To Americans, RVing is a uniquely American thing — a symbol of our
culture that ranks right up there with baseball, hot dogs and apple pie.
But like many of the things that we hold dear, our neighbors to the
north embrace the lifestyle as well, and there are numerous Canadian
companies dedicated to producing top-quality RVs. One of the oldest and
most recognized is Triple E, a manufacturer based in Winkler, Manitoba,
that has been in business for more than 40 years.
If you don’t know much about Winkler, or Manitoba for that matter, don’t
worry. Just know that Manitoba is in the center of Canada, and Winkler
is about 12 miles north of the border, right above North Dakota. That
means cold winters. “If you don’t like winter sports,” says Triple E’s
sales manager, Ernie Penner, “it’s going to seem like a long life.”
Indeed. But what does that have to do with RVing? Well, nothing
if you’re a seasonal traveler. But if you travel year-round, you’ll be
happy to know that Triple E’s motorhomes — its flagship Empress Elite
in particular — are built for four-season travel. That’s not an unusual
claim, but the Empress Elite has some unusual features to back it up.
For example, many coaches have heated/enclosed holding tanks, but this
coach even has an auxiliary rear heater designed to keep the tanks and
plumbing warm while in transit. Thermal pane windows and extra
insulation are also de rigueur on the Empress Elite, which,
incidentally, helps keep it cool in the summer months.
Weather worthiness aside, the Empress is for those that seek a
well-built luxurious coach. “Triple E is a small, privately held company
that takes a lot of pride in its products,” says Penner. To underscore
this point, he mentions that the Empress Elite features handcrafted,
solid-wood cabinetry (three colors are available), Karadon solid-surface
countertops, heated ceramic tile in the galley and bath areas, and
stainless-steel appliances. Ultraleather furniture (in four color
choices) and halogen lighting with dimmer switch are also part of the
package. As far as options are concerned, you can choose a dishwasher,
washer/dryer, various satellite systems, a home theater system and an
exterior entertainment system, among other things.
The Empress Elite is available in two floorplans: A4002 and
A4004, the main difference being the number of slides (two in the
former, four in the latter). The A4004 shown here features a streetside
slideout with a hide-a-bed and two-place table and chairs; the curbside
slideout incorporates a love seat and galley. A hutch at the rear of the
living area houses a 37-inch LCD TV for your viewing pleasure.
The well-appointed bath area includes a large neo-angle shower
with glass doors, roomy lav and sink, and an enclosed toilet room with
another, smaller lav and sink. In the master suite, there’s a 60 x
80-inch queen-size bed located in a streetside slideout, as well as a
smaller, opposing wardrobe slide.
