It’s not too often I have to walk back outside an RV to determine whether it’s a travel
trailer or a fifth-wheel. But after entering the 2010 JT340FLR, I had to do just that.
Open Range has designed the triple-slide Journeyer to live like a
fifth-wheel, and the process can be dubbed an overall success. When you enter the
Journeyer, you’re greeted with a sunken floorplan and a vast living area. The décor is
rather striking; the maple hardwood raised paneling sets a luxurious tone, while window
treatments include wrought-iron rods and tasteful fabrics. In this price range, you’d be
hard-pressed to find better overall craftsmanship and fit and finish when it comes to
living amenities.
The front of the trailer features twin recliners ($532) situated in front
of a large picture window that allows those inside a view of the surrounding area, while
the Open Range perforated decal maintains privacy.
A freestanding dinette is fine for a
family of four, and the chairs can be moved for different seating options.
The sofa bed is
part of a mandatory “option,” the Executive Living Package ($3,500) that also includes an 8
cubic-foot refrigerator, a residential mattress, a spice and wine rack and various other
goodies.
Another mandatory options package ($2,100) will get you the 32-inch LCD TV, a
DVD/CD/AM/FM unit with surround sound and a TV antenna.
The galley area is a real treat.
The fridge features cabinet-matched paneling and looks great. The placement of the sink
along the interior wall means plenty of workspace for meal prep, and the microwave, oven
and three-burner stove all handle cooking duties. There’s a pull-out waste basket in one of
the cabinets to ease the clean-up chores. Numerous drawers and cabinets will surely hold
your pots, pans, silverware and such, and a pull-out pantry had more room for food than we
needed for several days’ worth of camping.
Heading up the stairs (and furthering the
fifth-wheel vibe) leads you to the bathroom on the right, accessible from the hallway and
the bedroom. This obviously necessitates the need to lock both doors in order to prevent a
potentially embarrassing situation. The large bathroom offers plenty of elbowroom and a
nice-size shower with an attractive glass door and enclosure. The bedroom features a comfy
residential mattress, but no night stands or shelves for reading glasses or the remote
control. Across from the bed, a large dresser unit offers adequate storage for jeans,
undergarments and the like. And a roomy lighted wardrobe closet should have no trouble
holding the rest of your wardrobe.
The Journeyer is a large travel trailer that’s in
serious need of more hitch weight. We had to travel with little or no water and adjust our
packing techniques to help with stability issues. Also, a weight-distributing hitch with
integrated sway control was a necessity.
The test trailer also featured the mandatory Four
Seasons Protection Package ($700), which includes among other things a high-performance
furnace, double-insulated baggage doors, heated and enclosed dump valves and a vented
attic. This – along with a full 2-year warranty – makes it an even better choice for those
who wish to RV year-round in a spacious travel trailer that aspires to live like a
fifth-wheel – and succeeds on most levels.
Open Range RV, (260) 768-7771,
www.openrangerv.com.
Quick Info
ext length: 36′
ext width: 8′ 4″
ext
height: 11′ 11″
int height: 7′ 1″ to 8′ 1″ living room/6′ 4″
bedroom
freshwater cap: 85 gal
black-/gray-water cap: 41
gal/41 gal
lp-gas cap: 20 gal
hitch weight: 1,270 lb
gvwr: 11,670 lb
msrp, as tested:$46,670
