Insulation
The brochure you are referring to is an older brochure. The artic package was available, but was rarely, if ever, chosen as an option. So, it is gone, like any other option that made up less than 3% of production.
Before you lament that, though, understand that the BIGHORN underbelly is still insulated with an upgrade FLEXFOIL (R14) insulation which is considerably higher R-value than our competition's "arctic package" flexfoil insulation which is only (R8) - and they charge you for it.
We also use this same (R14) Flexfoil insulation under the bedroom/bath floor area - where again, most of our competition does not offer any insulation at all.
We also use attic vents which allow moisture (from showers, laundry, cooking, etc.) in the coach to more easily escape, instead of build up in the attich area. This increases energy efficiency as well.
The optional dual pane, or thermal-pane windows are a great energy saver. But as I told someone at a show this weekend, if they really are going to be camping in Northern Michigan in the winter, then there are some things you may want to consider "customizing" your coach with: such as adding even more insulation around your tanks (they are fairly easy to get to), as well as holding tank heat pads which are available at Camping World or through their local dealer. Neither are that difficult to add aftermarket and I also told them of stories that owners have shared with me about how important a wind skirt is to protect the underbelly of the coach against the wind-chill that occurs during extreme cold camping in Northern states.
In conclusion, the Bighorn offers more insulation value than our competition's "arctic package" - but even with that, you may want to consider adding your own extras if you plan on camping in temperatures that may reach well below zero.
At the factory level, it is best to concentrate on what we do well and variations typically cause problems in the production environment. While some folks choose to use their recreational vehicle for staying in extreme cold weather, we just can't offer everything they need to really make it a non-issue.
ST
