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The dew on the grass, the subtle increase of volume as the birds begin their pre-dawn ritual, and the stillness of the air. All describe the sublime moments as the silhouette of the peaks begin to emerge and a new day comes to us, just like the last but altogether unique. It's why I travel.
I am a part-time landscape photographer who travels the United States in a T@b 320 teardrop camper.
As a CSS owner I am in the outer kitchen camp. We love ours. We haven't camped in crappy weather yet but most of our trips have been in situations where we can drive to a restaurant if need be. We do have a Moonshade that provides a good deal of protection so that does increase our usability in rainy conditions. We also have an electric kettle that we can use to boil water for coffee in the morning inside if need be. Although that isn't a great option if we are boondocking due to the power draw. One negative we have experienced is using the stove in windy conditions. It is impossible to get anything hot. Aside from that, we have enormous amounts of storage inside and it's really nice having a dresser and counter even with the bed set up. I guess the other thing with the current CSS layout is that you really can't sleep inside if you are taller then 5'-8" or so. This isn't an issue for my wife and I but I can see where this is an issue and why nuCamp may have elected to not continue with the 320 CS-S.
Thi😢s seems like one of those great ideas that are useless. The very reason for a cassette it to get rid of a sewer hose. For once the Europeans have it right.
I towed with a 2020 Honda Passport Elite. I installed the transmission oil cooler to increase the tow capacity to 5,000 lb. I like the Passport because I can easily fold down the two back seats with the push of a button when I'm at the back of the vehicle and it basically becomes a small pickup truck. The elite version gives me some luxury so I don't miss having a car. I also like having an SUV so my non-camping cargo is safely out of view versus an open pickup bed.
Unless you have a 400 or you are under 5'-6 the inside kitchen is too small for me. Also, we always use the Keurig for our coffee (when plugged into shore power). Good info.
We had a T@G XL and for 7 years i loved my outdoors kitchen. However after a couple of trips after we retired where the weather made cooking outside impossible, we opted for a T@B 400. I love my inside kitchen bit we always carry a grill with us for cooking outside when we want to do that. The best of both worlds. BTW we still have the T@G, i couldn't get rid of it so who knows we may use it again sometime.
We have a 2022 tab 320s boondock, and we changed the tires to 205-75-15. We had a 2022 subaru outback ex, with 3500 pound towing capacity. We were not able to keep our tongue weight low enough with ebikes and gear. If we traveled light, the outback would have been adequate. However, we do not. We now have a 2022 Chev Colorado, 4 d, 4wd, with a full towing package rated at 7000 pounds. And Mr. Pix will never go back. The worries with towing are eliminated. Happy camping and safe travels, Mr. Pix, Ms.B, and Jimi the Westie, (PB&J in the beehive).
Nice work Jenn! Have you ever noticed how ALL of your guests are in your kitchen at home when you are entertaining? Wendy and I own and love a '22 320 CS-S, and love the outdoor kitchen. We set up a canopy and a Blackstone and everyone can gather around and socialize! But we LOVE the new 360 features, particularly the twin bed setup so you don't have to climb over one another to get to the bathroom at night. It really hits the sweet spot between the 320 and 400. We will absolutely upgrade to a 360 when they introduce the clamshell version if it has the twin bed set up.
Good point about the guests, Matt! I guess as a solo traveler, that was never a huge draw for me but am more likely to set up an outdoor kitchen when camping with friends and sharing a meal.
Doubt that there will be a 360 CS-S. What will they do with the window on the back? Plus, the idea if the 360 is to have longer beds. They would have to cut the bed.
Thanks Jen, I have a '14 wrangler unlimited rubicon with 410 gears, what were gears in your jeep ? That probably is one factor why you had a hard time. The towing capacity for the identical jeep outside of the usa is 5k but inside the usa it's 3500. But I agree with you a jeep would be a minimum tow vehicle.
The towing capacity is different for good reason: Camper designs and speeds are different. In the US, tow vehicles are put through a rigorous standardized test to determine rating. Rubicon are generally better at towing, but I wouldn't tow in any Wrangler after towing with a Grand Cherokee. It is a night and day difference. I am not saying that others shouldn't: it's a matter of preference.
IMHO, I think the deciding factor would be your height and length of the bed which I have no issue with, as I am 5'1". The Kitchen seems to me more of personal choice. Most of S owners are set up with an outdoor kitchens but it's even easier for CS owners to set up an inside kitchen for those "just in case" days. A mini fridge/stove/microwave/keurig or airfryer on the countertop inside can easily allow you to make your fav coffee/toast/eggs in your PJ. I'm one of those ppl who choose things based on what I do 90% of the time but also prepare for those times "when the weather is crappy" (which is really rare for me, since I am in SoCal). so a clamshell works the best for me. P.S. I don't know how many of CS owners uses the passthrough windows but that's the other main reason why I got a CS. I can see the ocean and fill the breeze from all 4 sides when I am camping outside! (of course, I move my buckets of stuff from the covers as I'm setting up my camp) That's a big plus for me!
For the benefit of my fellow campers, I have an inside kitchen so they don’t have to witness my early morning sleeping attire or lack thereof when I get up to make my morning coffee. Like many, I do most of my cooking outside in a grill and air fryer, but when the weather is nasty, I enjoy the comfort and convenience of the inside kitchen.
When camping we cook outside most of the time on a camp stove but have the inside kitchen for the longer beds. We also use our 320 for antique shows and music festivals, many where cooking outside is not allowed. The inside kitchen is also great for us when the weather is bad, bugs, and when traveling and using rest stops.
I'm a new owner of a '23 Clamshell. I love cooking outdoor, no grease smells, and I like the extra storage. However, I am only 5' and haven't encountered bad weather, yet! 😄
I have a tag xl. Love the outside kitchen, BUT when I upgrade to a tab, I'm getting an indoor kitchen. Unfortunately leaking is a big problem with the clam shell. Besides, we can always bring a stove and set up a cooking station outside.
I might opt for the outdoor kitchen. It offers more utility, and a compact coffee-maker inside would still let you enjoy a cup in your jammies before facing the world.
2018 Ford Explorer V6 eco-boost Sport with factory tow install and my 2022 320CS-S. 5,000 lb tow capacity - don't even feel it back there. Never towed a thing in my life. Quite happy with the experience.
I Like your wash basins! They are Large and Not the collapsible kind. I have washed dishes, pots and pans and I always somehow put too much weight on the edge of those collapsible kind and get myself soaking wet, along with loosing my soapy dish water. So now I have 2 large Non collapsible containers and I no longer get soaked. I prefer to wash dishes outside and set up my table & wash station on the driver side of my TAB where I have access to hot water 🚿 I think the sink inside the TAB is a bit on the small side. Happy washing dishes pots & pans 😊
Hi Jenn, All your interviewee’s have good reasons for why they like inside or outside kitchens, and I agree with their reasonings weather inside or outside. I myself have an inside kitchen in my TAB but also have a butane stove and a butane grill. I like making my French-press coffee inside in the mornings while still in my PJ’s. I cook outside on my portable cooking appliances as long as the weather is in agreement. If the weather is not in agreement then it’s cooking indoors. So having both options is an excellent backup plan no matter the situation. I have seen on some very large travel trailers and 5th wheels that there are 2 kitchens, 1 inside and another outside. 😊
Our 2012 Pilot with tow package was a great companion for our 2018 320 CS-S. We've since moved to a more elderly friendly E-Pro that weighs twice what the T@B weighed, and the Pilot actually does tow it fine with the weight distributing / sway control hitch. BUT! Honda started making unibody Pilots after our model year (not sure which year) so if it's not a body on frame you can't use a weight distribution hitch. One more thing - most of the time these days the choice of a tow vehicle is already made, you have a vehicle and you're picking a trailer that can be pulled by it - unless you suddenly come into some money. Don't overbuy a trailer and be sorry that your vehicle can't safely tow it. I've found that a 20% margin of safety with the right hitch is safe enough as long as your tow vehicle has good brakes and your trailer brake controller is set correctly.
RE: towing - My tow vehicle is a 2014 Jeep Wrangler JK (4 Door) with Max Tow package (so different gear ratio) and a 3500lb max. My 2014 T@B 320 (with bath) is only 1670 dry weight. Remember too that if you store stuff in your tow vehicle that weight counts towards your total capacity. I wanted to stay under 2500. I do need to down shift when going up grades, but that's pretty normal. In the wild, I've seen lots of different vehicles towing these little trailers, but it's very good advice to always know your max tow capacity and make sure to stay under that.
New owner of a mint condition 2014 T@B 320 here! Not feeling overwhelmed, trying to take everything in stride, but just wanted to say I appreciate your channel and all of your other videos. It really does help to remember that EVERYONE has made mistakes and EVERYONE had to start somewhere with their trailer adventure. And it's true about other T@B folks! My very first night out camping this weekend (literally drove it from the dealer to a campground 5 miles away) I happened to be next to another T@B 320 and the folks came over and were all, "We've never parked right next to another T@B!" The trailers are so cute they get a lot of interest and comments from other folks too. Fun times.
2023 Tab 320s Boondock towed by 2024 Nissan Frontier Pro 4x. No issue with towing weight...my Frontier build is rated at a little over 6000 pounds. The issue comes when you look at vehicle payload. My truck is rated at 906 pounds. With me at 280 pounds, my wife much less, bed cover, bed contents, and tongue weight, I am pushing that payload limit. Using my old Army load planning skills to distribute weight between truck and trailer.
Jenn, thank you for making this excellent and much needed video. We started towing our 320 s with a new Outback Onyx rated for 3,500 lbs. It was a very nice car. It seemed fine at first, but the transmission started showing signs of strain after a cross country trip to Yellowstone. We traded the Outback in for a Honda Passport Trailsport with the transmission cooler which gave it a 5,000 lb rating. We're not attached to any particular vehicle brand, but the Passport has been good so far. It's nice not to have to think about the weight of every item we want to take with us anymore. We just finished a trip to the Utah National Parks and the extra towing capacity was noticeably better in very hot weather and challenging elevations. We agree that having a tow vehicle that looks sharp with the T@B is a necessity!
I started towing my T@B 400 with a 2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 which had a rating of 5000 pounds, but the rest of the line is rated at 7000 pounds. The ZR2 is an offroad trim, and it's less primarily because of the lift and gearing on the truck. It was sluggish going through the mountains. It didn't overheat, but it definitely struggled with steep inclines. When the lease ended I upgraded to a Ram 1500 Rebel with a V8, again offroad rated, but it had a tow rating of 11,000 pounds. The towing experience was an order of magnitude better with the Ram. Oddly, the two get about the same gas mileage when towing.
Sorry but towing with a EV is not going to work, maybe in 20 years the technology will be good enough, EV’s are fine for a 2nd car but not your primary vehicle, also the horrific pollution from strip mines in third world countries plus the pollution from batteries that we have no recycling for just give Americans the illusion they are not hurting the environment, like I said maybe in 20-30 years things will get different but right now we are just running head long into a financial and ecological disaster
Thanks Jenn. Towing our 2021 320S Boondock with a 2023 Ford Maverick XLT with the factory 4k tow package which includes a built in brake controller, larger fan and coolers, anti sway, and gearing specifically for towing. It supplies around 5.5 amps/78 watts for the batteries. That's enough to keep our 12 volt fridge running and have some left over for charging. Tows great with lots of power. A big consideration for me was MPG. I'm averaging around 17-19 MPG at 65-70 mph towing with the Maverick. I actually get a little better mileage when we have our two canoes on top of the Maverick.
My first tow vehicle could tow 3500 lbs. I traded in that one for a more powerful one, and now my newest tow vehicle is a V8 Durango that tows my Tab 400 wonderfully.
Surprised that people like the Honda Ridgeline for towing…I had a 2018 Ridgeline that struggled towing 3,500 lbs around the east coast…traded in the Ridgeline for 2021 Ford Ranger and it was so much better for towing power.
Would like to add that the 6 speed transmission of the Ridgeline struggled and overheated while towing in West Virginia. Hopefully people that have the newer 9 speed transmission (for 2020+ Ridgeline) have better luck
I got a tab 400 a year ago that I have been towing with a 2022 v6 Taco Pro. Not a great tow vehicle. Can't take my eyes off the road for more than a few seconds. It revs to 4500 RPMs going up almost any hill. It got a little better when I raised the tongue weight to 500 lbs. I'm upgrading to a Ford f-150 with twice the horsepower, towing capacity, and carrying capacity. I agree with Mr. Yukon Denali below - bigger is better and don't trust any information at the shows. BTW I really enjoyed Jenn Grover's videos and gained a lot from her information. thank you.
I get tempted to get a truck sometime but that would likely encourage me to carry more than I need! 😊 My 2019 Jeep GC with a V8 tows up to 7200 lbs and does a great job with my 400 so will stick with it for now!
Oh yes, I discovered Love’s RV & Truck stop last year from a friend. We stayed there for the night. And Jenn as you said cleanliness etc. you are right on money. I would certainly recommend them as a stop to fill up grab a bite to eat and spend the night. ( M ) 😊
When I purchased my 2021 TAB 400, I owned a 2019 Buick Enclave, which had a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. My TAB dealer said the Buick would pull the TAB with no problems. He was right, as long as I was on flat land. Going up hills, it was sluggish! I even tried manually shifting, with the hand shifters on the steering wheel. When I was going up hills, even in Illinois, I knew my Buick wasn't the right tow vehicle for me, so luckily I hadn't sold my 2003 Yukon Denali, yet. While having the Yukon's transmission serviced, I told the gentleman about towing with my Buick.. His exact words were: "Trust me. Every car and RV dealer will tell you anything, just to get a sale. They know exactly what you want to hear. You can keep pulling with your Buick, but I guarantee in 3 to 5 years, I'll be putting a new transmission in your car!" Now, my tow vehicle is a 21 year old Yukon Denali with over 190,000 miles on it and I don't even know my 400 is behind me. Yes, I use a sway bar! I almost lost my TAB when pulling with my Buick, going up a hill, when a semi passed me coming down the hill. It was my maiden voyage! The first thing I did, after thanking God for miraculously saving my rig, was to change my underwear!!!
Just to start out I am 69 yrs never pulled a trailer in my life. I have a vehicle that I inherited, It is a 2014 crossover suv with a factory installed tow package, with a 4500 lb tow capacity, and a 450 lb tongue weight that my vehicle can pull. It has a V6, EcoBoost, Twin Turbo, 3.5 Liter engine. So as I started to look for a travel trailer with the appropriate weight to pull & did much research to try to understand all these numbers & what I can pull with out maxing the weight and what I should pull to be safe etc. So I ended up purchasing a 2023 TAB SS 320 which has a total gross weight dry of 2045 lbs and GAWR of 2900. A tongue weight dry of 215 lbs. my vehicle can handle 450 lb tongue. So I have plenty of flexibility to add extra equipment to the tongue weight which I have added and carried along etc. I also installed a sway bar and a rear Furrion vehicle observation system. I have pulled it thru the Appalachian Mountains, and other hilly terrain. With no problems. But I must admit I don’t necessarily get good gas mileage, but I am very comfortable with my setup for towing. Thanks to Jenn Grover and others on you tube for sharing there knowledge and tips about RV’s etc. ( M ) 😊
