With many RV brands out there, such as Keystone and Forest River, one can be easily confused about which one is the best for their needs. Today, we’ll help you out to make the right decision!
In the following article, we’ll put Keystone vs Forest River head to head through:
- Comparing the general and unique features of each RV brand
- Outlining some potential drawbacks of each brand
- Give you a reliable buying recommendation
- Answering some frequently asked questions
So if you want to decide between Forest River and Keystone, you’ll find everything you need here.
Let’s dive right in!
General Features of Keystone RVs
Brand Reputation
Keystone is one of the reputable manufacturers of recreational vehicles in America. They have a wide variety of towable RVs with various models to suit various luxury levels.
This earned the brand a huge reputation among RV enthusiasts and owners throughout the years. Since the company is also a huge one, it’s able to produce a large number of RVs with quality features for relatively decent prices.
Travel Trailer Models
One of the best features of being a large manufacturer is that Keystone offers tons of various models to choose from.
This is great for buyers of various interests and budgets because everyone can find a model that works best for them.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the travel trailer models that Keystone makes. First, there are some suitable options for newcomers, such as the Hideout and Springdale.
There are also models that are relatively lightweight and easy to tow for both beginners and intermediate levels RVers, such as the Bullet and the Passport.
For campers and families with medium-high experience in recreational vehicles life, there are models like the Cougar Half-Ton, Laredo, Premier, and Sprinter Campfire.
The variety of options even extends to ultra-luxurious models, such as Outback and the Sprinter Limited Edition, which offers the most advanced technologies of travel trailers but for a quite heftier sum.
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Prices
When it comes to pricing, Keystone does an excellent job of keeping their customers satisfied. As you know there are tons of models that the company offers with extended options for customizing each model to your likings.
Their prices range nicely according to various factors, such as the floor plans and more. Ideally, if you’re planning to buy a Keystone travel trailer, you should expect it to set you back anywhere between $19,000 to $48,000, which is still a great price after all!
Potential Drawbacks of Keystone RVs
Since Keystone focuses more on being one of the most affordable travel trailer providers on the market, they do have some issues that some buyers complain about, especially when it comes to after-sales.
For example, Keystone has a 1-year warranty system, which is similar to the industry standard. However, repairs are done through their authorized repair centers, which is known to have issues when it comes to time compliance.
Here are some of our noteworthy comparisons:
– Jayco vs Keystone comparison
– R Pod vs Hummingbird extensive comparison
– Grand Design vs Forest River
General Features of Forest River RVs
Brand Reputation
Forest River was founded in 1996 by Peter Liegl. The company has its headquarters in the RV capital of the world, Elkhart, Indiana.
Despite being a relatively new company when compared to some other market giants, the company had massively skyrocketed in growth due to its quality features and outstanding selling prices. In fact, today, the company takes pride in employing over 8,000 people.
Not only that, but the company was also acquired by Berkshire Hathaway, which is owned by one of the most intelligent investors in modern history, Warren Buffet, who is known for investing in brands that “has a huge potential for growth”!
As you’ll see shortly, the company offers a huge variety of models, which earned it a top spot among RV enthusiasts in terms of popularity and a great reputation.
Travel Trailer Models
While reviewing the variety of Keystone trailers, they also showed a great variety of travel trailers. However, the amount of choices you get when you consider Forest River is a completely different story.
When it comes to the variety of models, Forest River boasts a seriously immense arsenal of amazing travel trailers of all shapes and sizes.
To put things in better perspective, here’s a list of all the travel trailer models that Forest River has to offer:
- Alpha Wolf and Grey Wolf: RV News New Unit Best of Show award winner
- Wolf Pup
- Cherokee: RV News 2019 New Unit Best of Show award winner
- E-Pro, Geo-Pro, and R-Pod
- Flagstaff: RV News 2019 New Unit Best of Show award winner
- Aurora
- Vibe
- Evo
- Salem
- Rockwood
- Hemisphere
- Heritage Glen
- Ibex
- Impression
- No Boundaries: RV Business 2020 Top RV Debut award winner
- Ozark
- Independence Trail
- Sonoma
- Wildcat and Wildcat Maxx: RV News New Unit Best of Show award winner
- Wildwood: RV News 2019 Best of Show award winner
- Surveyor
- Shamrock
- XLR: RV Business 2020 Top RV Debut award winner – RV Pro Best of Show 2020 award winner
As you can see, the list speaks for itself, with more than 28 models to suit all kinds of needs from entry-level and budget-friendly options to highly sophisticated and luxury ones.
Not only that, a remarkable number of Forest River travel trailers are award-winning models, so they do outperform a lot of their closest competitors according to experts!
Prices
In addition to the seemingly endless array of models that you can pick from. The prices of Forest River travel trailers is one of the reasons behind their huge success and vast popularity.
Forest River is known for offering its travel trailers at prices that are relatively lower than its competitors.
Similar to Keystone, Forest River prices depend heavily on the model of the travel trailer as well as the floor plan.
However, the majority of their models are priced as low as $25,000 for their budget models and up to $55,000 or even more for their top of the shelf models.
Potential Drawbacks of Forest River RVs
Overall, Forest River is an excellent brand with very minor issues when it comes to livability, comfort, or flexibility.
In the end of the day, you get what you pay for and it’s one of the relatively pricier brands out there.
However, there are some users who complained about Forest River RVs being not as good when it comes to extreme weather as it should.
They say that the trailers require extra measure when it comes to sealing when compared to other brands out there.
Which One is Better for Rental?
Both Keystone and Forest River are great brands when it comes to travel trailers. They have decent base features in their RVs and come at relatively good prices.
While the main determining factor in such close brands is personal preferences, each one of these brands stands out better in minor aspects.
For example, Forest Rivers offers a surprisingly huge list with award-winning models, which gives you a lot more choices to pick from, so it’s ideal for a picky personality who’s looking for a certain level of comfort and a set of premium features for a good price.
On the other hand, Keystone has a more limited range of options but tends to go at a relatively lower price. They also have a reputation for problematic customer service.
Based on this information, you can conclude that it’s a better choice for an entry-level family that’s trying travel trailers for the first time while keeping the budget in mind.
What Makes Each of Those Brands Unique?
Now that you know more about the two brands, here are some of the aspects that make each one of them unique.
Keystone
Keystone’s moderation is one of the things that makes it stand out among other brands. The company always gives you a more affordable price for any build quality.
Keystone travel trailer owners also swear by the livability and ease of towing of their trailers, which makes it a great value for first-time users as well as experienced ones!
Forest River
It’s easy to tell the most unique aspect of Forest River is the variety of models it offers. The company makes tons of models that are available for decent prices.
They have a sophisticated but simple filtering system that can even help you pick the ideal model for you based on your needs.
Another great thing about Forest River is their knowledgeable and helpful customer service and after-purchase care plans.
FAQs
Do Keystone and Forest River offer a warranty system?
Keystone offers a one-year limited warranty on their RV with up to 3 years of structural warranty. Similarly, Forest River also offers a limited one-year warranty on their travel trailers.
How many authorized service centers does Forest River have?
Forest River has one of the largest networks of authorized service centers for RVs in North America. According to the company, there are over 2,400 centers across the U.S. and Canada.
Conclusion
There you have it. A complete guide that puts Keystone vs Forest River, so you can choose the one that suits you the most.
As you can see, both brands offer excellent choices for a relatively affordable price. For a more picky buyer, Forest river offers a huge list of models with various floor plans and features to add.
But for someone on a strict budget, Keystone seems like a more suitable choice because it also has decent floor plans and a good set of models to pick from.