Camper/Toy Hauler vs. Cargo Trailer

J&B'sBBQ · Apr 27, 2015

We're going to be looking at a more comfortable way of hauling our BBQ gear and sleeping after this season, and I keep going back and forth on whether we should do a camper (toy hauler) or a cargo trailer with porch and finished interior. I know if we do a camper it would be a used bumper pull and less than $15k (I've found plenty on CL that fit my needs with beds and space), and I already know where I would go to get my cargo trailer if we go that route so I don't need suggestions on where to buy.

What I am looking for is pros and cons of each. Why did you pick a cargo trailer vs a camper or vice versa. If you could go back, would you change your choice and why?

cpw · Apr 27, 2015

For us, it came down to what were we going to use it for. In our case we were planning on using it to compete and vend, so a custom cargo trailer was the only way to go. If we were only going to use the trailer for competitions, I think a toy hauler would have been the way to go simply because of all of the extra stuff we added to the trailer just to make it livable.

Untraceable · Apr 27, 2015

having a bathroom is a huge deal. IMO toyhauler>cargo trailer. Used both

Ron_L · Apr 27, 2015

We went with a toy hauler for the creature comforts (bed in the nose for my wife, toilet, shower. It's been great but we are still setting stuff up at competitions (drop the ramp on jack stands, roll out cooker, set up prep table, etc. If I were doing it all over again I would have Scott build me a trailer with a head and shower, a couple of beds, sinks, prep area and a porch for the smoker.

Blanton · Apr 27, 2015

I chose the cargo trailer route because I would rather have a deluxe cargo vs an entry level toyhauler when comparing cost to each other. One day I do want to have a LARGE fith wheel with a separate garage area to do more than bbq with, but right now it just doesn't fit in. I found small toy haulers to have limited tie down capabilities. The other thing to consider is what smoker you have to load. Most toyhaulers sit considerably higher making a steeper ramp.

Willy's Q Shack · Apr 27, 2015

We have been using a bumper pull toy hauler. I recently bought a comp/vending trailer with porch as you describe. The wife insists that we are still using the toy hauler for comps because of the creature comforts. I cook on a stick burner so the creature comforts are lost on me. I would personally like to use the comp trailer, especially when rain is an issue but I can understand her wanting the toy hauler.

Gowan · Apr 27, 2015

Every rig is a compromise.

The mega simplified version is this:

Cargo Porch trailers sacrifice comfort in favor of being good mobile kitchens.
Toy haulers sacrifice utility in favor of being comfortable living quarters.

So first you decide which attribute is most important to you, then you see what adjustments you can make to minimize the impact of the compromise.

EDIT: Or after reading other's comments, perhaps the most important question is "Do you have a woman along?" (I apologize in advance for this comment, and hope that Danielle, Tina or Jane don't brain me with an iron skillet next time I see them)

J&B'sBBQ · Apr 27, 2015

Gowan said:
Every rig is a compromise.

The mega simplified version is this:

Cargo Porch trailers sacrifice comfort in favor of being good mobile kitchens.
Toy haulers sacrifice utility in favor of being comfortable living quarters.

So first you decide which attribute is most important to you, then you see what adjustments you can make to minimize the impact of the compromise.

EDIT: Or after reading other's comments, perhaps the most important question is "Do you have a woman along?" (I apologize in advance for this comment, and hope that Danielle, Tina or Jane don't brain me with an iron skillet next time I see them)

I am a woman...

J&B'sBBQ · Apr 27, 2015

Ron_L said:
We went with a toy hauler for the creature comforts (bed in the nose for my wife, toilet, shower. It's been great but we are still setting stuff up at competitions (drop the ramp on jack stands, roll out cooker, set up prep table, etc. If I were doing it all over again I would have Scott build me a trailer with a head and shower, a couple of beds, sinks, prep area and a porch for the smoker.

He told me this past weekend that he can fit a porch, kitchen area, 4 bunks, and a full bath into a 28ft cargo trailer. This is what really got my head spinning because I have always said a toy hauler for the sleeping capacity (we have a four person team plus my kid), but now that isn't as much of a valid argument.

Do you ever use your toy hauler for just general camping? I tell myself we would, and that is another reason I lean more toward that, but I'm not sure that we actually would.

Gowan · Apr 27, 2015

Yah, I guess that joke was either too subtle or just ill conceived. Here comes the skillet!

Seriously, everybody has their own take on "the best rig" since it is such a personal decision. The only true no-compromise setup I've seen was Jackie & Sherry Price's old rig with a motor home pulling a porch trailer. Of course the penalty there was the thing was HUGE, and suffered from all the maneuvering and mileage limitations of a semi truck.

J&B'sBBQ · Apr 27, 2015

Gowan said:
Yah, I guess that joke was either too subtle or just ill conceived. Here comes the skillet!

Seriously, everybody has their own take on "the best rig" since it is such a personal decision. The only true no-compromise setup I've seen was Jackie & Sherry Price's old rig with a motor home pulling a porch trailer. Of course the penalty there was the thing was HUGE, and suffered from all the maneuvering and mileage limitations of a semi truck.

Oh I got the joke, I just wasn't sure if you realized that our team also has a female Pitmaster :becky:.

I have talked to just about everyone about this decision, and I have received a different response from every one of them, but that is why I wanted to put it out there. I am really on the fence, but I am hopeful that someone's "reason" will hit a cord with me and help me make the final decision. I go back and forth every time I have a discussion...

Ron_L · Apr 27, 2015

J&B'sBBQ said:
Do you ever use your toy hauler for just general camping? I tell myself we would, and that is another reason I lean more toward that, but I'm not sure that we actually would.

Nope :-D We've threatened to but haven't done it yet. Our daughter is planning on using it when she goes to the Country Thunder concert this summer. That will be the first non-BBQ use.

alexf · Apr 27, 2015

J&B'sBBQ said:
He told me this past weekend that he can fit a porch, kitchen area, 4 bunks, and a full bath into a 28ft cargo trailer. This is what really got my head spinning because I have always said a toy hauler for the sleeping capacity (we have a four person team plus my kid), but now that isn't as much of a valid argument.

Do you ever use your toy hauler for just general camping? I tell myself we would, and that is another reason I lean more toward that, but I'm not sure that we actually would.

Did he give you a ballpark price?

Funtimebbq · Apr 27, 2015

If you can find a used "Fun Mover" that may be a great compromise between the two choices you are looking at. It is an RV with garage. The 30'/31' models sleep a min. or 4 with all RV trimmings. There are some out there with an electric ramp that can act as a porch to roll out cookers at floor level. No need for a tow vehicle with this. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Jason TQ · Apr 27, 2015

Gowan said:
Every rig is a compromise.

The mega simplified version is this:

Cargo Porch trailers sacrifice comfort in favor of being good mobile kitchens.
Toy haulers sacrifice utility in favor of being comfortable living quarters.

So first you decide which attribute is most important to you, then you see what adjustments you can make to minimize the impact of the compromise.

EDIT: Or after reading other's comments, perhaps the most important question is "Do you have a woman along?" (I apologize in advance for this comment, and hope that Danielle, Tina or Jane don't brain me with an iron skillet next time I see them)

Mega simplified, but completely accurate including the edit comments about having a woman :becky:. Heck I love the shower and bathroom :-D. So magical. Though my wife did about 20 comps the first year sleeping on a blowup mattress under a canopy through whatever weather was thrown at us with no shower/personal bathroom just to be with me so I knew I had it easy and she was a keeper :clap2::clap2:.

Now we just have a regular camper (as you guys know), but the cargo porch comp trailer was out of the question just due to cost. New they are much more expensive than used campers/toyhaulers you can find on CL. So we went that route. Also it's pretty easy to flip a camper/toyhauler. We've upgraded 3 times and at most the flip cost $500 and took a few weeks to sell. You can resell comp trailers, but the market is smaller and hard to recoup what you bought it for.

J&B'sBBQ · Apr 27, 2015

alexf said:
Did he give you a ballpark price?

Oh no, this was a conversation while we were shooting the bull and enjoying some adult beverages on a Friday night at a comp. We got our smoker from Scott in February after taking his class, so we were all standing around chatting and the conversation just came up. He recently did one for Moyers Comp team (and it's beautiful), and Scott mentioned that if we went 4 ft longer than Jeremy's, he could fit in 4 bunks instead of two.

If Jeremy is lurking around out there he may be able to comment with a ballpark on his that he recently got from Scott, but I haven't got that far into the conversation yet with Scott.

Gowan · Apr 27, 2015

J&B'sBBQ said:
I have talked to just about everyone about this decision, and I have received a different response from every one of them, but that is why I wanted to put it out there. I am really on the fence, but I am hopeful that someone's "reason" will hit a cord with me and help me make the final decision. I go back and forth every time I have a discussion...

For me, the challenge has always been the changing composition of the team.

When I started doing comps 15 years ago it was Johnny and myself and the occasional helper. Eventually the team grew to 5 guys. Now since Johnny has retired the team is just myself and Ms. Patty. Each of these configurations has required changes in how we travel, cook and sleep.

I've always envied Pete Moon of Bean Bandits. He's a one man operation that has gradually created the perfect comp trailer for himself, one feature at a time. His rig isn't large, but everything is well thought out and he's put in what is most important to him (i.e. a shower) and left out what he doesn't absolutely need (i.e. a toilet).

Certainly a totally custom solution like Pete's takes a lot of work to build from scratch, but he did end up with exactly what he wanted instead of accepting a manufacturer's choices.

tduffy · Apr 27, 2015

Why compromise? Just spend the $80k or more it takes to get a trailer like Iowa smokey D's has.

nkay · Apr 27, 2015

We bought a used toyhauler and have used it the last two weeks and I wondered the entire time why i didn't use one sooner. We have 5 people and each one of us had somewhere comfortable to sleep and Saturday went so much easier with rest and comfort. Chose toyhauler over trailer simply because I can take the toyhauler camping when not cooking. Good luck I am sure you will like which ever you decide.

MikeJ65 · Apr 28, 2015

You might take a look at the Forest River Work and Play trailers. They are a low slung toy hauler or car hauler with living quarters depending on how you look at it. That's probably our next one. I've also been looking as some of the ice fishing trailers that drop down. They would be very stable and only have a very small step up when lowered, but the ones I've seen are expensive for their size and features.

Camper/Toy Hauler vs. Cargo Trailer

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