Voted most helpful review
Ray Bilyeu
Missouri, USA
Reviewed on November 9, 2025
We purchased our Lance 1985 in Feb 2025 and have lived out of it for the past nine months.
The trailer is very well built, rock solid. The updated acrylic windows are amazing and do not require protective covers like the old glass front window.
The tri-five propane tanks combined with the Truma Eco...read more
We purchased our Lance 1985 in Feb 2025 and have lived out of it for the past nine months.
The trailer is very well built, rock solid. The updated acrylic windows are amazing and do not require protective covers like the old glass front window.
The tri-five propane tanks combined with the Truma Eco AC/heat and water heater system allow us to go for nearly a month before refills in the summer and well over three weeks even in colder months when we remember to turn off the water heater when not in use.
Our 1985 came with the fold down queen/ couch combo and while the couch is comfortable we chose to upgrade the folding mattress for the added comfort and leave to couch in the folded position. The standard 6” folding mattress is fine for a few days but not for long term sleeping. We prefer to sit in the slide out both so the couch is really not needed.
The stock 32” flatscreen TV was quickly replaced by a different brand with more features and viewing options.
The trailer does not have speakers throughout but instead uses a JBL Aura mounted below the TV system with a smaller portable Bluetooth Flip 5 which is more than enough for us. There are JBL speaker mounts inside the door and on the outside near the rear curbside.
All three tanks are 40 gallon which allow for extended dry camping stays.
The solar system was originally 190watt with two 100amp hour AGM batteries from the dealer who installed it incorrectly and caused issues with the tow vehicle but was easily fixed once the cause was traced out. It has since been replaced by 400watts in two panels and 200amp hour Lithium Batteries. The solar on the side can handle an additional 20amp solar input. A separate Victron solar controller was installed in the curb side battery box just for peace of mind.
The bathroom drawers are open to the water heater compartment directly below them. Minor safety concerns there as items can bounce out of the drawers into the large compartment below and allow odors from the water heater/heater combo to enter the trailer area during the break in period. Burnt plastic…
Like most trailers of this size the kitchen has limited counter space but is easy to work with using the sink insert covers and folding extension. As the dinette is directly behind the cook area it allows me to dirty twice the area in half the time. The 7.5cubic foot refrigerator/freezer is perfectly sized. Cabinet space above and below are more than ample for kitchen items and food storage.
The trailer probably has more storage than any comparable trailer for its size and the best part is, it has the weight capacity to actually allow you to use every square inch of it with weight to spare. That being said, the two hanger half closets at the bed area and the half hanging closet in the bath area are useless for us tall people and were quickly converted to shelves. This doubled if not tripled their usefulness.
Got off to a rough start with the solar wiring issue, the dealership was worthless but the Lance engineers returned my email and call in just a few days, sending schematics and list of items for me to check. Heard nothing but bad things from everyone but I am delighted by their service.
All in all? Very pricey trailer, still cheaper than an air stream and I am actually happier with this purchase than I think I would be with an airstream. Love the floor plan better. The build quality seems to be the same if not better in some areas.
Small annoying items like the sliding bathroom door smacking around during travel and coming off the rails was a simple $5.00 fix. Old style cabinet latches were swapped out for 10lb magnetic pulls for $20 and now stay closed.
9 out of 10!
Catch them on sale! You won’t regret it. Every trailer has issues, most are minor. Get over it, we did, that’s why they come with warranties.
Livability
Overall quality
Floorplan
Driving/towing
Factory warranty/support
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