Rating different Heartland travel trailers...

[CPDDet]

I see Heartland produces different brands of travel trailers, much like GMC builds Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. But which brand is a Chevrolet and which is a Cadillac?

I see there are similar model numbers in different brands so there must be some type of pecking order among the brands. I assume this difference is how the various brands are equipped, with some having more standard features or higher end finishes.

Can anyone tell me how these different brands compare to one another? Is there a "pecking order"? And if so, what is it?

I'm specifically asking about the following brands:

North Trail
Wilderness
Sundance XLT TT
Trail Runner
Trail Runner SLE
Prowler
Prowler Lynx

Thanking all in advance,

Dave

 

[BigJim45]

Check out this link

http://heartlandrvs.com

You can check out each one

 

[CPDDet]

Thanks BigJim,

While the site doesn't list the MSRP, I can still compare standard features and options for each brand and get a pretty good idea.

 

[danemayer]

You might want to call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Ryan Brady or Mike Creech can probably explain how the products compare.

 

[CPDDet]

I will be attending the RV show in Rosemont IL next month and see the Heartland dealer from southern Wisconsin will be there. I'm sure he can assist me as well.

 

[kowAlski631]

I will be attending the RV show in Rosemont IL next month and see the Heartland dealer from southern Wisconsin will be there. I'm sure he can assist me as well.

Give a call to Heartland anyway. Dealers sell multiple manufacturers and may not be well versed on the nuances between the models you're interested in.

 

[CPDDet]

Yep, that phone call is on the list. Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

We had a 2013 Trail Runner 22RK (now the 24RK) and loved it!

RK stands for 'Rear Kitchen'.

While I wouldn't give up our new Prowler 5th-wheel . . . I do miss that Trail Runner.

As for the hierarchy of the brands, I think that the North Trails are the top of the line of the Heartland bumper pull trailers, and then all the others I'm not sure how they fall.

However, the Trail Runner SLE and the Prowler Lynx are the less expensive of those two lines.

Here is our previous Trail Runner in action (first two shots in Custer, SD):



My advice . . . just go out and look at them at the dealership and buy the one you like best!

Scouring over websites and lots of numbers will only make you dizzy!

- - - Updated - - -

Give a call to Heartland anyway. Dealers sell multiple manufacturers and may not be well versed on the nuances between the models you're interested in.

We have at least six Heartland dealerships within 50 miles of our house and they all carry different brands of Heartland from each other.

The dealership we bought our Prowler from only carries Prowler, the dealership we bought our Trail Runner from only carries Trail Runner, North Trail and Bighorn, another one near us carries Sundance, Elkridge, Cyclone and Road Warrior.

 

[CPDDet]

I would agree about the Trail Runner probably being the top brand as it's the only one that has both the Pearl Package and the Caliber Package as an option.

Have to put this on the side for now. My sister ended up in the hospital and have to attend to that.

Thanks for all the tips and clues!

 

[CPDDet]

Ooops! Make that the North Trail brand that has the Pearl and Caliber packages.

 

[JohnD]

I would agree about the Trail Runner probably being the top brand as it's the only one that has both the Pearl Package and the Caliber Package as an option.

Have to put this on the side for now. My sister ended up in the hospital and have to attend to that.

Thanks for all the tips and clues!

Ooops! Make that the North Trail brand that has the Pearl and Caliber packages.

Hope she is OK!!!!!

When you are ready, just go to several dealerships and look at the different models.

When we chose our previous Trail Runner, it had noting to do with features and such . . . but we looked at a whole bunch of trailers and that was the one we loved and kept going back to!

Now, our Prowler was just the opposite!

We saw a Heartland Elkridge and fell in love with it, but it was way too heavy for our brand new truck (2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD)!

Then we saw a Heartland Sundance with the same floor plan . . . but it was also too heavy for our new truck.

When we got home from looking at the Sundance, I went to the Heartland website and discovered the Heartland Prowler P292 (same floor plan as the Sundance and Elkridge), and it was well within the tow ratings of our new truck.

I then did a Google search and as luck would have it, the ONLY dealership in the western US of A that had any in stock was 40 miles away from our house!

Ironically . . . we traded in the Trail Runner while it was sitting in a campground at a Heartland Owner's Club campout!

Now, the Sundance and Elkridge have a better insulation rating for winter camping . . . but we rarely do that, so that wasn't a big issue.

And, to be realistic, when we do go camping in the winter months, it isn't a big deal for us to use the campground facilities instead of worrying about water and sewer hookups!

In otherwords . . . think about how you will realistically be using the trailer instead of 'what if'.

After all . . . isn't camping supposed to be about 'roughing it' once in awhile?

And . . . when you do get whichever Heartland you decide on, make sure to join the Heartland Owner's Club (HOC - free for the first year).

If it wasn't for the HOC . . . we may have bought another brand of trailer when we upgraded!

You will NEVER meet a greater bunch of folks . . . and the HOC rallies are a BLAST!

Not to mention that the SD Chapter is in the Mountain Region (same as us) . . . and we need to get more members up there!

The Mountain HOC Region is the fastest growing and most active group of the whole bunch in the US!

We have Rallies scheduled all the way through 2018 and we are all close friends now!

We are going to the 2016 Arizona HOC Tucson Rodeo Rally in February and right now there are 50+ Heartland RV's scheduled to be there!

It will be a blast!!!!!!!!!

If you ever have any questions . . . feel free to contact me!

More shots from our South Dakota trip . . .



We plan to go back up to South Dakota in the next year or two to check out more of we we missed!

 

[Shortest Straw]

I hope all is well with your sister.

Having recently done a 6 month study to decide which 5'er we wanted, my advice to you is to make a list of deal breakers, wants and needs, and then start looking for a new trailer. For example, we had to have auto leveling, dual ac's, east west bed, a full sized shower and a kitchen big enough we could both work in the space. We did not want an awing that couldn't be used because it covered a slide, a rear window, a brown exterior color, just to name a few. When we looked at new rigs if any of those items were not to our satisfaction we stopped and moved on. Granted these are just a few examples but it made things easier on us. So what is most important to you?

John, for the love of Pete stop posting so many pictures!! None of us will need to go anywhere you have ever been because we have already seen it!!!

 

[JohnD]

John, for the love of Pete stop posting so many pictures!! None of us will need to go anywhere you have ever been because we have already seen it!!!

Sorry . . . I can't help it (that's what I do!) . . .

I was born and raised as a photographer (been doing it since before I went to college - 1978) . . . !

I was a photojournalist (ie.- newspaper photographer) for the better part of the 80's and 90's!

Photography has been my life since before I gradjitated from high school!

I am doing a Photography Workshop at the Tucson HOC Rally next month, as well as the HOC Regional Rally in Pueblo, CO next year . . .

Let Garry know if you want to sign up for the class . . .

By the by . . . here are a few more photos :

 

[JohnD]

By the bye . . . I do have several dead bodies and house fire shots if you really need to see those . . .

Here is an example . . .

 

[Doublegranch]

For example, we had to have east west bed,]

Mike: Couldn't resist....how do you manage if your trailer nose isn't parked towards the North????

 

[Shortest Straw]

I am a bit embarrassed as I cannot even come up with a smart comment for that.... But I will... oh yes I will.

 

[JohnD]

I am a bit embarrassed as I cannot even come up with a smart comment for that.... But I will... oh yes I will.

Waiting anxiously for an answer . . .

By the bye . . . here is a dead body shot (was in a Winnabaqo motor home that crashed into a telephone pole) . . . :

 

[Gtoli]

By the bye . . . I do have several dead bodies and house fire shots if you really need to see those . . .

Got plenty of my own, thank you!

 

[Shortest Straw]

So do I...

 

[Bones]

I like looking at some of John's pictures. he does post a lot of the same ones so maybe he can post different ones. But please don't post anymore dead body pictures. I'm don't need to be reminded of what I came upon on a lonely road with a family filled Van and a car.