See Inside The 2023 Bowlus Heritage Travel Trailer
As the new 2023 RV models are rolled out, more and more high-end brands are making an appearance. Bowlus is one of the top manufacturers of luxury RVs, and some of their models sell for $300,000 or more! But they’re breaking tradition with the release of the Bowlus Heritage, which maintains the same level of quality at a fraction of the cost.
This RV is still quite pricey with an opening offer of $159,000. But compared to other models from this brand, it’s much more affordable. If you’re looking for a high-end trailer that has off-grid capabilities, the Bowlus Heritage might be a good fit for you. It’s expensive, but it’s built with high-quality materials and extreme attention to detail.
Whether you want to buy one of these for yourself or are just curious about the new release, look no further! We’re going to dive into the details of this RV, including the specs, floor plan, upgrades, and more. This model deserves an in-depth exploration, so let’s get started.
What is the Bowlus Heritage?
The Bowlus Heritage is a travel trailer that features a hotel-style ensuite. According to their website, it also has the distinction of being the world’s “lightest and most aerodynamic full-size RV.”
“Bowlus created the Heritage so you can enjoy the performance, quality, and craft on your terms with the technology innovations that speak to you.”
bowlus.com
Even though these trailers are a decent size, they can still be towed by mid-size vehicles such as SUVs. You won’t need a heavy-duty truck to move these RVs from one spot to another!
It’s 500 lbs lighter than the next lightest Bowlus option, so this opens it up to a whole new range of towing vehicles. This is great for those with electric vehicles as well.
Vehicle specs
- Exterior length: 27 feet, 1 inch
- Exterior width: 6 feet, 8 inches
- Interior height: 6 feet, 4 inches
- Hitch weight: 300 lbs.
- Unladen vehicle weight: 2,900 lbs.
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 3,500 lbs.
- Fresh water/Gray water/Black water capacity: 19 gallons/ 21 gallons / 4.5 gallons (per cassette)
- Sleeping capacity: 4 people
Considering its size, this RV is astonishingly light! It was carefully designed to provide a balance of convenient towing and a comfortable interior design. For a full list of vehicle specifications, visit the website at bowlus.com.
Floor plan
There’s currently only one floor plan available for the Bowlus Heritage, but it’s neat, attractive, and includes everything you need for a glamping adventure.
The door is located at the front of the vehicle, above the towing hitch. When you enter the vehicle, it’s a straight shot from the front to the back. A long hallway spans the length of the trailer and various appliances and amenities are located along the walls.
Kitchen/dining area
When you enter the RV, the first area you’ll encounter is the kitchenette. The counters are designed to sit the curved walls and there’s room for a round sink and a flip-top stove. You can easily close it up when it’s not in use, so you can maximize your countertop space. The lower portions of the counters contain storage compartments, as well as a microwave and a mini fridge.
Moving on from the kitchen, the next section you encounter is the dining room/living room area. There’s a comfortable sofa along one wall, which contains storage drawers along the bottom. On the opposite wall, there are a pair of padded seats with a table in between them. Both of these spaces can convert into additional sleeping spaces if necessary. Overall, this section is a wonderful place to eat, work, or just stretch out and relax.
Bathroom
Next up is the bathroom. The amenities of the Bowlus Heritage bathroom are split between two small compartments. One area contains a cassette toilet, a sink, a mirror, and a medicine cabinet.
Across the hall, there’s another enclosed room that contains a full-sized shower. This area features composite shower seating and flooring. A pair of wardrobes stands to the side of both of these bathroom spaces, which increases the storage capacity of the trailer.
Bedroom
Finally, the rear portion of the trailer contains the main bedroom. This room is an interesting shape because it fits with the tapered design of the RV. As such, there is a custom mattress back here that gets narrower at the feet and wider at the head. It’s almost heart-shaped, and there’s enough room for two occupants. This space also comes with LED reading lights, a night table, and a fan.
Although there’s only one floor plan for sale, the design is well-thought-out and will fit the needs of most travelers. This neat, clean, and multifunctional trailer has more than meets the eye.
Add-ons and upgrades
Although the base floor plan and features for this RV are wonderful, Bowlus wants to provide their customers with a range of choices and customization options.
“Customization and option packages allow the customer to select their price point. They can decide what’s most important for them, whether it be longer off-grid time, technology packages, solar panels, brake controllers, or packages on the finish.”
Geneva Long (Bowlus CEO)
Several upgrades and packages are available to Heritage customers. Each one comes with unique features, but they also increase the price of the trailer. Carefully review each package before you decide if this is worth it to you!
Power Package I (Improved power/battery capabilities)
- Additional 2 kWh (4 kWh total)
- 2,000W inverter upgrade
- Solar power ready for portable solar panels
- Bluetooth power monitoring
- AC off-grid for up to 4 hours
Power Package II (Designed for 1.5 weeks of off-grid power)
- 3,000W inverter upgrade
- Additional 4 kWh (6 kWH total)
- Touchscreen panel
- Solar power ready for portable solar panels
- Bluetooth & remote power monitoring
- Remote temperature monitoring
- PowerBoost™
- AC off-grid for up to 8 hours
- Upgrade to 4,000 lbs axle
Technology Package (Ideal for remote work)
- Cell booster
- 5G Router
- Starlink ready
- Bumper with backup camera
- Bedroom tablet mount
- Living room tablet mount
Any or all of these can be added to your trailer. For more details about these packages and upgrades, visit bowlus.com.
Decoration/aesthetics
If you’ve ever seen a Bowlus trailer, you know that these are sleek, shiny, and aerodynamic vehicles. With their shiny aluminum exteriors, they sometimes resemble Airstreams. However, the tapered rear of these trailers sets them apart from the crowd.
Customers can also choose to use exterior treatments on their RVs for extra protection/aesthetic flair. The current treatment options include a Matte Black Wrap or a Satin Grey Wrap.
The interior is quite different from traditional travel trailers. Bowlus Heritage models feature smooth aluminum walls and visible rivets in many places. This design choice hearkens back to the days of vintage planes, cars, and RVs. But this trailer is anything but old-fashioned!
A lovely neutral color scheme is used throughout the floor plan. The name of the default color scheme is Granite Ridge. It’s light, calm, and designed to bring peace of mind. The walls are a soft gray color, while the padded furniture is a lovely light cream. Silver accents bring a bit of modernity, while light wood surfaces are dotted here and there to connect everything back to nature.
About Bowlus
Bowlus is a premier manufacturer of ultra-luxury travel trailers. Each RV they create is hand-crafted with extreme attention to detail. The company was founded in 1934 by Hawley Bowlus. This man built the famous aircraft The Spirit of St. Louis and decided to make a riveted travel trailer with the same level of care and quality.
The company has been creating high-end luxury trailers ever since. They are always top of the class in terms of construction and comfort. In recent years, they have focused on a shift toward lighter and more sustainable vehicles that can be towed by a wide variety of vehicles. EV compatibility is a major goal as well.
The Bowlus Heritage is the latest entry in a long line of top-notch vehicles. The starting price is almost half as much as other vehicles, making it much more accessible to the average buyer. Quality like this still comes with a large price tag, but the Heritage represents an increased focus on the general market. With updates like this, it’s an exciting time to be an RV fan!
See what other RVers are saying
One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 forums allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and more.
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