Today’s RV review is of an RV that is coming out next year—the Lance Enduro. While you may already have in mind what a Lance product looks like and feels like, forget that completely. The Enduro is a total departure from what the company has heretofore been doing.
The Enduro is a single-axle trailer specifically designed to appeal to the overlanding crowd. Think of things like the Ember, RKS Purpose, Black Series. That sort of thing.
Bob Rogers from Lance said that they have been attending overlanding RV shows for seven years now and have been working on this design for two. It really is a big departure, not just for Lance, but also for this style of trailer.
Highlights
Wood is absolutely not a factor in the build of this rig. Other than bamboo countertops, you’ll find composites and metal surfaces throughout the camper. You know, materials that can take the abuse of being dragged far, far into the backwoods.
Most of the flat surfaces including the lips on shelves, dividers and even inside some of the cabinet doors are what are called molle panels. These are essentially grid structures that you can attach things to.
You know how lots of folks ask whether they can attach some sort of a clothes hanger or towel holder to the walls of their RVs? Then they drill through the wall and the screw comes out the other side? Yeah, we’ll have none of that here. These molle panels facilitate your hanging whatever sorts of things support your lifestyle.
Food and water
In some ways you can sort of describe this as a huge teardrop trailer only in that there’s a large rear hatch that opens to reveal the kitchen. That kitchen sports a two-burner stove in a metal drawer, a single-bowl sink and a large Truma 12-volt cooler.
I think I’ve mentioned in the past how much I think these 12-volt coolers are so much more appropriate for outside kitchens than a lot of the bar-sized refrigerators which run on 120-volt household current.
Again, more molle panels all over the place so you can use things like carabiners to hook utensils, pot holders, whatever. The space is super flexible.
In fact, it’s so flexible the utensil drawer comes with a foam insert that you can cut to fit your own scullery.
Should you run out of water and be near a stream or lake, you’re in luck. There’s also a three-stage filtration system and a long stainless steel hose with a mesh filter in the end of that. You can dip the hose into the water and use a separate pump to refill your tank. Boom.
Sit and sleep
It’s clear that a lot of thought went into this design. The front compartment is another example.
Across the front of the interior is a single bed that stretches the width of the trailer. A Lagun table sits ahead of that with a bench on either side, forming a u-shaped dinette.
But the bed can be occupied by one individual while the two seats are still usable. So one person can take a nap while someone else enjoys lunch or works on their RV reviews or whatever it is. It’s clear that the team at Lance actually must have spouses!
If you want the full sleeping experience, the table can work in the space so that you now get a king-sized bed.
While the photos I am sharing with you don’t show this, there are also bunks available above the king-sized bed, if you have two junior campers coming with you.
There is also a roof-top tent so you can add two additional campers for a total sleeping capacity of six people.
Tow the line
The build of this rig is designed to withstand the rigors of off-road travel with a CURT® independent suspension system. Lance very specifically designed this so it could be towed by a lot of the off-road vehicles out there today. The dry weight of this is 3,200 pounds with about 1,000 pounds of cargo carrying capacity.
Still, it’s also configured such that you could haul a motorcycle on the front. The receiver hitch in the back is rated for 450 pounds—much more than is typical.
Conclusions
There are still details being worked out on this camper, so not everything is finalized yet. But it’s an interesting peek into the future. This has a lot of storage in the front pass-through compartment, and there’s a metal cabinet in the front with the batteries and propane, and also a bit more storage.
For those who don’t appreciate the wet bath or the east-west, bed know that there are plenty of people dragging all sorts of gear way the heck off the beaten path who are probably wondering where they can place an order for this unit.
Lance actually has a lot of experience in the world of overlanding just by the fact that they make pickup campers, which some overlanders really like.
The field Lance is jumping into is getting increasingly crowded and full of some really good offerings. Those include the Ember 170MBH, the RKS Purpose, and things like the Black Series Classic 12.
I think Lance has done a great job learning the market. There is advanced solar available, and the camper offers much of what this market desires. The ingenuity of the design and function of things like the bed/table and the outside kitchen really put this overlander into the running as a solid choice.
But one of the best features of this camper is the one that reads “Lance”—as the company absolutely has earned an enviable reputation as a builder of very high-quality RVs.
*****
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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 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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The shear number of builders of these overpriced things tells me it can’t be that difficult to build your own. Don’t get me wrong. I totally understand the skills and craftsmanship involved, but for these kinds of prices you could put yourself through welding school and still have enough money left over to build your trailer.
It looks like any and all food prep must be done outside (unless you call unwrapping a protein bar food prep). This is my complaint about all these sorts of trailers. All teardrop types have the kitchen outside in the rear. That means rain or snow, wind or searing sunshine, you’re out there braving the elements, whatever they may be. My son has a Bean teardrop trailer and his biggest complaint is that even in beautiful weather, if there is a breeze it blows the stove out.
I wonder what kind of filtering system they are offering that allows you to pull water from a nearby stream and use it.
At 3500# dry they eliminate the most off road capable Jeep Wrangler that’s rated for 3500#. Not much sense in towing the empty camper out in the boonies if you can’t have a change of clothes and a bologna sandwich. They need to trim 600 lbs out of it if they’re serious. Lol