It's a hybrid thing...you wouldn't understand

[wicked1]

Most of what I see is the Rockwood 183,190,21ss. It is a very small percent compared to everything else and I do see a lot of pop ups and those FR hard wall tent looking campers but the mass majority is regular box trailers. Lately I have been seeing a lot of Toy Haulers, which is a small percentage but I am seeing more and more being pulled by those small international cabs and F450's.

I have actually been using mine more in the colder weather without opening tent ends and using the sofa as I have this one
And when folded out works perfectly for GF and I. Sticking to tent ends only during warm weather and ratel open back tent end. I like the entire layout although we hate the shower, but manage to use it and not make a mess all over the place.

It will be interesting to see where the Hybrids go bc I looked at one of those FR HW296 units and they were $17,995 at the time I bought my Roo23ikss and I got a whole lot more few a few thousand more so went with the Roo.

[The_Rhino]

Hybrids were being pushed to a certain market, younger with children. Then around 2010/11 they... figured something out. We can push the stick and tin bunkhouse to that same market and increase the profit margin.

Low-end stick & tin bunkhouses have been around for some time...

Actually I think around 2010/2011 the lightweight aluminum/fiberglass "1/2 ton towable" market really took-off. Our roomy 2-slide bunkhouse is only 6,400 empty w/empty tongue of 640 & sells new for $26K from wholesalers...

In comparison, the popular Roo 233S is almost 5,000 empty w/empty tongue of 600 & priced around $21K... For the extra 1,400 lbs. & $5K our aluminum/fiberglass TT has an entire separate bedroom w/slide-out for the kids, outdoor kitchen (love it!), 2nd door to bathroom, and roomy pass-through storage & under master bed storage... With 8 cu. ft. fridge & outdoor fridge we can camp for 2 weeks without shopping for groceries (or doing laundry - lots of closet/hamper space too!) I upgraded the mattress to the same one we have at home & its super comfy...

About 2010/2011 the towing capacities of 1/2 ton trucks also really took-off. Many of today's 1/2 tons are capable of towing our 34' TT without maxing-out payload or GCVW... Also, several folks on this forum safely tow our TT with a Nissan Armada, Yukon XL, or Suburban. We camp a lot at state parks & I've squeezed 34' into some very tight spots - but I also drove construction trailers for an number of years...

We have several camping friends w/hybrids who claim they really love sleeping under fabric in fresh air etc., plus enjoy the ease of towing, etc. so I get it... However, every time they meet someone interested in camping, they also try to sell their hybrid to them... Just sayin'...

I say all of this because we ALMOST bought a hybrid for our first TT & spent a lot of time looking at everything they had on the market 2 years ago... However, now that we have camped for almost 70 days, including some that have dropped to near freezing, I am glad we didn't go the hybrid route...

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

Low-end stick & tin bunkhouses have been around for some time...

Actually I think around 2010/2011 the lightweight aluminum/fiberglass "1/2 ton towable" market really took-off. Our roomy 2-slide bunkhouse is only 6,400 empty w/empty tongue of 640 & sells new for $26K from wholesalers...

In comparison, the popular Roo 233S is almost 5,000 empty w/empty tongue of 600 & priced around $21K... For the extra 1,400 lbs. & $5K our aluminum/fiberglass TT has an entire separate bedroom w/slide-out for the kids, outdoor kitchen (love it!), 2nd door to bathroom, and roomy pass-through storage & under master bed storage... With 8 cu. ft. fridge & outdoor fridge we can camp for 2 weeks without shopping for groceries (or doing laundry - lots of closet/hamper space too!) I upgraded the mattress to the same one we have at home & its super comfy...

About 2010/2011 the towing capacities of 1/2 ton trucks also really took-off. Many of today's 1/2 tons are capable of towing our 34' TT without maxing-out payload or GCVW... Also, several folks on this forum safely tow our TT with a Nissan Armada, Yukon XL, or Suburban. We camp a lot at state parks & I've squeezed 34' into some very tight spots - but I also drove construction trailers for an number of years...

We have several camping friends w/hybrids who claim they really love sleeping under fabric in fresh air etc., plus enjoy the ease of towing, etc. so I get it... However, every time they meet someone interested in camping, they also try to sell their hybrid to them... Just sayin'...

I say all of this because we ALMOST bought a hybrid for our first TT & spent a lot of time looking at everything they had on the market 2 years ago... However, now that we have camped for almost 70 days, including some that have dropped to near freezing, I am glad we didn't go the hybrid route...

I had a Shasta 31 for my first RV pulled boats for years, turned out the layout with full bedroom, couch, dinette was just too long and big for a layout with issues. I went to the Hybrid for ease of towing and layout, that being said however I now know the drags behind the one I own. 23ikss, heater vents are all in the rear, makes cold weather camping annoying without a space heater, blankets and heated mattress being plugged in. The shower is horrible, Shasta had glass doors and heated floors and way more vents to distribute heat. I would never buy one again, prefer fully enclosed trailers but I do like the layout of the one I have, and for GF and I it is perfect just have to make adjustments if I want to camp below 40 degrees. Also my Roo has 1/2 the storage of my Shasta which means taking less on trips or putting stuff in 1/2 ton pickup bed, all workable just annoying little things, mainly because I overlooked the pros and cons sort of thing from what I had.

[CNYCamper]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

The last time I stumbled upon the what type RV are you in poll thread hybrids were at 13% overall.

I was having a little fun with RooVader's original post when I suggested we hybrid owners wear 1% patches.
I went to several single dealer (Forest River) shows this past year where the dealers try to unload the rest of their existing inventory to make room for new. I asked where the hybrids were (only reason I went) and was told they didn't bring any because they had already sold them - none sat on the lot very long.
I've never thought of trying to keep count, but I believe I've been seeing more hybrids over the past several years.
I've been loving this thread. Premise was that non hybrid owners don't get it and many of the posts prove the point.

[bikendan]

Well, there are quite a few us hybrid owners, who are not younger with kids.

We bought our hybrid in our 50s and have no kids.
Many of us older people hybrid owners still love the "camping " feel of hybrids vs the "shoebox" feel of regular TTs.
I'm 62 this year but still enjoy the hybrid.
We'll be taking the grandkids now that we moved closer to them.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

I was having a little fun with RooVader's original post when I suggested we hybrid owners wear 1% patches.
I went to several single dealer (Forest River) shows this past year where the dealers try to unload the rest of their existing inventory to make room for new. I asked where the hybrids were (only reason I went) and was told they didn't bring any because they had already sold them - none sat on the lot very long.
I've never thought of trying to keep count, but I believe I've been seeing more hybrids over the past several years.
I've been loving this thread. Premise was that non hybrid owners don't get it and many of the posts prove the point.

They typically do not sit long. More of them are sold and are out there than people realize. I considered tin canning this time around for about 10 seconds. No not really. I had a perfectly fine hybrid but wanted the Roo. Patiently waiting for 23WS.2 and tomorrow makes 4 of the 6 to 8 weeks.

I cant figure out where the cold comments come from. We camp from March to October and sometimes into November in the Western/central PA highlands at elevation and seldom use the furnace. Usually just a 1500 watt quartz heater with reflectix in the bunk windows and pugs. I can honestly say we've never really been cold and lots of times down into the 20's. 66 nights last year, 73 in 2014.......62 in 13.....lost count by memory for 12,11,10 but lots of nights in the hybrids. Maybe someday well change but probably to a class A. When I was looking at TTs I did have an eye for a Coachmen 254DSK....its a hybrid hybrid lol

[Drenjoey]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Well, there are quite a few us hybrid owners, who are not younger with kids.

We bought our hybrid in our 50s and have no kids.
Many of us older people hybrid owners still love the "camping " feel of hybrids vs the "shoebox" feel of regular TTs.
I'm 62 this year but still enjoy the hybrid.
We'll be taking the grandkids now that we moved closer to them.

In my 50's, we bought our first hybrid....... I am now 64 and just bought our third one, and I don't know if we will ever go for something else.....We just love hybrids.
We love bringing our grandkids, knowing there's a queen bed waiting for them.....and Dan will like that too !

[jking46]

I agree with the post about no heat ducts in the front of an ikss. Don't understand why. On the other hand, I DON'T understand the post about lack of storage. We have empty storage compartments. How much stuff do you take?
I am not one of the " younger with kids " owners. Currently 69 and counting. Having a hybrid means opening one bunk when just the wife and me, but having another one available when grandkids come along. Don't have to drop the dinette or fold out the sofa.
I guess it all boils down to personal preference. Probably no single correct answer. I spent my money on what I wanted ( actually the one my wife wanted ). Not a single regret. You don't like a hybrid? Buy something else.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Well, there are quite a few us hybrid owners, who are not younger with kids.

We bought our hybrid in our 50s and have no kids.
Many of us older people hybrid owners still love the "camping " feel of hybrids vs the "shoebox" feel of regular TTs.
I'm 62 this year but still enjoy the hybrid.
We'll be taking the grandkids now that we moved closer to them.

48 and all 4 of our boys are 19-24 so we have the Roo to ourselves as well

[OKC Thunder Family]

For me the "increased set up time" doesn't hold water. We had an enclosed camper before and every night we would have to fold down the couch, drop the dinette and make the beds for the kids. Then every morning undo everything we did because we needed the seating. Now we have 2 short queen beds that are always ready for me to pass out er...go to bed in, all in a Roo 17.
In Oklahoma we camp March to November and while it can get pretty cold at night the little ceramic heater keeps it warm with the furnace rarely kicking on.
It is not for everyone, but perfect for our family of 5.

[RooVader]

I honestly feel like I can regulate temps better in my hybrid. The heated mattresses pull the chill right out. In my hard side it felt like it would heat up so quickly it was too warm. If I use ecofoil (reflectix) I don't even run the furnace often...a little space heater and the bunk heaters are all I need.

I guess it illustrates the James Bond gadgetry approach I love about owning the hybrid. There are so many options to every scenario you can pretty much make the experience whatever you want it to be if you are the type of person willing to experiment.

Interesting about the passport, I didn't realize they brought them back. That fact, along with the steady stream of new people joining our ranks probably indicated FR is in fact doing pretty well with sales of them.

Maybe we will have to upgrade the patch to 2 percenters.

[Mainframe]

I have to chime in here, I think I just might have stumbled on to a near perfect hybrid choice, after reading complaints about other hybrids and hard side trailers, my 23ws has a few of these covered.

First I too will have empty storage space, this thing has lots and also a slide out wardrobe so storage for a hybrid is good, also the shower is just perfect, the glass doors are quite posh and there you go again tons of storage in the bathroom I won't fill up either.

Towing length is right about where I want to be, I can slide into a McD's pretty handily while traveling and get around town without too much trouble, I would not want much longer it would be a pain to handle I think, Just my opinion.

Mine has 2 ducts on the furnace that seem to be perfectly placed, it heats up quickly and very even if you ask me, I have a big yard and mine is out back plugged in to the house so I go out there and hang out all the time now, I just kick the furnace on and it quickly is fine in there even when it is 20 degrees.

I just spent 6 years with my other hybrid and this one solves all of the issues I had with the older one, plus a whole lot more, and solid maple cab doors are easy on the eyes.

My wife didn't like the fridge door wood covers at first but now is fine with them.

The setup of this thing as far as the tent ends go is just plain easy compared to the last one, just fold down the bunk, go in and shove the mattress where you want it and pop the stick in, it literally takes me less than a minute I bet, my older one had velcro and I never liked messing with it.

Folding it up probably takes me an extra minute because I am fussy about getting any canvas in the bunk seal so i take my time.

My wife is deathly afraid of space heaters, she used to be a reporter and I think they always blamed the heater in a fire report, (didn't have anything to do with common sense placement or operator error or the fact it got knocked over from someone too drunk to remember)
anyway, we run the furnace, (this one is super quiet, not noisy like the other one) I don't care if I buy propane.

Also it has to be scorching hot outside for us to run the a/c, we will use the bunk fans a lot and the vent fans now that we have 2 that are quiet and well placed. Probably mostly the Max air vents actually.

I am looking forward to using the outside grill, (didn't have one on the other camper) I looked into buying one but had no storage to for it when hauling so I nixed the idea. After I grill we can eat inside with the ends zipped down and it is a unique camping experience, like no other that you have to experience yourself to understand, I guess it is a carry over from our pop up days, some people just don't like the closed in feel, we also have a cabin in the mountains and it feels like being at a house after a while, so for now (and the next 10 years) it is a hybrid for us.

The only thing that makes me leery about this camper is the slides, I never had them before, but many hard side trailers have those also so I will just keep them lubed and dig in there and fix them if they give me trouble.

I don't know, the hybrid just feels like camping to us.

[howie70]

Originally Posted by RooVader

I don't think the local jayco dealer carries them anymore. I had a friend shopping for one and the sales people were strongly discouraging the hybrid route. They probably aren't wrong to do so for most people I suppose but it was another sign they are shrinking in market share.

The one I owned was a Jayco. If my one unit was any indication of the quality of the rest of them, I can see why Jayco dealers would stop carrying them.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by howie70

The one I owned was a Jayco. If my one unit was any indication of the quality of the rest of them, I can see why Jayco dealers would stop carrying them.

No one individual unit is any indication of anything. If it leaked that bad someone didnt know what they were doing or you just got the lemon. I know half a dozen people with Jayco Hybrids and they love them. No difference really between a Jayco hybrid, a Dutchmen(aerolite,kodiak,coleman), Keystone, KZ,Coachmen, and a few others. All of those use the LCI bunk door assemblies. Rockwood \ Flagstaff\Palomino are the only brands that do their own thing and frankly I wish I could of ordered my 23WS Roo with the LCI doors. I have now had 2 with those assemblies and no leaks other than a split caulk seam from freeze\thaw. Hybrids once had inherihent issues with bunk doors when they first came out. That was in the 90's until 00 or so. Since then they have been rock solid unless you get a bad one the same as any other TT. To suggest otherwise is simply wrong.

[howie70]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

No one individual unit is any indication of anything. Hybrids once had inherihent issues with bunk doors when they first came out. That was in the 90's until 00 or so. Since then they have been rock solid unless you get a bad one the same as any other TT. To suggest otherwise is simply wrong.

Don't take my comment so personally. You like your hybrid, that's good. I had one and it leaked constantly, that was bad.

[KMP44]

Originally Posted by jking46

I agree with the post about no heat ducts in the front of an ikss. Don't understand why.

Its a cost / practicality thing. The furnace and the 2 short ducts sit on top of the floor. With a slide out on each side, there is no place to run a duct above the floor to the front half of the camper. That would mean running duct work underneath and it would be exposed.

I found a nice electric fireplace to fit under the TV last fall. Made a huge difference having some heat up front. I also swapped the thermostat for a digital one last spring, and that was a huge improvement as well.

We love our hybrid and have no plans to get anything else. We go the rv how every year for something to do, but to get the same features we have now in regular tt puts you in something around 35 feet long and that won't fit where we like to camp.

[RooVader]

I admit i am a little leery of space heaters as well. I usually turn mine on only when I am awake...if I crank those mattresses up to 8 I couldn't stand any more warmth. It is a little tricky in the morning because I jump up, turn on the space heater, and dive back into the bunk until it warms up. My alarm kept going off when it was new and I ran the heater so I started using the space heater and never really went back to using the furnace except when it is very cold.

I certainly wasn't implying there is anything wrong with Jayco's. I just know our local huge dealership simply stopped carrying them and I noticed on the website there are far fewer options. I always thought they lacked some of the "little things" that the Roo/Shamrocks have. I really do feel like they maximize the space so well on virtually every model. At first I was a little confused by the WS but now I love that model. I haven't found anything lacking in my DK and pretty much love it but those 23 models would be nice if I wanted to engage TURTLE MODE. I have yet to fully initiate Turtle, I usually can't resist going half shell to at least have the world's biggest storage shelf. Plus the bunks are the most comfortable I have been in any camper...but that is probably just me. I just sleep better than I did in my hard side.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Mainframe

I have to chime in here, I think I just might have stumbled on to a near perfect hybrid choice, after reading complaints about other hybrids and hard side trailers, my 23ws has a few of these covered.

First I too will have empty storage space, this thing has lots and also a slide out wardrobe so storage for a hybrid is good, also the shower is just perfect, the glass doors are quite posh and there you go again tons of storage in the bathroom I won't fill up either.

Towing length is right about where I want to be, I can slide into a McD's pretty handily while traveling and get around town without too much trouble, I would not want much longer it would be a pain to handle I think, Just my opinion.

Mine has 2 ducts on the furnace that seem to be perfectly placed, it heats up quickly and very even if you ask me, I have a big yard and mine is out back plugged in to the house so I go out there and hang out all the time now, I just kick the furnace on and it quickly is fine in there even when it is 20 degrees.

I just spent 6 years with my other hybrid and this one solves all of the issues I had with the older one, plus a whole lot more, and solid maple cab doors are easy on the eyes.

My wife didn't like the fridge door wood covers at first but now is fine with them.

The setup of this thing as far as the tent ends go is just plain easy compared to the last one, just fold down the bunk, go in and shove the mattress where you want it and pop the stick in, it literally takes me less than a minute I bet, my older one had velcro and I never liked messing with it.

Folding it up probably takes me an extra minute because I am fussy about getting any canvas in the bunk seal so i take my time.

My wife is deathly afraid of space heaters, she used to be a reporter and I think they always blamed the heater in a fire report, (didn't have anything to do with common sense placement or operator error or the fact it got knocked over from someone too drunk to remember)
anyway, we run the furnace, (this one is super quiet, not noisy like the other one) I don't care if I buy propane.

Also it has to be scorching hot outside for us to run the a/c, we will use the bunk fans a lot and the vent fans now that we have 2 that are quiet and well placed. Probably mostly the Max air vents actually.

I am looking forward to using the outside grill, (didn't have one on the other camper) I looked into buying one but had no storage to for it when hauling so I nixed the idea. After I grill we can eat inside with the ends zipped down and it is a unique camping experience, like no other that you have to experience yourself to understand, I guess it is a carry over from our pop up days, some people just don't like the closed in feel, we also have a cabin in the mountains and it feels like being at a house after a while, so for now (and the next 10 years) it is a hybrid for us.

The only thing that makes me leery about this camper is the slides, I never had them before, but many hard side trailers have those also so I will just keep them lubed and dig in there and fix them if they give me trouble.

I don't know, the hybrid just feels like camping to us.

I spent more time setting up my Shasta then I do the Roo23ikss. Only negatives for me are the Kitchen slide blocks the led lights under the awning and takes a small Amy of camping space away outside, the shower is a pain, heat ducts are only in the rear but interior layout for the two of us is perfect. In the future if we are doing a stop and go or quick overnight we can sleep on the couch and not move tent ends out. I can't use the bathroom on the road without putting a slide out but that is fine.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by howie70

Don't take my comment so personally. You like your hybrid, that's good. I had one and it leaked constantly, that was bad.

Nothing taken personally.

[Kaboingy]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

Low-end stick & tin bunkhouses have been around for some time...

Actually I think around 2010/2011 the lightweight aluminum/fiberglass "1/2 ton towable" market really took-off. Our roomy 2-slide bunkhouse is only 6,400 empty w/empty tongue of 640 & sells new for $26K from wholesalers...

In comparison, the popular Roo 233S is almost 5,000 empty w/empty tongue of 600 & priced around $21K... For the extra 1,400 lbs. & $5K our aluminum/fiberglass TT has an entire separate bedroom w/slide-out for the kids, outdoor kitchen (love it!), 2nd door to bathroom, and roomy pass-through storage & under master bed storage... With 8 cu. ft. fridge & outdoor fridge we can camp for 2 weeks without shopping for groceries (or doing laundry - lots of closet/hamper space too!) I upgraded the mattress to the same one we have at home & its super comfy...

About 2010/2011 the towing capacities of 1/2 ton trucks also really took-off. Many of today's 1/2 tons are capable of towing our 34' TT without maxing-out payload or GCVW... Also, several folks on this forum safely tow our TT with a Nissan Armada, Yukon XL, or Suburban. We camp a lot at state parks & I've squeezed 34' into some very tight spots - but I also drove construction trailers for an number of years...

We have several camping friends w/hybrids who claim they really love sleeping under fabric in fresh air etc., plus enjoy the ease of towing, etc. so I get it... However, every time they meet someone interested in camping, they also try to sell their hybrid to them... Just sayin'...

I say all of this because we ALMOST bought a hybrid for our first TT & spent a lot of time looking at everything they had on the market 2 years ago... However, now that we have camped for almost 70 days, including some that have dropped to near freezing, I am glad we didn't go the hybrid route...

What TT do you have?