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Santa_Fe's avatar
Santa_Fe
Explorer
Jul 11, 2016

Springdale Questions-Moving on up?

I think the time has come to make the almost inevitable switch from HTT to TT. When I bought the hybrid 3 years ago, it was only three of us...within the past year, that number has expanded to six of us (12 years old and up). Needless to say, we're finding things to be a little tight in the HTT when we're all out together. The Starcraft's been listed on the interwebs for a few days now...just waiting to see if it drums up any interest.

In the mean time, I've been doing a little research and looking around and few possible replacements. The frontrunner right now is the Springdale line of travel trailers...specifically the Springdale 260LE Limited Edition and Summerland Series 2702BH. I was sold on the Jay Flight SLX models until we actually looked at the Springdales...build quality and materials seem very comparable, but you seem to get a little more "bang for your buck" with the Springdales.

Both obviously have their pluses and minuses for our family...260LE has one more bed and more headroom while being lighter and less expensive, but it doesn't have nearly as much open floor space or cupboard storage when compared to the 2702. The 2702 is missing that extra sleeping space, but makes up for it with the slideout and loads of storage space.

One thing that I find interesting about the 2702 is the listed tongue weight...830 pounds seems slightly excessive for a model that is only 30' long and has only one (small) slide. I know you want to have a heavier tongue to avoid sway when towing, but is that too much to have a comfortable tow?

I know this question is really irrelevant because every manufacturer makes good and bad units, but if you have any real world experience with the Springdale brand, feel free to share. The dealership I'm working with is small and family owned and appears to have a good service department and working relationship with the manufacturer...I realize that's really half the battle when it comes to dealing with any issues that arise.

This one will last us quite awhile (at least until the kids are grown and no longer have interest in going), so I want to do my best to make sure we get the model that will work best for us.

16 Replies

  • We have thoroughly enjoyed our Springdale. Purchased brand new 2 years ago, this is our third season in it with approximately 30 days per year camping. We have only had a few minor issues that were resolved quickly. A fuse blew for the slide, the inline fuse to the hot water heater also blew.

    The thing to remember with Springdale is they are entry-level lightweight trailers. They have great layouts and good features, but they won't be as robust in construction as many other lines.

    With that said, we would certainly recommend Springdale and would buy another one.
  • I loved my Springdale for 7 years until we upgraded to a newer Keystone model. I felt the Keystone products had a better looking fit and finish than the Jayco's. The quality overall is probably similar, but I just liked the look better. The tongue weight can get to 1000lbs easy if it's 830 dry. Your truck can handle that as long as there isn't a bunch of stuff/people in the truck. Layout can affect the tongue weight, as can storage of course. Just pack it up properly and you should be ok. You may want to upgrade trucks eventually, but the trailer itself is a decent size to keep for many years.

    I went to a 30' trailer with dual slides because of 3 dogs and wanting more floor space. Plus this new trailer has a lot of fun features we'll enjoy for a long time. I had a 26' previously with 1 slide and it was a decent size, but we appreciate having less of a hallway and more "living space" with the dual slides and a couple extra feet. Plus with the current layout, we can access the bedroom, bathroom, fridge, and pantry without deploying any slides, which is a huge advantage when traveling.
  • I'm in Western PA and will be looking to buy from Brunk's RV in Salem, OH.
  • We have a 2011 Springdale 26RL, bought used in 2012. Other than the radio coming on when it wasn't supposed to (Keystone sent a brand new radio) we've had no problems and have enjoyed our unit. Keystones was stingy with cabinet storage, but we've used some ideas from this forum to make it work for the two of us. Accommodating the "stuff" for what is essentially 6 adults may pose some problems. Good luck in your search.
  • My Springdale is doing great at the 10 year mark. Will go at least another 5.
  • I have had my Springdale 298BH for over 10 years now. I would buy another one.
    Camping in it right now. Don't know where in PA you are but I bought mine at Beckley's in Thurmont, Md and got a great price.