Why Are Towable RVs So Angry?


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This video is pretty much just for fun, but after visiting Pomona last month, I couldn’t help but make it.  You just have to watch.

 

 

When you see a bunch of them together, you can’t help but notice that towable RVs (Travel Trailers, 5th Wheels, and whatnot) have incredibly ANGRY AND AGGRESSIVE names when compared to their motorized brothers.  In this video, we run down a bunch of the names, and have a little fun creating one of our own.  (I’m using the Royal “We” there.  This is pretty much all me.  If Stef could disavow any knowledge of this video, I’m sure she would.)

But seriously.  Why so angry?  Aren’t you going on, you know, vacation with your RV?  Does metaphorical danger, death, and destruction somehow make that better?

Anyway, enjoy the video, and if you find other strangely angry or hostile towable RVs out there, send me a picture and I’ll give you credit and include it on this page!  I think it would be hilarious to start a “Pantheon of Bad RV Names”…



James is a former rocket scientist, a USA Cycling coach, and lifelong fitness buff. When he's not driving the RV, or modifying the RV (or - that one time - doing both at once), you can find him racing bicycles, or building furniture, or making music. In his spare time, he works for a large IT company.


    42 thoughts on “Why Are Towable RVs So Angry?

    1. Sandy C

      Have had an EKKO on order since May, 2021. If and when it comes my way, I will call it The Adventure, Plan B.

      Still have a 2014, 32 ft. Winnebago that has been great, but here I am trying to down size to the 23 ft. EKKO. I am 80 years old and always looking for an adventure! Traveling On, Sandy

      Reply
    2. Bill Sprague

      James,

      That’s hilarious! I’ve been mellowing I guess. Our first RV was a Tarus followed by a Prowler. Our final was a a Southwind motorhome. I evolved from a raging bull through a woodland predator to a gentle southern breeze.

      When I get my version of Parky in the spring, my metamorphosis will be complete and I’ll be safe to be around. 😉

      Thanks for a good laugh!

      Bill

      Reply
      1. Don Stephens

        PUMA UNLEASHED

        The graphic was a puma unleashing itself. I think. I feel the toy haulers are the worse.

        Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Oddly enough, that’s the only one we’ve ever seen. (Guess there’s something to that angry marketing…)

        Reply
    3. Padraic

      Those trailers are toy hauler or smaller rig cater to the younger generation grew up in the video game era. Unlike the retired Boomers looking for serenity in their motorhome. If you look at the high-end 5th wheel larger rig in the 40-foot length in the past. They have a more peaceful name like ours “Mountainaire” or “Majestic” or “Summit” from New Horizon today.

      Reply
    4. Phil Bailey

      I saw a YouTube of a production facility of one of those. 12 people produce 36 trailers a day held together mainly with variable globs of glue and (many) staple guns.

      All I have ever read about them are owner complaints. I hope none of them see your video, and try to vent their anxieties on you for making fun of them! Ha ha. But you are right, the Angry Names have to be a subliminal tactic to disguise and displace all the angry owners towing those around (before they fall apart.)

      Reply
        1. Phil

          I saw several Mad Max movies one day this week on TBS, I think (and no, I will never look at another one.) Interesting, is this a plausible future, ha ha?

          Anyway, you may be interested in Stetzerizer microsurge meters and gage (Lessemf.) it does not specifically say, but it feels like a grounding balance that stabilizes low electrical Hz to high mw/wifi Hz (and uses no or virtually no amps power.) Hint you will sleep or rest much better! I immediately thought of a random engineer’s scowl painted on a Mad Max vehicle (due to your article.)

          They are made for rv owner’s sleeping beside or above huge batteries, inverters, and chargers!! They don’t give them away but they (are not expensive, ) last forever, and don’t use electricity 🙂 Stef will be much happier I presume. No more restless leg syndrome in bricks and sticks homes on the power grid my first night sure made me happy, ymmv.

    5. Kong

      Love it… names. We got a great deal on a toy hauler.. K&Z Sportsman Sportster. Really! Sounds sleazy playboy clubish from the 60’s. Like there is a whole another level of Sportsmen.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        OK. I had to look that one up to make sure you weren’t pulling my leg.
        Even better – K&Z Sportsman also makes THE VENOM!!

        Reply
    6. leia

      My husband and I got a big kick out of this video and we really enjoy FitRV in its entirety. I often cruise Craigslist looking for Class Bs or small Class Cs and I, too, have noticed the testosterone-fueled names on some of these big RVs. In fact I just saw one this morning: THE VENGEANCE by Forest River. The concept of angry RVs reminds me of one of my favorite YouTube videos. “Epic and Honest Mobile Home Commercial” http://youtu.be/q-RLqLx1iYI I’ve watched (and laughed at) that video more times than I care to admit (weird sense of humor here).

      Anyway, thanks for the laughs!

      We’re thinking about a Winnebago Fuse and your Fuse video (Minnesota campground) made a real impression.

      P.S. Feel free to let the marketing executives at Winnebago know that their affiliation with FitRV gets a big thumbs up from potential Fuse buyers!

      Reply
      1. Stefany

        Okay Leia just took the lead for my favorite commenter of the week! It’s great when readers can connect to our goofiness (well James’ goofiness, I’m just goofy by association), thanks for making my day, Leia! And YAY on your Fuse choice! Keep us posted if you go forward with it, as we’re always curious on first impressions with a new RV. I have to admit, it felt pretty luxurious going from our tiny Class B into what felt like the huge Fuse interior for that test trip! You’ll love it. I did!

        Reply
        1. leia

          Hi again *waves*

          You’re my favorite blogger of the week or perhaps favorite blogger of the year 🙂

          I’m a cancer survivor and the one thing that got me through chemo was a commitment to walk at least 30 minutes a day – even on (most) infusion days. I was an OCD fitness-type in my twenties/thirties but somewhere along the way I lost my commitment to staying fit. When I read that the one thing that any woman can do to reduce the chance of a recurrence and/or prevent BC cancer in the first place is to walk 30 minutes a day I pulled myself up by my bootstraps (or flip flop straps – we lived in Southern California) and got myself back on track and have (for the most part) stayed on track for the last three years.

          Nowadays I usually walk an hour a day (or longer) along with my favorite walking partner/best friend/husband. Our longest walk was 7.5 miles. One reason we’d like to buy an RV is to expand our walking/hiking experiences. Another reason is to get out of the scorching Arizona summers.

          All that said, I’ve been reading each and every one of your fitness tips along with watching the RV walk-throughs and you’ve become an online inspiration!

          After reading all the entries about your Travato I thought “this might be it,” so the other day I dragged my husband to Prescott, AZ to take a look at a 59G. We left behind a beautiful 70-degree afternoon in Phoenix and arrived to spitting snow (!) an hour and a half north. My husband – in shorts and a t-shirt – was already miserable (it was SOOOO cold) but the clincher was when he stood inside the Travato’s shower/bath and said “okay, so I’m freezing and now I’m feeling claustrophobic after standing in an MRI sized shower*.” We had fallen in love with The Fuse (we saw one the week before in Tucson) but I thought the Travato might be easier to drive. We drive a Prius and average 50 mpg so we’re not used to big vehicles – or low MPGs.

          BTW, I showed my husband a big fifth wheel called CARBON after showing him James’ angry RV video. His response was “it’s called CARBON because it has the largest carbon footprint on the highway.” I’ve tried to talk him into a Prius tent (yes, it exists) but he says he’ll be in the hotel waiting for me when I get tired of sleeping in the back of a car 🙂

          We’re still in the early planning stages and we’re not sure if we’ll really take the plunge but one thing’s for certain: we’re better informed thanks to FitRV! Thanks so much for the obvious time and effort you both put into it. Your enthusiasm for life/exploring is catching.

          P.S. To anyone who might read this: I repeat – we are not campers/RVers so ANY Class B RV shower seems small to us – or at least to my husband. After doing a lot of research the Travato has a much larger bath than most Class Bs so I don’t want to influence anyone who hasn’t yet walked through the Travato. It’s a very nice vehicle/RV!

        2. Stefany

          Oh Leia! James and I have been doing some VERY remote camping the past few days with no internet or cell. Had a moment of service somewhere up the mountain and saw this comment, LOL!!! After coming back to civilization, guess what trailer we saw…a CARBON! Your comment had us cracking up, and then seeing a Carbon was icing on the cake. Glad you got to see a Travato, and were able to rule it out. Here’s the thing about RVs: there’s no one size fits all! The vans require a lot of sacrifice, all in the name of staying small. Going up a little to a Fuse is a good compromise for people who need a little more. Keep reading, keep shopping, and if it’s right, it’ll happen! And awesome you’ve rediscovered fitness through walking and hikinig, even if it was a horrible scare that got you there. Never stop walking, it’s the key to aging well! Keep me posted on your journey. Perhaps we’ll cross paths out there along the way! Thanks for making me smile. 🙂

    7. Mike

      James how about a study on why some campers have a cut out on there matres.And what percentages of campers actually like the cut outs.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        I take it you have a corner-bed floor plan with the corner of the mattress clipped off?
        That’s usually done to provide more walking room.
        Our own RV has that. We just put the shorter person (Stef) on the short side and it hasn’t been an issue.
        With two taller RVers though, I can see how it could get annoying.

        Reply
    8. Don Edgar

      Thanks guys for some big laughs! I really enjoy and appreciate your site and both of your attitudes!! Your style of RV’ng is exactly what I hope to pull off within the next few years. Please keep those reviews coming, along with the laughs!
      –Don E

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        I keep telling Stef that my sense of humor is not that unique. Thanks for checking us out (and for leaving the comment)!

        Reply
    9. Mike

      Ahem… some Class C names: Renegade, Outlaw, Greyhawk, Redhawk. And the most menacing of them all, the Leprechaun! 😉

      But yes, there do seem to be some over-the-top names & appearances for trailers out there. My wife & I settled on a nice, tasteful, calm “Wilderness”… with a certain degree of irony that we’re not exactly roughing it in the wilderness, since we’re past the tenting stage in our lives!

      I find the ‘Stealth’ model the most ironic, though: bright red/black/silver graphics with giant logo. Very stealthy indeed. And the ‘Toxic’ model… really? Perhaps I’m getting old.

      Reply
      1. James - Post author

        Don’t forget my favorite Class A… The Intruder!
        And even in a sea of aggressive towable names, the Toxic stood out as an exceptionally bad one. I can’t imagine the personality that would put his or her family in a “Toxic” RV.

        Reply
        1. BobB

          Well, if they don’t want to be bothered in the campground, that should do it! Or maybe “Virulent” or “Contagious” would be better?

    10. MizK

      I, too, have noticed the sporty or aggressive names of primarily toy haulers, and I thought most TTs had names like Montana, Snowy River, or Jay Feather, but we just bought a little 19 foot Premier Bullet and named her BB. Ammunition! On the other hand, I don’t see Jayco choosing White Bunny over White Hawk, do you?

      Reply
        1. BobB

          Quick search on Google found a blog entry from 2007 where someone else did a similar survey

          Top “ironic” names in 2007:

          Prowler
          Hitchhiker
          Wild Cat
          Challenger
          Conquest
          Ultimate Advantage
          Avenger
          Bounty Hunter

          “I say these names are ironic because I think its funny how recreational vehicles are supposed to enable people to get out and enjoy the peace and quite of nature and commune closer with our mother earth, yet the names imply otherwise.”

          As you observed: “….the most obnoxious big rig RVs that have the most ironic names are the huge toy haulers filled with yet more annoying vehicles inside.” Yep, towables.

    11. Andy & Kim

      Inspiring video!!!!
      As you know we are in the market for a travel trailer, so following the trend you unearthed here I’ve decided on the name of our future new rig.

      In honor of the rattlesnake I ran over in Death Valley last year, it shall be known as “Road Killer” (come on cross the road, we’re hungry).

      Happy Trails,
      Andy & Kim

      Reply
    12. Jason

      My friend and I travel all over the US and Canada and take pictures of all the funny names on the back of RV’s when we pass them and then send them to eachother. It’s been one of many ways to entertain ourselves on the road for several years.

      Reply

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