How the Winnebago EKKO Community Helped One Couple Choose Their Next RV!

How the Winnebago EKKO Community Helped One Couple Choose Their Next RV!
Read their inspiring story and exciting plans as the new Tampa EKKO Rally Hosts.

By: Brooke Baum, GoLife Blog Editor

“The owner community is what makes this vehicle,” Komal shares confidently when telling the unique story of how she and her partner Marina became Winnebago EKKO owners earlier this year. They didn’t intend to make an RV purchase while attending the Florida RV SuperShow, but an invitation to join the nearby Tampa EKKO Rally changed those plans quickly. It wasn’t long before they were officially EKKO owners and active members of the community – so much so that they are now hosting the 2026 rally! 

Having the ongoing support online from the group has been integral to the positive experience they have had as new Winnebago EKKO owners. And they are thrilled to share the EKKO love with their passionate community and new potential owners at the 2026 Tampa EKKO Rally!

Why the Winnebago EKKO? 

Komal and Marina started their RV travels together in a Class A motorhome and spent almost two years traveling around North America in it. While luxurious and spacious, the large size (49 feet in total when towing their Jeep) limited where they could take it. “There were no off-the-beaten-path explorations,” Komal notes.

There were also times when they got caught in below-freezing weather unexpectedly and had to find DIY options for protecting the pipes and staying warm enough, since their Class A was not made for those extreme conditions. They had to skip iconic destinations they were looking forward to, like the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Estes Park in Colorado, due to the motorhome not being able to handle the roads when it was snowing. 

Komal and Marina knew they wanted their next RV to be smaller with all-wheel capabilities, but the desire for a large storage space was the deciding feature for them to not get a Class B. When they first started looking for their next rig at the Florida RV SuperShow in 2024, they had been considering the Winnebago EKKO and the Entegra Condor, but were leaning toward the Condor because they liked the seating setup better. However, they hadn’t yet met the amazing Winnebago EKKO community!

Luckily, when they returned to the Tampa show in 2025 to lock in their choice, they ran into James and Stef (@TheFitRV) and asked for their opinion. As Winnebago EKKO owners, they recommended their rig without hesitation but invited Komal and Marina to the nearby EKKO owner meetup to ask other owners and get additional insights. 

After leaving the rally, Komal remembers joking with Marina: “These people are crazy. This is a cult. Where do I sign up?!?!” They were already passionate members of the EKKO community before even making their purchase!

Back at the show, they couldn’t pull themselves away from the Winnebago booth “because the vibe was so nice.” Multiple members of the team even remembered talking to them the prior year, and especially recognized their cute dog, Charley! They really appreciated that the Winnebago staff were at the booth engaging with potential owners because they didn’t experience that when touring the Condor. This stood out as a big perk, in addition to the amazing owner community experience. 

While at the EKKO owner rally, they also learned that there was a way to modify the seating to have exactly what they wanted, and they really liked the new finish of the 2025 EKKOs. After a helpful salesperson gave them a great price they couldn’t refuse, they signed the papers for their new Winnebago EKKO! Of course, they went back to the rally to celebrate with their new friends and learn as much as they could at the various seminars.

Fun Mods and Convenient Travels!

Thanks to the inspiring mods posts in the owner community, Komal’s creative ideas, and Marina’s wide array of DIY skills, they dove into multiple exciting modifications within the first couple of months of having their EKKO. In addition to putting in the dinette bench, they have also put in a new sink with a relocated faucet and personalized backsplash, added a water pump switch near the entrance, rigged an exhaust fan in the bathroom, and turned the entertainment center into storage with a projection setup for watching television instead. 

They also attached a swing arm to get their kayaks off the rack easier, but this meant relocating the motion-sensor cameras—so Marina got to learn new electrical skills to add to her growing knowledge about construction and RV maintenance. The Winnebago team will certainly be excited to learn more about their changes when they see them at the next event, since many owner mods end up inspiring changes in future models!

Although Komal and Marina are having fun personalizing their EKKO, they have also gotten to enjoy some nice travel moments in it and already love the difference being in a smaller RV makes. They noted that you do sacrifice a little bit of comfort due to having less space, but “what you give up in comfort, you gain in convenience.”

Their first big trip was to the Florida Everglades for a long weekend, and they enjoyed getting to break camp to simply park the EKKO near where they would be kayaking for the day. Since their dog Charley doesn’t like the water, they were able to leave the A/C running (due to the solar setup) and knew she would be safe until they returned. 

“This house can go anywhere with you,” Marina noted. “Even with the kayak rack on the back, we can still park anywhere.”

Komal also shared about the day they got drenched unexpectedly while out exploring and how wonderful it was to go straight into their EKKO, change, and put the heat on to warm up immediately. The insulation is another huge benefit, and they are excited to know they won’t be cold if there are more weather surprises during their travels.

Join these Passionate Owners in January 2026 at the Tampa EKKO Rally!

Going to the EKKO owner rally was such an effective tool in helping Komal and Marina decide on their RV in 2025; they couldn’t wait to return next year! However, they found out that the current hosts wouldn’t be able to continue planning and were looking for someone to take it on. As they watched the weeks go by without a new host, they realized if they wanted to make sure this great tradition continued, they would need to be the ones to step up. 

Komal and Marina bravely took on this role having never been to any other rallies, aside from the few hours at the Tampa one earlier this year, but they are smart, capable women with complete confidence that it will be a great event! They have secured some exciting sponsorships and have many fun things planned for the group. 

Since they are looking at this with fresh, new eyes as first-time rally planners, they are planning some unique activities you may not have seen at a rally yet – including a fun activity for dog parents that is sure to leave everyone with big smiles! Plus, they are very excited to invite other potential owners to experience the magic of this community, like they did when searching for their RV. 

If you are a Winnebago EKKO owner or wannabe owner, be sure to join the Facebook group to learn more about the January 2026 Tampa EKKO Rally and connect with other passionate owners! One of the greatest benefits of being a Winnebago owner is having the support and camaraderie of the vibrant GoLife community (see the full list of groups and events here).

Note: The 2026 Florida RV SuperShow takes place from January 14-18 and is a great place to meet the Winnebago team and tour the newest models!