Today’s RV review is of the 2023 Keystone Bullet 211BHSWE travel trailer and, if I were still selling RVs, I could sell the heck out of this model. This is a smaller bunk model trailer with an outdoor kitchen and no slide room.
There are a lot of features packaged into this smaller space, including some surprising pluses you might not expect in a more affordable RV.
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Keystone Bullet 211BHSWE
Keystone’s Bullet line is a more affordable and lighter series of travel trailers. These are aluminum-framed, laminated trailers and are ones we sold quite a few of at the RV dealership I worked at.
Our dealership was in California, so the units we got came out of Keystone’s Pendleton, Oregon, plant. Interestingly, sometimes the features or equipment that came out of the West Coast plant were different than what the rest of the country got from Keystone’s Indiana operation.
This particular model, the 211BHSWE, is only available from the West Coast plant, although there is a similar model in the Bullet Crossfire line that comes from Indiana. That “WE” at the end of the name refers to Western Edition.
As for the Keystone Bullet line, they were reasonably well-equipped when I sold them, although they were not remarkable trailers. But they had a lot of value. Further, we had a great experience with Keystone on the occasion that we had a warranty claim. But these Bullets were not back frequently for warranty issues—they were pretty well-built.
There is a lot of intention in the build. For example, Keystone uses consistent wiring colors in these trailers. So, a green wire in this trailer does the same thing as a green wire in another Keystone trailer. This intentionality means that there are fewer issues with wiring and, if there is an issue, they’re easier to diagnose. Smart.
The company made big waves when I was selling RVs by extending the warranty coverage to three years on the exterior of the trailer—and that was one heck of a selling point.
Since then I’ve learned about other Keystone features such as their HyperDeck™ flooring. It is an entirely man-made laminate that is not something that can be damaged by water.
Keystone also has its own Blade A/C ducting and venting system. I was surprised to see a trailer this compact with ducted air conditioning. Typically that would be in larger units. Nice.
This model also features an enclosed underbelly that has heat ducted into it so you can extend your camping season. These aren’t Alaska-winter ready, but they work well in the shoulder season if you live where it can get cold.
More features
I was surprised to see that this unit now comes with power stabilizer jacks. That’s typically an option even on pricier models.
Keystone has also upgraded the wet connections on this and now incorporates a wet bay in the front pass-through. This has all the connection points for water intake, and there’s a port through which you can run your hoses while leaving the cabinet door closed.
I also like the ladder they’ve chosen. It not only goes up to the top of the RV, but also has railings to make it easier to get onto the roof—which is fully walkable.
What’s inside the Keystone Bullet 211BHSWE
Unlike some smaller trailers with no slide room, this one still has a proper queen-sized bed in the front that doesn’t do any magic tricks. No folding, bending, none of that. It’s just a bed and that will make many campers happy.
But there are some features worth noting including the two-shelf compartments on either side of the bed, each with power outlets.
There are also two drawers and a hanging closet on each side of the bed. Nice.
You’ll also want to take note of the laundry chute on the camp side. This is a direct passage to the front pass-through storage, which is also really large. You can put a laundry basket here and just dump your dirty clothes.
Another surprise was how usable the bathroom is in this trailer. The shower has a curtain as opposed to those glass enclosures I’m not a fan of. There’s lots of room around the porcelain toilet and even a sink and proper medicine cabinet.
Just outside of the bathroom is a decently large cabinet that can be hanging space or you can adjust the included shelves to make it something for storage.
Kitchen details
Interestingly, the West Coast production of these still uses the traditional propane-electric RV refrigerator, whereas, the Midwest models have gone to 12-volt fridges.
There’s not a lot of prep/counter space here, but there is a good amount of drawer and cabinet space for a unit of this size. Of course, we have the bummer oven. This has a Furrion microwave and I know they just recently started offering a convection/air fryer model. So perhaps you could get one of those so the oven bummer doesn’t leave you cold.
Hehehe.
There is also an outdoor kitchen with a two-burner propane stove and a small bar-sized refrigerator. And that refrigerator leads me to look at the included solar on this RV.
Solar and boondocking
Keystone really stepped up to the plate with what they call their SolarFlex system. At the very minimum, this means a 200-watt solar panel and MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) charge controller.
The company has partnered with Dragonfly Energy (think Battle Born), and dealers can install these batteries and have them covered under the Keystone warranty.
Further, you can add to Keystone’s SolarFlex system at the dealership and those upgrades, too, are covered under the warranty.
This base package is already prepped for an inverter. So, you could plug one in and operate the outlets specifically wired for inverted power, including those next to the bed, and also the one that operates the mini-fridge in the outdoor kitchen.
That means you could arrive at your campsite and pull a cold brewski out of the outdoor fridge.
Talk about speaking my language! Ooh la la!
My thoughts on the Keystone Bullet 211BHSWE
I could easily have sold these trailers as there is a lot of value in a small package. I am a big fan of there being no slide room on this so it’s a simpler unit. There’s also decent space inside and enough standard features to make this a very usable floor plan.
I know this does have a rather basic suspension system and tires that I’m no fan of. But I also know of plenty of people with these low-end tires who have had good experience with them. But they do take care of their tires—which we all should anyway.
Overall, a lot of value and usable features in a smaller camper. I like it.
More on 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.
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##RVDT2198
Seems like a pretty likable trailer for two people…not enough seating for much more than that. And I completely agree with Tommy regarding the unwatchable TV and the fold inward stairs.
If I was looking for a new TT I would buy this! However, other than the small corner bed in my current Keystone, I am happy. Dinette is in the back with large windows on 3 sides. It would be hard to give that up!
This could be an almost perfect couple’s TT if both are still working. But only if it had a couple of changes besides the ones Tony mentioned. If the corner bunk space was convertible and the pricy, faddish, outdoor kitchen (a 120vac fridge in an RV is just stupid!) eliminated as in some other brands (Ember?), that space could be used as an office when parked and a garage when traveling. I am no fan of booth dinettes, so an optional table and chairs or even a jackknife sofa, two adjustable Lagun tables, and two folding chairs would provide more flexibility. Finally, we love our 12v fridge and have run it for 6 days on solar alone. So, a 12v fridge option would be on my list of requirements.
The lack of a slide, large tank sizes and heated tank space, optional big solar/Li battery/inverter package, white (sun-reflecting!) exterior, and REAL queen bed make this a comfortable, potentially long-term dry camping RV out West. Its relatively light weight and 25′ length means it might be towed safely on Interstates by a properly equipped 1/2-ton truck. And, better yet, with a 4WD truck, better trailer tires, and an aftermarket suspension. this Bullet might even be a good boondocking trailer on BLM or USFS land in the West. Too bad the Keystone folks building this trailer adjacent to the beautiful Blue Mountains in Pendleton, OR, haven’t already considered that.
There is limited seating in this rig. The dinette, and that’s it. Unless you consider sitting on the end of the bed “seating”. I’m surprised they even put a TV in the trailer since there is no way to comfortably watch it. I’m also not a fan of the Solid Step concept. Well, that’s not entirely true. I DO like solid steps over the conventional stairs. I just don’t like how you fold it up into the room, dropping whatever is on them (dirt, snow, rain, crud in general) onto the floor.