My curiosity got the best of me after my tent camping trip this past spring. It was cold and miserably wet packing up (30-35 degrees, rain, sleet then snow). I tent camped because I can’t get the big camper into this particular state park. The big camper is fine as my wife, family, and I are travelers- not necessarily campers. We use the camper as our mobile apartment while using the Thousand Trails RV parks and my ability to work remotely from my office.
We’ve joked a time or two that we really look forward to the couple of weekends a year where we legitimately camp – cooking outside, spending all of our waking time outside, etc. So my curiosity sent me down the route of trying to find a camper that fit our wants. Ultimately, I didn’t find what I needed so I started to design what I wanted. It has been a fun activity- even if I never actually build this.
Here were my requirements:
- Under 20′ (tip to tip- everything included (coupler, bumper, etc.)) due to storage lot constraints
- No tent/canvas (ruling out hybrids for the most part)
- Sleep 6 (4 adults and 2 kids); murphy bed is fine
- Dedicated bed for me (I can never get comfortable on dinettes and want enough room for the wife and I to sleep comfortably together)
- Has toilet (even a cassette toilet is fine); needs to be in its own room- it won’t fly to have to use a port-a-pot pulled into a hallway or something (my wife/mother-in-law were about at their limit w/ our pop-up and a shower curtain for walls around the toilet)
- Sink (and water heater)
- Furnace
- A/C (roof mounted)
- Microwave (convection would be cool)
- Fridge w/ freezer that’s NOT on the floor (my pop-up was on the floor and I hated it)
- Stove top is a nice to have, but not required as we camp with Coleman/propane stoves and over the fire
The sleeps 6 part is a curious one- we often times have just 4 of us (wife + me, our 2 kids (ages 10 and 2)). Often times we have 6 of us when my in-laws join us (2 couples; 2 kids). And the other use of the camper is when going camping with my Dad and friends- (3-4 adults who don’t necessarily want to share beds and 1-2 kids).
A couple of campers came close:
- Vibe 6504
- The Vibe is 5″ too long at 20′ 5″ (assuming that’s tip to tail)
- IMO, Vibe seems to sleep 5
- I was never crazy about having to climb over my bedmate to potty in the middle of the night/early morning
- Lance 2185
- Too long at 25′ 8″
- Does sleep 6 (or 7 if you squeeze 2 on the dinette)
- Rockwood Mini Lite 2306
- Too long at 23′ 8″
- Very low cargo carrying capacity at 956 lbs.
- Sleeps 5 unless dinette can sleep 1
I posted my list of requirements on RV.net’s forum and someone said it was impossible and challenged me to cut out a bunch of paper or do a chalk outline in my driveway. Basically that I was trying to fit 10 lbs. of potatoes in a 5 lb. sack.
Since I’m a geek, Visio is my tool of choice. I started with a 17′ x 8′ box drawn to a scale of 1 inch equals 2 feet (1/24). I then started drawing shapes. I used an Excel spreadsheet to convert my original measurements to my scale measurements (e.g. 3 real inches = 0.125 scale inches). For the shower, toilet, sinks, oven, fridge, and beds- all were taken from measurements of products online.
I took what I thought were the positives of each model:
- Bunks across the back for space saving and easy wardrobe
- Not stressing that the bathroom sink isn’t in the bathroom
- Using a murphy bed to magically make the camper usable during the day
- Incorporating the dinette/slide/bunk bed idea from the Vibe
- Flip-up countertop from one model and my current camper for extra prep space
I accepted a few negatives:
- Fridge is completely inaccessible when the slide is closed
- Fridge and dinette access are tight when the murphy bed is down
- Murphy bed has to travel in upright position to close slides (is this OK?)
- Appliances are in a slide (TBD if this is good or bad)
I accepted that I know nothing about trailer design:
- I have made no provisions for where the axles/wheels/tires will be nor any intrusion into the living area for them
- I have made the assumption that 3′ is enough for the tongue w/ propane, batteries, jack foot and coupler
- Very little thought was put into inside cabinets
- No thought was put into exterior accessible storage
- Very little thought was put into things like water heater, furnace and water pump placement (though, the wardrobe and linen closet would be my first two suspects)
I accept that this is purely an exercise in creativity:
- I can only imagine that there is exactly 1 person who would be willing to have a significant enough tow vehicle for such a small trailer (2 slides have to weight a lot).
It was fun to play with though. What input do you have on this floorplan/design? Would this work for you?
Hello, I love your design. I have a family of 5 and we live in a Tiny house when in the states. We have been looking for a travel trailer and its amazing to see how large these things get and still not the best use of space. Its been over a year since the post, any luck building one or finding one like your blueprint?
I reached out to a couple of manufacturers that I am familiar with employees, but I couldn't get anyone to even take a look at these.
I'd be curious if Recreation By Design (http://www.recreationbydesign.us/) might be willing to use them as a concept and build from them.
But, our needs have changed and I don't have a use for something like this. We fulltime now and everything we own is in our 40' fifth wheel + truck.
ok, thanks for reply.
having 2 adults and 4 kids thos would be a godsend
I love the idea you got something down that looks workable. Wish someone would take you up on it. Just what I would like for my family—2 adults and 2 kids and 2 grandparents.
Thanks for the kind words. I’d love to get a manufacturer to listen and consider it. But I’ve always turned up empty. đ
Love love love exactly what I’m looking for and no one makes them. Why?
I think the real challenge is I think that it would be fairly heavy. You’d need a stout truck for towing it. Given that a lot of people are looking to tow a short camper with a smaller tow vehicle, I think it wouldn’t miss the market on marketability.
And, unfortunately, I’ve reached out to 4-5 manufacturers to give me input on if it has glaring issues or design problems and no one will respond.
Amazing design and exactly what I am looking for!! The icing on the cake would be to furnish with any color other than BROWN. I would love a bunkhouse plus a queen bed with at least one slide out that is not huge. Why is this so hard to find???
Youâve found a necessity, now you just need the mother. To invent it.
This is EXACTLY what we are looking for!
Now, if just some manufacturer would pick it up! FOREST RIVER or THOR, are you listening?! đ
I really like this!!! Need a long enough bed for my husband, and space for two kids with a little extra sleeping space for flex. I found this post looking for 20 ft campers. Want a short one with useful space for National parks!!!
I just wish a manufacturer would listen! I reached out to a few different folks and no one even responds to emails.
Thank you for trying. I think it makes sooooo much sense. Maybe you need to start a business
I came across the Viking 17BHS which is pretty close with the one comprise, a full size bed opposed to the queen size murphy. Its not perfect like your drawing but it is also reasonably priced.
We seriously considered the Viking 17BHS, but the bunks are a tiny 28″x 68″ in size. I’m only 5’8″ tall and the bunks are like coffins. Great for small children, but it wouldn’t take long for the kids to out grown them. Also, the Viking’s aren’t equipped with high quality materials. The one we looked at was rather shoddily built and we decided to pass.
My biggest issue is, people, and I believe you said it to, is you said RV, but all the links you have are to a travel trailer. im tired of searching for a nice smal RV, not a trailer that can fit 5/6 people and meet your requirements.
Interestingly, the term âRVâ is misused. Often times when people say âRVâ, they really mean âmotorhomeâ (MH) or âdrivable RVâ. Iâve also read of people saying that âcamperâ only applies to towed vehicles.
That said, the proper definition of RV is ârecreational vehicleâ and runs the gamut of motorhomes to fifth wheels to travel trailers and even pop-ups and A-Frame folding campers.
If youâre specifically looking for a small motorhome, then you might fair better searching for âmotorhome that sleeps 6â or more specifically the types of motorhomes (Class A, B, or C), such as âclass c that sleeps 6â.
Good luck in your search!
Hi Doug – Funny, we have done the same ourselves, and are playing the game of designs, etc. We had the same reaction from the custom folks and the big guys – no response, or in one case, a need for a huge deposit to even talk about it! This would be perfect for a small shop to do. I think it comes down to price point – they don’t want to make a densely designed small camper, when a bigger camper is something they can sell you.
The bunk above the dinette is super rare, but VERY helpful when the 2 kids invite 2 other kids to join us. We are thinking later (far later) in life it could be good for grandkids too.
Thanks! – Any update would be awesome if there is any.
The only part of your design that doesn’t work for us (unless there is a DEEP awning, is the slide out for the kitchen. We like to cook everything except for coffee outside. To fix your fridge issue, I would flip it with the sink essentially. We acquiesced to designs that were up to 25′ total, but were narrower if so (basically flip your bunks and bath to do). The numbers seem doable.
I wish someone would look at it. There’s the new upstart – Innovator RV that matches that small upstart model that you refer to. I might shoot them an email and see if they’re interested in looking at the design. They do some neat stuff with different materials. I don’t know anything else about them, though.
The awning seems like it should be easily solved with a deep awning. It’s not a very deep slide out, so it should be able to go over the top and you could still use awning poles since it’s a travel trailer and not super tall.
Oh, yeah, and another thing – LANCE will custom a travel trailer for you, but it will cost basically 2x their standard prices. Forgot about that. I asked them to take a 2185, and subtract the front door, and shorten by the length of the matching windows they have for each side – basically would put the end of the bed at the dinette and and sink in their design when down. The price was FAR more than just going with it, and there was no way they were open to putting in a bunk over the dinette. Their model has a triple bunk though (if someone wants to sleep essentially on the floor. Otherwise, it is pretty much your design. Thanks again!