I don’t know if I ever made it known, but RV Enthusiast is headquartered in the RV-manufacturing epicenter of Elkhart, Indiana. I can’t overstate the benefits of that. As the only RV consumer RV magazine located in the “hub” of the North American RV arena, when something of note is happening in the industry, we don’t find out about it second-hand — or try and cover our bases with phone calls and emails. I just jump into my car and, for the most part, am on-site within a half-hour or so.

Why is that significant for RV Enthusiast readers? Having the industry in my backyard means that you tend to hear about things impacting the industry first.

I was reminded of the advantages that come with being “local” several times lately. The first came in early September, when I attended Lippert’s rollout of its latest 2024 products at the company’s expansive new headquarters located near the RV/MH Hall of Fame. There, Chief Marketing Officer Jarod Lippert walked me through an array of new components that really underscore the company’s commitment to innovation and pushing the design envelope. You can read about them elsewhere in this issue (see “Innovation Fuels Lippert Product Debuts” starting on page 15) so I won’t discuss them in depth here — but what Lippert and its subsidiary companies are accomplishing is nothing short of amazing. Just imagine how the new CURT Helux Coil Spring 5th Wheel Pin Box — equipped with a coil spring and shock absorber — will dampen the inevitable “chucking” associated with fifth-wheel towing…or the benefits of Lippert’s new faster-and-simpler Titan leveling system…or its new independent suspension systems for fifth wheels. Even something as seemingly mundane as RV windows become well worth talking about when they incorporate shades right into their assembly — and come in colors.

The RV Suite from Forest River’s Ibex and No Boundaries brands was named RVBusiness “2024 RV of the Year.”

Then, just a week later, I spent several days accompanying the RVBusiness staff at the Elkhart RV Open House, the largest RV trade show in North America. With displays ranging from Forest River’s huge exhibit at a company campus in the southwest part of town to THOR’s massive presentation at the Hall of Fame and Winnebago’s showing on the grounds of the Elcona Country Club — plus others either located along County Road 6 or at their various local headquarters — the scope of Open House is almost immeasurable.

Individually and collectively, we toured literally hundreds of 2024 models — some completely new for the coming year, others significantly “tweaked” with new floorplans and components. And with displays ranging from mega-builders the likes of REV RV Group (Fleetwood RV, Holiday Rambler, American Coach, Lance, Renegade RV, Midwest Automotive Designs) to Euclid, Ohio-based Cortes Campers with its lightweight fiberglass travel trailer, we got a good look at what the coming year has in store. Like the rock group Timbuk 3 said, “the future’s so bright, I gotta’ wear shades.”

Again, I won’t go into what we saw in-depth here — because the November/December issue of RV Enthusiast will carry information on dozens of the top notable 2024 models — but one thing that really stood out was the ongoing focus on “adventure trailers.” Fueled in part by a younger crowd coming into the RV lifestyle that’s not content to drive from campground to campground and, okay, a lack of available campground spots available on high-traffic weekends, this segment is literally exploding with new ideas. In fact, the “RV Suite” — a radical new travel trailer by Forest River’s Ibex and No Boundaries brands — was chosen as the RVBusiness 2024 RV of the Year following the trade show. The RV Suite, noted RVB Executive Editor Rick Kessler, is a “successful execution of a comfortable, functional, tech-laden, extended-stay base camp for adventure.”

Or, as Ibex and No Boundaries Product Manager Cody Schade put it, “The RV Suite is not merely a travel trailer. It’s a comprehensive living solution that combines the adventurous spirit of camping with the convenience and sophistication of a high-end apartment.”

Yes, you can now go off-grid in style.

Those two events, by themselves, would be enough to fill most anyone’s dance card — but just a few weeks later I again found myself on the grounds of the Hall of Fame where, within the Orthwein Pavilion, Airxcel Inc. staged a multi-day presentation of new products and innovations from its portfolio of brands.

If you’re not familiar with all of Airxcel’s companies, they include Cleer Vision, Dicor Products, Suburban, Aqua-Hot, United Shade, MCD Innovations, Coleman-Mach, Vixen Composites, Maxxair and a growing list of others. And all of them, or so it seemed, were debuting new products and concepts. Those, by the way, included new brands Airxcel has brought to market, including InVision, which will market a full catalog of RV appliances.

Among the other new products on display was a new window from Cleer Vision with a new locking mechanism and built-in shade and surround, new replacement canopies and slide-toppers from Velarium — a brand Airxcel launched just last year — and even a suite of power products from Dicor, a company better known for its roof maintenance products. The new division, Dicor Power, will offer a full family of electronics.

You’ll read all about them — as well as a cool new partnership between a certain Airxcel brand and Lodge Cast Iron — in the next issue. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta’ go find my sunglasses.