Today’s RV review is of the East To West Tandara 321RL-OK. But you sort of get a two-fer here because this is also available as the 320RL, which is almost the same. But not. Confused?
I’ve mentioned that virtually every company that makes fifth wheels makes some version of this floor plan. As with so many things, the devil’s in the details, and I think East To West has done some nifty things with the details here.
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Devilishly cool details in the East To West Tandara 321RL-OK
Some RVs benefit directly from people in the industry who actually use the products and can make changes and design decisions based on that usage. I would say this is one of those—more on that later.
There are a lot of things I really like about this model, including the fact that there are no floor vents for the furnace. Even so, they were able to heat the enclosed underbelly and also provide tank heaters and protected gate valves.
There is also an actual 22” oven and decent counter space. The island sports a good number of drawers and one of those drawers has a built-in trash can. How many of us have no place to put trash cans except where we’ll trip on them in the middle of the night?
The fridge choices in this are either a larger propane-electric gas absorption RV fridge or a residential model—no 12-volt fridge here.
I also like that the whole front bulkhead wall features two large doors. On one side are a series of fixed shelves, but on the other are shelves where you can position them where you like or just take them out. There are also coat hooks on this side and a provision to hang clothes, so this storage space is quite flexible.
You’ll flip for the couch
These features just show attention to detail, but the couch at the back of this unit shows some innovation. It’s the niftiest folding couch I’ve seen, and can easily transition from couch to bed with one hand. Josh’s video (see below) has a demonstration of this. Neat.
I also like the ottoman on the forward side that is the seating for the dining table. That table is mounted to the wall—so no knee-knocking posts here. But the other nifty thing about the ottoman is that it can be used as a foot rest by the couch, and it provides storage as well.
Upstairs Abbey
The bathroom upstairs in the East To West Tandara 321RL-OK has entrances both in the hallway and in the bedroom. I also like the nicely sized shower with a seat. But I don’t like the cabinets with no doors on them, which seems to be more common. Also, while there is a high-performance vent fan downstairs, there’s only the four-inch do-nothing fan upstairs in the bathroom.
A couple of days ago we looked at another fifth wheel with a king-sized bed upstairs. I was quite smitten with the little tables up above the windows in the slide room. These were perfect for your noisy toys or even a CPAP machine. With the king-sized bed in here, there isn’t room for that as it stands. I’m sure some campers have figured out a way to get around this … but still.
Surprise, surprise in the East To West Tandara 321RL-OK
One of the things that was a real surprise that East To West doesn’t make much noise about is a TV in the outside entertainment area on a televator of sorts. The TV slides down from the top with the push of a button. Slick.
The outside kitchen has everything but a sink. There’s a flat-top griddle and a larger bar-sized fridge. The whole kitchen is made of metal, so hot things aren’t an issue. There is a spray port here, but that’s not a hot and cold sink, if that matters.
Boondocking and travel access
Surprisingly, someone made sure that you can get to the fridge even with the slide room in. I like this because you can stop for provisions along the way and load up the reefer. Cool beans. Especially if they’re in the fridge.
The East To West Tandara 321RL-OK doesn’t have any standard solar although those who want it can certainly add it. The number of providers is growing and the options are pretty effective, as I detailed in my article about aftermarket solar packages.
In conclusion
I got to meet one of the people from East To West’s Tandara division at the FROG rally, which prompted me to look at this model. One of the things that impressed me is that she and several other people from the company were there staying in East To West RVs. That wasn’t universally true.
Of course, quite a few of the people from the RV industry were able to just go home after their day at the rally. But the fact that I was camped near a number of East To West’s team who were actually using their RVs with their families shows that the company has a different perspective than many in this business.
The number of detail points where someone clearly was paying attention is quite evident in this fifth wheel. There are a few more things they could easily do, such as better provisions for all the things we bring to bed that we shouldn’t, but this isn’t that big of a deal considering how many things East To West has done well.
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Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. 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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##RVDT1931
We purchased a 2022 Tandara at the end of the 2022 model year. We like the unit, but there were several minor manufacturing issues that we have had to get repaired during the warranty period. We love the outdoor kitchen, as we have season football tickets at Texas Tech, and this allows us to watch TV and socialize with our neighbors. My biggest complaint with East to West as a manufacturer is that you cannot get anyone on the phone. I called and was forced to leave a message on an answering machine. I did not get a return phone call. Instead, they contacted the nearest dealer and had them phone me. They should have returned my call directly, especially when you spent this kind of money!!!
I much prefer the 320RL. I want as few windows as possible on the street/nosy-neighbor side and the big picture windows on the camp side and rear. There is also no interior space-consuming, outdoor kitchen in the 320RL, which is perfect for us. If we want to cook outside in an established campground, we have a small propane grill that easily fits in the basement and a picnic table to set it on. We also have a collapsible cooler bag perfect for four cans of beer and a blue ice brick.
Finally, for us non-tailgaters, having an outdoor TV is as bad as outdoor speakers and all-night, awning-edge LED lights. You want to watch your 50″ outdoor TV? Do it in a football stadium parking lot or NASCAR infield, NOT in the campsite next door to us!
One area I don’t care for is that the theater seats are right next to the cook prep area. I would be very uncomfortable trying to prepare and cook a meal with someone sitting right next to that counter. Otherwise, very nice.
I’m continually baffled by the tank size choices mfg’s install. Why a gray tank 50% larger than the fresh? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have 90 gal fresh, 63 gal grey and 45 black?
I guess they assume water hookup, but for boondocking or an electric-only site, the fresh should always be larger than the grey and black individually.
I agree.