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Anyone with an R-Pod

Travel Trailer R-Pod

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#1 park

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Posted 17 November 2015 - 10:41 PM

Am thinking of getting a small R-Pod.  Heading down to Fla in the middle of Dec and was thinking of leaving the FWC behind on this run.  Was wondering if anyone on the forum has any experience with one.  Pro's and Con's would be appreciated.

 

 


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#2 GroovyDad

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Posted 17 November 2015 - 11:14 PM

Just my two cents worth, but...

 

I had a Heartland MPG, which is the exact floorplan, size, weight, etc. of the R-Pod, in fact Forrest River sued Heartland for copying their design.

 

Attached File  mpg.jpg   4.17K   52 downloads

 

I sold mine in favor of a pop up truck camper and I'm so glad I did.  I don't miss the trailer AT ALL.  Pulling a trailer was a royal pain in the a$$.  My Tacoma was really working for a living pulling it and my gas mileage was horrible.  Parking was a hassle, campgrounds costly (esp. full hook-ups) and I spent most of the time outside anyway.  

 

If it were me, I'd go in my pop up and when I really wanted a few more amenities, I'd check in to a motel along the way; you'll still be way ahead financially rather than buying an R-Pod.

 

 


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#3 busboy66

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Posted 17 November 2015 - 11:26 PM

Hi Park,

 

I seriously considered the R-Pod. I liked the layout options and they are fairly light.

Then I looked at one. I found the build quality to be poor, the interior fit and finish was terrible.

 

I would suggest a Livin Lite Bearcat - they are lighter, contain no wood, all aluminum frame, off road capable and I think at a better price point than the R-Pod. American RV in Tigard, OR have them (FWC's as well)


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#4 longhorn1

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 02:47 AM

Park,  Check these out.

 

http://www.golittleguy.com/

 

Little Guy - Tear Drop campers are made by the Amish in Ohio.  The are aluminum frame and fiberglass shell.  The larger one has inside shower.  They have air conditioning, The rear opens to 2 burner stove, fridge and sink.  Everything I have heard points to FWC quality and not real expensive.  You can get solar, one battery and tent accessories.  They operate through a network of distributors like FWC.  I spoke with our local distributor.  If I hadn't bought a FWC i might have looked into these.  jd


Edited by longhorn1, 18 November 2015 - 02:47 AM.

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#5 park

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 04:35 AM

All valid points here.  Sometimes I think I want one and then I think about the gas mileage, restrictions on places I can stealth camp, etc., etc..  I keep going back and forth on it.  I did have a teardrop years ago and didn't like it.  I want something you can stand up in. Still undecided if I'm going to go with a small travel trailer or not.  Decisions, decisions.


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#6 Foy

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 11:36 AM

A friend in Bozeman, MT had decided upon an R-Pod to tow behind his Taco, and when he saw our hardside A-Frame popup back in July, he admitted a bit of second-guessing.  He had not then taken delivery of his R-Pod but now he has and is happy with it.

 

The A-Liner brand and our Rockwood knockoff are light in weight.  Ours is a Rockwood A127TH, so due to the toy-hauler platform it's got 5' more length, over 500 lbs more weight, and is a certified PITN to get into tight spots.  The models with short platforms/storage boxes, or with nothing forward, are in the 1,600-1,800 lb dry weight range and are much easier to maneuver.  Pretty much all of the Rockwood models feature: Full stand-up height, inside gas stovetop, 3 way fridge, microwave, Cool-Cat A/C-heat pump, propane furnace, 6 gallon propane water heater, 23 gallon water tank, 15" wheels, AT tires, and a good 18" clearance all around.  Ours has a queen-size bed and a dinette convertible to a double bed. We tow ours with a F350 diesel, but only because we already had it.  Could very readily tow with a Taco or an F150 lightweight fullsize.

 

We are happier with the ability to drop the trailer and run the truck alone for day-trips.  We decided we'd have to have A/C for overnights at low elevation and for overnight stops on our trips out and back to Montana from NC.

 

Foy


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#7 park

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 06:34 PM

Going to look at the Bearcat models.  After reviewing on the internet, they look pretty sweet.

 

I had an A-Liner once as well and didn't like it all.  I thought it was poorly designed and I didn't like the floorplan.  Lots of wasted space in my opinion.  Plus, it leaked and after owning it about a year had nothing but problems with it.  Sold it the first chance I got.


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#8 longhorn1

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 09:58 PM

Park,  The New Tear Drop T & B M@X CS-S has inside shower and toilet and the T & B M@X CS w/o shower toilet, Interior height is 69"


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#9 park

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 10:03 PM

Park,  The New Tear Drop T & B M@X CS-S has inside shower and toilet and the T & B M@X CS w/o shower toilet, Interior height is 69"

 

Problem is I'm 73" tall.  Plus those things are way overpriced for what they are.


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#10 Tuff Guy 62

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Posted 21 November 2015 - 07:34 PM

We looked at travel trailers really hard before finally deciding to go with a slide-in pop up truck camper. R-Pods, Little Guy tear drops, SoCal Teardrops, T@B, T@G, Castita, Scamp, A-Liner you name it, we checked them out.

 

I really thought that the R-Pod would be a best first until I checked them out. Interior fit and finish is really poor and appears to be cheaply made IMHO. If I were to go with a TT I would only consider a fiberglass egg such a Casita, Scamp, or Escape.

 

Another pretty bullet-proof unit that we liked was the Cricket Trailer. Interior looks more the the inside of a CH-46 helicopter, but there ultralight weight and can be towed pretty much anywhere.

 

http://crickettrailer.com/


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