What’s The Difference Between The OBI Dweller 15 and MDC XL15-4E?

Originally gaining popularity in Australia, imported hybrid trailers have made waves in the USA. Brands like MDC, Dweller, OPUS, Black Series have made a name for themselves in America with their unique off-road style pop-top trailers. With that said, sometimes it is hard to know the differences between each of the hybrid trailers as they all have similar specs, layouts, features and off-road capabilities. In this blog, we will do a side-by-side comparison between the OBI Dweller 15 and the MDC XL15-4E so you can learn the differences and hopefully help you make the right decision for you.

Off-Road Capability

At ROA OFF-ROAD, we have tested both of the units on tough terrains in Moab and they both performed adequately for an off-road trailer. They each are equipped with independent suspension with gas shocks and coils, load range E tires for durability, and galvanized steel frames. The MDC XL15-4E has slightly beefier shocks, and their own patented Megahub 12′ hub assembly. The key advantage MDC has over OBI, is the decades of experience and feedback from their customers. MDC has had their products in the field going on 20 years, leading to refinement and improvement in their construction and off-road durability. When you buy an MDC, you are also buying years and years of improvement based on feedback from the users of the product. 

Bed and Sleeping Arrangements

Let me say one word. Bed. Making memories, good ones at least, is hard to do when you are exhausted or focused on your hurting back. If you have ever owned a camper before you will know that most trailer beds are quite frankly terrible. Both the OBI Dweller 15 and MDC XL15-4E come with large beds in the rear, because of the unique hybrid style, the back folds out giving you a large space for the bed, making sure you get a comfortable nights rest. The key differences between these two models are the bunk beds. In the OBI Dweller 15, only one additional bed comes standard, and it is a small bunk bed (for a child only) that sits of the sitting area, it is only long enough for a child and the mattress thickness leaves you wanting more. In the MDC XL15-4E, there are bunk beds in the front entry way, both are large enough to fit an adult, especially the bottom bunk. The bottom bunk is a Twin XL size bed, and the top bunk measure just a little narrower, this makes the MDC XL15-4E great for a family of 4, while the OBI Dweller 15 is meant for a family with one child, or a couple with the occasional guest. 

Towing Experience

These hybrid can be a great entry point in the off-road and off-grid camping market, and are capable enough to go to places off the grid. For those with no previous trailer ownership experience, towing can be one of those things that is new and scary. We have towed both of these trailers thousands of miles, and we have some feedback. Starting with the OBI Dweller 15, this trailer from the factory is unstable and almost feels unsafe to tow, at ROA OFF-ROAD we are focused on making sure every trailer we have sold is a great experience, so this led us to do some modifications on the OBI Dweller 15 like removing the rear spare tires and relocating them, replacing the stock shocks with FOX shocks, etc. all of these modifications helped the OBI Dweller tow much better. With the MDC XL15-4E, this trailer towed quite well straight from the factory, we noticed with many of the MDC trailers, once you fill the water tanks as if you are going camping they tow quite well at freeway speeds. Towing is one of those tough things, because it also depends on your choice of tow vehicle as well. If you have an under-powered tow vehicle, no trailer is going to feel comfortable or safe. 

Build & Construction

These two trailers are both imported from China, but they are built in entirely different factories under entirely different conditions. The OBI Dweller 15 comes from the same factory that also builds the Black Series, Conqueror and other similar imports. This does not make it a BAD trailer, each brand can do their own inspection checks, request changes and updates, etc. but this leaves the quality control in the factories hands who are building lots of trailers for many different brands which can lead to inconsistency. The OBI Dweller is built on a hot-dip galvanized steel chassis, while the walls are built with aluminum framing and foam insulation, most of the box and frame is built in the factory with final assembly and checks being done in the USA. 

MDC has their own factory in China, meaning only MDC product comes out of this factory with no other brands being built there. This gives MDC more quality control, and they can implement their processes and changes quicker. As said above, MDC has been in business nearly 20 years and now with their own factory, they can control the standard of quality they want for their products. The MDC XL15-4E is also built on a hot-dip galvanized steel chassis, but in this case, the chassis is backed by a lifetime warranty so any frame or chassis issues is under warranty for the lifetime of the RV. The walls are also built with aluminum framing and foam insulation. 

One thing to note, is that MDC keeps a stock of parts on hand in the USA which allows the customer to receive help and parts quicker than other imported brands. If you want to really dive into the differences between MDC build vs. others check out the video below. 

Convenience

One of the biggest differences between the 2 models is the convenience and ease of set up! The MDC XL15-4E has a very easy set up, the “E” in the name actually stands for “electric” because the roof has an electric lift mechanism. Due to these both being hybrid trailers, there is a set up process which includes popping the roof up, and popping the rear out for the bed. The OBI Dweller 15 requires a lot of manual unlatched and pushing up of the roof, while the MDC 15 has an easy one-push button to lift the roof, easing some of the manual work required in the set up. 

Those are just a few of the key differences, the list could go on and on, but we actually filmed a video on all of it, that you can watch down below. 

Both of these are great trailers, that can help you achieve your dream of adventuring and exploring America. The reason we now carry MDC at ROA OFF-ROAD, and no longer carry OBI is all about support from the brand. MDC stands by their product with fantastic support, while OBI’s support lacks response and speed. If you choose an OBI, just go into the ownership expecting to do much of the work and fixing on your own vs. buying MDC means you will have support along the way with access to warranty help and parts support.