ONE-YEAR RV REVIEW | 2020 Rockwood Mini Lite 2507s - (Special Report)
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- Опубліковано 13 лют 2021
- Even with 2020 being the Worst Year EVER, the first twelve months of having the Aluminum Falcon 2.0 just flew by! Sure, we love him, but we have always admitted that no RV is perfect, so in this video, we'll tell you about a few of the things we've learned about our 2020 Rockwood Mini Lite 2507s. Of course, there are both good AND bad things, and we'll even confess to a few things that Rockwood is including in the new year's models that make us wonder if we should've waited a little longer to upgrade. Hmmm.... 🤔
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#RV #RVlife #RVlifestyle #GoRVing #camping #glamping #travel #traveltrailer #travelingcouple #traveltrailercouple #NotFullTimeYet
Great to see you guys making videos again.Looking forward to more from you soon!
Yoda may have said "Do or Do Not - there is no "Try," but we swear we've been trying! We'll do better!
So glad to see you are still posting videos! Very thorough review of your camper. We have the “pie wedge” shower too, and it is definitely tight quarters with the door closed. Looking forward to see your upcoming adventures!!
Thanks for giving this one a look! Sorry it's been so long between new videos, and I wish I could promise that we'll do better, but with late-winter weather still hanging around, we just don't know. 😞 Please don't abandon us, though - we'll get stuff made somehow!
All said you two look like a couple of happy campers!
Yes, indeed - those were happier times. I sure miss the "Aluminum Falcon." 😞
It's good to know that you two still love the "Falcon" after having it for a year. Lots of things lose their luster after a while, but it sounds like your camper isn't one of them! Good video!
Yes, we still love him! Thanks for watching!
Glad to see you both. Can't wait we have trips planned this coming spring and the summer. We love our steps too! Sweep them off pull them up and go. Remember we have the same camper as you. Your floor plan is different we have a separate bedroom in the back and we love our kitchen in the front so much prep space and storage. Glad to see your videos again happy travels.
We're sorry for the "layoff." Work and weather have been conspiring against us lately, darn it! Yes, we're familiar with your model (25FKS, if memory serves), and we've toured that model before at our local dealer. It's a nice one! Thanks for watching our little mini-review!
Great video, you two are down to earth and fun to watch. My wifey and I are really leaning towards the 2507s. Thanks for the help!
You're welcome! We're always happy to know we've helped somebody in their thinking process. Of course, we're biased towards the 2507s, but biased or not, we can't think of another half-ton towable model that maxes out interior living space possibilities like this one. Thanks so much for watching!
Yall are too cute. Thanks for sharing your 1 year review!! So important to see how it goings after living with the unit awhile.
Aw, shucks! 😊 Thanks a bunch! Glad you liked it!
It was exciting getting a notification that you guys had a new video published...always enjoy your videos. And I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for not doing a jig on your rooftop hahaha. Just kidding. Your review helps all of us think about things we'd like or not like in our next RV purchase, Rockwood Minilite or not. Thanks, guys!
Yeah, we're getting some heat for being so delinquent lately... and deservedly so, I might add. 😞 Glad you're still keeping tabs on us, though!
Great Video ! Good to see you're back! Very Nice Trailer !! YES ! All of them have the same problem with the power hookup! Our walk-around the service guy took 5 tries to get it, he said they all do that.. Wanda and I did get the 2021 2204S in white. Not been out yet. It is -6 this morning with 5 inches of snow and more coming. BUT, we do have many trips already planned! We do love your video's .. don't change a thing... Charles
Thanks for watching!! Oh, have no fear - won't change anything... well, we DO wish we could change how often we get to camp and generate material, but dang it, the cold, cruel world just keeps fighting us!
Nice video, hope we all have a better camping year stay safe out there ...
Thanks, Ken! Glad you liked it. Amen to all of us having a better year, too! I think just about all of us deserve it!
Great review guys!
Thanks, Missus Wagg! We're gonna be checking out your new rig today as part of our Sunday-viewing routine!
Nice tour of the RV! Can't believe the amount of storage! New Subscriber! 👍😀
Well, thank you, and we're very glad to have you on board with us!! Be sure to check out the FULL tour of the rig that we did when it was brand-new (there was a pop-up link early on in this video)!
Hi Smokey and Jessi. Great review. And yes I agree with all the new upgrades that Rockwood has done for 2021! I also like the addition of the TPMS as well as the one key fits all doors, including baggage doors!!
Ooo! Darn it, I wish we'd remembered to mention the TPMS! That was a wonderful surprise when we took possession of this thing last year, but we haven't even installed it yet! (shame, shame, I know...) I've been waiting until we swap out the stock tires for GoodYears before hooking it up. 😞
Sounds like what I would have done too! I had my Castle Rock tires for about 4 seasons and about 15k miles before switching to the Goodyear Endurance tires. I plan to add TPMS this season. Hope to see you out there sometime! Happy Camping!!
Glad to see you a new video is up. I thought maybe Smokey's new job prevented him from "tubing." Glad to see you are happy with Rockwood #2. Looking forward to the new camping season.
You were correct - the new job... and the weather... has indeed been keeping Smokey (me) from making new stuff. Retirees must be the luckiest people on the planet. 😞
@@LiveNLearnRV someday we will join that group
On our 2507 to secure the refrigerator door while in transit we simply take two separate bungee straps and from front reach one strap from each side to connect together in back and then connect in front. Cardboard is used on surface of fridge to prevent scratching.
Slam latches would wear out and not provide a good seal and would take up precious storage so have not been incorporated, and when attaching threaded power line to camper unit if you try turning large plastic nut counter clockwise first and then turning to the right it will easily lineup and thread. Hope this will help all who have had any of these problems.
Hmmm... there may be some experimenting with bungee cords and cardboard sometime before our next trip. 🤔 Thanks a bunch!
Great honest video.. thanks for sharing
Glad to do it! Thanks for watching!
We LOVE our 2507S every bit as much as we loved our diesel pushers that preceded it!!! Maybe more!!! “Less is more” really defines our RVing life now. ❤️
Ours is a 2021.5 with the white skin that you showed a photo of.
We use two of the Jool Baby Products Multi-Use Strap Locks to hold the outdoor refrigerator closed during travel. 😊
Hmmm... we'll have to check into those straps. Thanks for the scoop!
I would highly recommend you get rid of those castle rock tires. They are nothing short of a rolling hazard waiting to happen. When I purchased my camper and left the dealership I got approx 20 miles down the road and blew 3 of the 4 tires on my unit. Needless to say I was absolutely furious with the situation. I give the dealership where I purchased my unit until the end of that day to have 4 brand new Michelin tires installed on my camper or I'd see them in front of a Judge. They complied and did as I asked. In my humble opinion you have been extremely lucky so far with yours. Good luck with them.
Have no fear - we had Goodyear Endurance radials mounted about six weeks after this video was made!
@@LiveNLearnRV -- Smart move on your part. Congrats!
Love watching your videos, I'm ready for camping season, we bought 2021 Rockwood 2506s. It makes me sad to look in backyard and it has 6 in of snow on it!!
Thanks so much for watching! If it's any consolation, we don't know much about snow down here, but cold rain has much the same effect... darn it!
Something you might try when connecting the power cord is after plugging in, slowly turn the locking collar counter clockwise until you feel the thread click into place. Then tighten. That usually aligns the thread and allows you to get it together a little easier. Works for me most of the time.
Oh, I promise I've tried that stunt a hundred times, but it never works. There's something about the "mushiness" of the plastic locking collar and the "hardness" of the threads on the camper's socket that keeps the two from mating properly, whether it's clockwise or anti-clockwise. One of these days I'll just splurge on a higher-end power cord.
@@LiveNLearnRV good idea. A steel connection for both threaded parts.
Great video. Glad you still like your camper. I like your camper Rv. It’s not bad at all. I see your dislikes. I wouldn’t like it either but I do love the storage you have. For its size there is a lot of storage. I see what you mean about the Tv where it is at. I wonder why they put it there. Glad to see this video. Have not seen you both since Christmas. How are doing? I think you have a great Rv. I like the outdoor kitchen. I put drinks in the frig and sit outside with a drink and relax. Now that’s living! And living the life. Thank you so much Smokey and Jessie. It was so good seeing you again. Stay safe and hope to see you soon!
Have no fear - we'll be around! Thanks for watching!
One real problem with the cam locks is that they tend to be keyed alike across multiple manufacturers and brands. I highly recommend replacing both the keyed lock and the twist latch with cam locks that use circular keys. Also, an electronic combination lock from RVLocks is a fine addition!
Good point! We changed out the cam locks on our first camper, but frankly, we've been just too darn lazy to do it on this one. We do have the keypad-electronic RVLock on the main entry door, though.
I agree with you - I love the Rockwoods and I *really* love what they've done w/ the 2021's. I ended up getting a Greywolf 23MK (black label) - it's a sharp unit but I regularly dream of the Rockwoods ;) (Greywolf was slightly cheaper (quality and price) -but the goal was to make it through kid traveling years where we can get the Rockwood when they leave the nest).
Jessie the elementary-school teacher can verify your thinking - if kids are gonna be involved, then get something you're willing to be destroyed! 🤣 Yes, we're definitely Forest River "fanboys" now, and your Grey Wolf is part of the family, so you're okay in our book! Thanks for watching!
Another good one, guys! I've always said you had a groovy-looking rig there. Don't go and do something dumb and wreck it! 😉
That's the plan, Stan!! Thanks for watching!
Bought one in 2018 replaced small bath sink with ceramic vessel with better faucets, changed outdoor fridge with fridge and freezer, added the popup socket in kitchen, removed some panels for more storage and chaged jack stands to 7500 pound type. Same things you found like slam doors would be great but all n all great camper, just not as well built as our flagstaff ultra light. Oh yea entry light switch wrong location.
Oh, yeah - we'd even filmed a clip about how we also thought that entry light switch was in an inconvenient place, but we left it out to keep the video shorter. Thanks for watching!
Great video
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
I originally wanted to get a Rockwood Mini but we never did find one that was in our budget. Found your video very helpful in case we get one in the future! 😀👍
Goody! You oughtta come over to the Rockwood side someday - all the cool kids hang out here, y'know... 😎
@@LiveNLearnRV Well, we love hangin' out with the cool kidz!! ;-)
Thanks for doing this review! We actually used it for reference last year when shopping for a new trailer. There arent many owner reviews of this trailer avaialable.
Our new 2507s should be arriving any day now. A few more standard features to be envious of:
roller shades
190w solar panel
1000w inverter (outside fridge outlet)
Not trying to rub it in or anything 😂
Oh, now you're just being cruel... 😞 Hey, all kidding aside - we're so glad the video was helpful to you! It's always great knowing somebody thinks we're doing some good! You'll love the camper! Thanks for watching!!
great review I still love my 2507s. yep the shower is tight got just under 5k on mine
Nice 👍 Thanks for watching!
We liked your first camper..... because we got to do a video tour. Actually the new camper seems way nicer with all the upgrades. Outdoor kitchen, must be nice, lol
Eh, it's okay. Neither one of us is enough of a "grillmaster" to make us use the outside cooktop as much as lots of other folks do. Now if we get to take some two- to four-week long trips, that might would change... 🤔
Thank you for the info. My wife & I just bought our first rv last month. Forest River Salem FSX dbkx 22 foot starter. I really like those Rockwood rv. Little to much to invest on a starter for us. Maybe we'll upgrade once our 2 boys get a little bigger. Love the Tarheel hoodie too.
Glad it was helpful! I've gotta show some North Carolina pride down here in the land of our Southern cousins somehow! I'm a Tarheel Girl forever! Thanks for watching!
@@LiveNLearnRV Heel Yeah! Y'all from N.C.? We live 45 minutes from blue heaven (Chapel Hill)
@@jasonclark5682 (Jessie here) I'm the North Carolinian, originally from Laurinburg. Smokey's a life-long South Carolinian... but I don't hold that against him. 😜
We've looked at this model several times at RV shows and it has always been the one that we liked the best. I can see your point about the TV but we wouldn't watch it that much. We also stay mostly in campgrounds with good showers so the shower would be used mainly for dirty laundry by us. The amount of storage and the big open feel are the two best parts of this model. We'd gladly give up a little bit of storage though for a king sized bed. I saw another video of a dealer who had one with a king as a prototype, wish they'd make it an option before we buy.
Well, sure, everybody has their own preferences, but speaking just for ourselves, we're not exactly tiny people and the queen bed (and it's a FULL queen!) seems to be a gracious plenty. Don't let that keep you from considering it! Thanks for watching!
@@LiveNLearnRV It’s big enough for the two of us but the addition of a 24 pound cocker spaniel makes it a bit more crowded😉
UPDATE: After looking at many different models over the past couple of years we've always come back to this one and are going to pull the trigger on a new (2023) model before next season.
Love watching y’all from Ga! Slightly south of Augusta! Our daughter hates when we watch camping you tubers but LOVES y’all! She got a GoPro for Christmas & made a video at Hamburg SP while hiking last weekend and she’s adopted a couple of your phrases 😂 I want to know which instant pot you have. We’re ready for a new one and I like yours!
(Jessie here) I am an independent consultant with Pampered Chef, so my “Instant Pot” is the Quick Cooker by Pampered Chef. www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Small+Appliances/Pressure+Cooker/Quick+Cooker+Starter+Set/100334 I got mine half price when I had a catalog party and I love it! Oh, and tell your daughter that we don't mind a little competition, but she'd best watch that plagiarizing-our-catchphrases stuff! 😜
@@LiveNLearnRV I’ll have to check it out! Thanks! We don’t let her post any of her videos. They’re for her enjoyment and playtime only! So no worries there 😂 we just thought it was cute bc she’s only 10!
@@vickiewatson7163 Hey, there are some ten-year olds out there in UA-cam Land who are darn serious about this stuff! 😉
@@LiveNLearnRV I’m sure! This world can be crazy for our littles! We don’t allow any social media for her and what she does watch on you tube it’s with us! We homeschool partly because we want her to remain little while she can!
I'd suggest perhaps fastening some sort of padding to the inside of the outside kitchen door that will press against the fridge door when closed, maybe something with suction cups.
Not too long after shooting this video, we learned about household strap-locks used to keep toddlers from opening cabinets. Works like a charm!
Another great video! Thanks for sharing Live 'n" Learn RV. I have a question about the threaded coupling on the power cable. Is this a cable that Rockwood provided when you got the trailer or is it aftermarket? Did you get a shore power cable with the AF 2.0 when you bought it?
Thanks for watching! The power cord we're using is one that came with the new rig, provided by the dealer. I honestly don't know if they supplied it from another vendor or if Forest River sent it from the factory.
For the outdoor fridge I have found getting a peice of foam to place between the door of the fridge and the door to the outdoor kitchen when it's close work perfect to keep the fridge door closed. Even a small pillow will work.
Not a bad idea! If we hadn't already stumbled across those child-lock-strap thingees, we'd try that.
I was going to suggest the same thing, fasten it up with a little velcro.
With the power cord I always spin the coupler backwards until you can feel the threads line up then you can tighten.
You're not the first one to suggest that, and I promise - I try that every single time, and it never works. I honestly think it's the quality of build of the cord that Camping World supplied us, and I'm just too cheap to go buy another one.
We love our 2507 but not the More Ryde steps. When you pull them down, you can’t be near anything. Also , the dirt on them goes INSIDE the camper. We complete removed our steps and are looking for a suitable alternative. For now we use a short stepladder.
Hey, thanks for watching! I can't deny that you're factually correct on both of your "knocks" on the MoRyde steps, but even with those shortcomings, we like 'em better than the old-style fold-down steps that came on previous Rockwoods (and other brands). Soooo much more comfortable walking up/down the MoRydes than the fold-downs! But, hey - everybody's gotta make their camper fit their needs, so you get no grief from us! 👍
You could try a child safety lock for on the fridge in the outdoor kitchen. They just stick on and snap on to close. So, are you getting a 2021? lol. Great video as always guys!
Somebody else suggested the child-lock thing, and we're definitely jumping on that! As for another upgrade, my wallet jumps from my pants and screams "NOOOO!!!!" 😲
If you get the small white bins from IKEA it will stop your stuff from falling out of the refrigerator. We have the same camper and had the same problem. The great things is that you can fit two side by side and each one with fit six can or six bottles
Thanks for the tip. Somebody told us about little baby-proofing strap-locks, so we used one of those and it solved the problem. Exterior fridge hasn't popped open a single time since!
The cam latches on our 2013 Rockwood pop-up trailer have maintained a very good seal for the past ten years so hopefully the current ones work as well. Slam latches would be nice though.
In our (relatively) short time as RV owners, we have grown to DESPISE cam locks!!! 😠
@@LiveNLearnRV I don't like them much either but they have at least kept out the elements. Maybe the new 2023's will have something better.
How do you like the Murphy Bed? We have a Rockwood Roo 21SS Hybrid camper. I am older and the time and energy it takes to set-up, make and take down the Hybrid bed is getting to be too much work. Also, we could not open the bed recenltly as there was too much rain. Been looking a new campers with a short length due so space restraints. Really want both sofa and dinnette. To get them both and bed requires a longer camper that we cannot accomadate or tow with our current truck. Thanks for the other comments.
Sounds like a MiniLite 2104S or 2507S is what you're looking for. Dropping/raising the bed is a snap - like just ten to fifteen seconds!
You can buy and the pop up outlet in the kitchen, they’re only about 30 bucks, and will plug into an outlet inside the cabinet area!!!
Yep, we've learned about those... and are contemplating trying to install one. 🤔
Thank you so much
👍🏻
Sadly the Good Year on my Ram truck were absolute garbage,i personally would take anything over them.
BTW Thankyou for the detailed review 👍
Glad to do it! Thanks for watching!
Well said. Got rid of my GY on my ram and Michelins sooooo much better
Hi..what are the storage inserts you use for the wardrobes on each side of the bed? ..I have the same trailer (2022 model) and am having the worst time figuring out a good solution for those cabinets..urs looks good!!
We used these (amzn.to/33Rm1pM) for quite some time, and still do on for longer trips, but we've figured out ways to pack without them for weekend trips.
What are your thoughts on the outside storage based on your experiences? Where do you store your BBQ or griddle when not in use? Thanks
When we had this RV, we kept the grill in a huge plastic rolling container, stashed in the bed of the pickup, and the griddle (when we carried it) in a carry-bag that sat on the floor of the interior during transit.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Do you find the couch comfortable? In the review videos, it looks a little on the cheap side.
Thank YOU for watching! You'd never mistake the couch for the sofa in your own living room, but we sit on it comfortably enough. I certainly don't think it's "cheaply" constructed.
This was a great video, as was the original walk-through. I have a 2022 Rockwood Mini Lite 2507S on order and am hoping you can help me with something. I cannot find the interior dimensions of the oven and there aren't any Mini Lite models locally for me to go measure. I would like to pick up some Items for the kitchen but I don't know how big of a pan will fit in the oven or how much clearance vertically there is inside. Any help you could provide on this would be greatly appreciated.
Hmmm... that's a pretty specific request! We can't find any documentation of the internal dimensions of the oven, and it's too cold out right now to go out there with a measuring tape (sorry... 🥶). We CAN tell you that this we transport this pot (amzn.to/3JF5jjr) inside the oven with the lid inverted, and cook with our 9" x 15" x 3" casserole dish in it quite often. Hopefully, that helps a little!
@@LiveNLearnRV That helps a lot...thank you!
How accessible is the interior specially bedroom access w/o the slide out? For example overnites at Cracker Barrel.
Bathroom and refrigerator are totally accessible with slide in. Of course, Murphy bed cannot drop down while slide is in, but we've worked out a system where we can both sleep with the slide in... if we needed to. Sofa is wide enough for an adult to sleep on, and Jessie is short enough that she can do so reasonably comfortably there. I can fit on the dinette/sleeper well enough, too, so we both have a sleeping surface. We've only had to do this once (so far), but it seemed to work out A-OK. I don't think we'd want to do it more than once every Blue Moon or so, though...
Can you feel the cold/ hot under your Murphy bed due to the outdoor pass through? Also, what is the full length, tip to tip?
1.) No, not that we've ever noticed, and 2.) 29 feet, 10 inches from tip of jack to back bumper.
What about the Murphy Bed? are youstill liking it. I think it's a great ideal. More room in the day time in a smaller RV. I can't convince my wife it is LOL.
Wouldn't have a travel trailer WITHOUT a Murphy bed, and can't understand anyone who'd choose to have a travel trailer without one, either. 🤷🏼♂️
Have you guys done any cold weather camping? I know this model has heated holding tanks and enclosed underbelly, just curious of how capable it is in cold weather camping.
Down here in the Deep South, we might have a different definition of "cold" than you would! We have camped in a handful of sub-40 degree nights, and if memory serves, only one night actually below freezing. That said, we stayed toasty warm and water lines didn't freeze. We don't carry onboard water, since we're always (so far) camping in places with a water supply.
Have narrowed choices down to the 2507s and 2104s. Own a 1/2 ton truck (8klb tow cap) and am concerned with how well it will tow the bigger 2507s. Are you towing with 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton? If 1/2 ton, how is it?
Our '15 Toyota Tundra is TECHNICALLY a half-ton, and he pulls the Falcon just fine - no sway, no dip at the tongue, no drag when accelerating. Lots of folks say the '15 Tundra SR5 like we have is really something like a 5/8-ton, w/ a tow cap. of 10,500 lbs. I don't know your payload cap., so I can't offer much advice, but I suspect if your tow cap. is 8k, then your payload is probably a tad less than ours, and that you might be more comfortable w/ the 2104s (which we love, BTW - we'd have happily gotten that model when we upgraded if one had been available).
@@LiveNLearnRV we pull our 2019, 2507 mini light with ford 1/2 ton crew cab.....no problems at all , pulls great.
How did you mount the sound bar to the wall ?
We didn't - Forest River did that at the factory. It's the stock audio/video setup in all Mini Lites.
Hello does the Murphy bed sleep decent ?
It was great! We never had any complaints!
Did you have any issues with the Murphy bed?
None at all! It's been great having a "bedroom" and a "living room" that we can swap out at bedtime. It's like having a 31-foot camper in a 25-foot body!
Child locks on the fridge the clip would work great
We can confirm that now! We've been using those for the last few months and they've worked like a charm!
Can I ask what you guys did/used on the underbelly for mouse control?
Honestly, not a thing so far. Maybe we live in a relatively mouse-less part of the country, as we haven't had that problem (yet) and none of the fellow campers here in our home neighborhood report having that issue, either.
@@LiveNLearnRV ok, because after MANY and I mean MANY long hours of research, videos, looking, rv shows, reviews, etc. I've decided after watching ya'lls video review that this fits our needs, and more than likely is going to be just right for us. Thank you for responding. 😀
♥️
Aw, shucks... 😊
Home depot sell an extension for that show head . I don't know if that will work for you?
Hmmm... We'll look into it. Thanks for the tip!
A lot of people say all these trailers are built like garbage. Has anything fallen apart or broke? How does the bed hold up?
Well, we'd have to say that a "lot of people" are wrong. Rockwood/Flagstaff has an excellent reputation for build quality industry-wide - better than Jayco, and some would say better than Keystone. We certainly don't "abuse" ours as much as others do, so some may have more normal wear-and-tear issues than we've had, but we've not had any complaints about either of the Rockwoods we've owned. The Murphy bed has also held up very well so far.
@@LiveNLearnRV awesome thanks for your reply and helping people out. God bless.
This will fix your fridge problem.EUDEMON Home Refrigerator Fridge Freezer Door Lock
Thanks! We'll give it a look-see.