Tag Archives: Lance camper

REV Group announces plans for Lance Camper production in Indiana

Brookfield, Wisconsin based REV Recreation Group announced today plans to add an assembly plant and component warehouse in Decatur, Indiana for its Lance Camper line of travel trailers.

“With the growing interest in and demand for travel trailers, our Decatur facilities will help to better serve those dealers in the Midwest and in the East,” said Mike Lanciotti,president, REV Recreation Group. “Adams County is known for its loyal and diligent workforce, many with expertise in RV manufacturing; we look forward to more employees joining the Lance team.”

This expansion will create more than 100 jobs in Adams County with initial recruiting expected to begin in early April.  Preliminary startup is planned for July, with production ramp-up to follow for six to eight months.

Lance received support both from Adams County and the Indiana Economic Develop Corporation in the form of property tax abatements and incentive-based tax credits. Tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired.

As the RV Capital of the World, Indiana offers a business-friendly climate and skilled workforce for a variety of RV and camper manufacturers to increase production and meet rising demand of Hoosiers wanting to explore, said Ann Lathrop, executive vice president of global investments for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Were excited Lance Camper has chosen to expand operations in Indiana and look forward to supporting the companys continued growth.

Located just 20 miles south of Indiana’s second largest city, Fort Wayne, Lance will join one of REV’s other brands in Decatur, Fleetwood RV, makers of motor homes Bounder, Discovery, Southwind, Pace Arrow, and others.

The addition of Lance manufacturing trailer in the eastern half of the United States should be good news for dealers in this part of the country. Currently Lance’s manufacturing facility is in Lancaster, California, and shipping trailers to the east coast adds a good chunk of change to the cost. This should help ease some of those costs.

For more info on Lance Campers, visit their website at lancecamper.com.

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And now a word from our sponsors…

It’s been a while since we’ve had advertisers on The Small Trailer Enthusiast, but I want to welcome back to the fold two previous advertisers, The Teardrop Shop and Lance Camper.


The Teardrop Shop has been on the scene for nearly 10 years and is an online, one stop shop for all your teardrop trailer needs. From awnings to covers and everything in between, they’ve got it. But they carry accessories not only for your small teardrop, but for also larger teardrops like the Little Guy Max, T@B 400, and r-pod.
The categories on The Teardrop Shop are endless. And I’m finding they have a lot of great products even if you don’t have a teardrop. Accessories for inside and outside your trailer, as well as clothing, decals, hitching and towing  accessories, solar, cooking needs…the list goes on. You can visit The Teardrop Shop by clicking on the thumbnail on the right column of any of our pages, or just click here and explore: The Teardrop Shop.

Lance Camper needs no introduction. Starting out as a truck camper manufacturer in 1965, Lance Camper has evolved into one of the most respected trailer manufacturers in the industry. It’s no secret if you’ve ever owned or toured a Lance truck camper or trailer that you won’t find a better built product, and their reputation for quality that has lasted for decades. With trailers ranging from 19’8” to 29’5” in length, they’ve got you covered for every stage of your camping life. You can explore the Lance Camper website by clicking on their thumbnail ad on the right side of any page, or by clicking here: Lance Camper

 

 

 

 

 

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Small Trailer Snapshot: The Lance 1475

This summer I made a trip Mount Vernon, Indiana, a city in the southwest tip of the Hoosier state, to visit one of my favorite small trailer dealers, Gerton Auto Sales. Owner John Gerton recently became a Lance travel trailer dealer this past year and being the only Lance dealer in Indiana, I had to take a trip to the Ohio River city to check them out.My focus was on the Lance 1475, a unit that’s been out a couple years now. It started out as a no-slide, 19’8″ single axle couple’s camper with two captain’s chairs for the primary seating. Since that first year, they’ve added a short slide out on the curb side of the trailer, replacing the two captains chairs with a sofa paired with two Lagun tables. When I first heard about this floorplan with a slide out on the door side, I was a little skeptical. I’ve seen a lot of trailers with deep slides on the door side that intrude into your outdoor sitting area. But not the case with the slide on the 1475, as it is around a foot or so, and the intrusion into your campsite is minimal.

 

 

Key Features:  PVC roof, Azdel interior paneling (instead of luan wood), and interiors are made of Euro-Lite™ which is a light weight and formaldehyde-free product that is imported from Europe. One key option is the All Weather Package, which includes enclosed, insulated, and heated holding tanks, plus insulated hatch doors. The bathroom features a curved shower (with skylight) to better utilize space, as well as a foot flush toilet and a vanity. The refrigerator offers 5 cubic feet of space in a 3-way (propane, 12 volts, and 110) power option with separate doors for both the freezer and the refrigerator. The kitchen gives you a 3-burner flush mount stove with glass cover, with the option available for an oven. The deep, round undermount sink features a residential single lever faucet with a pull-out sprayer. Optional is the microwave that features a flat bottom, which eliminates the need for the usual rotating microwave plate.

Key Specs: With a dry weight of 2600 lbs (before options), a GVWR of 3700 lbs, a 250 lbs dry hitch weight, and an overall length of 19’8”, the 1475 is a hit in the small trailer community. The fresh tank is 26 gallons, grey tank 26 gallons, and the black tank is 26 gallons. Structural dimensions:

Floor Length 14’10”
Overall Length 19’8″
Exterior Width 84-3/8″
Exterior Height w/Optional 13.5M A/C 9’10”
Interior Height 78″

Why I Like It: The designers at Lance laid out the Lance 1475 very well, given the overall size limitations. There’s easy access to storage underneath the front queen bed thanks to a handy door underneath the side of the bed. Also, you’ll find a pantry next to the refrigerator as you walk in, plus overhead cabinets above the kitchen counter as well as cabinets and drawers below the kitchen. Above the sofa (or rockers depending on which floorplan you choose) you’ll find additional cabinets. Above the bed you’ll find a full width shelf for storage which has a netting in front to secure those items.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a huge fan of the trailers Lance offers. I’ve been hearing from frustrated RVers for years how they want the trailers they spend good money on to last more than a few years without having to continually the service department of their RV dealer. From what I’ve seen from Lance over the years, they are one of those rare exceptions. The proof is in the build, and the fit & finish of the Lance 1475 is as good as it gets. Lance is a brand that when you buy one, you keep it for a long time.

 

The MSRP on the Lance 1475 slide out is around $42,000, and as we know, no one pays MSRP. For more information on the Lance 1475, visit the Lance website at: http://lancecamper.com. And to support a true mom & pop dealership, check out our friends at Gerton Auto Sales at http://gertonautosales.com.

photos courtesy myself and Lance Camper

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Lance Best in Trailer Life Survey

The 6th annual Trailer Life Readers’ Choice Awards are out and Lance Camper of Lancaster, California has taken home the prize for best travel trailer, while anything from Forest River came in second and Jayco finished third.

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According to Trailer Life, “Lance made its mark as a manufacturer of truck campers after getting its start back in 1965. Since then, lightweight travel trailers and toy haulers have become significant parts of the Southern California company’s product line, with Lance paying the same careful attention to the design, construction and durability of its towable RVs as it has always given to its segment-leading truck campers.”

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The accolades should come as no surprise as our long time partner was recognized earlier this year as the top selling composite travel trailer in the 14′-23′ category by RV Business Intelligence Solutions. Congrats to all our friends at Lance on a job well done!

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Elkhart Open House – Part 1

This was the first year I’ve made the trek up to Elkhart, Indiana for the annual manufacturers open house throughout the region. I was able to hit most of the big manufacturers, with the exception of anything under the Forest River umbrella. The gatekeeper decided to flex his muscles instead of letting me come in and (gasp!) promote their products on this website. Their loss. That said, a huge thank you goes out to Thor Industries for supplying me a media pass that allowed me to roam around to look at their selections including Airstream, KZ, Camp Lite, Heartland, and Jayco. I also made a side trip to visit Winnebago, Gulf Stream, Liberty Outdoors, inTech RV, Holiday House, Taxa, Riverside RV, Lance, Sunset Park RV, Travel Lite, and nuCamp. So as you can guess, I packed a lot in a 10 hour period. So I’ll briefly post some pics below with a few comments. I didn’t get pics of everything, but hopefully enough to pique your interest for the upcoming RV buying season.

First off is the KZ Escape Mini. This is in the same class as whatever you what to call the R-pod. Five floorplans at your choosing with all five 20’9″ long and weighing anywhere from 2800-2900 lbs. You can view the Escape Mini floorplans by clicking here.

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I still contend Livin’ Lite’s Camp Lite travel trailers are near the top of the best constructed conventional trailers on the market. Six sided aluminum cage construction with Azdel sidewalls give you all the assurance you’d need that these will last you for a long, long, time. There are nine floorplans of the Camp Lite, start at a mere 15’7″ and 2430 lbs. To view the Camp Lite floorplans, click here.

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Last year, Heartland RV debuted the Terry Classic V21. Styled after the early 1960’s Holiday House, the Terry Classic was met with a cool reception, due in part to its weight of around 4400 lbs, which for a single axle is somewhat on the heavy side. This year, they have come out with a much better floorplan in the V22. The front kitchen, rear bedroom offers a much more open floorplan than the V21. However, the V22 is even heavier, as the unit on display weighed a robust 4700 lbs. While still half ton towable, it far exceeds the capability of the 3500 lbs mini van tow capacity, which many retro styled trailers of today are geared for. More on the Terry Classic can be found by clicking here.

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Gulf Stream has introduced what best can be described as a fancy entry level in the new Capri. If you like a retro flair in a basic stick and tin trailer, the Capri may be up your alley. With a white exterior base and mint green trim with the same interior accents, the Capri has a very refreshing look, as entry level units go. It’s basically the same thing as Gulf Stream’s Ameri-Lite with the mint green giving it a much more desirable look than the typical browns. I’d suspect you’ll find these in the low to mid teens price range. There were only two on display, a bunkhouse and a couple’s floorplan. I would suspect they’ll have more on their website in the coming months, but to view what Ameri-Lite has to offer for a rough idea what you’re in for, click here.

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My next stop was at Liberty Outdoors, the parent company of Little Guy, Serro Scotty, and ParkLiner. On hand here were the recently released Little Guy Max. Sales have been brisk with the Max over the first couple of months of production, and the debut of the prototype Little Guy Plus should likely create the same buzz as the Max. The Plus is in the early stages and there are more changes to be made on it. But the overall concept is that it will have a traditional rear galley and also an interior galley with a U-shaped dinette that converts into a sizable bed and a wet bath along with it. Weight on this should be right around 2,000 lbs once production gets going.

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As for the ParkLiner, it still has a few months to go. Taking consideration that it is a prototype that was on display, I keep that in mind, but some of the cabinet push buttons were on the clunky side. However, the physical construction of the unit as a whole was put together really well. The double hull fiberglass construction of the ParkLiner is a huge, yet hidden, feature of it. Stay tuned as this one is a work in progress. For more info on the ParkLiner, click here.

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The Little Guy Max was well represented at Liberty Outdoors. The standard units as well as an off road model were there. The off road model adds about 4″ in axle height. Also on display was a unit with the optional darker interior wood. For more info on the Max, click here.

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About halfway through this post, I realized it’s going to be big and with my work and home schedule, it’s going to take a while before I’d get it done. I then decided it’d be best if I break this up into two posts and get this first one out there for you instead of making one big post that would get done next week. So stay tuned for part two hopefully sometime next week.

 

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Quick news on Aliner, Lance, and the Open House

Aliner has added a new twist to the Ascape ultra lightweight travel trailer with the addition of the Ascape MT. The Ascape MT has the same footprint as the Ascape, which we wrote about here, but without the appliances. The end result is the same 13′ long trailer, but without the stove, refrigerator, microwave, rear overhead cabinets, and sink, it is some 400 lbs lighter than the standard Ascape, bringing the MT’s weight down to 1170 lbs. The two areas in the rear are replaced with flip-up bench seating.  Here are both floorplans, with the Ascape MT shown first, followed by the Ascape:

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In an Aliner press release issued this week, Director of Sales, Allan Reeping, says, “Many of our customers told us that they love the look and design of the Ascape, but they are not interested in the bells, whistles and appliances that come with the current product. They want a sleeping quarters with lots of storage. A light-weight trailer that doesn’t require them to lay down in bed to change their clothes, or crawl through a small door on their knees to get into bed. They want to be able to get out of the rain and sit at a comfortable dinette. A hard-sided travel trailer that can be towed with a small Toyota Rav 4, or a Honda CRV, yet still have plenty of standing head room.”

While the MT might fit a need for some, after I posted on the Ascape last month, I got feedback from several who said they’d be more interested if the Ascape offered a shower, which a similarly priced T@B does. Hopefully Aliner is listening to these folks and the designers are working on putting something together with a wet bath combination. We shall see.

 

Lance Camper is rolling out a lot of new updates and upgrades that affect many of their lightweight trailer models. Their smallest models, the 1475 and the 1575, are seeing some of the most changes.  Standard updates for these two models includes exterior graphics, Euro cabinet design, Euro thermopane windows, Euro thermopane tinted opening front window, single enclosed battery compartment, , new aluminum wheels with color coordinated accents, molded LP cover, and TPO gravel guard with LED dock lighting. For the 1475, a new optional sofa slide with two adjustable tables.

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Now standard among all Lance travel trailer models are US made Goodyear Endurance tires, flush mount stainless steel range with black glass cover, entry step well lighting, larger foot pads on the stabilizer jacks, solar pre-wire, flat bottom microwave (no turntable), and optional “Lance Load” roof rack system and optional “Smart Jack” electronic tongue jack. Lance continues to find ways to make an excellent product better.

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Next week the annual dealer only Elkhart Open House starts in and around Elkhart, Indiana. This event is where manufacturers from all over the region set up either around the RV Hall of Fame or at their own manufacturing facilities for dealers from all over the country to come in and view new and existing models as well as place orders for their inventories. I’ve yet to go to this, but I will hopefully have a media pass waiting for me on Tuesday courtesy Thor Industries. If that doesn’t pan out, I’ve got a contact with a manufacturer that has told me to contact him if I can’t get in and he’ll take care of me.

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photo courtesy RV Business

I’m looking forward to being able to get in, as this show is just as good, if not better, than the RVIA show in Louisville. Many new prototypes and model updates are first introduced at the Open House, so chances are I’ll be able to bring you some new eye candy. And for any manufacturers out there reading this who’d like to talk to me up there about your products for The Small Trailer Enthusiast, shoot me an email at pat@smalltrailerenthusiast.com and hopefully we can set up a time while I’m up there Tuesday to chat.

It’s still a great time in the industry for the small trailer segment, and the Open House should bring us a lot of new additions to the 2018 lineups of small trailers.

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Lance trailer division soars in first half of 2017

In a press release this past week, the travel trailer division of  Lancaster, California based Lance Camper has been identified by Statistical Survey’s RV Business Intelligence Solutions as the top selling composite built travel trailer in the 14′-23′ length range for the first half of 2017.

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“We are very pleased with the market segment growth we have seen with our travel trailer line,” states President Jack Cole. “When we first set out to build travel trailers in 2007 we wanted to bring the consumer a new and exciting option. We achieved that through pioneering composite construction coupled with hi-tech manufacturing in reasonable sized, highly-towable floor plans.”

If you’ve never seen a Lance up close, do yourself a favor and find a dealer near you and see why they have the reputation as one of the finest trailers built in the industry today. And their construction is paramount to their success. It starts with cutting edge synthetic materials such as Azdel paneling, LitePly wood, aircraft grade aluminum, molded TPO caps, high density block foam insulation, PVC roofing and Lumilux high-gloss fiberglass. It continues with Lance optimally arranging those materials utilizing the advantages of Solidworks computer design and implementing them with the precision of CNC laser guided machinery.

 I’ve been a huge fan of Lance for a long time, and that was well before they came on board to partner with us on The Small Trailer Enthusiast. Like I do when anyone asks me about Lance travel trailers, I always direct them to this factory tour video at their Lancaster, California facility. You’ll soon realize they are state of the art and constructed with precision.

You can visit their website and view their ten travel trailer floorplans at https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers

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2016 RVIA Show Review

The 2016 RVIA show in Louisville featured the usual full spectrum of RVs the industry has to offer. However, this year was one of the best…if not the best…of the six shows I’ve now attended for the small trailer segment. It’s no secret that this segment of the industry is gaining steam and this year proved manufacturers have embraced the small trailer culture with new, innovative models and expanded floor plans of existing models.

Every year I keep telling myself that I’m going to take two days off work to attend this show, and this year was no exception. However, I packed a lot in the full day I was there on Tuesday, November 29. By the time my day was over, I logged a whopping 24,116 steps on my Fitbit, or 11.04 miles! Fortunately I bought a new pair of New Balance before the day began…and they got quite the break-in. But perhaps 2017 will be the year where I take those two days for the show, as this year I wished I had another day to talk more to some of the manufacturers about their products.

Part of my day this year was spent hosting a couple from Indianapolis. Bob & Becky Kevoian are recent retirees now traveling the U.S. part time in their 2014 Airstream International Sterling 25FB.  I spent a few hours with them looking at Airstreams and just giving them an overview of how physically big this show really is. Some of you may recognize Bob and his signature LA Dodgers cap. For more than 30 years, Bob was half of the Bob & Tom Show, a nationally syndicated morning radio show based out of Indianapolis. Once Bob hit 65 in December of 2015, he signed off the air for the last time, although the show still carries on with his name. Following his retirement and induction into the national radio hall of fame late in 2015, Bob and Becky have been enjoying the past year spending much of it on the road in their Airstream. Earlier this year, they started a podcast as an accompaniment to their blog about their Airstream, affectionately called “June Bug”. You can follow along on their adventures at their website, junebugjourneys.com where you can catch up on travel updates and listen to their recent podcasts.

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In this post, I’m just going to give an overview on what I saw, but not delve too much into anything in particular . I figure I can highlight individual trailers this winter when I’m cooped up in the house.  And there should be plenty to individually highlight as well. What made the most impression on me this year was the multitude of new products. But much of this year’s new trailers weren’t just the same old designs and floorplans badged with a different manufacturer’s name. There was plenty of that, but there were also fresh, new designs that strayed from the “same old, same old” that I hear many of you tire of. Some of those were the Hymer Touring series of lightweight travel trailers with a pop-up roof. These aren’t yet available in the US, but that should change in 2017. Their website has little info about the Hymer Touring, but there were four units on display in Louisville. One dealer I spoke with heard MSRP on these will be in the low $20k’s. One note, they have a low entry door head clearance. Don’t ask me how I know this. :-/

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One new offering from Aliner is the Ascape. It’s a rear-entry unit that’s loaded with everything a single person needs for a comfortable weekend. And at just 13 feet long and 1350 lbs, it’s towable by a lot of smaller vehicles. It’s not yet up on their website, but look for prices in the mid teens. The Plus model adds air conditioning, cassette toilet, audio/visual package, and awning.

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The Travel Lite Falcon is one that easily attracts. While Travel Lite is known mainly for truck campers, in recent years they’ve introduced travel trailers to their lineup and have added to that lineup the slick looking Falcon. It comes in five floorplans and weights ranging from 2480 to 3215 lbs. They’re skinned in smooth aluminum and come on 18″ to 20″ wheels, depending on whether the floorplan has a slide or not. Very good looking unit with good looking interiors. Very nice change from the industry norms.

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Forest River is also coming out with some innovative smaller trailers. Rockwood’s Geo Pro and Flagstaff’s E-Pro should be out sometime in the first half of 2017. Geared toward “those campers that value being environmentally conscious and have chosen to drive today’s more fuel efficient crossover vehicles and small SUVs”. An A-frame bike rack, flexible roof mounted solar panel, and 12 volt 19″ TV are just a few of the options these two essentially identical trailers will offer. They’ll have five floor plans to choose from, with the smallest being a teardrop style that has a rear kitchen and a bed you crawl into from the outside, not unlike a teardrop, but not shaped like one. The particular model in these photos (the 14K) has a spacious U-shaped dinette that converts to a bed and also has a wet bath next to the front kitchenette. It has an unloaded vehicle weight of just under 2,000 lbs and is 14′ total length.

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Airstream’s introduction of the redesigned Basecamp happened a couple of months ago, and units are just now starting to show up on dealer lots. The first incarnation of it occurred in 2008, and it was really nothing more than a small utilitarian designed unit that never gained traction with the public. After lasting just one year, it was shelved and reintroduced this fall with a new interior package and redesigned on the inside while keeping the same overall shape it had in 2008, with the addition of a side entry door, wet bath, and a few more touches to give it more of a micro travel trailer feel on the inside. So far, feedback has been positive and Airstream has been advertising this thing hard on social media. There were two units on display in Louisville, with one showing the additional tent rooms that can be added to both the side and the rear of the Basecamp. There was also one without the tents to show the sleek design of the Basecamp uninhibited by the tent rooms. The MSRP was a cool $38,000 on the one I looked at. Airstream appears to be marketing it towards millennials and those outdoors recreationalists that you would typically find camping off the grid and not in a typical campground.  I’m not sure of too many of those 20-somethings who could afford that price tag when you consider their likely school debt and other financial and career obstacles that generation faces. Time will  tell on the Basecamp. If it were me looking for an Airstream in that size and price range, I’d go with a traditional 16′ Bambi Sport for about the same size, weight, and money. After all, if you’re buying an Airstream, don’t you want it to look like an Airstream?

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Debuted at the Elkhart Open House in September, Heartland RV again had the yet to be named prototype retro trailer. Its look harkens back to the classic Holiday House built in the early 1960’s. Whether it makes it to production remains to be seen. Although it’s a single axle trailer, it’s got some bulk to it. It sits pretty tall and although I didn’t see a weight on it, it’s weight is likely well north of 3,000 lbs and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s darned close to 4,000. More than one industry professional I talked to about it said that while it’s got a great exterior look, the interior is a little too modern looking and somewhat brings down the trailer as a whole.

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Another one that debuted at Elkhart which was a big draw at Louisville was the T@B 400 by nuCamp RV. About 3 feet longer and a foot wider than a traditional T@B, the 400 will weigh in the 2300-2600 lbs range with a 6’7″ of head room. The T@B 400 gives what a standard T@B doesn’t: a separate dinette and a separate bed. One look at the interior styling of the 400 and you’ll immediately know that it takes cues from its European counterpart. I’m sure it’ll gain the favor of loyal T@B owners, but I’m not sure about the fridge. For the size of the trailer, the fridge seemed to be lacking in size, as it appears to be down in the 2 to 3 cubic foot range. Look for it to go into production early in 2017.

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That covers most of the new offerings I saw at the show. Now for some other observations. Despite Forest River’s knack for dropping lawsuits on anyone who makes anything with wheels and a fresh water tank (Note to Forest River’s legal department: This is SARCASM. Lighten up, Francis.), that still hasn’t stopped Winnebago, Jayco, and Starcraft from producing their own r-Pod offshoot. And why not gun for them? According to Forest River’s own statistics, the r-Pod is the number one selling travel trailer under 20′ (I plan on posting on this in the near future). But not everyone is a fan of Forest River, so they have a choice in brands, and all four have just about the same floorplans from which to choose. So to recap those four, we have the original, the r-Pod

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the Winnebago Winnie Drop

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the Jayco Hummingbird

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…and the Starcraft Comet Mini

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But for those you who are just interested in something in that 19′ to 21′ range without the need for your trailer to be the prom queen when you roll into the campground, your options are wide open. Every major manufacturer has something for you, with prices ranging from entry level in the low teens to a little higher end in the mid 20’s, depending on the manufacturer. So whether your budget is in line with the entry level Serro Scotty or Coachmen Clipper,

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to the mid-range Winnebago Micro Minnie or Keystone Passport Ultra Lite

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or to the higher end Livin’ Lite Camp Lite or Lance,

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and everything in between, you WILL find what you’re looking for. This is a fantastic time to be in the market for a trailer less than 20′. Your styles and options are vast and there’s something out there for every budget. So as winter is upon us, start looking for those RV shows in your area, and get out there and see what’s available. Kick the tires, find a floor plan you like and compare brands. Ultimately you will find what you’re looking for in time for the 2017 camping season. There were a lot of other brands out there that brought models in the 19′-21′ range, but I just touched on a few. I’ll be updating the Manufacturer’s Page to include some of the new models set to hit the dealer lots in 2017. And stay tuned this winter where I’ll highlight some of these new models that I’ve discussed here.

Thanks for reading…and may you all have a great holiday season!

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Update on the Lance 1475

Back in January, I introduced you to the Lance Camper 1475 travel trailer. It was introduced this past December at the RVIA trade show in Louisville, Kentucky.  The 1475 is a non-slide, single axle 2500 lbs trailer ideal for 1 or 2 people, and is built at the Lance manufacturing facility in Lancaster, California. The 1475 brings the Lance travel trailer lineup to nine, ranging in lengths from 14′ to 22′. Unique to the 1475 when compared to trailers similar in size and amenities is the absence of a traditional RV dinette.

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“Downsizing, simplification, micro-homes, it’s all the rage these days,” states Bob Rogers, Lance’s Director of Marketing. “The genesis for this model came directly from our customers and is a result of what they wanted to see in a sub 15′ floor plan. The 1475 is ultra-light weight with 100% Lance DNA and yes, it doesn’t have a fixed dinette. Customers tell us they like to eat outside or while sitting in their lounge chairs and would rather have two comfortable chairs and a nice size dry bath, so that’s what we designed!”

lance-1475 layoutIn a recent press release from Lance, the 1475 comes standard with laminated fiberglass/aluminum frame/block foam insulated construction, Azdel interior panel walls, bluetooth app enabled audio system, LED lighting, class leading pass through storage, radius full torque frameless dual pane tinted windows, aluminum wheels, exterior propane BBQ connection, exterior wash station, ducted heat as well as popular options including keyless entry, electric lateral arm awning with motion sensor, solar panel, LED TV, microwave & A.C. The 1475 is designed to be an adventure machine that is easily towed behind almost any midsize tow vehicle with a minimum of 3,500lb. GVWR.lance3

The Lance 1475 is now arriving at dealer lots just in time to start the 2016 camping season, with a base MSRP of $23,888. For more information on the 1475, visit the Lance website at http://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/1475/.

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Lance Debuts 1475 Model Trailer

For 50 years, Lance Camper has been the standard bearer in the truck camper industry. Beginning in 2009, Lance began producing a series of travel trailers which have, in a short amount of time, garnered a reputation of quality that few manufacturers can compete with. There is so much cool technology that goes into a Lance trailer…so much that I couldn’t begin to explain it all here. That said, Lance has put together an excellent video presentation showing the start to finish process. You’ll find the technology and machines used to put together a Lance trailer should give even the most skeptical RVer the confidence they’re buying a pretty solid product.

At December’s RVIA show in Louisville, the Lance Camper display featured a new smaller floor plan that should be hitting dealer lots this Spring in time for the start of the 2016 camping season.

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The 1475 model will be a 19’8″ trailer from hitch to tail, with a floor length of just under 15′ with an impressive dry weight of 2495 lbs. The interior consists of a deluxe queen bed in the front, two swivel rockers centered by a removable table on the door side, a kitchen on the street side consisting of ample counter space and cabinets, a 3-burner stove, a sink with pull-out sprayer faucet, and range hood.

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The back wall of the 1475 Lance consists of a 5 cubic foot refrigerator/freezer as you come into the rear side entry door next to a . The rest of the back corner houses the bathroom, which consists of a toilet, sink, and spacious shower.

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As with all Lance Campers, the construction is sturdy with aluminum framed sidewalls, floor and roof all insulated with block foam. The sidewalls are a laminated fiberglass with Azdel substrate. The tinted dualpane windows help maintain temperature levels whether cold or hot ambient temperatures exist.

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Some other key specs on the Lance 1475 include an exterior width of 84″, exterior height of 9’9″, interior height of 78″, 240 lbs hitch weight, GVRW of 3700 lbs, and cargo carrying capacity of 1205 lbs. The enclosed, insulated, and heated fresh water tank holds 26 gallons, a 26 gallon grey tank, and a 22 gallon black tank.

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My overall impression of the 1475 were positive. What really sets it off compared to similar floor plans of other brands is the large window next to the two swivel rockers and table. It’s an ideal camper for couples in search of a trailer of high quality with a small footprint. While not yet on the Lance website as of this posting (info should be up within the next couple of months) there currently is one on rvtrader.com that has a price tag in the mid-$20k’s, which I believe to be the MSRP, so you’ll likely be able to get into one for $20K range. Once production picks up and they hit dealer lots, you’ll be able to get a better handle on what prices are going for, depending on dealer and location. But overall, my first impressions of the 1475, and Lance trailers in general, met the hype that I’ve heard and read about from owners of Lance trailers. As I always preach, when buying a trailer always do your research with a fine tooth comb, but I think you’ll find that when you research a Lance trailer, you’ll be left with a positive impression.

You can explore more on the Lance Camper website at http://www.lancecamper.com

 

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