Sky River RV has been in business on the Central Coast for thirty years. We carry many different brands, sizes and types of RVs… the best in class at each price level. Selling RV’s at Sky River requires that every sales person learn about each manufacturer’s offerings.
Every now and then a manufacturer’s representative visits to educate us on their particular product. This week, a representative from Keystone RV came to tell us all about Cougar travel trailers and fifth wheels.
Here is what we learned…
History and Numbers
Keystone has been in business since 1996. They manufacture 50,000 trailers per year, 12,000 of which are Cougars. Cougars are manufactured in three locations, one of which is in Oregon. That’s good news for us and our customers, because transportation costs are less for trailers that don’t have to travel far. Cougar fifth wheels, by the way, are the top selling midprofile fifth wheels in North America every year since 2001. You get more for your money with a Cougar because people buy more Cougars. They Also manufacture the very popular Montana 5th Wheels.
Cougar Features
On the Outside
On the outside are some of Cougar’s most valuable features. Cougars have aluminum wheels. They don’t pit, don’t 
rust and they dissipate heat for those long brakes downhill. There are self-adjusting brakes on each of the four wheels, and leafspring axles that give you 2 inches of cushion to absorb vibration. In addition, Cougars have the MorRyde CRE 3000 suspension system, an upgraded suspension that gives you an extra inch, adding up to 3 inches of travel. What does this mean to an owner? Cabinets will develop fewer squeaks, dishes won’t move around as much in the cabinets, and the trailer or fifth wheel will tow more smoothly.
Look at the frameless windows. Besides looking good, they provide you with windows that can open up in the rain. The windows are tinted and they have the same bulb seal that a car door has… that seal keeps out dust and water. (That seal is on the storage compartments too, by the way).
There is also the power awning with an LED light strip that is not hidden inside the drum. You can use those LED lights without putting the awning out. You can use them when parking in the dark. You can use them for organizing your campground even if its windy outside. You can probably find other ways in which that strip of LED lights will be useful.
While you are looking at that awning, notice the marine speakers mounted on the outside. Those can now be controlled remotely through a Bluetooth connection. Getting tired of that rock ‘n roll? Switch to soft rock while you’re sitting around the campfire without even getting out of your chair. If you do get up to go into the trailer, notice those aluminum steps… they have no-slip tread on them, they don’t flex and best of all, when you open them up, they don’t pinch your fingers.
Notice the battery disconnect in an outside compartment that helps you save power when you are walking away from your 
trailer for awhile. On the fifth wheels, there’s also a handy outdoor shower, placed strategically to allow you the ability to flush out your black tank with hot water. Speaking of water, the Cougar has a Suburban water heater that comes with a 3 year warranty. It has a high recovery rate and a porcelain tank which retains heat and lasts longer.
The Cougar fifth wheels also have a Ground Control automatic leveling system… a real timesaver and frustration-avoider. The Cougars have Ground Control 3.0, which includes auto retract. Auto-retract puts the trailer right back where you started, allowing for easy hookup when you are done camping. Another frustration-avoider for when you are anxious to get on your way.
Inside the Walls
The R ratings on a Cougar are R-9 on the walls, R-14 on the roof and floor and R-9 on the slideout roof. Cougar slideout floors are insulated with astrofoil which brings those floors up to R-15. Underneath the floor, heated air is blown onto the water tanks. Dometic tested the Cougar’s Polar Package by putting an entire trailer in a refrigerator unit for two days. End result: no frozen tanks. Cougars are very popular in Canada.
Now that we are inside the trailer, notice the countertops. They aren’t made from Corian, but from an antimicrobial material that flexes just a little bit and is actually better for a moving RV. The cutting board over that undermounted stainless steel sink is lightweight, won’t dull your knives and is easily replaceable. The drawers are full extension so you can find that wine stopper all the way in the back.
Interestingly, each cabinet door is built of five pieces. The interior panel is actually separated from the four surrounding panels by little Teflon balls, so the joints won’t pop or crack. Wow… who knew? Nice hardware on those doors, by the way. Five inch nickel pulls that you can easily fit your hand into. The stove has 3 burners, and the front one is a high-output burner that will cook everything faster. While we’re here in the kitchen, notice that remote on the wall? It operates the slides, the levelers and the awning.
In the bathroom, there is a porcelain toilet that sits taller than a regular RV toilet and it flushes from the top down. You can figure 
out why that is better. The bathroom sink is bigger than most… it fits two hands in a big bowl. The shower’s safety glass is smooth on the inside so you can keep it clean with a squeegee.
Sometimes, it’s the little things.
Warranty
Sometimes, its the bigger things. Cougar fifth wheels and trailers come with a one year warranty. That’s pretty standard. What isn’t standard is that the warranty goes with the trailer. If you buy a used six-month old trailer, you will still have another six months of warranty. Good to know.
Industry Firsts
Cougar has been the best-selling trailer in its class for a few years (15 years, to be exact). Maybe this is due to a list of industry-first features like these:
- Magnetic door catch on storage/baggage doors for two-handed packing
- Hitch vision on fifth wheels for easy docking
- LED Docking Light for docking in the dark
- Beveled end cap for tighter turns and more maneuverability
- Foam gasket seal on the fifth wheel pin box… nothing can get past that seal up into the interior of the end cap. If you are afraid of bees, this is a big deal. But it also keeps cold air from coming up under the bedroom (on most floor plans).
Are You Looking for a Fifth Wheel or a Trailer? 
Whether you buy a Cougar or another RV, what you are really buying is a world of new experiences. RV’s have that special ability to get you out of the city, away from the job and your everyday routine to be in nature or a new environment. Your new RV can be a house at the beach on the Pacific Ocean one weekend, and a mountain cabin in a pine forest the next weekend.
What is better than the sweet, cool fresh air first thing in the morning by a mountain stream? Or the sound of waves when you’re sipping a cup of hot coffee? What does it take to get you there? Are you ready to go? What are you waiting for?
Whether you are thirty-two, forty-two or seventy-two years old… how many weekends and vacations do you have left? Don’t wait to take yourself and your family on a few adventures, making memories along the way. Sky River RV will help you get there.
