Thoughts on going bigger and trading up.
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3455
Printed Date: 16 May 2025 at 5:11pm
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Topic: Thoughts on going bigger and trading up.
Posted By: g4royce
Subject: Thoughts on going bigger and trading up.
Date Posted: 05 May 2013 at 4:27pm
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Every now and again we think of trading up to a bigger RV. Sometimes we think of just going up to a 172 or even a 171 and other times we think of getting something even bigger. We were wondering what everyone's reasons are for wanting bigger or switching models? And what are your reasons for staying with the r.pod/model you have? What we were thinking when we originally got the 152: - We would each sleep in a bunk and leave the dinette up for eating and lounging. Reality: - The dog kept on looking for the person in the top bunk, keeping the person in the lower bunk awake the whole night. - The dog, once settled in with the person on the top bunk, would want to play musical beds and sleep an hour with the person in the bottom bunk. Then the dog would forget where the person on the top bunk was.  Rinse & repeat.- All 3 of us piled into the small 152 dinette in order to get any sleep.  - Bunks were now messy open storage areas  Another peeve of ours is wet feet from the wet bath when using the loo. We wonder why there aren't any r.pods with compact dry baths? What keeps us with r.pods: + We love the back window. There are so many sites that require a back-in and the best view is out the back. We love having our breakfast in bed looking out that window. + Large tanks = less pumping & dumping. + Compact. If we went any bigger, we probably wouldn't go out as much due to increased effort to tow and cost of gas. ------------- ChaiPod 2009 RP152 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe 3.5L V6 |
Replies:
Posted By: coopercdrkey
Date Posted: 05 May 2013 at 4:45pm
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We love our 177, and the likelihood that we will trade up is small. However.... Every now and then I visit the web site for the Forest River Surveyor models- specifically the SP-220. It has several benefits, IMO. 1. A "camper queen" which is a walk-around, making it easier to make up, and does not require climbing over your sleeping partner to hit the loo. 2. A reasonably comfortable shower stall- not a wet bath. The downside includes the requirement for a beefier TV, and no R-Dome. I expect we will enjoy our 177 for a long, long time
------------- Bob and Joyce Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71 |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 May 2013 at 4:50pm
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We put a shower mat down when NOT using the shower.. keeps the floor cleaner, and your feet dryer.. The dog problem.. well.. no advice there. We tried getting them to sleep on the dinette bed.. they won't. It's just like home.. they sleep beside the bed, sometime around 6-7am, she gets in bed with us to let us know how lucky we are to get to walk them and feed them.. LOL We went down a few sizes actually.. The pod is almost half the size of our 'stream. A lot of the place we go, the 'stream is to long.. But we find the 177 is just about right.. though we ARE thinking of getting another camper, but not because of size, because of construction. (but it will be a couple feet bigger, because that is the size it comes in) ------------- |
Posted By: rpodcamper.com
Date Posted: 05 May 2013 at 9:29pm
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We have thought several times about either going larger or smaller. We have a truck camper I use when it is only me camping and had bought a 10 foot camper to refurb but the right cash offer came driving by. We tend to like and really look at the smaller units. Depends on how you plan to use it.
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Posted By: David and Danette
Date Posted: 06 May 2013 at 8:48am
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I am mostly content with our 171, but my wife would like something larger. We recently considered a larger camper and I thought several times what someone said on this forum " bigger isn't always better".I like the lite weight and small size of the Rpod's when towing. A full size bath is what I would like but can live with the wet bath. And another thing I like is the fiberglass roof the one we recently looked at had a PTO roof. After considering everything we decided to keep the Rpod for now. David
------------- 2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 06 May 2013 at 9:52am
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We just came back from our first trip for 2013 in our 171. We had not camped for years and at that time we had a 24' trailer with two boys and bunk beds in the back. Fast forward 20 years and we bought our 171 last year after seeing one in a Costco lot. Researched it and finally bought one. Just the two of us with a small dog. Our choice for the Rpod are as follows: we are both retired and although I still have a small business I can be absent for at most two weeks if I have a wifi connection for my laptop. We ordered ours without tv, antenna, etc. Did have the delivering dealer install a jack for cable tv with an adapter for the laptop. Works fine. We have a tow vehicle that is rated at 6800 lbs. So had many choices. However, I suspect that fuel prices will continue to increase as time goes on. We were also concerned about the additional weight, cost, and possible mechanical problems of a slideout. We also bring books to entertain ourselves, and spend as much time as possible outside, either walking, exploring the area in the car, or sitting outside in the trees. The very light weight, top quality construction, factory support, cost, etc. were all factors that suggested that the Rpod was the trailer of choice. On occasion I think about a larger trailer, and then remember why we bought this one. We mutter about the tiny bath, but do not spend a lot of time there. We love having a full hookup and use the shower every morning. Have seen some terrible things in public bathrooms and never use them. I do marvel while being on the road and seeing the HUGE fifth wheel trailers that people drag around. Looking at those very high fronts make we wonder about mileage even thought they are all pulled by a diesel engined truck. Diesel engine add another $5K to the price of a truck. Thanks, but no thanks. Thats my two cents. Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 06 May 2013 at 9:21pm
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Camper Bob summed it up perfect. My Idea of moving up is to go from a RP-172 to a RP-177 so we can have the slide and the queen bed is in the back and we don't have to make the dinette into a bed. we have the bunks but someone has to climb up and get down in the middle of the night. It would be nice to have a dry bath. ------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 May 2013 at 10:13pm
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Same as many points above, I really want a walk-around queen and dry bath. I also hate the A/C in the pods. We've considered the Z-1 line (way too cheaply made), and the Visa line (still like it) but are sticking with the pod at this point because of all the home projects going on. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 06 May 2013 at 10:39pm
Although I'm happy with my RPOD at the moment, at some point, I'm sure that I'll be looking for a larger trailer. I'm not quite sure where I'll be in five years - I may want to stay put in an RV park, or I may want to travel for 3-4 weeks at a time (probably a bit of both). Anyway, for my next trailer, here's my wish list:
I've been looking at used Airstreams lately and thinking of gutting one as a summer project. But, we'll see. I'm not ready to trade in the RPOD quite yet... ------------- Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150 |