New Toy Haulers: It’s Playtime!

Paradise for many motorsports-oriented RVers is heading to some remote, off-grid location to camp for days at a time while family and friends ride their ATVs, dirt bikes, side-by-sides, or snowmobiles. This is especially prevalent where there are vast areas of public access in deserts, mountains, and big dunes along the West’s coastal regions.

Some RVers in this segment often cram their favorite motorized toys in the bed of a pickup and tow a travel trailer. That’s a good combo when there’re just a couple of people in the mix. But when the RVing trip involves more than two people and a couple of smaller toys, one may want to expand the RV’s footprint. That’s where toy haulers fit into the mix.

Toy haulers are a unique segment in the RV world. They have rear ramps that open into garage areas where the toys can be loaded, stored, and secured for the trip, and off-loaded when arriving at your camping spot. The front half of the RV provides the creature comforts and accommodations. The majority of the larger toy-hauler floorplans have a bulkhead between the garage and the living space. Most versions today are designed where the garage incorporates sleeping and sitting space, and most allow the loading ramp to convert into a patio.

Most toy haulers are designed as fifth-wheels, which is by design since the weight balance works better in that configuration for towing. There are some travel-trailer toy haulers that have a less-than-7,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) that are ideal for transporting a couple of ATVs, kayaks, e-bikes, and so forth behind half-ton pickups and some full-size SUVs. But usually toy haulers that have the garage capacity to carry side-by-sides, multiple ATVs (quads), and dirt bikes—or a combination of all—will have a GVWR in the range where a three-quarter- or one-ton pickup is going to be the best tow vehicle.

If you are considering purchasing a toy hauler, it’s best to think about where your toy needs will be in a year, two years, and five years down the road. As families and friend circles grow, so does the number and types of toys that need to be brought along. Here are five that we’d enjoy loading up our toys and camping in this year.

Dutchmen Voltage 3675

An 11-foot garage outfitted with a HappiJac power bunk, sofas, a loft bed, and a half bath are just some of the many features of the 40-foot, 7-inch Dutchmen Voltage 3675. Rounding out this impressive fifth-wheel toy hauler is an island kitchen with an 18-cubic-foot fridge, a king bed in the front slideout, one-touch leveling, a 5.5-kW generator, and an outdoor entertainment center.

This dual-axle, triple-slide toy hauler can sleep up to eight, and holds 118 gallons of freshwater, with an 84-gallon gray tank and 88-gallon black tank to handle extended dry camping.  The garage has a ramp patio, insulated floor, its own A/C and power steps, and an awning over the entry door. The toys can be refilled many times, too, thanks to the onboard 60-gallon auxiliary gas tank. The 16,977-pound GVWR Voltage also carries an industry-leading three-year warranty. Base MSRP: $163,689

Northwood Desert Fox 27FS

Travel-trailer toy haulers are far more rare than their fifth-wheel cousins, and the Northwood Desert Fox 27FS is a standout in this class. This 32-foot, 7-inch, 8,942-pound GVWR towable rolls on an off-road chassis. It features a master bedroom with a walk-around king-size electric bed; an open-concept kitchen-dining area with a deep, double-bowl, stainless-steel sink; a split bath with a full tub; and up to 16 feet of accessible cargo space for toys.

There’s an onboard Cummins Onan 4.0 gasoline generator, 40-gallon fuel station, an air compressor, and a pressure washer. The garage has a power-lift bed with a 54-by-90-inch bunk above. It’ll sleep six and offers an optional ramp-door patio kit to take the boondocking party outside. Base MSRP: $79,259

Heartland Cyclone 4014C

At 46 feet, 7 inches, and weighing in with a dry weight of 16,300 pounds, the triple-axle, triple-slide Heartland RV Cyclone 4014C is one of the largest toy haulers around. An 18-cubic-foot fridge, both convection and traditional ovens, three 15,000-Btu A/C units, a tilting king bed, loads of storage, sleeping capacity for eight, two full bathrooms, and the 14-foot garage with oversized windows and a full 8-foot-wide garage-door ramp make this an ideal RV for families who love motorsports and boondocking.

The climate-controlled garage also has built-in overhead cabinets with an entertainment center, power queen beds, and a convertible sofa. The 2023 model has 30% more bedroom floor space and 25% more storage than the 2022 model, plus 150 gallons of freshwater. Optional is a three-season removable garage wall. Base MSRP: $167,929.

Travel Lite RV 24SUR

Adventurers looking for a smaller travel-trailer toy hauler to take dirt bikes, small side-by-side, kayaks, or snowmobiles will find the Travel Lite 24SUR a sweet package. With a 7,000-pound GVWR, this 26-foot, 10-inch toy hauler is one of the lightest toy haulers on the market, making it ideal for towing behind half-ton pickups and full-size SUVs.

This lightweight, all-composite-and-aluminum toy hauler boasts a 12-foot, 8-inch garage, 320-watt solar panel, 13,500-Btu A/C, 20,000-Btu furnace, a queen bed, kitchen, and bathroom. Also offered are an optional HappiJac drop-down bunk and ramp patio kit. This toy hauler that’s great for couples comes equipped with a Tuson Sway Control, so it can even detect off-road towing conditions. Base MSRP: $48,980

ATC Plā 4319

ATC trailers are a well-respected name in toy haulers, and the brand-new PLĀ 700 Series 4319 is sure to keep that reputation growing. This 44-foot, 9-inch triple-axle fifth-wheel can swallow the biggest side-by-side and still leave plenty of room for other toys. Slideouts in the bedroom and galley make for vast living quarters while still providing a tie-down area for up to 7,000 pounds of motorized fun in the garage. It carries 200 gallons of freshwater, 72 gallons of gas for the toys, and 60,000-Btu in air conditioning units.

Residential appliances, a loft, abundant storage, plus a nice ramp patio make this a true family toy hauler. With the optional HappiJac bed, the 4319 can sleep up to 10. Like all ATC trailers, the 4319 uses zero wood in the construction and rolls on an aluminum-based frame, not steel. A three-season enclosed patio room kit is optional. Base MSRP: $156,995