Sign up
Subscribe to our Blind-Spot Monitor newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week Subscribe to our Blind-Spot Monitor newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week Sign up now>

Calgary RV Expo Show & Sale

Greg Williams
Jan 22, 2019  •  April 21, 2021  •  3 minute read  •  Join the conversation
The 50th annual Calgary RV Expo Show & Sale returns to the BMO Centre at Stampede Park from Jan. 24 to 27.
The 50th annual Calgary RV Expo Show & Sale returns to the BMO Centre at Stampede Park from Jan. 24 to 27. Photo by RVDA

Popular smaller SUVs and crossovers are influencing the recreational vehicle industry. A few years ago, owners of these vehicles had to be content towing, for the most part, a tent trailer. Not anymore.

Story continues below

According to Jason Grainger, general sales manager of Rangeland RV near Calgary, trailer manufacturers are crafting lighter, upright units that can be safely towed by smaller SUVs.

“That’s a direction we’re seeing the RV industry move,” Grainger says as he discusses what the public can expect to see at the 50th annual Calgary RV Expo Show & Sale this weekend from January 24 to 27.

With more than 450 RV units on the floor at the BMO Centre at Stampede Park, those new lightweight trailers will be showcased together with every other class of recreational vehicle, up to the largest Class A motorhomes. The RV Expo also offers display booths focusing on destination information, and services and accessories for camping enthusiasts.

Story continues below

Grainger says, “The show is a great event for RV enthusiasts and anyone who wants to see the newest products available for the upcoming season – including the lighter-weight units.”

Rockwood RV by Forest River, Grainger says, has been around since 1974. For years, the company manufactured larger luxury trailers that required a truck to tow them.

“But, Rockwood has taken all their knowledge and materials and shrunk it down in their new line of Geo Pro trailers,” he says.

Rockwood’s website states the Geo Pro models ‘are for those campers that value being environmentally conscious and have chosen to drive today’s more fuel efficient ‘crossover’ vehicles and smaller SUVs.’ Furthermore, the Rockwood units feature ‘floor plans that weigh within the towing capacity of these type of vehicles, (and) the Geo Pro combines a traditional approach with modern amenities.’ Standard in many of the Geo Pro trailers is a stereo with Bluetooth and USB port, 12-volt television with DVD player, rear ladder, Wi-Fi, roof mount solar panel with 1,000-watt converter and shower water saver. An optional package that includes a lift-kit and larger 15-inch Mud Rover tires on the Geo Pro also offers some off-road capability.

Story continues below
  1. Lighter weight and rugged trailers such as this No Boundaries (or No Bo) by Forest River are made to be towed by smaller SUVs and crossovers.
    Lighter weight and rugged trailers such as this No Boundaries (or No Bo) by Forest River are made to be towed by smaller SUVs and crossovers. Photo by Rangeland RV
  2. Likewise, this Geo Pro with an optional off-road kit by Rockwood is ideal for SUV/CUV owners.
    Likewise, this Geo Pro with an optional off-road kit by Rockwood is ideal for SUV/CUV owners. Photo by Rangeland RV

1 of 2

“The addition of off-road packages is another trend we’re seeing,” Grainger says. “These campers are going to Crown land locations or other areas where there aren’t the amenities found at a traditional trailer park.”

The rise in popularity of off-road capability in a trailer, Grainger explains, is due to a shift in the demographic of RV buyers.

“Millennials want simplicity, but they also want technology and comfort in their trailer as they tow it to more non-traditional camping sites.”

For example, the latest Forest River product, the No Boundaries line of trailers, is an RV geared toward self-contained camping and that new buying demographic. Otherwise known as ‘No Bo’ trailers, these units come equipped with raised suspension systems, larger-diameter all-terrain tires and rugged frame-mounted metal fenders that can support up to 300 lbs. That’s important, as the fenders allow a user to stand on them to access roof top cargo racks.

Story continues below

“These are well-equipped trailers designed to be more self-sufficient,” Grainger says of the No Bo units. “They have Wi-Fi, solar power and increased on-board water storage, and they really embody the concept of the No Boundaries name.”

For those unsure about towing these newer, rugged lightweight trailers, Dan Merkowsky of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association of Alberta says the Calgary RV show offers an opportunity to chat with a number of industry experts, from hitch suppliers and suspension specialists to a number of different trailer manufacturers.

Merkowsky also suggests the show is an ideal family outing.

“Studies have shown that families who RV together spend more time together,” he says, and concludes. “The RV lifestyle is all about spending time together – it’s good fun and it’s good recreation.”

Story continues below

Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or gregwilliams@shaw.ca

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Calgary’s annual RV Expo & Sale. Expect to see hundreds of state-of-the-art RVs, from the smallest tent trailers to the largest diesel-powered motor homes, plus accessory and destination displays.

WHERE:  BMO Centre at Stampede Park

WHEN: Jan. 24 – 27. Thursday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADMISSION: Adults $15; Seniors: $11; Youth(13 to 17) $7; Children under 12 free; Family-four-pass (two adult and two youth) $37

WEBSITE: rvda-alberta.org for more info

Trending