Someone recently wrote me through the contact form at the bottom of these reviews saying that, in some ways, I’m like the RV X-ray guy. After detailing further what I look at when comparing RVs and using the Grand Design Imagine XLS 22mLE and Flagstaff Micro Lite 25FBS to illustrate the points, a lot of folks wrote in with more RVs they’d like me to look at.
One of those was regarding the CrossRoads Redwood RW3951WB, a popular model in their line and one that has also received awards for its design.
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Redwood RV
Redwood RVs are a line of larger, high-end fifth wheels that compete in the same class as things like the K-Z RV Durango Gold, the Grand Design Solitude and the Alliance Paradigm. Oh, and one more. The Palomino River Ranch series.
The Redwood brand has a solid following for a number of reasons. One is the fact that they have temperature tested their fifth wheels and share the story of that. In independent testing, their air conditioning system was able to maintain a 68-degree interior temperature while the thermometer showed 110 degrees outside.
In the cold weather testing, the fifth wheels were put into a chamber at 0° F and the heating system maintained the interior to at least 72° F.
Great insulation in the Redwood
Part of the reason for this has to include 2”-thick laminated sidewalls, but the coaches are well-insulated to accomplish this. There are also dual-pane frameless windows standard, which add to the insulation factor.
The company also brags about their “Custom Fit 2.0” chassis design which features a MORryde LRE 4100 suspension system and MORryde cushioned pinbox for more pleasant towing.
The whole rig rides on two 8,000-pound axles fitted with 17.5 H-rated 16-ply tires. That’s a lot of weight for these to carry, considering the GVWR of this rig is 18,488 pounds. The fifth wheel hitch carries that, but I like more reserve, honestly.
I like the plumbing in the Redwood RW3951WB Fifth Wheel
I also like that the plumbing of this rig is done through a manifold which is in the front storage bay. The advantage of this is that, should there be a leak somewhere in the plumbing, you can shut off just that segment of the plumbing and the rest remains usable until a repair can be made.
Also in that pass-through storage is a slat wall front. You’re familiar with slat wall being in many retail establishments – it lets you hang things in the slats. It’s a common standard and there are countless numbers of compatible things you can hang on there. We have slat wall in a closet in our house and have a ton of hats on hat hangers. But there are any number of other things you can hang there.
Redwood also has a lot to say about their two-year warranty, including the fact that it covers the rig even in full-time use. That warranty, along with the three-year structural warranty, is also transferable. Both of those are feathers in Redwood’s cap.
What’s inside the Redwood RW3951WB Fifth Wheel
I can see why a lot of people are looking at this model. Redwood has done a number of things to justify their status in the luxury fifth wheel class.
For example, the island counter height is just slightly above average. The sink features a large stainless steel compartment with a two-inch butcher block piece that can fit into “rails” along the sides of the sink. In addition, there is a stainless steel strainer that fits into these rails. So the sink is much more than one might expect.
Stove and oven rival home units
Like any good high-end rig nowadays, this one features a stove and oven that rival many home units. I like this Insignia model quite a bit. There is also a choice of a residential refrigerator or a gas-electric model.
The lighting system includes dimmers for several of the rooms with touch controls for this function. There is also a central command unit, of course, and the usual ability to control all this with a smartphone.
One of the things I value, a preference which may not be shared by someone towing an 18,000 pound beast down the road, is the ability to get in and use the restroom and grab something out of the refrigerator. This rig does have two restrooms including, a very nice one at the rear of the coach. But it doesn’t appear that you can get to even the mid-section half-bath without pushing out the kitchen slide room. I was not able to completely verify this, so if it is a priority for you and you are shopping for this model, it would be worth verifying in person.
Competing models
When you look at higher-end fifth wheels, there are a lot of similarities from brand to brand. The same stoves, refrigerators and so many other components make nuances almost the biggest factor in which one to live in.
Comparing the Redwood and the Palomino River Ranch
But with models being so similar for a while, when someone comes in and shakes things up it does make a big difference. That’s just what Palomino did with the River Ranch. While that model also shares the flat roof line and is similar in size and weight to this model, the Palomino has a far superior HVAC system to anything else on the market currently. Rather than sticking those tired Coleman units on the roof, the Palomino features a commercial unit that’s just a better system. That means fewer holes punched in the roof.
But by having a raised floor they offer near Class A levels of storage. The rear of the Redwood is raised and there is a good amount of storage back there – but not at the same level as the Palomino.
Redwood makes a good product
Redwood certainly makes a good product with a lot of very nice features and luxurious interior appointments. But the advantages of the Palomino River Ranch series are difficult to ignore. At least that’s what my X-ray vision tells me.
Tony comes to RVTravel having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife.
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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One thing that bugs me, whether a 5th wheel or Class A, particularly on the large units, no side table/shelf next to bed. We have our phone, eye glasses, glass of water, book, iPad and in the AM our coffee! Would like to know how many people, in their S&B’s, don’t have side tables next to their bed, on both sides! Thought this problem was only with King beds, but I’ve seen it with Queens. We are lucky that we are small in stature so don’t need a king (although we have one at home). Our side tables are the tops of drawers next to bed with both sides having cabinets above as well. Love our 2002 Dutchstar. As previously mentioned, not being able to get to bathroom/refrigerator when slides are in are definitely a non starter, along with no side tables.
A couple more points: the tank capacities are pitiful, so I guess boondocking isn’t an option. And the price, at more than $3,000/foot is about 50% more than the typical RV trailer, which tend to run around $2,000/foot. I’m not impressed at all. And I’m surprised that the only thing you found objectionable is the bathroom issue…
Mid-section half bath?? Not on the floor plan that you’ve got here. What I see is a full, double sink bathroom at the back end, which couldn’t be reached without putting out two slides. This is a complete non-starter as far as I’m concerned.
The graphic showing test results in temperature is a great touch, as opposed to bragging about an R factor, which only useful in comparisons.
I’m afraid I don’t believe a word of the temperatures they show. We had to camp one night recently in Quartzsite, and it was 120° when we arrived in the afternoon. All we did was plug in. No other hookups. We turned the air on (we only have one ac) and by morning we were down to a crisp 90°. It was still over 100° outside. Most ‘experts’ say you should only expect a 20° difference between outside and inside (especially when it’s over 100° out there).
But, I sure do like the “wine bar”, and would readily trade the mid-coach bathroom for it, as this trailer has. And lots of seating for real life entertaining. People can sit facing each other and indulge in the lost art of conversation.
“No need for R values” because if you’re willing to spend enough money and put up with enough noise you can keep a blood y paper bag at a comfortable temperature.