Anybody like their Hybrid?

[Marines0811]

Want to upgrade from my pop up to a Hybrid but most threads in here are about problems?

[ependydad]

I think that's the nature of forums. The cheerleaders have little to talk about, so they don't. The folks with problems need help, so they ask questions. Only a small set stick around to talk up their products.

(It's not just here- many moons ago in a very different situation, it was the same on another forum I frequented.)

[jaws2003]

Yes! we got our 2014 23ss Roo in May and have been on three trips. One for 9 days out to Washington DC. We have had no serious problems and stayed safe and comfortable. Traveled well with my F-150. We had one electrical problem but resolved that when we got home. All I can say is that its good to learn what your camper can do and not do and then be handy enough to fix or improve things as you learn and use it. I'm sure your pop-up was the same way. Just make sure you buy from a dealer who knows the product and does as much camping as you plan to do. Make sure you have a safe vehicle to pull it too. Use the 75% rule to start; rated towing times 75 % should equal expected fully loaded trailer curb weight. My Roo is 4484 lbs with options dry and you add about 350 for max wet weight plus your stuff (in my case 941 lbs).

[KMP44]

Originally Posted by Marines0811

Want to upgrade from my pop up to a Hybrid but most threads in here are about problems?

We upgraded to our hybrid after 13yrs with the popup. Love it and wouldn't make any other choice if we had to do it over again.

The Roo/Shamrock tent ends were redesigned last year. Seems like they keep working to improve the ends and reduce problems. Hybrids do have potential for leaks. So far, no problems for us.

One thing to keep in mind on the forum postings - these are where everyone goes to get help (an maybe vent a little) so it makes it seem like the percentage of trailers with problems is higher than it actually is. In other words, most people don't start a thread saying "I have no problems" but anybody having a problem is going to start a thread to get help.

If you like the tent ends, but want to upgrade to more features and less setup, you probably will like a hybrid. I think that's how many of us got into them - started with a popup. Just factor in that potential for issues, but I don't think is by any means a certainty that all hybrids have problems. Companies wouldn't keep making them if a large percentage of the units had warranty issues. It wouldn't be profitable or worth the trouble to them.

[Scottnlaura]

We upgraded this year from a pop up to a hybrid and love it! We have been on 3 trips for a total of 14 nights and going again this weekend. Set up and take down is so much easier and less stressful which makes the trip much more enjoyable....not to mention the convience and amenities that come with it.

We have been out in the rain 5 or6 times, some of it torrential downpours without a leak.

Would make the change again without a doubt.

[djmac1964]

We had a Jayco Kiwi 23B. It was almost 10 years old when we bought it, and was our first camper. We put it on a seasonal site for about 3, and loved it! Had a few issues with it, but that is to be expected from a 10 year old camper, that apparently was not very well maintained by the previous owners. I actually liked the floor plan better than the one I have now, and If I got the right deal on one, and had the means to do it, I would consider picking up another one, just for when the kids, friends or family came to camp with us.

[Triguy]

We love our hybrid! Perfect floorplan for our family of 5 right now, we still enjoy sleeping under canvas and its easily towable with our Seq.

And, yes, like most hybrid owners - whether they're Flagstaff/Rockwood, Surveyor, Wildwood, Palomino, Jayco, etc - we have not experienced leaks.

I think you'll find most hybrid owners are happy. The ones that I have talked with and met with who were unhappy, usually admit they made a mistake in their initial purchase decision.

You gotta want the canvas!

[force]

+1 Very happy Roo 23SS owner. This is my first hybrid, and have had no leaks or issues on 10 trips and counting...

[ebemis]

+1 very happy Roo 233S owner. Our first hybrid coming from years of tent camping and we love it. As Triguy notes, if you enjoy sleeping under canvas and don't want to lose it, there isn't a better solution. Like everything, you will learn good and bad throughout your use of your camper, the key is to learn to fix the bad on your own and revel and enjoy the good!

HAPPY CAMPING!!

[lindy]

Up grading is the nature of the beast call CAMPING. We started with a Trailmanor, then a ROO 23SS - LOVED IT, just got too old to climb over each other in the middle of the night to poddy break. Went to a Rockwood 2604 - Loved it too. Then went to the dark side our current unit in the sig block. The ROO 23SS was a great unit. It was an 08 and had a little issue with the front bunk door bowing and leaking, all part of the animal. It you camp and the canvas isn't leaking then you're not camping.

[bikendan]

we've had our Roo 23SS for almost 7 years now and still love it!
sure we've had a few issues but most new RV's have them.
we still love camping in the woods and sleeping our our floating beds, listening to creeks running, wind in the trees and birds singing.

until we retire, it is perfect for our type of camping. would buy another one if we were younger.

like the others have said, forums like this tend to have a lot of posts about problems.
most that don't have problems, don't post about that.

[Buckeyecmpr]

We love our 2011 233S! We've had our fair share of problems like others...bunks replaced a couple of times, slideout issue, etc. But FR has stepped up and backed us 100% of the way. The 233S is perfect for our family of six and I wouldn't trade it for anything else...well, maybe the new 23IKS 5'er, TT, hybrid or popup...they all can have issues. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

[Cowracer]

Originally Posted by Marines0811

Want to upgrade from my pop up to a Hybrid but most threads in here are about problems?

Do you like your Pop-up? If you go on some pop-up forums, all you hear is griping about leaks, broken roofs, condesation, etc, etc etc... It's enough to make the uninformed person question why anyone would even attempt to put up with those things.

The truth is, probably 85% of Hybrid owners are pleased as punch with their rigs. 5% would sell them off because they outgrew them, or they don't like the trade-offs that come with them (same as with pop-ups) and maybe 10% have had issues with leaks, quality, or other things.

The thing is, that 10% can be very vocal. There is a certain user here that will interject their displeasure with their leaking Hybrid in every thread that mentions "leak", plus 2 or 3 threads they started complaining about FR quality. Try to bear that in mind as you are reading about the problems. Very few post up "Hey! Everything is just peachy." Its just like the Coleman Pop-up crowd with the ABS roofs. A small percent failed, but that was enough to give it a bad reputation, and drop the value of many fine, trouble free pop-up for no reason.

For the record. It took me owning a Class A, a PUP and (shudder..) tents, before I found what is exactly perfect for me. I love my Roo, and everything about it.

Tim

[bikendan]

well-said, Cowracer!

[WFDEric]

2013 233 roo....Love it...Only found minor things that were easy fixes...

[rthrbelsewhere]

Yup, still using our 2000 model M-18 that we bought used back in 2008. We lived in it for a summer, while assisting some hosts at a campground for 4 months and also spent an extended time in sw colorado last year (8 weeks). Sleeps and tows like a charm, no complaints.
As old as it is, i will have to replace the canopy on both the front and back bunks and replace the awning while i'm at it. But we're not there just yet.

(anybody have an approximate price on what bunk canopies cost, pm it to me would ya? Time to start counting my pennies. )

Is there anything specific you want more info on?

Joe

[ndickey]

We have an '08 Roo 21ss, it's just the two of us and some doggies. Love my Roo.

[sself1219]

Having owned both a popup and a hybrid, my advice if you're going to upgrade, just get a travel trailer, instead of a hybrid. I've not really had any bad experiences with my Surveyor, but folder the main bed out is a hassle and the canvas makes it almost impossible to keep it cool in the summer and causes lots of condensation in the colder months. Someone will tell me to get a pop up gizmo, which may or may not solve my gripes with the temperature in the camper but my thought is I shouldn't have to buy accessories to make it comfortably usable. That being said the Surveyor is an awesome unit and when I do buy a travel trailer in the near future it'll be a Surveyor sport or select.

[Marines0811]

I have the gizmos for the pop up and we surivied in the California dessert last year on vacation. So they do work.

[djmac1964]

Originally Posted by sself1219

Having owned both a popup and a hybrid, my advice if you're going to upgrade, just get a travel trailer, instead of a hybrid. I've not really had any bad experiences with my Surveyor, but folder the main bed out is a hassle and the canvas makes it almost impossible to keep it cool in the summer and causes lots of condensation in the colder months. Someone will tell me to get a pop up gizmo, which may or may not solve my gripes with the temperature in the camper but my thought is I shouldn't have to buy accessories to make it comfortably usable. That being said the Surveyor is an awesome unit and when I do buy a travel trailer in the near future it'll be a Surveyor sport or select.

Must have been an AC problem. Never had any problem cooling or heating our Jayco. Had used it in 100 degree days, and days well below freezing with the ends out, and never had a problem. I would also use a fan in the summer to direct the air where I wanted it to go. And usually a ceramic heater in the winter to help conserve the propane, but it was fine in any conditions.