# Trailer Life Magazine



## hoodscoop (Mar 29, 2012)

I am considering subscribing to Trailer Life magazine. What are your experiences with the mag and do you know of any other magazines that might be better?


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## tomstacey616 (Apr 13, 2011)

I currently receive it.. only because I think I filled out some "form" at the RV Show down here in Richmond VA.... not a bad mag.... don't have an opinion about others as it's the only one I get... for free... for a year.... 
The articles have been informative regarding other trailers and the layouts, features, etc.... Also, subscribers add their own "make-shift" items to the back page which has been resourceful. Like a home-made wand for black tank cleaning out of 1/2 PVC with a few strategic hole's drilled into the cap and a hose female connect with a ball valve... cheaper than buying one!!


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

Great RV Mag, well worth the price


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## susan/vt (May 16, 2010)

I read this every month but I read it at my public library. I would love to see some other mags to compare. I'm not much into the many articles about hitches or tow weight or any of those important things, I leave that to my DH. But I do like to read their RV action line. That's about people who have had problems with manufacturers, dealers, insurance companies, aftermarket vehicle. The other thing I never miss is 10 minute tech which is tips and mods from people. They have published 3 books of tips.


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

It's as worthless as teats on a boar.

There are very few truly editorial photos, but rather manufacturers supplied photos of products. That in itself should tell you how critical they are with their reviews.

Pick up a magazine and actually count the number of non-advertising pictures of trailers in _Trailer Life_, you'll cry.

You'll find much better information here in OUTBACKERS.COM and it will be specific to your brand of trailer, information from real world users, and mostly totally unbiased.

Can you tell I let my subscription lapse? I don't miss it at all.

Since I'm a Good Sam/Camping World and KOA member, I get enough advertising junk through to satisfy my need to delete/recycle!


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## ORvagabond (Apr 17, 2009)

I have received it for years and enjoy it, especially the RV Clinic and 10 min tech articles.


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## john7349 (Jan 13, 2008)

As far as magazines go, it's worth it just to see other floorplans and what's new on the market.


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

raynardo said:


> It's as worthless as teats on a boar.
> 
> There are very few truly editorial photos, but rather manufacturers supplied photos of products. That in itself should tell you how critical they are with their reviews.
> 
> ...


Good Sam is far ahead of the pack when it comes to junk mail. Gobs of it, and thick envelopes too. I actually have to open their crap, then feed it into the shredder. They're very deceptive also, making you "think" you're a member when you're actually only a Camping World member.


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Insomniak said:


> Good Sam is far ahead of the pack when it comes to junk mail. Gobs of it, and thick envelopes too.


All that you have to do is call Good Sam (or Camping World) and tell them you would like to "Opt Out" of receiving all of the junk mail and it stops coming. Through work, I had an option to purchase a lifetime Good Sam membership at a deeply discounted price. I called them and told them I would only purchase it if I was able to opt out of the junk mail. They said "No problem, we get several people calling each day to opt out". You would think that receiving several calls each day would tell them something wouldn't you? As far as the Trailer Life mag, I just renewed 3 years for $25. I think that it is worth it for what I am paying. We like reading about the interesting destinations that are showcased each month.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

My DW subscribed to it but I seldom read it. Normally just ends up in the private library / reading room.

I prefer to just read about trailers on Outbackers.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

I have received Trailer Life for years. I travel a lot to Asia, so I spend many hours sitting on a plane with nothing to do. I normally save up any copies of Trailer Life and bring them with me to pass the time on the plane. I actually enjoy reading the articles, letters, and other features in the magazine. But then again, I am a pretty captive audience when I read the magazine.

With that being said, Raynardo is correct in his assessment. Nothing in the magazine is objective. Everything is basically a fluff piece from the manufacturers. You rarely will see any negative comments about anything they write about. Every RV is the best, every product performs as advertised. Either the articles are written by the manufacturer or the editors are afraid of offending potential advertisers. As long as you understand and are willing to put up with this, then I think it is worth the subscription.

DAN


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## Bill & Kate (Apr 28, 2012)

I agree that the best information can be found through forums like this one, however it really isn't practical to read the forums when sitting on the beach, or while traveling. That's when the issues of Trailer Life and Good Sam Highways come out of the beach bag .....

To answer the question, I think the magazine is worth the subscription price.


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## Stance (Jul 24, 2011)

TwoElkhounds said:


> ...With that being said, Raynardo is correct in his assessment. Nothing in the magazine is objective. Everything is basically a fluff piece from the manufacturers. You rarely will see any negative comments about anything they write about. Every RV is the best, every product performs as advertised. Either the articles are written by the manufacturer or the editors are afraid of offending potential advertisers. As long as you understand and are willing to put up with this, then I think it is worth the subscription.
> 
> DAN


I agree with you for the most part. However, they did have some negative comments in some of the trailer reviews I read. They complained about the lack of black water tank capacity on a bunk house they reviewed. The negative comments are sparse though. Most of the time they will try to soften the blow by stating something like "which is what you'd expect from a trailer in this size/class/price range" etc.

I picked up a copy of "RV" off the newsstand a while back before subscribing to TL. Of the two, I think TL is a little better probably since TL has more money. However, I didn't compare them side to side.

As others have mentioned, TL is run by Good Sam / Camping World. So, take it with a grain of salt. Most of the TL magazines arrive with Good Sam extended warranty adds over the cover and I couldn't care less about their Rally coverage or articles about Good Sam members. They sometimes blur the line between journalism and marketing. I still enjoy reading it though. I like to see what other trailers are out there, what the trends are, RV maintenance and repair, and the trips they take.


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## hoodscoop (Mar 29, 2012)

You guys are not making this easy. Some say its junk yet others like it. Kinda like the elections this year. Although I sincerely enjoyed reading all your responses, guess there is only one way to satisfy this; spend the $12 and decide for myself. Might just as well get a year of "RV" and pick between the two. P.S. Ran into the same problem when I bought my first diesel to pull the 5th wheel. Ordered subscriptions to the two big diesel magazines and what a hugh disapointment they turned out to be. You don't know what advertizement is until you look at one of theses mags. Canceled both almost immediately. Thanks again for your imputs.


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## hoodscoop (Mar 29, 2012)

Just for giggles;

Got my first subscription of Trailer Life recently. 86 pages of magazine and approximately 48% of them were advertizment. Found the articles very interesting and even some of the advertizing was readable. At a dollar per magazine ..... not a bad deal.


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