Large Rear Storage Tray on GD Models

[TexSol20]

Good evening to all -

We are narrowing our focus on fifth wheels to most likely the GD 380FL or the Alliance 385FL. One of the things we really like is the large rear storage tray. However, as we are new to RVing, do others find such a large rear tray of use, indispensable, a pain, more than needed? If it useful, what large items do you carry that necessitates the large tray? We are thinking kayaks eventually or items we pick up looking for antiques, plus everything else we need to carry with us.

Many thanks!

TexSol20

 

[geotex1]

Hello and welcome TexSol20!

Be prepared, you're going to get an answer that agrees with every condition you have stated! Some swear buy the drawers, others curse them due to the lost spaced "around the edges." It's really a very personal choice with respect to what and how you stow. Both Lippert and MORryde make these drawers for the RV community, and there's at least 9 more makers that cater to commercial usage. Point being, you can always retrofit in too!

Good luck and may you make the best choice for you in your RV quest!

 

[ThePowells]

I love ours. The best point for me is that I can put heavier / bulkier items up at the front of the slide and that way they are more out of the way, but accessible if I need it.

 

[Txfivver]

I love ours. The best point for me is that I can put heavier / bulkier items up at the front of the slide and that way they are more out of the way, but accessible if I need it.

This. I love mine as well. I carry a couple of spare 30 lb propane bottles at the front of mine out of the way until needed. I carry the Blackstone griddle and other more used items at the front. It's so nice to slide it out, shop for what you want, and slide it back in out of the way. The 375 RES has the side storage compartments on each side so you really don't lose anything storage wise.

 

[Geodude]

We have a 380FL. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the rear storage tray, when I saw a friend's 380. For us it's the perfect place to carry the four bicycles we frequently travel with - a road bike and a mountain bike, one of each for my wife and me. Loading bikes is easy, the bikes stay clean, out of the way and out of sight of prying eyes.

We also carry two 14'4" kayaks in the basement (with a slight modification to the 12'-ish overall basement to get the kayaks to fit. In this case we can still stow two bikes in there -- bikes at each side and kayaks on top of each other.

Other than that, we have a daughter in graduate school 10 hours away, so moving services are required. It's amazing what you can fit in that storage area, and the tray just makes it easier. We had a huge chunk of a one bedroom apartment in there. I was impressed.

 

[TexSol20]

Thank you to all who've responded. I love the large storage tray, even though we are still trying to figure out what we will haul! Kayaks are the "want" list. The only problem we have with the 380FL is there is zero prep room around the stove, so it is either prep room in a brand other than GD, or the large storage tray...decisions, decisions...

 

[Geodude]

That lack of prep room around the stove was something we noticed, but our last trailer, a Heartland Bighorn, was the same. So we were used to using the space on the island instead, and adding a sink cover if we need even more room. In our case we found that's a pretty easy adjustment in exchange for all the other stuff we love about the 380.

 

[Dick Noble]

Our 375RES has this and it is full -- including wife's tricycle. I found the same size (4X8) will also fit the area just ahead of the rear tray. It is higher but since it slides both ways (both sides of the 5er) it is handy too.