Airstream Inc., maker of the iconic “silver bullet” fleet of Airstream travel trailers and touring coaches, has introduced the all-new Rangeline Touring Coach — the 91-year-old company’s first motorized RV built on the RAM ProMaster 3500 chassis.

Powered by the 276-hp 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine and a TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission, the front-wheel-drive Rangeline provides four belted positions (two captain’s chairs and a two-seat bench). The standard configuration of the European-inspired interior sleeps two on an elevated bed — with ample storage in a “garage” below — while the optional pop-top expands the sleeping capacity to four people.

In keeping with Airstream’s reputation for high-end craftsmanship, the $131,882 MSRP Rangeline carries a wealth of features and accessories. A 270Ah lithium battery bank and 2,000-watt inverter will help power its all-electric appliances (including a 3.2-cubic-foot refrigerator, .4-cubic-foot freezer and stowable electric stovetop), with supplemental power provided by a 2.8kW AC generator. The hydronic heating and hot water system for on-demand hot water and interior heat is powered by the gasoline in the vehicle’s fuel tank, while a Firefly multiplex control panel manages and monitors lighting and onboard systems.

There’s also a wet bath with sink, shower and toilet, modular lightweight load-carrying equipment panels mounted on both rear doors allowing for customizable gear storage, a Flex table system, convenient pet amenities built into the design and more. For more information, visit airstream.com.

Because of its proximity to many of the RV industry’s biggest manufacturers, the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana, plays host to a large number of RV owner rallies throughout the year. And — again, due to its location — these rallies often offer attendees a number of unique “spiffs,” from comped meals to free tech repairs and upgrades, courtesy of the manufacturer and its vendor partners.

Still, the 2022 Grand Design National Owners Rally held in late August at the fairgrounds managed to set itself apart. Yes, it included a wide slate of activities, including Grand Design plant tours, food, music, socializing, games, focus groups, crafts, seminars and more. And, there was even a golf outing preceding the event.

But for the 1,250 people at the event (towing 541 rigs), one of the highlights had to be an address by Grand Design CEO Don Clark. Acknowledging 2022 as the 10th anniversary of the company he founded with Ron and Bill Fenech, Clark spoke of what future plans hold for his company — including an all-new adventure travel trailer under the Imagine brand and a hint of a potential foray into the motorized space.

Then, while recognizing those who traveled farthest to the rally, Clark asked how many were from Alaska and added, “I won’t ask you how much money in gas you spent, but it just became $1,000 less. Grand Design is going to pay $1,000 for your gas.”

That new, small travel trailer mentioned previously, by the way, is well on the road to development. Called the AIM — or Adventure In Motion series — it be offered in 2023 with four floor plans ranging from 3,500 pounds to 4,100 pounds, said Lynn Bontrager, Imagine plant manager.

As for the possibility of Grand Design entering the motorized market, Clark told the group Grand Design is, in fact, “underway researching the mini-motorhome market and the van conversion market to see if that’s a space we want to play in.”

You just never know what’s going to happen at a national owners rally.

Class A motorhome owners looking to maximize security on the road have yet another choice with the launch of the RVLock Atlas, a keyless entry system engineered by RVLock.

According to RVLock CEO Cade Harris, developing a universal handle that is simple to install for motorhome doors that vary from rig to rig is extremely complex. The RVLock Atlas, under development for several years, is said to be the first Class A entry handle of its kind, making locking and unlocking Class A rigs possible with the push of a button. It combines keyless entry through an integrated keypad, key fob, or smartphone (users can attach a separate product, the RVLock BT Pro+, to convert their handle to support Bluetooth functionality) and features a rechargeable lithium battery power supply, steel-body construction, a lifetime warranty and custom RVLock key codes. For more information, visit rvlock.com.

If you’re among the growing number of RVers who don’t care to pull their rigs off the road and start the winterization process as soon as Labor Day rolls around, there are a lot of campgrounds still willing to take your money and provide a space. Plus, many of them stage “theme weekends” — which, at this time of the year, means Halloween.

In fact, some of the busiest times of year at many Jellystone Park locations are the weeks leading up to Halloween. That’s when the Yogi Bear-themed parks offer a variety of fall and pre-Halloween activities ranging from making caramel apples and scarecrows to costumes, campsite- and pumpkin-decorating contests and trick-or-treating. Some locations even offer zombie hunts, haunted hayrides, haunted houses, and haunted trails.

“Some of our locations give families a taste of Halloween as early as Labor Day, but most roll out their best Halloween themed activities after a weekend or two of fall activities,” said Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketing for Camp Jellystone, which franchises more than 75 Jellystone Park locations across North America.

Many of these parks have already kicked their Halloween weekends into high gear, but they will run through the end of October. For a list of local fall and Halloween events, click here: campjellystone.com/activities-characters/theme-events/halloween/.

Ever wonder what you’d get if you combined a well-equipped travel trailer with a pontoon boat or catamaran?

Wonder no more.

The Caracat Caravan Catamaran is a hybrid mobile living solution for those looking to enjoy life in the great outdoors or even on the water, according to a report by TrendHunter. The vessel can be easily towed when not on the water and offers ample living space inside for comfortable living from anywhere with a series of sofas that easily convert into double beds. A family of six can be easily accommodated within the unit, which is supported with a full bathroom, diesel-electric cooktop, microwave, fridge, sink and even a wine cooler. The Caracat Caravan Catamaran also features a retractable LED smart TV with a Bluetooth audio system to boot. These promise to keep inhabitants entertained when spending extended periods living on land or taking to the water.

Alas, Caracat is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, with no plans at the moment to bring the vessel stateside. But if you want to feed your wanderlust, visit its website — cara-cat.com — for more information.

One potential drawback to traveling extensively in an RV is missing regular church services. Recently, however, Harvest Hosts — a membership program giving RVers access to unique RV camping options — announced it had exceeded 200 hosts within its growing church category, joining a wider network of over 7,000 Harvest Hosts locations across North America.

“As we introduced the new church category to the platform, we found a natural connection between the congregations and RVers fueled by a sense of community,” said Harvest Hosts CEO Joel Holland. “We are proud and humbled that so many churches see value in partnering with us and have been able to use the additional donations to give back to their communities. We look forward to growing the category and bond between these two groups.” For more information, visit harvesthosts.com.

Spartan RV Chassis displayed its new Tri-Pod Steering Wheel, a sophisticated hub for driving features and instrumentation that enhances safety and convenience by placing controls at the driver’s fingertips, at the recent 2022 Hershey RV Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Focused on enabling a more effortless engagement with technology, the Tri-Pod Steering Wheel integrates with a 15-inch anti-glare digital dash that is custom-designed for the RV customer to meet their specific display/operational needs. The digital dash can also receive notifications from the Spartan RV Chassis Advanced Protection System, a suite of comprehensive safety technology.

The Tri-Pod Steering Wheel’s features and placement differ between motorcoach manufacturers, but can include windshield wiper controls, phone and media controls, steering-assist functions, graphic instrument cluster navigation, cruise control and more. It will be standard equipment on certain Entegra, Foretravel and Newmar luxury motorhomes.

RV shows proliferate in the United States, particularly in the winter and spring months as people’s thoughts start gravitating to warmer weather. Literally hundreds of such events are held across the country, each pulling in thousands of visitors. But while the number of shows brings each year’s new models to a wide swath of the consumer market, their numbers also tend to dilute huge turnouts for single events. The recently concluded America’s Largest RV show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, for example, attracted just shy of 50,000 visitors during its five-day run — an excellent turnout.

Now, compare that to the 61st Caravan Salon Dusseldorf — which attracted some 235,000 visitors from 72 countries over its 10-day program.

With many new products and innovations and an excellent atmosphere, Caravan Salon Düsseldorf 2022 impressively confirmed the popularity of RV/mobile homes/camper vacations across Europe. Called “the world’s leading trade fair for mobile travel,” the show encompassed 736 exhibitors from 34 countries showcasing their products in 16 exhibition halls covering 2.7 million square feet inside and outside the Dusseldor Exhibition Centre.

European manufacturers, by the way, are acknowledged as trend-setters for the RV industry — particularly in the smaller motorhomes and “caravans” (travel trailers) familiar to the continent’s narrower roads. If you’re interested — and what RV enthusiast wouldn’t be? — the 2023 Caravan Salon program is set for Aug. 26-Sept. 3.

Not everyone wants or needs a big RV with all the bells and whistles. However, even hardcore off-grid campers appreciate a bit more size at times. Aliner, a manufacturer of folding camping trailer products, was set to debut its most advanced model yet — the off-road, full-size Aliner Evolution — in late September.

Called “Aliner’s most ambitious and adventurous camper yet” by company CEO Brett Randall, the Evolution features a 15-foot cabin on an 18-foot frame, making it spacious enough to comfortably sleep the whole family and perfectly sized for garage storage. Other features include a stow-away 32-inch by 32-inch shower (capable of being set up in seconds) that lifts from the floor — a first of its kind. The interior — manufactured with a high-strength aluminum frame with high-density polyethylene panels for cabinets and furniture — includes a 60-inch by 80-inch rear queen-size foldout sofa bed, dinette, sink, stove, refrigerator and cabinet-concealed swivel cassette toilet. It provides more storage than most trailers in the category.

Designed for off-road use and built to weather harsh conditions, the Evolution also comes standard with a 185-watt Sunflare Flex 60 solar panel for quiet, clean power generation whether at the campsite or off the grid. For more information, visit aliner.com.