Forest River Salem 26DBUD
Still in production. A used 2023 would run roughly $29,800.
dry weight 6,923 lb + fresh water (40 gal, full) 334 lb + propane + battery 200 lb + gear for 2 600 lb. Brochure dry weight omits water, propane, batteries and your gear; this estimate doesn't.
Judged the way the app judges: estimated loaded weight against each vehicle's rating less a 10% margin, per model year, because the 26DBUD's published weights changed mid-run.
The 52it doesn't fit
- Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.7 Turbo HO, tow pkg) '23-26: over by ~1,127 lb loaded
- Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.8 Duramax) '15-22: over by ~1,127 lb loaded
- Chevrolet Suburban (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26: over by ~587 lb loaded
- Chevrolet Tahoe (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26: over by ~497 lb loaded
- Chevrolet Traverse (tow pkg) '18-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Chrysler Pacifica '17-26: over by ~4,817 lb loaded
- Dodge Durango (5.7 / 6.4 Hemi, tow pkg) '14-26: over by ~227 lb loaded
- Ford Bronco 4-dr (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '21-26: over by ~4,007 lb loaded
- Ford Explorer (3.0 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '20-26: over by ~3,017 lb loaded
- Ford Maverick (2.0 EcoBoost, 4K tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~4,457 lb loaded
- Ford Ranger (2.3 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '19-23: over by ~1,307 lb loaded
- Ford Ranger (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '24-26: over by ~1,307 lb loaded
- Ford Transit (HD tow pkg) '15-26: over by ~1,847 lb loaded
- GMC Acadia (tow pkg) '20-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- GMC Hummer EV Pickup '22-26: over by ~1,307 lb loaded
- GMC Yukon / Yukon XL (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-26: over by ~497 lb loaded
- Honda Odyssey '18-26: over by ~4,907 lb loaded
- Honda Passport (AWD) '19-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Honda Pilot (AWD, tow pkg) '16-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Honda Ridgeline (AWD) '17-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Hyundai Palisade (tow pkg) '20-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Hyundai Santa Cruz (2.5T AWD) '22-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Jeep Gladiator (3.6 V6, max tow) '20-26: over by ~1,127 lb loaded
- Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7 Hemi) '11-21: over by ~1,577 lb loaded
- Jeep Grand Cherokee (WL, tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~2,477 lb loaded
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L (5.7 Hemi) '21-26: over by ~1,577 lb loaded
- Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-dr (tow pkg) '18-26: over by ~4,907 lb loaded
- Kia Telluride (tow pkg) '20-26: over by ~3,107 lb loaded
- Land Rover Defender '20-26: over by ~677 lb loaded
- Land Rover Discovery '17-26: over by ~677 lb loaded
- Lexus LX 600 '22-26: over by ~857 lb loaded
- Mazda CX-90 (3.3 turbo, tow pkg) '24-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter '19-26: over by ~1,307 lb loaded
- Nissan Armada (3.5 twin-turbo, tow pkg) '25-26: over by ~407 lb loaded
- Nissan Armada (tow pkg) '17-24: over by ~407 lb loaded
- Nissan Frontier (3.8 V6, tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~1,622 lb loaded
- Nissan Pathfinder (tow pkg) '22-26: over by ~2,657 lb loaded
- Ram ProMaster '14-26: over by ~1,837 lb loaded
- Rivian R1S '22-26: over by ~1,127 lb loaded
- Subaru Ascent '19-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Subaru Outback (XT / Wilderness) '20-26: over by ~4,907 lb loaded
- Tesla Model X (tow pkg) '16-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Tesla Model Y (tow pkg) '21-26: over by ~4,907 lb loaded
- Toyota 4Runner (4.0 V6) '11-24: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Toyota 4Runner (i-Force Max) '25-26: over by ~2,657 lb loaded
- Toyota Grand Highlander (i-Force Max) '24-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Toyota Highlander (tow pkg) '20-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
- Toyota Land Cruiser (i-Force Max) '24-26: over by ~2,657 lb loaded
- Toyota Sienna '21-26: over by ~4,907 lb loaded
- Toyota Tacoma (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '24-26: over by ~2,207 lb loaded
- Toyota Tacoma (V6, tow pkg) '16-23: over by ~1,937 lb loaded
- Volkswagen Atlas (tow pkg) '18-26: over by ~3,557 lb loaded
These verdicts assume 2 people aboard with typical gear. See the margin for your truck and your crew →
A missing row means the maker never published that figure: unknown, not zero.
- 1× Front walk-around queen in the bedroom with under-bed Stow N Go storage(Permanent)60×80
- 2× Rear double-over-double bunks(Permanent)46×74
- 1× U-shaped dinette converts to a bed(Convertible)—
- 1× Versa-Lounge sofa in the slide-out(Convertible)54×74
Forest River (Mixed tier): Forest River's volume full-size travel trailer - wood-framed and cheap to buy, but with a heated enclosed underbelly, a walk-on roof and the genuinely clever Versa furniture system.
| YEARS | GVWR | DRY | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | 9,557 lb | 6,885 lb | $50,494 |
| 2021–24 | 9,624 lb | 6,988 lb | $50,494 |
| 2025– | 9,595 lb | 6,923 lb | $50,494 |
- 2019Introduced — UVW 6,885 lb, GVWR 9,557 lb
- 2021Mid-cycle weight bump: UVW 6,988 lb, GVWR 9,624 lb
- 2025Settles at UVW 6,923 lb / GVWR 9,595 lb; Versa furniture and Stow N Go storage standard
- 2026Retro/Metal exterior redesign, JBL audio, Versa-Flex furniture; moved to Dealer Stock Only (being phased out)
Common: usually several for sale within a day’s drive. Why: Forest River is a volume manufacturer; 8-year production run; still in production. Estimated from build volume and production span, not a count of live listings.
The bunkhouse everyone cross-shops against a Jay Flight — cheap to buy and roomy, but wood-framed and metal-sided, so watch the roof and slide seams.
Live listings for the 26DBUD on the big marketplaces. Each search opens pre-filled with this exact floorplan:
Inventory varies by site and day. Slim pickings? search the whole Salem line ↗
These are the facts. Whether it beats the other six thousand rigs for you depends on what you care about. Set your priorities as sliders, switch on your hard limits, and watch the whole market re-rank around them. Every exclusion explained, every margin shown.
See where it ranks for you →Data compiled from manufacturer spec sheets, retrieved 2026-07.