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Topic Closed5 month trip with 2 kids.

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Northrnmatt View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: 5 month trip with 2 kids.
    Posted: 16 Feb 2018 at 5:12pm
Greetings rpod owners.  I've been reading on this forum for some time and finally decided to join.  Really hoping to get some advice from you experienced podders out there.
I am taking 8 months of parental leave starting next week and my wife and I have decided to buy a used trailer and spend about 4 months on the road - visiting family, new cities and the Cdn and US national parks.  All my research has led me to choosing an rpod as our trailer of choice.  We have about 2 months to prepare (including finding and purchasing an rpod.)
The catch is that we're going to attempt this trip with a 3 year old and a five month old.  Therefore, we're struggling with deciding on which models we should be considering.  I really do think we can adapt to any layout but any experience you folks could share would be helpful.  We have found reasonably priced models of the 176, 178, 182g and 176T variety but all are a good 10 hour or more drive away to even have a look at.  We definitely want a slide-out model.  My biggest concern is if we go with bunks (which I think would be good for the kids) my wife and I will not be comfortable on the dinette bed considering we plan to be sleeping on it for about a hundred nights in a row.
Our tow vehicle is a 2009 diesel grand Cherokee so we can pull pretty much any model (although if everything else was equal I would prefer the 176 because of how light it is) and our price range is keeping us to mostly looking at 2015 versions and older.  A 2014 178 just came up on sale near us and we're considering driving 12 hours to look at it.Confused
Any thoughts on model selection considering the age of our children would be much appreciated.  Bunks vs queen being our biggest consideration.
Thanks everyone!  
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2018 at 5:37pm
Wow, interesting. We have a 178 and the 179 is great with the rear kitchen. I would think the bunks are not a good option due to the children's ages. We travel with a big bulldog, so he sleeps with us and in the forward dinette are, so that takes the place of a large child, the baby I would think would be with you in queen area. Judgment call. Personally I would do queen. Sure you will get plenty of feedback here.
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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rda54 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2018 at 5:47pm
We have a 178 and have taken 3 grand kids with us and the sleep on the table and did good. We had a 5 year-old a 8 year-old and a 9 year-old. We are taking 3 with us this summer for 4 days.
Good luck.
Ron
Ronald & Lonna
2014 178
2016 Chevy 1500
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Leo B View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2018 at 5:49pm
Welcome to the group!! Congrats on your upcoming adventure!! It sounds like it will be a trip of a life time!!  
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Northrnmatt View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2018 at 8:24pm
Thanks.  Great feedback so far.  I would really like to hear from someone who has been on a long trip with very young kids and how they found the sleeping arrangements.  Anyone else out there as crazy as we are?
Matt
2009 Jeep GC Diesel
2014 178hre (For Sale)
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Roaming Around View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2018 at 6:12am
Where are you located?
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2018 at 9:29am
I have a 172, very similar to the 176, and when my 20 yr old comes with us, she uses the dinette to sleep.Its pretty much a queen size. We have no issues at all, but, have only done a week straight this way. I would think the 2 little ones would be fine on the dinette, or with the 42 inch wide bunk, the 5 mo old could easily fit in the bunk on the inside. It's not going to be optimal, but, it's camping. 
2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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Northrnmatt View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2018 at 10:34am
We're in North-central British Columbia.
It sounds like we could make both bunks or the queen work for us if the dinette bed is actually pretty comfortable.  I'm sure we would find some way of keeping the cushions together or topping with something.
Matt
2009 Jeep GC Diesel
2014 178hre (For Sale)
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Feb 2018 at 1:42pm
Ok, you just added the word "comfortable".  You will need atleast some type of topper for comfort. I suggest a 3 0r 4 inch topper on the bunks. I put a 3 inch serta gel topper on my bunks, and its just enough to make it ok. The kids might be ok without a topper, but i think you will want one.
2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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Leo B View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Feb 2018 at 6:12am
If you are looking for comfortable, the couch/ fold down table combo of the 179 is definitely out. 
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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