Ouch. I just pinched myself again. I’m still having a hard time believing we actually own a new Arctic Fox 25R travel trailer. It’s beautiful. In fact, I’d say it’s the nicest thing we’ve ever owned. Of the four RVs we’ve had over the years, it’s by far the most incredible. We traveled for at least seven years in our first Arctic Fox. That AF 245N fifth wheel served us well. Then, in 2014 we purchased a used AF 275B. That was with the bunkhouse I remodeled. It too was a great rig for the next seven or so years. However, we sold that after getting our Project M camper for that awefull Alaskan adventure.

So, we’ve loved life on the road in a 24′ fifth wheel. And, having now lived in both a 27′ fifth wheel and the back of our truck. I’m calling this Arctic Fox 25R our Goldilocks Rig. It’s just right. As a result, I don’t ever see us buying another RV. Now, we’ve been living in our new home on wheels for more than two months. That’s enough time to determine why I love the Arctic Fox 25R. It’s perfect. Almost.^*

Don’t just take my word for it. Review the standard features and options for the 25R North Fork edition. And, check out this selection of photos to see for yourself. But where to begin? We could start by talking about the counter space in this RV kitchen. These counters are solid, and inserts cover the double sink making it the most spacious prep area. I’ve never seen so much kitchen space in such a small rig.

All Arctic Fox models are true 4-season trailers. We’ve been in some serious cold temps in our previous two foxes. Then, on our way south we encountered a decent winter storm. Yet, the new rig was very comfortable. It surpassed our expectations. We were quite cozy as temps dipped in the morning. And, I was happy to hear that the furnace is not nearly as loud as expected.

Earlier, in Colorado, we also discovered that the air conditioner is also much quieter than our previous ones. But this is just one reason I like the Arctic Fox 25R. I’ve already mentioned how hub and spoke travel is the main reason we bought this trailer. And that’ probably the number one reason I love it. Here are a few more…

Just a Few Arctic Fox 25R Photos

No, I didn’t do any Arctic Fox 25R video tour with a clickbait thumbnail. That would likely just sound like bragging, while I drooled over all the nice features we’ve never enjoyed in a trailer before. Besides, I’ve been taking photos ever since we drove away with our new home a couple months ago. But, the search leading up to that purchase deserves it’s own short story.

Yes, we wanted to buy used. Yes, we wanted to pay cash. No, we weren’t about to settle for some of the crap out there. And oh boy did we see some crap! The one used Nash we liked had a corner of the roof missing. Then, while inspecting a used Outdoors RV trailer I felt another soft spot in that roof. “Oh no,” I sighed. I doubt the old man had ever been on his roof. As I walked back toward the ladder with the bad news…”AAAAHH!” I almost fell off the roof after losing my balance by stepping through what plywood was left in on spot.

But enough about that nightmare. We looked at only a couple more used rigs, all with serious issues, and people asking far too much. “Let’s just go to a dealer,” Rene said. And, after seeing a couple more used rigs on the lot we checked out some new models in our price range. Even those lacked the quality construction we’ve come to expect from Northwood Manufacturing. And they did not fail us with the Arctic Fox 25R. But I digress.

We haven’t had television since hitting the road 17+ years ago. Now, we have a “Smart TV” with some really smart storage behind it. The huge TV swings out so we can watch from the dining room table. Or, from the comfort of the bedroom. Movie night will never be the same. I can even connect our old Mac, or watch directly from our accounts on certain streaming services. But then, I noticed the connected Jensen Stereo had a “TV Input” setting. However, that wasn’t working. What the? That’s not very smart. Thankfully, the easy fix was connecting the HDMI cable to the correct port on the TV! 🙂

AF 25R North Fork Travel Trailer Photo Gallery

Okay, I promised more photos. So, let me show you exactly why we love our new Arctic Fox. For starters, I absolutely love the size. I did not want to tow some of the large trailers we looked at. The 25R is only about 27′ from tongue to spare tire. And the weight is well within our GCVWR.

Our Dodge RAM 2500 hauls this rig easily. It almost feels as though it’s not even there compared to our fifth wheel trailers. It also maneuvers well, almost too well. In fact, I’m still traumatized by what I almost did when first parking the new rig after only driving about ten miles. One of the jack plates on our Project M camper came far too close for comfort when backing into a tight spot. Backing up the trailer is totally different than positioning our fifth wheel with the Pullrite sliding hitch.

Let’s talk about storage. Of all the rigs we looked at, the Arctic Fox 25R has the most storage. We never had a “basement” in either of our previous trailers. This large space is a huge benefit. Especially considering that we now have the Fastway E2 10K Weight Distribution Hitch. I’m lovin’ that too, but it deserves it’s own write-up, once we get some more experience using it.

There is also ample storage inside. In fact, the AF 25R has more interior storage than any rigs we looked at – new, or used. The kitchen pantry is large. So large in fact it’s like a black hole, consuming items we’ve bought that may never be found. That is, not until I install some sort of lighting inside that cabinet. But wait, there’s more. Storage, that is. Most new travel trailers of this length only have two tiny bedside cabinets. Yeah, we got those in the Arctic Fox 25R. But, we also have a huge full length wardrobe in the bathroom.

Speaking of bathroom, it is small. But they made the best use of the space. Even our 27′ fifth wheel had a tiny sink. This rig has a full size sink basin. In addition, this is the first RV shower where I have not had to immediately move the shower head or install a new one. The adjustable handheld shower head with a soap dish like this one actually reaches over my head.

And then there is the living area. Our primary requirement for the new home office was that we needed two places to sit. We do still work after all. And, both of us working at the dinette wasn’t going to work for us. Another need was ample floor space to stretch or do yoga. Well, we have enough space in the Arctic Fox 25R for both of us to stretch out on the floor. Even with Nellie, though thankfully her bed fits under the table. Which, by the way comfortably seats us both. At least for dining. And, the jacknife couch is pretty comfortable too.

What I really like about the living space in the Artic Fox 25R is the half wall between the bedroom and main cabin. This has a heavy curtain that keeps the bedroom nice and dark. And, when opened, it makes the rig seem even bigger than it already is.

*Almost?

What’s wrong with the Artic Fox 245R?

There’s no such thing as perfect. And even the nicest newest rigs all have their issues. To begin with, the Maxxfan Deluxe in our bathroom is really cool. But it doesn’t work right. And Lazy Days has lived up to their name by dropping the ball on that. Stay tuned for some repair tips, once I get the right parts from MaxxAir.

Then, there’s the refrigerator. I love it, the Furrion fridge is cool and quite spacious. But, all new RVs have 12v DC refrigerators. We have not yet put our solar power system and batteries to the test while boondocking. Yeah, the Arctic Fox 25R floor model we got is decked out with 400 watts of solar. However, besides power consumption, DC fridges are loud!

And then there are the windows. Another thing you won’t find in any new RVs, is large sliding windows. They all have single pane windows that open out (Northwood does use high quality thermal pane windows, however). Unfortunately, this new default style of RV windows only open a few inches.

So, you can’t have the windows wide open for a cross breeze. As a result, I’ve already noticed the lack of airflow in the rig. Just wait until the temps really rise. Oh, and the door to that big storage area I love won’t stay propped up if the bedroom window is open. Such is the case when selecting smaller rigs, some things just gotta give somewhere.

What’s with these stairs? I love them. And, I hate them. Hate is a strong word. But, they do have their drawbacks. Yes, these steps are strong and sturdy. I really like how they hold up. However, they must be extended all the way to get up into the rig. Plus, the door must be open all the way. And, when dropped down they extend out pretty far. In a tight spot, that’s not always possible.

I was concerned that we wouldn’t fit in that spot at Main Street Station with the steps out and slide extended. These spots are very cozy cramped. In fact, I had to shorten the steps to make them a bit steeper just to keep them within the lines of our site. Even worse, however, is how you cannot get into the trailer with out extending the staircase. I used to jump up into our old rigs at the gas station pump, or when parked close to a wall. I could do this without extending the usual RV steps. However I can’t do that with these steps in the Arctic Fox 25R.

One more pet peeve is how manufacturers put stickers all over new RVs. Why must they identify “TV Location” or paste warnings about battery power on the nice woodgrain surfaces? Worse yet, they use cheap paper stickers, instead of nice low-tack vinyl. This easily results in damaging the surface if stickers are not removed without ultimate care. Even then, some cannot be removed without leaving residue or peeling up paint. And don’t get me started about the permanent marketing decals applied atop the exterior graphics. At least place them where they won’t pull up the vinyl. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Oh, and then there was the leaky shower. But I’ll save that for another rant. After all, his rave is about why we love our Arctic Fox 25R.