Floor space, or the lack of same, is often the most significant compromise when choosing a truck-camper style of RV. Host Industries Inc. has solved this dilemma with an opposing pair of slideouts. With both slides deployed, we measured about 54 inches from the kitchen-counter face to the dinette and refrigerator face, which is, in a word, spacious. No sooner do you enter the Tahoe than the effect of the 22-inch-deep curbside slideout is felt. There’s about 33 inches of aisle space between the bathroom wall and the face of the dinette unit. Combined with the streetside 12-inch-deep slideout, the interior room is intoxicating for anyone accustomed to a traditional camper.
We enjoyed the dinette, where the seats and table were sized about right for a pair of adults, and offered a place to lounge in the evening. Although the galley is typically compact, it’s full-featured. At bedtime, the lengthwise queen-size cabover bed provides all the space a user could want. The 20-inch conventional TV slides from its cabinet and swivels to taste, and a flat-panel TV is replacing the old-style tube on future Tahoe models. Directly above the bed there’s an optional upgraded skylight/escape hatch. Smaller occupants (80-pound weight limit) will enjoy the clever overhead bunk that folds out directly above the dinette. It’s steel-framed for strength, and incorporates a fabric safety screen to avoid roll-offs. Abutting the rear streetside corner is an enclosed bathroom. A wet bath is standard.
As usual for any high-end camper in this size and equipment range, the Host is not a lightweight. Empty and in base-level trim, Host says the camper weighs 2,805 pounds dry. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) sticker on the test unit lists the Tahoe at 3,713 pounds actual dry weight, and with water and LP-gas cylinders full that totals about 4,243 pounds wet but empty. Plan on using a robust truck to avoid an overloaded situation. With dual slideouts, solid construction and a wealth of features, the Host Tahoe effectively eliminates the closed-in feeling common to camper use when bad weather forces more time indoors.
Pick up the November 2006 issue of Trailer Life for full test impressions and details on Host Industries’ Tahoe DS — then subscribe to Trailer Life, so you can stay informed on the latest tests, previews, tow vehicles, and technical and RV-lifestyle information. Host Industries Incorporated, (541) 330-2328, hostindustries.com
