Roo/Shamrock.. are they as good as I think?

[CYAH OUT THERE!]

Try to get in the frame of mind to get what you need now. If you think that there’s one rv with everything forever you’ll drive yourself crazy. We bought our first rv Roo. Then bought 23ikss Shamrock. We had each about 5 years.We traveled from Illinois to California, Colorado, South Dakota and everywhere in between. We stayed out from October to March several years. With any rv there are specific things to expect depending on rv type. They all need care and maintenance. We got cold, got bothered by neighbor noise, had to be very cognizant of condensation and even “turtled-up” a few times when wind was hurling sand. We’re older now. No kids along anymore. We have mini lite now. Loved them all. They are not sticks and bricks houses. You’re going to have issues. Just fix as you go. Make it yours. Most importantly have fun. Your truck will pull hybrid fine. Good luck on your choice. Your kids will never forget their camping experiences. And they won’t care if they got crammed in to a sleeping bag on the floor when gramma gets the bed.

[itat]

Dinozero, first, welcome to the forum.

You're definitely correct that the Roo (actually Rockwoods of any kind) are above average quality. We are on our third Rockwood trailer. The Roo/Shamrock line is tops for hybrids. All that said, they are not perfect and like any RV will need to be meticulously maintained in order to last for a long time. If you're handy you should have no problem with regular maintenance requirements.

Personally, I'd buy a used Roo before I'd buy a new Wildwood or Puma. In fact that's exactly what I did for our first 2 Rockwoods.

We bought a used 2010 Roo 23SS and it did have a problem with leaking seals on the bunk doors but that was a previous generation design. Rockwood treated me very fairly even though I was the 2nd owner and the camper wasn't under warranty.

You said you would be first time owners but have you camped in tents or a popup before? That is, have you and your family camped and slept under canvas before? If you have then you'll know what sleeping in a hybrid will be like. If you haven't, I recommend renting a popup a few times before buying a Roo to make sure everyone is happy sleeping under canvas.

The other poster who mentioned drying out the canvas is spot on. You'll need to be able to dry out the canvas after it rains or you'll quickly be dealing with mold.

If you do go ahead and purchase a Roo, I would recommend you seriously look at getting a set of Popup Gizmos (yes, that's what they are called) because they will help reduce condensation in cooler weather and reduce heat in hotter weather.

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by KyDan

... Also just a mention of noise. Those canvas sides do not block much sound at all. ...

Nor light, nor radiant heat. I liked our Shamrock 21DK but be aware of the disadvantages of canvas.

If your alternative is a 30' travel trailer, 30' is a lot to pull with a 1/2 ton. It's not a matter of weight as much as it is surface area for wind. You'll get pushed around.

[Walleyeguy]

We have a 2013 Shamrock 233s (owned it since 2014).We absolutely love it. It’s very good quality inside and out. For us it’s all about the floor plan fitting our needs. Sleeps 10 no problem if needed. I think the key is finding one that suits your needs.

[richl167]

I owned a ROO (23IKSS) and loved it. Towed with a RAM 1500. You need to consider what your tow vehicle is with any trailer. Might want to look at this unless you are considering a new vehicle. The Roo folds up compact and is an easy tow for a first timer. Dry weight like 5500 lbs. It is also very well made. Camping here in Texas we got the larger AC as I noticed newer Roos for sale here with smaller AC and foil in the tent end windows. Larger AC with PUGS worked fine here. No extra insulation needed other than the PUGS. (PUGS are covers that go over the tent ends. )

What I disliked.... Hooking up the equalization bars which are heavy, sleeping on the slightly harder surface of the fold outs, and the size of the shower. Rest was fine. The water filter I thought was in a bad area, but my new fifth wheel is even worse. I used an outside filter on both.

We traded up 2 years ago for a Rockwood 5th wheel and a RAM 2500. Now I get a queen bed and two AC units. The 50 amp service I now require does limit us out of some State parks here unless we are OK running one AC unit. Hookup and towing of a fifth wheel is actually easier, but requires a big truck.

A friend bought a used ROO last year (actually branded as a Shamrock) and is very pleased. We looked at used originally, but bought new mainly for the larger AC here in Texas. Have you considered used ? Some good deals may be out there. If you stay around Ky, you may be OK with the smaller AC unit, and someone south of you may be trading for that issue (as was the case when we looked.)

Look at rv trader (www.rvt.com). I see for instance a 2016 Roo 23IKSS for $ 18987 in Cleburne Texas. Good luck !

[Chuck_S]

My little Roo 23SS is thirty (30) feet long on site with the beds deployed. And will sleep 4 full sized people comfortable with no one sleeping on the sofa or dinette. I've yet to see a closed box travel trailer with two queen side beds -- are there any?

-- Chuck

[CyclePilot]

Originally Posted by MuddauberE

We had the 2013 233s roo. We loved the trailer and our 1500 pulled it just fine. Although it was well made, the 4in bed on plywood was hard to sleep in for more then a weekend. At least for our backs. The kids were fine. And if you sleep in the cooler weather, the condensation build up in the bunk ends are still a thing. Those are the only two negatives with the roo’s I can say. Other than that, it’s light, short, no popping up and down. You get the travel trailer feel with the bunk end sleeping quarters. After 7 years, we wanted longer weekends and less condensation, so we upgraded.

Everything is a stage. Someone told us when we got started and bought the 276HW pop up, that we would be upgrading regularly. The pop up was just to see if we liked camping. And we did. Then the next one was because I was tired of popping up and down the camper all the time. But at that time we still liked having bunk ends and opening up the camper to let fresh air in. Now our third one is because we want to go on longer trips and go places where we wouldn’t be a human taco for bears.

Take you time and think about where you want to go, how you want to camp and what you have to pull the trailer with.

SO to add my 2 cents, I agree with MuddauberE, I think he hit ir right on.


I too went from the biggest Rockwood pop up made and liked it a lot- had great memories with my twin boys and my wife. I loved the fact that I could open the windows and felt like I was in a real camping with a tent. The airflow, the looking out the windows at the scenery and the moon (yes even at night, I lived in FL at the time) was just awesome. I too however got a little sick of the time and effort to set up.

So I traded for a Roo Hybrid. I loved the upgrade, and the space and simplicity (from the setting up stand point) that came with it- still had a "TT" but with what I loved from the Pop up- the tent bunks... to me it was the best of both worlds!!
Then my wife got the bright idea of upgrading to a full TT so we ended up with a MiniLight, And while I loved the simpler setup, we always felt like something was missing. We felt like we were camping in a "box"- we could no longer feel "like we're really camping"- that soft canvas over you, when open the canvas windows, the wind/breeze and the feeling thatthere's only a piece of screen between you and nature that really gives you the feeling that you're really camping!

So long story short we went back to a Hybrid TT- we have the Shamrock Hybrid which is the very same as the Roo 235S. we absolutely love it and don't see us going to anything else anytime soon. We LOVE the feeling of real camping on the bunk ends, the space inside you simply can't match with the same "box"/RV size. Small/lite enough to tow (by the way, I got the very same Ford F-150 3.6 EB you mentioned) and tows is nicely, ALL the amenities you should want/have/need, and the Kids LOVE it.
My only draw backs are: 1) A little more time in setting up the bunks ( you can always open ONE or BOTH bonks as needed and 2) the "soft" walls between you and the bears in some places- then again I think they'd go for the tent campers and pop ups before they get to us, and nothing some bear spray or a Glock 45 can't handle .

Hybrid TTs are not for everyone I will admit, but in my case it is the absolute BEST of both worlds!! My wife and kids agree... And by the way, they are very well make IMO I've not had any issues there...

[jimbo1710]

We love our Rockwood 21SS. Ours is a 2019 and i think the quality is quite good. I did not want the cabinets to be all veneered, i wanted solid wood and feel they will hold up very well. We have used her about 20 times in the past two summers, and would buy it again in a heart beat.

[Bacchus]

Well said. Another thing I love about a hybrid is parking so the sun hits the tent end and warms it up in the morning. About 90% of our camping is just that camping. We stay in unimproved sites or NF camp grounds with no power, sewer etc. It's really nice to be able to camp next to a creek or river and listen to the sound of the water rushing down stream as it lulls you sleep. I can hardly wait until enough snow melts so the roads and campgrounds can open up.

[Theo]

We bought our 2020 23IKSS in 2019 and used it quite a bit the first year. Last year we only camped twice due to Covid and other restrictions. The Roo has had moderate use and I would say that it had held up incredibly well for the two of us.

We were fortunate to have an outstanding dealer and salesperson to help guide us on our entry into this lifestyle. Remember, no matter what the quality of the TT, you WILL need the dealer's help at some point or another. So, as well as shopping for the TT, you should also shop for the dealer. Do research on the dealer for customer satisfaction. I even spent a busy Saturday morning at several dealers casually asking the departing service customers about their experience. Its amazing how much interesting feedback I got doing this!

Now, I am rather picky about things and was hesitant to pull the trigger after following some of the horror stories on this forum several years before we were in the market. However, once we found our dealer/salesperson, we were able to have many discussions that allayed almost all of our biggest concerns. Initially, we took the "trust, but verify" approach and subsequently found our salesperson to be right on the money. So, I can't emphasize enough that the dealers/salespersons matter just as much as the quality of the TT!

During our detailed PDI, we only found three issues: a stripped screw on an upper bunk latch, a cracked dinette window latch and a broken outlet mounting screw in the refrigerator's outside hatch. These were all noted and quickly fixed by the dealer. Since then, we haven't run into any problems!

We love our Rockwood and its quality!

[jaxn]

Gotta agree with Chuck_S. We bought a 2008 Roo 23SS in 2012 coming from a pop up. Absolutely still love it. Tow with a 2006 Chevy Tahoe no problem. 2 teenage girls in the back bunk. DW and I and 2 mid size Vizsla dogs in the front bunk. Spent 2 weeks every summer at OBX til 2019 plus other trips. Maybe a little tight for 4 adults, but DW and I love it on our parent only trip to MI in the fall. She gets the front bunk, I get the back. Make sure to get bunk mattress warmers if available. Downside is always the outside noise. I pack ear plugs. Build quality for that generation of Roos seems solid. Lord knows we camped the hell out of ours. Just went out last weekend for the 2021 shakedown and looking forward to much more camping this summer!

[Mr. Light]

We went from a popup to a 23IKSS and were supremely happy with the space but quickly realized it's still essentially a big tent: campfire smoke, noisy neighbors, 5am sunrise, bed setup/teardown and hot/cold temps are much more of a hassle than a regular ol TT.

Selling the Roo this week to make room for the new Keystone Bullet next week

[PEARCE05]

Hi,

We've had a Rockwood Roo 183 for 10 years. I can't compare it with anything else as it was the first camper we've bought. Our kids were 6, 7 and 10 at the time and it's been perfect for us. My wife didn't want a pop-up and wanted an enclosed bathroom. It needed to be light enough to be towed by a Chrysler Town and Country Van. We've put 23,000km on it, up and down Eastern Canada and the US, from Gaspe to Florida. There's been some maintenance required naturally- the fresh water tank had a crack, the front bunk de-laminated and had to be replaced and I changed the tires last year. Although the kids aren't much interested anymore, we've got no reason to get rid of it! Enjoy!

PS - They are all RVs by definition, however, when it comes to choosing campgrounds, you should know that "RV" campgrounds are more for the big rigs where you get lots of extra services, entertainment, etc...We always felt more comfortable in Provincial and State Parks where things are more rustic and the sites are more spaced out.

[AMarrs]

I had a 2013 Rockwood Roo 23SS for about 5 years. It was a step up from a pop-up (that I had for 11 years). I loved the Roo. I liked the feeling of "tent-camping" but up off the ground with heated mattresses, a furnace, AC, and indoor plumbing! I especially enjoyed all the space. Since the beds aren't actually IN the camper, they don't take up any room! I towed the Roo with a 2003 Durango with full towing package. The Roo was pretty much at the top end of what the Durango could handle but I didn't have any problems.

My only real issue with the Roo was that I couldn't open & close the bunkends by myself - I'm a short (5'3") older woman so they were a little too hard to reach & a little too heavy. However, I was usually camping with a friend or relative so we managed.

I traded it in 2018 for a small travel trailer (2018 Palomino Solaire 24BH) because I wanted to get a seasonal site at my favorite campground. I decided a hybrid wasn't a good choice for seasonal since I would not want to leave the bunkends out when I wasn't there & having to open & close them each time would be a PITA. I liked the Palomino, but I missed the space in the Roo. And I kinda missed sleeping under canvas!

(As you can see by my signature, I have now traded the Palomino for a small Class C. The Palomino was too heavy for the Durango to tow, so I was paying someone to tow it for me. That was OK when it only had to be towed twice a year (to the campground in March, back home in December). But the campground stopped offering the seasonal option & I wanted to be able to do more traveling.)

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by AMarrs

… My only real issue with the Roo was that I couldn't open & close the bunkends by myself - I'm a short (5'3") older woman so they were a little too hard to reach & a little too heavy. However, I was usually camping with a friend or relative so we managed. …

Too late for you, but a trick to make it easier is to close all the windows, close the door, and turn both Fantastic Fans on high. The suction helps lift the beds and sucks the canvas in, making it much easier to lift and close.

[GalsofEscape]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

Too late for you, but a trick to make it easier is to close all the windows, close the door, and turn both Fantastic Fans on high. The suction helps lift the beds and sucks the canvas in, making it much easier to lift and close.

this is true - the fan trick.... but it only works on units that have attached tent ends. Not sure when they changed to the attached tenting, but a 2013 model may not have been able to use this trick.


the OP looking at the new one should be able to use the fan trick...

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by GalsofEscape

this is true - the fan trick.... but it only works on units that have attached tent ends. Not sure when they changed to the attached tenting, but a 2013 model may not have been able to use this trick.

We had a 2014 MY. Having come from a popup with detached tent ends I very much appreciated having them attached. You can close up in a downpour and the trailer stays dry. Yes, you have to open it up to dry it out but you never have to deal with a wet mattress.

[GalsofEscape]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

We had a 2014 MY. Having come from a popup with detached tent ends I very much appreciated having them attached. You can close up in a downpour and the trailer stays dry. Yes, you have to open it up to dry it out but you never have to deal with a wet mattress.

Totally agree, but i have seen water intrusions even with the attached tents. had to tighten the door clamps after we got a puddle on the door joint fabric inside the camper.

[Roo122]

we were pop up campers raising the family. So going to the 23ikss was a big upgrade. as others have posted, the canvas sides give a camping feeling, we see it as a plus, let alone the added space. Very happy with Rockwood!

[Ron045]

We have a 23IKSS from 2017 and really like it. This is our 5th season with it and we have only had a dislike of the tent ends (for noise purposes) maybe a half dozen times at campgrounds that really packed us in or that one annoying group that thinks its OK to party and play loud music after midnight.

All the the tips and tricks previously mentioned for moisture and packing up are effective.

I'm not sure how you like to camp and what your morning routine is, but here is something to consider.

DW Parents are in one tent end and you and DW are in the other. Depending on your girls they can either share the sofa bed (not very comfortable) or split them up with the sofa bed and dinette bed. Not sure how old they are, but eventually they will want their own bed.

In the morning I like to make coffee and sit to slowly become human. I get up before everyone else, so I try to be as quiet as possible. 90% of the time I go outside because we camp in fair weather.

In your case, your rig will be stuffed with people, virtually no privacy, everyone subjected to internal noises made by others in your party and most importantly, nowhere for you to sit until the dinette becomes free to convert back.

I know some people must use the dinette as a bed. But I now have teenagers who like to sleep forever. So I really like that we do not have to use the dinette as a bed because my DW and I are typically eating breakfast while teenagers are still sleeping.

BTW... Someone above said the Ford EB could tow any Roo/Shamrock. I have a Navigator with EB. It tows fantastic. Mileage does stink. There is nothing economical about EB... but I really like the way it pulls. I have had a situation or two where I really needed to get up to speed quickly and I have never had to floor it.

Lastly, I might have missed it, but I did not see anything written about PopUp Gizmos. THEY REALLY WORK with controlling moisture, light, heat and cold. In the pictures they are the silver covers over the tent ends. Lot's of discussion already on this forum. Just search PopUp Gizmo.

Have Fun and best of luck with your decision.
Ron