2018 Outdoors RV reviews

We bought this unit new in 2018. We were impressed with the Murphy bed, outdoor kitchen and large bathroom. The quality seemed ok for the low price. I spent my career in construction and hvac service so the couple of small issues that I saw I knew I could resolve without getting the dealer or manufacturer involved. Little did I realize six years later how poorly thought out the build quality of these units were. I have a hard time believing that these units were actually built to leak from underneath the frame. The entire width and about 24” inches in of the rear of the unit’s plywood floor was completely rotted out. As I got into taking out the rotten wood I saw that these units are designed to leak water when ever it was towed in the rain. This went on with no obvious signs of water intrusion for six years until one day i put my hand down on the floor of the outdoor kitchen and it pushed through the plywood. I am having to tear out the outdoor kitchen, the bath vanity and water heater in order to replace all the water damage. Fortunately I have the ability to do the work myself so I’m lucky there but I would never recommend Sonic or any Venture product again. I have also removed all Venture/Sonic badging. My wife and I have enjoyed many camping adventures in this unit so when I’m done with reno we’ll be back out in our new, water resistant/proof, no name travel trailer. Show less

Overall we loved it at first but then the problems started. First we had two blowouts. First one there was no damage . Second one destroyed wheel wells and side of camper . Took to a tire shop and they referred to the manufacturer installed tires as China bombs . Just overall cheap tires. Replaced with 4 new better quality tires and no problem since. Second problem was doors kept coming off tracks . Next we went to install solar display in area where they put sticker only to find once we cut wall open they had installed pvc vent in same area. We also have had several problems with the awnings working when they want . Last major problem is soft spots in living room and master bedroom making it not being able to use. Will have to tear everything out to make repairs. Camper is not worth the money. Show less

I purchased this RV used in 2021. It was a nice style, and I liked the Retro look. I got the teal/greenish color with the black and white checkered flooring inside. Everything looked great except whoever had it before me must had had something heavy on the bed that fell over when they were towing it because the floor next to the bed below the window was all scraped up and had been curling apart. The dealer made an effort to glue it back down, but I had to put a small rug on top to cover it. After the very first trip where I was parked in the shade, the plastic material on both seats started flaking and coming apart all over the seat and back rest. I had to cover the seats with a blanket while on my trip to keep them from getting worse and getting material all over the floor. After I got home and removed the blankets, they were covered in plastic seat material. Very, very poor quality. Instead of spending a ton of money to have it fixed, I opted for seat covers I got on Amazon. Also, I had attached some Command strips on the wall to hold a couple of pictures because I didn't want to put any holes in the wall. I wanted to change where the pictures hung and when I attempted to remove the Command strips, the wall finish came off with it! Not good! I am going to be taking it out again soon and I'm not crazy about the quality of it now. I can only wonder what will fall apart next. Show less

In general, I like Northwood Mfg. products like Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV, relative to the RV industry generally which does a very poor job of engineering products, quality control, and being truthful in marketing. The Outdoors 21RD has a utilitarian floor plan with a couple of options at the big windows in the back. The option for recliners is strange in that they don't turn around to take advantage of the great view that those windows provide. Like all Northwood products, this also isn't a "4-season" coach except in the Southern US. It is a mostly comfortable coach for 3 seasons if you add insulation to the storage compartment. It loses enough heat through its frame to outline its location on the outside walls with melted lines on a frosty morning. Perhaps most importantly, though, this unit has a gross-weight problem. It only has 3,500 lb. axles but huge, boondock-ready fresh water and waste water capacities. With axles less capable than even their smallest unit in the line-up, they can't legally carry the full weight of the coach, a full fresh-water tank, and a normal family's load of clothing, food, gear, etc., let alone take all that weight off-road. Something has to give. If you get the Titanium package, now its aesthetics are even heavier and the coach will usually be maxed out all the time, which is not a good way to tow a trailer, especially into any rough backcountry. It needs an expensive dual 5,200 lb. axle retrofit to really function as it should. Show less

We used this RV for about 40 days every year since 2019. We loved the floor plan and the liveability. Like other travel trailers you need to be a good handy man to resolve some annoying issues like, fixing the caulking around the shower door, re-aligned and resealed the shower drain with the ABS pipe under the shower base, replace the city water inlet (luckily it broke during set up at camping site), re-fixed all wooden center panel cabinet (not enough glue) and you must use water pressure regulator to avoid the toilet water valve leaking. Finally, the original tires on the RV were good for only 4 years (less than 5000 miles), that’s a little bit disappointing. Despite these annoying issues we still like it. Show less

This RV is everything you need and nothing you don't. Well built. Great floor plan. Easily 3/4 ton towable. Luxurious. Well insulated. Full-time rated. I lived in mine full-time for two years and wish I still could. Now I have the ultimate weekend/vacation toy. Get one, you won't be sorry! Show less

As with any new item there are always bugs that require working out. We've had to replace the floor in the dining slide due to water leak the 1st year out, haven't been pleased with it since. Floor after 2.5 yrs became soft not due to water leak, dealer & Mfgr stated common problem with no solution or recommended fix. Furnace had to be replaced 2X in 4 years as well as fridge required service & replace inverter both times within 4 years. Thank goodness I purchased an extended warranty. I won't purchase another. Thor industry that owns open range is only interested in the bottom line and cares nothing about product quality, service, or customer service. I wrote a letter to the CEO/President of the company and my letter was returned unopened and rejected. Every owner has floor problem. Show less

We've had our 5th wheel now since 2019. When it was built great attention was paid to quality control. Around 2020, I think things started to go downhill a bit with Vanleigh & they started to cheap out on cabinetry (plastic vs. wood), components & workmanship! We feel really fortunate to have had this experience with this unit as nothing major has ever gone wrong. Even before we beefed up the suspension, it pulled like a dream. There's about 19K miles on it & no problems at all except for cosmetic furniture breakdown which happens in all RVs that have a particular faux leather but that is not a fault of Vanleigh. Great service center in Tishomingo MS too! We will miss vacationing around in our little apartment on wheels. Show less

The camper is fine. It's the customer service and repair/parts center that is the problem. Charged me $800 shipping on the wrong parts. They never bothered to say anything about not having the correct parts. Man, what a headache and loss of money. Beware of future poor assistance if you buy one. Show less

Do not waste your money on this brand of RV. We have used it 4 times and the thing is literally falling apart. 3 of the scissor jacks broke off. The fridge door came off right in my hand! The layout is great. Love the leaning Show less