I went from a pop-up, to pod, to 27 foot hard-side with standard hitch, and about 2 years ago my fiance and I bought a 27 foot 5th wheel (half-ton towable) and F150 to match.  Quite a change from where I was 16 years ago when I got the pod.  But we intend to take long trips - and have already - so I still wanted the room, and the 5th wheel for ease of towing.  I took my fiance camping soon after we started dating and she was all-in.  She did some tent camping trips in the past so she wasn't completely new to it all.

I've never owned a Ford before, but when I started looking at tow vehicle options 3 years ago almost nothing else on the market came close to the specs.  We got the 3.5 eco boost with max tow package, and with 400 hp and 500 ft/lbs, I barely know the 10,000 lb camper is even back there even on hills.  And added bonus, I barely notice large wind gusts in the F150, towing or not.  We were able to take my prior 27 foot camper on one long camping trip after we got the Ford and I could feel a definite difference between it and the Suburban that I used to tow for 11 years.  And that with the WDH not dialed in for the Ford, since I knew that was going to be the only trip.  I'm completely sold on the F150 as an A+ towing platform.  One downside, after we got the truck we realized just how much tech it has and got scared about future repairs, so we found a dealership out west that sells extended warranties with a discount and we bought one.  I'm the type that never buys the extended warranties, but I was fine with this one.  Sure enough we have a camera that is acting flaky...

I'm also sold on the 5th wheel.  It allowed me to feel comfortable fairly quickly with my fiance getting behind the wheel even though she's never towed any type of trailer before.  I don't have to do all of the driving anymore, yay!  No worries about sway, no more dealing with a WDH.  Downside, the huge hitch in the bed of the truck all the time.  Too heavy for one person to lift.  But I'm working on clearing out my garage and that may allow me to attach a hoist to the rafters.

A note about my camper, it has the 4-season package, and for several reasons I don't like it.  The sealed belly prevents me from inspecting everything, I can't trace the plumbing to verify that this sink goes to X and that sink to Y, and if I ever need to replace one of the dump valves I'm going to have to make a mess of it just getting in.  Oh, and the only normal way to heat the underbelly is with the propane furnace.  I hate using the furnace.  Loud, and gulps propane.  Sitting still I can throw a space heater under there but going down the road I don't have a choice.  I did multiple winter trips with my pod, down to single digits; I just dry camped and used the bath house.  I would be fine doing that again.

I'll post a quick catch-up elsewhere.

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I've seen a lot of Aliners lately. Hope it works out well for you. We're thinking of going from our fiberglass fifth wheel Escape to a van now that I am approach retirement... for the second time. 

It sounds like you have found a good fit for what you would like to do. I liked our '179 for much the same reasons. However, we ended up trading for a Cherokee Grey Wolf 24JS because I was getting to old for the transverse bed and I did not want to fall on my wife while climbing in or out of bed. The walk-around bed is much better for us, even if it means that we can't fit into some of the spaces we used to be able to.

There is no "one size fits all" in the RV category. I miss some of the customizing I did with the '179, but I like some of the changes I made in the 24JS.

Travel trailers 24 feet, 29 feet, hybrid trailer, truck camper, and a pop up trailer. 

There is no perfect rig, all of them are a compromise. 

I have a nice 29 foot Nash but it does not fit everywhere.  It requires some planning. 

I bought an older `177 because it is small and easy and fits everywhere. 

Just me and the dog.  No planning required, just hook up and go. 

I am setting it up with solar, a charger and to be self-contained for boondocking. 

I will put some clothes in it and everything else for a trip.. 

Groceries, diesel fuel and go. 

The Nash is a deluxe unit and very comfortable.  My diesel pulls it with no problems. 

But it does not fit in some of the old USFS campgrounds where I like to go. 

I bought a 10 yo rpod for cheap for trips with just me and the dog. 

I plan to take it out next week, second week of December for a first trip. 

I did exactly as you say. I bought a 2016 172 in about 2018. I couldn't have loved it more. The floor plan with the twin bunks was perfect for me. I upgraded the dinette cushions and dumped the table and put a cute little bistro table in my "living room."

I learned SO MUCH especially from this forum. I spent a lot of time in it over 4 years (including a 15 month full-time stint). I drove on forest service roads and worse, and parked in precarious spots getting really good at maneuvering but bumping things here and there. 

Since I travel everywhere, mostly by myself, it just seemed safer to buy a better built newer camper. I went with a 1475 Lance which is beautiful and similar in size. There's a lot I like about the fancy set-up. The lithium with the rooftop solar all set up to be self sufficient is really something (I spent many days with my volt meter on the batteries shifting around my portable Renogy panels.)

But I still really miss the pod. The new floor plan is good but it doesn't give me the view from inside the camper that the pod did. There are places I don't go now so as to "not mess up the camper" (not many but more than I'd like). If something isn't working I'm less inclined to dive in and learn as I go because the new one is expensive and a I can make costly mistakes. It also feels less customizable. I had really made the pod mine but there just not to mess with in the Lance. There isn't even anywhere to hang a damn kitschy "Happy Camper" sign and I'm afraid to put a hole in the wall to do it anyway.

Still, when I'm on some highway in Wyoming in the middle of nowhere I do feel less worried about a breakdown. Oh and the "four season" thing with the ducted is nice and toasty.  :)

The truck is well balanced for the trailer and rides smoothly and comfortably, almost as though there is no trailer attached.  This is true even in some nasty winds we have experienced.  We use a Fastway e2 WDH.  The truck has had one warranty repair that involved replacing the dashboard due to a "bubble" that formed on it.  The dealer in Carson City made the repair and it's been fine since.  We got much better mileage in NV, I think because they don't put so much ethanol in the gas there as in CT.  Typically I got 24 mpg driving back and forth from Dayton to a Habitat build site in Reno.  Towing was typically 14 to 15 in that area.  Now everything has dropped by 2 or 3 mpg.   I am very happy with the truck.  

I've probably told you a lot more than you really wanted to know.  But if I didn't answer something you were wondering, give me a shout.

LA, what is the loaded weight of your Sonoma 167RB?  Also, have you had any issues with the turbo on your 2.7 Ecoboost?  Thanks

The trailer is as easy to tow as our Pod and fits into small campground spaces the same as our Pod.  It is 84"wide so it doesn't require any mirror extensions on our TV.  It tows very comfortably with the WDH that we used on our Pod with only a few minor adjustments needed to level out our F-150.  

Our Pod was a great first trailer and I learned a tremendous amount in both how to maintain a travel trailer and what we wanted in its replacement.  It will be our last travel trailer and we'll probably sell it in a few years before it is too old and becomes a problem sell.