2025 Forest River Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE Review

Putting it plainly, affordable travel trailers are often among the least stylish in the RV world. So, it’s a special delight to see a travel trailer that makes a clean break from that mold. And the 2025 Forest River Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE is clearly in that category.  This very attractive and remarkably flexible travel trailer also has a number of storage, seating and sleeping features that are absolutely unique.

As an affordable travel trailer, the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE does have some limitations. (We’ll get to those.) But this is a model that offers a great all-around value for the buyers it was designed for.

 

At a Glance: Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE

I gave the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE a rating of 7.2 out of 10. This travel trailer excels and exceeds expectations with a flexible interior, as well as good and flexible storage. In person, it just truly shines. However, there are a few areas that would concern me as an RV owner, particularly the low-grade tires.

[review_summary class=”custom-class” title=”2025 Forest River Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE” description=”This score is awarded by an expert reviewer conducting an independent assessment of the RV.”]

 

Check the Specs

• Sleeping capacity: 4
• Hitch weight: 735 pounds
• UVW: 6,178 pounds 
• CCC: 1,557 pounds
• Exterior length: 29 feet 10 inches
• Exterior height 10 feet 3 inches
• Exterior width: 8 feet
• Fresh/Gray/Black: 40/60/30 gallons
• Propane: 2 x 20-pound tanks
• Awning: 16 feet
• MSRP: $47,757 (estimated)

 

Features We Love

• VersaLounge seating system 
• Use of totes in the bedroom and under the VersaLounge 
• VersaTilt bed system
• Closet wardrobe includes laundry chute to storage bay (with a net)
• Back side of the baggage door that’s a dry erase board 
• Patterned blackout shades
• Tankless water heater
• Outdoor mini fridge

 

 

Benefits

• Modular living space. The VersaLounge feature is a unique seating system that can transform the space from a dinette to a day bed to a couch or beds for sleeping. It’s truly unique and works very well. 
• Bedroom multifunctionality. The VersaTilt bed makes the bed a place for seating or sleeping. This surprisingly nice feature gives the bedroom real functionality beyond being a sleep space. 
• Storage space. From passthrough storage to hidden laundry chutes and pantries, the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE consistently surprises with its volume of storage options — including a unique tote system.

 

Challenges

• Low-grade tires and lack of TPMS. These low-grade tires would be the first thing I would replace, and I would put a tire pressure monitoring system as part of this replacement. The latter, I think, are a necessity for any RVer.
• No vent hood over the stove. A higher-performing fan does help, being in the middle of the living space, but personally, I feel safe with a vent hood directly over the stove.
• Cold-weather camping. This wouldn’t be a trailer I would get if I liked to camp in extremely cold conditions. It’s designed more for seasonal RV trips.

 

Best For

• Seasonal campers who take a few trips per year and not all that far away
• RV couples who could utilize the flexibility of this floorplan to bring along and entertain guests and grandkids 
• Travel trailer shoppers looking for an affordable model that’s really the whole package 

 

Key Areas We Evaluate for RV Buyers

Sleeping Space

The bedroom in the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE features a 66-inch-by-78-inch bed that the company brands as a king-size model (it’s really an Olympic queen). However, one of it features is a function called VersaTilt. Using a switch on the wall, you can raise the head of the bed up to an almost prone position. So, if you’re someone who loves to read RV reviews or scour the listing on RV Trader before going to sleep for that next RV, this would be a great place to do so. (You know, hypothetically speaking.) The VersaTilt feature is also nice if you like to sleep with your head a bit raised. Really, altogether that single capability makes the bedroom a nice place to be, whatever you’re doing.

On the side of the bed there are shelves with both household and USB power outlets. Additionally, there’s a reading light for each side. The shelves on the road side of the bed are rather deep. So, you could put things like CPAP machines on there. 

 

 

Cabinets and Storage

The cabinets in the bedroom of the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE are a bit unusual — in a very pleasant way. There’s a tall wardrobe on the road side, and this is where you’ll find the laundry chute into the front storage bay. There is a netted bag to catch the clothes. Really, it’s a nice surprise feature. 

The camp side of the bed is also configured a little differently. There is a step to make it easier to get into the bed but no closet. I could see this working for some folks who have a bit of a challenge stepping up into the bed, and it would also work well for someone who has a pet that wants to get up and take over the bed. 

At the foot of the bed, there is another closet. This, along with the wardrobe on the camp side of the bed, translates into good space for hanging things. 

Over the bed are also cabinets, but these cabinets are hinged at the top. Which means don’t stay up. Essentially, you have to fight gravity while trying to reach whatever’s in those cabinets. Bleh. 

 

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE spans the full width of the rear of the rig. So, it is very, very spacious. For those who want a bathroom where you could actually change clothes in the space, this is a good choice. There is also a surprising amount of counter space in here and a bit of storage under that counter as well. The back wall of the bathroom has several hooks where you could hang towels. 

One of the polarizing things in this bathroom is that there is a miniature tub instead of a walk-in shower. While that may surprise some buyers, they’re not all that bad. (And some people prefer these.) Instead of a glass shower door this features a curtain and that’s my first choice. (Because curtains don’t shatter.) You could also change the fabric of the curtain to affect the decor. My wife changes the curtains in our house to reflect various seasons. Even so, it would be nicer if the curtain bowed outward at the top to make the shower space feel roomier, but it doesn’t. 

Just a Few Qualms

Two things not to like in this bathroom start at the top with a four-inch vent fan. These things are found in lots of different models, but they do little more than make noise. So many RVers I know have upgraded the fans in the bathroom to actually do something. Personally, I wish they just charged $50 more for the camper and put a good vent fan in here. 

Also, the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE has a plastic toilet. If you don’t know this, here’s a heads up: They can be noisy when you sit on them and often become more challenging to keep clean looking over time. 

 

 

Living Area

Many RVs that are in the more affordable price range tend to have interiors that just feel cheap. As I mentioned earlier, that’s not the case here. To my eye, this is one of the nicer interiors I’ve seen lately. The Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE really is quite stylish. 

The overhead lighting consists of LEDs that span the width of the ceiling and are dimmable. There is also accent lighting under curved wall features and other stylish touches. This trailer proves that you can make a stylish rig even at a better price point. 

The VersaLounge

Styling aside, this also has what Salem calls their VersaLounge — and the name is quite appropriate. Essentially, the VersaLounge is a long couch-like surface and then two opposing benches. There’s a cushion assembly that can be slotted between the longer couch and one of the benches in various positions, which makes the design modular. You could create a day bed or a couch or dinette seating or just leave the cushion assembly off and create an extralong bed. 

If you drop the table down, you can make a bed or just flat surface that spans the entire width of the slide room. Forgive the pun, but it truly is a versatile piece of RV furniture that can accommodate a number of use cases. 

Another surprise in the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE are the blackout roller shades, which are a sort of patterned tan material. Often, in other models, you will find that many of these blackout shades are a black material that isn’t all that aesthetically pleasing despite being rather functional. But this is functional and aesthetically pleasing. It’s a really nice touch. 

 

 

Kitchen

The kitchen counter notches out into the living space a bit which is where you’ll find the sink and a commercial-style high-rise faucet. There is a three-burner propane stovetop and convection air fryer microwave oven. Counter and cabinet space are OK.

The end of the kitchen cabinet opens to reveal two hidden drawers in it. This same trick happens at the back end of the kitchen cabinet where a panel slides open to reveal two longer drawers which you could access from the entry door or from inside. 

More Surprises

The wall that the TV and electric fireplace are on is actually sort of a secret door, which opens to reveal a lot more storage. So, you’re really well situated to bring all the spices and ingredients you want with you. 

Of course, there’s a 10-cubic-foot, 12-volt refrigerator in here, plus a small bar-sized fridge in a cabinet outside as well. 

One thing that really bothered me is that there is no vent hood over the stove. There is a higher-performing fan in the middle of the living space, but I really prefer something to exhaust fumes right over the stove. I’m sure it’s fine, but to me it’s rather concerning. 

 

 

Four-Season Capabilities

The Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE is not the camper to choose if you want to camp where it gets partially cold. While the underbelly is enclosed, there are no provisions for heat in the space. I would call this a seasonal camper for going when the weather is more favorable. 

 

Storage Space

There is a lot of storage in the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE, including some really well-designed flexible storage. The front passthrough compartment is a decent size, and you can get to it through baggage doors on either side of the camper — and also from under the bed. 

The largest space is probably the one behind the TV and fireplace, which has a motion-sensing light in it, a nice feature. Interior storage in this RV is really a strong suit both in volume and flexibility. 

Something rather unique that you see in the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE is that it makes excellent use of totes. Totes, both under the bed and VersaLounge, allow you to pack various things based on what the trip entails, who’s going and that sort of thing. You could also have totes prepacked so a weekend getaway means getting away much faster. 

Additionally, the dry erase board on the back of the baggage doors being a place to keep notes, or perhaps create a checklist, shopping list or whatever is a really useful feature and in a place where it may serve RVers really well. 

 

 

Chassis/Suspension

Reflecting the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE’s place at the more affordable side of the equation is the suspension, which is a simple leaf spring system. These systems have been around for decades, of course, but are the least effective way to minimize harshness and vibration from affecting the trailer. 

That’s fine if, like the majority of RVers, you regularly tow a shorter distance to get to camp. But if you’re someone who travels extensively, this isn’t ideal. That said, there are plenty of people towing trailers with leaf springs all over. 

More importantly, the low-grade tires on this are the topic of many derogatory comments all over the internet. (With unkind names applied to them based on their country of origin.) Plus, there is no tire pressure monitoring system, which makes a bad situation worse, in my opinion. 

Other than that, there are two connections for the holding tanks with one being under the slide room, which is great if you’re a contortionist, less so if you’re the typical RVer like myself. 

 

 

Off-Grid/Sustainability

Like all RVs, this has holding tanks and a 12-volt water pump, but there is nothing about the basic model of this that is particularly good (or bad) if you like off-grid camping. The Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE would work well for overnights as it is — so long as the dealer you bought it from put at least one good battery to compensate for the refrigerator. But, without modifications, I wouldn’t consider this a rig for boondocking or off-grid camping much. 

 

Build Quality

There are a variety of ways to build an RV but the most traditional and affordable is to build it with wood framing and aluminum siding. That’s what you have here. With proper care, there’s really nothing wrong with this style of build, and it’s less expensive to do than using a laminated wall. Plus, it’s easy to repair if you incur damage — unlike a laminated RV. 

This unit uses a higher-grade aluminum siding with a protective coating on it, and I also like that the aluminum used for the nose is a thicker grade of metal and is smooth. So, it’s able to cut through the wind a tiny bit more. 

 

Value

Looking around at RV Trader these models can be priced pretty affordably. Considering all the positive features in them, I think the value proposition is pretty good. While this is a comparable to other trailers closer to the entry level side of the price equation, it has a sense of style that exceeds the price point. 

 

Closing Notes on the Salem Cruise Lite 25ICE

I tend to look at travel trailers and judge them from my own use case. I travel quite a bit, and therefore have very high expectations for features and build quality. But the latest surveys indicate that many RVers only get a few trips per year and not all that far away. 

This is a great choice for a lot of people with the combination of the flexible interior and spacious feel. 

I do wish that all RVs would now come with tire pressure monitoring systems though. But, really, for the dollar, this is a great value with a number of unique features that make it a standout choice. 

 

A Note on the RV Trader Review Process

RV Trader asked RV shoppers what was most important to them in their RV buying process. Potential buyers — like you — helped us to identify a list of six key areas that camping and travel enthusiasts always look at when they’re searching for the perfect RV: sleeping space, bathroom, living area, four-season capabilities, and storage space.

The RV Trader team then got to work providing you with honest and unbiased evaluations. If you’re wondering, that’s where I came in. As an RV expert and enthusiast, I provide an honest look at RVs from an RV industry insider perspective.