For the first time since 2007, we don’t own an RV. At the end of 2022, we sold our Motorhome and moved back into a “Sticks & Bricks.” You can read about our life-changing decisions here.
Recently something happened that we didn’t expect. After staying put for over three months, we started to get restless. I guess that can happen after living in an RV for five years. The road and new adventures are still a part of who we are.
Since we’re not ready to purchase another RV yet, we did the next best thing.
We went to RV shows. Two shows were held in the Kanas City area recently, and we attended both. We wanted to see the newest features and get an RV fix. It was fun looking at the latest RVs, checking out different floor plans, opening cabinets, looking in closets, and sitting on the recliners.
There were features we liked and some we didn’t. There were even a few of those ‘what the heck were they thinking?’
Someone was listening
Over the years, in our conversations with other RVers, we often talked about things we would like to have in our RV. We even discussed changes we’d make if we were designing one. Well, it appears that someone was listening because we saw a few of those changes in the new RVs.
Many RVs are now featuring tankless water heaters. The tankless heaters are more energy efficient because you are not paying to keep standing water hot. And there is no waiting for the tank to fill up and heat the water. If we had kept our RV, it would have one by now. Here’s more information about tankless water heaters.
We were happy to see 2023 models with NO carpet. Finally, the hassle and issues with carpets in RVs are being addressed. There were still a few models at the show with minimal carpet, usually on the slides, which meant that some vacuum would still be needed for cleaning.
This RV had several of the changes we liked. First, there is no carpet. You can see that the recliner slide-out has a flexible vinyl material to ease it over the floor when bringing in the slide. The removable table at the recliners is a nice touch, especially for those rarely eating at the dinette or the small dining tables found in RVs.
We liked the neutral colors, which make it easier for the RVer to decorate in the colors they choose. I prefer a solid valance. However, these stripes are better than large patterns.
Our Motorhome had valances with large patterns. Sometimes, when we had visitors, I would ask them to look around the main living area and tell me if they saw something that bothered them.
The women usually saw it first. When we visited the factory, I even pointed it out to them. I felt we had paid enough money for our Class A that the patterns on the valances should have matched!
As you can see in this picture, the patterns on the valances over these two windows do not match. These weren’t the only windows like this.
Throughout our coach, the valance patterns varied. What made it noticeable is they were next to each other. The valances over the recliners and the dinette didn’t match, and they were on the same wall! (Ok, rant over!)
Let’s talk about ‘under the bed’ storage.
Most RVs have beds built on a platform. And most of those platforms have hinged tops that lift to expose the space below the platform. Usually, this is just an open area for the RVer to store bedding, tubs, and other items they want to access inside their RV. We liked this open space and used it in all our RVs.
Several new RVs at the shows had an added touch to this area. Instead of just an open space, they had added shelving, and in a couple, there were drawers.
While this takes away space for larger items, having more drawers and storage space for clothes, shoes, and other items in the bedroom is nice.
When we tried to pull down the bed in this photo, it caught on something. After doing a little checking, we discovered the basket had slid back too far into the holder. Apparently, it had been hitting the frame for a while because you can see the damage on the wood by the red arrows. While it’s a good idea, perhaps a stop should be installed behind the basket to keep it from sliding back too far.
Where will the kids sleep?
The families we saw at the RV shows seemed to favor bunks or bunkhouses over sleeper sofas. A bunkhouse gives the kids their own space within the RV to hang out. There were some RV’s that had large bunkhouses, with a sofa and a table, in addition to the bunks. These same RVs also had master bedrooms that were so tiny there was barely room to walk around the bed. A trade-off?
For families looking for something smaller, several travel trailers and 5th wheels had just bunks. The beds in the picture were unique because they weren’t in the standard corner cubby. The kids could have some fun with these behind-the-sofa beds.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
Front Kitchens
We saw a lot of impressive decor and features in many of the 2023 models. One of my favorites was the front kitchen. Both travel trailers and 5th wheels are now available with this floor plan. I like it because there are plenty of windows, more natural light, and increased counter space.
This 5th wheel had more counter space than the average RV, plenty of cabinet space, and a large residential refrigerator. (You can read about our residential refrigerator nightmare here.)
The lighting is another plus. This unit had both ceiling and under-cabinet lights and modern fixtures over the seating area.
Large Gas Range
Our Class A had an induction cooktop and a microwave/convection combo oven. We also carried a countertop oven with us to cook items that didn’t fit in the microwave.
I was never happy with the cooktop and missed the traditional gas ranges in our 5th wheels and travel trailers. So, when I saw this upgraded oven in several RVs, I got excited.
The stovetop has four burners, including a simmer burner on the back. The oven is 3.7 cu ft, which is a good size for an RV. We saw Insignia Gas Ranges in higher-end 5th Wheels and Travel Trailers. Perfect for those living full-time!
Bathroom Favorites
We even found some favorite things in the bathrooms. After replacing the shower heads in our first three RVs because they were glorified hand sprayers and bumping our elbows when turning around in the shower, we paid more attention when shopping for our next home.
The shower pictured has two shower heads. A large fixed one and a removable sprayer. The black metal frame is a nice change from the chrome, and we really liked the tile-look enclosure. It’s definitely an upgrade from the typical white shower stalls. You can definitely turn around in here.
In addition to the shower, we look for a sink that is bigger than a salad bowl. And not above the counter. Our Solitude had an above-counter sink, and even though it was nice, there was less available space because it extended over the counter. This sink’s width, concave bowl, and faucet on the side make it a winner.
What Were They Thinking?
These are some of the things we noticed at the recent RV shows. And one thing that has been a big complaint of RV’rs for a while.
Curious Trash Can Location
On the kitchen counter in one of the larger 5th Wheels, there was a removable round cover. After removing the cover, we looked down into the hole and saw a kitchen trashcan. “What a great idea! How do you empty it?”
We opened the cabinet doors under the counter and saw no way to reach the trashcan. We looked into the hole again and saw a door. The door was located on the outside of the RV. To empty the trash, you need to go out the RV door, walk around to the opposite side, and open the cabinet. Not the most convenient way to access the trash. And, it probably works best on a nice, level site when you don’t need to fully extend the levelers.
Hidden Room Behind The TV
This next one had several other attendees at the RV show shaking their heads as well. We could see this working most of the time. However, in the evening when the family was relaxing in front of the TV or during the big game, it may cause a problem or two if the TV was moved. On the other hand, it would make a great hiding place.
Small Uncleanable Spaces
Cleaning the small spaces in an RV can be difficult. Especially the small spaces between showers and walls or showers and cabinets. I struggled to clean these areas in our last RV and only did it when the dust bunnies and other collected dirt and hair became more than I could stand.
Is this avoidable when building these in the factory? Could some type of filler material be put there or can the gap be covered? If you have struggled with this ‘hard-to-reach’ area, let us know in the comments.
The other small space that is hard to clean is the shower door tracks. As many others have done, we eventually removed the shower doors in our 5th Wheel and installed a rod and curtains.
To completely clean the tracks and the small unreachable spaces outside the curved shower in our Class A, the shower doors had to be removed.
Some Leg Room, Please
The legroom in our Class A cockpit was more than enough. Over the years, we have sat in several different Class C’s to get a feel for driving one. The cabs were comfortable.
At the 2023 RV show, we noticed less legroom in several of the Class C Campers. So little space that many people would not be able to sit there.
These Class Cs appeared to be built on smaller chassis, which could be the reason for the lack of legroom. Unfortunately, we did not capture the manufacturer when taking the photo.
If you are looking at a motorized camper, whether it is a Class A, B, or C, don’t forget to sit in the cab. You want to be comfortable while traveling to your destination.
The Most Unique RV
One of the more interesting recreational vehicles we saw at the shows was in a class of its own. The Ascender, by 27 North, is an Off-Road RV built on an Expedition truck chassis. It was so unique that there was a line to take a peek inside.
It’s a bit out of our price range, but we still had to take a look.
If you attended a show recently, let us know the most interesting you saw in the comments. We are still shopping for our next RV. In the meantime, we’ll explore the outdoor activities the Kansas City area has to offer.
Peggy Staver, the author of this blog, is a freelance copywriter specializing in outdoor recreation and hospitality. You can contact her at PSCopywriting.com. The majority of photos are taken by Photography by Andreas.
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I actually like the trash can idea – but with a bigger trash can to fill the space. Our fiver had unusable space back in that corner of the counter and IIRC I actually suggested that same design to Wildcat. As it was we had to use a stand-alone trash can.
Definitely a larger can. The small one was a dealer prop, I believe. We loved the idea, just hoped access to it was inside the RV.