rv review
Dynamax Trilogy Step up to a stately fifth-wheel trailer that’s anything but austere
I t’s funny what’ll catch your eye, like the lack of win- dows on one side of a fifth-wheel trailer. But that’s how the Dynamax Trilogy from Forest River drew me in. This trailer has a driver’s side that’s all about automotive smooth: frameless slide-outs, radius corners, slick looking sidewalls and a single tiny window at the back of the rig. After looking at it for a while, I eventually got it: focus all the activity on one side of the trailer while offering a wall of privacy on the other. Simple, really. The privacy wall is just one of many features in the Tril- ogy that’s aimed at full-timers and snowbirds. These owners spend months, if not years, at a time in their RVs, and the appeal of the design should never wane. That’s why Dyna- max builds radiused sidewalls and uses fluid styling and eye-catching exterior paint like the slate-fade treatment on the model I tested. Designed to stand up to the rigors of full-time travel, the Trilogy has a heavy-gauge aluminum tube frame in the side- walls and roof and I-beam steel floor frames.
I towed the Trilogy 3800D3 (with a dry weight ap- proaching 15,000 pounds) more than 300 miles while hooked up to the new Ram 3500 dually and can say that its road manners are solid and predictable, even in the gusty winds we experienced. It tracked easily, and the drive was pleasant—no white knuckles. Inside, the Trilogy is decidedly upscale, and the price (just under $100,000) reflects that, but then so do the fit and finish. From the homey fireplace and beautiful cherry cabinets to the handsome stone fascia below the flat-screen TV, this well-appointed fifth-wheel is dressed to impress. The Trilogy’s sense of style extends to the freestand- ing dinette, which is not only attractive but also has some clever space-saving features. The hardwood tabletop has a flip-up extension for dining with guests, and both it and the seat cushions lift to reveal hidden storage space. In fact, many other Trilogy features have dual uses, including stor- age areas below the bed and even beneath the flip-up steps. For hosting guests, a hide-a-bed sofa easily converts to a
20 COAST TO COAST Spring 2013
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