What's your tow vehicle and how big do you want to go with the trailer?
Some thoughts:
- Learn what all the ratings mean (towing, axle and payload) and be skeptical. Dealers will tell you it's fine but if it's a white knuckle drive, it won't be a fun...pretty soon you will hate it.
- To fit 4 adults comfortably you are looking at a minimum 25ft and can easily get up around 30ft or larger. I don't care what the specs say, you will be happier with a 3/4 ton truck for a rig that big. They cost about the same as a 1/2 ton. If you really like back country camping, big is harder to safely get into backwoods sites.
- Most of the time, it's not tow rating that limits what you can tow but payload. Everything you put in the truck including passengers and bolt on gear (like running boards) counts against payload. Also the hitch weight (should be 12-15% of the fully loaded, NOT EMPTY, trailer weight counts against payload (use 15% of GVWR if unsure as a good starting point). A lot of 1/2 ton trucks have pitiful payload (1000lb payload is not uncommon and 4 adults can easily add up to 800lb). Ignore the payloads you find on the web. There is a yellow sticker on the driver door jamb that lists the actual payload or better yet, swing by a CAT scale and weigh the truck to find out how much payload you have left.
- If you are willing to make some compromises there are smaller options that could work. There are some 20ft bunkhouse models that could work while the kids are small and would be very suitable for a 1/2ton pickup. Then as they get older, you could put a cap on the truck and they could sleep in the back of the truck when they outgrow the bunks. Smaller lets you get into more out of the way sites.
- They all come with a furnace and presumably the dog would be happy sleeping on the floor.
Take your time, learn and if in doubt go for the more capable truck.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV