# 312Bh And 301Bq Questions (Pros Cons)



## jgerni

Fellow Outbackers,

I've been looking at the 301BQ and the 312BH floor plans. Considering purchasing one or the other but can't decide between the two.

Do you who own these units have any gripes/complaints or things that are an outstanding feature of these units. If you were to purchase again...would you purchase the same floor plan? Was the 10th anniversary models worth the extra cost in your opinion?

On the 312BH I can't tell if it has any solid type door (pocket door or hinged door) on either the bunkroom or the master bedroom. From what I've dectected by looking at pictures online it just has the accordian type screens. The 301BQ seems to have a solid sliding pocket door on the master bedroom.

thanks for any info.
Josh


----------



## Dub

jgerni said:


> Fellow Outbackers,
> 
> I've been looking at the 301BQ and the 312BH floor plans. Considering purchasing one or the other but can't decide between the two.
> 
> Do you who own these units have any gripes/complaints or things that are an outstanding feature of these units. If you were to purchase again...would you purchase the same floor plan? Was the 10th anniversary models worth the extra cost in your opinion?
> 
> On the 312BH I can't tell if it has any solid type door (pocket door or hinged door) on either the bunkroom or the master bedroom. From what I've dectected by looking at pictures online it just has the accordian type screens. The 301BQ seems to have a solid sliding pocket door on the master bedroom.
> 
> thanks for any info.
> Josh


The best thing you can do is just walk through both and see which you like more. We found several online and then once we saw them in person changed our minds to our current trailer the 310BHS (which is identical to the 312 except the outside area isn't a tailgate area, it's storage).

I love the idea of having a huge room for us while putting the kids in a bunk up front, but with the 301 you lose some floorspace, get a smaller bathroom, and less storage. You also can't put down things like a crib (pack n play) and the kids have no room to spread out. So while I'd love to have the big room...giving the kids the bigger room (312) assures they can play, watch tv, etc, and I can sleep in.


----------



## clarkely

jgerni said:


> Fellow Outbackers,
> 
> I've been looking at the 301BQ and the 312BH floor plans. Considering purchasing one or the other but can't decide between the two.
> 
> Do you who own these units have any gripes/complaints or things that are an outstanding feature of these units. If you were to purchase again...would you purchase the same floor plan? Was the 10th anniversary models worth the extra cost in your opinion?
> 
> On the 312BH I can't tell if it has any solid type door (pocket door or hinged door) on either the bunkroom or the master bedroom. From what I've dectected by looking at pictures online it just has the accordian type screens. The 301BQ seems to have a solid sliding pocket door on the master bedroom.
> 
> thanks for any info.
> Josh


Hello









friends just got a 312BH anniversary - yes they are accordion type doors - cheap cloth at that
friends were looking at the 312 vs left over 310
Cathedral ceiling on anniversary is nice
New nose on anniversary is very nice - also the rubber roof wraps around sides of the trailer - Pro there is no horizontal seam - should last longer on sides and help avoid leakage - Cons - it lowers mounting height of awning, door just slightly rubs with awning all the way p - can't lower it (dump) at all..... Minor inconvenience - benefits will probably out way the downsides
New grill is better on Anniversary
newer nicer carpet

I personally don't care for how small 301 BQ is in the bunkhouse - (I have 4 children)

I like the added room at foot of bed on a 312 vs 310BHS left over I don't personally care to have the big outdoor kitchen - but that is cause i carry to much stuff and need the storage room.

I personally would go with a 312 over a 301 - all depends on what you need

I would also go with anniversary - i like it


----------



## Oregon_Camper

We looked at the 312BH and the 301BQ before buying the 301BQ.

We liked the idea of the 312's larger space for the kids, but were not impressed with the very small space for us (parents). In our situation, we have 2 son's and my wife was getting tired of having to change in the small bathroom. The 312 has a somewhat larger bathroom, but still small. When we looked at the 312BH, we felt very cramped in the "master bedroom". The small space on each side of the bed was tight and there was really not option to walk in front of the bed as it was really small. I'm 5"11 and my wife is 5"1...so if we felt cramp I hope you and your spouse are no bigger than us. LOL

The bunkhouse is awesome of the kids. They have room to spread out, but not enough room to have a party. For us, we go camping to "go camping". This means we do stuff outside of the trailer. Kids don't hang out inside the trailer to play...they come outside and find adventures.

As far as space is concerned, we have more space than we can use. We have cabinet that have nothing in them. We came from a 2004 28RSS which had the queen slide out. Getting the storage on the 301BQ was overwhelming. Not sure if the 312BH has the same amount of storage under the bed...but it might.

In the end, I would buy the 301BQ over a 312BH again and again. Nothing against the 312BH, but for us and how we camp and the privacy of a real door to the Master Bedroom, wins hands down for us.


----------



## Insomniak

We haven't received our 301bq yet, but we walked through both models and our thoughts were:

The 301 bedroom is a little more private than the 312, with a solid door and a large open area for changing clothes. The under-bed storage area in the 301bq is huge. Not sure if the 312 has the same bed. A private entry door to the rear bedroom is nice when you want to come and go without the kids knowing your every move, and it's also a bit quieter.

The 312 bathroom has no linen storage and very little counter space. Our house full of females didn't like the idea of an entry door in the bathroom.

Our girls love the bunkhouse, and it's pretty much the same as our current 28RSDS, but a tiny bit smaller. Not a problem, they'll still enjoy it. The big rear area in the 312 would be nice for the kids, but like Jim said, our kids are outside most of the day anyway. This is more about mom & dad's comfort than the kids!!

The outside kitchen would be handy, but the cooktop and small sink outside on the 301 will do just fine for us, like they have on our two previous Outbacks.

FYI, the support arms on the power awning are adjustable so you can lower one end to let rain run off. I verified this last weekend when we were walking around the dealer's lot. I didn't check to see if the door rubs when the awning is lowered slightly.

The anniversary edition is definitely worth it, if only for the extra ceiling height!


----------



## kmonty1

We bought the 312BH because of the second door to the bathroom. My wife likes the idea of the kids not having to walk through the whole trailer just to use the bathroom.

The outdoor kitchen was another seller for us, we like the fact it has a sink, re-fridge, cooktop, and BBQ outside and protected from rain and the hot sun while cooking.

We were going to get the 2011 model then when we went and saw it at the camper show we immediately changed out mind when we walked into the anniversary edition, the ceiling was the first thing I noticed. I am 6' 1" and that was a huge plus, and I can stand in the shower without my head in the sky light too.

The new front end is awesome and looks a lot more durable, the built in lights are nice too.

The doors to the front bedroom are cheap accordion style. But not able to put pocket doors in due to the tv stand in the middle that swivels for the living area or thehe bedroom.

The bunk house was a must for us with 3 kids and they will want to bring friends with them too. Needed to be able to sleep 10, which the 312 can do.
o
There is a large storage area under the front bed and it is NOT accessible from the pass through storage area.

They both seem to be a good bet and have something for everyone, one might be a better choice for you then for someone else, we needed the room so that's why we got the 312BH.

Happy shopping.


----------



## willingtonpaul

to my eye when we looked at them both, it was all about who was rewarded. the 312bh rewards the kids more and the 301bq rewards the parents more. and we chose to reward ourselves more than the kids, plain and simple. down the road, 8 to 10 yrs from now, we will move to a 5'er that can do both. the kids will be solid teens, and if they are still camping with us at that point, and i hope they will, we will buy a 5'er with a kids room over the htich and a rear suite for mom and dad. but to clarkely's point, i would not want to have 4 kids up front. i think if we had 4 kids, we would have had to go the 312 route or a 5'er now. the bunk room is perfect for 2 kids, or 3 if they bring a friend. maybe 4 for a short weekend trip, but i gotta think that 4 up there for a week or more would be tough at some point, at least for us.

and it was for all the above mentioned reasons. privacy for mom, our own enclosed space, a separate entrance to our bedroom in the back, awning covers both doors. also, having the master bedroom in the back is great. it is the quieter end of the campsite, almost always, and when there is a good view, it is usually out the back of the site, and you have a great window in the back to look out of.

the big downsides to the 301bq as i see it are:

1. gotta put the main slideout out a little to use the bathroom
2. smaller bathroom
3. smaller pantry
4. no side tables by the master bed (i made some fold down ones to hold a cup of coffee or bottle of water and cell phone / tv remote)
5. no outside shower (no outbacks have them, i cut one in between the slides and it is awsome)
6. stove vent is not vented outside (none of them are, i think. i put a maxxfan vent in the opening above the stove)

i do not see storage as a downside on the 301bq. there is a ton of storage compared to other trailers. we fill it up, but we bring a ton of stuff, and i added a rear cargo box to boot.

but we love our unit and as oregon camper said, i would do it over again more than once. no regrets at all, and the next move will be to a 5'er.


----------



## Up State NY Camper

We went with the 312bh for 3 major reasons. The outdoor kitchen, the bunkhouse, and the exterior entrance to the bath. The bunkhouse is pretty big, when the weather is cruddy, the adults play euchre at the dinette, and the kids go to the BH with their friends. There is plenty of space for them back there. There are accordian doors for the master, and a curtain for the BH, which wasn't a big factor for us. I guess it would be nice if there were real doors for noise pruposes. The master is a little small, esp in the left side. If I have to get changed with someone in the tt, I do it on the right side with the accordian closed. It works out well. We cook alot, so that outdoor kitchen gets used quite a bit. Just note, the outdoor sink drains into the black tank. I would buy it again if I had to. (Check rear heat vent at PDI for good flow)


----------



## Kevin K

My wife stuck up for the kids and didn't like the 301BQ because the kids didn't gain anything. The bunk house of the 301 was pretty much the same as what we were getting rid of. I think there will be fights over the sleeping arrangements since they aren't all the same (if you have kids you know how this works) the first trip went without a hitch so we will see.

My pros and cons of the 312BH
I like the outside kitchen/cold beverage central







and the kitchen workspace since I do most of the cooking. The seperate door to the bathroom comes in handy - and it is right on the way to cold beverage central - hmmmm, coincidence?

The outside storage is really lacking. There is plenty of indoor storage but stuff like chairs, hoses, grills etc. really gets packed into the limited outside storage.


----------



## Insomniak

I like the way you think Kevin K (and a fine name to boot!). Cold beverages are always high on our priority list, so we usually keep a cooler outside. My wife really liked the outdoor kitchen on the 312, but she didn't like the bathroom. Actually, none of the girls liked the bathroom, and any of you with girls know how bathrooms and changing space can be a touchy subject. Personally, I really like the bunkhouse on the 312, but we decided that it was time for a real bedroom with an (almost) walk-around queen bed. In our 28RSDS, we've had four (sometimes five) girls in the bunkhouse for up to a week with no problems. It ends up looking like a clothing bomb exploded because none of them knows how to put anything away, but they love their own space and each bed is essentially the same - with a light and a window. Things will likely change in the future as they're still young and soon they won't want to go camping anyway. Then the bunkhouse will be used for storage or for Dad when he's in trouble....


----------



## Traveling Tek

We have the 301bq. We full time with 4 kids. To us it was perfect. I didn't really like the 312 as much. In the 301bq we have plenty of storage, plenty of room, and none of our kids are small enough to worry about the crib/pack n play. The "real" door in our room was a must. One thing that we did with out that we love, is we added the Add-A-Room screen room to it. Makes it twice as big. We through a rug down out side and use that as our play area. I love chillin on my "porch". 

We had enough storage in the trailer that we actually overloaded it when we first started out and had to shift stuff around and remove some unnecessary stuff. My wife wishes the pantry option was betting, but other then that we have been very pleased with it.


----------



## Up State NY Camper

Kevin K said:


> My wife stuck up for the kids and didn't like the 301BQ because the kids didn't gain anything. The bunk house of the 301 was pretty much the same as what we were getting rid of. I think there will be fights over the sleeping arrangements since they aren't all the same (if you have kids you know how this works) the first trip went without a hitch so we will see.
> 
> My pros and cons of the 312BH
> I like the outside kitchen/cold beverage central
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and the kitchen workspace since I do most of the cooking. The seperate door to the bathroom comes in handy - and it is right on the way to cold beverage central - hmmmm, coincidence?
> 
> The outside storage is really lacking. There is plenty of indoor storage but stuff like chairs, hoses, grills etc. really gets packed into the limited outside storage.


I'm seriously considering cutting a door on the main slide to have outside access under the dinette. It's hard to get to that section from the inside anyway without having to move the table, cushions.....


----------



## LaydBack

We went with the 10th Anniv. 312BH. The outside entrance to the restroom was much preferred over one to our bedroom. As far as the privacy, we plan on short weekend getaways with an occaisional guest, so the accordion doors will suffice. Wifey's the only one that needs privacy, and the bedroom or bathroom will serve her well....us boys usually just leave the door fly open anyway. We've found it to have ample storage, and the outdoor kitchen with beer box was a must have as well. I'm 6' and 275lbs. and I have no complaints about the bedroom size. We didn't want a room for the kids that was just beds, so the bunkhouse layout we felt is superior in the 312. The 2 boys have a sofa that they can sit on and enjoy the TV or Playstation, or whatever. We figured that bunkhouse would serve us better over the long haul as they get bigger. It's truly a matter of what fits your family the best. For us, we wanted to make sure the boys would have space and comfort, especially for the times we get confined to the trailer.

Also, someone above mentioned the stove vent. During our delivery, I was told that the range hood is vented through the top with the refrigerator. Not debating, just stating what I was told, haven't verified.


----------



## Oregon_Camper

Up State NY Camper said:


> I'm seriously considering cutting a door on the main slide to have outside access under the dinette. It's hard to get to that section from the inside anyway without having to move the table, cushions.....


That would be a GREAT mod!!! Wonder how hard it would be to get a door (like on some models with the storage pass-through) and install that. Great way to recover the storage under the back dinette seat.


----------



## Up State NY Camper

Oregon_Camper said:


> I'm seriously considering cutting a door on the main slide to have outside access under the dinette. It's hard to get to that section from the inside anyway without having to move the table, cushions.....


That would be a GREAT mod!!! Wonder how hard it would be to get a door (like on some models with the storage pass-through) and install that. Great way to recover the storage under the back dinette seat.
[/quote]

I thought I saw a pic of a Hatch door installation on here somewhere.


----------



## Up State NY Camper

I just did a quick search and found this.

http://phoenix.craig...2350082004.html

http://www.pellandent.com/Motorhome_Product_Details.aspx?ProductID=4562

I'm sure with a little more poking around I should be able to find what I need. I'll keep you informed.


----------



## Kevin K

Up State NY Camper said:


> I'm seriously considering cutting a door on the main slide to have outside access under the dinette. It's hard to get to that section from the inside anyway without having to move the table, cushions.....


I like the idea of outside access to the underseat storage. To me it is wasted space. I bet the reason Outback didn't do it was the concern about the weight in the slide. I think if one used some common sense and didn't put 10 cases of beer in there you would be fine. I smell mod... be sure to take lots of pictures!


----------



## Insomniak

One potential concern with adding a baggage door to the storage area under the dinette seat would be security. It would be easy for someone to open the outside door with their 721 key and have immediate access to the inside of the trailer. It's not likely to happen, but don't underestimate thieves. We have had our storage doors opened a few times at the lot where we keep the trailer and nothing was taken. Don't know if they didn't see anything interesting, or if they were looking for an easy way inside. I would probably look at a way to seal up the top of the compartment before adding an outside door. Just my two cents.


----------



## Insomniak

srwsr said:


> Also, someone above mentioned the stove vent. During our delivery, I was told that the range hood is vented through the top with the refrigerator. Not debating, just stating what I was told, haven't verified.


Wow, I've never heard that one! No, the hood isn't vented at all, it just recirculates air. Several folks here have done the outside vent mod. A couple hours and perhaps 3-4 beers.


----------



## LaydBack

Insomniak said:


> Wow, I've never heard that one! No, the hood isn't vented at all, it just recirculates air. Several folks here have done the outside vent mod. A couple hours and perhaps 3-4 beers.


Are you speaking of the 10th Anniversary Edition of the 312B in specific? Looking at my unit and the window over the sink, I don't see how you could go out the side without cutting a hole in the bottom of the cabinet and going out higher than the window. Can't see myself doing that one, not from a skill perspective, but the idea of giving up any of the space in that cabinet. When I inquired, it was a potential for the dealer to get more work, and I don't see why they would've turned down $$$$. You got me curious now........


----------



## Insomniak

srwsr said:


> Wow, I've never heard that one! No, the hood isn't vented at all, it just recirculates air. Several folks here have done the outside vent mod. A couple hours and perhaps 3-4 beers.


Are you speaking of the 10th Anniversary Edition of the 312B in specific? Looking at my unit and the window over the sink, I don't see how you could go out the side without cutting a hole in the bottom of the cabinet and going out higher than the window. Can't see myself doing that one, not from a skill perspective, but the idea of giving up any of the space in that cabinet. When I inquired, it was a potential for the dealer to get more work, and I don't see why they would've turned down $$$$. You got me curious now........
[/quote]
I found the old thread, and it looks like the stove hood is different, and mounted lower than it was in the past. Don't know if it would still be a simple job or not. I plan on getting a MaxxFan, so it's not anything I'll be attempting!

http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22969&view=&hl=vent&fromsearch=1


----------



## LaydBack

Insomniak said:


> Wow, I've never heard that one! No, the hood isn't vented at all, it just recirculates air. Several folks here have done the outside vent mod. A couple hours and perhaps 3-4 beers.


Are you speaking of the 10th Anniversary Edition of the 312B in specific? Looking at my unit and the window over the sink, I don't see how you could go out the side without cutting a hole in the bottom of the cabinet and going out higher than the window. Can't see myself doing that one, not from a skill perspective, but the idea of giving up any of the space in that cabinet. When I inquired, it was a potential for the dealer to get more work, and I don't see why they would've turned down $$$$. You got me curious now........
[/quote]
I found the old thread, and it looks like the stove hood is different, and mounted lower than it was in the past. Don't know if it would still be a simple job or not. I plan on getting a MaxxFan, so it's not anything I'll be attempting!

http://www.outbacker...nt&fromsearch=1
[/quote]

Thanks, I was more so asking if you were sure that it wasn't a change that they started doing on the 10th Anniversary model or maybe 2011 models. I'm hoping to be out in the trailer today, so maybe I'll try to check it out.


----------

