One of the most confusing areas for anyone considering a new towable RV is the aspect of "what can I tow, and which hitch should I purchase?".
Before you go any further, get your vehicle owners manual, and determine what your limits are. Easier said than done! As towing capacities of vehicles are based on several factors including the vehicle frame type (unibody or frame), engine, transmission, rear end gear ratio, tires/load range, engine cooling capacity, transmission cooling capacity, alternator capacity as well as several other things. Woe is the camper who went out and purchased a towable RV without reviewing what their tow vehicle weight ratings were. The deal you find can quickly fade when you find out you need a new tow vehicle to move it!
Check with your vehicle manufacturer to see if they have a separate towing manual. Many do not include all towing information in the standard manual. It will probably take less than an hour, but with the manual and probably a few trips to the car/truck to read equipment stickers you will be able to determine the numbers you need to know.
Now, with that said do your homework first. When thinking about this type of purchase remember the roles different people play.
- It's your job to think what is best for your family and keep them safe
- It's the job of an RV salesman to move the campers on his lot; he needs to sell you something, anything to make money!
Please do not take everything told to you by an RV salesman as the truth. I'm sorry to say, I put these folks in the same class as used car salesman; some good ones but the majority are just trying to sell what they have on the lot.
Now from smallest to largest here ar the types of towable RVs:
- Pop Up Campers, also known as tent trailers. The ends pull out and the roof "pops up" to create the living space. Traditionally these were "starter" RVs, but today you can find all of the features of a standard RV in a pop up. They tow from a standard hitch (the ball under the bumper).
- Hybrid The hybrid is a cross over from a pop up and a travel railer. While they have full height hard walls you will generally find a pop out bed on the front, rear , or both of a hybrid. They also tow from a standard hitch (the ball under the bumper).
- Travel Trailer A hard wall camping trailer. While it may have a "slide out", the bunks are built within the confines of the hard walls. They also tow from a standard hitch (the ball under the bumper).
- 5th Wheel Similar to the travel trailer with the towing method being the difference. The 5th wheel connects to the tow vehicle (either a pick up or custom 5th wheel tractor) in what would be the bed area of the tow vehicle. 5th wheels by their design tend to be the largest of the towable RVs (you can get small ones)
All of the types may have a "slide out" on the side. This allows part of the RV to "slide out" the side, thus creating additional floor/living space.
Now you also have to take ownership considerations into account:
- Purchase price
- Warranty
- How often will you use it
- What type of camping will you do? Always at full service campgrounds like FW or do you want to go off into the National Forest to get away from it all
- Where will you store it
These questions may change the type RV you are thinking of. I will use my family as an example. While we enjoy camping at FW and other "resort" campgrounds, our favorite camping is in the National Forest where we can get away from it all. Additionally, we have homeowners association rules against RVs in the yard. So while we may like larger RVs, a pop up fits the bill for us.
- It is easier to tow, especially on the gravel roads of the National Forest. And, once we get there it is easier to maneuver it around the trees to set it up. We are talking remote camping here, not in a campground
- When in the popped down (towing) condition we can fit it into our garage. This eliminates storage fees and I can work on it at home when I get the feeling to.
- It's less expensive
As to quality of brands, you are going to find a very wide range of opinions. Generally folks tend to support and defend the brand they have. Once you have figured out the type RV and price range you have to spend it is time to visit RV dealers or better yet an RV show. There should be a show in your general area this time of year, but remember RVs tend to cost more in the spring and less in the fall, but with the soft RV-market dealers are ore willing to deal these days.
Here are some pages on my website that you may be interested in. While they are directed at pop ups, the information generally works for all type of campers:
Towing and Hitch Information
Dry Camping National Forest Style!
Pop Up Brakes
Good luck in your search!
What type RV do you camp with - trailer style or 5th wheel? What are the pro's & con's of each? We want the kind with the bunkbeds. What are good, better & best brands. Sorry, for all the questions, but we know very little about RV's, do they have a book "RV's for Dummies"? I definitely need one
... they cannot tow 5th wheels. I'm not sure what the issue is. It may be he short box, or the trim from the cab to the box, the height of the box or something else, but they can't tow one. 
