Gear up! 2018 guide to rv parts, supplies and ... - Good Sam

GEAR UP! 2018 GUIDE TO RV PARTS, SUPPLIES AND ACCESSORIES

Light Reflection Grand Design's Shortbed-Friendly 150 Series

DIY

Stick-On Style Step-by-Step Kitchen Backsplash

APRIL 2018

Monitoring With Benefits?

App-solutely!

RV Temperature and Motion Tire Pressure and Leveling

FORD F-150 RAM 1500

CHEVY SILVERADO

Death Valley's Epic Outback

Twisting Through Titus Canyon

#1 Selling Composite Built Travel Trailer*!

Euro Inspired Graphics Available on 1475 & 1575

New Travel Trailer Features

Standard "Lance Life" 4' Exterior Camp Table provides that extra space we all need while eating and playing

outdoors, storing conveniently & securely in its dedicated storage area - Most Models.

*14'-23' segment

Standard Solar On The Side SAE solar port provides for quick and easy plug in access for your

portable solar panels.

Available Tri-Five LP Tanks w/Aerodynamic Cover provides extended dry camping capability

? Most Models.

Standard USA Manufactured Goodyear

Radial tires deliver superior performance and uncompromised quality between the road

and your trailer.

Available "Lance Load" Roof Rack System is the

perfect place to store your canoe, kayak and other large size gear ?

Most Models.

Standard Locking Battery Compartments keep your batteries out of sight and the elements - Most Models.

Lance Campers, Circle 117 on Reader Service Card

CONTENTS APRIL 2018 | VOLUME 78 | NUMBER 4

16

30

34

FEATURES

16 Reflection 150 Series 230RL Four-season living in Grand Design's half-ton-towable fifth-wheel is possible without sacrificing comfort

25 Another Side of Death Valley Discovering the spectacular rock formations and curious past of Titus Canyon on the national park's most popular backcountry drive

30 Monitoring with Benefits RVi's Command Center smart tablet and hub keeps tabs on tire pressure, and includes a leveling indicator and customizable checklist

34 Keeping It Comfy A $50 Bluetooth sensor tracks the temperature, humidity and motion inside an RV and monitors conditions via a mobile app

38 RV Gear Guide Trailer Life's annual roundup of accessories and suppliers for outfitting and updating an RV

In the foothills above Furnace Creek, California, Texas Spring Campground is a prime place to stay while exploring Death Valley's Titus Canyon. Page 25

DEPARTMENTS

4 Driver's Seat RV-Country Tours 6 Letters Readers respond loud and clear 8 Around the Bend News, events, places and trends 14 RV Resolutions Trailer Life is your referee

More choices -- the latest domestic truck lineup offers something for everyone. Page 10

50 Hands On Peel and Stick Mosaics backsplash

52 10-Minute Tech Now why didn't I think of that?

56 New Products Goodies to improve the RV lifestyle

57 RV Clinic Answers from the Trailer Life tech expert

66 Roads to Adventure Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park

On the cover: Family time in Elkhart, Indiana, with the 2018 Reflection 150 Series 230RL from Grand Design. Photo by Shawn Spence

April 2018 TRAILER LIFE 3

DRIVER'S SEAT APRIL

RV-Country Tours

If you love RVs, Elkhart is worth a trip to see how they're made

T he first time I visited Elkhart, Indiana, I was

entranced. OK, I admit that I'm

a true, all-American RV geek,

through and through. I fell in

love with RVing at an early

age, and it never left me. So,

when I get the opportunity to

go to the RV capital, especially

to tour another factory or see

something that's of interest to

RVers, I jump at it. Last August, our editorial

On the mezzanine of Grand Design's fifth-wheel assembly building in Middlebury, Indiana, with

crew descended on Elkhart to Barb Riley (left) and Donya Carlson.

test RVs for Trailer Life and our

sister magazine, MotorHome. Trailer Life's managing editor, Donya Carlson, and

Elkhart native and contributor Barb Riley and I were invited by the good folks at

Grand Design RV, a division of Winnebago Industries, for a plant tour, and we were

able to see this issue's test unit, the half-ton-towable Reflection 150 Series 230RL,

under construction.

Many manufacturers in the Elkhart area offer tours of their facilities, so owners,

prospective buyers and enthusiasts can see how they're built. This is American

manufacturing in action. If you're visiting northern Indiana, be sure to take a factory

tour, and don't miss Elkhart's RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum.

Besides my test of the 2018 Reflection 150 in this issue (page 16), Chris

Hemer takes a look at the powerful new domestic trucks coming down the line

(page 10). New trucks, big news!

For those looking to outfit their tow vehicle and RV, we have our third-annual

RV Gear Guide (page 38), along with three product installs. Blustream has come

out with a small sensor that reports on the temperature, humidity and possible

intrusion of your RV to a smart device almost anywhere in the world (page 34).

Bob Livingston takes a look at RV Innovation's new Command Center tablet

for towables, which includes a TPMS, a digital level and an RV checklist (page

30). And Bob Dawson offers a peel-and-stick project that'll dress up any RV's

kitchen or bathroom (page 50).

See you on the road! q

-- Chris Dougherty, Technical Editor

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4 TRAILER LIFE April 2018

Publisher Ann Emerson Editor Valerie Law Managing Editor Donya Carlson Technical Editor Chris Dougherty Senior Art Director Rick Damien Production Director Bob Dawson Production Manager Brenda Hutchinson Marketing Manager Lorisa Pierson Business Manager Katey Purgatorio Publisher Emeritus Bob Livingston

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