Toy Hauler
When choosing a toy hauler from the number of options available in the market, there is a long list of features and requirements to tick off. You would also need to consider the size and towing capacity of your towing vehicle. To help you through this process of choosing the perfect toy hauler, we have gathered a list of factors to consider:
Weight
Purchasing both a toy hauler and a towing vehicle isn’t always possible so while choosing your new toy hauler, you need to make sure your vehicle can tow the weight of the hauler.
You can usually find your vehicle’s towing capacity inside the driver’s door on the plate or in the owner’s manual. If you cannot locate it in either of those spaces, a quick internet search would give you your answer too.
After you have a hold of the towing capacity, you need to calculate the estimated weight of the hauler, any additional features, and the weight of the toys you will carry in it. You don’t need exact numbers, you just need to make sure all this falls under the recommended hauling weight.
Size
Your toy hauler’s size is of significance for three reasons. First of all, you need to be comfortable on the roads while driving a vehicle that is much larger than usual, takes up more space, and is tougher to maneuver. Secondly, you need to have ample space for your family to sleep and live in. You can’t skip corners on this or it could cause some heated tiffs on longer routes. Lastly, the cargo space needs to be sufficient to accommodate anything and everything you plan on fitting there.
You need to strike a balance within these three factors while staying within budget; this will help you narrow down your list of options easily.
Drivability
The length, width, and weight all play a role in determining the drivability. The narrower, shorter, and lighter a hauler, the easier it is to manage on the road for the would-be buyer.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule of thumb. Heavier vehicles are able to hold the fort better in strong winds. Higher vehicles struggle in high winds and give less stability and higher fuel economy. While 5th Wheels and travel trailers both perform perfectly well on flat and smooth roads, a travel trailer does much better when going down rough and bumpy terrain.
Convenience
When considering the convenience of a toy trailer, the most notable factor is sleeping and living space. The length and frequency of your trips as well as the headcount of the passengers help determine how much living space you would need in your toy trailer.
There are no set guidelines to this except your personal preference, but it’s best is to avoid it being overcrowded and claustrophobic for your family.
Find the Perfect Toy Hauler
Find the perfect toy hauler for sale with exceptional customer service at Open Roads and schedule a test drive of your favorite toy hauler camper. You can also check out their inventory online here.
