Airstream and Porsche Explore Garageability

Few brands are more iconic than Airstream and Porsche. In fact, each is so well-defined that one instantly wonders what could motivate such an historic collaboration. No surprise to anyone, the creative partnership with Studio F.A. Porsche has a big task: reshaping the future of RVing. Airstream’s President & CEO, Bob Wheeler, says, “When we first envisioned this collaboration, there were several things that we wanted to try to accomplish that we weren’t sure we could without some outside thinking. We wanted a travel trailer that was sleek, easy to tow, low-profile, garageable.” Part of the concept was creating a trailer that electric vehicles could tow. Even the innovators at Porsche were awed by the challenge. Steffen Ganz, head of design at Porsche
Design of America, admits, “Putting your hands on something that is … essentially a perfect product already. That’s quite a challenge to come up with an idea that improves this.” But come up with ideas they did. At home, the trailer’s chassis can be lowered to crouch in a garage; but out in the wild a roof section can be raised to increase standing space. Garageability alone could open up an entirely new market for urban buyers—and that’s but a fraction of the ingenuity involved.

California Aims to Ease Reservation Frustration

California state parks attract more than 6.5 million visitors a year, according to the office of Democratic Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. But, as a recent Dyrt poll noted, many visitors are unhappy with the registration process. According to RVTravel.com, a new state bill (AB 618) has been proposed that adds incentives and penalties to the cancellation policy, with the intent to improve visitor accountability and campsite availability.

Sunglasses Throw Shade on National Parks

It doesn’t take long to figure out: goodr—a sunglasses company with a flamingo as their CEO (his name is Carl)— likes to have fun. Famous for their stylish, low-cost “sunnies” (aka sunglasses that don’t bounce when you run), good is now celebrating select national parks with custom shades.

East to West Makes a Big All-Weather Debut

For countless RVers, camping season has a well-defined boundary: When it’s too cold in the cabin, it’s time to put it in park. But East to West is looking to change all that and extend the camping season with the brand-new ALTA Xtreme 365. It’s one of the rare 35-foot travel trailers specifically constructed—and insulated—to do so, with: a 5-inch vacuum bonded crowned roof; 3-inch laminated sidewalls (Azdel inside and out); dual-pane windows; triple-insulated floors; tank heaters; a forced air and heated underbelly; and a 40,000 BTU furnace (plus an electric fireplace).

Two Peas in an RV Podcast for Newbies

Angie Morell and Chuck Lasley have seen the RV industry swell over the last four years. That means there are a lot of newbies on the road. So, the two execs from the National Indoor RV Centers have launched a brand new RV podcast, “RV360,” that will provide fun and helpful tips for RV owners of any experience level. Thirty-minutes episodes will air weekly.

Shark Tank Bites Into Truck Camping

Last March, ABC’s Emmy Award-winning show “Shark Tank” took a big bite into the truck camping business. In episode 1419, three of FLATED’s four founders presented the world’s first inflatable truck topper, the Air-Topper, which enables customers to quickly convert their truck into a truck camper. Simple, light, strong, and storable—the product drew the attention of one shark in particular who was hungry for a deal.

Lost Signal: Inside the Nomad Internet Scandal

Nomad Internet made some big claims and big promises to their RV customers—and to the RV influencers who endorsed them. But was that trust compromised? Next issue, we’ll take a closer look at the controversy and fallout from this alleged scandal.