Whether or not you're in the market, all full-time RVers have, at one point or another, started looking at other models, and have asked themselves that proverbial question: What do I actually want in a rig? Here at Freedom Rolling, we're no exception.
The first thing we consider is the year and size. Those big honkers may be all nice and fancy, but if you're going to be spending time in publicly owned parks or some open spot in the middle of nowhere, you're going to want a rig on the smaller side. A maximum of 40 feet is what the parks usually advertise, but about 30 feet or less is a good target. Even in the private sector, the smaller the rig, the easier of a time you'll have getting into almost any site, especially if a power pole is right next to it. While we're on size, weight is a very important factor. You need to be able to safely move the RV. Give yourself a couple thousand pounds of leeway for what your truck is rated, otherwise you may find yourself with suspension issues. The year of the vehicle can also be important, especially if you want to stay at private parks. Most have a "10-year rule" for RVs, where if your rig is more than 10 years old, they don't want you there unless you obtain special permission. Newer is not always better, though, as there was a period from 2020 to 2022 where rigs were very cheaply made in order to satisfy a demand, and some of those are already falling apart as of the time the article is written.
Enough about the outside; most of us who "window shop" want what's on the inside. Definitely start with counter space in the kitchen, because you'll likely have a slow cooker there almost every day. Can you fit that? Once that's done, consider the dining area. Is a desk important for you, or can you live with clogging up your dinner table with electronics and other activities? Going between the two, can you live with something akin to Jon Taffer's famous "butt funnel", or do you need a slide to give yourself some more room? Go room by room, and figure out what you want. Do you want a traditional bed, or is a bunk OK? How tall do you want the shower to be? Do you want a fireplace, or can you live with regular HVAC? How about how your refrigerator and water heater run? How do you get from place to place inside the rig? How much power and propane is all of this going to take, too?
Every single thing has its importance, and it's up to each of us to balance what we want, and what we're able to do in terms of both desire and cost. Sometimes, you're only able to find a truck that can pull a minimal amount, so you need a tiny rig. That's OK when you're starting out, because it's more manageable, and you can actually experience everything you want without being overwhelmed. Once you understand the joys of being out here full-time, then you can branch out and start to check off more of your wants. Nothing will be absolutely 100% perfect, there's always things that change as you go along.
So as you Follow your Internal Compass, be on the lookout for different things in a RV that may work for you.
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