RV Review: 2021 inTech Sol Dawn Travel Trailer

By Tony Barthel
When I first saw inTech’s Sol line of trailers at an RV show, I thought they really were something impressive. The huge windshield and unusual, but pleasant, exterior styling made them a unique choice in smaller travel trailers. I miss RV shows. 

Recently, Debby Clark reminded me of these when she asked what I thought of them. I think it’s high time to check them out further. 

Not just a pretty face

One of the best ways to do things in business is to make a product that stands out visually. This is a guarantee that people will, at the very least, take notice. But if you back that up with a solid design and quality engineering, people will tell their friends. 

That’s inTech’s Sol line. The trailers start life as a complete aluminum cage, including the chassis itself, which inTech welds at the factory. While many trailers are built where the walls are laminated into a single piece and then bolted to the frame, these are a welded cage with the sidewall frames, chassis and roof rails all welded together. From there, the exterior is attached. 

There are a few points worth noting on the exterior. The roof is a single piece of fiberglass that extends from the nose cap all the way down to the bottom rear edge of the trailer (there is no back bumper). Typical RV roofs are a rubber or PVC membrane. The fiberglass itself has a high-gloss gel coat – as you might expect to find in a high-end motorhome or another premium rig. 

Quality features in the inTech Sol Dawn’s interior

The interior, too, has a number of quality features worth noting, starting with the flooring. It’s Infinity marine flooring instead of a vinyl floor or carpet. This is the kind of flooring you’ll see in high-end boats. It is a woven vinyl that is reportedly very easy to clean and maintain. And it looks good. 

This is a narrow body trailer which means that the wheels extend beyond the body of the trailer. The advantage of this is that you may not have to get towing mirrors when towing a trailer like this as the trailer may not be wider than the body of your tow vehicle. Another plus may be that there is less wind resistance by virtue of being a smaller surface, so it may be easier to tow, especially for SUVs or mid-size pickups. 

But what’s the trailer itself actually like? 

The grand tour of the inTech Sol Dawn

If you’re thinking you’re going to feel cramped in a trailer that’s basically 16 feet long, you might be surprised. The first thing you notice walking in is how spacious and high-quality this trailer feels. It does not, at all, feel like an entry-level product. 

To the left as you enter is the stovetop, which is a two-burner arrangement and uses the higher quality stove with piezo ignition and cast burners. There is a huge sink and solid surface countertops. While the countertop in the inTech Sol Dawn is somewhat limited, there is more counter space coming right up. 

Surprising amount of storage

Below the galley surface is a surprising amount of storage in the form of three drawers that you can access from inside or outside the trailer. Handy. Below the sink is a cabinet that you could use as-is or put shelving and such there. 

There are also switches for lights and such right under the stovetop which, again, can be reached from outside or in. 

Keep going and you’ll go into the bathroom. That’s one spot where you feel the dimension of this trailer. The overall floor of the bathroom is just 29” X 44”, which isn’t horrible, but the ceiling height is just 5’9” owing to the slope of the roof. That’s going to leave some people feeling claustrophobic. Like me. 

While this is a wet bath in the inTech Sol Dawn, I do like the fact that all the walls are waterproof, so you’re not being attacked by a shower curtain. If you have to have a wet bath, and I understand that it really is necessary for some smaller RVs, at least make the walls and such waterproof so you don’t have a shower curtain sticking to you while you’re trying to take a shower. Thank you, inTech. 

Small fridge with cool features

From there you get to the fridge. It’s admittedly small at just 3.2 cubic feet. That brings me to believe that this really is a weekending trailer more than one you’d make a cross-country journey in, although I’m sure some have done just that. 

I like the fact that the fridge operates on 120vac, propane and even 12 volts so you can have it running on 12 volts as you shuttle down the street. One of the coolest (see what I did there?) features of this fridge is that the freezer compartment is actually removable so if you only want a refrigerator that’s possible. Smart. Above the fridge is a microwave but not convection. I wish it were. 

Behind you is a shelf that has more storage in the form of drawers below it. This would be the logical place to make up for the smaller countertop space in the galley and can hold things like coffee makers or instant pots and such. 

Versatile front interior

The star of the interior show of the inTech Sol Dawn, however, has to be the front of the trailer starting with that wonderful curvy front windshield. It’s three layers of glass, like an automotive windshield. Together, with the side windows, it absolutely makes the interior of this trailer. 

But the windows aren’t the only stars here – the dinette is one of the best I’ve seen. It’s a giant U-shaped dinette so you could literally have quite a few folks sitting around enjoying an evening of Cards Against Humanity or any other games or conversation. 

Almost a king-size bed

However, inTech really thought this through. You can make up the front portion of the dinette as a bed amounting to 48” x 80” of sleeping surface, which may not sound like a whole lot… but wait! There’s more!

With the front of the dinette made up into a bed, you still have two seats and a table you can use in the dinette. Should you want even more sleeping surface, include the rest of the dinette in your folding operation and you’ll come out with 72” X 80” of snoring surface. That’s almost a king-sized bed in a 16’ trailer. 

Lastly, there are alternating cabinets and cubbies surrounding the dinette adding even more to the storage. 

In summary

There are a few more things that I like about the inTech Sol Dawn trailer, starting with the fact that the propane bottle is enclosed in a compartment at the front. Notice I wrote bottle, singular. You can have two if you choose, although it’s still going to be enclosed rather than just hanging out on the tongue. 

While we’re encapsulating things, you’ll find the battery for the trailer under the road-side dinette seat inside the trailer. While there’s a vent for the battery I would think that you would do well to use an AGM battery at least or, better yet, a lithium battery in this trailer if you like boondocking. Neither of those battery types requires routine maintenance, which would be slightly more challenging in this place under the dinette. 

A few things did make me scratch my head

There’s no rear bumper whatsoever. Yes, yes, I realize these thin sheet metal bumpers are barely worthwhile as a spare tire holder. inTech has put the spare tire under the trailer. But somehow having a rear bumper is somewhat comforting. 

There is a receiver hitch back there good for 100 pounds. So maybe your bicycle or kayak or whatever you put there is better suited as the first line of defense. It’s probably not a big deal – it’s just a mind thing. 

Also, this trailer has a combined black and gray tank. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this and I guess it makes sense. Again, you are limited in what you can do in 16 feet, and inTech has done a lot. 

Consider replacing the thermostat

Lastly, that Dometic thermostat. It was something we had to deal with when I was working at the dealership. Customers were confused by it and the buttons failed early on. Bleh. If you do get one of these trailers, replace that thermostat before it leaves the showroom. 

That aside, I think inTech’s done a terrific job with a trailer of this size giving it big style and very useful features. The low ceiling height in the bathroom is the only area that might bug me over time. But the windows and that dinette absolutely make up for it. 

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

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