# Purchasing New Outback Which Model?



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

We have been looking for a few years and are finaly ready to make our purchase, we have always loved the outback, and have been drawn to the 250RS since we like the small footprint in the driveway and while towing. First a little background on us:

1. I am a dirtbike rider, so half the the time I will be going to dirt bike races/events with a couple of friends. we would plan on putting the bikes in the bed of the truck (2010 tundra 4x4 dual cab long bed 5.7) I believe the tow rating is 9600lbs and I do plan on adding air bags along with a good WD hitch.
2. the other half of the time it will be weekend trips with the wife and kids (11 and 14)and our dog. also 1 week long trip per summer.

we have been looking at 3 different models at our local dealer and are having a hard time deciding on which is best for our needs. I am drawn to the smallest of campers since I like to be outside as much as possible and rarely hang inside the camper. My wife on the other hand likes to be cozy inside at night reading a book and needles to say the kids love their video games and tv...

1st unit is a 2013 230RS ($21,000) I love this unit for the toy hauler aspect and the bunk room provides some privacy for changing and a place for the kids to hang...on the negative side, the top bunk is smaller and because of the shape of the front wall it seems almost unusable for anybody other than a very small child. The living space is minimal and storage is a bit less than the 250RS. also on both the 230 and 250 we are concerned with the king slide being a PIA to get in and out of at night and also a PIA to make the bed...

2nd unit is a 2014 250RS ($23,990) This unit seems to make a bid more sense with the bunks being equal size, the dinette slide is nice as well which opens up the floor plan a bit more for the dog's bed, we could put an accordian door up by the bathroom to create some privacy for changing, however we have the same concerns with the king bed slide.

3rd unit is a 2013 292BH ($23,990) same price as the 250Rs with much more living space and storage, We both absolutely love this layout and it seems to have everything we need, however we are now into a ~33ft trailer which weighs quite a bit more. We do like the bathroom setup more than the 230/250, and the walk around queen bed with doors in the room solves the privacy issue and also getting in and out of bed at night to discard of used beer. the only reservation we have about this unit is that we have a long truck and wanted to stay with a ~28ft TT.

with both the 250 and the 292 dirt bikes would have to ride in the bed...there is plenty of room but it takes ~500lbs away from the payload capacity which I believe is ~ 1680 before air bags.

After giving some more thought to our wants and needs we are not sure if it is really reasonable for a family of 4 + a dog to be in the smaller units....I know it's done everyday and it seems like they should have "enough" space when we look at them empty, but then when you start thinking about all the stuff you are going to have in there it starts to seem like it's going to be crowded.

the fact that the 250 and 292 are the same price isn't helping things either!

so the concerns with the smaller trailers are that it won't be enough space, and we are not sure how the king slide really works out.

the 292 should be plenty of camper for us if we can come to terms with dealing with the larger unit, but we are probably pushing the upper limits of the Tundra, and it will be a lot of camper when it's ocasionally just the two of us and the dog.

I would love to hear from anybody who has any of these three units and any advise is greatly appreciated


----------



## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

Just remember Larger is allways better, I started out with a 210RS and quickly knew that it was too small, went with the 268RL. YouShould get the Largest TT that you can handle. You wont be happy otherwise. And Welcome to Outbackers


----------



## RDS (Jul 20, 2011)

danny285 said:


> Just remember Larger is allways better, I started out with a 210RS and quickly knew that it was too small, went with the 268RL. YouShould get the Largest TT that you can handle. You wont be happy otherwise. And Welcome to Outbackers


A big X2


----------



## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I too have a family of four and a 20 pound dog. We had been in a 2008 21RS and I can confidently tell you it is too small for that crew. We were pretty tight in there prior to getting the dog but with the dog there is no way we could work with that small space. We purchased a 2013 250RS this spring and it feels downright spacious. We even keep the dog crate inside at night and have plenty of room. My 14 year old son who is taller than I am sleeps in the upper bunk and has no issues with it. If anyone is going to use the upper bunk, just be sure to have some sort of ladder for it. Just beware of the tongue weight and weight of the bikes in the bed possibly over loading your rear axle.


----------



## jasonrebecca (Oct 30, 2007)

The rear slide bed is why we purchased the 21rs. The smaller towing length with the larger camping length. We have a 2yo son and two 50#+ dogs, We can't have anyone else sleep in the TT with us because it too cramped. Making the rear bed isn't hard, just watch your head getting in and out! The 250rs would work great for your needs.


----------



## sptddog (Mar 22, 2006)

Look for a 250RS with the toy hauler option - think it's a 280RS? I don't recall how much longer it is, but it's not much, and it gives the kids/dog more room, and could haul your bikes as well. We have a family of 4 with a wiemaraner (so really a family of five - he weights more than both kids lol). Our 250RS is awesome for us, though we often wish we'd have gotten the toy hauler version just to give them more of their 'own' room, and to haul bikes and maybe a 4-wheeler.

We use an expandable shower rod and a cloth shower curtain that matches the interior of the 250 pretty well. We have found this to be super easy, and didn't require us to deal with trying to screw something into paper thin interior walls.

If you do go with any of them, look for the shower curtain thread - easy install and gets rid of using a shower curtain in the small bathroom. Makes a world of difference for kids in the shower and no water on hte floor.


----------



## Northern Ninja (Aug 20, 2011)

sptddog said:


> Look for a 250RS with the toy hauler option - think it's a 280RS? I don't recall how much longer it is, but it's not much, and it gives the kids/dog more room, and could haul your bikes as well. We have a family of 4 with a wiemaraner (so really a family of five - he weights more than both kids lol). Our 250RS is awesome for us, though we often wish we'd have gotten the toy hauler version just to give them more of their 'own' room, and to haul bikes and maybe a 4-wheeler.
> 
> We use an expandable shower rod and a cloth shower curtain that matches the interior of the 250 pretty well. We have found this to be super easy, and didn't require us to deal with trying to screw something into paper thin interior walls.
> 
> If you do go with any of them, look for the shower curtain thread - easy install and gets rid of using a shower curtain in the small bathroom. Makes a world of difference for kids in the shower and no water on hte floor.


I would agree with this. We have the 280rs and we love it. It's 32' long and it's gonna be at the top end of your weight capacity for the Tundra, but we've towed ours with DW's Tundra and it did it effortlessly. The garage is small (6'), but that's plenty for two dirt bikes, and it still gives you plenty of living space. I believe both bunks are the same size, and we don't find the king slide/bed a pain at all. It is a dis-continued model, but there are still plenty of them on the lots.


----------



## Tourdfox (Oct 4, 2012)

Northern Ninja said:


> Look for a 250RS with the toy hauler option - think it's a 280RS? I don't recall how much longer it is, but it's not much, and it gives the kids/dog more room, and could haul your bikes as well. We have a family of 4 with a wiemaraner (so really a family of five - he weights more than both kids lol). Our 250RS is awesome for us, though we often wish we'd have gotten the toy hauler version just to give them more of their 'own' room, and to haul bikes and maybe a 4-wheeler.
> 
> We use an expandable shower rod and a cloth shower curtain that matches the interior of the 250 pretty well. We have found this to be super easy, and didn't require us to deal with trying to screw something into paper thin interior walls.
> 
> If you do go with any of them, look for the shower curtain thread - easy install and gets rid of using a shower curtain in the small bathroom. Makes a world of difference for kids in the shower and no water on hte floor.


I would agree with this. We have the 280rs and we love it. It's 32' long and it's gonna be at the top end of your weight capacity for the Tundra, but we've towed ours with DW's Tundra and it did it effortlessly. The garage is small (6'), but that's plenty for two dirt bikes, and it still gives you plenty of living space. I believe both bunks are the same size, and we don't find the king slide/bed a pain at all. It is a dis-continued model, but there are still plenty of them on the lots.
[/quote]

I agree with Ninga.We purchased the last 280 RS in Western Canada.The next closest place in Canada was in Ontario at the time we purchased ours.Yes they are discontinued.5-6 months ago when we got ours there were 2 in Tacoma that I had inquired about.But after talking to dealers here I stayed away as none of the local rv shops would touch it for warranty.seems to me the upper bed is smaller but never slept on either.We use the top 1 for extra storage.IMO you may want to go a little bigger than a 230-250.With 2 kids you'll be glad you did.As far as the King bed slide.Works great and no hassle to make.The wife makes it lol.But she has not once complained about it.


----------



## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

My only advice is to go as big as you can within the limits of your budget and tow vehicle. You say you will not spend time in the trailer, but I can tell you that you will. Your kids will grow, life interests will change, you will want the flexibility. We started out small, then traded, then traded again, then again, .... A very expensive hobby.

Not sure where you are located, but the prices seem a little high. We bought our 301BQ from Holman's at about $23k. They no longer post their prices on line, so it is difficult to compare, but you can call them and they will give you a price. Holman's is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. If you are within a reasonable drive, it may be worth checking out. Nobody will beat their price.

The only last thing I might say is that your tow vehicle may be a bit limiting for what you want to do. Given that you want to load up the bed of your truck, plus hitch up a trailer, I think you might have trouble staying within the limits of the truck. I really think you are in ¾ ton territory, possibly 1 ton. Given what you are looking to do, I would probably not go any bigger than a 250RS.

DAN


----------



## Aussiefire (Aug 12, 2012)

We have the 230RS and love it for a number of reasons. We are a family of 4 with 2 large dogs and even when 'cooped up' in the trailer, everybody finds their own space. Our large 14 yr old sleeps on the top bunk without any issues and we love the versatility of the garage area. I have even been able to configure it with bicycles in it and still use it as a bunk room when stopping for quick overnighters on the way to Michigan. We installed a TV in the garage area, so that space becomes a kid zone and because it is fairly large, the 'kid junk' tends to stay in the garage rather than spread through the trailer. The king bed is a nice luxury for us and not too much hassle in making it or getting in and out. Having the rear slide also means the difference between us being able to keep the trailer in our driveway as opposed to storage. At 27 feet closed, it is very easy to get it into some tight spots an then I when it opens you have all the extra room. We tow it with a Tundra and it has no problems, however we only have bicycles in the garage area. Unfortunately the Tundra is not known for its payload capacity and that is what you will need to watch because even though the 230 is a reasonably short trailer, as a front end toy hauler it has a fairly high hitch weight which cuts into your payload limits. Welcome to Outbackers and have fun with your search


----------



## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

danny285 said:


> Just remember Larger is allways better, I started out with a 210RS and quickly knew that it was too small, went with the 268RL. YouShould get the Largest TT that you can handle. You wont be happy otherwise. And Welcome to Outbackers


X3. Will likely be purchasing a larger Outback next year.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

thanks for the comments everyone!

my wife and I are torn, kids love all the models, but instantly want the 292,(heck they don't have to pay for it, haul it, store it...or clean it)but we also love the layout, but it's a lot of camper at 33' and is most likely pushing the limits of my tundra and if I include 2 dirt bikes at 250lbs each might make it a no go with the Tundra. A new truck and a camper payment are not in the cards right now, so I do need consider the limitations of my current vehicle.

We love the idea of the smaller unit, especially when it's just us, and the 230 works out good for me with the bikes...

we would like to be as close to the $20k mark as we can which leads us closer to the 230RS at $21k including all hitchwork. on the other hand we can get the 250RS or the 292BH for 23,500 including all the hitch work. If I knew I needed and could handle the larger unit then the 292 for $2500 more makes the most sense...I just don't want to end up with a larger camper, larger payment and then find that I need to upgrade my truck and start over with a truck loan again (mine is almost payed for)

we do have limited driveway space also and the 292 would just barely fit without doing some major landscape modifications to get it on the side of the house, the 230 and 250 leave a little more breathing room in the driveway.

being that the unit is not something that we are going to use every weekend, I feel like we should lean toward the "less is more" philosophy. with a long truck and a long trailer I may limit myself to certain sites at campgrounds..I would rather be in a more "woodsy" tree shaded site as opposed to a big open pull through with the rest of the large rigs out in the open sun.

it seems you never here of anyone selling their unit for a smaller one, so maybe my "less is more" theory doesn't hold true to campers....but when I consider that it will note be used every weekend I tend to lean this way.

Another consideration is our very high maintenance dog, she goes absolutely crazy when we leave her and she can't see us leave. we had to build an elevated platform for her to sit in our front window of our house, so she can see us leave and waits patiently for us to return. so having a curb side window for her to look out of would be a big + which both the 250 and 230 give us.


----------



## SouthRider (May 29, 2009)

My wife & I bought a 230RS a few years ago for me to go to AHRMA vintage events with my Penton & Husky. We were towing it with an F150 with a 5.3 V8. Our kids are grown & gone so it is just the 2 of us.

On our first trip we went a few hours away to a local state park. We were very uncomfortable towing with the F150 - kept getting that tail wagging the dog type of feeling with the truck, the brakes felt inadequate, and the fuel economy was terrible.

On the trip it rained the whole weekend and we learned lesson #2 - the 230 is a VERY small camper when you have to be in it for much time.

Within a month we had traded the truck in for a Chevy 2500 with a Duramax Diesel. The Chevy didn't even know the camper was back there. On our first trip with the Chevy we looked at each other & said - "we should have gotten a bigger camper".

I continued to use it for camping at races by myself - but my wife didn't want to go camping because of the interior size. The bathroom is also pretty small.

Once we had the larger truck I wished that we had bought the 280RS - it's 5' longer, has a second door, more storage space and the dinette slide out gives you more floor space. Same small bathroom.

The 230 was a perfect toyhauler for bike riding with a buddy - but it is NOT a family camper. You will never find enough places to put everything that your family & dog needs on a trip.

I didn't mind crawling into the bed slideout - my wife wasn't happy with it at all.

If you get a bumper pull camper - don't go cheap on the hitch - get an "Equalizer" brand and have it set up by someone who knows what they are doing. Even with the F150 it towed absolutely level & straight - even alongside 18 wheelers at speed.

A few years ago I ended my riding career (broken hip on a KTM at age 55) and we traded the Outback in for a 35' Jayco 5th wheel - couldn't be happier......

There are quite a few Outbackers that are happy towing with the Tundra - maybe some of them will chime in about max. length and weight you should consider.

Good Luck


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

SouthRider said:


> My wife & I bought a 230RS a few years ago for me to go to AHRMA vintage events with my Penton & Husky. We were towing it with an F150 with a 5.3 V8. Our kids are grown & gone so it is just the 2 of us.
> 
> On our first trip we went a few hours away to a local state park. We were very uncomfortable towing with the F150 - kept getting that tail wagging the dog type of feeling with the truck, the brakes felt inadequate, and the fuel economy was terrible.
> 
> ...


I've always loved the 280, but we can't find one that located within a reasonable drive. we do like the 230 and the 250....of course we have reservations about the interior space in the 230 and I'm worried about overloading the tundra if I go with the 292 and then put 2 or 3 motorcycles in the truck plus 3 adults....

I would love the 280 if I could find a leftover on a lot, but locally I can only find the 250rs which might be the best compromise of good space inside and keep the dirt and gasoline in the bed of the truck.... looks like the hitch weight is 640, and if I'm doing my calculations right that leaves 1100 for bikes and people...3 bikes are 750#, and 3 adults are ~600# which would put me slightly over...the other option is to carry one bike off the back of the trailer if need be...maybe I'm over thinking the weight issue....and I don't know if the WDH or air bags offset these numbers or just levels the truck and trailer?

all the advice is much appreciated!


----------



## sptddog (Mar 22, 2006)

How big are the bikes? THe bottom bunk of the 250 folds up for bike storage - not sure you could get one in and out of the door (the main one, the bike door is useless really). I can get two adults bikes and two kids bikes stacked in that space (using a portable bike holder and some bungee cords) under the bunk. It certainly adds to tongue weight as it's up front, but it's an option.

My neighbor up the street tows a 35' KZ Spree with his Tundra - using a Reese Dual Cam (which is what I use on my Armada too) and he's had no issues with it at all. He says it hauls like a champ. If you're not using it every weekend, or not in hilly country, your tundra might do fine with it. With a good hitch, I'd worry less about length (that is considered a full size pickup wheelbase) and more about weight of the trailer.

We have a high maintenance weimeraner who hates being left alone. We had to get door screen covers that are heavier duty because he ripped the screens out of the camper doors on one of our early trips.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

sptddog said:


> How big are the bikes? THe bottom bunk of the 250 folds up for bike storage - not sure you could get one in and out of the door (the main one, the bike door is useless really). I can get two adults bikes and two kids bikes stacked in that space (using a portable bike holder and some bungee cords) under the bunk. It certainly adds to tongue weight as it's up front, but it's an option.
> 
> My neighbor up the street tows a 35' KZ Spree with his Tundra - using a Reese Dual Cam (which is what I use on my Armada too) and he's had no issues with it at all. He says it hauls like a champ. If you're not using it every weekend, or not in hilly country, your tundra might do fine with it. With a good hitch, I'd worry less about length (that is considered a full size pickup wheelbase) and more about weight of the trailer.
> 
> We have a high maintenance weimeraner who hates being left alone. We had to get door screen covers that are heavier duty because he ripped the screens out of the camper doors on one of our early trips.


sorry, I should have specified bike means (dirtbikes) motorcycles that weigh ~250lbs each. when it's me and the family, it's 2 adults, 2 children and 4 bicycles..I have a hitch mount bicycle carrier for the back of the TT.


----------



## SLO250RS (Mar 11, 2010)

We have had our 250RS for 3 seasons now and we still enjoy it very much and we are a family of 4 + 1 blue great dane and when the weather turns sour we all have plenty of room,the 34x72 bunks offer the kids plenty of space.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

any concerns pulling the 250RS with 3 dirbikes in the truck ~750lbs and 3 adults inisde?


----------



## SLO250RS (Mar 11, 2010)

katoom400 said:


> any concerns pulling the 250RS with 3 dirbikes in the truck ~750lbs and 3 adults inisde?


I would load your truck with the bikes and full fuel load and load up the family and hit a local scale and see what your truck weighs loaded overall and at each axle so you can properly crunch the weight numbers.And as always don't be afraid to ask for help here.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

well, it's done...put deposit on 2014 250RS, should pick it pu next Wednesday. dealer is installing a REESE Pro series WDH with dual cam sway control.


----------



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

katoom400 said:


> well, it's done...put deposit on 2014 250RS, should pick it pu next Wednesday. dealer is installing a REESE Pro series WDH with dual cam sway control.


Don't forget the PDI document from my web site (see link in sig)....will take you about 4hrs to complete.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

anyone have any advice for parking the trailer on a downslope? my drive way pitches down towards the house and while it was never a problem with my 30' fifth wheel, this is my first TT and I'm not sure if I can lower the front enough to get it level or not? I'm going with these for wheel chocks:

wheel chocks


----------



## SLO250RS (Mar 11, 2010)

katoom400 said:


> anyone have any advice for parking the trailer on a downslope? my drive way pitches down towards the house and while it was never a problem with my 30' fifth wheel, this is my first TT and I'm not sure if I can lower the front enough to get it level or not? I'm going with these for wheel chocks:
> 
> wheel chocks


Those are the same type that I use and have never failed me.I would also recommend making some ramps from 2x8 treated with 45 degree angle cuts and staggered and about 3 high to help with the slope,that should allow you enough travel to bring the nose down to level it.Congrats on the 250RS


----------



## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I used to park the trailer on my sloped driveway but it is no where nearly as sloped as yours. Yes chocks are a must. Either the X-Chock or locking chocks are a good idea but I would like to recommend one more to you. I use a pair of chocks I made that fit the tire spacing on our trailer. It's really nice to be able to just quickly throw them down when you need them. Because they fit pretty tightly in stead of being the little plastic or rubber wedge chocks that you hope don't move, they can't flip out of the way if the trailer starts to roll. The trailer can move about half an inch and then the chocks bind it up. I would back our trailer into the driveway, throw down the wood chocks and wouldn't need to install the locking chocks until I was done unhooking the trailer.


----------



## katoom400 (Sep 8, 2010)

well, I got it home tonight with a little drama...wierd problems with my p3 brake controller I have to figure out...it shows nc (not connected) but seems to work???

also while they where showing me how to work everything I noticed they had 800lb bars on the reese dual cam setup...our contract specified 1000lb bars, so I found our sales person and they swapped them out while we where doing the financing paperwork....I didn't get a look at them until I got home and they are 1200lb bars....I'm wondering if they are too much for the tundra and the 250rs? it seemed to tow nice, but I did get a little bounce over humps in the road and such that I don't remember being an isue with my old 30' fith wheel...this my first TT so this may be normal. I'm just worried that I have too heavy bars on it now...

Any advise is appreciated..

Thanks,
Andy


----------



## 2011 210RS (May 27, 2010)

Oops, typed all this before I saw the post of the Down payment on the 250. Congrads.

Love my 210 but!, unless you are a outside family and only sleep inside with minimal bathroom time, 210 is tight. You still have seating for six to seven inside (tight). It does work for us. Me, Wife, Mother in law, & 7yr old. 
Great for us because we don't have toys and camp in tighter areas around Tahoe. Riders like yourself tend to be a social and room for gear is critical. The nose does have a cargo door with the flip up bottom bunk. Based on other posts, no less than the 230. If you really really really want a short TT that is easy to pull and you are really good at packing, 210. I almost always get a spot because of the length even at the last minute. 21' (25' from bumper to ball) That's a pro, right?
210RS: 4800 dry, 2700 capacity 7500 (2010-2013 model specs)
210TRS: 4700 dry, 2300 capacity 7000 total weight and comes in a neat small package. Con: Neat small package but still can sleep 6-8 inside. 
230TRS: 5100 dry, 2400 capacity with a little higher gross weight of 7500 but front storage is nice. +500lbs
250TRS: 5500 dry, 2000, 7500 gross. Whao the space! No defined front storage area but roughly the same weights and capacities as the 230.

Don't fear the King bed, once you are in, you sleeping. ADVICE: Don't buy planing to tear down a eating area to sleep, if you have four get a designated area for each person. Well besides mom and dad.

Question: Do you guys hang outside alot? 13' Awning on the 210 with a $150 canopy with the tv outside cooking on the flipdown cooktop or grilling. How much do you need?

Good luck on your choice.


----------

