If traveling through the wilderness in a cramped camper frustrates you, or you feel homesick in the uncomfortable seats of your RV, a front living room 5th wheel might just be the thing for you.
If you’re in the market for a front living room fifth wheel camper, then you're probably looking for space and with it some home creature comforts.
They are the most popular 5th wheels and for good reason. The extra space the floorplans offer make them ideal for families, and with it you will be able to get more privacy and better social areas within the camper.
In this article we've reviewed what we think are the best front living room 5th wheel campers. And to help guide you. we've included a buyer's guide to help you understand why a front living room setting is better for certain situations.
We've also added a comparison overview of some of the biggest brands in the 5th wheel industry. And if you have any unanswered questions, there's an FAQ section for everything 5th wheels with a front living room setting. happy reading!
Photo credit: campingworld.com
Why Choose a 5th Wheel With a Front Living Room?
A front living room fifth wheel camper can make your travel adventures much more comfortable and fun. Some reasons why you should invest in one are:
Ideal Setting for Guests to Stay In
Usually, RVs merge the kitchen with the living room, and anyone getting in and out of the kitchen is bound to disturb someone resting in the living area. Front living rooms in a 5th wheel take care of this effortlessly.
Many units even come with a partitioning curtain to completely separate the living area, so you won't be disturbing anyone while you're pottering about in the kitchen. And more importantly, you won't be disturbed while you've got your chef's hat on.
Feel at Home With a Front Living Room
Front living room 5th wheels are great for relaxing and having great tea time conversations. Separate positioning upfront gives it both a private and social feel. It's cozy enough for a solitary book read or a friendly game of chess, or a good gathering of friends for a good chat.
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R (Source)
Increased Headroom for the Bedroom and Bathroom
An often overlooked aspect of having a front living room 5th wheel is the freedom of moving the bedroom and bathroom to the rear.
The rear is the place with the most space clearance between the floor and the ceiling. This translates to a bedroom and bathroom with maximum headroom that you'll get with a 5th wheel camper.
Added to that, you don’t have to duck every time you get in and out of your bed. It also increases the overall storage capacity of the RV, which is not only a functional addition but is aesthetically pleasing as well.
What to Look For When Buying a Front Living Room 5th Wheel?
Sleeping Capacity
You’re buying a 5th wheel to travel in luxury with your family or partner. If your vehicle doesn't have space to accommodate them, then what use is it? Some 5th wheels on our list offer up to six sleeping beds in one way or the other, and it is definitely something you should consider while making the decision.
Coachmen Chaparral 370FL (Source)
Water Tank Capacities
If you are planning to camp out in the open for a while, then a 5th wheel with extra water storage capacity will go a long way in helping you out.
Storage Compartments
Some good 5th wheels floor plans aren't ideal for some, because they cut back on some essential storage capacity. For instance, safely stowing away dirty boots before entering might seem unimportant, but having a compartment solely for this purpose can help a lot.
Entertainment Options
You are getting a living room for a purpose, and that purpose should be fulfilled. The best front living room 5th wheels have great TV options upfront, and some offer telescopic TV adjustment too. And, if you're among those who enjoys watching TV in bed, then go for a model that has a TV in the bedroom. You could even get some exterior speakers, too.
Review of the Best 5th Wheels With Front Living Room
There are a lot of great options out there when it comes to front living room fifth wheel campers, and the choices can get confusing. To make things easy for you, we have selected and reviewed some of the best for you...
Best Overall Front Living Room 5th Wheel Camper:
Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX
Pros
Cons
Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX Specs
GVWR: 16800 lbs
Dry Weight: 13856 lbs
Hitch Weight (Dry): 2340 lbs
Exterior Length: 41’ 4”
Exterior Height: 13’ 6”
Interior Height:
Fresh water capacity: 64 gallons
Gray water capacity: 80 gallons
Black water capacity: 40 gallons
Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX Floor Plan
Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX Layout
As the name suggests, the Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX is teeming with luxury. The island-style kitchen counter at the entrance adds to the overall feel and look of the RV. There are three stoves and dual sinks in the kitchen, and there's plenty of storage compartments throughout the camper.
The refrigerator is also a residential setting one and is enough even for a whole family of five. As you move towards the bedroom, there is a small toilet. The bedroom has a queen-size bed, which can be swapped out for a king-sized one. Through the bedroom, there is a huge bathroom with dual sinks and a nicely built shower area, giving it a home from home feeling.
Towards the front, there are sofas that extend into a full-size bed that gives a great view of the telescoping TV. Underneath the TV, there is an electric fireplace, which helps set the cozy scene. The whole compartment is covered in crown-molding cabinet accents and has a neat backlight that adds to the ambiance.
Who Is The Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX Best For?
The Forest River Cardinal is a great front living room 5th wheel camper. It's full of luxury and has a premium feel in all the furniture and fittings. It can easily sleep six people, so it is best for family or friends that travel together. The kitchen island counter also adds functional workspace.
Popular Features
There's an option to add a washer and dryer, making your RV fit for living in with the amenities that you commonly get at home. On top of it, there is a fireplace in the bedroom, too. It not only keeps the temperature in control but also adds to the overall look and feel of the place.
Runner-up:
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R
Pros
Cons
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R Specs
GVWR: 16800 lbs
Dry Weight: 14868 lbs
Hitch Weight (Dry): 3052 lbs
Exterior Length: 41’ 5”
Exterior Height: 13’ 5”
Interior Height:
Fresh water capacity: 93 gallons
Gray water capacity: 106 gallons
Black water capacity: 106 gallons
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R Floor Plan
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R Layout
The Solitude 380FL-R is built with practicality and utility in mind. The entrance steps house a storage compartment under them to store dirty field boots before stepping on the luxurious living room carpet.
Everything you will need is in easy reach in the Grand Design Solitude. The large refrigerator and oven are beside the pantry for easy access. And, there's a handy second toilet in the kitchen area near the entrance.
The sofa sets in the living room have dual slide-out sections that maximize storage while minimizing space wastage. They also extend into a full-size bed that has a great view of the telescoping TV set above the fireplace. The theatre seating right in front of the TV adds to the experience.
The other wing of the trailer houses the bedroom with a queen-size bed that is placed in front of an entertainment system with a LED TV and numerous storage shelves. Next to the bedroom is a dual-sink bathroom that also has a shower area with a skylight option.
Who Is The Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R Best For?
The Grand Design Solitude is, hands down, one of the best front living room 5th wheels out there. It is an overkill for a couple and can easily be sufficient for a family. The one-and-a-half-bathroom design and folding bed sofa seats all add to its utility as a great RV.
Popular Features
While all front living room 5th wheels offer similar features, Grand Design has gone ahead and added extra water capacity that can help you out on the road for days. It has almost 33% more capacity than any of the other campers we have reviewed, which will be very handy.
Best for the Money:
Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS
Pros
Cons
Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS Specs
GVWR: 11685 lbs
Dry Weight: 10963 lbs
Hitch Weight (Dry): 2455 lbs
Exterior Length: 39’ 4”
Exterior Height: 12’ 5”
Interior Height:
Fresh water capacity: 81 gallons
Gray water capacity: 76 gallons
Black water capacity: 38 gallons
Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS Floor Plan
Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS Layout
The Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS boasts an automation system, which can be linked to a mobile application so you can control the lighting and stuff from a distance.
To the left of the entrance are the stove, oven, and some storage compartments. The dual sink in the counter is made out of stainless steel. Heading towards the back, there's a bathroom with a skylight and fan just before the bedroom area. The bedroom area boasts a large window and a queen-size or a king-size bed option.
On the outside, there's pass-through storage that runs parallel to the axle to give you large storage space for mats or tables. The electric awning on the outside extends for 20 feet and is big enough to keep you covered as you relax in front of the entrance.
Who Is The Keystone RV Cougar 367FLS Best For?
This front living room 5th wheel is great for people who likes all the mod cons. The 2020 367FLS makes use of automation and even allows you to control the awning and lights. And, the HVAC can also be controlled remotely.
The camper itself is best suited for two to four people, although it can easily sleep seven. This is helped with the absence of an island kitchen counter that otherwise adds storage space and provides an extra workspace and a single bathroom, which can create a bit of a bottleneck for seven people.
Popular Features
The passthrough storage compartment is a great addition praised by everyone. In addition, the Keystone RV Cougar’s automated system is definitely a bonus. The electronically-controlled awning, together with the plethora of futuristic features, makes it one of the best front living room 5th wheels out there.
Honorable Mention:
Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS
Pros
Cons
Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS Specs
GVWR: 16995 lbs
Dry Weight: 14275 lbs
Hitch Weight (Dry): 4000 lbs
Exterior Length: 40’ 2”
Exterior Height: 13’ 6”
Interior Height: 8’ 5”
Fresh water capacity: 75 gallons
Gray water capacity: 87 gallons
Black water capacity: 87 gallons
Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS Floor Plan
Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS Layout
The Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS gives the feel of home the moment you step inside. You're welcomed to a wood-finish on the interior, glass accents, and stainless steel in the kitchen area.
The rear of the camper houses a king-sized bed and a dedicated entertainment system with a TV. There is a bathroom between the bedroom and the kitchen/lounge, which is big enough, according to front living room 5th wheel camper standards. In front of the bathroom entrance is the second exit of the camper.
Towards the front side, there's the living room with a great entertainment system. The foldable seats can extend into beds and provide great support to the legs while watching TV. The kitchen has a three-burner stove, a full-size refrigerator, and a popular island-style kitchen counter in the middle.
Who Is The Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS Best For?
The Pinnacle is a great option for people looking to enjoy their adventures. It has a spacious room and bathroom and can sleep six people easily. The camper's overall feel and quality are great, and the movement inside the vehicle is easy and convenient because of the open areas.
Popular Features
The best thing about the Jayco Pinnacle 38FLWS is the attention to detail and space management. It is easily one of the most spacious campers out there, and the comfort is increased even more with the choice of materials used.
Apart from the spaciousness, the Jayco Pinnacle also boasts dual-entry doors that allow the camper to be put to many different and versatile uses. It can be used as a site office or a vacation trailer.
Editor's Pick:
Coachmen Chaparral 370FL
Pros
Cons
Coachmen Chaparral 370FL Specs
GVWR: 14500 lbs
Dry Weight: 11863 lbs
Hitch Weight (Dry): 2211 lbs
Exterior Length: 41’ 5”
Exterior Height: 13’ 5”
Interior Height:
Fresh water capacity: 48 gallons
Gray water capacity: 90 gallons
Black water capacity: 45 gallons
Coachmen Chaparral 370FL Floor Plan
Coachmen Chaparral 370FL Layout
The Coachmen Chaparral 370FL is one of the most lightweight front living room 5th wheel campers out there. The living room is spacious and has two slide-out sections that can convert into tri-fold sofas. There's also theatre seating available, and all the furniture in the living room is high-quality leather.
The positioning of the living room windows minimizes the glare on the front-mounted television, which is enclosed in wooden shelves. The kitchen is simple and practical, with a lot of walking room available. Towards the other end of the 5th wheel is the bedroom, which again is spacious and has a window. The default configuration is a queen-size bed, which can be swapped out for a king-size one.
The best part about the Chaparral is perhaps the presence of a second entry point on the other side of the camper. This provides privacy and helps keep the floor clean if someone is only in to use the bathroom, which is directly in front of the second entrance.
The whole camper has a plush carpet throughout the floor, and the furniture is high-quality, just like the upholstery.
Who Is The Coachmen Chaparral 370FL Best For?
The Chaparral 370FL has good water-holding capacity. With 90-gallon gray and 45-gallon black water storage, four to six people can easily stay on the move for days before needing to visit a dumpsite. A small family or even a couple can enjoy the spacious luxury offered by the Coachman Chaparral. The dual-entry makes this model a great option for a temporary site office too.
Popular Features
The dual-entry on either side of the Coachmen Chaparral is what makes it stand out from all the other options. The placement of the entrances also adds to the privacy and gives a more home-like feel to the front living room 5th wheel.
On top of this, the added water capacity is also a welcome addition and can last for days before you need to refill or empty the tanks.
Keystone vs Forest River 5th Wheels With Front Living Rooms - How Do They Compare?
Keystone and Forest River are two of the biggest recreational vehicle manufacturers, and have both been around for over a quarter of century. But which one is better?
Similarities
Both brands offer great options when it comes to front living room 5th wheels. The build quality is great for both, and their different subsidiaries offer different materials, design choices, floor plans, and automation options.
Forest River and Keystone use the best materials on their best models, and both of them offer covered underbelly models with a front living room as well as those that come without the cover.
Differences
There's not much to separate the two key players of the RV industry as both of these offer great campers with roughly the same features. Forest River trailers are the same quality as those from Keystone despite being a relatively younger company. Where one model might be falling short of some nifty feature, the other from the same company would be packing a plethora of others.
Forest River Cardinal Luxury 3700FLX (Source)
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
Choosing a front living room 5th wheel is not easy. Many companies have their own set of great features, but there are a few things that you should keep in mind.
Bathrooms
Having an extra toilet can go a long way in making up one's mind. Although it will take up space, an extra toilet will come in handy, especially if there's more than 2 of you that travel regularly. That said, if you are a couple and don’t intend to take many people along, then a single bathroom should be enough.
Telescopic Television
Theatre seats in an RV are great, but only if the TV is at a good angle. If you are a bit of an entertainment enthusiast, we suggest that you opt for a telescopic TV adjustment option. Some of the best front living room 5th wheels offer the option of a telescopic adjustment that can even be removed to look outside through the front window behind the TV.
Water Capacity
If you're looking to stay out in the open for extended times, like a week, then you need to go for an RV that can hold sufficient water supplies. The Grand Design Solitude has the greatest water holding capacity on our list. While water usage is highly subjective, five to six people can use up to seven gallons of water each day. This includes short showers for half the travelers and doing dishes once a day.
Grand Design Solitude 380FL-R (Source)
People Also Ask - Front Living Room 5th Wheel Campers FAQs
Buyers look for all sorts of feature sets, and some even require the removal of something that others consider pivotal. Here are some of the questions that 5th wheel buyers often have.
What Is the Smallest Front Living Room Fifth Wheel?
The Keystone Laredo 353FL, under 40 feet, is one of the smallest front living room fifth wheels. It compresses the amenities into a smaller footprint but takes away the extra bathroom and some of the storage compartments that some of its siblings and other competitors offer.
Is a Front Living Room 5th Wheel Good for Full Time Living?
Yes, a 5th wheel can be used for full-time living, and the addition of a front living room makes it all the more comfortable. Front living room designs mostly provide a very residential feel and can be very comfortable to live in.
How Much Does a Front Living Room 5th Wheel Cost?
A front living room 5th wheel can cost anywhere between $50000 and $150000. There are some even more expensive options with luxury fittings and antique materials. The price goes up as more features and better materials are opted for.
Are There Budget 5th Wheels with a Front Living Room?
Vehicles like the Keystone Cougar and Keystone Laredo take away some features and offer 5th wheels with a front living room at a more competitive price than the competition. The tradeoffs for a lower price may include a removed bathroom, no dual sinks, and reduced water tank storage.
Front Living Room 5th Wheel Campers - Home from Home
Choosing a front living room 5th wheel is not easy, but if you get it right, it will give you years of happiness. They're the most popular 5th wheel layouts for a good reason: they're family friendly, and offer more privacy than other 5th wheels, such as Toy Haulers and 2-bedroom 5th wheels.
With this review, we hope you now have a better understanding of all 5th wheel layouts, and are in a better place to make your pick. Whichever front living room 5th wheel you go for, we're sure it will make your every trip a memorable one.