Test Drive: Forest River’s Ibex RVS1 is a Suite Little Thing

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The first thought I had upon stepping into a Forest River Ibex RVS1 was: Okay, it’s a mod little tiny house! Right away, the retro-styled, marshmallow-white Countoure Classic fridge catches the eye, which then wanders to the white, solid-surface countertop and the pine-green walls, drawers and cabinets. It’s a kitchen out of a West Elm catalog. Same with the bathroom, with its twin vessel sinks and faux barnwood counter, and the tastefully spare bedroom, where a minimalist office hides a king-size Murphy bed.

Photo Credit: Giovanni Stroik/Forest River

The second thought I had: So who is this for? I put the question to Ibex sales manager Thomas Cunningham, who said the two floor plans of the Ibex RV Suite—the RVS1 and RVS2, both unveiled last year— split the difference between a conventional travel trailer and a destination trailer meant for seasonal or full-time use. “The beauty of the product is there are truly no circles around it,” he said. “There’s nothing saying you can’t take it from Point A to Point B. There’s nothing saying you couldn’t have it as a full-time place. But it’s designed to give that residential glamping feel, so there’s a longer-term quality to it.”

For example, the RV Suite is all electric—50 amps throughout, no propane here. You won’t find latched overhead cabinets but instead open shelving and a few L-shaped mug hooks. There’s no passthrough storage, but there’s the option of Google Home–like voice control for lights and other systems.

Photo Credit: Giovanni Stroik/Forest River

The trade mag RVBusiness named the RV Suite its 2023 RV of the Year. “It truly stands out for being different,” the editors wrote. But in a sense, it stands out for being familiar: It feels like the cool little apartment you either once lived in or wished you did. MSRP $64,835

Illustration by Todd Detwiler

The elegant single-slope roof sends precipitation down the trailer’s nondoor side.
The RVS1 has no slideouts, while the bedroom slides out on the RVS2 (in lieu of the Murphy bed). A taller, 40-footlong RVS3 drops this spring, with a lofted bunk above the bathroom.
The partially covered sun deck extends 4 feet off the bedroom’s sliding door.
Dual rooftop AC units have heat strips, complemented by two electric heaters.
Sidewalls benefit from Azdel construction and aluminum framing, with R-12 insulation.
Atop the tow bar is a locking metal toolbox. A travel cover protects the frameless tinted window up front during travel. *Identical versions of the RV Suite floor plans are also found on Ibex’s twin brand, Forest River’s No Boundaries trailers.