Usually we go to the Dallas RV show in late February, but this year our plans are to go to Fort Wilderness in Orlando during that same time period. So, today we are going to the Forth Worth RV Show at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Thankfully our cold front has moved out in a nick of time. This show runs for four days and we thought it would be a nice way to see if there are any new trends developing in the RV industry. Of course it’s always nice to see how trailers have changed moving into the next model year. If you are considering buying a travel trailer, this is the time to buy. We have found that the prices at the RV shows are always lower than at the dealers lot.
It costs anywhere from $5.00 for children (children under 3 are free) to $12.00 for adults to attend the show. Coupons are usually available to drop the cost by a dollar if not more. What we didn’t like, and I guess I should have done some research, was the parking situation. We chose to park in a ramp near the convention center. It ended up costing us $18.00 for the three hours we were there – never again! I believe there is cheaper parking available; but this was the first time we had been to the convention center in Forth Worth. We certainly didn’t expect that kind of price tag for parking…so be aware!
The great advantage of going to the RV show is that you are going to see a wide range of manufacturers. It would probably take at least four visits to different dealers to get the type of selection you will see at the show. Take along your hit list of must have items and start comparing. If you need help thinking through the items that will be important, look at our blog “Buying a new travel trailer?” for ideas. Also don’t forget to find out about the manufacturers warranty, what it covers and for how long.
There are often manufacturing representatives at these shows so don’t miss an opportunity to connect with these folks and ask questions about the models they represent.
Tammy meanders down one of the isles
It may be my imagination but this seemed larger than the Dallas Show we attended last year. We spent three hours there and I know we didn’t see everything; but we had seen enough to satisfy our curiosity.
So what’s really new for 2018? According to one of the manufacturing representatives at the show, nothing really. Although he did mention the addition of more USB Ports and lighter wood stains. After the three hours I had to agree. There really wasn’t anything that stood out as “new” to us. That being said I don’t really see folks moving away from the dark wood in favor of some of the really light wood stains. We observed an almost white wood stain in one particular travel trailer. It made the unit look washed out and bland; ruining what was otherwise a beautiful trailer.
One other unit we found really interesting is a travel trailer with a step up living area. This design made a nice separation between the living room and kitchen areas. The step up living room also provided an enormous basement area underneath including a large pull out drawer. So much storage area in fact, that I don’t think you could ever fill it up. Due to the step up living room, the frame construction had to be immense causing this 29′ trailer to weigh in at 9000 lbs. I have to say I loved the concept but I don’t want to pull 9000 lbs.
On the more affordable side of things, we saw some nice travel trailers priced in the middle to upper teens. These trailers are so nice it left us wondering; “how are the manufacturers hitting a price point like that?” Take for example the Kingsport Ultra-Lite trailers. Manufactured by Golf Stream; I believe they are the last family owned company. This series of trailers is a stick and tin construction and looks beautiful inside and out. It won’t have a fancy cap in the front or a fiberglass exterior but it is functional and light. Who would think in today’s market you could get their largest bunk house, which is almost 33 feet long; and it would weigh under 6000 pounds. This was quite impressive.
Lastly, there were the things that didn’t appeal to us at all; trailers with toilet and shower combined, bathrooms with no sink, limited counter tops and hardly any storage. This is all personal preference of course, and based on how and where you intend to camp…and for how long. The good news for us is that we love our current trailer and nothing we saw yesterday really changed that.
In conclusion if you are looking to upgrade or get started camping in a travel trailer, the RV show is the best place to go to see what is available and get the best price.
2018 – It Must Be Time for an RV Show
Usually we go to the Dallas RV show in late February, but this year our plans are to go to Fort Wilderness in Orlando during that same time period. So, today we are going to the Forth Worth RV Show at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Thankfully our cold front has moved out in a nick of time. This show runs for four days and we thought it would be a nice way to see if there are any new trends developing in the RV industry. Of course it’s always nice to see how trailers have changed moving into the next model year. If you are considering buying a travel trailer, this is the time to buy. We have found that the prices at the RV shows are always lower than at the dealers lot.
It costs anywhere from $5.00 for children (children under 3 are free) to $12.00 for adults to attend the show. Coupons are usually available to drop the cost by a dollar if not more. What we didn’t like, and I guess I should have done some research, was the parking situation. We chose to park in a ramp near the convention center. It ended up costing us $18.00 for the three hours we were there – never again! I believe there is cheaper parking available; but this was the first time we had been to the convention center in Forth Worth. We certainly didn’t expect that kind of price tag for parking…so be aware!
The great advantage of going to the RV show is that you are going to see a wide range of manufacturers. It would probably take at least four visits to different dealers to get the type of selection you will see at the show. Take along your hit list of must have items and start comparing. If you need help thinking through the items that will be important, look at our blog “Buying a new travel trailer?” for ideas. Also don’t forget to find out about the manufacturers warranty, what it covers and for how long.
There are often manufacturing representatives at these shows so don’t miss an opportunity to connect with these folks and ask questions about the models they represent.
Tammy meanders down one of the isles
It may be my imagination but this seemed larger than the Dallas Show we attended last year. We spent three hours there and I know we didn’t see everything; but we had seen enough to satisfy our curiosity.
So what’s really new for 2018? According to one of the manufacturing representatives at the show, nothing really. Although he did mention the addition of more USB Ports and lighter wood stains. After the three hours I had to agree. There really wasn’t anything that stood out as “new” to us. That being said I don’t really see folks moving away from the dark wood in favor of some of the really light wood stains. We observed an almost white wood stain in one particular travel trailer. It made the unit look washed out and bland; ruining what was otherwise a beautiful trailer.
One other unit we found really interesting is a travel trailer with a step up living area. This design made a nice separation between the living room and kitchen areas. The step up living room also provided an enormous basement area underneath including a large pull out drawer. So much storage area in fact, that I don’t think you could ever fill it up. Due to the step up living room, the frame construction had to be immense causing this 29′ trailer to weigh in at 9000 lbs. I have to say I loved the concept but I don’t want to pull 9000 lbs.
On the more affordable side of things, we saw some nice travel trailers priced in the middle to upper teens. These trailers are so nice it left us wondering; “how are the manufacturers hitting a price point like that?” Take for example the Kingsport Ultra-Lite trailers. Manufactured by Golf Stream; I believe they are the last family owned company. This series of trailers is a stick and tin construction and looks beautiful inside and out. It won’t have a fancy cap in the front or a fiberglass exterior but it is functional and light. Who would think in today’s market you could get their largest bunk house, which is almost 33 feet long; and it would weigh under 6000 pounds. This was quite impressive.
Lastly, there were the things that didn’t appeal to us at all; trailers with toilet and shower combined, bathrooms with no sink, limited counter tops and hardly any storage. This is all personal preference of course, and based on how and where you intend to camp…and for how long. The good news for us is that we love our current trailer and nothing we saw yesterday really changed that.
In conclusion if you are looking to upgrade or get started camping in a travel trailer, the RV show is the best place to go to see what is available and get the best price.
john.martini.patterson@gmail.com
January 6, 2018
Blog, Industry Commentary
Fort Worth, Kingsport, RV Show, Travel Trailer, travel trailer blog, Travel Trailer Blogs, Travel Trailer Nation, travel trailer nation blog