01 What makes it unique
The Apex Ultra-Lite 242BARV is the line\u2019s social entertainer \u2014 a front-bedroom, rear-bath couples\u2019 plan built around a single party trick. An innovative bi-fold side door opens upward and folds down into a bar-style serving counter, merging the indoor galley with an outdoor entertaining space, so you can host a tailgate or a campsite happy hour without ferrying food in and out. A front bedroom anchors one end, a full rear bath sits at the other, and a single slide opens the living area. Nominal capacity is four \u2014 this is a couples\u2019 and small-family layout, not a bunkhouse.
At 5,772 pounds unloaded and 28 feet 10 inches, the 242BARV is a comfortable half-ton or capable-SUV tow with about 1,828 pounds of cargo capacity, a healthy payload for an ultra-light. Standard equipment is full 12-volt residential and noticeably richer than the value tier: a 10-cubic-foot 12V refrigerator, a 3-burner stovetop with an air-fryer oven, a 15,000-BTU ducted air conditioner, a 55-amp power center with standard 50-amp service, a 400-watt solar system with inverter prep and a 16-foot power awning. A 50-amp upgrade with a second 13,500-BTU air conditioner is optional for hot-climate buyers.
Construction is the Apex Aluma-Cage recipe \u2014 vacuum-bonded laminated dual Azdel fiberglass sidewalls and rear wall, a laminated aluminum trussed roof with a Dicor Crossflex membrane, a laminated aluminum-framed floor and a fiberglass front cap \u2014 a clear tier above the metal-sided Catalina value line. The composite Azdel walls resist water intrusion and add sound and thermal insulation. For a couple who entertains and wants a genuinely light, well-built trailer with an outdoor bar, the 242BARV is the signature Apex plan.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 28' 10"
- Exterior width
- 8' 0"
- Exterior height
- 10' 7"
- Slide-outs
- 1
Weights
- Unloaded vehicle weight
- 5,772 lbs*
- GVWR (published)
- 7,600 lbs
- Cargo carrying capacity
- 1,828 lbs
- Hitch / tongue weight
- 740 lbs
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 50 gal
- Grey water
- 35 gal
- Black water
- 35 gal
- Refrigerator
- 10 cu ft 12V
Construction
- Frame
- Powder-coated aluminum I-beam
- Walls
- Vac-bonded laminated Azdel fiberglass
- Roof
- Laminated aluminum truss · Dicor Crossflex
- Floor
- Laminated aluminum-framed
Running gear
- Axles
- 2 (tandem)
- Hitch
- Bumper Pull
- Suspension
- Super-lube axles
- Rock guard
- Front stone guard
Galley & bath
- Refrigerator
- 10 cu ft 12V
- Cooktop
- 3-burner + air-fryer oven
- A/C
- 15,000 BTU (ducted)
- Water heater
- 48K tankless on-demand
- Solar
- 400W + 30A controller
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- 4
- Primary bed
- Front queen
- Layout
- Front bedroom, rear bath, single slide, bi-fold bar-style side door + outside kitchen
- Awnings
- 1 (16' power, LED)
03 Coachmen Apex Ultra-Lite floorplan family
Coachmen's Apex Ultra-Lite is the brand's premium-mainstream ultra-light travel trailer — a laminated-fiberglass, aluminum-framed line built to tow behind a mid-size SUV or any half-ton. The 242BARV on this page is highlighted; the other profiled plans link to their own pages. Profiled here are breadth-spanning floorplans — couples rear-bath, bar-style entertainer, family bunkhouse and rear-living lounge — with the rest of the roster catalogued on the line hub and profiled in demand order. (Apex also fields a value-priced metal-framed Apex Ultra-Lite X sub-line and the smaller Apex Nano, summarized on the hub.)
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 242BARV | 28' 10" | 4 | Front bed, rear bath, bi-fold bar door + outside kitchen |
| 244RBS | 29' 8" | 3 | Front bed, rear bath, rear-living super slide |
| 246BARV | 32' 3" | 6 | Bunkhouse + dual entry + bar-style outside entertainment |
| 291TBSS | 33' 6" | 9 | Private triple-bunk family, U-dinette, outside kitchen |
| 293RLDS | 34' 0" | 4 | Rear-living couples, kitchen island, theater seating, 20' awning |
Every Apex Ultra-Lite uses Aluma-Cage construction: vacuum-bonded laminated dual Azdel fiberglass sidewalls and rear wall, a laminated aluminum trussed roof with a Dicor Crossflex membrane, a laminated aluminum-framed floor, a fiberglass front cap and a corrosion-resistant powder-coated I-beam chassis — a clear construction tier above the metal-sided Catalina value line. Standard equipment is full 12-volt residential: a 10-cubic-foot 12V refrigerator, a 3-burner stovetop with an air-fryer oven, a 15,000-BTU air conditioner (ducted on the 8-foot-wide plans), a 55-amp power center with standard 50-amp service, a 400-watt solar system with a 30-amp controller and inverter prep, an on-demand 48,000-BTU tankless water heater, a premium Alpine Bluetooth speaker, a power tongue jack, a power awning, a backup-camera mount and Starlink prep. A 50-amp upgrade with a second 13,500-BTU air conditioner and theater seating are options on select plans. Lengths, weights and equipment change with options and model year — always confirm against the unit's own weight sticker. Additional Apex Ultra-Lite, Apex Ultra-Lite X and Apex Nano floorplans are catalogued on the line hub.
04 What owners & reviewers report
The bi-fold bar door is the signature feature
A side door that folds down into an outdoor serving counter \u2014 it merges the galley with the campsite, ideal for tailgaters and social campers.
Half-ton-friendly with healthy payload
At 5,772 lb UVW and 740 lb of hitch weight, it tows behind any half-ton or a capable SUV, and the ~1,828-lb cargo capacity leaves room for full water and gear.
A couples\u2019 layout, not a bunkhouse
Nominal capacity is four; there are no bunks \u2014 the trade for the open entertaining layout and the rear bath.
2027 roster lists a slightly different weight
The newer 2027 print roster shows the 242BARV at 6,012 lb unloaded / 708-lb hitch; this page follows the plan\u2019s own factory detail record (5,772 / 740 / 7,600 GVWR). Confirm against the unit\u2019s weight sticker.
Selling price runs well below the placard
Dealer MSRP placards run into the high-$50,000s\u2013$60,000s while selling prices commonly land near $42,000; the figure shown is dealer-typical selling and is flagged.
05 How it compares
The bigger bar-style entertainer \u2014 adds bunk beds, dual entry, a second slide and outdoor entertainment, sleeping six.
A similar front-bed, rear-bath couples\u2019 plan without the bar door \u2014 a more conventional rear living area and a slightly higher unloaded weight.
A comparable rear-bath couples\u2019 plan one construction tier down \u2014 metal-sided value build, lower price, a little heavier.