RV REVIEW BY HOWARD J. ELMER
Keystone Bullet Colt 172RBC Lightweight and ready for adventure Keystone advertises its new 2018 Bullet Colt as being “ready for adventure.” A marketing tagline? Sure. But it’s also a clue as to its intended purpose—which is giving you a complete, but smaller base camp. One you can tow right to where you want to do something. The Colt is one of new wave of lightweight travel trailers that are aimed at an active, adventuresome RVing demographic. So my first impression of the Bullet Colt is that it would make a useful companion for whatever outdoor passion I choose to pursue. Weighing in at a GVWR of 3,900 pounds (which includes 1,100 pounds of cargo) the Colt can be towed by a wide variety of today’s vehicles. A truck is not necessary and this frees up many potential buyers from having to change their daily driver to accommodate the weight of the trailer. The growth of the mid-size SUV market increases the number of models that would serve as a good tow vehicle for this trailer every year. The first look at the trailer shows off the classic teardrop shape of the shell—a design feature that equals strength and maximum space. You’ll also note that the wheels are mounted outboard of the body. This makes the trailer more stable, saves space otherwise needed for inside wheel wells and lifts the body—all the better to traverse rougher terrain. The 15-inch radial tires are attached to
independent torsion-bar axles, super lube hubs and they ride on aluminum wheels. Considering where this trailer might go, the drain pipes are reasonably high under the body; my only concern is with the spare tire that hangs below the A-frame tongue. That I find too low. Construction of the trailer is mostly welded aluminum walls on a steel frame. The wall covering is two-tone gelcoat fiberglass with a one-piece seamless fiberglass roof above. The windows are tinted and large with an automotive frameless look. The door is radiused and features rubber seals. This unit is built for three-season usage—with R-7 insulation in the sidewalls and R-9 in the roof and floor. However the water and waste tanks are not heated so that precludes camping in consistent freezing temps; but with a 20K Btu furnace, it will be comfortable in the shoulder seasons. For the summer heat, there is a powered vent fan and a roof-mounted 13.5K AC unit. So I’ve said this is a smaller trailer that is also lightweight—but it does have a single slideout which it uses to great interior benefit. This flush-floor slide uses what’s called the Schwintek-slideout system. It’s built by Lippert Components and uses rail-mounted gears with electric motors, as you’d expect—however all the aluminum components are mounted in the slide-out itself. This saves space and lets the box be secured at all four corners to prevent leaks. The entire kitchen is nicely cubed into this slide, making it accessible when closed. When open, though, it makes
RV REVIEW
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2018
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