Tow Police Sanity Check.

My wife and I just picked up a half ton towable travel trailer hoping to do some state park camping in and around California, Texas, and Colorado. I know there's people on here who will say you need a 3/4 ton to haul a tent trailer and others will say "I pulled that 26,000lb 5th wheel with my Nissan Frontier." So, I figured I'd post the deets and see where opinions lie.

Trailer: 2023 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 182RB Moab Edition. GVWR 4250lbs. 23'10" bumper to ball. 200w solar package and all terrain tires. Mostly original but a better mattress that probably adds 80lbs.

Tow Vehicle: 2016 F150 SuperCrew shortbed. 5.0 V-8, 6R80 Transmission, 3.55 gears, trailer brake controller. Payload just shy of 1900 minus a Leer fiberglass cap and a Decked toolbox with approx 100lbs of tools in traveling loadout. Curt 17601 TruTrack 2P WDH. Max tow is supposed to be 11,800. Doesn't matter, I'll hit payload first. Not that I plan to. Picture of truck included.

2 adults, 350lbs on a good day, no kids, no pets. My wife's amount of gear as a percentage of body weight is approximately the same as an infant... or an astronaut.

So, are we going to die? Or should I tow it with the Subaru Forester to save gas?

My wife and I just picked up a half ton towable travel trailer hoping to do some state park camping in and around California, Texas, and Colorado. I know there's people on here who will say you need a 3/4 ton to haul a tent trailer and others will say "I pulled that 26,000lb 5th wheel with my Nissan Frontier." So, I figured I'd post the deets and see where opinions lie.

Trailer: 2023 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 182RB Moab Edition. GVWR 4250lbs. 23'10" bumper to ball. 200w solar package and all terrain tires. Mostly original but a better mattress that probably adds 80lbs.

Tow Vehicle: 2016 F150 SuperCrew shortbed. 5.0 V-8, 6R80 Transmission, 3.55 gears, trailer brake controller. Payload just shy of 1900 minus a Leer fiberglass cap and a Decked toolbox with approx 100lbs of tools in traveling loadout. Curt 17601 TruTrack 2P WDH. Max tow is supposed to be 11,800. Doesn't matter, I'll hit payload first. Not that I plan to. Picture of truck included.

2 adults, 350lbs on a good day, no kids, no pets. My wife's amount of gear as a percentage of body weight is approximately the same as an infant... or an astronaut.

So, are we going to die? Or should I tow it with the Subaru Forester to save gas?