RV News: Exodus Rigs Reveals Capex Trailer, RV Awards Season, and Much More

Winnebago sends first OTA update for Connect, and outdoor recreation is worth $1.2 trillion.

Image Caption: Photo Credit: Exodus Rigs

It’s Friday again! That means it’s time for our weekly round-up of all the latest news and trends from the RV, overlanding, and camping industries. As we turn toward the holidays, things are a little more quiet than usual, but there is still plenty to share. Let’s dive in.

  • Exodus Rigs Officially Debuts Capex Trailer: We first told you about the Exodus Rigs Capax travel trailer way back in October, noting at the time that it was set to make its debut at the LA Auto Show. Fast forward to today, and the wraps have officially been taken off this exciting new towable. The Capex Premiere Edition delivers top-of-the-line styling, a collapsible design that allows it to park inside a residential garage, and plenty of onboard storage. The RV offers room for up to five people and is built for off-grid and off-road exploration. RV Business has more details here.
Winnebago Connect

Photo Credit: Winnebago

  • Winnebago Updates Winnebago Connect System: This week, Winnebago pushed out the first over-the-air update for its Winnebago Connect multiplexing system. This is the first time an OTA update has been successfully deployed in the RV industry, demonstrating the convenience and flexibility of the platform. Once the update is applied, owners will be running on the version 1.2.1, which includes stability and big fixes, improved performance, and new features. Some of those features include the ability to turn the RV generator’s auto-start functionality on and off, adjust the incoming amperage from shore power,  and an option for Winnebago repair techs to turn on “service mode,” which temporarily blocks control from the Connect smartphone app. To receive the update, the RV’s house battery must be turned on, and the rig needs to be connected to the internet for about ten minutes.
  • Winnebago Wins Awards: Speaking of the Flying W, Winnebago also picked up some new hardware this week in the form of several awards. The company was lauded by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) for its reliability/quality, warranty, sales, and other industry metrics, earning it the coveted Quality Circle Award. RV Business also gave the Winnebago View and Navion 24R floorplans its “Top Debut” award, while the Revel Sport 44N took home the honors for “Best New Model” from RV Pro. Congrats to our friends at Winnebago for the much-deserved recognition.
  • Jayco Hands Out Blue Excellence Awards: While were on the topic of awards, this week Jayco announced the recipients of its second-annual Blue Excellence Awards. These laurels are given out to the brand’s top suppliers—with special recognition for regional standouts—and the best sales reps. Check out the full list here.
Cruiser RV Shadow Cruiser

Photo Credit: Cruiser RV

  • Cruiser RV Brings Auto-Leveling to Travel Trailers: The 2025 editions of the Shadow Cruiser and MPG models from Cruiser RV are set for a nice upgrade. This week, the brand announced that it is adding the Lippert Ground Control auto-leveling system to both RV lines, bringing added convenience and safety for owners. The new system works with a touch of a button, automatically deploying at the campsite and retracting when it comes time to leave. Find out more here.
  • Outdoor Recreation is a $1.2 Trillion Industry: We often get insights into the size and scope of the outdoor industry, but this week the US Department of Commerce put an actual dollar value on it, and the number is staggering. According to the DoC’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion in economic output and accounted for 5 million jobs across the country. That’s 2.3% of the nation’s GDP and 3.1% of employees. RVing plays a large part of those numbers, contributing a reported $26.3 billion, but snow sports, hunting/shooting, cycling, and other activities are also driving factors. The largest drive of revenue in the outdoor space? Boating and fishing which accounts for $36.8 billion annually. Find out more here.
international RV camping

Photo Credit: lovelypeace/Getty

  • RV Trends—Millions to Travel Over the Holidays: This week we received insights into the holiday travel plans of RVers from not just one, but two different sources. First up, a Go RVing survey indicates that 36 million Americans plan to travel by RV over the holidays this year. Not to be outdone, the RV Industry Association (RVIA) also released a report saying their studies show 21 million Americans plan to take an RV trip sometime between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Of those, 9 million will go next week during the Thanksgiving weekend, while 7 million will travel over Christmas. Which report is right? Who knows! But it is an indication that a lot of people will enjoy their RVs over the next few weeks.
  • The RVers Returns for Season Six This Weekend: The sixth season of the reality TV show The RVers begins airing this Sunday, November 24, at 8:30 AM EST on Discovery’s Destination America channel. As usual, the show will delve into the RV lifestyle by following a cast of avid RVers as they travel across the country. You’ll find solo travelers, full-time families, couples and more, while also picking up some great tips on where to go and what to do while out on the road.

That’s a wrap for this week. Join us for another rundown of the latest RV news next Friday.

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