Looking at a Rockwood 2280

[Mike_Up]

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.

[Mike_Up]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.