RVing is one version of the downsize lifestyle that people choose to live every day. Many think that this type of living involves selling your possessions and sleeping on a tight full-size mattress. While some find this appealing, this usually isn’t the truth.
Larger RVs have square footage that rivals some apartments. There are models of towables and motorhomes that are big enough to have king-size beds. Living the RV lifestyle can be a very comfortable existence.
A king-size bed allows more room for you and your partner to get a good night’s rest. This mattress size gives taller people a chance to stretch out. If you allow your four-legged children to sleep on the bed, this should give all of you more real estate to be comfortable.
Our topic of discussion is an exploration of travel trailers with king beds as a factory-installed feature. Since this feature has wide appeal, RV manufacturers have found ways to place them in coaches. A surprising feature is how affordable they can be.
Defining a King-Sized Bed
In the residential mattress industry, you can go to a furniture or mattress store and find a standard or California King bed. Residential furniture companies have accepted these standardized measurements. Standard kings are 72 x80 and California kings are 74 x 84.
In the RV world, mattress measurements are more fluid. Sometimes designers of RVs have to shave an inch or two off of the mattress size to allow for optimum spacing. Issues arise where they need to make sure the consumer can walk around the bed or the slideout can completely close.
Generally, you’re going to see four measurements. They can be (in inches):
- 70 x 80
- 72 x 80
- 76 x 80 (Eastern King)
- 72 x 84 (California King)
Using a Residential Mattress In Your RV
If you are going to replace your RV mattress with a residential mattress, take a moment to consider a few things. The designers of these mattresses construct them to keep their integrity within homes. While they may fit in your RV, it may not work optimally for you.
Many residential mattresses work in conjunction with a matched box spring. In your RV, your mattress will lay on top of a wood platform. The comfort and support the mattress company promises may be different.
Using your mattress without the box spring could void the warranty because you are not using it the way the manufacturer recommends. The mattress could feel different than it did in the store. As it loses integrity from continued use, you could start having back or joint issues in extreme cases.
The mattress in your RV is also exposed to humidity and more variant temperatures than a residence. Innersprings can begin to rust, and memory foam weakens with heat. You may find yourself replacing your mattress about every five years as a full-timer.
Our Search For The Best Variety of King Bed RVs
Source: OursWhen searching for the best travel trailers with king beds, we took a different approach. We wanted to find those models that would appeal to different audiences. Many manufacturers design king bed coaches for full-time RVers that are in the empty-nest phase of their life.
This isn’t necessarily the case. There are over 10 million RVs on the road, and each one has its own story. There are some common elements that this category of travel trailer shares. They include:
- Lengths between 35-40 feet
- Unloaded Vehicle Weights (UVW) between 8,000-12,000 pounds
- Top-end interior features
- The largest storage and holding tanks in the industry
- Multiple slideouts
- Many have mirrored fifth wheel versions from their manufacturers
- Faux LED fireplace this gives off heat
If you are thinking of buying one of these towable RVs, you will want to look into having the right vehicle. You will need tow vehicles that can handle the heaviest load sizes. Full-size SUVs and one-ton trucks may be your best bet.
The Best Examples of King Bed RV Models
Forest River Surveyor Luxury 33KRLOK
- 36.11 feet in length
- 7,614 pounds UVW
- Sleeps up to 4
- $31,995-$41,467
Forest River (floorplan here) describes this series as “affordable elegance.” They do this by carefully crafting this coach with deluxe features and still keep it around $40,000. This coach may not have a washer/dryer, but the tradeoffs more than make up for it.
This travel trailer has a focus for those that need to relax. Both the bedroom and living room have fireplaces. There is nothing better than watching the flames of a good fire to help your mind slow down.
While you are watching the fire in the living room, you can kick your legs up and lounge in the theatre seats. If the fireplace isn’t your thing, you can always find something to watch on the 50-inch LED TV. For something more natural, take a look through the panoramic windows to enjoy all nature has to offer.
In the bedroom, if you don’t want to lay down on the king-sized 72 x 80-inch bed, you can sit on the three-seater window retreat sofa. Here, you can enjoy the fire, TV, or read a good book.
When you are ready to eat, you’ll have plenty of space in your kitchen with your island countertop. If it’s a nice evening, take your meal outside to utilize your two-burner stove, small refrigerator, and grill with the propane hookup.
Dutchmen Kodiak Ultimate 3321BHSL
- 37.11 feet in length
- 8,754 poundsUVW
- Sleeps up to 8
- $32,490-$33,065
This bunkhouse model (floorplan here) is another reason why Kodiak uses the word “Ultimate” correctly. It’s a king bed model that also has a bunkhouse. Everything about this travel trailer is family-friendly.
Kodiak thought through this coach even down to the logistics. The weight is light enough so a full-size SUV can tow it. This way, everyone can come on the family adventure in one vehicle.
The master suite has a shorter-than-standard 70 x 80-inch king bed. The three bunks in the bunkhouse measure 28 x 74 inches. The two-seater dinette folds down to a twin size bed and the main dinette measures to a full-size.
When you have a travel trailer that can sleep up to 8 people, you need a lot of storage. That’s why the Kodiak designers added:
- A closet-sized pantry
- Big wardrobes
- A pass-through outdoor storage bay
- Many overhead cabinets throughout the coach
To feed everyone, the RV has a ten cubic foot refrigerator with a full kitchen. If it’s a nice day, you can use your outdoor kitchen. It has a small fridge, two-burner propane stove, sink, and outlets to plug in whatever else you may need.
To seat everyone, the booth dinette seats four, and there is a two-person dinette in the bunkhouse. For full-time RVers, this provides a lot of room for homeschooling books and laptops. When you are ready to relax in front of the TV, you can kick your feet up on the two-person theatre sofa.
Grand Designs Transcend 31RLK King
- 37.9 feet in length
- 9,276 poundsUVW
- Sleeps up to 4
- $39,558-$46,450
The Grand Designs Transcend 31RLK (floorplan here) is a perfect travel trailer for couples of any age range or economic demographic. Like many of their coaches, they find ways to cater to their customers’ wants and needs, to make their products more appealing.
The coach comes standard with a queen-size bed, but many of the RVs come with the optional 70 x 80-inch king. With the king bed in place, there is still plenty of walking room around the bed. Grand Designs builds its products to have the optimal use of space and functionality without feeling claustrophobic.
The bedroom features his and her closets on either side of the bed. The closet closest to the front of the RV is a walk-in that has a shoe rack and positions for a washer and dryer. A shared six-drawer dresser faces the bed with a tv mount above it.
The living room area features a tri-fold sofa that folds out, theatre seating for two, and a freestanding dining table with four chairs. If you are entertaining guests, you can still participate in the conversation with the kitchen island in the middle of the action. While you are preparing your meal, you can also catch all the action on the 40-inch LED TV.
Grand Designs keeps your four-legged friends in mind when they build their products. Underneath the refrigerator is a pet drawer. This is where you can keep their favorite toys or other essentials. To prevent claws from catching in heat vents, Grand Designs place them on the walls for safety.
KZ Sportsmen LE Toyhauler 291THLE
- 33.8 feet in length
- 6,410 pounds UVW
- Sleeps up to 6
- $25,995- $26,626
A common misconception about toy haulers is to sacrifice living space for the garage. KZ disagrees with that idea based on its Sportsmen LE 291THLE travel trailer. This coach has plenty of independent living space and a 72 x 80-inch king-size bed.
If you look at the whole series of Sportsmen LEs, you’ll see that they all have king beds in them. In this particular toy hauler, the pass-through bathroom acts as the barrier between the living space and an 11-foot garage. The U-shaped dinette booth is on a slideout, giving enough room to slow dance in front of the fireplace.
The garage has two rollover sofas that turn into beds and two removable tabletops. If you want to dine al fresco, a screen door lowers at the garage entrance. The ramp door can also double as a patio to enjoy the day or act as a fishing dock.
Gulf Stream Kingsport 40DEN Lodge Series
- 40.3 feet in length
- 9,670 pounds UVW
- Sleeps up to 6
- $30,000- $32,000
For those who don’t move around much, a destination trailer may be an option for you. They offer taller ceilings, residential sizing, and more of a home-type style. The tradeoffs can be perfect for your type of RV lifestyle.
Destination trailers, like the Gulf Stream Kingsport Lodge Series 40DEN (floorplan here), need a one-ton truck or better to pull. They don’t have holding tanks, so full hookups are a requirement. You won’t need special permits to haul them, but plan your route carefully for clearance considerations.
The great feature about the 40DEN is the designated workspace for full-timers that work from home. The den has a real desk and doors to give you the solitude you need to work. The den also doubles as a TV room or guest bunkhouse for two.
The master bedroom’s 70 x 80-inch king bed fits nicely in the room, giving some walk around space. Opposite of the bed is cabinetry that has wardrobes and drawer space. There is also a position for your LED TV to finish your evenings with your favorite shows.
The front living room/kitchen area has a tri-fold out sofa, freestanding dinette, and a residential refrigerator. There is a lot of counter space to prepare your meals without having to remove your coffee pot. The entertainment center next to the couch has a big LED TV and fireplace to enjoy.
This type of RV is not made for a lot of travel, but if you like to snowbird between two destinations regularly, this could be the right RV for you. They are bigger than conventional travel trailers, but not quite park models. This type gives you the best of both worlds.
Newmar Dutch Star 4362
- 43.9 feet in length
- 8.9 liter Cummins diesel 450 hp
- 6 speed Allison transmission
- Sleeps up to 6
- $493,358- $493,966
Our focus is on towables, but we couldn’t walk away without presenting an example of a motorhome with king beds. Many of the lightweight technologies and upscale features seen in towables are used for drivable RVs. You’ll find that king-sized beds in motorhomes fit nicely within the floorplans.
Newmar has been providing the American Public with the best motorhomes since the 1980s. One of their oldest brand names is the Dutch Star. The 4362 model (floorplan here) is a great example of the coach and a king bed floorplan.
The Class A diesel features a bath and a half, two fold-out sofas, and a walk-in closet. The master bathroom has a tiled 50 by a 34-inch shower with a fold-up bench. The closet has a washer/dryer strategically placed. When your clothes are dry, you are right there to put them away.
The master suite has a 72 x 80-inch king bed with a built-in dresser on the other side. Above the dresser, on either side are wardrobes to hang your clothes, with a TV in between. Next to the bed on each side are nightstands.
The kitchen sports a residential refrigerator. The kitchen table adjusts to make it small for two or pull it out to accommodate four people. For additional counter space, there is a pull-out cabinet that doubles the size.
Behind the loveseat sofa is a televator to give you the option to enjoy your favorite program on your big LED TV. If there’s nothing on, you can always close up the TV and enjoy what nature has to offer through the large window. In the driver’s area, a magnetic docking station allows you to charge and Bluetooth connects your mobile device to the coach’s sound system.
Finding Your Perfect RV
These are just a few of the many choices on the RV market. There is an RV out there in everyone’s price range. If you are looking to buy one, many different ways you can take to find your perfect coach.
One of the best ways is to try some of them by renting through Outdoorsy over a couple of weekends. This way, you can try out different floorplans. You can search by travel trailer, fifth wheel, motorhome, or any other type you’re curious about.
Other options are checking out your local dealership or the RV show in your state. Whichever one you choose, make sure you check out our Camper Smarts homepage for tips and essential information. We hope to see you down the road.
