2025 Forest River No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode Review

Some RV models are designed with a very specific buyer in mind. And for those looking to go off-grid camping in a lightweight trailer with a full pack of people, the 2025 Forest River No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode just might be made for you. With sleeping space for up to eight, ample storage, and a robust off-road suspension option, the NoBo — as it’s commonly called — gives owners a travel trailer that can tame rough terrain and still offer suprising amenities in a smaller package.

 

At a Glance: No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode

I rated the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode an 8.0 out of 10, a very high score. As you might expect, where it truly excelled was in its off-road camping features — especially the Beast Mode upgraded suspension option in this model. However, even beyond Beast Modes, this trailer includes a good number of standard features in the design of this trailer that might make it a great choice.

[review_summary class=”custom-class” title=”2025 Forest River No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode” description=”This score is awarded by an expert reviewer conducting an independent assessment of the RV.”]

 

Check the Specs

• Sleeping capacity: 8
• Hitch weight: 685 pounds
• UVW: 5,673 pounds 
• CCC: 1,500 pounds
• Exterior length: 26 feet 2 inches
• Exterior height: 11 feet 5 inches
• Exterior width: 8 feet
• Fresh/Gray/Black: 40/40/30 gallons
• Propane: 2 x 20 pounds
• Awning: 18 feet
• MSRP: $44,182 (estimated)

 

Features We Love

• Beast Mode package for off-grid camping, including the industry-leading Curt’s independent suspension system
• Bluetooth speaker included instead outside speakers 
• Built-in vacuum for easy cleanups
• Multifunctional sink with glass rinser
• Dinette table mount with pressurized strut for easy conversion
• Blackout roller shades

 

 

Benefits

• Premium suspension system. The Beast Mode package includes an upgraded suspension that is, quite simply, the best around. Beast Mode also comes with a solar power system that is well suited to off-grid driving and camping. (More details to follow.)
• Easy cleanups. Having a built-in vacuum makes keeping the camper cleaner, especially since it is marketed to an outdoors/adventure style of camping that could be more closely associated with tracking dirt inside the RV. 
• Better sound, less breaches. When shopping for RVs, always remember that any breach in the exterior of an RV brings with it a chance of leaking. Favorably, this RV comes with a portable Klipsch brand Bluetooth speaker, which can also be taken outside. This model opts for this setup instead of built-in outdoor speakers. Additionally, the built-in, 12-volt TV also can function as a Bluetooth speaker. I have found that these portable Bluetooth speakers often sound much better than the lousy speakers many RV companies put on the outside anyway.

 

Challenges

• No kitchen drawers. Lack of any drawers in the kitchen seems odd in an otherwise well-designed interior. However, there is still storage in the kitchen in the cabinet and the pantry.
• Murphy-bed opponents. While the Murphy bed offers more functionality, there are buyers who don’t favor this type of arrangement. It often just comes down to preference — do you mind folding up your bed each day or not. Nicely, this Murphy bed does nicely configure as a more permanent queen bed if you so desire. (More on this in a bit.)
• Schwintek skeptics. Schwintek slides mechanisms have received a lot of pushback in some RV circles. Personally, in my experience, these systems are fine if used and maintained properly. But if Schwinteks are an off switch for you, there is one here.

 

Best For

• Off-grid campers with a big pack. For those who have a lot of people to bring along these bunkhouse or bunk model trailers offer good sleeping options — especially for a lightweight trailer this size. In this case, there were double-over-double bunks, and this one even has as many seats as it does places to sleep.
• Shoppers looking for a trailer that’s light on weight but high on storage. For those who are into adventure travel, there is good storage in this unit. And, if you don’t take advantage of the bunks for sleeping, you could utilize that space for cargo or adventure gear, especially with the lower bunk being the type that flips up with an access door at the back of the RV. 

 

Key Areas We Evaluate for RV Buyers

Sleeping Space

In spite of the fact that it is a lightweight trailer, the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode can sleep up to eight people. (Although, admittedly, some of those would likely have to be smaller humans.) The front sleeping space utilizes a folding Murphy-style bed. That means that there is a couch by day, but at night, you can drop the Murphy-bed platform down and turn it into a bed. This design features a platform on a hinge as the base of the bed and then a folding mattress. 

Interestingly, this mattress doesn’t interfere with the breakfast bar nor the slide. So, if the daily Murphy-bed conversion is not for you, just know that you could actually just leave it down in bed position all the time. Doing so would also open up the sleeping space to any queen-size mattress that you prefer. (This is a standard 60-inch-by-80-inch space.)

On either side of the bed are hanging closets with frosted glass doors. Inside the cabinets, there are even lights, which cause the doors to give off a nice glow. There are also storage cubbies behind these cabinets with both household and USB outlets. And, if you don’t mind folding up your bed every day, it’s easy enough to flip the platform and mattress up. Then you get a sofa here which, of course, creates more seating space. 

Beyond the Murphy Bed — Lots of Bed Space

In the back of the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode, there are also double-over-double bunks with an included ladder to the upper berth. Each of these beds measures 52 inches by 75 inches. Lastly, the dining table is a pole-mounted unit. So, if you want to convert it into a sleeping space, you it’s simple. You pull a lever, push down on the table, rearrange the cushions, and now you have a place for two smaller travelers to sleep. 

Additionally, I like the fact that NoBo utilizes blackout roller shades, which are a more premium feature which works well to block out light. 

 

 

Bathroom

The shower in the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode features a radius curtain. This is where the top of the curtain is on a radius track, and the bottom of the curtain hangs into a small tub. What I like about this is that the curtain doesn’t shatter (as glass could), and the radius design also provides more space at the top.

There is also a small sink and counter. The NoBo installs a high-performance Maxxair vent fan. (A very a good thing.) The biggest challenge is the plastic toilet which becomes noisy and is a bit more difficult to clean over time. For those who may not enjoy for their seated bathroom performances to be so public, the squawks from the plastic toilet may motivate you to replace it with a porcelain model in short order. 

Something that is becoming more and more unusual is the gas-electric water heater in this RV. While many RVs now are going with tankless water heaters, I’ve read a lot of complaints about those in various forums. (Tankless models only run on propane, and they require full water flow. So, many boondockers — including me — don’t like them.)

However, the NoBo’s more traditional gas-electric water heater allows you to choose your heat source of choice based on where you’re camping. So, if you’re in a campground you can use the electric side of the water heater. And if you’re boondocking, you can use propane. 

 

 

Living Area

As mentioned earlier, when the Murphy bed is up, you now have a seat for every potential person who could sleep in this RV. (In many RV models, that’s not always the case.) In addition to the couch that’s part of the Murphy bed configuration, there is also a breakfast bar with two bar-height stools at the kitchen. A four-place dinette with a pole-mounted table rounds out the seating in this RV. That table mount features a pressurized strut. So, lowering it into sleeping position is really easy — release the lock and push down. Done.

Something else unusual in the main living area is the inclusion of a built-in vacuum that has a dustpan feature. This is a nice touch. The vacuum does come with a variety of attachments, but you can also just sweep things to the dustpan feature, kick it on, and then suck up all that debris. There are bags available to catch all that stuff.

 

 

Kitchen

The kitchen in the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode is an L-shaped affair with a multifunctional sink that incorporates several drop-in pieces for washing veggies and drying dishes. There’s also a glass-rinsing function as well. Cooking is done courtesy of a three-burner propane stovetop along with a convection/air fryer/microwave oven. There’s a 12-volt, 10-cubic-foot fridge to keep things cold. 

However, one thing that you won’t find in this kitchen are drawers of any type, which is unfortunate. Nevertheless, there is cabinet space below the propane cook top, so you could use totes to replace the functionality drawers would provide. Outside of the absence of drawers, there still isn’t a shortage of storage in here. The No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode includes a pantry on the road side of the main living space. 

In addition to the indoor kitchen, there is also an outdoor kitchen function provided by an include flat-top griddle that slides into a rail on the side of the RV and hooks into the propane system via a quick disconnect. There’s also a metal table included as well that also slots into the rail. On the positive side of this, if you do choose little totes for things like utensils, this makes them easier to take outside when you’re using that flat-top griddle. 

 

 

Four-Season Capabilities

This trailer goes a good distance to provide winter protection with 12-volt heating pads on the holding tanks and also a heated and enclosed underbelly but doesn’t go the whole way as the gate valves for the holding tanks are exposed to the elements. 

 

Storage Space

In addition to a passthrough storage compartment at the front of the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode, there is a second compartment on the camp side at the back that’s decently sized. But the best surprise is a rear door in the trailer which leads to the bunk space. This half-height door combined with a lower bunk platform that flips up makes space for decently large cargo such as a bike or kayak or other adventure gear. 

There’s also storage accessible from the inside of the rig under the dinette and under the Murphy bed’s sofa.

 

 

Chassis/Suspension

The No Boundaries NB20.3 model I’m reviewing  featured the Beast Mode package which includes Curt’s independent suspension system. This system has a swing arm for each wheel along with coil springs and two shocks. In my opinion, this is the best suspension system for a towable RV. Period. This system offers great towing but is also capable of providing a lot of suspension travel plus good absorption of bumps in the road. It is also unusual in that it’s adjustable. So, if it does go out of alignment that can be repaired with tools an RVer might have on hand. (Or at least should.) 

Another plus is the included tire pressure monitor system (TPMS), which is an important safety featured that offers a good deal of peace of mind. However, the tires themselves are an off-brand tire. This tire has an aggressive tread pattern, but that’s not all that important in something that’s just towed around. I’d prefer a better brand of tire. 

 

 

Off-Grid/Sustainability

Part of the Beast Mode package includes a second 200-watt solar panel along with a 30-amp charge controller and 2,000-watt inverter. With that, you could run all the household power outlets in the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode on battery power, although I do not believe you could run the air conditioner. 

Of course, you’ll want to encourage your RV dealership to install a good battery system to support this infrastructure. 

Part of camping off the grid is using fewer items that draw household power, and the TV in this rig uses the 12-volt system rather than needing household power.

 

Build Quality

I’ve been told that, in order to support this suspension, a trailer’s chassis has to be pretty beefy. The combination of a stronger chassis and excellent suspension should help this RV last longer overall. 

The slide mechanism in this is a Schwintek mechanism which has gotten a lot of push back in various places, but these systems are fine if used and maintained properly. 

The walls in RVs like this are made up of various layers including an outer layer of fiberglass and an inside wall board. Between those layers are welded aluminum studs with block foam inserts. It has traditionally been a wood product used just inside the walls called lauan, but this material can get damaged if even the smallest amount of water leaks in. This trailer uses a product called Azdel, which is a man-made product that is unaffected by water. Further, Azdel offers better sound insulation properties.

I also like details such as the lack of furnace vents in the floor of this trailer. They’re mounted into the sides of the cabinetry instead. 

Overall, build quality was good on the example I saw, and the various components and features on the model I saw were better quality with the exception of the tire brand.

 

 

Value

If you go with the base model of this trailer, it is still a well -quipped unit that has some really nice features. The Beast Mode option is going to set you back a bit more money, but I argue that it’s worth the money — even if you don’t go off road. The better towing experience and rigid structure required to support this will translate into a trailer that just lasts longer most likely. 

It won’t be the cheapest trailer in the category, but it will be a good value with features that play-out well over time and a good overall build quality. 

 

Closing Notes on the No Boundaries NB20.3 Beast Mode

When I saw that I was assigned this model to review, I was pretty eager to get to it. I think this suspension system is so game-changing in the towable RV market. I have friends who specifically sought out a trailer with this suspension for a journey from Baja, Mexico to Alaska, and they said they were not disappointed at all. Further, they said that it was a factor in how well the trailer held up. 

I know some campers are going to be put off by the Murphy bed, but, as mentioned, that doesn’t have to be an issue if you choose to leave it down all the time. (Although you’d be sacrificing the couch.) I had a Murphy bed in my first camper and used an RV Superbag as the bedding, which greatly simplified making the bed. 

Even if you don’t take advantage of the bunks for providing a space for additional people, you could use that as storage if you’re into adventure. The flip-up lower bunk could provide space for gear, and the upper berth could provide space for smaller pieces of the adventure puzzle. 

Overall, I think this trailer is reasonably well-thought through — with the sole exception of the lack of drawers. But again, with totes, you could solve that problem and be ready for adventures of all kinds.

 

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.