USA Today: Choosing An RV, What You Need To Know

The Go RVing PR team works with media outlets across the country to tell the real-life stories of RVers and introduce even more consumers to the RVing lifestyle. Recently, they worked with USA Today to offer advice on whether to rent or buy an RV and discuss the advantages of each option...

For families and older travelers eager to make up for lost vacation time during the pandemic, RVs are a way to get back out into the world in a clean, safe and convenient environment. Also called motor homes or recreational vehicles, RVs let you travel in a self-contained bubble that has all the comforts and conveniences of home, including space for your pets. They’re even a viable option for the increasing number of people embracing the “work from anywhere” movement. 

But with so many different types of RVs on the market, how do you know which type is right for your big RV road trip? From pop-ups and fifth wheels to Class A, Class C and camper vans, here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best RV for your travel needs – including how to rent an RV and whether you should rent or buy.

Choosing an RV: Should you rent or buy?

Even setting aside the considerable financial investment of buying an RV, it’s common sense that if you’ve never been RVing before, you should first consider renting one. 

“Renting an RV helps you understand if you even like the experience,” says Paige Bouma, Executive Vice President of Sales and Operations at Trader Interactive, which operates the website RVTrader.com. Renting will also allow you to try out different types of RVs to see which kind is a good fit. Some rental RVs also come equipped with bedding and kitchen supplies.

Is a motorhome more your style or will a camper van better suit your needs? Do you want to tow a travel trailer and if so do you have the appropriate tow vehicle? Rent an RV from a local dealer or individual owner through a company like Outdoorsy or RVShare (think of it like an Airbnb or Vrbo for RVs). Then head off to a local campground and try out the RV lifestyle for yourself.

“Many RVers use their RV at least two weeks a year and some for months at a time. If you think that you won’t, it may make sense to rent,” advises Christy Hamilton of Go RVing. “If you plan to use it 20 days or more per year, buying may be a better option.” Hamilton also notes that some RV owners buy an RV and rent it out via peer-to-peer sites like Outdoorsy or RVShare when they don’t plan to use it, which helps offset the cost of the RV.

Travel trailers vs. motorhomes

First-time RVers have to make a choice between towing a travel trailer or driving a motorhome. 

If you decide to tow, it’s important to match the loaded weight of the RV to the towing capacity of the tow vehicle. The longer and heavier the trailer, the larger the tow vehicle needs to be. Always check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for towing weight restrictions and have your tow package professionally installed.

If you don’t have any experience towing, or if towing makes you nervous, a motorhome may be a better choice for you.

Types of towable RVs

Travel trailers or bumper pulls

Travel Trailers or “bumper pulls” are the most popular type of RVs. They range from small sizes for solo travelers (like a teardrop or pop-up trailer) up to longer coaches that accommodate big families. 

Towable travel travelers make it easy to set up at a basecamp, unhitch your tow vehicle and head off to explore the area. Travel trailers are also popular because they don’t contain an engine, thus making it more economical and lower maintenance. 

Fifth-wheel travel trailers

Fifth wheels are large towable coaches with many of the features of the more luxurious motorhomes (minus the engine). They are designed to be towed exclusively by a pickup truck with a “5th wheel” hitch in the bed. These large RVs need to be towed by a heavy-duty truck and may be too big for first-time RVers.

Read the full article on USA Today's website here.