Shopping for a mid-size fifth wheel usually means picking your “one big priority” and living with compromises everywhere else.
Want more kitchen space? You’ll probably give up storage.
Want more comfort? You’ll probably add length.
Want a lighter-feeling tow? You’ll probably lose features.
That’s why the new Keystone Cougar 28RLI is turning heads. At a glance, it looks familiar, until you realize what Cougar just pulled off… Montana-level countertop and prep space in a rig that’s still sitting around the 33-foot range.
This isn’t a total reinvention of the mid-size fifth wheel. It’s actually something better, a floorplan that’s been fine-tuned in the places real RV owners actually feel every day.
Quick Specs & Standout Features (Buyer-Focused)
Here are the highlights:
- Massive countertop + prep space (the headline feature)
- Outlets placed where you actually use them
- 18,000 BTU Furrion Chill Cube A/C with variable output (and can run on 15-amp service in a pinch)
- Composite wall construction with aluminum framework (Cougar is known for doing this consistently)
- Rack-and-pinion slides
- Electric fireplace + tank heat pads for cold-weather support
- Dual-swing refrigerator doors (surprisingly useful)
- Oxygenics shower head (a popular aftermarket upgrade, installed from the factory)
- 70” x 80” RV king bed (with a tradeoff you should know)
Table of Contents
Why the 28RLI is Getting Attention
Kitchen: The Counter Space
Living Room: Flex Dinette
Cooling & Power: 18,000 BTU Chill Cube
Construction & Slides: What Cougar is Doing Differently
Bathroom: Real Storage + Popular Shower Upgrade
Bedroom: RV King
Road Mode & Access: What You Can Reach with Slides
Exterior & Chassis: Ride/ Handling Upgrade
The “Half-Ton” Name Warning
Who This Floorplan is Best For
FAQ
Why the Cougar 28RLI is getting attention
The simplest way to say it, the 28RLI feels like someone built it with real camping routines in mind.
Not “how it looks at the dealership.”
This is a mid-size fifth wheel that feels “big” where it counts — the kitchen, storage, and daily livability. The Keystone Cougar 28RLI doesn’t reinvent the wheel, they just executed the details better than most fifth-wheels in the same size/price conversation.
And when you’re shopping, those “small” details are the difference between:
- loving your RV for years
- or constantly asking “why did they do it like that?” every weekend
Kitchen: The Kitchen Counter Space Trick That Changes Everything
The Keystone Cougar 28RLI layout change is all about not forcing the stove into a spot that kills prep room. The result is monster prep space, the kind of continuous countertop you’d expect in larger luxury fifth wheels.
Here’s why this is a big deal:
- Counter space = storage (more base cabinets + uppers where it makes sense)
- Outlets where you actually use them, so your coffee maker / air fryer / phone charger aren’t always awkwardly dangling from a far wall
- You get a dual-swing refrigerator door, which is genuinely practical: grab-a-drink convenience from the entry side, “normal” hinge behavior when you’re working in the kitchen
Other kitchen/build details:
- Lumber-core cabinetry, pocket screwed, hidden hinges, magnet holdbacks
- Likely soft-close cabinet doors (a “small luxury” you notice every day)
- Black stainless farm sink and a cabinet under the sink that’s basically begging for a large trash can setup
If you cook inside your RV (or just snack like a champion), this kitchen layout is the main reason to put the 28RLI on your shortlist.
Living room: Comfortable, Practical, and Actually Watchable
The rear living room is setup so you don’t lose your viewing angle just because the TV is surface-mounted. That matters more than you think, especially if you travel with family, host friends, or just want a comfortable place to relax when weather turns.
- a flex dinette / floating bench concept that can adapt depending on how you camp
- an electric space-heating fireplace
- a sofa/TV arrangement that works whether you’re lounging solo or camping with family
Cooling & power: 18,000 BTU Chill Cube that can run on 15 amps
One of the most practical highlights is the 18,000 BTU Furrion Chill Cube A/C.
Why people care:
- It’s a higher-output unit with variable compressor behavior, meaning it can maintain temp by ramping down instead of shutting off completely (which usually causes the trailer to heat back up, then blast cold again, repeat forever).
- Once it hits temp, it reduces output, so noise drops and energy use drops.
And the buyer-friendly perk:
- Even though this is a 50-amp rig, you can still run that main A/C on 15-amp service in a pinch (think: driveway camping / “moochdocking” at relatives’ houses).
If you camp in hotter regions, there’s also second A/C prep.
Construction & Slides: What Keystone is Doing Differently
Several “quiet upgrades” Cougar has leaned into:
- Cougar is known for composite wall construction (Azdel inside and out, aluminum framework) across the board in the Cougar lineup
- Rack-and-pinion slides have become the standard approach here (based on feedback)
- They’re moving away from some older conventions like certain floor ducting decisions, aiming for cleaner serviceability and design consistency
If you care about the boring-but-important stuff, the actual construction, not just how it looks, the Keystone Cougar is trying to separate itself from the pack.
Bathroom: real storage + a smart upgrade you’d probably do anyway
The bathroom hits several practical points:
- A large medicine cabinet
- Decent drawer depth for the space
- Pocket-door clearance that still feels usable
One of the standouts the Keystone Cougar adopted an Oxygenics shower head, which is one of the most popular aftermarket upgrades RV owners buy immediately. Keystone’s logic is refreshingly rational, if people always replace it anyway, why not install what they want from day one?
Bedroom: RV king bed… with a storage tradeoff
We are more than excited to see the cougar finally move to a 70″ x 80″ RV king in this fifth wheel series (matching what you’d see in some of their travel trailers). This is a comfort win, and it creates nicer symmetry with bedside spacing.
But here’s the tradeoff you should know upfront:
- The wider mattress makes it harder to do a closet slide-out setup.
- Cougar uses a closet configuration that can convert to washer/dryer space, but doing that can remove most of your hanging storage.
If washer/dryer prep matters to you, check the storage, and confirm it works before you commit.
Road mode & access: can you actually use it with slides in?
This is where a lot of RVs lose points because it “looks great open” but doesn’t help you when you’re:
- stopping for lunch on travel day
- dealing with rain at a rest stop
- troubleshooting a fuse
Even with slides in:
- you can still access the fridge (and the dual-swing door helps)
- you can still reach the converter/fuse box cabinet, huge for real-world ownership
Also worth noting: in rainy conditions the slide/wiper seal keeps water from puddling on the floor when slides close.
Exterior & chassis: ride/handling upgrades + solar
The Keystone Cougar 28RLI is leaning into features that reduce long-term stress and improve towing feel:
- Helix pin box to reduce stress transfer into the chassis (a big part of frame-flex conversations in the industry)
- A suspension package referred to as Road Armor (formerly Equiflex naming in the walkthrough)
- Goodyear Endurance tires
- ABS braking was mentioned as factory standard
- Factory ladder included (surprisingly rare these days)
Solar & charging:
- Keystone 220W solar package as a battery tender
- paired with a Victron 30-amp charge controller
- and Keystone’s approach to dealer-installed “upfits” can preserve warranty when done with the correct Keystone parts kit
The “Half-Ton” name warning (don’t ignore this)
It’s called the Cougar Half-Ton, but that name is not a guarantee that your half-ton truck is the right match.
Fifth wheels can carry serious hitch weight, and even “smaller” fifth wheels can exceed what many half-tons can safely handle once you add passengers, gear, and real-world payload limits.
If there is one thing we want you to do, it’s verify payload, pin weight expectations, and your truck’s real-world capacity before you fall in love with the floorplan.
Who the Cougar 28RLI is best for
This floorplan shines for:
- Campers who actually use the kitchen (prep space + outlets + storage)
- Weekend + extended-stay campers who care about comfort in rain/heat/cold
- Buyers who value practical execution over flashy gimmicks
It may not be ideal for:
- People who need maximum hanging closet storage and washer/dryer installed
- Anyone trying to match it with a half-ton truck without doing the math
Quick FAQs
Is the Cougar 28RLI really “half-ton towable”?
The name implies it, but you should not assume it. Verify hitch weight (pin weight) and payload capacity first.
What’s the big deal about the Chill Cube A/C?
Variable output means it can maintain temp without constant on/off cycling—often quieter and more comfortable, with lower energy use once stabilized.
Is this a good layout for travel-day stops?
It appears to offer solid “road mode” access—especially fridge access and fuse panel access—two things people regret not checking.
Written By: Brooke Erickson
Some say I am a writer, I like to say I am a storyteller