4 Forest River Trailers <5000 lbs
- Outdoors Made Simple
- Jan 18, 2022
- 10 min read
Bree is helping her friend Michelle find a travel trailer for herself and her 2 young boys. You can read about the process they used to identify her key features here, or watch the video.
In case you need a re-cap, Michelle's key features are
Bunk beds
Less than 5000 lbs GVWR
Bathroom with flush toilet
Compact
Ideally modern interiors
Now the exciting part, we are actually getting out to look at some trailers!
We have already looked at the Braxton Creek Freesolo FAM (also known as the Bushwacker Plus) the Keystone Hideout and the TRLV Rove Lite.
Today we are going to compare 4 Forest River brand RV’s less than or close to 5000 lbs total weight (i.e. fully loaded weight). These cover a spectrum from marketed for off road to marketed for RV parks. This video covers trailers that are heavier and longer than we would normally cover on this website but it does make an interesting comparison of different Forest River options.
These vary in starting price from around $28,000 to upwards of $44,000. We honestly started off thinking we would find major differences between these but frankly, they are all very similar. We’ll try to highlight the major differences as we go.
Soap box warning!
After we visited these and started doing research for this video we were reminded about how much bad information there is out there about RV’s! Don’t take anyone’s word for “unique” features or what your tow vehicle can tow, including ours! If you watch some of the sales videos for these you will hear about “exclusive” to this model features that are almost alway available on anything we looked at. Examples are a black tank wash outlet (which is a really nice feature! and on all of these trailers) or the centralized vacuum system (shared between the Rpod and NoBoundaries).
OK, off the soap box, on to the trailers!
Table of Contents
Video walkthrough
Forest River as a Brand
Forest River is both a brand and a super brand. They started in 1996 and were purchased by Berkshire Hathaway in the mid 2000's. They have steadily bought out smaller competing brands and added them to their line up creating a vast array of sub-brands such as Rockwood, Coachman, Palomino, and several other brands that are not on this list, making them the largest RV manufacturer in the US (by $ sold). Each of the Forest River sub-brands has a host of models and versions. They have a mind boggling series of options many of which look identical. The website is very difficult to navigate and understand. They likely don't want you to get your info from the web, they want you to visit a dealer. There are a lot of youtube videos on these so if you find one you think you might like and want to find a review, head to youtube and type in the model number. Fortunately, these are the major brands sold at RV dealerships so you should have no problem finding a dealer near you with some or all of the options you want to look at.
NoBoundaries (NoBo)
The first camper we looked at was a Forest River No Boundaries or NOBO 19.3. Is is 24ft 4 inch long with a dry weight of 4199 lbs, this is a dual axel trailer so the carrying capacity is high, and with a fully loaded weight of 7550 lbs, this is the longest and heaviest camper we looked at with Michelle. You probably could keep this to 5000 lbs fully loaded because many trailers in this class only have ~1000 lbs or less of carrying capacity. However, you would have to watch your weight carefully. This is also the most expensive trailer we looked at starting at ~$44,000 because it is a dual axel. A dual axel means it has 2 sets of tires which provides more stability as a trailer get's longer.
This model of NoBoundaries has a separate shower and bathroom and sleeps 4 - 5 with large bunks, a convertible dinette single bed and a queen sized Murphy bed. It has a 30 gallon fresh water tank, a 30 gallon grey water tank and a 30 gallon black tank. These are fiberglass exterior and aluminum frame which minimizes wood in the construction. These are marketed for off road camping and so have enclosed bottoms which means that your tanks and tubes are protected from bumps and rocks if you are traveling off road along with other solar and 12V options that might be useful for boondocking.
The 19 series No Boundaries exterior has a power awning option. They also have roof storage racks for kayaks or other large gear along with outside access compartments and, probably the unique feature for the campers we looked at, a flip up bunk so that you can store bikes inside along with 2 additional access compartments for storage.
Inside you will find a 6 cu ft fridge, a large 18 inch sink and a 2 burner cook top and optional convection microwave. The 19.3 is 24 feet long so there is tons of storage inside. The bunks are large enough that they claim you can sleep 2 kids per bunk, making the sleeping up to 7 with the single dinette. This seems like it might be a stretch for long trips but could do for weekends! The pull down Murphy bed is a true queen sized bed. The dinette is tiny for something that can sleep this many people but you also have a sofa under the Murphy bed that you could use as additional eating space if you needed to be inside. The dry bath has a pretty large shower and small medicine cabinet for storage in addition to under sink storage.
Both this and the Rpod have an internal vacuum, an interesting feature. Basically you activate it with your foot and it can suck up anything you sweep up. Here is a quick video on how this works.
Some reviewers of this model note that people felt that the interiors were dark and we can see that might be an issue, especially with the bed up which blocks the front window, though the windows are the same or more on this and the other models we are talking about in this post.
Some basic specifications of the NoBoundaries 19.3
There is also another model in this class of No Boundaries, the 19.8, with bunk beds. While we were not able to see that one, it is worth mentioning here, It has a slide out but is shorter and lighter so if you are looking for a true <5000 lb total weight trailer this one might be a better bet. The 19.8 is 22 ft 8 inches long with a dry weight of 3798 lbs and a max weight of 4795 lbs. The main difference between this and the 19.3 is that with the slide out, there is a different shaped dinette with wrap around seating and a folding table. The seating could easily be used as a couch instead of a dining area. the bunks are smaller and the queen bed sleeps side to side vs. the pull down murphy bed. It is a single axel. Otherwise the features are similar between the two models, the kitchens are identical.
Some basic specifications of the NoBoundaries 19.8
R-Pod 193
The Rpod 193 is one inch short of 22 feet long with a dry weight of 3645 lbs and a max weight of 4826 lbs. The 193 includes a slide out which expands the seating area. It has a separate shower and bathroom and sleeps 4 - 5 with bunks, a convertible sofa single bed and a 60x74 inch Murphy bed, 6 inches short of a queen. The dinette is a folding table and couch which is the same as the Nobo 19.8 and may or may not be everyone’s preference. Like the other models, the Rpod 193 has a 30 gallon fresh water tank, a 30 gallon grey water tank and a 30 gallon black tank.
The Rpod has a smaller awning option than the NOBO at 10 feet vs. 16 feet and has solar options. It is missing the large cargo door and flip up bunks but has the same front cargo storage options and a rear cargo option that is pretty good sized.
Inside you will find a the exact same kitchen as in the NOBO 19 series with 6 cu ft fridge, a the same 18 inch sink and a 2 burner cook top and optional convection microwave. This is 2 feet shorter than the NOBO 19.3 and the same size as the 19.8. The extra 2 feet in the larger NOBO gets you a full queen sized walk around bed. Otherwise the storage is essentially the same though it is laid out differently in the Rpod. The Rpod has smaller bunks that are open on the end which might require some kind of curtain if you want to put the kids to sleep before the adults and all be inside. It also has a smaller bathroom with the sink inside the shower which looked a little awkward. Again, dinette with a folding table and sofa which may or may not be everyone’s preference. Though you could take that table outside pretty easily which means you only carry one table.
Compared to the NOBO, the Rpod is basically the same with a different layout so this is probably a personal preference for what kind of layout you are looking for.
Some basic specifications of the R-pod 193
Vibe 17 DB
Next we moved on to the Vibe 17 DB. This is built the same way as the Rpod and NoBo, aluminum framed with fiberglass siding. However, they are not marketed for off road and are not as high off the ground but they do have the same enclosed undercarriage. The Vibe 17DB is 22 feet 5 inches long with a dry weight of 3786 and fully loaded weight of 4930. There is no slide on the Vibe which makes it a bit simpler from the other models in this video. It sleeps 4-5 with large bunks, a convertible dinette and a 60 x 74 Murphy bed, again, 6 inches short of a queen size. Like the other models, this has 30 gallon fresh, black and grey water tanks.
The Vibe has a 15 foot awning option as well as exterior speaker options and has a solar prep option but does not have a solar panel factory installed option, which speaks to the marketing towards people while will primarily camp with power hookups available. There is the same front cargo storage as the NoBo and Rpod and the rear storage has an option for an outdoor kitchen (which is one of my favorite RV features!). There is some variation of the outdoor kitchen available on both the Rpod and the NoBo but I like this one that slides in and out vs. hooking a grill to the wall. In the Vibe, the outdoor kitchen includes a fridge, However, the fridge is 110 v so it will only work if you are plugged into shore power or running a generator or battery inverter. Unlike the other models so far, this one also has an outside shower which is another nice feature.
Inside you will find a similar kitchen as in the other’s with the same 6 cu ft fridge. The sink is different in the Vibe, and we found it to be weirdly small with a huge faucet. There is also a 2 burner cook top and optional microwave. There is an option for a flip up counter on the side of the kitchen which would add some needed counter space. Like the Rpod, this has a slightly smaller than queen Murphy bed. Like the NoBO, the bunks are extra large. The bunks here are also pretty open on the end which (in our family) would require some kind of curtain. The storage is slightly less than the other models, I think you sacrifice the pantry for the larger bunks and the 2 seater dinette. You also don’t get a front window on this model which may or may not matter to you.
This is similar enough to the NoBO and Rpod that, again, it comes down to preferences for your layouts. Losing the slide gives you slightly less space inside but does make things a bit more simple. It is less expensive than the others with no slide and a smaller foot print. You can also see the cost savings in the interior finishes. It would be worth checking out the quality of this vs the others if you are doing a comparison. We think we liked this layout the best to be honest, but we tend towards simple.
Some basic specifications of the Vibe 17 DB
Aurora 18BHS
Last we moved on to the Aurora 18BHS. This one is made differently than the others, they are aluminum sided over wood frames which is possibly slightly inferior to the fiberglass over aluminum of the other 3 models. We looked at the Aurora 18BHS which is 23 feet 1 inches long with a dry weight of 4202 lbs and a max weight of 5500 lbs. This one is really over the weight limit we were considering but you COULD possibly keep it to 5000 if you were careful though that wouldn’t be my preference. The Aurora 18bh includes a slide out which expands the u shaped dining area. It has a separate shower and bathroom and sleeps 4 - 5 with large bunks, a convertible dinette bed and a 60x74 inch Murphy bed, again 6 inches short of a queen. Like the other models, the Aurora 18BHS has a 30 gallon grey water tank and a 30 gallon black tank but a larger 44 gallon fresh water tank.
The Aurora has a 15 foot awning option and exterior speaker options as well as solar enabled and mounted options. It is missing the large cargo door and flip up bunks but has the same front cargo storage options and a huge passenger side cargo access that can also be an outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen option is similar to the Vibe with the 110 V fridge but has more storage.
Inside you will find a similar kitchen as in the others but with a 10 cu ft 12V fridge. The fridge takes up the same space in the trailer but when you lose the propane power, you get a bigger fridge. We have the same thing in our camper and we love it because it gives us more space but we opted for solar and a hefty set of LiIon batteries to power it off grid. The sink is different in the Aurora and much larger than the Vibe. The 2 burner cook top is also a different model with the burners being front to back instead of next to each other. It also has an over burner exhaust which I think is a nice feature (also found on the Rpod and Nobo) and a microwave. Like the Rpod and Vibe, this has a slightly smaller than queen Murphy bed. Like the NoBO, the bunks are extra large. The bunks here are closed on the ends and have a curtain already installed. This one looks like it has the least interior storage with no pantry and no storage over the dinette. But you do get a much larger wrap around dinette which would make eating inside much easier with the whole family. Like the Vibe, there is no front window on this model which may or may not matter to you.
Some basic specifications of the Aurora 18BHS
Here is a recap of the key similarities and differences of these models
Overall, Michelle wasn't sure about this size of these camper but it was a good comparison to the others we have seen. Be sure to subscribe to the blog or our youtube channel to catch all our videos and find out which trailer Michelle picks for her family!
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