It's the graphics that grab your attention first. Large black Dodge lettering crowned with the familiar Ram logo in bright red, punctuated by snappy red, black, and gray swoops and slashes. There's no ignoring this trailer, that's for sure. In many ways, it resembles a high-dollar racing-team trailer.
The reality, though, is that this is the new Dodge D291, and it's one of three officially licensed Dodge "toy haulers" built by R-Vision and sold through its nationwide dealer network. The R-Vision folks are the innovators of lightweight towables, and they've been in business for more than a decade. The D291 is the smallest of the three toy haulers, yet it's no small fry at 30 feet 4 inches in length. Its base price of $19,211 means that it's easy on the wallet, unlike those aforementioned racing-team trailers. The other two Dodge toy haulers consist of the 32-foot 6-inch D300 with dinette slideout, and the 37-foot 1-inch D3360 fifth-wheel with dinette and sofa slideout. Oh, and for those who don't need a toy hauler, Dodge also offers six Dodge-branded travel trailers-and there are more in development.
We recently spent a couple of weeks with the D291. Ours came loaded with every available option, which resulted in an MSRP of $24,729-not too bad for a versatile, self-contained toy hauler. During our early spring test, we loaded it with mountain bikes and towed it to the beautiful, yet virtually deserted Starved Rock State Park near Utica, Illinois, where we had our choice of the most secluded, scenic campsites. So what did the D291 have to offer and what did we think? Read on.
Up front there's a queen bed with overhead and under-mattress storage. There's great airflow and natural light thanks to large windows at each end of the bed. An optional Fantastic Fan is mounted in the ceiling above the bed to further enhance airflow if needed. Under the bed is the rig's electric water pump and somewhat smallish 30-gallon fresh water tank. There are bright reading lights on each side of the bed as well as on the ceiling. Speaking of lights, the D291 has no less than 12 interior light fixtures, and many feature multiple bulbs. At night it's possible to drench the interior with good strong light. | 
Our tester came with a compact yet easy-to-use full galley including a dual sink, stove, and optional microwave and oven. There were also a generous number of deep overhead and under-counter cabinets for storage. The galley itself is exceptional, but the only complaint we have is the fact that the door separating the living quarters from the garage swings into the galley. We'd like it hinged so that it opens toward the other side of the trailer so traffic could continue to flow if someone is working in the galley. |
Toy-box trailers pose challenges to design. Like, how do you pack a full range of features in a smaller space so you can create a garage? Well, the D291 seems to have its game on in that regard. Here you can see some of its spacious storage that includes multiple wardrobes. Also visible is the gas-fired heater and optional two-door gas/electric refrigerator. Naturally, there are numerous Dodge touches inside the rig, including a Dodge clock and familiar ram's-head designs in the valances above the windows. | 
The bathroom may not be big, but it's functional. A large tub/shower with skylight, deep lavatory, toilet, storage, and medicine cabinets make up its contents. |
Another neat thing about the D291 is its integrated pump station with 28-gallon fuel cell, electric pump, and nozzle. It's like having a gas station right at camp. (Note to self: Tell the model agency to send us a guy with real leathers next time.) | |