Overwhelmed but learning

Koda

I have been researching small trailers and luckily just happened upon Nucamp.  We have tent camped for many decades but so many days and nights of hiking and camping in the rain with a big wet dog has got us convinced that a trailer would make a great retirement gift to ourselves.  We are very impressed with Nucamp and are considering the T@B 320.
Since we have never towed anything before and have absolutely no experience with trailers the information on this forum has been extremely helpful.  I admit I have had to google numerous equipment / towing terms just to make sense of some of the posts!  

I have 2 questions for all you knowledgable people.  1) We have an 82 lb labrador that will travel with us.  For those who travel with big dogs, is the 320 roomy enough?   Is the upholstery durable and easy to clean?   2) We will also need to purchase a tow vehicle.  My husband wants a "small"  pickup truck.  Any plus or minuses on the different ones?   Any favorites?
 We do not have a dealership close by so unfortunately have only seen the T@B online.

dragonsdofly

@Koda, welcome to the forum. I have to say there are many here who have big dogs and there is always room. Are you minimalists? Or do you want to travel in comfort? Decorated and outfitted to the max? The 320's can be personalized to meet many needs. The bed in the non-clamshell is huge. My DH is 6'. I'm 5'5" and weigh 250 lbs. We also have 2 very growing boys, now 12 &13, but this summer, celebrating their 13th & 14th birthdays. We all sleep on the bed. I sit upright near the door and the three "men" share the rest of the space. We do well, but it takes some organization. We have a larger tow vehicle to hold our big gear including 2 bikes for the boys, grill, canopy/shelter, 4 outdoor chairs, rug, visor etc. About 30,000 miles and at least 35 states so far.

 As far as tow vehicle recommendations, whatever trailer you get, the tv has to pull it, stop it and have enough weight and power to get you out of and take control of emergency situations. Many people tow with smaller vehicles, and feel it is ok. I want enough weight and power to keep the tail from wagging the dog.
Use the search function in the upper right hand area of the screen and type in the vehicle you are thinking of. Many threads will come up about most vehicles. 

I purchased the sofitel model because it has a grey interior, to hide dirty boy fingerprints, a "marine style" flooring that is supposed to be more durable, and faux leather (vinyl) upholstery,  which is  completely wipeable. Again, kool-aid, juice, milk and boy proof. Check it out. We have members here who have ordered their trailer with only the flooring and upholstery of the sofitel. Lots of options to consider for durability.

Enjoy your quest. Good luck, a I couldn't agree more, a t@b, what a wonderful gift to yourselves!

jgram2

Welcome @Koda!  We have a 75# standard poodle and 35# labradoodle and all 4 of us fit nicely in our Outback (Boondock) The gray upholstery has held up well, it’s sturdy stuff.  As to tow vehicles, well there’s always debate. I think 6 cylinder pickups with enough hp and torque will work well. I’ll let the many truck owners shout out their faves. We were happy to have a vehicle with the factory tow package. Again, welcome to the forum!

MuttonChops

Koda said:

. . .

2) We will also need to purchase a tow vehicle.  My husband wants a "small"  pickup truck.  Any plus or minuses on the different ones?   Any favorites?

Welcome.
As for "small" pickup trucks the mid-size are the smallest available these days.  And 2016+ mid-size are about as large as the 1990's full-size pickups.

Suggest you look at the GM Twins, Canyon & Colorado, mid-size trucks.  A very good match for the T@B.

Bayliss

@Koda , you might want to take a look at the Trailer Life towing guide to see what works best for you:

http://www.trailerlife.com/towing-guide/

I believe you can look at it without being a Trailer Life magazine subscriber.  If you go to the above link, it looks like they just ask you to provide your name and E-mail address.

I have a Toyota Tundra, which is larger than you need, but a Toyota Tacoma would pull a T@B easily.  Toyota makes a great truck, in my opinion, but everyone has their preferences, whether it is a truck or other appropriate tow vehicle (TV).  Whatever you decide, I would suggest that you get at least a 6 cylinder and include the tow package.  If you do both, you will have no concerns pulling a T@B (or other appropriate size camper/trailer.)  A good tow package will include a supplemental automatic transmission cooler, which is nice to have, especially for long/steep grades.  Additionally, it will be pre-wired with the 7-pin wiring for towing, and likely have a larger alternator and better rear end differential.  My truck was also pre-wired with an electrical connection for adding an electric brake system for the camper/trailer, which made it very easy to add the brake controller.  Good luck in your research and purchase(s).  (Greg)

ChanW

We've been towing with the 4cyl Tacoma since '13, and have been satisfied with its ability. We've done numerous trips in the eastern US with Appalachian and Adirondack mountain highways, some in Ontario (fairly flat), plus a bit of the New Mexico and Colorado mountain highways. 

The Tacoma has been great. Very few climbs have taken us down as slow as 3rd gear and 45 mph, but there have been a couple. Patience is a virtue. We've never had any problem with impatient drivers getting behind us (it surprised us!)

As for the dog, our pup is medium size, about 55#, and he fits on the floor near the sink at night, with some room under the bed for him to stretch out a bit. When I've camped alone, I've been able to leave the whole floor open for him.

We also have the add-a-room side tent, which is wonderful for stowing gear, coats etc, especially in the winter, and for escaping the hoards of mosquitoes at Assateague! Good spare bedroom for the dog too!...

There have been rainy times when we've put the pooch in the cab of the truck so we don't trip over each other while we 'get situated' in the Tab. Otherwise we'll often just tie him outside until we're done maneuvering about, brushing our teeth etc. 

The size of the Tab means you'll be much more likely to spend time outdoors, just as in tenting. It's very much like glorified tent camping. If you're comfortable with tent camping, the Tab makes it much nicer (but still camping).

But it's great fun!

ScottG

Welcome @Koda. I tow with a "small" truck, a V6 Nissan Frontier. I've always felt it was more than adequate for towing the T@B.

Prior to getting the V6 I had a 4-cylinder Frontier with which I occasionally towed a lighter trailer than the T@B. While it got me down the road, I always felt it was under-powered for the task.

Obviously others, like ChanW and his Tacoma, have had different experiences and I in no way doubt them. The capability of different vehicles can vary even though they may look similar on paper. People's expectations of what they want their tow vehicles to do may also vary.

I don't think you will go wrong with any small V6 truck. A 4-cylinder will offer some other advantages, but you'll have to decide for yourself if it meets your needs and wants with regard to towing.

GreatWhiteNorth

We have a V-6 Nissan Frontier as well, with the 6500 lb rated tow package.    Although narrower than a full size truck, the stock mirrors stick out far enough that you can see just past the sides of the T@B.  Extended mirrors would be handy, and of course a wider full size truck have better rearward visibility.  I just don't want a full size, as a mid size truck is already problematic in city driving and parking.

atlasb

We also tow with the Nissan Frontier crew cab V6 auto.  In fact, we tow our 400 with it and it handles it well.  Have not found a need for additional coolers as the
Frontier has plenty.  We did add the Timbren SES suspension set to help keep the tow level.  Simple to install and does the job well.  The 320 is a Great trailer and anything produced by Nu Camp is superior to most.  The Factory back up is above and beyond any other manufacture so we don't think you can go wrong with them.

AustinRoamers

Koda, Welcome! I am going to chime in with a different opinion.

We love our T@B(s). We had a 2015 320 and intended to keep her forever. Then we inherited a young very lively 35lb dog who filled the entire trailer with his energy. We were frustrated with constantly crawling over the dog. These trailers are beautifully designed and so well thought out but they are very small. Unwilling to give up the dog or the T@B, we upsized to the 400. We love her too! And two medium sized humans and one medium sized dog fit without stepping on each other.

If you opt for the 320, Chan offered a good solution - a side tent would help tremendously and keep the dog from underfoot. 

We towed the 320 with a V6 Ford Edge with no problems. We tried towing the 400 with the Edge but it felt too light. The 400 is now towed with a midsize 2019 Ford Ranger which feels very sturdy and capable. Both are very easy to tow.

Koda

Thank you everyone for your support and advice.  We now need to arrange an actual trip to a dealer.  Hopefully they won't mind us bringing our dog to see how we all fit.  I will also inquire about special ordering a durable floor and cushions.