4 Travel Trailers with the Best Safety Features for Towing
Thankfully, towing a travel trailer is safer and more convenient than it used to be. And a lot of that has to do with advancements in the technologies that travel trailers come with — because the best safety features really make a difference in your towing experience. The first of those is antilock brakes. This system is something the auto industry has had since 1996 and is just now coming to travel trailers. (At last, at last.)
Antilock braking helps shorten stopping distances. Additionally, it helps maintain control in adverse conditions. (Like wet or slippery roads.) If you’d like to see how this can help control a trailer in adverse conditions, I got to ride in several different truck and trailer combinations on a test track last year.
So, just before I share a four travel trailers with the best safety features, let’s get familiar with the safety features you actually want to be looking for.
A Few More Safety Features to Be Familiar With
Critically, I would never tow a trailer that didn’t have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Thanks to new standards adopted in the RV industry, these will be standard in all towables in the 2028 model year and moving forward but many manufacturers still don’t prioritize them today. (And you might guess: The travel trailers that are the best usually have this safety feature standard.)
Not only does a TPMS warn you if a tire has low pressure, but the better systems also can warn you if a tire is getting hot. If you notice one wheel getting much hotter than the rest, that would indicate trouble at that wheel. This could be a tire issue or also issues with the suspension or axle. Naturally, it’s better to be aware of this before it becomes a big issue.
It’s really surprising how you can have a tire failure on a travel trailer or fifth wheel and not be aware of it.
I’m also a fan of high-quality tires on towables. Further, I look for suspensions that do a better job of managing irregular road conditions and minimizing how those will affect the trailer itself. But, if you’re looking specifically for safety technology in a towable, here are four travel trailers that incorporate the best safety technology today.
Brands with Travel Trailers Boasting the Best Safety Features
These four RV brands all incorporate antilock braking and tire pressure monitor systems as standard equipment or optional. Another plus for these brands includes having American-made Goodyear Endurance tires. Also, be advised: Some of these brands are within a larger company and not all the travel trailer offerings from that company offer these safety features.
Brinkley RV Models Z and I
Brinkley RV has made a lot of waves in the RV space by really emphasizing some of the technology and build quality features they incorporate in the ways they build their RVs. The Model Z series of travel trailers falls right into that. These models, as well as their Model I line, incorporate a number of features that make it a top choice including Lippert’s antilock braking system.
They’ve also included brake booster technology that helps add braking force when it senses a more urgent stopping situation thereby helping to slow the truck and trailer more quickly.
For those who choose to sync their phone to their trailer, this system works with Lippert’s app to provide feedback — not only on braking but on tire pressure and several other points of maintenance.
Grand Design RV Reflection
Grand Design RV’s premier line of travel trailers, Reflection, is outfitted with Lippert’s antilock braking system (ABS). This system incorporates ABS but also includes a measure of sway control. It uses the trailer’s brakes and some smart components to help minimize sway. (Which can happen when a truck passes on a two-lane road, for example.)
The Reflection line also utilizes the company’s Compass Connect system. This feature incorporates tire pressure monitoring, but it also can help with maintenance schedules. Additionally, it can notify you of battery and tank levels if you choose to sync it with a smart phone.
Jayco Eagle
Jayco’s trailers have a number of points that they’re known for, including their Magnum Truss roofing build. (Stay on topic, Tony! You can do this!) But another thing to add as a feather in their cap is the inclusion of the Bosch antilock braking system. German vehicle technology company Bosch has gotten into the travel trailer and fifth wheel braking realm with a system that also incorporates the ability to monitor the trailer using a smart phone app. The system also incorporates a measure of sway control.
The Eagle line of travel trailers are shod with American-made Goodyear Endurance tires. They also feature a more premium MORryde suspension system featuring greaseable wet bolts. (Which contributes to longer life in the suspension, providing it’s maintained.)
Keystone RV Cougar
Each RV brand has something that sets them apart. In the case of Keystone RV, something they have is called their Innovation Lab. This team is responsible for a number of pieces of the Keystone RV puzzle that can help to give their products an edge in some cases.
Among the things that have come out of this include Keystone RV’s SolarFlex solar packages. Owners can not only get solar systems installed at the factory, but also upgraded or installed by dealerships with the same factory-type warranty.
Keystone RV also has a consistent wiring where a certain color of wire does the same thing across the board.From my experience, this seems to reduce the likelihood that there is a wiring issue but also makes it significantly easier to diagnose in the case that there is a wiring issue.
As with Grand Design and Jayco, Keystone RV has partnered with Lippert to include their antilock braking and sway control in the Cougar line of trailers. This includes the technology to help keep control of the trailer even under some less favorable road conditions. It also means you can monitor the trailer and control some of it’s functionality — like lightings, slides, awnings and more — through Lippert’s OneControl app.
The Cougar trailers also ride on Goodyear Endurance tires and utilize a suspension that incorporates bronze bushings that can be greased. (This tends to promote longer life of the suspension components, assuming they are routinely maintained.)
Like some brands, the Cougar does include prep for tire pressure monitoring, but it doesn’t include the feature itself. Which is unfortunate. Even so, it’s easy enough to add the feature and might be one of the better ways to spend money after the sale.
Lastly, a Word on Backup and Side View Cameras
Almost all towables nowadays have a provision for a back-up camera. But some have a provision for cameras on the sides of the trailer too. (These help the driver see if there is someone in the lane that they wish to change into.) These can be a great safety addition and help eliminate blind spots. I don’t know of any towables that include these cameras, but some have a provision to install them.
Marketplace Inventory
Tony Barthel
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