When it’s your primary residence, you’ll need to maximize every single inch of storage space in your recreational vehicle for all of your personal items, appliances, and, of course, outdoor recreation gear.
That’s why today’s focus is going to be on the best fifth wheel toy haulers for full-time living.
There’s a common saying used by many minimalists. It says something like, “If you have the space, you’ll fill it with stuff!” And I’ve definitely found that to be true in many capacities.
I’ve done my best to reduce my belongings down to fit in RVs, trucks, and campers of various different sizes at this point, but the things I always have trouble getting rid of are my toys.
You simply can’t be sure when a fun opportunity will present itself, and this is especially true when you’re living life on the road. But the top rated 5th wheel toy haulers are built for more than just gear storage.
Today, I’m going to highlight and review six of the best toy hauler models on the market today.
I’ll also give you some tips and insights to help you ultimately choose the best model for your outdoor lifestyle. Let’s go!
The 6 Best Fifth Wheel Toy Haulers For Full-Time Living
Narrowing down your choices for the best fifth wheel toy haulers for full-time living was a lot of fun!
I used a variety of criteria to choose these toy haulers, such as length, sleeping capacity, dry weight, toy hauler garage size, and much more.
Ultimately, I chose to give each of these rigs a ‘Best For’ designation because there are many different types of full-time RVers out there. So I hope you find something that suits your needs and lifestyle!
Keystone Montana High Country 383TH
MSRP: $81,885
Length: 41’9”
Exterior Height: 13’4”
Dry Weight: 13,906 pounds
Garage Size: 8’4”
Best Toy Hauler For: Four-Season Comfort
This best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living can sleep up to eight people and comes with a four-season living package as a standard feature.
That includes in-floor heating ducts, 12-volt heating pads on the holding tanks, reflective insulation on the slide floors and underbelly, and heating throughout the underbelly and storage compartments.
This best fifth wheel toy hauler also boasts a 12-gallon quick-recovery water heater that can run off either gas or electric.
The 35,000-BTU furnace keeps you warm in the winter and two 15,000-BTU ducted air conditioning units keep the interior cool during the hotter months.
You’ll find the vinyl flooring throughout the main living areas of this best fifth wheel toy hauler super easy to clean, but woven flooring on the main slide-outs also provides a more comfortable feel under your feet.
And speaking of cleaning, this rig comes standard with a central vacuum cleaner that eliminates the need to buy (and store) a portable vacuum for RV use.
While the 8’4” garage size might be a little smaller for larger off-road vehicles, it’s plenty large enough for a studio or office space.
For the full-time couple that prioritizes a work space over gear storage, this is an attractive option.
I also personally love several of the standard kitchen features of this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living.
The fact that it comes with solid surface sink covers means you’ll have more counter space for food prep.
And the high-rise, pull-down faucet is a feature that I honestly think all recreational vehicles should have.
Need some help organizing your RV? Check this out: 16 Space-Saving RV Kitchen Storage Ideas You Can’t Miss
Heartland Fuel 352
MSRP: $67,576
Length: 40’2”
Exterior Height: 13’3”
Dry Weight: 12,815 pounds
Garage Size: 13’
Best Toy Hauler For: Boondocking
Something I noticed straight-away on this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living is that it comes with a solar package and prep as a standard feature.
If you’re interested in a rig for spending weeks at a time off-grid and you’re confident in your ability to install solar panels and battery storage, give this one a closer look.
Automatic hydraulic leveling systems are pretty standard on most of these best fifth wheel toy haulers, but this one is a bit different.
It features six points of contact for a more stable set up on uneven spots, which is another great reason why it’s my choice for boondocking campers.
The garage in this best 5th wheel toy hauler also makes it super easy to convert the space from a storage area to a sleeping space.
If you choose the queen bed option, it easily drops down from the roof for an easy conversion. But you can also choose opposing sofas or a dinette in the garage if that suits your style better.
In terms of heating and cooling, this best 5th wheel toy hauler is equipped with a 35,000-BTU central furnace and a single 15,000-BTU air conditioning unit.
And I also love the fact that the garage featured welded tie-down points to help you safely transport larger ATVs and dirt bikes.
KZ RV Venom 4113TK
MSRP: $107,137
Length: 43’7”
Exterior Height: 13’4”
Dry Weight: 14,450 pounds
Garage Size: 13’
Best Toy Hauler For: Climate Control
While there’s a lot to like about the Venom 4113TK floor plan, one thing that stood out to me immediately is that this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living comes with three 15,000-BTU ducted roof air conditioning units.
So if you do most of your traveling and living in hot and humid climates, this rig is sure to keep your living space cool when you need it most.
But when you look at the garage space on this thing, there’s also a lot to like.
For starters, they’ve included an E-Track universal tie-down system that makes it much easier (and faster) to tie-down different gear when it’s time to load up and move your rig.
And the garage quickly converts into a lounge area or spacious bedroom once you unload it.
The heated, insulated, and enclosed underbelly of this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living will also help you keep the interior of this toy hauler at your desired temperature.
And it also includes R-11 reflective foil in the sidewalls and R-38 reflective foil in the floor and roof, which means it will hold heat in cooler climates as well.
The roof of this best 5th wheel toy hauler is prepared and ready for a solar panel installation.
So whether you’re interested in off-grid camping or you just want to pay a smaller electric bill to the owner of your RV park, this rig will help you do just that.
Forest River Nitro XLR 405
MSRP: $101,761
Length: 45’2”
Exterior Height: 13’4”
Dry Weight: 15,519 pounds
Garage Size: 11’
Best Toy Hauler For: Indoor-Outdoor Comfort
The Forest River Nitro XLR’s flashy paint job is bound to turn more than just a few heads when you roll up to your next destination.
But there are plenty of other reasons why this design and floor plan won 2020’s Top RV Debut award from RV Business.
The one thing I really loved when I first started looking at this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living was the size of the exterior awning.
Because they have multiple smaller slide-outs, most rigs don’t have awnings that are much longer than 14 or 17 feet.
But this rig boasts a 20-foot awning that vastly expands the amount of shade and sun protection you’ll enjoy outside of this best fifth wheel toy hauler.
Speaking of its exterior features, dual split 30-gallon propane tanks make it easy to refill one tank while your rig is still pulling propane from the other.
And it also means you won’t have to move your entire toy hauler just to refill its propane tanks.
In the garage of this top rated 5th wheel toy hauler, a retractable panoramic screen provides indoor-outdoor living comfort without exposing you to bugs, wind, and other elements.
Also, the insulated floor helps the garage hold more heat than some of the garages on other toy haulers, which allows you to enjoy it as a lounge area more comfortably on cooler days.
Keystone Fuzion 428
MSRP: $112,033
Length: 44’11”
Exterior Height: 13’5”
Dry Weight: 15,980 pounds
Garage Size: 13’
Best Toy Hauler For: Outdoor Cooking
If you’re the kind of family that loves to spend as much time outdoors as possible when the weather is nice, the Keystone Fuzion 428 will be a great choice for your lifestyle.
For one, I immediately loved this floor plan because it features an outdoor kitchen with a pull-out cooktop for easy sautéing or meal prep.
And you’ll also be able to enjoy your favorite sports on this best fifth wheel toy haulers outdoor entertainment center while you’re cooking and playing camp games outdoors.
Plus, a large awning covers the entire cooking and entertainment center and ensures things stay dry when it rains and cool when the sun is beating down.
Another awesome feature of this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living is the dual 30-gallon fuel tanks underneath the garage.
This makes it easier to stock up on fuel for refilling your dirt bikes, ATVs, or other gas-powered recreational vehicles.
Inside, I love the extra-tall slide height that reduces the likelihood of knocking your head against the molding when you step from the main cabin into one of the slide-outs.
Linoleum floors also make it super easy to sweep the interior clean and an electric fireplace provides extra ambiance and coziness when the temperatures dip lower.
If you are interested in more space in the kitchen, check out 5 Amazing Front Kitchen Fifth Wheel Trailers.
Jayco Talon 405T
MSRP: $87,556
Length: 41’5”
Exterior Height: 13’4”
Dry Weight: 12,980 pounds
Garage Size: 11’1”
Best Toy Hauler For: Folks with Sleep Apnea
The final choice on my list is the Jayco Talon 405T and it has many stellar features that make it a great choice for full-time living.
But I have to say that I have never before seen an RV, travel trailer, 5th wheel, popup camper, or any other type of recreational vehicle that comes with a prep for installing a CPAP machine.
So, if you or your partner suffer from sleep apnea and having your CPAP hooked up is what’s keeping you from taking the leap into full-time trailer living, there’s an option out there for you.
And this rig also boasts vinyl flooring throughout so that clean up is easy and effortless.
In the living room of this best fifth wheel toy hauler for full-time living, the SuperSofa in this rig might be a bit dangerous once it’s discovered.
I hope you still spend some time enjoying the great outdoors once you learn how to operate the heat and massage functions on your toy hauler’s standard couch.
To access the garage, the spring-assist ramp door pulls down and it provides a 2,500-pound capacity for loading in your gear or recreation equipment.
The rubberized garage floor liner allows you to bring heavier items in without worrying about damage. And D-rings throughout are welded to the rig’s steel frame to provide plenty of tie-down points.
Tips For Picking The Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler For Full-Time Living
While we highlighted some of the most important specifications you can use to compare toy hauler models, there are many other factors to consider.
I’ve organized these tips according to my personal priorities after many years of full-time RV living. But it’s important that you weigh them according to what is most important to you before you finalize your decision.
Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler: Appliances
You might find it strange that I’m starting off with appliances, but let me explain.
We’re talking about toy haulers for full-time living, remember?
From my personal experience, it takes time to adjust to living in a recreational vehicle full-time when you’re used to a residential home.
One way to ease that transition is to choose a rig with a washer, dryer, and dishwasher.
These aren’t always standard on all of the best 5th wheel toy hauler floor plans, but they will make full-time living so much easier.
They eliminate daily hand washing of dishes and weekly trips to the closest laundromat in your area.
In addition, you’ll want a 5th wheel with as many residential-sized appliances as possible when you’re considering something for full-time living.
That will give you the kind of perishable food storage and cooking ability that you’ll need when your rig is your primary residence.
Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler: Your Truck’s Towing Capacity
The next thing you need to ensure is that your truck can safely tow the 5th wheel you are interested in. Most trucks should have a sticker on the frame of the vehicle where you open the driver’s side door.
GVWR and GCWR
This sticker highlights a lot of key vehicle information, but the two we should be most concerned with are gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and gross combined weight rating (GCWR).
Briefly, you should know that GVWR corresponds to the maximum loaded weight of a vehicle while GCWR is the maximum towing weight of a vehicle.
Both of these ratings should be relatively easy for you to find on the door jamb of your vehicle.
Dry Weight
Once you’ve identified those two numbers, you can use them to identify fifth wheels that your vehicle is able to tow.
Remember, however, that most toy haulers only advertise what they refer to as ‘dry weight’. This is the weight of the trailer before any gear or personal items are loaded in.
For example, let’s consider a scenario in which your truck’s GCWR is 16,000 pounds and you select a toy hauler with a dry weight in excess of 15,000 pounds.
This case would provide you with the ability to load in less than 1,000 pounds of additional gear, appliances, and personal items. In our opinion, that’s cutting it far too close.
We are talking about toy haulers, after all.
This means you’re probably going to load bikes, kayaks, ATVs, and other types of popular recreation gear and vehicles into the garage at the back of your toy hauler.
This kind of gear weighs more than the standard gear that other RVers load into their rigs.
To play things as safe as possible, you should do your best to estimate the total combined weight of all the gear, vehicles, food, appliances, and personal items that you’ll load into your toy hauler.
From there, you can add that estimated number to the dry weight of your toy hauler to get a good idea of how much weight your truck will really be towing once you’re underway.
Still, we recommend allowing for a minimum of 1,000 pounds between the loaded weight of your toy hauler and the maximum towing capacity of your truck.
This provides a healthy amount of breathing room and will also maximize the life of your truck by not constantly asking it to tow the maximum amount of weight that it is designed to pull.
Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler: Garage Size
You need plenty of room for all of your toys! But all of us have slightly different toys, right?
Maybe you need enough space for two ATVs. Maybe you have a dirt bike for each of your family’s four members. Or maybe you guys are just packing as many mountain bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards in your toy hauler as you can.
At the end of the day, you need to take stock of how much gear you’re going to put in the garage of your toy hauler.
You should also start to think about how you’re going to organize that gear so that your garage isn’t constantly cluttered.
In fact, the garages in many of these toy haulers are designed to be multi-purpose spaces.
Some of them will have fold-down beds and others will have couches so they can be used as lounge spaces once all of your gear is pulled out.
But there’s a reason why most of the models we’ve chosen for this review have rather large garages.
When you’re living in one of these rigs full-time, I’m certain that you’ll make use of every single inch of garage space you have.
Just consider the combined sizes of all your off-road vehicles and recreation gear before you buy a toy hauler with a garage that ends up being slightly too small for your needs.
And also consider the possibility that you might upgrade or change the gear setup in your garage over time. It’s also good to leave a little bit of space for expansion!
Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler: Entertainment
While many folks that travel in their RV, 5th wheels, or travel trailers do so specifically to unplug from technology and immerse in nature, living in one of these rigs full-time is a little bit different.
To be clear, I believe that the daily time unplugged from technology is critical.
And I think that living in one of these toy haulers full-time can certainly make it easier to take that time away from your phone and television every day.
But I also recognize the reality of experiencing changing seasons and inclement weather when you live in a recreational vehicle year-round.
Short-term campers often cancel their trips when the forecast calls for rain, snow, and sometimes even just higher-than-normal winds.
Full-time RVers don’t have that option, which is why you should consider your rainy day entertainment options when you’re comparing and contrasting the best fifth wheel toy haulers for full–time living.
While I’ll always advocate for the benefits of sitting down with a good book or breaking out your family’s favorite board game on a rainy day, I also think it’s important to be honest about how you and your family like to spend your free time.
If you guys spend time bonding while watching your favorite sport or television show every week, you’ll probably still want to retain the freedom to do so once you move into your new toy hauler.
And if you love to grill out on a warm summer day with your favorite football team’s Sunday game on in the background, you’ll probably want a rig with some type of outdoor entertainment center.
Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler: Sleeping Capacity
You could make an argument that this one should be a little higher up on my priority list, and I’d probably have a hard time arguing with you.
Sleep, after all, plays a vital role in our body’s ability to recover and feel refreshed when we wake up in the morning.
In this sense, however, you should simply take into account how many people will be living in your toy hauler full-time.
Of course, there’s something to be said for making sure that the mattresses on these sleeping spaces are comfortable as well, but that’s a topic for a different article.
If you are a family of four with two young children, for example, a rig with one main bed (for you and your spouse) and two bunks (for the kids) might be perfect.
But you’ll need to consider how excited your kids will still be to sleep in bunk beds when they reach their teen years.
Additionally, you’ll want to think about whether or not you anticipate hosting guests throughout your travels.
Because you’ll be living in it full-time, the odds are higher that a friend or family member stops in for an overnight stay in your toy hauler eventually.
When this happens, you’ll want to have a comfortable place for that person to rest.
Advantages of The Best Fifth Wheel Toy Haulers
Comparing a toy hauler to other types of recreational vehicles can be a difficult proposition. But before you turn your back on fifth wheels, consider some of these toy hauler advantages.
Gear Storage
It’s in the name! The biggest advantage of this type of recreational vehicle is plenty of space for your toys.
And that means more than just space for smaller games like ladder ball and cornhole. These rigs boast the kind of space you need for ATVs, dirt bikes, and, in some cases, even a decked-out dune buggy.
Price
When compared to some of the best RVs for full-time living, these toy haulers are actually quite affordable. And that’s true even when you consider you might have to spend another $30,000 to $50,000 on a truck that can tow it.
Detachability
One distinct advantage that all fifth wheels and travel trailers have over RVs that you sit inside to drive are the ability to detach them from your vehicle.
This allows you to set them up more permanently in one location while still retaining the freedom to explore local trailheads or run out to grab that last-minute grocery item you forgot on the first run.
Disadvantages Of The Best Fifth Wheel Toy Haulers
On the other hand, there are definitely situations and families that toy haulers aren’t made for.
So, in the interest of helping you decide if one of the best fifth wheel toy haulers for full-time living is right for you, let’s address some of the disadvantages of these recreational vehicles.
Truck Requirements
You won’t be able to tow this type of recreational vehicle with any old truck.
You’ll need something with a rather beefy towing capacity and the correct hitch receiver for attaching a fifth wheel toy hauler safely and securely.
Off-Road Capability
While most full-time class A RVs aren’t made for off-roading either, you shouldn’t expect to tow your toy hauler very far on unmaintained dirt roads.
These rigs are meant for setting up a basecamp at the start of those kinds of roads and then using your dirt bikes or ATV to explore further from there.
Usable Interior Space
While the lengths of many of these toy haulers are comparable to other class A, B, and C RVs for full-time living, not all of them have the same amount of usable interior space.
This is because the rear garage takes up quite a bit of space, even if it’s a multi-purpose area that converts to a living space once you arrive at your destination.
FAQs About The Best Fifth Wheel Toy Haulers For Full-Time Living
If you’ve never been around one of these rigs, setting them up and moving them around is a bit more complicated than one of the best class A RVs for full-time living, for example.
So let’s address a few more important things you should know about the best fifth wheel toy haulers for full-time living before we wrap things up.
What kind of hitch receiver do I need for a 5th wheel toy hauler?
The exact answer will, of course, depend on the specific model you purchase. Generally speaking, however, you’ll need a 5th wheel hitch or gooseneck hitch to tow this type of recreational vehicle.
The receivers for these hitches either bolt or weld directly into the bed of your truck. Some of them are compatible with your truck’s tailgate still in place and others will require that you remove it entirely.
There are several different designs for these hitch receivers and finding the right hitch for your specific truck-and-trailer combination is critical.
The right hitch receiver will ensure you can navigate your toy hauler as easily as possible and it will keep your 5th wheel from striking the back of your truck’s cab when you encounter tighter turns.
Can I use the garage for something other than gear storage?
Absolutely! While toy haulers were originally designed for things like dune buggies, dirt bikes, and even jet skis, many folks adapted them for a variety of purposes.
Some other uses for the garage area in your toy hauler include an office or workshop, arts and crafts room, exercise studio, kid’s play room, patio/porch, storage area, guest room, or party/gathering space.
Are all 5th wheel toy haulers equipped for four-season living?
No! Unfortunately, not all of these rigs have the kind of insulation and heating capabilities that you’ll need to live in them when temperatures dip below freezing.
This is a common reason why many full-time RVers spend summers in one destination and winters in a warmer location.
That being said, there are certainly models that boast the kind of central heating systems and insulation R-value that will keep you comfortable year-round. You’ll just need a reliable place to plug in and a source of propane gas!
Conclusion On The Best Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler For Full-Time Living
As someone who has lived in multiple different RV models full-time at this point, I must say that my personal preference would now be to have a rig that detaches from my towing vehicle.
While it’s nice for passengers to have the freedom to sleep in the back bed of a class A RV while you’re driving, I prefer the freedom of having a smaller vehicle to get around once you’ve reached your destination.
Plus, detaching one of these toy haulers from your truck once you reach a destination will encourage you to enjoy longer stays before you hook your trailer back up and continue down the road.
That has many benefits, including increasing your ability to truly learn about a place and support the local economy while doing so.
At The Wayward Home, we hope that you’ve found the insights and information in today’s guide useful for your travel and trailer living needs. And, as always, we wish you the best of luck in all of your upcoming adventures!
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