We've had the GD 23BHE for a year now and tow it with an Expedition (2018 w/ tow package) and it has no problem going up and down the Eisenhower tunnel. This trailer is perfect for our family of 4.
@@Alex_3311DesignCo The payload on my 2018 Expedition Max is 1628. I went with the max for the longer wheelbase. We also went with the expedition over a F150 so we had a 3rd row for kids friends. Payload is enough for 2 adults 4 kids and gear but I don't bring water in the tanks. I've now done almost 7K miles in the past two years with the trailer and had no issues. All miles out west and countless mountain passes. The 10 speed transmission on the 2018-newer is awesome, as well as the backup assist.
@@jeatonj excellent. I don’t need the third row forget them friends lol. But also plan on never boondocking so don’t see myself traveling with water. I appreciate your response on this older video.
clifford morgan I’ll agree to disagree. The trailer you mention is almost 32ft long. A huge advantage of this trailer is it’s length (28ft). Less lateral drag equals less sway which is a major factor when towing with a 1/2 ton.
@@WanderingWeekends I tow mine with a 1/2 ton with no problems but I do use sway bars. You are correct though the length could be a factor for some. Just thought I would mention it as I believe it is a grate value for the money. Solid build materials all aluminum structures on good I beams w/Azdel walls. Love your videos!
I have a toyota tundra platinum 4x4 truck to pull with that is rated to tow 8800 lbs, payload of 1530 and cgvwr of 16000 lbs. It will be me, my wife, and our 1 year old wanting to buy a travel trailer. I know my truck will pull the 23bhe but in your opinion is it too long? Just want to get what my truck can handle, especially when its windy on the highway.Thanks in advance. Great video. More half ton travel trailer reviews👍
I think you'll be fine. Grab a BlueOx or Equalizer WDH (ProPride or Hensley if you have $$ to spare) and sway won't be a real issue. You'll feel it back there some but it shouldn't give you any white knuckle experiences. It is definitely the longest I would go with any half-ton setup. If you like something smaller the towing experience will only get better. I really liked this floorplan/setup when we saw it.
Thanks. I really appreciate the info. I feel like the dealerships might mislead me on size of trailer to buy. I am all about safety, especially with your wife and kids. Do you think i should also get sumo springs, rear air bags, or roadmaster active suspension to accompany the weight distribution hitch?
Nice layout for a half ton. I will say from experience that tongue weight should be no less than 10% of total trailer weight so looking more like 700# than 500#. And, @ 27' sway will be an issue for a half ton. I don't mean to be a downer but it's hard to get a clear picture in the RV world of ACTUAL performance over STATED performance. Great video guys!
I'll have to disagree. A good WDH with sway control and most half-tons shouldn't have any problems at all with this rig. Weight generally isn't the issue these days. It's the length and lateral drag these 35ft trailers are producing. I think half-tons are good up to about 28ft... after that the tail may wag the dog a bit.
I'm sorry, I thought it was a 27' CAB sized trailer but it's overall length is 27'. A half ton should be able to handle that. My trailer was billed as half ton towable but at 33' overall (29' CAB) it wasn't 1/2 ton friendly. The Ram would do it but struggled and the sway even through 2 friction sway bars made for white knuckles frequently. It IS not so much the weight but the ARM of that big lever (trailer) that gave us fits.
@@WanderingWeekends so basic toe packaged f150 for example should do the trick here? Finding the right setup with right rear end and all that is key and doing my homework is essential. Seeing as the truck would also become my daily driver I rather have a half ton than a 3/4
Is this really realistic to tow with an 1/2 truck? Lord willing my wife and I really hope to purchase this camper and then later on purchase the truck what are some things that we would have to look out for in the truck? Really we could use a lot of advice and we thank you for your time.
I wouldn’t hesitate. 7k lbs is nothing for today’s half tons. Length of the trailer and the lateral drag produced by longer sidewalls is what has a 1/2 ton dancing around. The length of this trailer should be fine for a longer wheelbase 1/2 ton truck.
Funny you say that. We were just talking last trip how we never use the “u” part of the dinette. This setup would make more sense for us. Everyone thinks a bit differently. Cheers.
Glad to see they've finally gotten away from all the fake black leather couches and black appliances. Wondering if they offer a second AC for the bedroom. Nice rig. Thank you.
i am looking at a camper to full time with my husband we have a ram 1500 himi quad cab i was wondering if you could maybe look at a grand design imagine 2250 rk and give you pros and cons?i understand if you can not we have only tent camped with civil war reenactments
@@WanderingWeekends trailer is uvw 5497, hitch is 515 , gvwr 6995 I know my truck pulled 9000 full weight I was talking about what would be you thought on your likes and dislikes on it at you opinion?
Loving all your videos. My husband and I are just getting started and we can’t wait. We have a 2016 Toyota Tundra with tow package and we were hoping to get the Imagine 2800 BH. After watching this video we became concerned. Do you think that is too much to tow? Did you have bad experiences towing it with you F150? Do you think we need to get smaller? Any help you can offer would be much appreciated. Thanks again.
I wouldn't tow the 2800 much with a Tundra. Tundras are notorious for low payload capacities and the lateral drag the 2800 produces is going to dance the tail of the truck around a bit. Some may suggest a Hensley or ProPride hitch to band-aid your situation but those hitches won't help stop or maneuver the trailer in an emergency. I'd suggest a 3/4 ton truck for the 2800. We appreciate you guys watching the channel! Feel free to reach out anytime!
You really have to look at the number if you truck. My Dodge Ram 1500 advertises at max tow capacity for 10,000. But when you dive deeper for my exact truck it only 7200 pounds. So this model would be the max I would consider.
We have a 2018 F150 5.0 v8. The tow rating is 9100 lbs and payload is 1792 lbs. We looked at the GD 2800 initially but decided to go with the Imagine 2400BH. We are empty nesters but wanted the bunks for occasions when the grand kids go camping with us. We have the theater seat dinette vs u-shape dinette. The 2400BH is 1 ft longer than the Imagine XLS 23BHE and 400 lbs heavier UVW. The real tongue weight is closer to 750 lbs vs state 505 lbs on my 2400BH when loaded for camping. We are very careful how we load our trailer and truck to keep payload of truck below 1700 lbs. The truck does okay but the payload and overall truck weight of an F150 is a disadvantage. We will probably look to upgrade our truck to a 3/4 ton model in a few years when we retire and start doing longer extended camping trips. BTW a good WD hitch and a properly set trailer brake controller is a must for either of these trailers. As long as you know your numbers and stay within manufacturer GVWR specs of the trailer/truck you will be fine with a F150 with good towing package. Don't be in a hurry....we keep top speed at 65mph towing ours. Enjoy and happy camping.
Is the floor construction on the XLS different from the regular Imagine? I watched a video that described it as being very similar to that of the side-walls to save on weight. Thanks.
Great question! I reached out to the director of the Imagine line. Here are some details from the horses mouth. "I LOVE when this question comes up. It puts a huge smile on my face. I love to use our tag line…“Light weight without compromise”. XLS is built exactly like STD Imagine. Now, they are smaller floorplans and the slide boxes (21BHE N/A) are shallower than Imagine.
-Same floor (laminated), front wall, rear wall (laminated), roof, and slidebox endwalls (laminated) construction -Same factory installed ladder to the fully walk-able roof
Main exterior differences -Fiberglass cap on STD Imagine vs. metal front -Drop frame pass-thru storage with slam baggage doors vs. standard pass-thru with thumb latches -MoRryde Step Above steps vs. Triple Aluminum steps
Interior -Same furniture (Theater seating if floorplan calls for it) -Same thickness dinette cushions but XLS has a different design for the base -Same countertops, faucet, cabinets, hardware, microwave, ovens, bedroom mattress, bunk mats, etc." I hope this was helpful!
Question for you since you have same tt as me. Our rear spray port only has pressure sometimes. Is it controlled be the front spray port valves? Sorry for the question here. Don't have FB.
I need 4 bunks. I have 3 teens and one adult child. But our truck is a half ton. My kids can't share beds. Also yuck I hate the style. I want beautiful maple wood snd white stone counters. I wonder if they could change it. I don't like it to look like I'm living in Montana.
The Imagine 2400BH is another great choice in their line. If you willing to look beyond GD the Rockwood Mini Light 2509S has an even better layout with its Murphy Bed.
Kinda wish I saw this before going with the 26DBH. This would make me a little more comfortable
We've had the GD 23BHE for a year now and tow it with an Expedition (2018 w/ tow package) and it has no problem going up and down the Eisenhower tunnel. This trailer is perfect for our family of 4.
What’s the payload on that expedition? I like this layout for my family and would be getting a tow package half ton.
@@Alex_3311DesignCo The payload on my 2018 Expedition Max is 1628. I went with the max for the longer wheelbase. We also went with the expedition over a F150 so we had a 3rd row for kids friends. Payload is enough for 2 adults 4 kids and gear but I don't bring water in the tanks. I've now done almost 7K miles in the past two years with the trailer and had no issues. All miles out west and countless mountain passes. The 10 speed transmission on the 2018-newer is awesome, as well as the backup assist.
@@jeatonj excellent. I don’t need the third row forget them friends lol. But also plan on never boondocking so don’t see myself traveling with water. I appreciate your response on this older video.
This is perfect for my camping needs. What a practical and very nice looking camping trailer. I like it.
I love the look & layout of this travel tailor! This is perfect for my small family, outdoor kitchen is a definite must for me
Love the outdoor kitchen... smelling up the campsite with bacon is a favorite hobby!
Have that very unit and it's been a gem so far! Ram 2500 doesn't know it's there.
That’s a sharp little camper. Great for families just starting out. Thanks again.
Nice little upgrades throughout for sure.
If you like this, check out Apex 288bhs. Similar weight, and layout but more room.
clifford morgan I’ll agree to disagree. The trailer you mention is almost 32ft long. A huge advantage of this trailer is it’s length (28ft). Less lateral drag equals less sway which is a major factor when towing with a 1/2 ton.
@@WanderingWeekends I tow mine with a 1/2 ton with no problems but I do use sway bars. You are correct though the length could be a factor for some. Just thought I would mention it as I believe it is a grate value for the money. Solid build materials all aluminum structures on good I beams w/Azdel walls. Love your videos!
@@cliffordmorgan4222 absolutely! Love our comment section for the resources others bring. Keep em coming!!!
I have a toyota tundra platinum 4x4 truck to pull with that is rated to tow 8800 lbs, payload of 1530 and cgvwr of 16000 lbs. It will be me, my wife, and our 1 year old wanting to buy a travel trailer. I know my truck will pull the 23bhe but in your opinion is it too long? Just want to get what my truck can handle, especially when its windy on the highway.Thanks in advance. Great video. More half ton travel trailer reviews👍
I think you'll be fine. Grab a BlueOx or Equalizer WDH (ProPride or Hensley if you have $$ to spare) and sway won't be a real issue. You'll feel it back there some but it shouldn't give you any white knuckle experiences. It is definitely the longest I would go with any half-ton setup. If you like something smaller the towing experience will only get better. I really liked this floorplan/setup when we saw it.
Thanks. I really appreciate the info. I feel like the dealerships might mislead me on size of trailer to buy. I am all about safety, especially with your wife and kids. Do you think i should also get sumo springs, rear air bags, or roadmaster active suspension to accompany the weight distribution hitch?
Nice layout for a half ton. I will say from experience that tongue weight should be no less than 10% of total trailer weight so looking more like 700# than 500#. And, @ 27' sway will be an issue for a half ton. I don't mean to be a downer but it's hard to get a clear picture in the RV world of ACTUAL performance over STATED performance. Great video guys!
I tow a 27 ft Coachman and have little to no issues with sway. Don't even use friction sway control.
I'll have to disagree. A good WDH with sway control and most half-tons shouldn't have any problems at all with this rig. Weight generally isn't the issue these days. It's the length and lateral drag these 35ft trailers are producing. I think half-tons are good up to about 28ft... after that the tail may wag the dog a bit.
I'm sorry, I thought it was a 27' CAB sized trailer but it's overall length is 27'. A half ton should be able to handle that. My trailer was billed as half ton towable but at 33' overall (29' CAB) it wasn't 1/2 ton friendly. The Ram would do it but struggled and the sway even through 2 friction sway bars made for white knuckles frequently. It IS not so much the weight but the ARM of that big lever (trailer) that gave us fits.
I agree 33ft is 3/4 ton territory for sure.
@@WanderingWeekends so basic toe packaged f150 for example should do the trick here? Finding the right setup with right rear end and all that is key and doing my homework is essential. Seeing as the truck would also become my daily driver I rather have a half ton than a 3/4
Is this really realistic to tow with an 1/2 truck? Lord willing my wife and I really hope to purchase this camper and then later on purchase the truck what are some things that we would have to look out for in the truck? Really we could use a lot of advice and we thank you for your time.
Absolutely! I would go any larger but this one will be just fine with any 4 door 1/2 tons.
@@WanderingWeekends with the GVWR being 6995 is it unsafe to tow because we want to tow through Colorado if possible
I wouldn’t hesitate. 7k lbs is nothing for today’s half tons. Length of the trailer and the lateral drag produced by longer sidewalls is what has a 1/2 ton dancing around. The length of this trailer should be fine for a longer wheelbase 1/2 ton truck.
@@WanderingWeekends what about used f150 when you say today do you mean like 2019 and older or say a 2015 with a tow package
Another great tour, The only thing I don't like is the only seating is the dinette. Thanks for sharing.
The Rockwood 2509S is the perfect half ton travel trailer. A bunk house without a slide and U dinette just doesn’t make sense.
Funny you say that. We were just talking last trip how we never use the “u” part of the dinette. This setup would make more sense for us. Everyone thinks a bit differently. Cheers.
Nice work on the review!
I appreciate that. Trying to simply highlight... short and sweet.
Glad to see they've finally gotten away from all the fake black leather couches and black appliances. Wondering if they offer a second AC for the bedroom. Nice rig. Thank you.
i am looking at a camper to full time with my husband we have a ram 1500 himi quad cab i was wondering if you could maybe look at a grand design imagine 2250 rk and give you pros and cons?i understand if you can not we have only tent camped with civil war reenactments
It's hard to say with so many variables. What does your payload look like? It will be stated on a yellow sticker inside your drivers side door panel.
@@WanderingWeekends trailer is uvw 5497, hitch is 515 , gvwr 6995
I know my truck pulled 9000 full weight I was talking about what would be you thought on your likes and dislikes on it at you opinion?
Loving all your videos. My husband and I are just getting started and we can’t wait. We have a 2016 Toyota Tundra with tow package and we were hoping to get the Imagine 2800 BH. After watching this video we became concerned. Do you think that is too much to tow? Did you have bad experiences towing it with you F150? Do you think we need to get smaller? Any help you can offer would be much appreciated. Thanks again.
I wouldn't tow the 2800 much with a Tundra. Tundras are notorious for low payload capacities and the lateral drag the 2800 produces is going to dance the tail of the truck around a bit. Some may suggest a Hensley or ProPride hitch to band-aid your situation but those hitches won't help stop or maneuver the trailer in an emergency. I'd suggest a 3/4 ton truck for the 2800. We appreciate you guys watching the channel! Feel free to reach out anytime!
Wandering Weekends thank you so much for the reply!
You really have to look at the number if you truck. My Dodge Ram 1500 advertises at max tow capacity for 10,000. But when you dive deeper for my exact truck it only 7200 pounds. So this model would be the max I would consider.
We have a 2018 F150 5.0 v8. The tow rating is 9100 lbs and payload is 1792 lbs. We looked at the GD 2800 initially but decided to go with the Imagine 2400BH. We are empty nesters but wanted the bunks for occasions when the grand kids go camping with us. We have the theater seat dinette vs u-shape dinette. The 2400BH is 1 ft longer than the Imagine XLS 23BHE and 400 lbs heavier UVW. The real tongue weight is closer to 750 lbs vs state 505 lbs on my 2400BH when loaded for camping. We are very careful how we load our trailer and truck to keep payload of truck below 1700 lbs. The truck does okay but the payload and overall truck weight of an F150 is a disadvantage. We will probably look to upgrade our truck to a 3/4 ton model in a few years when we retire and start doing longer extended camping trips. BTW a good WD hitch and a properly set trailer brake controller is a must for either of these trailers. As long as you know your numbers and stay within manufacturer GVWR specs of the trailer/truck you will be fine with a F150 with good towing package. Don't be in a hurry....we keep top speed at 65mph towing ours. Enjoy and happy camping.
To long of a trailer length wise.
I really like that set up! That's a good bit for a shorter rig!
Love everything about it don’t understand why this unit has two dump connections
We didn't notice that! We had a trailer that used 2 dump connections for awhile. A bit more inconvenient but not that big of a deal.
Because the kitchen is on a slide
Man they should had gone with a 12V fridge? Those gas & electric fridges suck! Other then that you are dead on. Great quick overview
Our gas/electric has worked great. Cools down in 4 hours... stays cool without power for 6-7 hours. No complaints here.
Is the floor construction on the XLS different from the regular Imagine? I watched a video that described it as being very similar to that of the side-walls to save on weight. Thanks.
Great question! I reached out to the director of the Imagine line. Here are some details from the horses mouth.
"I LOVE when this question comes up. It puts a huge smile on my face. I love to use our tag line…“Light weight without compromise”. XLS is built exactly like STD Imagine. Now, they are smaller floorplans and the slide boxes (21BHE N/A) are shallower than Imagine.
-Same floor (laminated), front wall, rear wall (laminated), roof, and slidebox endwalls (laminated) construction
-Same factory installed ladder to the fully walk-able roof
Main exterior differences
-Fiberglass cap on STD Imagine vs. metal front
-Drop frame pass-thru storage with slam baggage doors vs. standard pass-thru with thumb latches
-MoRryde Step Above steps vs. Triple Aluminum steps
Interior
-Same furniture (Theater seating if floorplan calls for it)
-Same thickness dinette cushions but XLS has a different design for the base
-Same countertops, faucet, cabinets, hardware, microwave, ovens, bedroom mattress, bunk mats, etc."
I hope this was helpful!
@@WanderingWeekends Wow! You guys are truly awesome! I really appreciate your time and effort in getting this information for me. Love your Channel!
Great job with the video
Thank you Dana!
Question for you since you have same tt as me. Our rear spray port only has pressure sometimes. Is it controlled be the front spray port valves? Sorry for the question here. Don't have FB.
Ryan Gravley hmm... ours does fine. There isn’t any control for that outlet. Just plug and go. I wish I had an answer for you :-/
@@WanderingWeekends Thanks for the reply. It puzzles me. Sometimes it has supply to it and then minutes later doesn't
I need 4 bunks. I have 3 teens and one adult child. But our truck is a half ton. My kids can't share beds. Also yuck I hate the style. I want beautiful maple wood snd white stone counters. I wonder if they could change it. I don't like it to look like I'm living in Montana.
Sounds like you better get into a dually if you want real maple and stone counter tops. Your 1/2 ton ain't gonna handle those rigs.
The Imagine 2400BH is another great choice in their line. If you willing to look beyond GD the Rockwood Mini Light 2509S has an even better layout with its Murphy Bed.
Nah, gotta climb around the dinette when the slides in to get to the bathroom on the rockwood
👍😁😊