Steve
I might be able to help you out a little. First, is there a dealer close by to go look at them yourself?
I purchased a Sundance 285BH XLT about 2 months ago, the unfortunate thing is the weather has been unseasonably cool here this year and the snow is just finally starting to melt, so with that said, I have not used the trailer yet, so I am limited to what I saw comparing the XLT and Regular models on the lot.
The biggest differences I noticed is there seems to be a few less features in the XLT, not many but a few. No ceiling fan, the underbelly is enclosed, but not heated and the gray and black drain valves are outside of the underbelly and not protected. (This one almost made me go for the Regular Line, but I don't plan on using the trailer that much when it is that cold, however I think they should have enclosed the pipes and valves). I still feel like the trailer is a great value, and I have pulled it twice over short distances of about 20 miles and it pulls great.
Ultimately, it came down to length and weight (I have a 16 boat I want to pull behind it on occasions and some 4 wheelers that I will put back there as well from time to time.) I wanted a bunk house for my kids and the 2997 and 2998 are 3 feet longer and weight nearly 3000 pounds more than the XLT. The places I like to camp are not designed for 35-40 foot trailers and I am not planning on living in it, just using it for extended weekend trips in the summer.
Shane
If you have more questions, ask and I will try to help you out.