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RV
Business
magazine
names
2-story
toy
hauler
as
National
Trade
Show's
"Best
of
Show"
Keystone
Outback
Loft
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31'
toy
hauler
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Photo
courtesy
RV
Business
Keystone
Senior
VP
Don
Clarke
at
the
Louisville
Show
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12/20/2007
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RVBusiness (RVB) magazine has recognized
Keystone RV Co.’s newest innovation, the Keystone Outback Loft travel trailer, as the “Best of Show” new unit on display at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) 45th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky.
The Keystone Outback Loft, a 31-foot toy-hauling trailer that adds a second, canvas-sided level for additional living space and comfort, was selected by consensus of the RVB staff after a review of the 2008 models on display at the Nov. 27 – 29 national show held at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
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The award recognizes the most interesting, creative and/or marketable new products introduced by North American manufacturers for the upcoming model year.
Runners-up include two creative ventures selected among hundreds on display: Nappanee, Ind.-based Newmar Corp.’s All Star “Ultimate Tailgate Vehicle” (UTV) and Jackson Center, Ohio-based Airstream’s rear-ramp-equipped PanAmerica model.
“Just when you thought you’d seen it all, each year the RV industry turns itself on its ear introducing ‘off the charts’ innovations that evolve the way we think about RVing,” said Sherman Goldenberg, publisher of RVBusiness. “This year’s winners underscore the movement toward livability and creative-space utilization. During a time when the industry has gone sport-utility crazy, it’s not surprising that two of three winners are variants of the popular SURV (sport utility RV) theme.”
The Keystone Outback Loft is a side-ramp, travel trailer with a conventional front living room and cargo area in back that, in the camping mode, allows users to add a second story – a 7.5 by 7.5-foot rear, roof-top, tent enclosure accessible via a fixed stairway. Automatically lifting into place, the tent enclosure, not unlike that of a traditional popup trailer, can be equipped with an L-shaped sofa and hide-a-bed or with a roll-up futon and foldaway with canvas chairs.
“Our customers are telling us it’s a natural for use in motocross and attending NASCAR,” said Ron Fenech, president and CEO of Keystone, a Thor Industries Inc. subsidiary. “The other common usage will be for families with children who can take advantage of the upstairs, a play room or a lounge area. It’s a great place for adults to hang out and socialize and provides a tremendous view.”
What Keystone set out to accomplish with the Loft is creation of multi-functional rooms, additional living space that can be used for different purposes, which is a growing trend, according to Keystone Senior Vice President Don Clark.
The $28,000 (retail) Loft features a livable, conventional layout downstairs with an oversized U-shaped dinette for maximized eating space, a full-size sofa, roomy bathroom and private rear bedroom with its own entrance door. It’s also a toy hauler, ideal for motorcycles, quads, bicycles and other outdoor recreation equipment.
Runner-up Newmar Corp.’s All Star “Ultimate Tailgate Vehicle (UTV) retails for $265,000 to $290,000 for one of eight All Star models, which includes side-loading garages and rear-bunk floor plans. New for 2008, it also features a full second kitchen in the rear of the coach with wood cabinets, stoves, Corian countertops and refrigerators. Outside there’s a swiveling Jenn-Air grill that slides out on a pullout tray from a compartment behind the rear wheel and an outside entertainment center. Storage areas accommodate two small coolers and eight-foot tables. Inside, there’s a 52-inch LCD TV, and a rear door and second bathroom so that tailgaters don’t always have to walk through the coach’s main living area.
Airstream, famous for the iconic styling of its bullet-shaped aluminum travel trailer, debuted its $80,000 PanAmerica, the Thor division’s first ramp-style trailer, with an eye toward hauling toys and servicing buyers with disabilities. The rear 11 feet of the triple axle, 34-foot PanAmerica have been reconfigured as a garage/storage area, with a fold-down ramp incorporated into the trailer’s tail end. The 11,500-pound GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) trailer can handle a load of up to 14,000 pounds of cargo.
“We are inundated with requests for ‘mobility-friendly’ units,” said Airstream President Bob Wheeler in reference to the user-friendly PanAmerica targeted at disabled RV enthusiasts. “While the PanAmerica serves well as a ‘toy box,’ our secondary goal was to meet these additional demands. We recognized that we needed to have a platform that reached more than one market.”
More information on the “Best of Show” winner and runners-up is featured in the January issue of RVBusiness. RVBusiness is published by Affinity Media, publisher of more than 40 outdoor recreation magazines, directories and Web sites.
RV
Business magazine names Keystone Loft "Best of
Show"
What
do
you
think?
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add
your
comments
here
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Readers'
comments:
(Latest
first)
rhandy
:
This is a great concept. I already use my roof area for event viewing, adding steps (instead of my ladder) and some shade is great. Airstream had a similar idea with the skydeck model. Personally I would like to have drop down steps (like attic steps) instead of permanent. The additional space could be used for something else,like a washer/dryer.
Ellie
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I always thought that making use of vertical space was the best way to increase the square footage. The pop-up idea is brilliant. And, I bet that the view from there is fantastic (providing you are in a scenic area and not on an asphalt parking lot in an RV park)
John A
:
This is the craziest looking thing I ever saw. Says it's a "canvas-sided level for additional living space and comfort". I guess it must be better than it looks or sounds.
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