Scott85
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- Nov 22, 2018
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If we don’t have to run the AC it will last forever. Everything is wired to the inverter which is a 3000 watts, makes things nice.
Campers
- Thread starter Sytes
- Start date
SD_Prairie_Goat
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Looks like a great camper. I've been kicking around upgrading mine for years now, and if I did that floor plan is fantasticFIL is a guru regarding travel trailers - RV's.
Following pre-covid camper/travel trailer builds, due to COVID shortages causing companies to reduce quality and staffing issues that caused less than stellar builds, we stayed 2019 and earlier.
Kept with higher listed companies, rack and pinion slide out(s), aluminum frame, non ridge sided trailers, we found this 2018 Forest River Micro Lite. 22' from tongue to bumper.
Has a murphy queen with a slide out U shape dinette. Awning over the slide out along with a main door side awning.
View attachment 339448
View attachment 339449
Triphow(edit: google changed word to "how") home was great. Learned a ton and a ton more to learn...
Such as have the black water valve closed BEFORE opening the cap to hook up the septic sleeve.I WILL NOT forget that one again along with latex gloves.
BigHornRam
Well-known member
My 19 foot trailer is a Rockwood too. It has a 220 amp solar panel charging 2 100 amp lithium batteries. It's going to be my home away from home this fall while building a shop. After 4 days, I finally had to boost the batteries with a generator, and used the microwave at lunch. Sara thinks it beats camping out in a tent!
That's our next plan. Basically, what you currently have for solar and batteries.
Nice setup! Those Geo Pros have great floorplans for single axle weight/size!
Thanks. Reviewing the countless floorplans, we narrowed down our criteria and this floorplan constantly remained our favorite.
We walked numerous trailers at Blue Compass, Camping World, Wilkins RV, and the non stop other smaller locations located on RVTrader.com we really liked the usable space, U shape dinette slide out, couch convert to queen murphy bed, double sink, metal faucets, porcelain toilet, good size fridge and various cabinet space.
A few interior pics:
We bought a new 27' Crossroads Zinger to live in (7 months) while we were doing a major home remodel. Set it up in the barn and hooked up utilities.
Total P.O.S. Had at least a half dozen things go wrong with the brand new camper, microwave quit, water heater quit, paneling coming loose from ceiling, Thermostat for HVAC went bad, etc., etc.
Would have really sucked to have been out traveling and have this stuff happen. It may have fell apart trailering it down the road as cheaply as they are built?
Took nearly a 50% Loss when selling the thing too, and took quite a while to sell it with zero over the road miles. Was thrilled to see that P.O.S. going out the driveway. Based on this experience, I would never buy another new one. Get one 4-5 years old that someone has used a bit and worked the bugs out of. You'll also save a bunch of $$ on the purchase price.
Total P.O.S. Had at least a half dozen things go wrong with the brand new camper, microwave quit, water heater quit, paneling coming loose from ceiling, Thermostat for HVAC went bad, etc., etc.
Would have really sucked to have been out traveling and have this stuff happen. It may have fell apart trailering it down the road as cheaply as they are built?
Took nearly a 50% Loss when selling the thing too, and took quite a while to sell it with zero over the road miles. Was thrilled to see that P.O.S. going out the driveway. Based on this experience, I would never buy another new one. Get one 4-5 years old that someone has used a bit and worked the bugs out of. You'll also save a bunch of $$ on the purchase price.
In preparation for retirement my wife and I bought a brand new 2021 Flagstaff Microlite 25FBLS. Everyone said buy one a couple of years old but we had been that route and opted for new. Have since made 3 roundtrips California to Michigan plus a few local trips. No issues with the trailer except for the nuts coming off the brake backing plate 30 miles East of Sidney Nebraska on our 3rd round trip return journey. Axles will be replaced under warranty.
Avoid "stick and tin" construction at all cost and opt for aluminum framing with bonded walls like Rockwood and Flagstaff use. Cost does not necessarily equate to quality but it does come in to the equation at some point.
Avoid "stick and tin" construction at all cost and opt for aluminum framing with bonded walls like Rockwood and Flagstaff use. Cost does not necessarily equate to quality but it does come in to the equation at some point.
FairWeather
Well-known member
Has anyone used a 4wheel camper slide in? I’m considering one, but after reading these experiences with pop-up campers, I’m wondering how much they suffer from the same downfalls. Namely water repellency and heat retention.
JC, I like the GFC approach. Welcome to Camp Bougie. My GFC on a 1794 Tundra 4x4…in this case it’s at the end of the Trans Taiga highway. I’m really looking forward to 20 nights of hunting with it. I am truly amazed at how well this thing sleeps.
Where did you get an insulation kit? I haven’t found one yet.
Where did you get an insulation kit? I haven’t found one yet.
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shrapnel
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- Aug 27, 2015
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There are dozens of options for mobile campers. The pop up camper is a great idea when you don’t want to get into it. Popping it up and down gets old quick.
Hard side campers are much more convenient, the perception of economic savings of a low profile will fade fast once you experience the room and convenience.
It is hard to believe that you can get a queen bed, refrigerator, clothes closet, sink, stove, microwave, dining table, shower and toilet all in the back of a pickup, but you can.
You can pull a boat or atv trailer behind and nothing is impossible…
PS buy used and you can get a lot more for your money…
FairWeather
Well-known member
Oh I’m aware, I used to have one and it was awesome. But, this time around I’m more interested in this model. The idea would be to leave it on full time.
I like you can still use the truck bed, same as a normal hard cover, and you get the bed over the cab so it’s not taking up space in the bed itself. No frills, not really any electrical to get messed up, just a place to sleep that’s more secure and more insulated than a tent.
fleabagmatt
Well-known member
Tell me about that sunshade thingy you're standing under. Something like that would be slick for my van.
Sure.
I “think” it’s this: https://www.rei.com/product/227905/rei-co-op-trailgate-shelter. It was called the Tailgater I think…or something…I got it on clearance and this is obviously a newer version, not that I can find a difference.
Basically, it’s a super lightweight sunshade/canopy. The back end zips completely open allowing wind to pass through the back. It has one large metal frame-pole and otherwise stakes down. The “front” end ties to a roof rack or some other points. My camper has a number of tie points so I used them.
I had totally mixed feelings on this when I bought it. Except it was on clearance at the time for $75. I figured “what the heck, why not”. It was cheap enough to take a risk.
The whole thing is actually longer and wider than I expected…about 10’ long and 6’ wide. Lots of space under it.
That night, while cooking it mist-rained. You know what I mean. Kinda but not quite rain but the wind carried it all over. With my wife and I snugged into the back, we were dry and enjoyed a nice dinner. While cooking I did have to set up a windbreak to keep the stove from blowing out…but that’s not the fault of the canopy. It did keep the rain off my head…and it was totally perfect in the morning with a light mist and no wind.
At night, I opened the back completely and rolled it up to the top. With the back opened, the wind sailed through the canopy with the winds blowing probably up to 20 mph all night. None of the stakes blew free…but I was also using some pretty serious 12” heavy duty stakes instead of the factory ones.
If I have complaints they are not the fault of the canopy. Side protection to block a bit of rain…that would be nice…but hey, it’s a canopy, not a tent. So that’s on me. It’s not a hard stretch to see how a light sil-tarp could be made to work.
My other complaint is that it’s a tad finicky to set up. Easier with two people…sure. I suspect with a bit of practice I could figure out the optimal means to do it. But hey, it was up in about 8 minutes with my wife’s help. So that’s not bad, given it was only our second time trying to set it up.
It also packs down reasonably small. About the size of a 2-man tent from a packing perspective.
Now, the rest of the story. I’d originally packed it as kind of an emergency sorta tarp. I have a large 6.5 foot heavy duty awning on the side of the truck and the associated snap in cabin tent. Or, to be specific…I would have, if I’d not left the darn awning back at home by accident. We did pack the cabin tent…which is a huge bundle in a stuff back. I don’t know why I threw the Canopy in the back but I did. It was kind of this “eh, truck. We have tons of room” mentality.
In the end, I’m pretty darn glad I packed it. It worked out well.
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