When it comes to the exterior appearance, standard trailers in general often blend in with one another. The vast majority of trailers feature the same white, or more recently, “champagne” fiberglass skin, and although many offer different graphics packages to help them stand out from the crowd, their overall impression is often times the same. There are a few standouts, however, and that small group now has some company: The Livin’ Lite Axxess 8.5×22 toy hauler.
The Axxess 8.5×22 features an aerodynamic radius front end and black diamond-plate rock guard.
The Axxess is a real head-turner in every sense of the word, with its aerodynamic radius front end and its highly polished, screw-free, chrome-like sidewalls set off by the black trim. The bold graphics let fellow RVers know that Axxess owners are adventurous sorts who like to get out and enjoy the off-pavement lifestyle. The Black Diamond Plate Aluminum Rockguard and Trim package (part of the Full Throttle package) ups the ante in terms of protection from road debris and also makes the trailer look great.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Axxess — and all Livin’ Lite RVs — is the obvious lack of wood and steel in the overall construction of the toy hauler trailer.
The L-shaped galley area offers a small countertop, but the refrigerator and two-burner stove allow users to prep meals in the toy hauler’s interior, and there is plenty of seating for dining.
Scott Tuttle, Livin’ Lite president, explains the company’s philosophy about its construction techniques, “Livin’ Lite builds our units utilizing aluminum and composites. Our frames, instead of being built of steel, which can begin to rust and rot away after years of exposure to moisture, are built of all aluminum. The same goes for our cabinets, our flooring, roofing, etc. Even our exterior walls feature metallic painted aluminum skin.” In addition to increased durability, Tuttle says, “This makes all of our trailers ultralightweight, which means that they can be pulled by smaller, more fuel-efficient tow vehicles, including cars, crossover vehicles, minivans and smaller SUVs.”
Apart from its eye-catching exterior, the Livin’ Lite Axxess boasts an impressive interior, highlighted by a clean, almost industrial-like atmosphere befitting adventurous souls. As Tuttle pointed out, all of the cabinets in the toy hauler trailer feature tubular aluminum framing and aluminum cabinet doors. Custom-molded composite countertops are a great match for the modern-looking leatherette furniture.
A HappiJac power bed in the rear cargo area offers additional sleeping room.
There’s no carpet in the Axxess; rather, the entire floor is constructed using an interlocking Aluma-Plank floor deck, which the company says will not fall prey to rotting or sagging.
The 8.5×22 floorplan is a simple one, but it utilizes the space efficiently and keeps the adventurous crowd in mind. Stepping into the interior, the L-shaped galley countertop, refrigerator and two-burner stove show owners that meal prep after a day on the dunes, or anywhere for that matter, can be a snap. The standard Full-Throttle Package is also responsible for much of the exterior’s aesthetics and nets the owner a fold-up leatherette sofa bed and convertible dinette, which represent the trailer’s only sleeping positions unless the buyer opts for the HappiJac power bed that mounts in the cargo area ($1,899 for a queen bed by itself; $2,500 for a sofa and bed with benches).
Speaking of the cargo area, owners should have no problem loading their toys into the 14-foot, 6-inch garage through the 84-inch door that has been spring-balanced so no cables or head springs get in the way. Six tie-down D-rings are welded onto the frame to help secure your toys for travel. A pull-down rear screen ($489) is also available to separate the garage area from the rest of the trailer.
A view of the dry bath from the shower shows a wardrobe behind the china commode.
The front of the trailer houses a full-wall bathroom, a great addition in a toy hauler trailer this size designed for off-pavement pursuits. With its large shower, this spacious area is a great place to wash off the dirt and grime of the day’s pursuits, and the lav can easily be used by two people at the same time, provided they are comfortable with the situation doing so would present.
Additional options are plentiful and include such add-ons as a microwave-convection oven ($419), a 19-inch TV/DVD on a swivel bracket ($630), an AM/FM/MP3 stereo ($299), an Off-Road Package ($799) that adds all-terrain tires and extra clearance, and a Lizard-skin spray-on underfloor insulation ($1,000) that is a ceramic material typically used to insulate engine compartments in motorhomes. Tuttle says that this is an option generally selected by buyers who tend to visit colder climates.
If you’re looking for a trailer designed with outdoor adventures in mind — and you’re comfortable with the constant gawking and questions from fellow RVers the exterior will surely cause — you should give the Axxess 8.5×22 a serious look.
Axxess Toy Hauler floorplan
Exterior Length 26′
Exterior Width 8′ 6″
Exterior Height 10′ 4″
Interior Height 7′ 3″
Freshwater Cap. 63 gal.
Black/Gray-Water Cap. 28 gal./28 gal.
LP-Gas Cap. 10 gal.
Hitch Weight 650 lb.
GVWR 8,000 lb.
MSRP$29,950
Livin’ Lite Recreational Vehicles;
574-862-2228, www.livinlite.com
