From parent company Forest River comes this 2024 midpriced fifth-wheel with couple-friendly features and a room with a view.
By Bruce W. Smith
May 2024
One common denominator among RVers is that we travel to escape the humdrum of daily life and to change our surroundings. Hitting the road is a way to re-energize the soul as we revel in breathtaking new scenery and the wonderful life experiences associated with RVing.
The view from the upper deck in the Wildwood Heritage Glen 286RL shows the spaciousness of opposing slideouts.
In my opinion, RV travel with Wildwood RV’s 2024 Heritage Glen 286RL as your home away from home maximizes the visual and comfort aspects better than nearly any other fifth-wheel on the market — and there are a lot of those.
Of more than two dozen brands of fivers under the Forest River umbrella alone, this nearly 34-foot-long, 9,380-pound, triple-slideout unit is one of the best when it comes to living areas that could be classified as a wonderful “room with a view.”
That’s because the array of windows around this fiver’s rear-entertainment/living area provides a 270-degree view of the surrounding landscape. Whether lounging in the plush recliners along the back wall, sipping coffee at the door-side dinette, or stretching out on the big sofa in the street-side slide-out, occupants are afforded a great view of the outdoors.
The dual opposing slideouts at the rear help to maximize the homey feeling you get when walking around in this feature-rich, midpriced fifth-wheel from Wildwood, one of the oldest brands in the Forest River family.
APPEALING WINDOWS
Part of that homelike ambience comes from the unusual windows that set this line apart from its many competitors. They have square corners.
“Windows are a very expensive component in building an RV,” Heritage Glen’s Christian Rodino said. “But we wanted to update the 2024 models with a modern, slick look by going to square windows. The new windows also have integrated shades so owners don’t need valances to hide the roller shade like they did on the old styles.”
The drop-leaf dining table mounts to the wall for added legroom.
The integrated shades incorporate a blackout-type material that blocks sunlight from all angles. They also have a thermal-foil backing to reflect sunlight and help regulate the internal temperature. In addition, the square-sided windows allowed Heritage Glen interior designers to put custom wood trim around each window to add to the rich look and feel.
QUIETER, MORE EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONER OUTPUT
Another change in the 2024 Heritage Glen 286RL, and others in the line, is the inclusion of the RV Airflow System in the main A/C unit, which increases airflow by a minimum of 25 percent, according to Rodino, and also dampens the overall sound output.
“We are now installing an RV Airflow diverter in the main A/C unit before the air enters the duct-ing that goes to all parts of the fifth-wheel,” Rodino explained. “The diverter captures discharged air and forces that cooled air to doa 90-degree direct turn into the ducting, which actually increases the air efficiency, saving energy, and at the same time dampening the A/C noise common in most RVs.”
VERSATILT KING BED: A NICE TOUCH
Another noteworthy change I spotted while walking through a 2024 Heritage Glen 286RL on the massive lot at Bish’s RV in Junction City, Oregon, was the spacious front bedroom.
Although “spacious” may sound like an oxymoron for a fiver or travel trailer, the 66-inch-by-80-inch RV custom king bed in the new 286RLis actually a VersaTilt bed. This feature adds approximately 14.5 inches of walk-around space at the end of the bed when it’s in the fully tilted position. A power control button on the wall next to the bedroom door makes it easy to adjust.
The adjustable VersaTilt bed in the front bedroom adds walk-around space when in its fully tilted position.
The VersaTilt bed allows full adjustability to find the most comfortable reading and TV-viewing position without having to constantly arrange/rearrange pillows. The added walk-around space permits easier access to the trio of drawers in the dresser at the foot of the bed, and more space for using the window seat next to it. The inclining bed also opens up access to the massive closet space that stretches across the front of this fifth-wheel. Sliding barn doors on the closet, a trend in RVs these days, also help with that. And if you want a stacked washer and dryer (a dealer-installed upgrade), there’s a dedicated location on the curb side of the closet with plumbing hookups in place.
ROOMY KITCHEN, BATHROOM
The bathroom in the 286RL is nicely appointed with a decent-sized walk-in shower and plentiful storage space.
“One of the biggest comments you’ll hear from fifth-wheel buyers, and honestly just RV buyers in general, is they all want more and more storage,” said Rodino, who works closely with dealerships and customers at trade shows. “With the 286RL, you still get a very residential-style, big walk-in shower but also have storage in there for linens and toilet paper, as well as storage in the medicine cabinet and under the sink.”
The same philosophy of maximizing storage space can be seen in the galley, which features an island sink/prep space, drawers on full-extension slides under solid-surface countertops, overhead cabinetry, and a built-in pantry next to the big 12-volt double-door fridge/freezer. These spaces easily accommodate a wide array of foods and kitchen essentials for comfortable extended living.
The bathroom incorporates a walk-in shower and multiple storage options.
MORE ELBOWROOM
The 286RL has been in the Heritage Glen lineup for a number of years. But the 2024 model is a big step up from previous versions, with nice changes that are ideal for couples. One noteworthy new feature for 2024 is the aforementioned solid-surface countertops. This model also includes separate rear-wall recliners, an angled entertainment system in the door-side slideout, and a long couch (or tri-fold sofa bed) in the opposing slideout, all of which add to the pleasure of sitting back to enjoy some coffee or to watch the news or a game on TV.
Speaking of coffee and dining, the free-standing dinette is now wall-mounted, so there is no pedestal in the middle of the table, which eliminates the knee knocking common on previous versions.
BETTER TIRES, SOLAR
One of the first things many buyers do after purchasing a new RV is upgrade to better tires, according to Rodino. That’s why the Heritage Glen began to be outfitted with Goodyear Endurance tires in 2023, which has continued into the 2024 model year. “The upgraded factory-installed tires provide increased peace of mind as far as having higher-rated tires and not having to upgrade and spend money on tires immediately after purchasing a new RV,” he said.
Another change driven by customer feedback was switching to a 12-volt refrigerator/freezer and an optional upgrade to a 200-watt solar system with a 30-amp charge controller.
“The optional upgraded solar package helps trickle-charge a secondary battery, run overhead lights, or even help power the 12-volt fridge on an ideal sunny day,” Rodino said. “It is important to point out that the solar system needs enough optimal sunlight to draw sufficient power to keep the 12-volt fridge cool, and other components cannot be drawing from this energy source.”
Need more sun power? The solar system on the 286RL can be upgraded at an RV dealership with another roof-mounted 200-watt panel to give even greater peace of mind when camping off the grid.
EASIER MAINTENANCE
Another nice change is the centralized docking station now located on the driver’s side in the pass-through storage compartment; previous models had the winterizing controls in the bathroom. This setup comes in handy especially when it’s time to winterize the vehicle. The centralized control center also includes a hot/cold spigot. A battery kill switch is located nearby in the pass-through storage area.
The holding tanks all have 12-volt heating pads, and access to the underbelly is owner-friendly, because Heritage Glen designers incorporated removable panels that run the length of the RV and seal the underside of the chassis, instead of one long, continuous panel.
A FIVER FIT FOR SOME HALF-TONS
One plus of the Heritage Glen 286RL, in addition to these nice changes in the 2024 model, is that with the unit’s shorter size, 12,071-pound GVWR,and 1,870-pound pin weight, the RV is towable by some of today’s half-ton crew-cab pickups. (Note: The pin/hitch weight is the concern, because it’s close to the max, or exceeding, the payload capacity of most four-door, short-bed half-ton pickups.) Also, more campgrounds and campsites can accommodate the trailer’s 34-foot length, giving RVers added options on where they can park.
All in all, the 2024 Heritage Glen 286RL is a really sweet midsize fifth-wheel that is nicely designed for a couple. It features all the modern conveniences and a layout that affords plentiful walk-around space to accommodate visiting family and friends. It’s also priced in a range that’s probably close to that of the nice pickup towing it.
SPECIFICATIONS | HERITAGE GLEN
MANUFACTURER
Forest River, 900 County Road 1 N., Elkhart, IN 46514; www.forestriverinc.com/heritageglen; (574) 533-6673
MODEL
2024 Wildwood Heritage Glen
FLOOR PLAN
286RL
EXTERIOR LENGTH
33 feet 11 inches
EXTERIOR WIDTH
96 inches
EXTERIOR HEIGHT
13 feet 5 inches
INTERIOR HEIGHT
6 feet 5 inches in the upper deck
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR)
12,071 pounds
GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING (GAWR)
5,100 pounds per axle
UNLOADED VEHICLE WEIGHT (UVW)
9,380 pounds
HITCH WEIGHT
1,871 pounds
CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY (CCC)
2,691 pounds
TIRES
Goodyear Endurance, 225/75 R15 E-rated 10-ply radials
BRAKES
electric, on all wheels
HOLDING TANK CAPACITIES
fresh water — 57 gallons;
gray water — 60 gallons;
black water — 32 gallons
PROPANE CAPACITY
60 pounds (2 30-pound tanks)
WATER HEATER
Tankless, on demand, 60,000 Btu
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
50 amps
HEATING SYSTEM
30,000-Btu furnace
AIR-CONDITIONING
(1) 15,000-Btu ducted, with RV Airflow System; prepped for second 15,000-Btu A/C
REFRIGERATOR
16-cubic-foot, 12-volt
WARRANTY
1 year limited
MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE
$73,141