September Shipment numbers from the RVIA.org web site are in and just like last month it continues to be stagnant news, except maybe for Truck Campers.

As always let me start by saying that they are comparing their “growth rate”, only to 2024, which wasn’t a great year.  It would be better if they used a running five-year average as a comparison; excluding the covid years.  I think the following numbers will confirm that the industry is still struggling.  We will also talk about vehicle registrations which is even more telling.

Right now, for all towable shipments for the year, they are at 239,635 Units Shipped.  If you remember last month, they had shipped 216,757 for the year.  That’s a difference of 22,878 units, down 2152 shipments when compared to August’s gain of 25,030.

On with the Septembers numbers:

In September Travel Trailer Shipments were down -4.4% over September of 2024.  If you remember last month, they were down double digits in travel trailers.  For the year they are up only .5% dropping from 1% last month.  Again, that’s comparing to the bad year 2024. That might tell you all you need to know.  I’ve never seen a year like this for travel trailers.

September Fifth Wheels were up 29.1% over September of 2024, Total shipments were only 5,113 units, which is actually down from last month’s number.  YTD compared to 2024 they’ve gone to 20.7%.

Pop-up Campers were up 12.4% but remember YTD when compared to 2024 still down at -1.5%. 

Here’s a surprise. Truck Campers were up 72.9% over August of 2024. YTD when compared to 2024 they are up 25.9%.  There number of shipments is so small it hardly takes any increase to make it look like a major accomplishment.  However, in this case they jumped to 210 units shipped.  For comparison, the shipments on Truck campers last month was only 36 units.  In the entire time I’ve been watching shipments I’ve never seen a jump like that.

I won’t spend a lot of time talking about Motorhomes, but A’s B’s and C’s were all up when compared to September of 2024.  Type A’s up 20.6%, B’s up 8.2%, and type C’s up 27.1%.  However, for the year, A’s are barely positive at 1.8%, and B’s are in negative territory at -.6% and C’s are scraping by at 4.0%.  Overall the motorhome market is only up 4.2% over 2024.

Again, the motorhome situation is a bit like Fifth wheels, truck campers and popups. There are not a lot of units shipped each month, so a modest swing results in a big percentage shift.

Out of the last nine months, 2025 numbers have bested 2024 in only 6 of those months, and in three of those months, just barely bested.  So regardless of how they might spin things, it’s not a rosy picture.

The more reliable news is RV registrations. When compared to last year, registrations are down 1.5%, even though shipments have slightly increased.  This leads to higher than desired levels of inventory at the Dealers.  Again, it is also a reflection that the industry is not doing well.

This month RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby said:

“The RV industry continues to demonstrate a steady, moderate increase in wholesale shipments, which is a testament to the enduring appeal of the RV lifestyle.  This steady demand, well into the autumn season, underscores a crucial shift: RVing is no longer confined to summer travel.  Our data consistently shows that RV owners are embracing the affordability and flexibility of using their units year-round, enjoying shoulder-season camping and the freedom to pursue their passions beyond traditional vacation windows.”

In my opinion, the moderate shipment increase only relates to comparing this year to last year, which is somewhat meaningless. In other words, comparing a bad year to a worse year, and saying it’s an increase.

Secondly, I don’t think folks with RV’s ever felt confined to only using their trailers in the summer.

And now for the new term of the month Shoulder Season Camping.  I’ve never heard that before, but I’m a caveman so…For any of you that want the definition, here it is.

Shoulder season camping is camping during the transitional periods between peak and off-peak seasons, typically in early spring and late fall.  This time offers fewer crowds and milder weather than summer, though the conditions can be unpredictable, requiring extra preparation and layers for variable temperatures and potential precipitation.

So now you know!

Until next time Happy Camping!