Family-Friendly RV: Kodiak Cub 179E Hybrid

For families seeking a smaller, lighter trailer, there might be no better choice than a hybrid model. Hybrids have a reasonably sized footprint for easier towing, and pop-out beds significantly expand the living space when camping. Dutchmen’s 2020 Kodiak Cub 179E is one of the larger hybrids available, offering a trio of canvas extensions and sleeping space for up to eight.

Travel length and weight are what set hybrids apart from fully enclosed trailers. The Kodiak Cub 179E stretches 21 feet, 8 inches when closed for travel, and has a 5,400-pound gross vehicle weight rating and a claimed 1,626 cargo-carrying capacity. It would be a challenge, if not impossible, to find a conventional travel trailer with those specs with this amount of sleeping space.

Triple Bed Extensions

At the front of the 179E, you’ll find the first of three pop-out beds. At the back, one bed extends from the rear and another on the side. Each bed is generously sized at 60 by 80 inches, offering room for two adults. The dinette folds down to make a fourth bed, accommodating one adult or two children.

Hybrids offer nature lovers the chance to bring the outdoors in. Canvas tent walls with large, screened windows flank each bed so you can enjoy a fresh cross-breeze, feel the nearness of a neighboring creek and fall asleep to a serenade of crickets and toads.

Kitchen and Bath

The galley includes everything a family needs. You’ll find a 6-cubic-foot refrigerator, two-burner cooktop and a microwave. The removable sink cover and flip-top glass stove cover increase counter space significantly.

White subway tiles create a modern backsplash and define the kitchen space. Throughout the trailer, coffee-colored woods are a nice contrast to the light gray laminate flooring and flax-colored walls.

In addition to the toilet and corner shower, the bathroom includes a mirrored medicine cabinet, storage space below the sink and LED-motion lighting, features families are sure to appreciate.

Outside the Box

Linear graphics and white laminated walls define the sporty exterior of the 179E. Here, as with the interior, little things make the difference. Lights are placed above the stabilizer jacks and incorporated into the grab handle, making nighttime setup and entry effortless.

Dutchmen’s limited three-year structural warranty adds peace of mind, as does the manufacturer’s promise that every trailer has gone through a 230-point predelivery inspection.

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Manufacturer’s Specifications

2020 Kodiak Cub 179E
Exterior Length: 21′ 8″
Exterior Width: 8′
Interior Height: 6′ 6″
Exterior Height: 10′ 1″
Freshwater Cap.: 50 gal.
Black-Water Cap.: 28 gal.
Gray-Water Cap.: 78 gal.
LP-Gas Cap.: 10 gal.
UVW: 3,774 lbs.
Hitch Weight: 518 pounds
Axle Weight: 3,256 lbs.
GVWR: 5,400 lbs.
MSRP, Base: $26,882

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With her small bunkhouse travel trailer in tow, Kerri Cox has traveled near and far with her husband and two teenage sons, documenting their adventures on her blog, Travels with Birdy. When not on the road, she spends her time teaching and writing. Her words and photographs can be found in print and digital publications, including Trailer Life and the Good Sam Club Blog.

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