OutdoorsRV travel trailers

[Cowpie]

Been checking out OutdoorsRV 4 seasons travel trailers.  Seem to be really built well.  Anyone with any experience with them?  Haven't settled on a floor plan or whether it is a TT or a 5W.  

 

http://outdoorsrvmfg.com

[2017HD]

I have a new 2017 ORV Timber Ridge 25RDS. Got it last May - have taken it out several times - including our week long jaunt to eastern Oregon for the Pendleton Round-Up. We have done everything from dry camping to full hook-ups and everything has worked as advertised. Prior to this we had a 2005 Arctic Fox 22H and it was well built - however I think that ORV is even better. ORV also has more floorplan options than Arctic Fox. As usual we started looking at the smaller Creekside units in the 26' range with no slide - ended up with the larger TR with a full slide. We plan on either full or near full timing in a few years so we bought bigger than we need now but what will work for the future. Perhaps the other TTs I would consider would be a Keystone Cougar - built in Pendleton.

 

The only drawback to ORV is that their dealer network does not extend much further west than WY and CO - however I have heard of people coming over 3000mi to get an ORV unit from a dealer in WA or OR - and also doing a factory tour at the same time.

[Cowpie]

Yeah, I was looking at Arctic Fox, which is pretty good, and it does seem that the ORV line is done a little better.  While you are right that the ORV dealer network pretty much is a boundary of WY/CO, even Arctic Fox dealer network gets sparse East of there also.  Not sure why.   4 seasons use is not limited to out west.    I live in Iowa, and have no problem heading to CO or even further to get a well built 4 seasons TT.     Still sitting on the fence between ORV and AF, but swaying more toward the ORV.

 

i am not really wanting to RV full time, but I am at that stage where I am going to start slowing down my business pursuits and take off sporadically at various times throughout the year and travel a bit.  One of the benefits of owning my own business.    A 4 seasons unit would be ideal for that.  

[2017HD]

Honestly the 4season moniker is more advertising than reality - however I believe that the overall designs are better than most. Heated tanks, high density foam insulation, double pane windows and perhaps the most important aspect - slides one spot where ORV seems to be ahead of the game - the slide side walls are the same as the main walls - and they seal the bottom with fiberglass.  ORV also went totally away from wood framing (Nash's are still wood framed). By having the same construction in all of its products ORV saves $$ because they can order material in larger quantities.

 

As for the limited dealer network - it was done on purpose to allow one plant to supply the demands for the product. Prior to forming ORV, Ron Nash tried a second plant in VA to serve the east coast market. Being so far from the mother plant they found themselves doing things differently than La Grande did - they could not make their own frames so they had to purchase from Lippart. They also created some different models and marketed them differently. Ron decided that this was not going to work and shut it down in 2007 - in late 2009 ORV was started.

 

I have visited both factories - at Northwood the tours are given at specific times - lunch and after hours so you don't see the workers. At ORV I showed up to get some brochures and ended up with a private tour right there on the spot - I got to see a unit fresh off the line as well as a frame for the next production build as well as all the steps used to build these rigs - that day they were building their Creekside line. Also ORV was not something you discussed with the tour guide at Northwood - however at ORV the Northwood connection was openly and pleasantly discussed - including why they felt they are not really competing with them as they have different plans and are targeting a different audience.

 

For me, I actually felt I had three potential mfgs in mind - Northwood, ORV, and Keystone (Cougar only). Northwood seemed to be having more issues with quality control issues - lots of bad press on both IRV2 and the usually supportive NROA web board. I found much better press on ORV. We also looked at floorplans and the AF line did not have what we were looking for - ORV did - and even though the first plans that looked good on paper did not work for us in reality so we kept looking - DW found the TR 25RDS and that was that - glad I had that great truck on order!

[Cowpie]

Really hadn't considered Lance, but am starting to take a closer look at them also.  Build quality seems to be pretty high.  They seem to take a similar approach at things as ORV does.  Trailers a bit on the lighter side compared to ORV Timber Ridge that I have been considering, but the layouts are very good and they seem to have a very good reputation.  I only thought of Lance when it came to truck campers.  Never really considered that they make trailers also.  Their 2285 and 2375 seem interesting.  If I go that direction, then dealer network near me not an issue.  Ketelson has dealerships 50 miles either side of my home that stock and service Lance products.  Time to go look.