Northwood RV variations

[justjoef]

Hi Folks,

New kid on the block here. I'm hoping someone here might be able to give a brief explanation about the Northwood categories. They offer 5 variations of fivers/tt.

Arctic Fox Classic
Arctic Silver Fox Edition
Nash
Fox Mountain
Desert Fox

I realize selection is dependent on one's wants/needs, but I could find nothing on their site stating basic categories, i.e Classic= basic/original/$, silver = higher end/$$, desert fox = boon docking, but no insulation for winter, etc. I can filter it down once I know the basics, but this is just the very beginning of the process for us and want to have some background info to narrow the wide range of choices. They have a compare feature, but it's just very basic info (length/weights, etc.) Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Hopefully some owners will chime in with their opinions on this, but rarely do any RV manufacturers categorize their various product lines like that. It's all marketing blather/praise, and words like "basic" don't seem to be in their vocabulary.  Even scrutinizing the product description doesn't seem to help much - the selection of features in a model often seems to have little rhyme or reason.  It's probably based more on price points than function.
Best I can suggest is to select a variant and a floor plan, then review the Features & Options list. Make lists of key features to compare with other variants.

One of the distortions is that the manufacturers build what their dealers are willing to order, which is not necessarily what buyers want, or claim to want. By the time the dealer owner or general manager sees/hears what sells, it's been filtered several times.  And low price dominates.

 

[donn]

You will find its mostly trim that differentate them.  The basic structures are the same.  Cabinets, furniture, upholstery will make the bulk of it.  Same will go to OffroadRV lines.  Remember they are all family, so the differences will be minimal.  Also remember what is optional on  lower lines will usually be standard on higher ends.  If you really want to learn go to  afnash.com and join the forum.  Have not been there for years, and I think it is now a pay site, but this a place for Northwood only products.
What part of the countey are you in?

 

[Gizmo100]

Welcome to the RV Forum justjoef

I can't anything to what Gary and donn stated..Just want to say hello and best of luck in your search

 

[Dreamsend]

I could find nothing on their site stating basic categories, i.e Classic= basic/original/$, silver = higher end/$$, desert fox = boon docking, but no insulation for winter, etc.

Welcome. Northwoods Manufacturing does not characterize their products in the manner you're trying to find.  They ALL adhere to the same basics - frame, substructure, roof materials and construction, insulation, cabinets, plumbing, furniture, interior wall finish, appliances, etc.  The categories are more based on design - 5th wheel, or TT, truck camper, or for example, the Desert Fox, which is their Toy Hauler line. 

You can learn everything about every one of the named categories by going to the bottom of the web page, look at the third column labeled MEDIA, and click on Brochures.  You can download it, or read it online.  You will find a brochure for each "category".  The brochures go into every little detail about every feature within the category -- and you'll find that again, the differences between categories are size, floor plan, gross vehicle weight ratings, tires, capacity etc. -- not that one category is a stripped down cheap version of some higher end model.  Also, once you start drilling down on a choice, you'll find that some options may be available in one category (i.e. 5th wheel) but not in another (i.e. TT). 

Hope you find something you like!  I live full time in a TT manufactured by their "sister" company of sorts - Outdoors RV, which also characterizes their various products in the manner described above.

Linda

 

[justjoef]

Thank you to everyone who took time to respond and for the welcome(s) as well. This is all new to me, so I'm facing a bit of a learning curve.

Gary: Thanks. Sound advice. I was hoping to narrow the field before drawing up a list, but it appears I'll have to do the spreadsheet or list making to find the differences.

donn: I'm in CT, a long way from Northwoods!    I did head to afnash, but firefox didn't like it for some reason. Deemed it a security risk. Not sure what the issue is there. It may be on my end.

Gizmo: Thank you!

Dreamsend: Desert Fox are toy haulers. That's one crossed off. Thanks! A lot of info to sift through. Thanks for the tip about the brochures.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Welcome to the RV Forum!

Nash trailers have wood frame walls with fiberglass batten insulation.  The other Northwood lines use welded aluminum frames with foam block insulation.  Other than that, the main differences are floorplans and trim levels.  All of Northwood's towables use the rugged Northwood constructed chassis.

Nash was the original Northwood trailer, named after founder Ron Nash.  It was designed for loggers and hunters, able to survive being towed over backwoods logging roads.  Then the Artic Fox line was added as a more upscale alternative.  For several years both lines had similar floorplans and shared similar wood frame and fiberglass batten construction, although Artic Fox had smooth fiberglass skin while Nash used segmented aluminum outer skin.

Then Arctic Fox moved to welded aluminum framed walls in the Silver Fox Edition with high density solid foam insulation and a one piece Fiberglass exterior.  Wood blocking is used inside the hollow aluminum studs where needed to provide extra strength to anchor the walls and cabinets, instead of relying on screws only gripping the thinner aluminum.

Nash trailers retained the wood frame and fiberglass batten walls, although they now have the same one piece fiberglass exteriors as the rest of the line.

All of Northwood's products use the same wood truss and thick insulation roof construction that has held up very well over the years.  The roof is very strong, as illustrated in an ad a few years back showing 36 people standing shoulder to shoulder on top of an Arctic Fox pickup camper.

Other than the Nash line with it's wood frame walls, the differences are mainly floor plans and trim.  The Fox Mountain line was inherited when Northwood acquired cross-town Outdoors RV, it's built to the same quality as the rest of the Northwood products but tends to have floorplans and features that are more family oriented than the other lines.

I had a 1999 Arctic Fox 26x trailer that I purchased in 2000 from a wrecking yard after it flipped onto it's right side.  It survived intact except for a couple of holes in it's fiberglass skin.  I patched them, gave it a good cleaning, and it served me well for the next 10 years.

An overview of Northwood's construction can be found at http://northwoodmfg.com/absolute-northwood/.

 

[D-n-R]

We have a 29-5T fifth wheel 34'.  I researched them extensively and belong to their owners forum.  If I can answer any questions for you would be happy to e-mail me as I learned plenty along the way.  This is a brand that is not a cookie cutter-build the thousands and just put a different decal on when you fill the order as in many of those out there.  Good luck.  We just returned from a NM and TX Hill Country 4K-3 mo. Trip in ours and it was cold-cool but we were comfortable and no problems what so ever!!!!!!!

 

[csarm]

We have a 29-5T fifth wheel 34'. I researched them extensively and belong to their owners forum. If I can answer any questions for you would be happy to e-mail me as I learned plenty along the way. This is a brand that is not a cookie cutter-build the thousands and just put a different decal on when you fill the order as in many of those out there. Good luck. We just returned from a NM and TX Hill Country 4K-3 mo. Trip in ours and it was cold-cool but we were comfortable and no problems what so ever!!!!!!!

I'm looking at buying a 1999 Nash that's been remodeled inside and seems in good shape overall. I'm looking for something sturdy that I can live in and don't care much about weight or travel. Is this a sturdy rig?

 

[Arch Hoagland]

I had a 1999 Nash 22H travel trailer. Pulled it all over the western states and Canada.

Great trailer!