When you’re responsible for the content generated by a niche newsstand magazine, it’s definitely wise to get your facts straight if you review products. The last thing any editor-in-chief wants to hear is that something someone bought through the magazine didn’t live up to its claims.
While we can’t predict the outcome of every outdoor and RV product ever made or seen in print or online, we think we can do something about the products that make it in our editorial lineup. It’s our stamp of approval of sorts, and the testing process weeds out the undesirables.
For us that meant being more creative when reviewing products—whether it’s a small portable generator or a larger trailer awning. We needed to review products in the field with lots of room to move and work. Basically, we are reviewing products much like the average traveler would in the great outdoors, not locked up in some office building.
| Here’s a before shot of the Fun Runner DV-222. The trailer is ideal for a small, active family and comes with everything necessary including a bathtub for junior!
What began as a simple internal conversation at a regular editorial meeting, turned into a face-to-face meeting with Carson Trailers in California. Out of it we sealed the deal for its latest 22-foot Fun Runner with the new V-nose called the DV-222.
The V-nose aerodynamic aspect was critical to us, not only does it dramatically cut through the fuel-robbing winds, it also allowed us to increase the size of the bathroom, a must for boondocking over extended periods of time.
Furthermore, the DV-222 has the garage space we needed to haul multiple quads, bikes, and just about all the gear that a small group of magazine staffers needed for a few days of testing.
Weighing in at 6,610 pounds unloaded with a tongue weight capacity of 1,060 pounds, the DV-222 is just enough trailer to tow for short hauls. Our first trip was a mere 700-mile journey, where we boondocked for five straight days and lived with a multitude of products that either worked or failed miserably. The Carson trailer itself, towed like a dream.
| Brian Wear and his crew at 1daywraps.com created the Field Test Lab graphics. Many of Brian’s clients are motorsports enthusiasts and professional teams, and we wanted that type of cutting edge look on our new trailer. Awesome job, guys!
Now that the trailer has been on the road for a few months, we discovered a few trailer add-ons that we want to incorporate in the design, including some outside workstations and large containers that will come in handy to store our equipment. Overall, the Carson trailer was ideally equipped to handle the job at hand.
Beginning with this issue, look for the Field Tested icon and staff rating on products that were tested on the road. We don’t have expensive testing equipment onboard the Fun Runner right now, just magazine writers and photographers with keen mechanical senses. But that seems to work just fine. The mission is to test products as you would if you were camping, not like a machine. Does it work? Is it complicated? Is it missing parts? Hopefully, we’ll get more answers than questions.
You can learn more about the DV-222 Field Test Lab on Facebook, Twitter, and online at www.rvmagonline.com. If you happen to see us on the road… honk. Just don’t ask for a complementary RV magazine T-shirt…we’re still working on it.
| The wild graphics were color screened printed by a Soljet Pro III XC-840, and applied by hand.
Top 40 Features
1. 12V DC Interior Lighting
2. Three-Burner Cook Top w/ Oven
3. Four-Wheel Electric Brakes
4. Four-Function Monitor Panel
5. 6-Gallon DSI Water Heater
6. 6.3-Cubic-Foot Refrigerator
7. 60-Amp Converter w/ 12V
8. Air Conditioner
9. Battery Charger
10. Cable Assisted Ramp Door
11. Day & Night Shades
12. Decorative Wall Paneling
13. Deep Cycle Battery
14. Double stainless Steel Sink
15. Dual 5-Gallon Propane Tanks
16. Emergency Escape Hatch
17. Exterior Shower
18. Formica Counter Top
19. Full Bath
20. Full Linoleum Flooring
21. Furnace
22. Generator Capability Built-In
23. Lockable Service Doors
24. Mirrored Wardrobe Closet
25. On-Demand Water Pump
26. Overhead Cabinets on Both Sides
27. Powder Coated Wheels
28. Private Stand-Up Shower
29. Queen Size Pull Down Bed
30. R-7 Insulated Walls & Ceiling
31. Raised Roof
32. Side Awning
33. Sliding Kitchen Window
34. Smoke Tinted Windows
35. Solid Front Wall Window
36. Stereo System Pre-Wiring
37. Stone Guard on Sides & Front
38. Tie Down Anchors
39. TV Antenna/Cable Pre-Wiring
40. Two Convertible Dinette /Bed
| field Test Lab Mobile Product Testing ford Truck Towing
