98coachman wrote: Wouldn't go without a bunkhouse!! I have two girls and they love them! They have their own space to put things and it's great for them. We don't have to mess with the table and can get going in the morning twice as fast. It's up to you, but I think you would love the convenience of the bunkhouse way over the conventional trailer. Good luck, Bill
x2!! It's like you were reading my mind when you typed that.
When we got out of our tents and into a 15 foot camp trailer, we thought we were in heaven!
By that time, there were only 3 kids (of 5) left at home.
Then we "upgraded" to a beat up old 19 foot travel trailer. WOW, how much room does a family need?
Then we "upgraded" again, with only 2 kids at home, to a 27 foot Class A.
Then, with all the kids out on their own, we got a 32 foot Class A. WOW, what comfort!
Then for three years, we full-timed in a borrowed 32 foot triple slide fifth wheel, with only one bed.
Now, we have a 29 foot Class C that sleeps 6.
Even with 5 kids at home, we never had a bunkhouse model. I don't even know if anybody made one back then. We, and everybody we met at campgrounds, managed quite well, even with all the "inconveniences".
But then, we went "camping", not "RVing". Our kids didn't need their own television set, there wasn't any TV reception back in those campgrounds, and no electricity anyway. There also wasn't any water hookups or sewer hookups, so the kids learned conservation quite well.
The bottom line is, it is purely personal preference. You can enjoy camping (or RVing) in any rig. If you feel you MUST have any certain floorplan or feature, then obviously you DO need that item!
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
When our two kids were small, they both slept on the fold down dinette. By the time they out grew the dinette, they were in their own tents and that is when they started to really enjoy campin'. Room for their friends and plenty of room for us in the rig.
We actually just upgraded to a quad bunk from no bunks.
We have three kids, 6y, 5y, and 19m. Last year with the little one we decided sleeping arrangements were just to hard without bunks. We would put them all to bed in various locations, turn off all the lights, crank the white-noise, then my wife and I would have nothing to do, and hide in our little corner until they were all asleep, then tiptoe around.
Now with the bunks, we put them in their beds (all three,) crank the white noise, SHUT THE BH DOOR, and then we have the rest of the camper as ours. It really has increased our enjoyment of the camper during and after bedtime.
I feel the same as chme1234, the bunkhouse is awesome when it comes to bedtime for the kids, put them in their room and you have the rest of the TT to do what you want, all the toys stays in the back, have their own TV, unused bunks are great for storage bins....I don't think you would be disappointed with a bunkhouse. Go to a dealer and hang out in different floorplans for a while, go through the senarios of bed time and see what is easier or will work for you.
chmel1234 wrote: ...hide in our little corner until they were all asleep, then tiptoe around.
You don't want THIS ^^^
chmel1234 wrote: ...SHUT THE BH DOOR, and then we have the rest of the camper as ours.
You want THIS ^^^
We started camping for a variety of reasons, but mostly because the poor economy has DESTROYED our disposible income. Therefore, we took to camping as a way to take trips without spending a fortune on each.
Therefore, "camping" to us is not a shower-every-other-day, dirt-under-the-fingernails, dine-with-the-bears type of affair. We spend LOADS of time outside, don't get me wrong. But in the 'real world' we work very, very, very hard. Our vacations are VACATIONS and we don't want to make them feel any more unpleasent than necessary.
It must be "glamorous" to use my wife's words. Not that she's prissy. She hooks her own crickets and out-fishes me any day of the week. Very awesome, my wife, but she does NOT like tip-toeing around kids at night. And she doesn't like things out of place. Not forks, not plates, not the coffee maker, not the beach towels, and not the kids.
* This post was
edited 06/14/11 08:42am by keithinspace *
And, we have actually given the kids "ownership" of their bunks. They have their own pictures, their own books and toys, their personal video games, etc. They love it and on a rainy day it is a Godsend. They feel they can get away, as do we.
You don't mention how old your kids are but mine would never sleep in the HTT. They say it is not camping so they normally use a tent or a hammock. I was the same way when I was younger and my dad had a motorhome. Never slept in it.
Chris and Jane and two boys (and a DDIL) who prefer tents
2013 Open Range Journeyer JT337RLS
2006 Dodge Ram 3500, 4x4, Crew Cab, DRW, 5.9 turbo diesel
1996 Harley Davidson Electraglide
We have 2 young children and having beds that were readily available, without dismantling the dinette or sofa, was the prime reason why we opted for a bunkhouse. We thought that it would be easier when it came for getting the kids in bed.
So far we're pretty happy with our choice. The only regret that we have is that we didn't buy a TT with a slide. Jayco has a couple of slide-out "stick and tin" TT floorplans that has the sofa opposing the dinette which makes socializing more practical. I'm surprised that they don't have a similar floorplan for their FW models.
Sam
* This post was
edited 06/14/11 01:35pm by Sam Menard *
Like others have said, you probably "could" get by w/o a BH, but why? It is so convenient to have beds for everyone. Putting up and taking down sleeping spots every day, moving clothes bags and sleeping bags from corner to corner all day long, etc., just got really old.
Maybe we're different -- we are seldom inside the trailer, except for sleeping or the occasional bad day -- but the living room space inside is almost useless to us. Dedicated sleeping spaces are priceless.
Offline
