Ready to hit the open road and explore what life has to offer? Here are six tips on choosing a small toy hauler that will fit your needs and budget and make your adventure even more amazing!
Americans sure do love their big, expensive toys. After all, the off-road vehicle market clocks in at $20 billion and continues to grow.
It doesn’t matter how nice a toy you have; it won’t be much fun to drive at your local park. You need a small toy hauler to get it to the great outdoors. Unfortunately, the trailer you already have probably won’t cut it.
What is a toy hauler? It’s a customized rig ideal for lugging off-road vehicles. It keeps them safe in transit and functions as a temporary, on-the-road garage.
In this guide, we aim to provide six useful buying tips for choosing your toy hauler.
1. Toy Hauler vs. Travel Trailer
The first decision you need to make is between a bona fide hauler and an RV. A hauler alone is strictly for lugging your babies and nothing else.
A travel trailer is not primarily a toy-hauling vehicle. It’s an RV with hauling trailer space in the backend. A perfect two-in-one if you want the traditional RV experience, too.
Benefits of a Travel Trailer
A travel trailer provides a comfortable living space with running water, anywhere. Anyone who has slept in a sleeping bag on hardpack earth knows that’s the worst part of camping. An RV mattress, on the other hand, makes it feel like you never left home.
Travel trailers bring all the best modern amenities to the great outdoors. They allow you to take a shower, use a toilet for number two, and have heating or cooling.
Since your toys are outdoor vehicles, you are going to be outside already. This prioritizes your comfort while you are there. There is no need to suffer in tents.
Search this inventory for RVs if you’d like to see your options.
Disadvantages of a Travel Trailer
Of course, cost is going to be the biggest factor. Even a baseline RV runs you at least $10,000, but that’s likely one without a trailer add-on. You will need to shell out some serious cash for a travel trailer variant.
Then there is the size you have to worry about. Storing a travel trailer requires either a very large backyard or a storage unit.
It’s more likely to be the latter. The HOA will crawl up your behind if the RV offends its dainty sensibilities about property appearance.
2. Toy Hauler Size
Size is usually the easiest decision to make. Hauler size all depends on how big your toy is. If you own a sandrail, then you simply purchase a toy hauler that can fit it.
This question begins to get tricky in the following two scenarios:
- You have a lot of toys
- You plan to buy more
Some of the best fun when bringing your toys outdoors is riding them with friends. For example, taking two ATVs out for a spin. You’ll definitely need a bigger hauler to carry both of them.
If you enjoy your current toys, you’re likely to purchase more. You may need extra space to accommodate a future UTV or some unplanned dirt bike purchases. Think long and hard about the future before settling on a hauler.
3. Toy Hauler Length
Length and size go hand in hand. Large haulers tend to be longer as a rule of thumb.
Length is necessary to carry a longer toy, obviously. But another factor is what facilities your toy hauler includes.
Many modern haulers have several features to cater to off-road vehicles. Think of them as mobile garages. They include auxiliary tanks for gasoline, space for tools, and room to perform maintenance.
Local Restrictions Require a Small Toy Hauler
Before you hand over your credit card, there’s another factor: regulations. State parks and camping grounds may have length maximums. Your brand new 30-plus-foot hauler could very well be forbidden at your favorite national park.
A small toy hauler is ideal. Wherever you go, you are likely to experience no resistance. The majority of places will be accessible, both physically and legally.
4. Toy Hauler Weight
Weight follows closely behind size and length. It may not be the primary category that delineates haulers, but it is important for another reason. That reason is whether or not your truck can pull it.
A big travel trailer will require a hefty diesel vehicle with significant torque. After all, an RV can weigh several tons even without anything loaded into it.
You need to be sure that your towing vehicle can carry the weight. Not just on a flat road, mind. It needs to be able to pull it up steep inclines and brake on declines.
5. Toy Hauler Brand
The brand is a personal preference at the end of the day. Some people like Chevy, and some people like Ford.
Both are great vehicles with their own strengths and weaknesses.
The brand will mostly determine the external aesthetic and form factor. It may determine how the hauler uses the internal space for your benefit. Purchase the “wrong” brand, and at worst you’ll get a snarky comment from a purist.
Of course, do your research. Some brands have a history of known issues. Avoid those, and you should be good to go.
6. Toy Hauler Price
So, you figured out all the details above. Now comes the clincher: the price.
All things considered, this variable has less importance than you might think. You’ve already spent thousands of dollars on the toys. The hauler is really just an afterthought, price-wise.
As with anything, keep this maxim in mind: cheaper is always more expensive. Cheap things use subpar materials and sketchy construction. They break down easily, costing you more money to fix or replace them.
So, it’s probably a good idea to invest a decent sum for quality and peace of mind. A high-end hauler will likely outlive the toys it carries, making it cheaper in the long run.
Get Your Toy Hauler Today
A small toy hauler takes you and your beloved toys anywhere your heart desires. That said, don’t accept the first one a salesman pushes on you. Factor in length, weight, size, and travel trailer amenities.
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