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RV review: Coachmen Freedom Express Ultra Lite 238BHS

Tony Barthel

In yesterday’s overview of bunk models that are quite potentially half-ton towable one that I should have included that I hadn’t written a review of, until today, is the Coachmen Freedom Express Ultra Lite 238BHS.

With a gross weight of 7,600 pounds this trailer offers a lot of bunk usefulness in a package that’s relatively flexible. Not as much as as the Ember 191MSL, mind you, and I am willing to bet that that is going to be the new target a lot of RV manufacturers are going to be gunning for. But, still, this is a nice overall package.

Highlights

There are definitely some trailers that I see more as taking up residence in RV parks and those that are clearly meant for boondocking. I would categorize this as an RV park favorite only because it really shines with the slide is out but isn’t all that great when it’s in.

This trailer is also better suited than some for taller travelers with a 6’ 9” interior ceiling height. There’s also a real queen bed in the front and even both bunks are 50” X 74” with a weight rating of 300 pounds. There are also snap on blackout panels that cover the windows in the bunk area as opposed to curtains.

I can see these being polarizing. Kids will likely just pull them to get them off the wall which may pull out the snaps, and they might also be tough for some parents to put into place. But they’re also simple and easy to figure out and durable, snaps aside.

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One of the legitimate questions I see a lot of readers ask in the comments section of these reviews centers around the fact that there aren’t as many places to sit and eat as there are to sleep. While one answer I also see given is that most camp sites have a picnic table outside, this doesn’t help in places where it’s raining or where the mosquito force is on high alert and ready to attack.

In here there is a u-shaped dinette that’s good for at least four people and then a couch in the front that can easily accommodate two adults.

Both of these seating positions incorporate tables that are not attached, which is my favorite way to put a table in an RV. The u-shaped dinette has a free-standing table that mashes down to help it become a sleeping surface and Coachmen includes a folding plastic table that could be used with the outside kitchen or as the table for the couch in the front. Choices are good.

On the subject of that Murphy bed I know one of the reasons some travelers dislike these is that they are often configured such that they’re difficult to walk around. Here that’s not the case since the couch has no arm rests on the sides so, when the bed is down, it truly does make for a walk-around situation.

The bed in this does fold about one-third of the way down so that will turn off some campers, but it does take a smaller trailer and give it more useful space when the bed is up. I do think the mechanism to access the bed is well thought through so it’s a pretty quick change. And, once again, I will advocate the RV Super Bag for this bed.

No, it’s not cheap. But ours has had five years of use and is now going to find a home in our new RV that we’re picking up this week and is still in perfect condition.

Storage is also a strong suit on this trailer with a pantry in the slide room, several drawers beneath the l-shaped counter, storage under the couch and even a smaller pantry at the rear bulkhead of the main living space.

Further there is storage under the bottom bunk but no way to access it from outside. However this could also mean it serves as a pet kennel for pets that like this circumstance.

Another big plus on the interior is that there are no furnace vents in the floor. Further, Coachmen’s flooring material is extended to the slide so the whole floor is a vinyl flooring. This is great with younger campers.

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Outside matters

I like a lot of the things Coachmen did outside this trailer including the fact that that plastic table I mentioned earlier can also join the party out here.

While outside kitchens are another area that people have strong feelings about, this is a good one with a rail in the side of the trailer for a table and a propane griddle. This type of thing doesn’t take interior space but does still provide a place for these things.

There is a cabinet out here with a small bar-sized fridge and a fully plumbed sink. Further, Coachmen took their very clever u-shaped utensil drawer and fitted that around the sink.

There are also magnet hold backs on the baggage doors but Coachmen added a bonus in the form of mechanical latches as well. Further, those baggage doors and the entry door are all keyed alike.

Boondocking and travel access

While the interior of this trailer is spacious and mostly well thought out, it is a total no go in terms of mid-journey access. The slide prevents the couch from allowing the bed down and the l-shaped kitchen counter conspires with the dinette to block access to anything else in here.

Tony’s conclusion

I would absolutely consider this along with the few trailers I mentioned yesterday for a half ton potential bunk model trailer. The higher ceiling height and spaciousness of this floor plan without this being too large a trailer are a good combination.

Further, I like that Coachmen is using Azdel as the substrate on both inside and outside walls. Lastly, there is now a tire pressure monitoring system included with this trailer, definitely a good thing.

Yeah, yeah, there are the typical traits that so many bunk model trailers have like that ridiculous small oven and this one is following the trend of black cabinetry. That’s up to the buyer to repaint or just ignore.

Overall I’m liking Coachmen products more and more for certain applications and this is one where it fits quite nicely.

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