Are you looking for a half-ton towable fifth wheel that strikes a balance between affordability and luxurious features? You’ll definitely want to check out the 2024 Forest River Sabre 25RLS. This innovative 30-foot RV has lots of unique features, including a fully adjustable, wheeled table that takes the place of the dinette that you’d normally find in a fifth wheel this size. The table can be used with the theater seats, the sofa, or even be raised to be set up with some folding chairs, making a more formal indoor dining arrangement.
But as you’ll see, that’s just one of the nice surprises in the Sabre 25RLS. (Just wait till you get to the kitchen.) We’ll check them all out together in this review. So let’s get started.
At a Glance: Sabre 25RLS
The Forest River Sabre 25RLS impressed me with an abundance of amazing features. (We’ll talk more about those in detail in a moment. The kitchen is full of ingenious surprises) Even so, there are a couple of things I felt could have been done better in this RV. First of all, when I attempted to deploy the multifunctional table (which I’m a fan of), several screws fell out of the bottom of the table, causing it to fall off its base. MDF is not a suitable material for furniture that is going to receive frequent manipulation and adjustment. It tends to return to its sawdust origins under any duress. Recommended fixes for this could be installing screw anchors. Or simply building the tabletop from laminated wood like butcher’s block or solid wood such as lightweight hardwood like poplar or birch.
Similarly, the wooden handrail is precarious looking. Located next to the stairs to the bedroom. It just doesn’t look like it would sustain the weight of a person who needed to use it. At least not more than a few times. I would love to see more solid anchoring for this handrail.
Check the Specs
- Sleeping capacity: Up to 4
- Exterior length: 29 feet 10 inches
- Exterior width: 8 feet
- Hitch weight: 1,325 pounds
- UVW: 7,678 pounds
- CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity): 2,447 pounds
- Fresh/Gray/Black: 49/30/30 gallons
- Propane: 2 x 20-pound tanks
- Awning size: 12 feet
- Slide Outs: 1
Features We Love
- Solar power system: 1x 100-watt panel with 12-volt battery, voltage meter, and 30-amp controller (expandable to 450 watts)
- Auto-leveling system
- Backup camera
- Tire pressure monitor
- Solar reflective windows
- Solar package
- Prepped for ladder
- Fireplace
- Walkaround queen bed
- Fully adjustable, wheeled table
- Automatic glass washer
Benefits
- Easy care, walkable PVC roof
- Lots of storage including hidden pantry storage
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Plenty of warm water with tankless water heater
- Gourmet kitchen with solid surface countertops
- Multiple kitchen configurations with multifunctional table
- Easy care surfaces
Challenges
- Some RVers might prefer a standard dinette to the multifunctional table.
- Wooden stair rail needs better anchoring.
- While it’s technically towable by a half-ton, towing with a three-quarter ton or one-ton would be better.
Best For
- Singles or couples who want an affordable fifth wheel with luxurious amenities.
- Full-timers or grandparents who will have a grandchild or two come camping with them from time to time.
The RV Trader Process
RV Trader asked RV shoppers what was most important to them in their RV buying process. Potential buyers — like you — helped us to identify a list of six key areas that camping and travel enthusiasts always look at when they’re searching for the perfect RV: sleeping space, bathroom, living area, four-season capabilities, and storage space.
The RV Trader team then got to work providing you with an honest and unbiased evaluations. And that’s where I come in. I’m Lynne Fedorick, RV expert and enthusiast. Whenever I review any RV, my goal is always to perform the review objectively. I evaluate everything on the RV from top to bottom. All without any undue influence from manufacturers or retailers.
RV Trader sent me to the Forest River showroom in Elkhart, Indiana to look at 2024 RVs from the diverse brands included in the Forest River family. I inspected each RV with the buyer’s perspective at the forefront. How well would each RV meet the needs and requirements of its intended buyer? Above all, I wanted to seek out answers to this question, so I looked at the six key areas with this in mind.
Sleeping Space
Sleeping space in the Forest River Sabre 25RLS is in two places. The first is the bedroom at the front of the RV. The second is on the sofa bed in the living area. The bedroom offers a comfortable walkaround queen bed with a wardrobe on either side. There are also multiple cabinets and drawers for storing clothing and other personal items. Forest River has included a shelf with plug-ins that’s perfect for a CPAP machine as well as multiple ports for charging phones or other electronics. You’ll also find generous storage underneath the bed. The wall at the foot of the bed is prepped for a bedroom TV.
The sofa bed is easy to deploy and comfortable. Additionally, it gives owners some storage underneath for bedding and pillows. Which is always handy.
Bathroom
The bathroom offers a spacious shower. It’s tall enough to be comfortable for almost anyone. A shower seat makes a handy shelf as well as a place to sit down. I was happy to see a roomy linen cabinet as well as storage below the vanity. There’s also a generous medicine cabinet above it. A lightweight plastic toilet helps the Sabre 25RLS to keep its weight manageable for most pickup trucks.
Living Area
The living area consists of adjustable power theater seats that not only recline but also have a heated massage feature. A versatile rolling, drop-leaf table is fully adjustable to different heights. Which means you can use it for work, eating, or crafts. You name it. Easy-care surfaces also help make keeping everything clean a breeze.
The entertainment center consists of a 40-inch TV above an electric fireplace. But the real surprise lies behind it! A gentle pull on the right side of the entertainment center wall reveals a huge, walk-in pantry. This hidden storage area has an exterior access door, so it could easily store camping chairs or other items you’d want easy access to when you’re setting up camp.
Kitchen
The kitchen in the Sabre 25RLS makes camp cookery a treat. Above-average features certainly help it maximize efficiency. It’s kitted out with a 12-volt Ever-Cold fridge with French doors for the fridge section. Just below, there are two spacious, pull-out freezer drawers. Other appliances include a three-burner propane cooktop and a microwave. Below the cooktop, a large air fryer takes the place of the propane oven that you’ll find in most fifth wheels.
The farmhouse sink in the Sabre 25 RLS has a pull-down faucet but also has a fitted basket and a cutting board. To the side of the sink, in the cabinets below, I was delighted to find another surprise — a pull-out waste bin where food scraps could be discarded easily. Beside the faucet, there is an automatic glass washer. So, you can get glasses crystal clean using a fraction of the water and effort it normally takes. Little things like that make for a fantastic kitchen.
On top of all these great features, there is enough solid surface counter space for two people to prepare meals. All without getting in one another’s way. Power outlets let you plug in your coffee maker, food processor, and more. In addition, there are plenty of lumber core cabinets and drawers that let you keep everything organized.
Four-Season Capabilities
The Sabre 25RLS is designed to be used as a four-season RV. It comes equipped with one air conditioner but is prepped for a second one in the master bedroom. An electric fireplace provides heat for the living area and kitchen. But there is also a gas furnace for when the temperature sinks and subfloor ducting beneath the coach. The Sabre 25RLS has an enclosed underbelly that conserves heat and is prepared for cold weather with tank heaters.
Storage Space
Outside, the Forest River Sabre 25RLS has a front cabinet and generous passthrough storage beneath the master bedroom. At the back of the RV, there’s an access door to the hidden pantry for stashing camping chairs or other goodies.
Inside, the Sabre 25RLS has loads of places to store everything you need for camping or even full time RV life. The hidden pantry is huge and has plenty of shelves for storing food, small appliances, crafting or office supplies and more. There are also plenty of cabinets throughout this RV.
The Sabre 25RLS in Summary
Looking at the Sabre 25RLS, it’s clear that Forest River has really listened to its buyers. They’ve created an affordably priced, well-built, luxury RV with loads of amenities and stacks of storage options.
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