How Can I Compare Travel Trailer or Motorhome Brands to Bowlus®?
Everyone wishes that there was an easy check-list to compare various recreational vehicles like motorhomes, van conversions, or travel trailers. Certainly, for the most part, there is. So before you fall in love with a floor plan or color scheme, give some consideration to the type of trips you’d like to take. Remember anything longer than the Bowlus can limit your entry into National Parks. While you are thinking about the trips you’d like to take, think about if you’d like to stay primarily in campgrounds like the KOA chain or if you’d like to go off the beaten path. If you are looking for more options, the Bowlus Endless Highways edition is much better suited for those fun trips to national lands, Harvest Hosts, or Hip Camps, where you can stay up to a week dry camping off-grid. This is due to the Bowlus Power Management System that allows all the outlets and power needs to operate, and that includes the microwave and AC with no need to hook up a solar panel or generator to enjoy yourselves.
Next, think about what is your preferred towing vehicle. Although some people love a big pick up truck and you will definitely need one if you select a heavy travel trailer, which includes most models out there because they rest on a steel frame. However, this means you now have another vehicle to maintain, and often you’ll find it just less comfortable than whatever is your main drive. In contrast, the Bowlus can be towed with most crossovers and SUVs, and since it can be hitched by a small adult in a couple of minutes, you have maximum flexibility to where you will go and stay. While you are thinking about towing, give some consideration to safety. When you select a Bowlus, you have the aerodynamic travel trailer. This greatly improves your acceleration since a Bowlus delivers an equivalent extra 74 horsepower to a tow vehicle because it is 2874 lbs lighter than say an equivalent Airstream when merging with traffic. The Bowlus also handles high winds better than any other travel trailer or motorhome. You will also enjoy a dramatically greater mpg. You will only lose one to three mpg off your SUV towing a Bowlus versus at best case of 10 – 15 mpg of fuel towing an Airstream.
Then give some consideration to where the center of gravity is on any travel trailer or motorhome or Sprinter Van conversion you examine. A higher center of gravity will lead to poor and even dangerous handling in high winds or emergency conditions. The Bowlus has the lowest center of gravity while still enjoying a higher clearance than any traditional travel trailer or motorhome. The Bowlus small sail surface area is about 20% of that of an Airstream, which means the Bowlus Endless Highways Editions in high winds handles in a far and away superior fashion with more stability although it’s lighter weight.
Although the Bowlus was the first riveted aluminum travel trailer, its superior design is more than ever relevant for today’s driver. Think of the Bowlus as the “sports car” of travel trailers.