Today’s RV review is of the forthcoming Brinkley Model I 265 travel trailer. Let’s face it. I look at a lot of RVs and the majority of what I look at are travel trailers. This is, in many ways, one of the best travel trailers I have ever seen. But there is a hiccup or two, which we will get into shortly.
Start at the road with the Brinkley Model I 265
Where the rubber meets the road there are Hankook tires, which is apparently a respected brand of travel trailer tires. I’m very familiar with the Goodyears and have wondered for a while why there isn’t another supplier of high-quality travel trailer tires to the RV industry. Perhaps that’s Hankook.
Unfortunately, those tires are attached to a leaf spring suspension. However, there is a Road Armor dampening mechanism, so it’s not the worst-case scenario.
But what’s great down here is the braking technology. This trailer comes with the Lippert anti-lock braking system. I have written before that I feel that anti-lock brakes ought to be mandated in towable RVs. They’re not, so that gives you the opportunity to seek out a trailer that has this feature. Here ya’ go.
And the Lippert system does more. It allows you to track the mileage of the trailer through the company’s OneControl® app on a smartphone or tablet.
Even better, there is a measure of anti-sway built into this system, as well. While I was warned by Lippert that this isn’t a substitute for an anti-sway hitch, it’s still something worth having. Again, I totally agree with that.
Another interesting thing I spotted in the specifications was that the sewer cap is clear. This makes SO much sense. Imagine if you left the valve open. Now you’ll know what to expect.
Built differently
When you touch the side of this trailer it’s going to feel a bit different, and that’s because it’s very different. This trailer is a laminated model, which means that the walls are a laminate, but the outside skin is a sheet of aluminum rather than fiberglass.
The word is that this is lighter than the comparable fiberglass skin… but there’s more. This is a fully painted exterior on a mid-range (price-wise) travel trailer. It also comes with a ten-year warranty on the finish.
Under the aluminum skin is a layer of a man-made sheeting. (I have been writing Azdel, but now other companies are making a similar product.) There are also the aluminum ribs and fiberglass, and then an inner layer of man-made sheeting. No wood, no natural materials—it’s all waterproof stuff. Huzzah!
Something else that is absolutely fantastic is that Brinkley is still using brass fittings in their plumbing rather than the plastic stuff most RVs are built with.
Another unusual thing is the frameless square windows which incorporate both shades and screens into the build. So that means no tacky valances inside and less maintenance outside.
Brinkley also uses a different sealant on the roof of their RVs that may require far less maintenance than what is traditionally used. I never like to state that something is no maintenance, but this comes as close as it can.
What’s inside the Brinkley Model I 265
As differently as this is built outside, the interior, too, is very different. But not in a weird way—in a great way.
This is essentially a couple’s camper. It has an L-shaped kitchen counter that extends from the bulkhead wall all the way to the entry door. So there is no shortage of counter space.
But at the entry door you notice a table that’s sticking out like a toddler’s tongue. That can be your dining surface or a desk. Further, that tongue, er, desk can also be pulled out so that it provides a lot of surface area. This would be a great desk.
There are two folding padded chairs that come with this, too.
Kitchen
As much as I kvetch about the appliances in RV kitchens, I’m going to say I haven’t seen a better situation than this. The propane stove top is a very high-end affair with three different sizes of burners allowing you to tailor your fire to your needs.
Above that is a very large residential-sized microwave that’ll also air fry and convection cook.
If you pull out one of the drawers beneath the counter, you may fall over in shock to see that, even in this more affordable Brinkley, the drawers are dovetail construction and the interiors are finished nicely.
Beneath the stove top there is also a drawer that incorporates both a trash can and a place for trash bags. Above that is a drawer with a long compartment as well as a paper towel holder. The paper towel holder can be lifted from the drawer and used on the counter or taken outside.
There is also a larger 12-cubic-foot, 12-volt fridge. The top has French doors and the bottom freezer is a pull-out affair.
And, of course, there’s a large pantry, as well.
That’s entertainment in the Brinkley Model I 265
The model I saw of this had theater seats and, at first glance, you don’t see a TV. But draw down the blind on the large window above the desk/table and you’ll find it looks a lot like a movie screen. A second look will reveal a projector hung from the ceiling.
So rather than have a TV in here, per se, this has a projector with the window shade being a screen. But wait… there’s more.
You can set up the projector and lift the window shade and project on the window. That way you can watch things from outside. And, yes, there are outdoor speakers, but they’re located under the trailer’s skirting so you aren’t likely to annoy the neighbors.
Or, you can pop the projector off and take it outside. It has about two hours of battery life in it, kind of like this projector that I reviewed a while back. It can also serve as a Bluetooth speaker, with about ten hours of battery life.
Another breakthrough—the bedroom in the Brinkley Model I 265
When you first walk into the bedroom it’s just a well-designed space with an Olympic queen bed. But lift up the bed and you’ll see Brinkley actually used the pocket beneath the floor of this drop-frame trailer for sort of a basement.
It’s not a full basement, of course, but it’s about a foot lower than the rest of the floor. There are also provisions for hanging clothes on the underside of the bed so, when it’s lifted, your clothes are just there to choose from.
On the camp side of this space are shelves, and on the road side is a laundry hamper. It is literally the smartest use of space I’ve seen in a camper since the Ember MSL series.
The prototype I saw didn’t have this, but there will be more hanging space at the back of the bedroom in the production models, as well.
Bathroom
Another well-done space is at the opposite end of this trailer: the bathroom. Something Brinkley has done in a lot of their builds is to put a pocket above the shower where you’d expect a skylight but without putting a skylight.
This is really smart because the skylight is one of the first parts of an RV to leak. You do want the headroom—you don’t necessarily want the hole in the ceiling.
Of course, there’s a fancy pants… wait, would that be a fancy no pants?… shower head in here. There’s a high-performance vent fan, as well.
There are also more drawers and a cabinet, and space for you and what you need to do here.
Boondocking and travel access in the Brinkley Model I 265
The only thing the slide blocks in this trailer is the front bedroom.
There is a 200-watt solar panel standard, but that ain’t a lot with today’s 12-volt fridges.
Conclusions about the Brinkley Model I 265
I’m going out on a limb here. I think this is probably one of the best travel trailer designs I’ve ever seen. Period. Yup, I wrote it and it’s in writing.
The projector, the desk/table, the counter space and appliances, the plumbing, anti-lock brakes, an aluminum painted exterior… and on and on and on. This thing absolutely nails so much of what’s wrong with so many designs and builds in the RV industry.
In fact, I will write this. If this floor plan works for you and you don’t include it in your search as you’re shopping for your next RV, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Except, well, these won’t be out and about until next March or so. But I’d wait, if I were you.
My singular gripe are those leaf springs—which I dislike. But, oh well.
So what’s your take? Are you as smitten with the innovative ways Brinkley did and built things to put this on your shopping list?
My thanks to Josh from Bish’s RV for the video and photos used in this article.
More about these RV reviews
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.
Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long 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 Peggy.
##RVDT2511
So much careful thought obviously went into the design of this trailer, I would really like to know the thinking behind the suspension choice. There are benefits (and drawbacks) to both leaf springs and torsion axles, so I’m guessing they felt the benefits of the leaf springs were best for this design but I’d like to know more.
Probably cost alone.
Only a couple things bother me about this unit. The disrupted counter for one. Meaning the height change. Why not smooth?
The sofa or theater seats look cramped but maybe you have to see it in person. And as you mentioned, 200w ain’t alot. It would need to be upgraded to allow for the fridge to operate 36 – 48 hours off grid for myself. (1-2 nights in route to shore power)
Otherwise I have to agree, lots to love.
I suspect a lot of RVs are just used in parks so it makes sense, to me, to include a very basic system as there are plenty of people who don’t see value in solar. But I like when there is a provision to easily add solar as Ember does and that Keystone did with their SolarFlex system. That way a wider variety of customers can legitimately be served in my opinion.
I like what Brinkley is doing with the I-series and I hope they produce a 26 foot unit.
To Tony’s “con” list of just leaf springs, I must add that infernal windshield over the head of the bed. Are we the only RVers who camp in fall, winter, or at altitude who have experienced nighttime temps in the 20s? Our first RV had a front window that created a very cold draft on our necks and my bald head. Rather than sleep in stocking caps and neck warmers, my wife quilted an insulated “headboard” that we velcroed to the window frame. Those “headboard windows” are a complete waste of money in any RV with a N-S bed, or even an E-W bed in a slide. Trendy perhaps, but stupid, especially when hidden behind a Murphy bed (as multiple manufacturers do)!
Ugh, how did I miss this? That windshield is so well integrated into the external styling of this rig it didn’t trigger my brain that it was even there, but I concur wholeheartedly.
As far as I am concerned that Brinkley’s interior is as uncomfortable, cold and sterile as a hospital operating room! Yuk!
Thank you, Tony! You certainly make a compelling case for never omitting Brinkley from one’s RV search. Have a great day, a good Thanksgiving, and safe travels!