2012 Keystone Avalanche 345TG Review
If being active is important to you and your family, you need an RV that fits into your lifestyle. And the 2012 Keystone Avalanche Fifth Wheel may be the perfect fit. A next-generation fifth wheel designed for the modern family, the Avalanche offers features, comforts and liveability for extended trips or weekend vacations.
With an emphasis on family-friendly floorplans, the Avalanche has nine different models to choose from. We’re going to be focusing our attention on the 345TG, one of the larger plans in the series. It has a carrying capacity of 2,685 lbs, a hitch weight of 2,140 lbs and a GVWR of 14,000 lbs. It measures in with an exterior length of 37’11”, an exterior width of 8’ and a height of 12’5. It also comes with a fresh water tank capacity of 66 gallons, a gray water tank capacity of 85 gallons and a black water tank capacity of 50 gallons.
Built on a 10” powder coated steel I-beam chassis, the Avalanche is constructed to be tough and durable, providing you with plenty of years of RVing fun and memories. Designed with a MAX TURN high-gloss fiberglass front cap and rear, this fifth wheel offers a 30 percent better turning radius and 18 percent better drag efficiency. Its sidewalls are constructed using dual 1/8” luan backers with staggered seams, high density block foam insulation, fiberglass batten insulation and metal backing strips for added support. Overhead is a one-piece EPDM roof that features 3/8” fully walkable roof decking, Thermo-Foil insulation and fiberglass batten insulation. Underfoot, the floor features darko wrap, wood backing, aluminum structure, high density block foam and Astro-Foil thermo-insulation.
Making the ride a smooth one, the Keystone Avalanche’s 6,000-pound axles are equalized with the upgraded Equa-Flex suspension system. It helps to eliminate damage from vibration caused by road bumps, holes, and cracks. Hitching this fifth wheel to your vehicle is easy due to its 36” hitch assist mirror and dual LCD docking lights. And when you want to set up or take off, you can do it in no time at all. Its power front and rear stabilizer jacks come with easily accessible controls, plus its jacks are placed outside of the main frame rails, giving you a wider, sturdier base.
If you’ve got a lot of stuff to bring along with you, it’s not a problem – the Avalanche has lots of storage space. Take a look at its basement storage area. The Avalanche’s pass-through storage space features 145 cubic feet of extra room. And with its non-skid rubber diamond plate flooring, you don’t have to worry about your stuff sliding all over the place during the ride. And it’s easy to get to all of the exterior storage compartments with slam baggage doors that feature easy opening pad handles and oversized struts that raise the door out of the way.
The Avalanche comes with plenty of cool exterior features. Take the exterior kitchen – it features a flip down LP grill, a refrigerator, storage space and an LCD TV. There’s even a keyless entry keypad that lets you program your own unique lock code, so getting into your RV is safe and simple. The Avalanche also comes with a fully enclosed and heated Water Works compartment, were you’ll find the dump valves, low point drains, exterior shower, black tank flush hookup, quick winterization kit, city water hookups and a soap dispenser.
Moving on to the interior, you can pick from four decor options – Ebony Vine, Silver Leaf, French Roast and Botanical – that are complemented by glazed Grand Cherry hardwood doors, drawers and stiles. For even more room, the Avalanche comes with an extra tall 6’5” main slide, and deep, fully extendable drawers offer more storage space for all your essentials.
When you walk into the Keystone Avalanche, you’re greeted by a kitchen that’s stocked with everything you’ll need on the road. Get cooking with a 22” oven, a high-output range and a microwave oven. For prep and clean-up, there are Corian countertops, a high arch gooseneck faucet, a single lever faucet handle, a pullout spray head, a filtered water outlet and an under-mounted stainless steel sink. Other kitchen amenities include a hardwood Cherry refrigerator front, a floor-to-ceiling pantry, and hidden swing-out trash can storage.
Onto the living room, the perfect place to relax after a stressful day of playing outside. Here, you’ll find a 1080P LCD TV that sits atop a residential hardwood entertainment center. Sit back on the Sleep & Store sofa or on one of the comfy chairs that are ideal for taking a load off. For your dining pleasure, there’s a hardwood dinette with four high back dinette chairs. Other living room features include an optional fireplace, a ceiling fan, real wood valances and a Super Cinema package with true surround sound system and directionals, DVD player, digital TV antenna with a built-in booster and dual cable and satellite hookups.
At the other end of this fifth wheel is the master bedroom. A peaceful retreat, this room comes with a residential 60” x 80” queen bed, a Cloud Nine pillow top mattress, a designer headboard and quilted bedspread and pillows. Completing the bedroom are a hardwood wardrobe with mullion doors, a huge closet and a chest of drawers.
Finally, the last stop on our tour is the bathroom. You’ll stay fresh with a 38” shower with a molded seat, a hand held massaging shower head and vanity sink. Other bathroom features include a translucent glass shower door and enclosure, a skylight over shower and a porcelain toilet.
The 2012 Keystone Avalanche 345TG Fifth Wheel retails for around $56,078. For more information, visit http://www.keystonerv.com/.
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