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scamp 13

How Easy is Towing a Small Travel Trailer for the First Time?

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How Easy is Towing a Small Travel Trailer for the First Time?

I had no absolutely no experience towing a small travel trailer when our Scamp 13’ was dropped off at our home by the factory delivery driver.  After a quick review of some of the Scamp’s features and signing the paperwork (and handing over a check), the driver left and the Scamp was now in our garage ready to be taken on adventures.

I really liked the idea of all the possible trips we could take by having a small travel trailer and the probable fun we would have.  Small travel trailers are a golden ticket into places most cannot spend the night (at least not comfortably), like State and National Parks.  In the past, we would stay at a hotel if we wanted to visit scenic outdoor locations.  And, hotels at these types of places are typically not cheap!  In contrast, most nightly campground rates at State and National Parks are generally very reasonable (often less than $40 / night).  For example, a full hookup spot (meaning electricity, water, and sewer are provided at your campsite) at Furnace Creek Campground in Death Valley National Park is currently only $36 / night.  In comparison, a room at the Inn At Death Valley starts at around $350 / night in January.  In addition, you can prepare all your meals in your small travel trailer, but would likely have a much higher meal cost at the hotel.

Given all the positives, we decided we would just have to learn how to tow the small travel trailer and hoped it wouldn’t be that difficult.  The first challenge came up pretty soon after delivery.  In order to register the trailer, we needed to tow it to the local AAA as an in-person inspection is required!  With no prior experience, and after a bit of research, we hooked up our Scamp and drove it to AAA.  It actually was a very easy first drive experience.  The Scamp just follows the tow vehicle and, unless you make sharp turns, change lanes too fast, or go over bumps too quickly, it really isn’t a big deal to tow.  It is important to allow for wide turns so the trailer following you can clear whatever you are turning around.  The only stress initially was changing lanes, but even that has now become as easy as driving without the Scamp attached.  You just have to take it slowly and make extra sure the lane is clear before you change lanes.

Advanced research and preparation seem to be the keys for first time towing success.  Just like studying for a test, if you prepare in advance you will stand a higher chance for a positive outcome.  First, it’s important you select the right tow vehicle before you buy your small travel trailer.  Although I did chat with someone who told me he tows his Scamp 13’ travel trailer with a Toyota Prius, I wouldn’t recommend that for anyone.  Instead, choose a vehicle that is rated to tow (meaning the transmission and brakes, etc. were designed for towing) and can easily handle the weight of your trailer as well as the hitch (tongue) weight your small travel trailer puts on your tow vehicle’s hitch ball (to be conservative, having at least 30% more vehicle capacity than the weight and tongue weight of the trailer may be a good starting point).  In most cases, a decently powered SUV will do the job for towing a small travel trailer (but check the specs on your trailer and desired tow vehicle).   In our case, we chose the Volvo XC40 with the T5 AWD engine and factory installed tow package (248 hp, tow rating = 3,500 lbs if trailer has brakes / tongue weight rating = 350 lbs).  Scamp lists the approximate weight of the standard 13’ model between 1200 and 1500 lbs. and the tongue weight at 100 lbs.  So, in this case, the Volvo XC40 is easily rated to tow the Scamp.  The extra tow and tongue capacity allows for potentially higher weights due to carrying gear in the Scamp as well as provides power for steep mountain passes.  The tow vehicle should be ordered with a factory tow package if available and the small travel trailer should be ordered with electronic brakes.

We have found the Volvo XC40 to be an exceptional tow vehicle in many ways.  First, since it’s only a four cylinder turbo, it gets relatively good gas mileage — we routinely get 20MPG when towing.  It also feels incredibly stable to drive and the weight of our Scamp 13’ is not noticeable (even going up steep grades).  And, since it is all wheel drive (AWD), it always feels sure footed even on the bumpy sloped dirt surfaces one is likely to encounter at some campgrounds.  We picked up the vehicle in Sweden through Volvo’s Oversees Delivery Program (which is a fantastic experience in itself).  This allowed us to drive the car around Sweden for a couple of weeks and get to know the vehicle and the country.

Once you have your very capable tow vehicle, it is time to order a capable hitch to plug into your vehicle’s hitch receptacle.  We purchased this heavy duty hitch (2 x 2” shank with 2” ball) which is rated to tow 7,500lbs gross trailer weight and 750lbs tongue weight!  So, this hitch can easily accommodate a 13’ Scamp weighing 1,500lbs with a 100lb tongue weight!  It has a 2” drop, but can also be flipped to give a ¾” rise (note: it’s best to go to an automotive shop that uses pneumatic tools to properly torque the nut if it’s flipped).  We started with the 2” drop, but found that the Scamp 13’ was not level with our tow vehicle (slight drop in center, see images) which resulted in the tongue jack plate sometimes scraping driveways and noisy towing (hitch ball rattling).  Once we flipped the hitch, the trailer became level with our tow vehicle resulting in no more scraping and a smoother quieter towing experience!

Having both a capable tow vehicle and hitch set up will mean that you are much less likely to encounter towing problems on the road.  Of course, it’s always important to plug in your trailer to the tow vehicle so your trailer’s lights and emergency brakes are communicating with the tow vehicle (and check the trailer lights before leaving).  In addition, it’s imperative that safety chains be used whenever towing (see images).  Getting the ball on your tow vehicle properly aligned with your trailer coupler takes some practice, but gets easier with experience.  I taped a ribbon on the tow coupler so it hangs straight down – this lets me see the ball hit the ribbon, which indicates just an inch or so more and the tow coupler is right over the ball.  The step of locking the coupler onto the ball is critical.  After locking, I recommend pulling up on the travel trailer coupler a couple times to watch the tow vehicle rear end go up and down to make sure the ball is really securely locked into place in the coupler (none or barely any of the bottom of the ball should be visible if looking at it from the side).  In addition, I recommend using a coupler lock, not only as a theft security device, but also to help prevent the coupler latch from popping open while driving.  I also like to use a hitch lock to securely hold the hitch in place and prevent someone from walking off with it.

The hardest thing about towing a small travel trailer isn’t the towing.  I’ve found the biggest challenge is backing up the small travel trailer so that it goes where you want it to.  In this regard, it’s always good to have a helper if available so they can stand outside the vehicle and direct you (either with walkie talkies, cell phones, or shouting).  Our Scamp 13’ is very responsive when backing up and it takes practice getting comfortable to what type of wheel movements are required to control the trailer.  One trick that really helps when backing up is to hold the steering wheel at the bottom and then turn it in the direction you want the trailer to travel.  Don’t let the trailer go anywhere close to a 90 degree position with the tow vehicle when backing up as this can cause damage.  It’s always better to take your time and straighten out as many times as you need to get your approach angle right.  After a few trips, you will find backing up to be pretty easy.  Note:  I no longer use our trailer dolly in our garage because I’m used to backing our Scamp into the exact position I want in tight spaces (and you will be too after some experience).

In summary, I’m really glad we decided to purchase the Scamp 13’ even though we lacked towing experience and had concerns about the possible challenges of towing.  Ultimately, towing a small travel trailer turns out not to be such a big deal.  Towing your small travel trailer should be easy as long as you are prepared and get the proper tow vehicle and equipment (and follow checklists when leaving).  If you do this, towing your small travel trailer will not be that much more difficult than driving your car.  Initially, it may be stressful, but after towing for a trip or two you will be glad you made the purchase and likely will enjoy your trailer and all the experiences it will offer for many years to come.

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

One Simple Way to Increase Your Trailer’s Fresh Water Supply by Over 50%!

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One Simple Way to Increase Your Trailer’s Fresh Water Supply by Over 50%!

Most small travel trailers with kitchens/bathrooms usually have small fresh water tanks compared to larger RVs.  The size of the fresh water tank in our Scamp 13’ is 12 gallons and there is also a hot water tank (6 gallons).  So, our Scamp carries about 18 gallons of fresh water when fully loaded.  Since water weighs around 8.3 pounds per gallon at room temperature, filling the Scamp with fresh water adds about 150 pounds.  Interestingly, we’ve compared towing the Scamp with (completely full fresh and hot water tanks) and without water and did not feel any difference in towing or notice any difference in average gas mileage!  Because of this, if we are heading to a location without hookups (even if there are central water spigots available) we will fill up at home (including the hot water heater tank) before heading out.

The first thing to consider when looking at fresh water is how it will be used when you are camping.  Some people use their fresh water tanks for all their needs while camping.  This includes using their sink/s for washing dishes, rinsing food, washing their hands, washing their face, brushing their teeth, and even drinking; in addition, they will use their shower.  In big RVs with 60 gallon tanks and larger, this may seem reasonable (with the possible exception of drinking).  However, in small travel trailers, one has to be especially mindful of water usage when camping without hookups due to limited water in the tank.  Note:  if there are hookups at the campground, then careful water conservation is not really an issue (except for maybe environmental concerns).

After using our Scamp 13’ (with kitchen sink, bathroom, and shower) for around a year in a combination of boondocking and hookup locations, we now have a good understanding of what the trailer’s water and tank limits are with how we use it.  If we are careful, we can go about 3 days without having to refill our Fresh tank (this is also about the same amount of time that it takes our Grey tank, 21 gallons, to get filled).  This includes 2 people, each taking a shower every day (shower turned on to get wet, turned off while shampooing and lathering, and turned back on to rinse – aka, Navy shower).  We also use our sink to quickly rinse our plates once or twice a day (depending on meals).  One thing we don’t use our water for is drinking (or water for cooking pasta).  Most of the water we use goes down the shower drain into the Grey water tank.  We know some campers who are able to go at least double our time (maybe even around a week) without refilling water because instead of showering daily, they may shower much less frequently or take wipes and avoid the shower altogether!  In our case, we pretty much like to maintain the same type of cleaning rituals that we practice at home.

The key way in which we effectively increase our Scamp’s fresh water supply by over 50% is by carrying our drinking water with us in jugs in our tow vehicle!  We always bring two 4 gallon BPA-free water jugs in the back of our SUV for all our drinking and cooking needs when we go on a typical 10 day trip in our Scamp.  By carrying an additional 8 gallons of fresh water in our tow vehicle, we are effectively increasing our Fresh water tank supply by 67% (12 gallons Fresh > 20 gallons)!!!  This gives us a lot more fresh water supply.  Health experts typically recommend a person drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (8×8 rule), which is about ½ gallon of water per person per day.  So, by using this rule, two people would bring 10 gallons of water on their 10 day trip (1/2 gallon/day x 2 people x 10 days).  We tend to drink slightly less water than this amount because we also drink macadamia milk in our cereal, oat milk in our tea, sometimes soup for lunch, and we eat a lot of juicy fruits (like oranges).  So, for us, bringing 8 gallons of fresh water on a 10 day trip works out great (we always have extra water when we return home).

In addition to greatly expanding our small travel trailer’s fresh water supply by carrying our own fresh water in BPA-free jugs, we also feel more comfortable drinking the water.  Although drinking RV tap water can be safe, that safety is largely dependent on the trailer’s tank and water system having been properly sanitized (see this article on how to sanitize your fresh water tank).  In addition, contaminants can possibly enter the trailer when hooked up at a campsite (either through contamination by the hose, spigot, or the water itself).  Using a water filter can help reduce some risk, but may not entirely defeat it.  Note: water hoses used at campsites should be rated as non-toxic for drinking.  We have always used our sink water for brushing our teeth and have not had any issues (but we do not drink this water – just rinse, and spit out).

There are many potential sources for fresh water if you choose to carry the water in a BPA-free water jug.  Bottled water is perhaps the easiest way to take water on your trip.  It can either be purchased directly at the market, or, there are often inexpensive water machines in front of markets that allow you to fill your own jugs.  Many different types of water are sold, such as alkaline and chemically treated water.  We have a filter water purification system in our home and use that to fill our 4 gallon jugs.  Whatever water and method you use to fill your jugs, you will ultimately greatly expand the amount of fresh water capacity available for your small travel trailer and likely improve the quality of your water by carrying your fresh drinking water separately in your tow vehicle!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

Why We Bought an RV and Chose a Small Travel Trailer

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Why We Bought an RV and Chose a Small Travel Trailer

I always thought it would be an adventure to be able to travel around the U.S. and Canada over land and visit State and National parks.  However, making the final decision to actually buy an RV took some time.  There were a lot of considerations such as what type to get, how big it should be, where to store it, and if it really was worth the expense versus just staying at hotels.  This was all before the Pandemic hit which now would seem to make some of these decisions no brainers.

In considering the different types of RVs, I long thought I would enjoy travel trailers the best.  I didn’t really want to drive a motor home around and have to find parking places and storage for it or have to deal with the engine / transmission maintenance.  I also wanted to easily be able to drive around the area after we arrived somewhere without having to navigate and park a big rig.  I considered a Sprinter type van but knew I didn’t want that as my daily car and didn’t want to have the van sitting out in front of my house since it wouldn’t fit in the garage.  Additionally, the Sprinter would need registration and insurance similar in cost to another car (and possibly even more expensive as the Sprinter can cost over $80K).  Also, I didn’t want to risk paying a lot of money for something that we might not want to keep for more than a few years.

I always thought Airstreams were outstanding designs.  Its streamlined aerodynamic metallic look as well as its history with NASA seemed very appealing for someone into aviation and design.  My wife and I went to a couple of Airstream dealerships and sat in some of them.  The designs are sleek and the interiors very appealing.  We spent time considering different models and doing more research on them.  A friend of ours had a 27 footer and sold it a couple years after buying it new.  He said it was just too much to pull and navigate around towns.  After taking a closer look at a 25 foot International and considering the cost of the Airstream, the weight of the trailer, and the price of a capable truck to pull it, the total would be well over $100K; we shelved the idea.  We wanted something reasonable in cost and light weight since we didn’t know if we would like camping, and also something that would be easy to tow and welcome at the smallest parks.  It would also be nice to have something that would fit in driveways for stayovers at friends and family.

After a lot of online research, I identified a trailer called Safari Condo Alto as being something that would maybe meet our criteria.  This Quebec City manufactured trailer is super stylish, extremely light, and has a great interior layout.  We would be able to tow it with an SUV.  They even have a model with a retractable roof to allow for additional height and window area.  We flew to Quebec City for a mini vacation and visited the showroom.  The people were very nice and we really liked the Alto (non-retractable roof version).  We put a deposit down on one, but ultimately decided that since the trailer was fairly unique and the only place that could provide factory service is in Quebec City and we live in San Diego, California that it would be better if we purchased a trailer made in the USA which could either be serviced locally or within the US.  Safari condo was very nice in refunding our deposit.  I think we would have been very happy with the Alto and we have seen a number of them at campgrounds at which we have stayed.

I noticed a stylish little trailer on a ferry in Canada and decided to visit Little Guys Trailers in San Diego to check out the model.  The NuCamp TAB trailers are tear drops and are light and easy to maneuver while towing.  Additionally, they will fit in small spaces.  At about this time, we thought it would be really cool to be able to store a trailer in our garage and these TAB trailers would qualify in this regard.  That way, we could avoid storage costs and also have access to the trailer for doing anything we want to it such as adding things, and decorating.  And by having it at home, we could prep the trailer so it would be ready to leave the next day without having to run out to a storage facility first (including filling up the Fresh tank and dumping using our existing Sewer cleanout).  We really liked the TAB 320S as it had everything we wanted in it including kitchen, bathroom, and dinette which converts to a bed.  The sales people at Little Guys were great and explained that any trailer in California 16 feet or under avoids the annual registration (saving hundreds of dollars per year) and qualifies for a PTI (Permanent Trailer Identification) instead, which only has to be renewed every 5 years for $10!!!  With a couple of more visits and careful thought we ended up scrapping our plans for a TAB 320S.  The deal breaker was that the interior height is only five feet nine inches, which meant I had to bend my head whenever standing up in it.

We met a helpful neighbor who lived next door while we were on a house sitting trip to Northern California.  She had a trailer in the driveway and we started a conversation letting her know we were looking for a trailer.  She immediately recommended the “best trailer” she ever had, a fiberglass “egg”.  Her favorite trailer she had owned was a Casita (made in Texas), but she said a very comparable trailer was made in Minnesota called the Scamp, and she encouraged us to look at both models.  Because these “eggs” are fiberglass, they tend to last much longer than most other types of trailers and may have fewer issues (e.g. not prone to water leaks).  They are extremely light and easy to maneuver and set up.  We researched both and picked the Scamp because of the more generous interior head room (6’3”) as well as the 13 foot length option.  The 13’ Scamp is also considerably lighter than the shortest Casita model.  We also learned that the Scamp is a cult icon and Scamp trailers built in the 1970s are still on the road!  There are Scamp camping meets every year and many Scamp owners who attend these events become lifelong friends.  Another great aspect with these “eggs’ is their price – which generally run below $20K for a nicely outfitted new model and tend to hold their value really well.  In addition, they can be towed with most SUVs and even some cars so an expensive heavy duty truck is not a required additional purchase.  Although not dirt cheap, these eggs are still modestly priced when compared to other types of trailers.

After finally feeling like we found a trailer that would suit us, I called Scamp and placed our order in May 2019 (about a 7 month waiting time is usual).  The salespeople were very nice and walked us through the entire process, which included picking options from a long list since all Scamps are custom orders.  We pretty much got most options except for the AC which would sit too high on the trailer’s roof to fit into our garage, which we still had to modify (I will write about this in a future blog post).  Note:  there are now low profile ACs that may allow the Scamp trailer to fit under an 8’ garage height opening and Scamp usually is willing to work with the customer on special requests.

I received an email from Scamp in September 2019 advising that our trailer was about ready to start production and to confirm options choices.  I called on the phone and we reviewed everything along with things like outlet placements.  I also wanted to add a digital tank monitor so we could see what percentage full our tanks were and they did this as well for a small service fee (I had the part shipped from an online store directly to Scamp).  We opted to pay a Scamp driver to deliver our trailer from Minnesota since we didn’t have the time right before Thanksgiving to make the trip (although I’ve read many owners highly recommend visiting the Scamp factory).  Our 2020 13’ Standard Scamp trailer with bathroom and larger bed showed up at our door right before Thanksgiving 2019!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.