Narrowing It Down - 29RS vs 303RLS (2018 ish vintage)

[OshawaDave]

We've been very happy with our 303RLS. Having the dinette face our campsite was important to us as well as two awnings. The bathroom and bedroom appear to be the same in both models. You certaining have the truck to pull either model safely. Originally, I kind of wanted an outdoor kitchen, but, have not missed it or looked back.

We considered a 150 series when we bought, however, with no bedroom slide it seemed small. I'm glasd we decided on the 303.....no buyer's remorse here.


There's a lot to be said for "buy your second trailer first"

 

[justdede]

We have a 2020 303 and absolutely love it. When we were shopping to replace our 2003 Alumascape we had three musts, access to the refrigerator and bathroom with the slides in (our 303 has a four door two way fridge so we have access to all but one side of the refrigerator and walk around bed with nightstands. Camp side windows, the 303 floor plan is great and the back window is a bonus (after spending the last 4 years with the 303 back window has now become a must for us.) I would have preferred an East-West bed with the closet across the front, but the closet configuration works for us. No outside kitchen etc. For the way we camp an outside kitchen and outside TV was a waste of space. Do like the quick connect for our Blackstone though. 303 has great storage space inside. In fact I often have empty cabinets even for a 3 month trip. Love the bathroom configuration with two doors makes nighttime bathroom runs easy for both of us also if one of us is at the sink we can go in the other door without squeezing around each other. Didn't think I would, but I love the island kitchen and the living are with both seating areas is fantastic. Easy to have eight of us in there when we visit family (with parents and 4 grandkids). Our previous 5er was a foot shorter and we had difficulty getting into some national and state parks with it too. You would have to get to under 24' to be assured of easy access to all national and state parks.

All in all we love the floor plan. We had two air conditioner units and missed having a fan vent in the bedroom so our RV tech added a fantastic fan in the bedroom and we love it.

The downsides - the kitchen slide is heavy so even though I fill the pantry, I don't put anything very heavy in the cabinets above the TV. The outside storage is adequate and better than if we had an outdoor kitchen/entertainment area, but would love some outside storage in the back. The fold out sofa bed is useless as a bed. Not a problem for us as a couple but when my adult granddaughter tried to sleep on it she migrated to the recliners because the bed is so uncomfortable. Its great as a sofa though.

We we upgraded to Road Master shocks and slipper springs and the trailer rides like a dream now. Also added 300 watts of solar so with a bit of help from a generator we can dry camp for a week.

But all these things are personal preferences, and all choices have trade offs. We found the trailer that works for us, hope you find the one that works for you.

 

[deerislandbrew]

We're still on the hunt for our Grand Design 5th wheel and we've pretty much narrowed it down to the 29RS and the 303RLS. Although very similar, they also have some substantial differences and I'm having a hard time weighing one against the other. Any input based on what you like or dislike about either model would be welcomed and of great help. I'll give you a little more of the story if you care to read on:

It's just my wife and I, so either has plenty of room for "living". We'll be pulling it with a 2016 Ford, F-350, short box, 6.2L gas, so the truck should handle either of them just fine. We generally don't travel long distances from home (a couple hundred miles average) and only camp occasionally on weekends. We're definitely not full timers. Both check the boxes for a few "must haves", which include; nightstands on both sides of the bed, auto leveling, two separate seating areas in the entertainment area (not including the dining table) and ample counter space for food prep and cooking.

What I like about the 29RS - it's a bit shorter (only 1'6") and weighs a little less (2,000lbs lower GVWR), which should make it a little easier to tow. I've also read that the difference in length can be a factor in getting into some campgrounds (especially state and national parks). It offers the outdoor entertainment area with TV and refrigerator. I also like the propane quick connect and cold water outlet near that area, since I like to cook outside and use a Blackstone and propane grill.

What I'm not sure about the 29RS - lack of an awning on the slide with the outdoor entertainment area (I've read that one cannot be added due to the structure of the slideout). A lack of pantry storage in the kitchen. Not having windows in the back that look out into your campsite. Access to the refrigerator with the slides in.

What I like about the 303RLS - the addition of a pantry in the kitchen. The second awning on the passenger side slideout. The windows in the slide that look into your campsite from the table and theater seating.

What I'm not sure about the 303RL - The lack of an outdoor entertainment area / kitchen. The slightly longer length keeping us from certain campgrounds.

In either case, we're looking at a used unit in the 2018ish vintage, give or take a year or two depending on the price and condition. In that regard, I'm much more focused on how a unit was taken care of than the model year. So far, I have found a few of each within a reasonable distance (up to a 5 hour drive from home). Based on what I've looked at online to narrow the search before driving to physically look at them, the 303RLS would likely be $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 more than the 29RS. I know that these are very personal choices based on how one uses their camper, but I would still like input from those who own one or the other.

Having the 303rls im kind of bias, I suppose. One huge improvement for us was the addition of the pantry from the Cougar 5th wheel we had. So much more kitchen space. The difference in length was 17" longer for the 303 from the Cougar. That is basically the difference your talking about. As far as handling and parking? Your not really going to notice any difference. I never did. But it was amazing how better the 303 is laid out with so much extra storage and room compared to our Cougar.
Being able to open one door on the fridge while travling is a plus but the other huge difference is that your dining room window and theater seats have windows facing into your own camp site. I would never have it the other way. BTW, I moved our propane quick connect to access right below the propane locker on the passenger side. Very handy to set up the BBQ near the front end of the rig. We live in ours for 6 months out of the year in southwestern Arizona. I cook outside quite a bit. It's not a big deal to pull out the Blackstone grill or the BBQ and put up a table. We never watch TV outside, so that has never been a concern. Anyway, good luck with that decision!