PUBLISHER: Bob LivingstonEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: John PrusakMANAGING EDITOR: Laura MichaelsASSOCIATE EDITOR: Amanda LepinskiART DIRECTOR: Rick DamienPRODUCTION MANAGER: Angela SchmiegPRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Andrea SchneiderSALES ADMINISTRATOR: Erica ThielDRIVER’S SEAT >by Bob LivingstonCONSULTING EDITORS: Wes Caughlan, Ken Freund, Jeff JohnstonCONTRIBUTORS: Bob Ashley, Stuart Bourdon, Len Cousineau, Bill &Jenn Gehr, Bill Graves, Bruce Hampsen, Donna Ikenberry, Pamela andGary Selbert, Russ and Ellen Steele, Shawn Spence, Barry ZanderVICE PRESIDENT NATIONAL SALES: Terry ThompsonRV MARKETPLACE: Sue SeidlitzPO Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002Tel 805-667-4100 Fax 805-667-4379Tacy Hendershot-Sargent (Southeast Region)1010 SW Lighthouse Drive, Palm City, FL 34990Tel 772-288-0387 Fax 772-288-0085Lou Cicirelli (Northeast Region)1400 NW 108th Avenue, #266, Plantation, FL 33322Tel 954-297-9234Scott Oakes, John Marciano (Seattle, WA)1818 Westlake Avenue, N. #420Seattle, WA 98109Tel 206-283-9545 Fax 206-283-9571Crompton Holdings Scott Crompton (Detroit, MI)2031 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71103Tel 334-546-7243 Fax 334-356-7740scottcrompton@mac.comCHAIRMAN EMERITUS: Art RousePUBLISHER EMERITUS: Bill EstesProduction Specialist Cherri Perschmann, Digital Advertising and MarketingManager: Jeffrey Larson, Senior Marketing Manager: Kathryn Knudson,Administrative Assistant-Audience Development: Molly Sullivan,Digital Media Content Editor: Mike Davin, Digital Media Manager: ChrisSoash, Digital Marketing Specialist: Kathryn Benson, Digital Editor: NickUpton, Associate Editor: Chris GerberPRESIDENT: Stephen M. HedlundSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/GROUP PUBLISHER: Bob LivingstonSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/DIGITAL MEDIA: Stacey MarmolejoSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/PRODUCTION: Barb HammerVICE PRESIDENT/ADVERTISING SALES: Terry ThompsonVICE PRESIDENT/AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Jill AndersonTrailer Life (USPS#454-970) is published monthly by GS Media & Events(a division of Good Sam Enterprises, LLC), 3300 Fernbrook Lane N #200,Minneapolis, MN 55447. Periodicals postage paid at Plymouth, MN55447 and additional mailing offices. The annual subscription rate is$15.97 per year in the U.S. For Canadian & International subscriptions,add $12 per year. U.S. funds only.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Trailer Life, P.O. Box 5860, Harlan,IA 51593-1360.CANADIAN RETURN ADDRESS: GS Media & Events, 4960-2 WalkerRoad, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6J3. Publication Sales Agreement#40012332.Call (800) 825-6861 Email trailerlife@cdsfulfillment.comVisit www.trailerlife.com part of the RV.NET familyPrinted in the United States.Trailer Life is a registered trademark of Affinity Group, Inc. Copyright 2012by Affinity Group, Inc. All rights reserved. AGA is an authorized subscriptionagent.PRIVACY PROMISE: We recognize that your privacy is very important toyou, and we’re committed to helping you protect it. You should know thatwe will never intentionally share your name, address and other personalinformation with anyone for their use if you have asked us not to do so.When you subscribe to Trailer Life, please tell us if you don’t want yourname and address shared with other reputable companies, or if you don’twant to receive our marketing offers. We’ll mark your account for a threeyearperiod so that it will not be selected for products and/or services offers,which you’ve told us you are not interested in receiving. If you changeyour mind, just get in touch with us and ask that we include you in futureofferings. You can ask to not be included in future offerings at any time,and it’ll be taken care of promptly. Please contact us at Trailer Life MailPreference Service, P.O. Box 5860, Harlan, IA 51593-1360, email us attrailerlife@cdsfulfillment.com or call us at (800) 678-1201. Please notethat this policy does not apply to email marketing. We will not send youcommercial emails unless you have authorized us to do so.CHAIRMAN & CEO: Marcus LemonisEXECUTIVE VP: Tom WolfeTHE TOWABLE REVOLUTIONStrolling through the seemingly endless rows of RVs at last fall’s industrytrade show in Louisville, Kentucky, it was obvious that towables are headingin a different direction. While motorhomes have taken center stage at pastshows, this year marked what I consider a pivotal year for trailers, fifth-wheels andeven pickup campers. On display were not our fathers’ trailers with a few décor andfloorplan changes, but RVs sporting true innovation and excitement.The buzzwords for 2012 are “lightweight,” “half-ton towable,” “fuel economy,”and “green.” Weight is coming down, lengths are going up, and interiors are morelivable with noticeable enhancements found in almost every nook and cranny. Andall this as many manufacturers embrace green technology in an effort to preserveresources and align themselves with people and groups who are environmentallyconscious.Interestingly, the effort to trim pounds from trailers and fifth-wheels is not alwaysrelative to downsizing. In fact, the opposite is true. We’re seeing bigger trailers,many in the 33-35-foot range, that are no longer plagued by evil handling manners.Lightweight materials and improved weight distribution have made it possibleto produce trailers exceeding 30 feet that can actually be towed without trepidation.The transition to longer travel trailers gives the manufacturers platforms to designinteriors that emulate Class A motorhomes, which is certainly a paradigmchanger. Case in point is the new line of towables from Winnebago. If you closedyour eyes before entering these new Winnebagos, you’d swear you were in one ofthe company’s Class A motorhomes. Living areas with wraparound couch seatingand beautiful kitchens are key elements that have been adopted. And Winnebago isnot alone in this segment. Trailers from Evergreen, K-Z, Nash (Northwood), Heartlandand a number of offerings from Keystone, Forest River and Jayco — among others— are certainly game-changers.Buyers will also find many smaller trailers with great floorplans and characteristics,and of course, a number of unique rigs that are products of out-of-the-boxthinking. Forest River’s Aviator and Airstream’s new eclectic 27-footer designed byChristopher C. Deam are just two examples. Born Free, a company that builds highlineClass Cs, showed a 22-foot travel trailer prototype that is obviously aimed at upscalebuyers. At $85,500, the Born Free Trail-R-Lodge, sans slideout, will take a shotat wooing discriminating trailer enthusiasts who are more enamored by highline fixturesthan extraordinary space.While extra-long, multiple-slideout fifth-wheels have evolved into super expensiverolling mansions, the opposite end of the spectrum is getting a lot of attention.Half-ton pickups with 5-ton-plus tow ratings have made it feasible to pull full-featured28- to 32-foot fifth-wheels with multiple slideouts. Many have bunkhousefloorplans for sleeping versatility. Team up one of these truly livable fifth-wheelswith trucks like Ford’s EcoBoost-powered F-150 and you’ll have a package thatworks well for families or couples, without sacrificing amenities and the ability tovisit some of the more beautiful destinations with length limitations.Never before have we seen so much excitement in the towable arena. Check outour observations starting on page 32. q4 <strong>March</strong> 2012 TRAILER LIFE www.trailerlife.comGo To:.comUser GuideContents
YOUR RV ISN’T A CAR. DON’T INSURE IT LIKE ONE.Progressive covers your RV in ways auto policies don’t. So if you ever get in anaccident and need to leave your RV at the shop for repairs, we’ll cover the cost ofyour hotel. Keeping family trips on the road, now that’s Progressive.1-800-PROGRESSIVE E |LOCAL AGENT| PROGRESSIVE.COMProgressive Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates. Emergency Expense coverage is subject to policy terms. 11D00458 (06/11)Progressive Insurance, Circle 107 on Reader Service CardGo To:.comUser GuideContents
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