If I want either a tow behind camper/hauler, or a slide-in. I hadn't a use for a camper before, but since I'm venturing away from home to ride, I'm thinking I can use one. I'm still pondering the idea, but I have been window shopping online.

I kinda like the Keystone Passport 25FQ, and the local dealer has one (online inventory). I pass this dealer daily going to work, might have to stop and check it out in person.

Option for a slide in would be a dry bath (not sitting on the pot to get washed), but I need to watch as for weight as I only have a single rear wheel truck (slide in rated so warranty not voided).

What is the tow vehicle, bed length? It depends on how you plan on getting your ATV there and how many ATV's. How rough are the trails you plan on towing on? What climate you are heading into, how many people inside?

Tow vehicle is a 2008 F-250 Crew Cab long bed with the diesel. As mentioned rated for a slide-in, plus has the upgraded front springs for a snow plow.

I'm looking out for myself, as I'll likely be headed west by myself in 2009 & 2010. But thinking or leaning towards a small hauler in case someone decides they want to go. Plus room for at least 1 more ATV, possible a second extra 1 in the rear of the truck.

Terrain once there is gravel roads, so it'd be 99% hwy miles.

That Keystone is to be insulated and have a furnace. & I wouldn't buy anything without a furnace. A/C would be a plus, but not necessary.

The only real head-ache I can see in having either, would be the Tunnel Issues. I'd have to avoid the 5 or 6 Tunnels here in Pa, and WV, which would mean Chicago.

A camper like that is nice but many draw backs with them. The weight that you are pulling the length to try get through some places. What I like about my sldein is that it don't really limit me as to where I can go. I have yet to find a place I wanted to go that we didn't because of the camper. You spend the majority of your time outside so room is not a real big deal. I would suggest a 10ft at least they have just enough extra room to be comfortable. You can tow a rather large trailer with ease, I used to pull my 26ft snowmobile trailer with 4 sleds and a couple hundred gallons of gas plus generator and other gear.

Of all the campers we looked at before buying ours the dealers would say it isn't a LANCE but! It seemed that LANCE set the guide lines for all the others to follow. They are built strong , we have been in ours at 30 degree below-0. The water ran fine next morning, furnace ran most of nite but we slept good.

Many times you have to trailer to trail to ride. With a trailer or toy hauler you have to load up and is a real chore. With camper you put the jacks up and take stuff the table and hit the road. I have a 2000 250 SUPER DUTY DIESEL single axle that has no problems at all with the camper on.

I wouldn't trade my slide in for anything. We drive a 1993 F-350 Crew cab Diesel with a 1978 9 1/2 ft Apsen slide in and tow a trailer behind to go riding in the mountains on occassion with two adults and two kids. We have spent the night in Colorado Springs for weekend swim meets down to single digits with no furnace but running the stove with a vent cracked and we still almost got run out the over cab area bed. The nice thing about modern slide ins is that they are very light. A buddy of mine has a pop-up slide in that is insulated well and he says it weighs a measly 800 pounds empty and he hauls it in his F-150. I don't understand the warrenty comment regarding slide ins. It is cargo like anything else the truck would be expected to haul. My dad had an old 12 footer slide in when we were growing up and he hauled it back and forth between the west coast and Iowa regularly for vacations in his 3/4 ton chevy 350.

Like Cob says, the big benefit to the slide in is that when you get to camp, unload it and lower it down to a set of blocks then you have your truck for running around. If women folks are in camp and they want to hang around, they can hang out in the camper while the guys are out doing stuff.

Seems like the wise choice at least for me would be the slide-in. I already have a capable enough trailer for the ATV, and as mentioned easier to use and get around.

I was on the Lance page and requested a brochure.

Thanks for the replies.

I was very close to buying a Lance back in the spring but am looking at somewhat different circumstances. Rather than lots of travel I decided that I was more looking for a "vacation home" that could be relocated. In the end it came down to two factors for me, (1) any way I figured it, I could not get the boat, bikes and camper to FL in one trip (something may end up staying there for next year), so the slide in did not have an advantage there and (2) my wife and sled dog will probably be joining me, the idea of the 3 of us fitting into 32 or so square feet of floor during inclement weather was not appealing. So, for me the travel trailer/bike hauler made sense, particularly when I found one that seems to suit our needs as an 07 leftover for 40% off. If I was going to be alone there is little doubt that I would have gone for the Lance, won't know until after the winter if I made a mistake. Good Luck with your choice.

Bruce

The 8ft bed is a huge plus for a slide in. If I were a hardy man traveling light on my feet I would do a slide in and haul the ATV in a trailer. I was amazed how pricey the slide in's were. You may not be a penny pincher. The toy boxes are very shy on ATV space. To fit two you have to turn them sideways etc. We have had to remove rack equipment, fuel racks, etc to fit bikes sideways. It sucks trying to fit two full dressers in a toybox hauler. Plus they are huge, suck fuel and harder to get in tight camping spaces, 4 more tires to worry about.

One man in a crew cab long bed with a slide in is a city on wheels, lol.

I would also buy a TFI or Titan replacement fuel tank. I think they are about 51-54 gallon capacity all in the stock location. I run their midship tank and it is essential for cross country travel IMO. Especially since my short bed only came with a 30 gal tank. That is about 250 miles towing. Now I can stretch to 700 miles empty highway.

The thought is still there, but for now after figuring in payments, storage, and overall usage. I think I'm better out just renting a cabin. I had gotten my 2009 info packet from Lance, and still think in a year or 2 it'd be the way to go.

Kenny,
You might want to keep a lookout locally and regionally, (newspapers, craigs list, etc.) often some good deals in this economy on year or two year old units that somebody can no longer afford.

With Colorado 3 months away, I've been looking at campers more and more. I made a few calls inquiring on a few. Local dealer has a used older Lance similar to a 815. Not a fan of that model as shower shares holding tank with the head. Don't like there asking price (before any haggling) either.

I did find another semi local place that has a few different manufactures/models. I called them and I think I'll be going to see them in person next week. At least there listed prices don't seem to be Inflated as the closer dealers. I was on www.nadaguides.com comparing the values verses the prices listed.

CO trip might be moved up a week if I end up with 1.

Lance is a top of the line unit, they are what others are modeled by and compared with. If you aren't going to camp or use in winter then not such a biggie. Man be great see ya show up a week early.

Shareing the waste water and shower water no real big deal, the toilet water is seperate.

I've tried the slide-ins, travel trailers, Toy Haulers, I prefer the Toy Hauler for my purposes and needs.
My Toy Hauler isn't a 5th wheeler monster, just a self-contained travel trailer with a open deck on the rear to load up to 2 atv's, if loaded sideways.