Forum Discussion

Mike_Up's avatar
Mike_Up
Explorer
Aug 25, 2018

Looking at a Rockwood 2280

I was thinking about getting the Rockwood 2318G but noticed all dealers option it without the toilet, but with extra cabinetry.

I did some more research and found out why. There's literally no storage with this camper. It only has one storage door over furnace, one silverware drawer under stove, very limited storage under sink, and 1 additional storage door next to toilet, .

One dinette seat is taken up by the water heater, so an additional "1" dinette seat, very minimal storage in the other dinette seat, and very low storage under sofa with 2 small doors.

The 2280 has one silverware drawer under stove, very limited storage under sink, very low storage under sofa with 2 small doors, and 1 additional storage door next to toilet that the 2318G had.

Also has both dinette seats available for full storage. Plus has another storage door over water heat, and a storage door next to the water heater.

So to gain more storage and traveling floor space for closed up storage, the 2280 makes a lot more sense. I'm not going to live in the camper, only sleep in it and be there for poor weather.

The Premier models just had to little cargo carrying capacity, were longer closed than I wanted for future garage storage, and were quite a bit more expensive than the 2280.

Now I know most RV are built like **** and others have pointed out a lot of small issues with their Forest River campers but I'd like to do a comparison poll of quality of Rockoods/Flagstaffs vs the competition. I can say loudly that the Rockwood pop ups were much better built than the Jaycos in every way and were cheaper and more optioned.

Not much else out there other than Clipper/Viking near me. Somerset doesn't even sell campers anywhere within a day drive of me. And I really need a good A/C for me as I don't do good in the heat, and need a shower/toilet for my daughter.

With model years of 2016, 2017, 2018, and now the 2019s, has anyone had any major issues structure, body, or appliance wise? I know the refrigerators aren't installed correctly in any pop up as they have no open space above for air circulation.

I still have to make a decision with my wife as she thinks that campers are just garbage and we should just hang it up on them.

Thanks for more insight.
Folding Trailers
  • PAThwacker's avatar
    PAThwacker
    Explorer
    Oct 03, 2018
    Great news Mike. We are both a select few that went from pup to tt and then revert back to pups. I wish you good luck with the 14 footer low wall. Research the beaver tree camp kitchen chuckbox. That will consolidate all cookware and service for 4 and keeps it all outside of the pup. You tote it in truck and clean and restock it instead popping up and down. I don’t even pop mine up before trips. I keep food frozen or just run the fridge on propane empty for a few days and freezer bag food. Fabric shelving forest river used is useless. Just do the suspension rod shelving mod.
    Clothing storage I use a cabelas folding dresser.
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Oct 02, 2018
    SoundGuy wrote:
    Mike Up wrote:
    Well, I made a deal.

    I traded in my Jay Flight 26BH on a 2019 Rockwood Premier 2716G that has a 14' box and shower and toilet.


    CONGRATS Mike! :B You've been thinking about moving back to a popup for some time now, according to this discussion you started back in the spring. Hopefully this will be the answer you've been looking for to all the complications & expenses you had with your travel trailer. :)


    Thanks, it's great not to have the 29' headache in the yard anymore.

    Prices were still expensive but the quality of these units went way up from what I could see and they have so many new features such as power roof lift, aluminum wheels, Wifi extender, pre-wiring for solar power, large door grab handle(like on my TT), water filtration system and roof crossbars.

    Getting the 2716G sure made me feel better about the extra cost considering the fiberglass sidewall, front diamond plate, glass top stove, 14' box, inside stereo w/outdoor speaker, additional hanging wardrobe, hanger bracket, additional bunkend fan lights, real jack knife sofa, torsion axle, slightly larger refrigerator, and slightly higher side walls.

    As far as the extra expense, as others have mentioned labor must be more on these campers. I know my Jay Flights had inexpensive materials used to premake the walls, where the trailer was assembled with all these premade walls and roof. The Pop Up has the expensive lift system, the tent is likely more expensive with the labor to sew it, confirm fit, then install it.

    After having to fix my travel trailer again, ridding myself of it couldn't come fast enough.

    The 2716G is actually bigger and more open inside than the travel trailer, mainly due to it's large 80" wide by 2.5' deep slide out.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Oct 02, 2018
    Mike Up wrote:
    Well, I made a deal.

    I traded in my Jay Flight 26BH on a 2019 Rockwood Premier 2716G that has a 14' box and shower and toilet.


    CONGRATS Mike! :B You've been thinking about moving back to a popup for some time now, according to this discussion you started back in the spring. Hopefully this will be the answer you've been looking for to all the complications & expenses you had with your travel trailer. :)
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Oct 02, 2018
    Well, I made a deal.

    I traded in my Jay Flight 26BH on a 2019 Rockwood Premier 2716G that has a 14' box and shower and toilet.

    It has a lot of storage and cabinet top space along with the shower/toilet.

    Dealer made me a deal I couldn't pass on. He had this on the lot. They just received the 2716G this week, so he gave me a better deal than what he was going to do ordering a Freedom 2318G.

    Some pics of the actual camper I bought.
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Sep 29, 2018
    Well I'm almost a new pop up owner.

    I did go look at the Jayco 12SC since dealer had one in. I just can't believe how down hill they went while Rockwood really got so much better since 2005. The 12SC slide was very shallow compared to the much deeper Rockwood slides and the whole camper was cheaply made.

    I'll likely be putting the deal together next week either deciding on the Rockwood Freedom (12' box) 2318G with Toilet, Roof Power Lift, Dual propane tanks, and just about every option or the bigger (14' box) Rockwood Premier 2716G with all the same option and more.

    Most likely the 2318G since it's shorter and more garage friendly and tent site friendly. I use to put my Starcraft 12' box 2406 into tent sites all the time. It also has much more payload where the 2716G which has only about 100 lbs of payload after water tanks are full, and you add AC and battery. This is important as these campers have roof racks for adding bikes and cargo carries. I wouldn't be able to really use it on the 2716G. The 2318G also has a tongue weight of over 100 lbs lighter than the 2716G which is important because I don't want to use a Weight Distributing Hitch. The 2716G could be pushing close to 450 lbs loaded. Oh yeah, over $2K cheaper as well.

    The 2716G is nice as it's 2' larger, has a 2.5 CF refrigerator (adds this extra .5 CF with a deeper refrigerator for added shelves in the door). Also has fiberglass walls, stereo and outdoor speaker, additional hanging soft wardrobe, and ceiling hanger brackets, glass top stove, an outdoor accessible mini fridge with ice cube tray shelf) and a torsion axle (which is likely the reason for the poor payload capacity).

    Overall, the 2318G just seems the better buy for easier towing with the light tongue weight, easier storage, easier on the wallet, and a bit more simple. BUT if the 2716G deal is better, it may offset the negatives.
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Sep 01, 2018
    Actually went to look again and found out that the 2318G has more storage room as the 2280 dinette has no storage at all in one of it's dinette seats and is screwed closed to house converter and other wiring.

    Also the one storage area over hot water heater is just a silverware drawer as the 2318G is a large and wide storage area. So the 2318G actually has sightly more storage. So I'll be going for the 2318G.


    The pic and video are 2018s, I'd be getting a 2019.

    Here's a pic from Rockwoods website of the 2318G


    Here's a video
    Video
  • Mike_Up's avatar
    Mike_Up
    Explorer
    Aug 28, 2018
    Unfortunately the new Jayco pop ups are such garbage, I can't even bring myself to consider them.

    The new 2018 and 2019s were very impressive from Rockwood.

    I searched and no dealers have any Vikings or Clippers around me.

    I got my wife's endorsement for the new camper, I'm just having trouble deciding to trade or just sell and forget about camping all together.
  • PAThwacker's avatar
    PAThwacker
    Explorer
    Aug 27, 2018
    Hi Mike My old flagstaff 625d was the wet bath no inside storage model. It sucked. My 1206 Jayco non bath is so much better layout and potties shower is outside in privy tent.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Aug 26, 2018
    Hmmm....a Forest River product. Have you asked Charlie and Warren if this is the quality they expect from their new investment? Ask them to send the Gecko to check on it.

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