01 What makes it unique
The Cougar Half-Ton 26RKE is the fifth-wheel answer to the rear-kitchen travel trailer: a full galley across the back wall, two opposing slides that open the main living area, and a raised front bedroom over the truck bed — all in a 31-foot coach light enough for a properly equipped half-ton. For cooks who want a real rear kitchen but prefer a fifth wheel's planted, less sway-prone tow over a bumper-pull, it is the natural choice in the Cougar Half-Ton line, and it cross-shops directly against the 30RKD travel trailer.
It carries the full Cougar Half-Ton build — a five-sided aluminum superstructure, laminated HyperCore composite sidewalls, a walkable one-piece TPO roof under a lifetime limited roofing warranty, and a heated, enclosed underbelly under the Climate Guard package — on tandem 4,400-pound axles with Goodyear Endurance E-rated tires. The kingpin sits over the truck's rear axle for the fifth wheel's characteristic stability, and at 12′7″ tall it keeps the height manageable for a fifth wheel.
At 9,200 pounds dry against an 11,000-pound GVWR it leaves 1,800 pounds of payload, a workable margin for a couples' coach, but its 1,715-pound dry pin weight is the highest of the half-ton fifth wheels profiled here — and because a fifth wheel's pin weight lands directly on the truck's payload, the 26RKE asks for an honestly-equipped half-ton with payload to spare, or a three-quarter-ton for comfort. Pin weight rises as the coach is loaded, so weigh it before relying on the brochure figure. For couples who want a genuine rear kitchen with fifth-wheel stability, the 26RKE is the Cougar Half-Ton line's most cook-focused fifth wheel.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 30' 10"
- Exterior height
- 12' 7"
- Height w/ 2nd A/C
- 12' 9"
- Slide-outs
- 2
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight
- 9,200 lbs
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 11,000 lbs
- Net cargo / payload
- 1,800 lbs
- Hitch / dry pin weight
- 1,715 lbs
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 54 gal
- Grey water
- 60 gal
- Black water
- 30 gal
- Refrigerator
- 12V
Construction
- Frame
- 5-sided aluminum superstructure
- Walls
- Laminated HyperCore composite
- Roof
- Walkable 1-pc TPO · lifetime ltd
- Underbelly
- Heated & enclosed · Climate Guard
Running gear
- Axles
- 2 · 4,400 lb
- Hitch
- Fifth-wheel (in-bed)
- Tires
- Goodyear Endurance E
- Leveling
- Auto-level · 50A
Galley & bath
- Cooktop
- 3-burner
- Refrigerator
- 12V
- A/C
- Single (2nd A/C optional)
- Water heater
- Tankless on-demand
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- 6
- Primary bed
- Front queen (raised nose)
- Layout
- Raised front bedroom, dual slides, rear kitchen
- Galley
- Full rear kitchen
03 The Cougar floorplan family
Keystone's Cougar splits into two families. The full-size Cougar is the heavier flagship fifth wheel — 5,100-pound axles, H-rated tires and roughly 13′4″ of height. The Cougar Half-Ton line is engineered to be towable by a properly equipped half-ton truck, and Keystone offers it as both a fifth wheel and a travel trailer — lighter 4,400-pound axles, Goodyear Endurance tires, and lower pin or tongue weights. The 26RKE on this page is highlighted; each other profiled plan links to its own page. The full Cougar catalogue runs to dozens of floorplans across both families; the highest-demand layouts are detailed here and the rest are catalogued on the line hub.
| Floorplan | Family | Type | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25RDS | Half-Ton | TT | 30 ft | 6 | Rear-living couples, dual entry, fireplace |
| 28BHS | Half-Ton | TT | 33 ft | 10 | Double-bunk family, outside kitchen |
| 30RKD | Half-Ton | TT | 35 ft | 6 | Rear-kitchen dual-slide couples |
| 23MLE | Half-Ton | 5W | 28 ft | 6 | Shortest half-ton fifth wheel, mid-living |
| 26RKE | Half-Ton | 5W | 31 ft | 6 | Rear-kitchen dual-slide half-ton 5W |
| 29BHL | Half-Ton | 5W | 33 ft | 10 | Bunkhouse half-ton 5W, sleeps 10 |
| 316RLS | Cougar | 5W | 36 ft | 6 | Iconic rear-living triple-slide flagship |
| 364BHL | Cougar | 5W | 39 ft | 10 | Two-bedroom 1.5-bath family flagship |
Every Cougar Half-Ton fifth wheel carries a 5-sided aluminum superstructure, laminated HyperCore composite sidewalls, a walkable one-piece TPO roof under a lifetime limited roofing warranty, a heated and enclosed underbelly (Climate Guard), 4,400-pound axles on Goodyear Endurance E-rated tires, a 12-volt refrigerator, 50-amp service and auto-leveling — engineered for pin weights a properly equipped half-ton truck can carry. Lengths, weights and equipment change with options and model year — always confirm against the unit's own weight sticker. Additional Cougar floorplans are documented on the line hub.
04 What owners & reviewers report
A rear kitchen with fifth-wheel stability
A full galley across the back wall, dual opposing slides and a raised front bedroom — the cook-focused rear-kitchen idea with a fifth wheel's planted tow.
The fifth-wheel counterpart to the 30RKD
Same rear-kitchen, dual-slide concept as the 30RKD travel trailer, but the kingpin over the rear axle makes for a more stable tow — at the cost of needing a truck bed and a fifth-wheel hitch.
The highest pin weight of the half-ton 5W plans here
At 1,715 lb dry the 26RKE's pin weight lands directly on the truck's payload and rises loaded — it asks for an honestly-equipped half-ton with payload to spare, or a 3/4-ton for comfort. Weigh it loaded.
Tighter payload than the lighter 5W plans
At 1,800 lb of cargo capacity it has less margin than the 23MLE or 29BHL — load deliberately and weigh it before long trips.
05 How it compares
The shortest half-ton fifth wheel — lighter with a lower pin weight and more payload, a simpler single-slide mid-living layout.
The rear-kitchen travel trailer — the same cook-focused idea without needing a truck bed, but a less stable bumper-pull tow.
The full-size rear-living flagship fifth wheel — far more space and finish, but needs a three-quarter-ton or one-ton truck.