01 What Coachmen Apex Ultra-Lite is
Apex Ultra-Lite is Coachmen's premium-mainstream ultra-light travel-trailer family — a laminated-fiberglass, aluminum-framed line engineered to tow behind a mid-size SUV or any half-ton while delivering a level of construction and equipment a clear tier above the value bracket. It competes with the lightweight laminate trailers from Grand Design, Keystone and Jayco, and sits above Coachmen's own metal-sided Catalina in build quality. Within Coachmen's laminate ultra-lights it is the premium step above the value-priced Freedom Express, and across Forest River it cross-shops against the iconic r·pod.
The line markets five evaluation pillars — quality, lightweight engineering, innovation, eco-friendly materials and design. In practice that means vacuum-bonded laminated dual Azdel fiberglass sidewalls and rear wall, a laminated aluminum trussed roof, a laminated aluminum-framed floor and a corrosion-resistant powder-coated I-beam chassis, paired with a genuinely rich standard-equipment list: a 10-cubic-foot 12V refrigerator, a 3-burner stovetop with an air-fryer oven, a 15,000-BTU ducted air conditioner, standard 50-amp service, a 400-watt solar system with inverter prep, an on-demand tankless water heater, a premium Alpine Bluetooth speaker and Starlink prep. The Azdel composite walls resist water intrusion and add thermal and sound insulation, the eco-friendly angle the brand leans on.
Layouts run from compact bar-style entertainers through couples' rear-living coaches to private-bunkhouse family plans. The profiled plans here span that breadth: the bi-fold-bar 242BARV and the larger dual-entry 246BARV entertainers, the rear-living 244RBS couples coach, the private triple-bunk 291TBSS family plan and the kitchen-island, theater-seating 293RLDS flagship. Beyond the flagship Ultra-Lite, Coachmen also fields a value-priced metal-framed Apex Ultra-Lite X sub-line and the smaller Apex Nano, summarized in the line notes. Note that the Apex Ultra-Lite roster is mid-transition between the 2026 and 2027 model years and has been condensed; the figures here follow each plan's own factory record.
02 Floorplans profiled in depth
Five representative Apex Ultra-Lite floorplans — spanning the line from a sub-29-foot couples' entertainer to the 34-foot rear-living flagship — are profiled in full with factory-verified specifications. They cover the signature bi-fold-bar couples' coach, the open rear-living couples' plan, the dual-entry bar-style family bunkhouse, the private triple-bunk large-family plan and the kitchen-island rear-living flagship. The rest of the roster is catalogued below and profiled in demand order as the catalog expands.
| Floorplan | UVW | Length | Sleeps | Layout | Selling* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 242BARV | 5,772 lbs | 28' 10" | 4 | Front bed, rear bath, bi-fold bar door + outside kitchen | ~$42,000 |
| 244RBS | 6,224 lbs | 29' 8" | 3 | Rear-living couples, large slide, full bath | ~$40,000 |
| 246BARV | 6,532 lbs | 32' 3" | 6 | Dual-entry bunkhouse, 2 slides, bar-style outdoor entertainment | ~$43,000 |
| 291TBSS | 6,896 lbs | 33' 6" | 9 | Private triple-bunk family, U-dinette, outside kitchen | ~$41,000 |
| 293RLDS | 7,304 lbs | 34' 0" | 4 | Rear-living flagship, kitchen island, theater seating, 20' awning | ~$45,000 |
Unloaded vehicle weights (UVW), GVWR, cargo-carrying capacities, hitch weights, lengths and tanks for profiled plans are verified against the Coachmen factory floorplan records; GVWR is published directly by the manufacturer (no derivation). UVW is a factory estimate based on standard build, and option packages affect final weights. The selling price is a representative dealer-typical figure and is flagged (*) — Forest River publishes no single fixed MSRP, dealer MSRP placards run much higher (commonly the high-$50,000s to the high-$60,000s), and selling prices on these ultra-lights commonly run from the high-$30,000s to the mid-$40,000s. Always confirm against the unit's own weight sticker.
03 The rest of the Apex Ultra-Lite range
Below are additional Apex Ultra-Lite floorplans carried in the current build and dealer inventory, each profiled in demand order as the catalog grows. The line is condensing as it rolls to the 2027 model year, so several plans are sold primarily as dealer stock; weights are the factory-published values where available. One brand-new 2027 plan (239BARV) appears on the roster with weight not yet published — flagged TBD* and deferred from profiling on the no-fabrication rule.
| Floorplan | Length | UVW | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 239BARV | -- | TBD* | Compact bar-style entertainer (2027 roster; weight not yet published) |
| 241BHS | 27' 7" | ~5,500 lbs | Private-bunkhouse family, front bedroom, outside kitchen (dealer-stock) |
| 243FKS | 29' 5" | 5,944 lbs | Front kitchen, rear bedroom, 2 slides (dealer-stock) |
| 245BHS | 27' 7" | 4,584 lbs | Bunkhouse, outside kitchen, light single-axle plan (dealer-stock) |
| 256BHS | 30' 1" | 5,472 lbs | Family bunkhouse, front bedroom, 16' awning (dealer-stock) |
A reference list of additional Apex Ultra-Lite floorplans; lengths and weights are factory-published values where available and configurations summarize the layout. The 239BARV appears on the 2027 factory roster with weight not yet published — flagged TBD* and deferred until a shipping weight is posted; it is not estimated. The 241BHS unloaded weight is shown as approximate pending a current factory record. The value-priced metal-framed Apex Ultra-Lite X sub-line and the smaller Apex Nano are summarized in the line notes below.
04 Line notes & data flags
Construction: laminated Azdel fiberglass — a tier above the value bracket
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. This is a clear construction step above the metal-sided stick-and-tin of Coachmen's own Catalina value line, and is the reason Apex sits in the premium-mainstream ultra-light bracket. Construction figures on the model pages follow the factory feature lists.
GVWR is published directly — no derivation
Coachmen publishes GVWR directly on every Apex Ultra-Lite floorplan page alongside UVW, CCC and hitch weight. The published GVWR equals UVW plus CCC on every profiled plan, so the figures are internally consistent and shown without an asterisk. Unloaded vehicle weight is a factory estimate based on standard build, and option packages affect the final number.
Model-year transition: 2026 to 2027, roster condensed
The Apex Ultra-Lite line is mid-transition between the 2026 and 2027 model years, and the factory roster has been condensed to a smaller current lineup. The newer 2027 print roster lists slightly different unloaded weights for some plans than the per-plan detail pages (for example, the 242BARV reads 6,012 lb on the 2027 roster versus 5,772 lb on its own factory detail page). The profiled plans here follow each plan's own factory detail record, which carries the full block including GVWR and all three tanks; where the 2027 roster differs, that difference is noted on the plan page. Confirm against the unit's weight sticker.
Rich standard equipment for an ultra-light
Apex Ultra-Lite ships with a notably full 12-volt residential package: 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 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.
Other Apex families: Ultra-Lite X and Nano
Beyond the flagship laminated Apex Ultra-Lite, Coachmen fields a value-priced, metal-framed Apex Ultra-Lite X sub-line (plans such as the 24RBX, 26BHX and 29BHX, at lower price points) and the smaller, lighter Apex Nano for the smallest tow vehicles. These are summarized here and profiled in demand order as the catalog grows.
Watch payload on the family and entertainer plans
Cargo-carrying capacity varies widely across the line. The rear-living 293RLDS carries a generous ~2,314-pound payload, but the family and entertainer plans run tighter — the 246BARV at ~1,318 pounds and the triple-bunk 291TBSS at ~1,084 pounds, the tightest profiled. A family that loads heavy should weigh the rig and confirm payload against the truck's door-jamb rating, not just the tow rating. The plan pages flag the tighter-payload coaches.
Selling price runs well below the placard — flagged
Forest River publishes no single fixed MSRP. Dealer MSRP placards on Apex Ultra-Lite plans run high — commonly the high-$50,000s to the high-$60,000s — while selling prices run far lower, often the high-$30,000s to the mid-$40,000s. The model pages show a representative dealer-typical selling figure with an asterisk; the value story is the gap between placard and street price.
05 What every Apex Ultra-Lite has
07 Recalls
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns affecting this line. The earliest was reported 22 Nov 2017 and the most recent 4 Apr 2025.
| Reported | Campaign | Component | What can go wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 2025 | 25V212000 | Equipment | Melted wiring may cause an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| 17 Nov 2023 | 23V773000 | Electrical system | Electrical outlet failure can increase the risk of a fire. |
| 13 Apr 2023 | 23V262000 | Equipment | Loose hardware can cause the solar panels to detach from the vehicle during transit, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 29 Jul 2022 | 22V556000 | Equipment | An awning that drops or extends beyond normal operation can increase the risk of injury. |
| 8 Jul 2022 | 22V489000 | Electrical system | Brake or tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 13 Apr 2022 | 22V243000 | Equipment | A gas leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. |
| 8 Mar 2022 | 22V135000 | Electrical system | Loose wires may contact each other and cause an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| 11 Dec 2018 | 18V879000 | Power train | If the bearings overheat, the hub may fail, affecting handling and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 13 Sep 2018 | 18V624000 | Suspension | The missing bearing race may cause premature hub bearing failure, possibly resulting in a separation of the hub from the axle, thereby increasing the risk of a… |
| 22 Nov 2017 | 17V756000 | Equipment | In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury. |
Coverage is not complete, and this matters. These campaigns come from two passes over NHTSA’s public record: a query-by-query harvest of the recall API (1,556 queries, of which 0 failed and 242 returned an explicit zero), and a sweep of NHTSA’s complete recall flat file (325,650 rows), which added 46 campaigns the API harvest had missed. It missed them because the roster it worked from was built by a catalog endpoint that refuses most requests, so entire manufacturer names were never asked about — NHTSA files several Forest River sub-brands as makes of their own. Two limits remain: NHTSA sometimes files a roster under a parent name, and some matches below rest on the wording of the recall rather than its model field. Campaigns affecting only pre-2005 units fall outside this catalog’s range and are not listed. This page is a starting point, not a clearance. Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy, and again before you tow.
08 Owner-reported problems
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about this line. The earliest was filed 25 Feb 2016 and the most recent 28 Jul 2025. The breakdown below is what those owners actually reported, grouped by the component NHTSA assigned.
Safety outcomes in this set: 1 report describing a fire. These are the owner’s own account of what happened and have not been verified by NHTSA.
What gets reported
| Component group | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 3 | 25% |
| Structure | 3 | 25% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 25% |
| Suspension | 2 | 17% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 8% |
Most recent reports
The most recent 10 owner reports filed on this line, newest first. Wording is NHTSA’s summary of what the owner described.
| Filed | Component | Miles | What the owner reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 2025 | Structure | — | The contact owns a 2018 Forest River Coachman Apex. The contact stated that while hauling the RV, the contact became aware that the black trim was detached from the front window of the RV. The RV was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. In addition, the contact stated… |
| 2 Jul 2025 | Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailer >… | — | A small angle iron beam supports the bottom of the fresh water tank on this RV. The angle iron is connected to the vehicle frame on each end, but was mechanically connected to the frame with sheet metal screws rather than bolts, rivets or welds. As a result, the screw threads stripped and allowed… |
| 10 May 2024 | Structure | 10,000 | The contact owns a 2021 Forest River Coachman Apex Trailer. The contact stated that while preparing for a trip and inspecting the trailer, it was discovered that the front section of the trailers chassis had fractured and separated. The contact considered the trailer unsafe to use after discovering… |
| 14 Jan 2024 | Unknown or other | — | Brand new camper shipped without wiring the brakes on one side. If they forgot to wire the brakes, I am terrified of what else they forgot to do. |
| 4 Jul 2023 | Electrical system | — | It burned down while I was at my moms house next door. It never even threw a breaker or fuse when we went outside yhe AC unit had started the fire, by the time we saw it the roof ac in room was collapsing. I unplugged the main cord and the breaker never tripped nor did the fire and issue cause a… |
| 9 Jul 2021 | Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailer >… | — | The fresh water tank supports broke loose from the trailer frame and the tank fell on the roadway. It was supported only by wiring and hoses. No one was injured, but the tank is very heavy when filled. The trailer was blocking traffic at the fill station and the tank had to be removed to move the… |
| 31 Mar 2021 | Suspension | 400 | Purchased 4.APEX 289TBSS, A coachmen/forest river product, new in 29.2017 for $32,233 with extended warranty. Noticed tires not 'tracking' correctly'notified colrain RV (dealer) 2017/2018: informed that were installed upside down, replaced. 2019/2020: camper still not tracking correctly, uneven… |
| 24 Jun 2020 | Unknown or other | — | We purchased this travel trailer (new) 3 years ago. Since then we have had several issues and had to take it in for service several times. It has A total of 17 work orders and is still not repaired. The axles and tires have clearly not lined up since the day we bought it. We have asked the service… |
| 10 Oct 2018 | Suspension | 15,000 | Frame cracking in numerous locations. Leaf spring mount cracked and separated from frame. Spring mount separation happened while driving on road |
| 4 Sep 2018 | Structure › Body | — | Tl* the contact owns A 2015 coachmen apex travel trailer being hauled by A 2018 ford F-150. The contact stated that the 40 gallon freshwater tank fell from underneath the trailer. The vehicle had just been parked after A long road trip. The dealer (campers inn RV of pittsburgh, 1580 PA-65, ellwood… |
How this count is drawn. A report is counted here only when NHTSA’s own model field names this line. What the owner typed in the description is never used to attribute a report: our line names are ordinary English words, and an owner writing “imagine my surprise when the axle went” or naming the state of Montana is not reporting a Grand Design Imagine or a Keystone Montana.
Read these as reports, not as findings. Complaints are submitted by owners and NHTSA does not verify them; no complaint here has been confirmed as a defect, and none of them is a recall. The sample is also self-selected — only owners motivated to file appear in it — so a high count tracks how many units a line sold at least as much as how well it was built. Use the pattern, not the total: a component that keeps recurring is worth inspecting on any used unit. File or search complaints at NHTSA.