Some thoughts for newbies considering RV'ing and buying a T@b

vito

My wife and I are new to the RV concept with our 2016 T@b S-Maxx that we bought last May. Last summer we made a few forays out with the T@b and generally found it a nice experience and met some really nice people. We pretty much limited outselves to nicer campgrounds, mostly KOA, with full hook-ups so that we could use the toilet and shower and not need to rely upon the campground communal facilities. But now, as we prepare to begin our second season, we realize that we may not have really thought through our concept of traveling with the T@b (or any RV). We thought that RV'ing, instead of travel by car and staying nightly in motels, would accomplish two things: sleeping in our own bed each night, with no worries about bedbugs, dirty rooms, etc., and travel with our beloved little dog. We envisioned using the T@b while we accomplished our main desire for travel which is sightseeing, visiting national parks, etc. What we didn't fully think through was that it was not practical, not acceptable to some campgrounds, for us to leave the dog in the T@b when we wanted to visit the national park (when we visited Yosemite we stayed at an upscale lodge, without the T@b, and used their "doggie daycare" for a day while we took a guided tour. But at $115 for the day, its not something we would do routinely). So now we are faced with some decisions: do we leave the dog with relatives, and ignore one of the main reasons we bought the T@b, or continue to take the dog but limit ourselves to only going places where we can have the dog with us?

A second thought for you folks just thinking about this whole subject, is that while we knew that we would see a huge drop in gas mileage while towing the T@b (BTW, we ended up with the T@b specifically because we could tow it with our Subaru Outback and did not need to buy a truck as a tow vehicle) I never really thought about the reality that we would be traveling at 55 or 60 instead of my usual 75 or 80 mph. Every destination is thus that much further away in terms of time. But this is not a major issue since generally we are not in a rush when doing this kind of traveling. 

So this second season we plan on taking at least a few long camping trips, and then we will reassess whether or not we made a costly mistake in buying this new T@b in the first place. The T@b itself is amazing and we do love it. We are amazed with how livable this tiny trailer is, and with a shower, toilet, kitchen, A/c and heat, etc, etc. it far outclasses other small camping trailers. But whether or not the RV lifestyle is really the one for us is yet to be decided. If later this year you see a new thread started with a title "Almost new S-Maxx Sofitel for sale in northern Illinois" you'll know what decision I have made. 

Photomom

Our T@B (when it arrives - is there anything longer than waiting for your new camper?) is for my husband and myself. When we travel we plan to leave our dog and cat with our live at home son, for exactly the reasons you stated. But that is no different than when we've tent camped or traveled using hotels.

We might take the dog on a few short trips, but those will be hiking trips where the three of us can do things together the whole time.

Ramrod

Y
Vito, you have to make adjustments. that's all. Leave dog at a dog kennel or caretaker at home. Plan to travel shorter distances every day. Stop and sight see and enjoy the trip itself. Slow down, relax. (No, I am not writing to you, I am talking to myself!)

Dalehelman

RVing is not for everyone. You like it or you don't. If it is not for you find somethinig you do like. Some times you won't know till you try. Good luck in your quest.

Verna

I am fortunate that I have a dog who is very quiet. If she gets too hot, then she will whine and bark, but I know her limits. Since she is quiet, I have been able to take her with me, wherever I go, and she stays in the T@B when I need her to. It's her home, too. 

Gas mileage, yes, it takes a hit. I knew it would take a hit. But, it's only 2 mpg less than towing the Silver Shadow teardrop. It's still cheaper thantowing a huge Class A RV. 

The privacy, including sleeping in my own bed, is so much better than staying in a motel/hotel or even in a KOA Kabin. 

Good luck in your decision. After spending. 93 consequtive nights in my T@B this winter, I know the T@B life is for me. 

Cyclonic

We camp much like you do, except we are far from retired so we tend to do weekend trips, but on those trips we don't stay at the campground during the day but instead get out and do things in the area.  We tend to prefer nicer campgrounds because we are not spending weeks there, maybe just a few nights.  It is interesting because it is not how we really envisioned using the T@B.  I thought we would boondock a lot more then we do.  We will take one or two longer trips a year, but are nearly always on the move.

We have no dog, and our cats are not campers, so that is not part of our experience.  I find it interesting that you are running into a lot of campgrounds that will not allow you to leave the dog in the T@B.  Often they have issues with pop-ups, but I hadn't heard of issues with hard sided trailers and dogs.  Travel with the dog might end up just requiring a little more research to make sure you are camping in campgrounds where you can leave the dog in the camper.

As far as time to destinations, yes, I have found I have slowed down as well and have to take that into account.  But, at the same time, it has allowed me to take the road less traveled.  I find I am staying off the interstate a lot more, taking the back roads or the older US routes because I am not getting there any faster anyway.  So, I look at the bright side of it in that regard, the travel has become a lot more interesting.

Nomad

Will be interested in what dog owners have run into - I don't travel with a pet but in almost all the campgrounds (19 months, boondocking to Nat Parks) I've been in there are plenty of dogs and people do leave them while they're out and about. Only one time did I see a camp host intervene but that was because the two dogs were barking constantly while the people were gone.

Photomom

We've tent camped for many years in the northeast and mid atlantic states, and I've never encountered a campground (public or private) that allowed pets to remain at camp in the owners' absence. Campground rules are usually pretty specific - can't leave pet alone at camp, must be on 6' leash, can't bark, etc. 

jkjenn

I have been planning my summer trip, in hot July weather. My dog is pretty quiet, now that I have been training him. One example of an adjustmebt i am making is to go to the Nirth Rim of the Grand Canyon, versus the South Rim. It is cooler on tbe N Rim and I can boondock, and leave Rocky alone in the T@b. I am also planning to mix driving touring with hiking as much as possible since i can bring him with me when we auto tour. I tend to auto tour in more temote spits where i can leave windows and the sunroof open or likely take him with us if we stop while autotouring. $115 is very high and not all parks will have area services so expensive. The places i have looked at in UT and AZ havr been betwwen $20-30/day. I will be paying for commercial campgrounds in some locations so i van have a/c, also. Every NP website has information about pets in their park and the rules vary, but in general, arent the most friendly. Forest Service CGs are much more dog friendly. If you plan to camp at higher elevations, you often get buy without a/c.

RZRBUG

Taking more time to get there and a lower gas mileage are part of the deal when pulling a trailer.  Like Cyclonic, I embrace the longer time and usually stay off the Interstates just so I can take in more local flavor.  The National Parks are great, but if you take the time, there is some awesome Americana on the way.

I have not and will not go anywhere without my dog.  This limits me on some of the things I can do; some of the places I can see.  It's a trade-off I am willing to accept.  When I tour a site, I take the dog in my truck.  I try to find a shady spot to park in, but regardless, I do not leave him in the truck any longer than I am sure he can tolerate without endangering his well being.  Again, that puts limits on my activities, but that's a decision each of us has to make.

Good luck on your decision and happy camping.

rrkulla

I've found that traveling with the dog is not that big of a problem. My dog is not a barker so leaving her is not a problem. If I can I leave a phone number with a manager or neighbor I will so if there is a problem I can return and this has worked quite well. In one case the neighbor offered to watch her for the day because they loved dogs and missed theirs.

DurangoTaB

@joyvda...re: the indoor toilet...we've been camping and backpacking since we were young kids in Denver.  But, I n our high country it can get pretty chilly at night in Spring and Fall, so having indoor facilities is awfully nice...esp in bear country. 

John_and_Kris

We camp and travel with our Golden. Now that we have put the lagun table in our "16MaxS there is so much more floor room. In the summer months she is never left alone in the TV when we sightsee. If there is a really special place we want to go into we will just tag team and take pictures to look at back in the T@B. She is 12 yrs old and when she passes we will most likely not get another on. We have boated and rv"d inA's B'C' and TT all with our Goldens. So our next adventures will be w/o one and thus give us a bit more freedom. But we love the retired life we have now with our Golden. It's all a matter of choice and priorities.

Nomad

DurangoTaB - I'm short and thankful :-)

Mouseketab

Photomom said:

We've tent camped for many years in the northeast and mid atlantic states, and I've never encountered a campground (public or private) that allowed pets to remain at camp in the owners' absence. Campground rules are usually pretty specific - can't leave pet alone at camp, must be on 6' leash, can't bark, etc. 

I've encountered the opposite. Pets can be left inside hard-sided climate-controlled RVs, but not left outside unattended in pens or on tieouts.

jkjenn

Mouseketab said:

Photomom said:

We've tent camped for many years in the northeast and mid atlantic states, and I've never encountered a campground (public or private) that allowed pets to remain at camp in the owners' absence. Campground rules are usually pretty specific - can't leave pet alone at camp, must be on 6' leash, can't bark, etc. 

I've encountered the opposite. Pets can be left inside hard-sided climate-controlled RVs, but not left outside unattended in pens or on tieouts.

This is more often the case, but it seems as though there is some variance by location. Zion NP will let you leave your pet, as you describe, but it sounds like some of the commercial RV parks in Moab are not so lenient.

Dalehelman

I always see T@Bs for sale on the verious forums. Many of them are almost new. I would say a T@B is not for everyone. Especially if you are quite tall or require a lot of storage. We went from a 38" foot Winnabago with two 18' slides and tons of storage. We carried everything from a waffle iron to wire feed welder. We are loving the T@B.  Sometimes less is better or just as good. It sure is easier to maintain and store and still has all of the necessities except for the fire place.

Nomad

Dalehelman - Don't tell me you were that guy in Craggy Wash BLM with his welder and big generator that he ran from 4:00pm till 2:00am every day. He became the most hated guy in camperland.

Dalehelman

No. The worst part of carrying all that stuff was I never used it. I just had room to carry it.

Ratkity

BTW, there's a pict somewhere of a person's gutted out and re-organized T@B that had a fireplace in it. Can't find the pict though, sorry lol.

webcrawler

I am 6'-4" and love my tab...

Restless_Native

Ratkity said:

BTW, there's a pict somewhere of a person's gutted out and re-organized T@B that had a fireplace in it. Can't find the pict though, sorry lol.

Yes he's amazing. His YouTube channel is TabberSam. Here's the link for the inside conversion. The fireplace is at the very end of the video http://youtu.be/GzDm5QmSdKo