Today’s RV review is of the Coachmen RV Freedom Express Ultra Lite 192RBS. We looked at this RV a couple of years ago and there have been enough changes to the rig in the past two years that I thought it worth a revisit. Some things are much better, some the same and some challenges are still there.
What is the Coachmen RV Freedom Express Ultra Lite 192RBS
The Coachmen RV Freedom Express Ultra Lite 192RBS is a smaller two-axle couple’s camper that packs a lot of good stuff in a relatively light box. Measuring in at under 23 feet in overall length and weighing in at around 6,000 pounds gross, this smaller trailer offers a lot of really great storage and functionality. Further, the MSRP of this trailer is a squeak under $40 grand, but I saw them retailing under $30 grand, so they’re relatively affordable. What do you get for that?
The floor plan in this is almost exactly the same as that of my own RV, although this is a shorter version. There’s a couch in a slide room and a true queen-sized bed. A kitchen lives along the camp side with a decent-sized sink and a three-burner stove with a (bleh) 17” RV oven.
Neat underbed storage in the Coachmen RV Freedom Express
The first thing about the Coachmen is that it has the neatest underbed storage I have seen in a little trailer. Essentially, there are two cabinets that contain drawers separated in the middle by an open space. That open space might be an ideal place to put a pet carrier if you have a pet that likes to sleep in one, for example.
But the bed, which is on struts, can be lifted up out of the way and the cabinets transformed into seats. Or you can simply sit on the cabinets.
This would be a great place to simply put on shoes, but you can also use the included folding table between these two cabinets and literally have a dining area. The one thing you wouldn’t get using this is a back rest, but it would certainly work. In fact there are two tables that come with this trailer.
One of those tables is sort of the indoor dog in that it’s a really cheap folding table that is meant to be used with the couch, so that you can use that as a dining space. The other is a typical plastic folding table that has a provision to hang for storage in the pass-through, which is nifty. But here’s an idea: Why not make that plastic table one of those that can raise to counter height, which would be useful inside and out. Then they could forgo the cheap table altogether.
Great storage and seating solution … and more
Furthermore, there are drawers on the outside of each of these cabinets which you can open with the bed in place. It’s really a great storage and seating solution. But wait, there’s more.
Under each of these cabinets is an open space which would work great for shoes. So many RVs don’t really have a space to put shoes, but that’s not true here.
The bed is on struts such that you can lift it—and it actually stays up. This exposes the two cabinets on either side of the bed. You could actually sit here and put either of the two tables here. That would make this a dining spot or even a place to get some work done.
Coachmen has also redone the storage on either side of the proper queen-sized bed. You get two drawers here and then a hanging space above them. Further, they’ve opened up the space behind the hanging storage so you can put your books or phones or whatever there. There are also three overhead cabinet doors for additional storage.
Honestly, this is a real highlight of this rig. This whole combination of storage space and the potential to be used for a dinette or a desk or keep your shoes is really the best combination I know of out there.
Another thing I like is that there are lights in the cabinets over the couch. They have frosted glass in them so it provides a nice amount of ambiance. Fancy.
Let’s eat
I had already mentioned that you could use the cabinets on either side of the underside of the bed as seats and use the table so it becomes a makeshift dinette. But the intention of that table is that it gets used with the couch in here. There is no traditional dinette, per se.
That couch is interesting in that it’s not a theater seat, but has some properties of those. There is a flip-up footrest on either side of the couch, and a fold-down armrest in the center, as you might find on a theater seat. But this couch can also lie flat so that it becomes a lousy bed for smaller campers. This is good—they won’t stay long.
Bathroom
This whole floor plan has been changed but only slightly, much of the changes coming after people provided input. Some of the changes I really like, including the foot step in the shower for those campers who just want to look at their knee for some odd reason. I think the leg shaving is more common. But, whatever.
In the past, this rig had a curtain instead of a shower door—but I prefer the curtain. Apparently, all those people who wanted the glass shower door didn’t have to file warranty claims when the shower door just randomly shattered. You’ll learn.
They did also add a cabinet behind the toilet in this trailer, but that also makes the bathroom tighter. However they still haven’t upgraded the bathroom fan—it’s still the small, four-inch, no-blow fan.
Boondocking and travel access
The only way this could be better for mid-journey access would be if it didn’t have a slide room at all. But it does, yet it’s still completely accessible with that slide room in. You could access both sides of the bed even with the slide in.
Coachmen has also added a 200-watt solar panel to the equation for 2024. Not bad.
The holding tanks aren’t bad, either, at 50 gallons of fresh water and 35 each of black and gray.
Final thoughts
One of the things that hasn’t changed is the furnace on this. Yes, it does feed the enclosed underbelly—which is a very good thing. But it’s not ducted, so it only blows from a single place and that’s kind of under the stove. Since they didn’t put a proper fan in the bathroom, that means there’s almost nothing to draw air, including heated air, into the bathroom.
Boy, on a winter’s day that would be quite the epic bummer. 🙄
Other than that, the combination of drawers, cabinets, underbed storage and tables makes this a really usable trailer. There are a lot of floor plans like this, but this one’s cabinetry really sets it apart. That’s why I think it’s good to look at many options when shopping for your next RV.
Well, and make sure to read these reviews, too!
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 his wife, Peggy.
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Good review! Besides the non-ducted furnace and small bathroom fan, I’m not keen about the front window for a variety of reasons. But really like at the underbelly has warm air ducted to it. We seem to end up with a few nights of temps well below freezing every year when camping at higher elevations here in CO.
Thank you, Tony! Safe travels! 🙂
Our Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S had exactly the same floorplan, but with an “RV queen” because it was a foot shorter and 1200# lighter. However, it had ducted heat, a 12″ bathroom fan, a shower curtain, a Jack-knife sofa without footrests, and two nightstands instead of full-length shirt closets. We prefer nightstands because we don’t like a wall directly against the bedside when trying to get out of bed during the night (we are “past middle-age”). We had a window above the head of the bed that we hated because we got a cold draft on our heads and necks when we camped in fall and winter. So my wife made a quilted “headboard” that we attached with Velcro to completely cover and insulate it.
I’ve got the 2018 model and love it. I wish we had that under-bed storage. There is storage space there in our version, but we had to lift the heavy non-strutted mattress to get to it. We fixed that by taking the front panel off and installing a flip down door. Nice improvements to the closet. That curved space in the back of the closet is wasted. I would also love to have that front window, ours is a bit dark inside. A couple of other issues, we added shelves to the pantry, a door to cover the bright lights of the control panel and we leave the folding table at home and only travel with the table that stores in the pass thru.