Some boys refuse to grow up with age. They still like playing outdoors with their favorite toys. No matter where they travel to, they always like to carry their toys with them. Before you start getting any wrong ideas, let me assure you that I'm talking about grown-up ?boys? here, and the ?toys? refer to something more than little playthings from a kid's closet.



If you fancy pumping up your adrenaline with snowmobiling, dirt biking, riding your ATV, jet-skiing or mountain biking, and also enjoy going places with your kith and kin, toy haulers are what you need.

Toy haulers, also known as 'toy trailers' or 'toy boxes?, comprise one of the fastest-growing segments of the RV industry. They are particularly popular with individuals who enjoy outdoor sports and are always looking for an opportunity to follow their passion at exotic locales away from home. Toy haulers merge seamlessly with the active outdoor lives of such people. Toy trailers look just like a regular fifth wheel or travel trailer, and their technical specs are not very different either. Typically, toy haulers can be anywhere between 20 to 40 feet long and come equipped with either a frame hitch or a 5th-wheel hitch.

The cargo space (the space where you park your toys) usually fills the back part of the trailer although there are quite a few excellent side-cargo models. On the former kind, the rear wall features a door which, like in a moving van, can roll up and reveal a loading ramp that can be pulled out. It can also be a simple swing-down door/ramp combination where the door itself acts as the loading ramp. The anterior part of the trailer houses the living area, including bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Some models also have slide-outs that add extra living space.

It's easy to see from the above why toy haulers are such a marvelous piece of engineering for most. If you've always wanted to find the perfect balance between the comforts of your home and your active outdoor lifestyle, toy haulers are what you need.

Just like with conventional travel trailers or fifth wheels, you can choose from a wide variety of floor plans for your toy hauler. The main consideration for most is whether the cargo space has room enough to hold all the toys that you want to carry along. Another consideration is the angle of inclination of the ramp. After all, you need a ramp that lets you easily, and quickly, load and unload your toys. Other points to look out for include checking the surface of the ramp to make sure it's finished with non-skid material. In some cases, the cargo area can be converted to a screen porch. If this interests you, be sure to ask your dealer about new or used toy haulers with this option.

By the rule of thumb, the larger the cargo area is, the more compact the living area will be. One is advised to find the best balance between the two. Generally, these RVs can easily accommodate 6 ? 10 people and contain, at least, one discrete bedroom along with sofabeds and a bunk in the cargo area. There are literally dozens of ways to configure a toy hauler's living area, and you can also choose the colors and fabrics that suit your taste.