Spectrum RV ElkRidge 35 DSRL

WE LIKED

- Rear loft and office layout
- Good sized bedroom and bathroom
- Central connection bin for hoses and water tanks
- Nearside entry door that's functional, not just a compliance item

NOT SO MUCH

- Insufficient lighting
- No bedside cabinets, or shelf behind the bed
- Lack of bedroom ventilation
- Not able to see what you're buying before handing over a large sum of money

The issues that come with owning a US-built fifth wheeler can usually be taken care of in a couple of ways.

A direct purchase from the States is the cheapest option, but comes with the most problems, notably in the form of compliance and warranty matters.

The alternative is to buy one from an importer/dealer in Australia. This does limit choice somewhat, but a reputable dealer minimises the compliance/warranty trap and provides greater peace of mind.

But there's also a third way. You can deal with a company like Spectrum RV in Burleigh Heads, Queensland.

Run by Dave and Jennifer Thorley, Spectrum's modus operandi is to offer a wide range of fifth wheelers from the US, which customers choose before they arrive in Australia, and handle all the compliance and warranty.

This takes much of the stress out of the transaction, but also means customers miss out on the hands-on style of shopping that many prefer. It also helps to be at least a little familiar with the US RV market.

FAMILY DESIGN

I recently had an opportunity to take a close look at one of the latest rigs from Spectrum RV, an ElkRidge 35 DSRL.

Given the way today's RV industry, fifth wheelers in particular, is staying the course with grey nomads, there aren't many family-orientated designs around.

But that doesn't mean they're not available. Indeed, the ElkRidge isn't only designed for more people, but also comes with an imaginative loft in the rear for the younger members of the family.

Although quite a few US manufacturers are now building rigs to suit right-hand-drive countries, the ElkRidge still has its main entry door and awning on the offside. There's a legal and fully usable door on the nearside as well.

With an ATM more than 4500kg, the ElkRidge is fitted with air brakes and requires a larger tow vehicle in the Chevy Silverado/Ford F250/Iveco category, but that's a consideration with any of the larger fifth wheelers.

Like many US-built fifth wheelers, the ElkRidge's chassis has 254mm (10in) I-beams and dipped rust proofing with a painted finish, and is a little different to most Australian versions in that it's mostly enclosed.

The oft-maligned weakpoint of this type of chassis, the suspension, is fully rebuilt with slipper leaf springs and gusset welded to the I-beams.

The brakes are custom-made, and the electrics and gas fit-out was all done by Spectrum RV.

Above the chassis, the frame is aluminium and the walls are made from laminated fibreglass.

Somewhat differently, the roof is seamless EPDM rubber, and with its 130mm trusses and 10mm roof decking, is designed to be walked on – very useful for cleaning roof hatches and solar panels.

According to Dave Thorley, the nose cone and corners all feature built-in strengthening features.

SLIDING DOORS

Two nearside slide-outs are incorporated into the body design. The rear (lounge) offers an extension of 900mm (3ft) and the front (bedroom) gives an extra 600mm (2ft) of floor space.

The sliding windows are all tinted and both entry doors have a separate (non-security) insect screen.

As you’d expect, this large fifth wheeler has plenty of external bins and substantial fresh (220 litre), grey (310 litre) and black (160 litre) water tanks.

Easy and reliable Slam Latches are fitted to all bins.

The ElkRidge is split into three different areas, with entry doors on both sides at opposite ends.

In keeping with most fifth wheelers, the main bedroom, along with the bathroom, is built into the overhang.

The main slide-out contains a dining table and sideways-facing lounge and makes for a very generous living area that also has the kitchen along the offside.

The third area at the rear is an office/lounge, but also features one of the rig’s surprises: a loft bedroom. And in a very nice touch, this extra sleeping spot is accessed by a real staircase rather than a simple step ladder.

Less surprising is the ElkRidge’s decidedly American-flavoured interior, which covers everything from the Cherry hardwood to the patterned upholstery.

However, the pseudo fireplace that I've seen once or twice is thankfully not included.

Ceiling heights are certainly interesting: the living room measures 2.74m (9ft), the front bedroom 1.9m (6ft 3in) and the split office/loft is 1.74m (5ft 9in) and 1m (3ft 3in), respectively.

EASY LIVING

Given its relatively limited size, the front bedroom impressively fits just about everything, including a 1.8 x 1.5m (6ft x 5ft) inner spring mattress, wardrobes along the front wall (including washing machine connection), offside chest of drawers and a TV shelf.

However, bedside cabinets and windows for cross ventilation are noticeably lacking.

The two-door bathroom is on the same level as the bed. I mention the two-door setup because while it does open up the narrow bedside space, it also restricts the vanity cabinet size.

There’s still adequate space for the separate shower cubicle and toilet, but even in a rig this size, there are compromises.

Moving down the stairs brings us to the kitchen and lounge. Designed in a sort of ‘lazy’ L-shape, the kitchen bench comes with a twin tub sink, four burner cooktop/grill, microwave and a hefty 225 litre three-way fridge.

There's no sink drainer and bench space is a little limited, although the sinks do come with flush top lids. Set at an angle, the bench is quite user-friendly from several sides. There’s also plenty of storage space, although some of the taller cupboards are a little hard to reach.

While four people can sit around the table, the lounge really only seats two in comfort. Viewing the wall-mounted large screen TV is quite easy, but both lounge sitters will have to sit sideways.

Interestingly, both the individual chairs and the lounge have storage areas underneath the cushions.

The rear loft design is undoubtedly the unique selling point of this rig. The low ceiling height for the loft probably isn't going to bother most children – some may even like the "cubby house" effect – and there is a window and a large roof hatch to make sure the space doesn't feel too cramped.

There's also a powerpoint and antenna connection for TV/DVD.

VERDICT

While not as pervasive as caravans and motorhomes, fifth wheelers are carving out a solid niche in the Australian RV market and the idea of a family-friendly design is a welcome one.

The loft bedroom is a great feature that doesn’t take up too much space and means kids will also be comfortable.

Not everyone will like the idea of buying an overseas RV from an Australian dealer sight unseen, but if a US-built fifth wheeler is your vehicle of choice, the team at Spectrum RV helps matters greatly by taking care of all incoming compliance issues.

And if you really want to get your hands on the rig and have a good look before you buy, a holiday across to the ol' US of A will take care of that.

SPECTRUM RV ELKRIDGE 35 DSRL

External length: 11.78m (38ft 8in)
External width: 2.44m (8ft)
Interior height (living room): 2.74m (9ft)
Interior height (bedroom): 1.9m (6ft 3in)
Tare: 4860kg
ATM: 6495kg
Pin weight: 105KG
Frame: Aluminum (welded)
Chassis: Painted steel
Suspension: Leaf spring  
Cooktop: Magic Chef three-burner and grill
Fridge: Dometic 225 litre
Microwave: Magic Chef
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Domicile porcelain
Lighting: 12V incandescent
Hot water: Suburban 38 litre
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Fresh water: 220 litre
Grey water: 310 litre
Black water: 160 litre
Price: $137,000  
Supplied by: Spectrum RV, Burleigh Heads, Qld