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My wife and I have been enjoying our Casita for 5 years now taking an annual 3 week trip plus various long weekend trips. Our only complaint has been the bed size. Near the end of our most recent Casita trip we traveled through Hohenwald last week to take a look at the Oliver. My better half, who originally was not real happy when I surprised her 5 yrs ago with a camper (Casita) in the drive way insisted that we plop down a deposit. We are now scheduled to take delivery of a new LE2 in mid August. Probably the one driver that made us go ahead and commit was the quality of the plant tour lead by Phillip Andrews. He is extremely knowledgeable, showed a genuine passion for his product and was straight up and honest. Thanks Phil. My retirement should happen next year which will lead to a lot more camping/traveling time. We hope to see many of you down the road. Steve & Missy

I recommend getting a kit with high quality tools. Sometimes you really have to push on them and sometimes the rasp has to go into a ragged hole and clean it up. If you buy an expensive kit in a nice box, you can add to it by buying some extra yarns, or whatever they are called, and an extra tube of rubber contact cement. The kits now mostly come with a grease type sealant and I don't think it is as good. The rubber cement can be squeezed into the hole and flooded all over the yarns before they are pushed in. It makes a good lubricant and then sets up to seal. Tubes of it are very cheap and sold next to the repair kits at auto parts stores. Also, add a few round inner tube patches to the kit so you can fix your bicycle tube while on a trip. This is done with the contact cement and the tube patches. The strings, or yarns can work better than the rubber plugs because often the hole is not round and can be larger than the rubber plugs might work in. Not all repairs are perfect, but most will get you home or to a tire shop. As mentioned, I recently fixed a hole in my tire that was from a 3/8" bolt. I drove it 150 miles to the Las Vegas to get a new tire and had no leak. If you are just fixing a hole from a nail in the tread, this fix can be considered permanent and road worthy. So, pick a high quality tool set that comes in a plastic closeable box. Add some extra yarns, some contact cement and some bike tire patches. You can also add a schrader valve tool, a couple of new schrader valves and a couple of air caps. You can even add a couple of tubeless tire valve stems and a tool to install them, but that be a bit much. I always have a bottle of windex handy in my truck for washing hands and cleaning stuff. This will work for checking for leaks. I also always have a 12 volt compressor, or an inverter and a 120 volt compressor, with me. These not only allow me to fix a tire, but allow me to air back up after a desert trip where I aired down. Here's the kit I put together that rides in my truck: It started out as a Black Jack tire repair kit and I added the rest.

I agree Raspy. As Walt Rauch said, "the best place to carry a gun is in your hand." I interpret that as a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement that any place we can actually carry/store a gun (legally/practically speaking) involves trade-offs and is sub-optimal from a tactical sense. Last year there was some nutjob that went driving around the Rampart Range (National Forest area popular for dry camping) here just west of USAFA shooting at campers. Thankfully nobody got injured. But one of the nutjob's victims had a rifle handy and was able to return fire, wounding him. The camper kept the nutjob pinned down long enough for sherrif's deputies to arrive on the scene and arrest said nutjob. Now I would assume that this is a relatively rare occurrence, but it's a case of when seconds count, and your gun is buried far inside the trailer, well, you do the math. This is a free country and everybody has their own risk tolerance, or lengths they are willing to go to mitigate low probability/high impact risks. Just providing a data point for contemplation.

If you want instant deployment, easy manipulation in tight spaces, not having to rely on switches and electric catches to release something stuck in the back of a closet, that only you know the secret to, that then has to be unwrapped, in the dark, while in a hurry, look elsewhere. If you want 17 rounds of "go away", you need a strategically placed pistol that your hand can find in the dark. Or your partner or a friend can find without learning where the secret switch is and all the rest. There are at least four places that meet this criteria in an LE2. And none of them will accept a long gun. Further, if you get stranded in the mountains and have to walk out overnight, a smaller gun is much easier to carry. Or you might have two, so you can leave one with whoever stays behind. Not at all saying anybody needs to shoot someone or some animal, but a lot of noise and the presence of a gun can go a long way toward scaring off a bear or showing intention. Remember the recent story of the hiker that killed a mountain lion with his bare hands after being attacked? A shotgun packed away back at the trailer, would have been no help, but a pistol in his pocket, might have. Of course, while just sitting around camp in the evening with a few friends, a gun should be out of sight in the trailer, or locked up. A few years ago, a buddy of mine had some friends that were out camping together. One night, sitting around the fire, some weirdo walked into camp with a gun and started taking to them. The conversation deteriorated. Everyone was nervous and finally one guy ran to his car and started fumbling around for his gun. The stranger shot him and disappeared back into the forest. I never look for trouble. I would never go camping where I suspected there were dangerous people around. I don't hunt. And I would never shoot an animal unless necessary. But I can imagine a few scenarios where I would be very glad I was armed. We really enjoy going to rallies, where everything is safe, fun and friendly, and we also enjoy getting about as far off the beaten path as possible.

That "rule", is of course true for the most part. But when out in the desert with a flat spare, it absolutely means nothing. If choosing between walking for miles in the hot sun, or plugging a sidewall, the sidewall plug wins every time. Sometimes blanket rules are invalid, or even downright dangerous, if strictly adhered too. It's better to remind someone that sidewall fixes are emergency repairs, and only good enough to get you to the tire shop at low speeds, while tread repairs can be permanent and safe. Any roadside repair, on a back road in the desert, is an emergency repair in my book. And different standards apply when it comes to getting stranded, vs simply getting local help with a quick phone call. A sidewall cut in a Walmart parking lot, for instance, would just mean a minor inconvenience while you get a new tire. In the desert, I intend to keep going, with what I have with me, if possible.

I agree 100% with both of you and my comments are on the first page of this thread when this was brought up a year back. I am never unarmed, this carbine is not my primary defense tool by any means. Nor is it my primary bear gun. The purpose of the closet lock system is to keep a long gun within close reach, with ammo next to it, in case bad things turn terrible. Perhaps I even have to hike out of the woods. I can leave the closet light on, I can have this gun out, loaded and ready in very little time. It is in NO way blocked in the back of the closet. Cops use these locks daily in their patrol cars and they have proven to be very reliable over decades of use. If something looked at all sketchy I would remove it ASAP and keep it handy anyway, loaded or even slung over a shoulder. As stated before, this is to keep curious hands off it in case some little kid should wander into my campsite and climb in unaware... it also allows me to transport the gun unloaded in full compliance with WA and other state laws and not have to worry about gun cases and such. Because of the way the Ollie’s closet door is mounted, nobody can see in from outside the trailer.... it is a fairly safe location. Better than under a seat cushion. It looks cool, tho, I hope you will at least agree about that? You could always lock a brolly in it. LOL. This is not a firearms forum, so we need to understand that there are some members who find this whole subject uncomfortable to talk about. I understand but can’t really sympathize with that viewpoint. I hope those persons will just skip this thread and not get offended. I started the thread not to talk specifically about firearms or camp protection, but about how to carry a long gun securely in an Oliver. I will provide a link, maybe it will encourage the purchase of at least a couple of large cans of bear spray ... https://geology.com/stories/13/bear-areas/ John Davies Spokane WA

Yes, up is on and down is off. I couldn't figure out how to rotated the pics, so everything is off 90 deg. I thought about adding labels but haven't done it yet. It's kinda under the overhang of the bed so it would be hard so see anyway. If the relay fails I could easily by-pass it if necessary just by moving a cable. Not really a fix, but it won't leave you stranded. The spring is pretty strong on the spdt switch. It would take a fair amount of effort to accidentally switch it off and I don't have a dog... Thanks,

Very true, and a great reason to switch to a tougher LT tire style if you venture even a few times onto forest roads. A true offroad tread is way heavier, stiffer and has more material in the sidewalls to resist cuts. The big downsides are more expense and rolling resistance and worse mileage, and a rougher ride. I really like the Nitto Ridge Grapplers. The upside besides flat resistance is your truck will be the tough looking one in the grocery store parking lot. LOL. If you have light weight comfy squooshy P-rated passenger car tires at least carry a full sized spare since a sidewall cut is a high possibility. Montana especially seems to like to put sharp 3 inch ballast rock on its forest roads. Once you slash a tire and have to drive two hours to the nearest tire store on a space saver donut tire, you will understand, it is seared deep in your soul, pisses off your navigator and ruins your vacation. If you are venturing into red rock country like southern UT this is not a big problem since the rocks are rounded and there is usually lots of sand. John Davies Spokane WA

I'm recently retired and the single father of 2 yorkies. I'm looking at getting an Oliver and hitting the road with them on some potentially lengthy jaunts. Would love to hear from some of you about the pros & cons of traveling with your pets.

Dudley doesn't travel but somehow he always gets this look on his face when I tell him I'm going on a trip - I wonder why?

John, Thanks for the info on the Colby valves. These are pretty cool and could be a life saver. I contacted the manufacturer and they advised that the Colby valves are not compatible with TPMS but they can be used to fix a tire to get you home. They also advised that the valves can be re-used. This would be a nice thing to keep a few of in the toolbox in all my vehicles. You come up with some pretty unique findings.

DavidS, this is a very good one, it is more expensive than the Walmart Slime kind but has all the tools plus a TactiCool zip case. ... https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00EQ1IOS4/?coliid=IU1AGCDTAQVZJ&colid=26R5Z0L5VZEWU&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it John Davies Spokane WA

FYI: there is an online company AB Lifestyles that makes the twin fitted and flat sheet to fit the Elite II twin beds. The sheets are curved and fit wonderfully and are absolutely soft, soft, soft. The top sheet has elastic at the bottom as well so it doesn't pull out making the bed oh so much easier to make. I love them my husband's only negative comment was hit feet felt trapped...LOL Karen & George #441

The only regret I have is about the interior space. We camp with our 5-year-old and two small dogs...a lot of beings for a small space, and I realize we're not the target market for the Ollie. During clement weather it isn't a problem as we're mostly outside anyway. But when it's really cold or really hot or raining, when people want to be inside, it feels pretty small. If you're just a couple (or a single) with or without some pets I'd say the Oliver is the perfect size. I am ashamed to admit I looked at larger options like Bigfoot recently. But they're expensive, poorly balanced (25 footer has 1200lb+ tongue weight) and still require a lot of costly upgrades to get to where Oliver is already. And that interior.... I know a larger Oliver would be pushing the weight and cost envelope and give up some of the excellent tow-ability, but I would seriously consider it. But other than that the quality is what we found attractive about Oliver and it hasn't disappointed so far. Although that may not be saying much since we're less than a year into ownership. The mechanic that we take our trailer to for maintenance has been "in the biz" for 20 years and says our Ollie is the best-made RV he's ever worked on. Once we decorated inside it isn't "sterile" anymore and simply looks modern and CLEAN! Love the solar and beefy battery bank that makes boondocking easy peasy; not some piddly 120w panel and "upgraded" single battery that other manufacturers try to pass off as a boondocking setup. Mounting the four heavy batteries over the axles is a great design which ensures a properly balanced trailer, unlike just about every other travel trailer on the market. That's just one example of the superior design that you get in an Oliver. Another is the sewer storage bumper setup. I dislike not having a dry bath (separate shower) but what I like a lot better is a big, extremely useful closet and pantry in a trailer this size. I don't need a big 9 cu ft refrigerator/freezer like other makes offer. A) those trailers can't be off grid for more than a day or two anyway and B) where do you think you're going that you'd need that quantity of refrigerated/frozen provisions? We've taken five-day off-grid trips and the Dometic in the Ollie has been the perfect size. The benefit of the smaller-ish size is that we can fit into the vast majority of state/national park and forest service campsites, which was a priority for us since that's where we like to go.

Community. We tend to think of this word in its geographic meaning. But community means so much more. I believe those who own or who wish to own an Oliver have a deep sense of community--of commonality, fellowship, and individuality. Since discovering Olivers and this forum, I have often read contributors referring to the "Oliver Community" in their posts. It isn't just the travel trailers that Oliver creates that is amazing. It's the owners who are so willing to help with advice, encouragement, and ideas. In the best meaning of the word "community", the builders and owners of Oliver Travel Trailers exemplify a community. The word isn't cute or catchy, but it truly illustrates fully what builders and owners are...a COMMUNITY. And I pray that one day I can be a small part of this wonderful community.

How about a celebration (polar bears)

Hello, We travel with 2 Cairn Terriers. They each weigh about 14 lbs a piece. We recently returned from a 40 day trip. The dogs were sleeping on a blanket on the floor between the twin beds. Each morning, we would take them on a walk and pick up their blanket. We noticed that there was moisture on the floor. So, we decided to buy an elevated bed. This is the product that we purchased. Fiksu Pets Heavy Duty Elevated Pet Bed (small) from Amazon. It cost $39.99. We had it shipped to a campsite where we were located. It worked extremely well and problem was solved.

Mine are Galgos I adopted from Spain. Since they are in the sighthound family, I would never be able to release them from a leash. My vision is me being tethered to them 24/7.

Use rubber stems if the TPMS guy said they are OK. I like them and specifically choose them on my trucky vehicles where possible for resistance to impact damage. If you never tow on rougher unpaved roads (like the completely unmaintained tracks to those cool primitive spots along a forest road) you can use steel .... but keep in mind they are way more vulnerable to bashing into something hard. It really depends on how long the stems are and the added extension of the transmitter - how far out they extend past the rim. The ones on my Land Cruiser are steel OEM so in this particular application they do fine, but they are fairly deeply recessed and also protected by oversized tires. OTH rubber ones can be sliced by a kid trying out his brand new Buck knife..... everything is a tradeoff. If you want the look of steel, specify rubber stems with chrome covers if they are available. They still will flex a little. But replacing all five plus balancing will probably cost you $75+. Is the extra cost worth it just for stems? Probably not, but you do need to at least get them balanced. To the best of my knowledge they still come unbalanced from the factory. Which is stupid.... and a whole different thread. For the truly anal... [attachment file=164355] https://store.bleepinjeep.com/product/colby_valve/ John Davies Spokane WA

In the spirit of keeping this thread going, here are a couple more random ideas I've found useful. We had remotes everywhere until I put this wasted horizontal surface to use! Velcro dots keep them in place when the tv is down. We're on the move quite a bit and at each new location I pick up as much info as I can to plan our time there. All that paper ended up stacked on the table. This simple little file holder mounted out of the way under the dinette table keeps the current info handy without clutter. It can also hold a charging laptop, again freeing up the table surface. When you're living in a small space little things like this can make a big difference?

Oliver has a very talented staff and between the welding and the fiberglass division it would have to be really bad. There was an Oliver owner that backed into something and took out the complete top back quarter panel and fixed up like new so there is always a a helpful hand at the Oliver Camper division. Travel safe and enjoy.....we sure do. Thanks Gary

JuniorBirdMan, "Up in the Air!!!" and welcome to the Oliver forum. Being another recently retired and single father of a furkid, I have to tell you how great it is to have Oscar as a traveling companion. He & I hit the open road last fall for a 3 month, 12,000 mile walk-a-bout that took us from Florida to Washington state and many points in between. There are few very minor inconveniences, such as the occasional cold early morning walk instead of simply opening the back door at home and the every present "courtesy bags" . If it's hot outside and you need to run an errand, leave the a/c on for them in the trailer or take them along in the car, run inside with the car & a/c on, the doors locked, and an extra car key in your pocket. Their companionship is well worth any minor hassles you may encounter. As you hit the road in your trailer, you'll discover just how many of us are wandering around the country with our four legged friends who seem to enjoy the journey as much as we do. (So many smells to smell, so many trees to water, so many other dogs to sniff . . . ) Pete Don't leave home without them.