Chinook Maverick SS - a really different Class B+ RV
The Chinook Maverick SS is a new RV offering from an old name that is a compelling case for both the brand and for this particular RV. In fact if you were paying attention a few decades ago you might have come across a Chinook product. This independent RV company persevered through a lot of ups and downs in the market since they were founded in 1938 and today offer something truly unusual.
The Maverick SS is a unique Class C RV based on the Ford Transit cutaway chassis outfitted with all-wheel-drive and being one of the few RVs that has achieved gold rating in Truma’s climate testing chamber.
Hot and cold camping champion
In an earlier conversation with Jeff Butler, the CEO of Chinook, he stated, “We wanted to achieve the four season gold standard by Truma. We’re the only manufacturer to achieve that standard.”
“It’s a big deal for us and we work hard to achieve that.”
The test itself is pretty grueling.
First you put the motorhome into a cold chamber with all the doors and windows open to “cold soak” it. Once the whole thing gets to -15°C (-5°F) they then close the doors and windows and turn on the heater in the rig, all while it stays in that cold chamber.
To qualify for gold status a camper has to get up to 20°C (68°F) in four hours but the Maverick did so in three hours, 20 minutes. Then the heater just kept going. And going. And they finally shut it off after it was just crazy hot inside the RV while it was still -15°C inside that cold chamber.
There are a lot of people who ask me for a recommendation of a good RV to camp in cold weather - the combination of all-wheel-drive and the ability to recover from temperature extremes definitely puts this rig on the list.
In fact even the compartment where the water connections are is not only heated, but also insulated.
Build quality
One of the other ways that this rig really stands out is in the materials used to build it. Of course this starts with the steel frame of the Transit cutaway but Chinook then builds a steel cage structure in the back.
From there the walls of the RV are sheets of aluminum rather than the fiberglass most RV companies use. The roof is a single sheet of fiberglass.
Not only is the exterior built differently, but the cabinetry is as well with cabinet doors cut from a single piece of wood. All the joints on the cabinets are dovetail joints and the material is genuine plywood.
Another thing to take note of in this rig are the walls, which are a padded vinyl material. No, no, not like the padded walls in some forced hotels, but rather a nice, soft material that also absorbs sound and helps with insulation. It’s up on the ceiling, too.
One aspect of that hot/cold rating on tis rig are some of the components used including the Truma Combi which is both a water heater and a furnace all in one. It’s a good unit that is also compact.
Unusual layout
One of the more unusual things about this rig is the overall layout. While the majority of motorized and towable RVs have an entry on the camp side, this one has the door at the very back instead. The back entry offers some unusual pluses.
One of the things I like about the way Chinook has configured this include the step which is a single-piece flip-over step. I have not been shy about my disdain for those solid or stable steps in so many RVs nowadays for a variety of reasons. This is simple and just works.
To the left of the entry door there on the back to the right is a flip-down door that does provide access to a shallow cabinet but really is a table should you want to bring the induction cook top outdoors.
Cooking up meal prep
That portable induction cook top is the only stove top in this rig and I really like induction cook tops like this induction cook top that I wrote a review of. There is a lot to be said for this type of cooking including not having to be so careful with venting the thing.
There’s also a microwave in here but that’s what you get. I wouldn’t mind a second induction cook top but one might be sufficient and you can always add a second portable unit. They are relatively inexpensive.
Chinook has provided a cut out in the counter top specifically for this cook top and I almost wish they would have just let you put it on top. If this cook top ever fails you’ve got a very specific hole you’re going to have to fill.
On a big plus, though, there are stainless steel sheets on the back and side of where the cook top is. These also encircle the rather large kitchen sink over on the other side of this coach. Very nice. While most RVs have a back splash, few have a side splash. We all know cooking gets everywhere.
Refrigeration comes from a three-way gas absorption refrigerator which is a rare sight of late. Further, this fancy reefer has doors that open toward the front and the back so you can access it easily from either side. Nice.
Bathroom break
The bathroom in this is essentially a two part situation with a shower on the camp side. You best not be shy around whomever you’re camping with because there is an opaque door there so your fellow campers are getting a good idea of what’s going on in there.
The toilet and sink; however, are behind a proper door on the opposite side of this rig and there’s a decent amount of space in here to accomplish the task at hand. Well, not at hand, but you know what I mean.
Sleeping arrangements
Some refer to this as a B+ and others a Class C. The reason it would get a B+ categorization is that there is no provision for sleeping over the van cab.
The main space in here has a couch on the road side and a tiny dinette on the camp side. You can also get this model as the “DS” which would be double sofa in which case there would be a couch on both sides.
But the sleeping arrangement here is to fold the sofa flat which results in a larger bed that, arguable, two could sleep on. If you want more surface area you can push down the dinette’s table and now you have what amounts to a twin-sized bed. The two meet in the middle forming one large bed, although not with a completely flat surface owing to the dinette and couch.
We have a great solution to make RV beds easy to use.
There is a TV and entertainment area over the cab of this rig but I could see doing without that altogether. It’s both high and somewhat inconvenient for viewing from the couch and one side of the dinette.
What I would do differently
There are a few things I would do differently if I were making the decisions.
I would offer the TV and entertainment system as an option or provide the ability to just get this without them. This has a better audio system than some RVs but, quite frankly, a good Bluetooth portable speaker would be good enough.
Also, since so many of us nowadays have tablets you could also forego the TV or offer the option for a customer to do just that as the TV is at a pretty inconvenient space and having a tablet in your hand would make for better viewing to me.
I would also like to see the option of an awning over the rear of this RV as I have seen in many pickup campers.
Since this is configured like a pickup camper, might as well take advantage of things that type of RV is known for.
I also really dislike the particular Dometic thermostat that they’ve employed here for the simple reason that I had to replace so many of these things under warranty. They utilize foam for the spring on the buttons which fails rather quickly.
In fact, I would have stuck with Truma for the whole climate control system including using their Aventa air conditioner which is head and shoulders better than the Dometic unit that’s up there now. The caliber of the Aventa is much more in line with the rest of this RV.
Boondocking and travel access
This RV has no slide and, while that may be a disadvantage in some RVs, this one is spacious enough inside that I don’t see it as a disadvantage.
While this only offers electric cooking appliances there is a 4,000 watt gas generator on board. They also have a 3,000 watt inverter with solar on the roof and four AGM batteries. I would also much prefer either two lithium RV batteries or, even better, four lithium RV batteries.
Overall, though, this RV is well suited to boondocking. Especially in a $230,000 RV.
My thoughts
I like this RV quite a bit. The floor plan is very usable for two people and the build quality is very good.
The company has taken advantage of the reputation of the Chinook brand and its signature styling cues including the rear-slanted trapezoidal side windows. There are also three rather large (for a Class B) storage bays on the outside and a surprising amount of cabinet and closet space inside.
There is a four-point auto level system but I much prefer being given the choice to forego this complication. Honestly, I like simpler things and those these Beech Lane levelers are cheaper than even a single service call to repair a complicated auto leveling system.
Considering that there are plenty of Class B RVs in the same general price league as this unit, I wouldn’t hesitate to get the Chinook instead. You have much of the same drivability and maneuverability in this rig but far more storage space both inside and out. There’s also a usable bathroom and shower and good seating area.
I would say this out classes most Class B RVs and is more maneuverable and better built than many Class C RVs.
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