Hi-Lo Brand Status - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

edgeprox · 01-14-2016, 09:21 PM

Is anyone on this forum up to date on the status of the Hi-Lo Trailer brand and company? I know that it has been out of business for a while but I had read last year that a supplier to that company was potentially looking to re-launch the brand.

RCREYES · 01-15-2016, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgeprox

Is anyone on this forum up to date on the status of the Hi-Lo Trailer brand and company? I know that it has been out of business for a while but I had read last year that a supplier to that company was potentially looking to re-launch the brand.

Welcome to the forum. I haven't heard anything in a while about the "re-launch" in a long while. Parts are available at the links below.

Home - JR REPAIR

http://hilotrailerparts.webs.com/

The only thing unique is the lift system. All other items are available through any RV parts dealers.

RichR · 01-15-2016, 03:09 PM

Welcome to the Forum!

There have been three different ventures mentioned in the last few years to resurrect the Hi-Lo trailer but nothing has hit the pavement yet. A dealer in Pennsylvania was supposedly coming out with a trailer but there has been no appearance of any of them. I believe Midget Trailer, which is what is left of Hi-Lo, was talking of bringing Hi-Lo back, nothing yet. Trailmanor has a prototype that they have been showing on their website, RISE Travel Trailers | TrailManor Website, for about two years but I think it is still holding out somewhere.

edgeprox · 01-18-2016, 10:06 AM

I appreciate the information guys. If anyone else is aware of the brand status or who may own the brand rights currently, I'd be interested in finding that out. Thanks again!

RichR · 01-18-2016, 01:19 PM

These are the two most likely places: http://hilotrailerparts.webs.com/ and Lightweight Campers | Travel Trailers | Kerola?s Campers Inc..

HiLo Trailer Parts is in Belleville, OH and is run by the son-in-law of Jim Snyder who owned HiLo.

Kerola is a dealer in western PA that was advertising that they were building a new Hi-Lo and were going to show it at a local RV show but I don't think it ever materialized. I think they were going to build a small model because they specialize in small trailers.

ShariFitzpat · 01-19-2016, 01:56 PM

We went to two RV shows over the weekend. Fancy-schmancy trailers everywhere (seriously? granite kitchen islands?). It made us appreciate the towing ease of our Hi-Lo all the more. So here's my CRAZY idea... we committed Hi-Lo owners should put them back into production instead of waiting for someone else to get off the stick.

RichR · 01-20-2016, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShariFitzpat

We went to two RV shows over the weekend. Fancy-schmancy trailers everywhere (seriously? granite kitchen islands?). It made us appreciate the towing ease of our Hi-Lo all the more. So here's my CRAZY idea... we committed Hi-Lo owners should put them back into production instead of waiting for someone else to get off the stick.

That's an excellent idea! Hi-Lo would still be in business today if it wasn't for their poor marketing habits and family owned small business management ways. It wasn't that the times were bad and there was no demand for the product. They did not keep up on the times in advertising and social media. Did you ever see an ad in Trailer Life magazine that was any bigger than a listing in the classified section of Trailer Life. Many people never knew Hi-Lo existed. How many times have you been in a campground where people would stop to see your trailer and want to know about how it worked. There is no other trailer like it.

I wonder if there are any Power Ball winners here that would be interested in giving a generous donation.

RCREYES · 01-20-2016, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichR

That's an excellent idea! Hi-Lo would still be in business today if it wasn't for their poor marketing habits and family owned small business management ways. It wasn't that the times were bad and there was no demand for the product. They did not keep up on the times in advertising and social media. Did you ever see an ad in Trailer Life magazine that was any bigger than a listing in the classified section of Trailer Life. Many people never knew Hi-Lo existed. How many times have you been in a campground where people would stop to see your trailer and want to know about how it worked. There is no other trailer like it.

I wonder if there are any Power Ball winners here that would be interested in giving a generous donation.

I got $4 from the $1.6 billion. Think it will help?

RichR · 01-20-2016, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCREYES

I got $4 from the $1.6 billion. Think it will help?

Well, that's a start.

sam · 01-20-2016, 11:34 PM

HiLo was in business for about forty yrs. They surely made their $. We as owners knew what areas needed to be improved. The new H models were cheap. Our HiLo dealer told the factory a few "simple " things that needed to be changed. Nothing changed. I think the rv buyers didn't want to pay the $. When they could get sob for the same amt.of money.

RichR · 01-21-2016, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam

HiLo was in business for about forty yrs. They surely made their $. We as owners knew what areas needed to be improved. The new H models were cheap. Our HiLo dealer told the factory a few "simple " things that needed to be changed. Nothing changed. I think the rv buyers didn't want to pay the $. When they could get sob for the same amt.of money.

I have to agree with that. My late dealer friend had similar opinions.

thermonieum · 01-27-2016, 04:28 AM

not a hilo brand but trailmanor has a hilo trailer by some other name

Twincamp · 01-28-2016, 12:53 PM

Hello All
Check out the site smalltrailerenthusiast.com then in their search hi-lo. There are pictures of two proto trailers and an article on the reintroduction of Hi-Lo trailers.

Twincamp

RichR · 01-28-2016, 03:12 PM

That comes from Lightweight Campers | Travel Trailers | Kerola?s Campers Inc. that is in my area. They have been working on that project for several years.

KnottyRig · 02-08-2016, 02:28 PM

Because of RichR's link to Kerola above, I did a little googlin' and found this:

bill kerola | The Small Trailer Enthusiast

Apparently Bill keeps his Facebook page updated (I don't use facebook...and I'm an IT geek!), and they have a couple completed show/prototype models BUILT! They look exactly the same - so kudos to Bill for resurrecting the HiLo brand! The interior design looks a little different (just in floor plan). They expect to go on sale soon (predicted Spring 2016).

This is great news!

Teaser Pic:

JackandJanet · 02-08-2016, 02:39 PM

Cool! I'm not sure I like the "fixed bed" design in such a small trailer, and, it doesn't appear to have a toilet/bathroom, which would be a deal breaker for us. Single handle faucet on the sink - does that mean no hot water?

I'll look forward to seeing the finalized design.

- Jack

KnottyRig · 02-08-2016, 03:46 PM

Darn - I totally missed the lack of a bathroom and hot water! That's a deal breaker for me too!

Hopefully it's actually planned (this is a prototype after all) - maybe some feedback will motivate the bathroom (which is a primary feature for us).

Treeclimber · 02-08-2016, 04:23 PM

unique place for a window A/C, but I'm sure it will work. With time, I'm sure it will improve. I'll be keeping an eye out for it. Good deal!

Tree

KnottyRig · 02-08-2016, 06:17 PM

I didn't notice the standard window AC before. Yea, not too excited by that. Hopefully they have plans for conventional RV AC units.

RCREYES · 02-08-2016, 07:03 PM

I'm just looking forward to getting people that actually know how to work on them and know what they are doing!