Rpod potential buyer

[elizabethmilton]

Any input before I consider buying an Rpod or Forest River Vibe would be so appreciated. Going from tent camping to one of these options! Thanks in advance.


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[sokhapkin]

Originally Posted by elizabethmilton

Any input before I consider buying an Rpod or Forest River Vibe would be so appreciated. Going from tent camping to one of these options! Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

I see no any relationship between Rpod or Forest River and molded fiberglass trailers. Seems like you wrote to a wrong forum.

[Ron Merritt]

I would look over what you are buying VERY carefully. These trailers are built to a price and it shows in many ways.

You're best bet to get feedback on Forest River and these models, check out the Forest River forum, or the other big general interest RV forums like RV.net and iRV2.com. You should get lots of responses to an inquiry, plus you may get some hits using their search tool.

[Ian G.]

Here is a discussion on the RPod CLICK HERE
There are a number of other threads on this topic, just use the search function for RPod

[elizabethmilton]

Thanks everyone!


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[Mike Magee]

They are a conventional stick built trailer like most others. Even though they look rounded, expect to get little to no aerodynamic advantage over a more squarish trailer. Whereas a molded fiberglass trailer like Scamp, Casita, Lil Snoozy, Parkliner, Trillium, etc will have less potential leak points, be more aero, and will yield 2 to 4 mpg better fuel economy.

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by elizabethmilton

Any input before I consider buying an Rpod or Forest River Vibe would be so appreciated. Going from tent camping to one of these options! Thanks in advance.

My advice is go molded fiberglass! Of course, you knew we'd say that, right?

Seriously, I can see getting a conventional trailer if you need more room than the molded trailers offer; but if you're looking for small, with sturdy build and aerodynamic design, good resale potential, plus the incredible cute factor, Go Molded!

[Raz]

Hello Elizabeth and welcome to the forum. This forum is dedicated to molded fiberglass trailers so we are all a bit biased here. The main reason I chose a molded fiberglass trailer was longevity. If taken care of they last a long time, 30-40 years is common. Most stick built trailers, like the rpod, are long gone by then. The fiberglass trailer bodies are essentially one piece. The only places that can leak are the cut outs. There are no body seams to shift around as you bounce down the road. That said, the appliances, lights, running gear, etc. are mostly the same. Poke around here and maybe you'll get hooked. Good luck, whatever you buy, Raz

[Marks Alot]

One of the other big benefits of fiberglass trailers is the resale value they bring to the table like no other vehicle out there. My first fiberglass trailer was a Casita Freedom Deluxe 17'. After having it for a year, I sold it at NO loss and bought a new Escape 19 and continue my love affair with fiberglass.

It's hard to go wrong with fiberglass and the whole fiberglass community along with the RV community is the best group of people you'll find out there. Camping is a great experience and I'm sure you'll love it.

Enjoy!

[flatpick]

R-pod? and where do you store anything? not to mention the quality compared with F/G trailers! We looked at ALL styles of TT before buying and ended up with a Escape 19! happy campers!

steve

[steve dunham]

We also looked at purchasing a new R Pod before buying a used Scamp .The R Pod prices vary greatly from dealer to dealer. An R Pod which listed for $21K sold for $19K in Minnesota but sold in Ohio for 12K "Too much of a price variation for my liking" As others have said go to the R Pod owners website and read the problems others have encountered with their R Pod . The R Pod owners convinced me to look elsewhere.

[Darral T.]

I would like to discuss the quote below as the R-Pod is not considered a "conventional stick-build trailer". That's a big misconception that I noticed at our last FG rally as well. I have a Scamp so I'm not biased in this post...just want to issue some clarification.

A "Stick-n-tin" ala Stick-built is built up of wood framing then covered in the rippled aluminum siding- thus the "stick-n-tin" phrase. The R-pod is actually a "laminate". The walls of a laminate have inner frames generally fabricated from aluminum with styrofoam inserts for insulation. Then a fiberglass panel on the outside and some type of finish board on the inside are laminated to the inner alum. frame. This supposedly makes a lighter and stronger wall than the stick trailers.

NOW, one of the downsides to these trailers is delamination that can occur. THAT my friends I've heard is an extensive/expensive repair! And, we dont have to worry about that on fiberglass shells.

Darral

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

They are a conventional stick built trailer like most others. Even though they look rounded, expect to get little to no aerodynamic advantage over a more squarish trailer. Whereas a molded fiberglass trailer like Scamp, Casita, Lil Snoozy, Parkliner, Trillium, etc will have less potential leak points, be more aero, and will yield 2 to 4 mpg better fuel economy.

[Mike Magee]

If the R-Pod has aluminum framing in the walls and roof, then perhaps the phrase 'stick built' may not be ideal. But the concept of framing with 'sticks' of wood or 'channels' of aluminum is distinctly different from molding the entire body in two pieces and then bonding the halves together permanently. As for laminated sidewalls, those walls usually incorporate a layer of plywood or luan or some other wood sheeting. When (not if) enough water gets into that wood, it will delaminate (separate from whatever it was bonded to). This is no better than a wood-framed trailer sheathed in aluminum. That's why many of us tend to use the terms 'stick built' and 'stickie' to include any non-moldedFG trailer. Technically it may be sometimes a bit inaccurate, but it conveys the concept nicely.

[Ian G.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXNYA73rCNE

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

As others have said go to the R Pod owners website and read the problems others have encountered with their R Pod . The R Pod owners convinced me to look elsewhere.

After having spent an extra half hour waiting at the dump at a state park yesterday while the owner of what looked to be a very new R Pod did some repairs to his dumping system I would suggest the above is a really good idea!

[Donna D.]

I don't have a video, but you want to see how an Escape 5.0TA is made?

Now you don't see it...


Now you see the bottom...


Out pops the egg!

[Carol H]

Now that is indeed a mighty fine "moulded" fiberglass trailer!

[Donna D.]

Not to trash the OP's topic, but you'll note the door has been removed from the mold. A worker goes inside and fiberglasses the two halves together before it's removed from the mold. Wide stripes of fiberglass... no belly band leaks! And a perfect matching of the two halves together. SWEET!

[Darral T.]

My Scamp has an OSB floor...ala.. wood chips...and yes coated in fiberglass underneath but still exposed to the elements. So if having wood in the trailer labels it a "sticky" then the Scamp falls into both categories. A FG Hybrid maybe? And the wood DOES give problems as over the years, we've seen many people having to rip it out and replace it from rot resulting from leaks-- windows, vents, condensation even! But I agree that the durability of the fiberglass "shell" on any trailer is still far superior to the true stick-n-tin trailers....and laminates.

The one TRUE FG trailer that I know exists is the Oliver...as it has NO wood in its construction anywhere! Not sure about the Parkliners, Lil Snoozy, Escapes, BigFoot etc. Maybe others would like to speak up as I would be interested in knowing that myself.

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

If the R-Pod has aluminum framing in the walls and roof, then perhaps the phrase 'stick built' may not be ideal. But the concept of framing with 'sticks' of wood or 'channels' of aluminum is distinctly different from molding the entire body in two pieces and then bonding the halves together permanently. As for laminated sidewalls, those walls usually incorporate a layer of plywood or luan or some other wood sheeting. When (not if) enough water gets into that wood, it will delaminate (separate from whatever it was bonded to). This is no better than a wood-framed trailer sheathed in aluminum. That's why many of us tend to use the terms 'stick built' and 'stickie' to include any non-moldedFG trailer. Technically it may be sometimes a bit inaccurate, but it conveys the concept nicely.

[Darral T.]

It looks like the Escape uses a complete molded bottom half. In other words, has has a fiber glass bottom? Do you know what they use for flooring or is it the actual fiberglass?

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Not to trash the OP's topic, but you'll note the door has been removed from the mold. A worker goes inside and fiberglasses the two halves together before it's removed from the mold. Wide stripes of fiberglass... no belly band leaks! And a perfect matching of the two halves together. SWEET!