Do Bigfoot trailers come with RVIA certification sticker?

[Dave P.]

I recently noticed that some RV Parks require an RVIA certification for your trailer in order to camp with them. Does anyone know if Bigfoot travel trailers come with the RVIA certification?

[Iowa Dave]

Considering a lot of the trailers coming out of Elkhart these days that have an RVIA sticker I find it pretty funny that anyone would be checking the certification on a Bigfoot. If it was me and a campground questioned the quality of our unit, I would roll on. Maybe that’s why we primarily stay in state, Federal, City and county campgrounds. There, I feel better.
Iowa Dave

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Dave P.

I recently noticed that some RV Parks require an RVIA certification for your trailer in order to camp with them. Does anyone know if Bigfoot travel trailers come with the RVIA certification?

Since they're manufactured in Canada, I think they have an CSA or QAI certification. Isn't RVIA for US manufacturing?



I know my Escape is QAI certified.

[vintageracer]

To understand the significance or lack thereof associated with the RVIA certification sticker you need to understand what RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) really is.

RVIA is a TRADE ASSOCIATION created by the RV industry, for the benefit of the RV Industry, pushing the narrative of the RV manufacturers, funded by RV manufacturers and RV dealers in the RV industry who make up RVIA's paid membership.

Nothing More!

GORVING.COM is an one example of a RVIA website promoting the RV lifestyle to the public on behalf of and for the benefit of it's members who are the RV manufacturers and RV dealers.

RVIA is now promoting a "Certification" process and classes for RV repair technicians. A week of training that is very expensive and makes those who attend "Certified RV Repair Technicians". I hope that gives you a Warm and Fuzzy the next time you take your RV in for service with that "Certified Technician".

All the "Promotion" of the RVIA sticker on a RV as some sort of certification means is the RV manufacturer members of RVIA agree to build RV's to a level of quality outlined by RVIA. We all know that is BS given the quality of RV'S built today.

This may have changed in the last several years. The only fiberglass tailer manufacturers that I am aware of that are/were RVIA members are Oliver and Airstream. Of course Airstream no longer produces their fiberglass NEST trailer as it was a miserable FAILURE!

NONE of the other fiberglass RV trailer manufacturers are or were RVIA members as fiberglass trailers have been traditionally sold direct to consumer and not through RV dealers or these fiberglass trailer manufacturers were located in Canada.

In reality the purpose of the RVIA sticker is to "suggest" a level of quality certification. Campground operators that adopt this as a guide for admission to their park do so to limit potential liability to themselves IF there is a problem caused by a defective RV. Reality is the RVIA sticker makes NO DIFFERENCE at all. Just another way for campground owners to be selective in their guests and give RV buyer's a warm and fuzzy that they are purchasing a quality, certified product.

I previously attended the National RVIA show when it was in Louisville KY year after year. When RVIA moved the show to UTAH and then Colorado the show was a miserable failure and RVIA no longer has a National show for manufacturers to display their new RV's to RV dealers who sell their products.

IF that sticker is that big deal to YOU go find one on a camper, take a high resolution picture of the sticker, go have a sticker made and stick it on your trailer.

I like that idea.

I just might go have some made so my 1957 AVION R20 Rambler trailer, Agosy and Uhaul trailers will be "Inspected, Detected and Certified"!

[k corbin]

Likely not as RVIA is a USA standard.



Of course I never stay in paid campground that checks such things as I do not need the amenities and I camp in areas with a lot of free dispersed camping on public land. But just as a lark I scavenged an RVIA plaque off an old RV that was headed to life as a storage shed. I stuck it onto my 1971 trailer which predates the formation of RVIA.

[Donna D.]

Joke sticker on left, real one on right. Doubtful the "office" would come out and eyeball the sticker, just check out the 'shape' from a distance... if that.

[Phil Ruffin]

My 2008 30MH29SL Bigfoot has it, right by the door on the outside.
Phil

[billinflorida]

2021 Bigfoot 25 checking it. No RVIA sticker. Dang.

[computerspook]

I have to wonder which camp grounds are requiring this? Probably a subset of the ones with the dreaded 10 year rule.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Phil Ruffin

My 2008 30MH29SL Bigfoot has it, right by the door on the outside.
Phil

Wrong thread.... sorry.

[Meadowlark]

This reminds me of the days when someone who couldn't keep-or get-a job in some venue that required a license, real hands on experience, or a degree advertised themselves as 'consultants'. There was no way to find out if the consultant really knew what the heck he was talking about, but still wanted to present himself as an 'expert'.


To me this RVIA sticker is no different than someone getting a phony law enforcement badge out of the Cracker Jack box and pretending to be a real cop.



Just a way for the RV industry to make money without actually earning it.

Let's see their detailed inspection standards and remedies.



By the way, do they still make Cracker jack and if so, are there still prizes in the box.
Boy, does this date me, what?

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Meadowlark

Let's see their detailed inspection standards and remedies.



By the way, do they still make Cracker jack and if so, are there still prizes in the box.
Boy, does this date me, what?

Crack Jack is still over priced kettle corn with some nuts and a way to expensive cheap toy.


You did nail it with the detailed standards.


I have end up working on several very expensive high end class a motor homes. "Hey ray my (some relative) came to visit in his/(her) camper and it is having problems. They can't find someone to work on it. You have done a lot of work on your camper so you probably can fix it. We will pay you to come take a look" Really fancy anywhere you can see. Totally crappy work anywhere that you have to work at to see. Totally horrible and unsafe wiring. Got to love unglued PVC plumbing. And all of the ones I am thinking of cost over a million. One of them I found out the guy paid over a million for ---- used (very slightly)


So there is a problem here. But just pretending that this sticker is in any way addressing it is counter productive. A real sticker with real meaning would probably be a good idea.

[Rod D]

We've been hitting from 10 to 15 different campgrounds over the past six years with our Scamp, everywhere in the US and Canada EXCEPT the far West, and absolutely nobody ever asked for any kind of certification and I for one, never heard of RVIA until this thread. We stay at places with at least WE and with FHU for long stays and we steer clear of anyplace that looks kinda shabby or scary!
So is this a trend? Since the only area we haven't been to yet is the far West coast, is this something I might see in the next year or two as we finish our US/Canada circuit? Do I really need to even think about this?

[Jon in AZ]

Of course it's mostly a sham. Yes, there are detailed standards member manufacturers agree to follow, but compliance is voluntary and quality control lacking. The RV industry relies heavily on unskilled labor.

Private RV parks that require RVIA certification- mostly high-end resorts from what I can see- may be following their insurer's requirements. As weak as the RVIA seal is, there is nothing else they can use to show due diligence in regard to unsafe RVs. Many have age restrictions as well.

It is not helpful to say, "just go somewhere else." Some people, especially snowbirds, prefer the private RV park option for long-term occupancy rather than bouncing from place to place. Others enjoy the resort-style amenities. Different strokes. If we all used public campgrounds, it would be even harder to get a reservation than it already is!

It seems at least some Bigfoots manufactured for sale through their US dealer network may carry the certification. And I'll bet you could talk your way in with the equivalent Canadian certification.

Have you reached out to Bigfoot directly?

[ShelbyM]

Seems as if OP is a one and done. Maybe he's selling some stickers on Ebay.

[Dave P.]

OK, I'll post so that I'm not "one and done." I posted the original question because I came across a private RV park that said on their website that they would only accept RV's with RVIA certification, and I wasn't familiar with that. I have a Bigfoot 2500 on order, so I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience with the RVIA certification. Apparently, it doesn't mean all that much, and I'm not going to worry about it. Thanks for the responses, everyone! And no, I'm not selling any stickers on Ebay.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by Dave P.

OK, I'll post so that I'm not "one and done." I posted the original question because I came across a private RV park that said on their website that they would only accept RV's with RVIA certification, and I wasn't familiar with that. I have a Bigfoot 2500 on order, so I thought I'd see if anyone had any experience with the RVIA certification. Apparently, it doesn't mean all that much, and I'm not going to worry about it. Thanks for the responses, everyone! And no, I'm not selling any stickers on Ebay.

Bigfoot has a Canadian certification. Probably stricter standards. 7 years of RV in hundreds of campgrounds. Nobody has ever asked.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Private RV parks that require RVIA certification- mostly high-end resorts from what I can see- may be following their insurer's requirements. As weak as the RVIA seal is, there is nothing else they can use to show due diligence in regard to unsafe RVs. Many have age restrictions as well.

We have run across these requirements on various RV park websites. We've even stayed in a couple of these hoity-toity parks when we couldn't find anything more affordable at our target destination. In the event, we've never been questioned concerning a certification for our Escape 21. The ladies in the front office of an RV "resort" in Utah even commented how much they liked our trailer. They sounded sincere; I presume that it was at least a change from the usual for them in any event.

My dumb guess is that citing RVIA as a criterion gives parks another means to readily reject rigs such as converted school buses or converted cargo trailers that might not meet a local ordinance, and presumably wouldn't appeal to their target customers. It's also a not-so-subtle message that probably serves to discourage the presumed riff-raff from even making a reservation.

[Iowa Dave]

I’m in full agreement with the two quotes in the previous posts as it relates to rigs and owners that I’m camped near wherever I go. I’ve camped next to a man with three kids and a half painted school bus camper. I asked him about his rig. Cummins diesel, coupled to a ten speed Allison tranny and a bunch of other components I had only read about in magazines. The guy was a welder, mechanic and innovator plus his kids were well behaved and courteous. Campground owners should be so lucky to have an individual like him in their midst especially if someone was having mechanical problems and needed a little help or a wrench.
Let’s stop judging and start making the world a better place. Nothing like a little discrimination to divide a country I always says
Iowa Dave

[Perryb67]

In Apache Junction last winter we ran into a RV resort that had a 30’ minimum, so at 25’ we just went down the road. We have many friends in the Phoenix area and most in the Apache/Mesa area, so for one week a year we glam.

Enjoy,

Perry