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No doubt Scott Tuttle's livinlite made a profit, it grew year after year and was a juicy target for a large corporation.

IMHO the problem for thor was there wasn't enough profit, so they decided to keep the price high and take all the expense out. After all, someone has to pay for an over bloated massive corporate machine, might as well be us right?

All business need to make a profit for sure, to that point there is no debate. It just sucks that good products have to be destroyed so the pigs feeding at the bonus trough of large corporations can indulge to their hearts content.

The original livinlite was a smaller, nimbler company and maybe decided to make a little less profit in order to build the best camper they could. What a great concept and it truly benefited the consumer.

The early camplite models were lighter. The 21BHS was 3,499 dry weight when first introduced, my 2016 is 4,088. Don't know about the other models, probably are similar.


http://ultralitetrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/camp-lite-brochure.pdf

You are missing the point about the construction of the camper, it isn't about having an "overbuilt" floor.

As far as an aluminum floor being cold you put down these things called rugs. (for the minuscule fraction of us who camp when it is cold)

Regardless, the people who want an "all aluminum" camper can have one and so can the people who want a "no rot" one.

The change to steel frame is just another step.  The fact that the name Camplite may stick around within the Venture RV line isn't really important.  The product as it existed is gone.  Simply put, an aluminum frame, aluminum wall, aluminum roof, no wood camper was conceivably a lifelong camper and no company wants to build a lifelong camper, it eats into return customers.

Soon it won't even be worth buying a camplite. Steel frames, fiberglass wall, rubber roof, plastic floor, can get all that on a camper that costs thousands less.

No doubt thor will keep the price up, I mean you do get led mood lighting, lol.

By 2017 they all had the plastic floor and the move to fiberglass walls.

Some 2018's were built with aluminum walls.  I looked at one, a 16TBS- still shown as available at southlandrv.com

Yes, as noted in the post above.

The move to fiberglass walls, didn't say they all had it.

"Look closely though because 2016 was the model year they went to rubber roofs and started removing things like slide storage and the larger squared off baggage doors. By 2017 they all had the plastic floor and the move to fiberglass walls."

Incorrect information - our 2017 has the aluminum floor and sides.

Meant to say 2018, 2017 was the year they started to change over to the plastic floor, I looked at quite a few 2017 21BHS when I was buying mine and they all had the plastic floors.

Although fiberglass walls are an option many of the early versions had it as a no cost option, my guess thor was "testing the waters"

Yes, some of the early 2016 are still all aluminum, I have 2016 built in December of 2015 and it has the aluminum roof and floors.

Look closely though because 2016 was the model year they went to rubber roofs and started removing things like slide storage and the larger squared off baggage doors. By 2017 they all had the plastic floor and the move to fiberglass walls.

Ever load a 4x8 sheet of OSB or plywood into your car? now imagine an entire camper made out that.

In many industries there is a direct relation to how heavy something is and how much it costs.

I replaced the switches on the vortex fans with a 12v fan controller (don't use the low voltage PMW switch has to be an automotive type blower motor switch), at lower speeds the vortex is quiet and you can't beat the price. The original click switches are junk.

IIRC the maxxair and fantastic fans are not direct replacements and you have to completely remove the old fan including the frame.

My 2016 has vinyl tile over the aluminum floor. I really like it this way, although it added weight to the camper the floor doesn't get as cold as bare aluminum and the color of the vinyl is very nice.

while I consistently bash thor for moving livinlite away from the "all aluminum" concept I think the vinyl covered aluminum floor and wood cabinet fronts aren't too terrible.


Utahredrock, You still have a nice camper that is magnitudes better than the chipboard junkers (good band name, lol)) everybody makes, there are some die hard livinlite fanatics that much prefer the "all aluminum" concept not the "no rot" one so you'll have to keep that in mind as you peruse the forums

Mitch mentioned Intech because Scott Tuttle is part of the company now,  maybe Scott is reading all of this and Intech will become like the livinlite of old.

[klaker, YOU need to get your facts straight before spewing your false information !!!!]

klaker, YOU need to get your facts straight before spewing your false information !!!!

"They also took away brakes on one axle."

I just spoke with Amy who called engineering and both axles are BRAKE AXLES !! As a matter of fact, they only order "Brake Axles" !!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad I could educate YOU on your misinformation.

dude chill, I saw 2 units on dealer lots with brakes on one axle only, maybe this was temporary when they switched over to leaf springs, who knows. If they are back with brakes on both axles then that is at least one good thing.

Regardless of all the back and forth and to repeat what I've said before if your camper works for you and you are happy with it that is all that matters.

Keep in mind though there are a lot of people out there who prefer the way livinlites were built originally so don't take it personally when they downplay the new versions.

Heading out to my livinlite (21BHS) in a few hours to check on it and put some camping gear in it to help de-clutter the basement, despite my comments about what thor is changing I still love my camper and will never sell it (although I did sell my first livinlite) 

[Well klaker, if you have an all aluminum trailer then why does it concern YOU what they are building these days]

Well klaker, if you have an all aluminum trailer then why does it concern YOU what they are building these days I have not picked mine up yet but it is on order and yes the one I seen had a heated/enclosed underbelly !! What YOU state about the underbelly is your opinion and you know what opinions are like ........I did not want the cold aluminum floor and all that cold feeling aluminum inside so I was looking at other TT's until they made the Camp Lite "warmer" feeling. The 16DBS I have on order does have duel axles ........... If YOU are happy with the older all aluminum camper then that's all that matters, why bash what YOU don't have or don't want ??

Read much?? "Please forgive us purists from ragging on the new livin lites, if you own one and it works for you then that is all that matters." 

The underbelly enclosing has nothing to do with opinion, they didn't insulate it, if you are so confident go camp in the winter and report back here with your experience, you can post "How do I fix frozen burst pipes" The bigger issue anyway is inspection and maintenance, have fun removing the plastic panels for inspection or work. Yep, enclosing an underbelly with a piece of plastic is useless.

I have owned 2 livin lites with aluminum floors, they were never cold, and if you camp in cold weather they make these things called rugs. Spend top dollar on a camper with a cheap foam floor so it can be a few degrees warmer, to each his own.


The leaf spring suspensions sit much higher, don't ride as smooth as the Torflex, and require maintenance. They also took away brakes on one axle. The rubber roof is same one used on half the campers out there, it is in no way a "higher grade" it is susceptible to UV damage, rips, tears, etc. There are a million posts online about plastic RV roofs and their associated problems, manufacturers use them because they are cheap.

Excuses can be made all day long but in reality the new livin lites are a case study in content reduction. If you are happy with your newer livin lite that is great, but as the OP noticed there are lots of people who prefer the better construction and materials of the older versions.

Are you sure they are heated? an enclosed underbelly prevents easy inspection, hides crappy build quality and even if heated doesn't help in the winter because there is no insulation, Enclosing an underbelly with a piece of plastic is useless.

The newer livin lites are getting dumped on by the people who remember how they were built when Scott Tuttle owned the company, we signed up for the "all aluminum construction" Thor has created a rubber roof, foam floor, and fiberglass walls facsimile. No more aluminum floors and roofs, no more 1" tubing in more places, no more aluminum walls, no more tandem torflex axles with brakes on both, instead you get led mood lighting and an enclosed underbelly.

The original livin lites were special in their construction, thor now makes them like every other camper (price is still high though, imagine that) Please forgive us purists from ragging on the new livin lites, if you own one and it works for you then that is all that matters.

Read somewhere it was 150 pounds. There is no official rating that I know of from livinlite.

From pictures I've seen online there was a change in the aluminum L angle that supports the top bunk, my camper is in storage so can't measure it.

From visual observation the top bunk on my 2016 is supported by about 2.5" by 3/16 thick L angle and the bunk is supported all the way around, don't think they are still built like that.