It seems that the world is split between two types of people: those who RV and those who don’t. And RVers generally have two schools of thought: the larger-is-better philosophy or the smaller-is-better adaptive philosophy. The people at Oliver Travel Trailers obviously subscribe to the latter, as evident with the Oliver Legacy Elite. But however small this 17-footer appears to be, it contains all of the amenities and most of the comforts of a full-size trailer.
At first glance, the Legacy Elite has a clean, fun appearance about it, even from a distance. Its aluminum chassis and completely custom-molded fiberglass exterior shell – even custom-molded LP-gas cylinder and spare tire covers – give it that added polished look. There’s a clever hide-away polished-aluminum rear-bumper storage area, where we found the tank-drain connection. This is also a convenient storage area for the drain hose and wheel chocks. So where does the excitement come in? We couldn’t miss noticing the King-Dome Satellite dish perched on the roof, and that’s just the beginning of the fun.
We retained that clean, light feeling stepping into the Legacy. We found everything we would need for self-contained RVing … and then some. Immediately upon entry, we noticed the full-length mirror on the door of the bathroom, giving the entire living area a more spacious appearance. The smart placement of the full bath in the front of the trailer makes it appear as though it’s not taking up any living space, hidden away next to the full-length shelved closet.
The lighting throughout the trailer is pretty cool, with seven overhead lights and courtesy floor lighting. We liked the clean look of the standard tiled floor. The kitchen is located in the center of the action. It’s complete with a flush-mount two-burner stove, convection microwave, 4.0-cubic-foot three-way refrigerator, sink and good-size storage drawers and compartments.
And the Legacy Elite could spoil us with its cool gadgets, such as a mounted 15-inch LCD television to enjoy that satellite system; an integrated radio; DVD, MP3 and CD player with four speakers; a Fan-Tastic fan; and climate control for the air-conditioning unit. Along with all of the fun gizmos, it was easy to spot the high-end finishing touches, like the chrome faucets and double-pane windows with screens. But the insulated double-wall fiberglass construction is really what makes the Legacy unique.
The interior construction echoes the one-piece fiberglass shell design of the exterior, and hidden between the two shells is an insulation layer. The interior shell is gel-coated with full-surround overhead cabinets that are a part of the mold. Complementing the cabinets, the additional molded under-seat of the dinettes and the front closet make for a surprising amount of storage space.
With all of this big deal in such a small package, it’s in the sleeping spaces where we find some conflict between the two schools of thought. The four-person dinette converts to a full-size bed, and the double dinette converts to a single bed; so, stretching out to slumber may be a tight fit for more than two adults and a small child. But, that’s the only “adaptive” part of the Oliver Travel Trailer’s small-is-better philosophy.
Otherwise, the Legacy Elite holds its own with the big boys, including its big-boy price of $39,995. But for those who are willing to settle for less amenities, a 17-foot Sport Model is also available for $20,000 and a 22-footer for $30,000.
Oliver Travel Trailer,
(888) 526-3978, www.olivertraveltrailers.com.
Quick Info
ext length: 17′
ext width: 6′ 6″
ext height: 8′ 7″
int height: 6′ 1″
int width: 6′ 2″
freshwater cap: 32 gal
black-/gray-water cap: 18 gal/35 gal
lp-gas cap: 10 gal
hitch weight: 420 lb
gvwr: 5,000 lb
msrp, BASE: $31,999
msrp, as tested: $39,995
