Another year of camping season is upon us and new floor plans are hitting the market. It’s time to start thinking about the best travel trailer brands of 2024.
Figuring out who the best travel trailer brands are can be daunting. Since we’ve been camping for years and have a behind-the-scenes look at the RV industry, we can help you narrow down your choices and get the most out of your investment.
Read on to learn how to find the best RV brands for this year!
What is a travel trailer?
A travel trailer is a type of camper (recreational vehicle) that is towed behind a vehicle. Travel trailers come in a variety of sizes, from 12 feet to 40 feet in length.
Some have slide-outs that create additional living space. There are also motorhomes with amenities such as bathrooms, bunk beds and kitchen islands.
Because of the many different shapes and sizes available, RVs are suitable for every type of traveler. From the solo camper to the extended family, there is a camper for you.
What makes a travel trailer brand the best?
The best travel trailer brands have top-notch customer service, are reliable and affordable. Let’s take a closer look at these qualities.
Customer Service
Excellent customer service is critical. If you’ve ever owned an RV, you know that something can always break. That’s why how a manufacturer handles its customer service is so important.
A brand that works with you when things go wrong and fixes things correctly and efficiently is a brand you want to stay with.
Unfortunately, not all RV brands offer the same level of customer service. Therefore, it is important that you choose a brand that you know will help you when things go wrong.
Reliability
RVs travel at high speeds, which increases the likelihood of maintenance problems.
However, the best RV manufacturers make their products as reliable as possible to limit the risk of failure in the first place. Look for brands that emphasize quality control and whose ratings reflect reliability.
Affordability
Affordability is important to most of us. You may think, the cheaper the better! However, when it comes to a caravan, you may want to rethink that.
Cheap caravans are cheap because they are mass produced and go through very little quality control. If this is the case, you will inevitably spend more on repairs and maintenance than you would like.
This is why you will find that the best brands have a higher price than others.
The 10 best touring caravan brands of 2024
Let’s take a look at the best travel trailer brands that meet all of the above criteria.
Keep in mind that there are good and bad reviews on every brand, but these are the brands that have proven to have more satisfied customers.
1. airstream
About the brand: Airstream is a classic brand that continues to improve its technology and innovation every year. It offers ten models of travel trailers with even more floor plan options.
The trailers range from 16 feet to 33 feet and accommodate four to eight people.
Their models range from an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $46,900 to $191,500. While Airstream is on the more expensive side for most, they are one of the few RVs that have great resale values and are built to last.
What makes their RVs the best: Airstream’s quality puts them at the top of our list. For decades, Airstream has produced durable, rugged motorhomes. They are also very reliable and have excellent quality control and customer service.
Airstream has evolved over the years with new models and floor plans. You need to see the Airstream Basecamp, the Airstream Bambi and the upcoming Airstream eSTREAM.
2. Grand design motorhome
About the brand: Grand Design RV produces five different travel trailers, including Toy Hauler travel trailers. They offer a variety of floor plans, so there’s something for every type of RV enthusiast. And while they produce countless RVs each year, they don’t skimp on quality and reliability.
However, some would say that as the company has grown over the years, quality has declined. We were Solitude ambassadors for over three years and experienced firsthand how fast customer service can be. Even when we had problems with our RV, they were always fixed.
However, we won’t deny that problems increased after Covid. If you have a problem with this brand, we advise you to open a case immediately and do not hesitate to mention your problems in the Grand Design Facebook groups. These pages are monitored by a customer service representative who responds quickly and offers solutions.
What makes their travel trailers the best: Grand Design RV is attuned to what their customers want. Their customer service has helped inform their floor plans, including some that are conducive to full-time RV living. In addition, Grand Design is listening to the market and expanding into motorized RVs as well as budget RVs.
Pro Tip: If you want to see some options from this manufacturer. These are the best floor plans for the Grand Design Transcend travel trailer.
3. Oliver Travel Trailers
About the brand: Oliver Travel Trailers are all around fiberglass and quality. The trailer is a double hull fiberglass shell.
In other words, the top and bottom are two molded parts put together. Two different single-axle models are manufactured, one weighing 3,700 lbs and the larger model weighing 4,900 lbs.
What makes their Travel Trailers the best: Fiberglass construction with few seams greatly reduces the risk of leaks. This is the reason why Oliver is one of the best trailer brands.
In addition, the small luxury travel trailers are sold directly to the customer without going through an RV dealer. This greatly increases reliability and customer service, as you only communicate directly with the manufacturer.
4. lance motorhomes
About the brand: Lance travel trailers have a reputation for being one of the best construction and all-season options on the market. They also offer a two-year warranty on all of their travel trailers. And they have received the highest rating from Consumer Digest.
Which makes their travel trailers the best: Lance’s four-season design is at the top of the list. They also have great customer service, and Lance owners tend to keep their trailers long term and buy Lance again when they upgrade to a new trailer. This is a very good sign of their reliability.
When we sold our Grand Design fifth wheel, we decided to buy a used Lance. Granted, it’s a truck camper and not a travel trailer, but the construction is the same. During our refurbishment we could really tell that the build quality was right, and we are very glad we chose the Lance.
5. motorhome outdoors
About the brand: Outdoors RV is a lesser known brand, but one that is talked about in 2024. The company began manufacturing RVs in 2009 to develop products that can withstand any terrain and weather. Their motto is “mountain four-season camping”.
What makes their RVs the best: Like Oliver Travel Trailers, Outdoors RV has a limited number of models and floorplans available.
We take this as a good sign that they are putting a lot of effort into quality control, rather than having too many options in their lineup, which could lead to something being overlooked. Newer RV manufacturers tend to produce higher quality products to build a good reputation, so we are usually happy for RV buyers when new RVs come on the market.
6. winnebago
About the brand: Winnebago is known for its motorhomes, but its camper trailers also make the brand one of the best in the business.
They are reliable campers with quality construction. Winnebago is always on the cutting edge of technology and a consistent leader in the RV industry. We believe that Winnebago is one of the few manufacturers that have made it and still focus on quality.
What makes their travel trailers the best: Winnebago’s experience and strong presence in the RV industry give their travel trailers a lot of credibility.
Winnebago works well with their customers and listens to owners to continue to improve their products. For example, their travel trailers were one of the first to feature lighter weight furniture and modern trim options. Change in the RV industry is slow, so it’s always a good sign when a manufacturer takes risks for its customers.
7. jayco
About the brand: Jayco has had the reputation of being the most reliable brand for years. While there are many other brands that lead the way in technology and innovation, Jayco is still on our list.
Currently, Jayco produces seven different lines of caravans with different layouts and sizes, ranging from ultra-light to half-ton.
What makes their travel trailers the best: Jayco travel trailers have a floor plan option for every type of traveler. They also have large models with multiple slide-outs, bunk rooms, and space for large families. With years of experience and reliability, owners remain loyal to the brand.
Alliance 8
About the brand: Alliance is a relatively new manufacturer that was just established in 2019. The interesting thing about Alliance is that many Grand Design owners abandoned their previous motorhomes first and bought an Alliance when the brand was established.
This makes sense when you consider that Alliance’s Vice President of Sales is the same person who developed the customer service model for Grand Design. Those who trusted Grand Design for customer service felt comfortable taking the risk of a brand new company.
What makes their travel trailers the best: In mid-2023, Alliance introduced its first travel trailer, the Delta. This model comes in five different layouts with modern interiors and excellent build quality.
Alliance was not far behind Winenbago in introducing lighter colors in their floorplans. New things are always being introduced based on customer feedback.
9. heartland
About the brand: Heartland was founded in 2003, but in 2020 the brand was rebranded. The purpose of the rebranding was to represent what Heartland stands for today and in the future.
In the last few years alone, Heartland has built a new customer service facility, increased staff and made significant technological improvements. In addition, Heartland is one of the few manufacturers to offer a “Full-Time Friendly” warranty on its vehicles.
What makes their Travel Trailers the best: Whether you’re looking for an RV to live in full time or an affordable option for weekend getaways, Heartland has you covered. The company currently offers eight different models of travel trailers with countless floor plans.
With lengths ranging from 21 feet to 38 feet, you’re sure to find something you like. Not only does Heartland offer countless floor plans, but they also put their customers first.
10 Ember
About the brand: Ember RV is another new manufacturer, but its executives come from a long line of RV industry experts. Founded in 2021 by Ashley Bontrager (the granddaughter of Jayco founders), Ember RV came out with a bang.
The company’s mission is to build a better RV by offering innovative products that customers want. They encourage their employees to share ideas and support each other.
What makes their RVs the best: Currently, Ember RV offers three different models with a total of 22 floor plans. All offer modern interiors with eye-catching exteriors. The Touring Edition models have 5-sided aluminum frames and double-sided Azdel walls.
Travel trailers range from $42,425 to $69,422 and accommodate two to eight people.
What is the most reliable brand of travel trailers?
Airstream is known for its reliability. The company has spent decades perfecting its craft and has meticulous aluminum construction and extensive quality control. And with reliability comes a higher price than most other travel trailers.
Is a travel trailer worth it?
A travel trailer is worth it. If you’re just getting started with RVing, a travel trailer is a great starter option to get your feet wet.
Just keep in mind the size of the tow vehicle you need. There are many small travel trailers on the market that you can tow with an off-road vehicle. For example, Airstream’s Basecamp weighs only 3,500 pounds.
Go to an RV dealer near you and test drive one of the brands on the list! Are you considering buying a camper?