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You mentioned persons dinking around your truck- my reference was to that. Perhaps they were not riff raff - my bad. Please take my comments in the manner intended: a contrast to people dinking around in your gear and the bandits - raccoons,- assaulting our campsite in ARK. They were definitely - riff raff!! One should not make assumptions about others - it is a highly mobile world, my time in TN pales in comparison with the other places I once called home. I've resided a substantial amount time above 7k', flat it was not. Montana is one of my fav's. All in good natured intention. Please accept my apologies if I offended you. RB

Well, our deer are also better looking.

I would think that most folks looking at an Oliver decide on options very carefully, depending on budget and camping style. I’m sure a few Oliver owners that are more financially set don’t worry about options and just order the full slate. When we discussed buying an Oliver we started with the base price, not the fully loaded price. We had financial constraints so starting low and adding those options we needed made the most sense. Starting at the upper limit would have been discouraging.

John I get what your saying. But if someone wants to take the time with tumbler pick tools or power cut off tool they are on a mission to steal certain items if they want it they will get it, I’ve said this on several posts Locks are a deterrent only. There are several ways if it was me I’d simply unbolt the basket and take the whole enchilada. 😳 You do the best you can and hope for the best.

This has been an interesting read as I wanted an LE2 but my wife likes the Airstream 23fb globetrotter and 25' FTB FC. I was a captain on sportfishing boats for years and am familiar with fiberglass, I started looking at Oliver E1 but didn't like the bed layout and my Tacoma was to little for an LE2 so I bought a Casita Ind. deluxe with twin beds to use until I find the perfect trailer for us. I have been shopping for a tow vehicle that would pull up to a 25' Airstream ( what the wife wants ). She is 5'1" and did not like the 250 supper duty so it looks like a F150 hdpp and max tow will work. It is a tuff decision between the Oliver and Airstream as she and I like different things in life. There has a lot of good information here from folks that have used both. I like the function of the Oliver and she likes the luxury and space and bath of the Airstream. The sad truth is that not to many years ago we would have been happy with anything even if it was built in Elkhart, Ind.

John, For a place to stay, just off of I40, here's some campgrounds: Santa Rosa SP NM & Homolovi SP AZ. While camping at Homolovi SP AZ, we got to "Stand on the Corner at Winslow Arizona" and attend a car show:

Haven't had the chance to take the Ollie and bikes out yet. Still waiting for several days of dry weather that don't fall on a weekend. With most Forest Service/BLM land still locked down due to Covid and wildfires, and mountain pass conditions keeping us on the coast, it is hard to find campgrounds that aren't full, especially on the weekends. There's a small window of opportunity with no rain Friday through next Monday this week so we're talking about spending Sunday and Monday nights at a nearby county park in the small community of Powers, Oregon. It is situated on an old lumber mill site, with a large pond for kayaking/fishing and plenty of space to ride the bikes on road and off. I'm extremely happy with our bike rack solution; it looks like it will work quite well.

I feel your pain. Airstream was one of the trailers I was considering before I placed my order for a LEII. I am 6’6” tall and it was important for me to be able to stand upright in a new trailer so there were only a few makes and models that both appealed to me and which met that criteria. Next I wanted something that had ground clearance and double axles. Next it was important to be able to be able to take it boondocking on moderate dirt roads without damage to the undercarriage. Following was the importance of a four season hull. Oh, did I mention I live where hail is not uncommon? for my needs and many others on this forum the ollie fits well within our ways of using a travel trailer. It is a tool, nothing more. I liked the feeling of being inside the airstreams but knew that how I planned to use my trailer would end up trashing it in a few years (hail, branches, low hanging cleanouts, low ground clearance and wood floors) so I went with the Ollie. I also did not find an Airstream model that met the above criteria and was less than 24’ as measured from ball to bumper, since several of the campsites I frequent have these size limits. for me it helped that I have a trailer now that I was able to take to many of the places my new LEII will go in the future in order to learn firsthand what will work and what won’t. Have you made a list of your must haves (deal breakers) and wants in a new trailer and been able to test them out on the road, going to the places you would take either your new Airstream or Oliver? If not, maybe a “lesser” (cheaper) trailer than the Airstream or Oliver could be a relatively inexpensive first purchase and experience? as an aside, the wet bath isn’t a turnoff even with my height, as a dry bath (while nice) is not a must have above the items in my list above. A turning point for me was a visit to the sales office in TN and several hours spent inside a LEII talking to their sales manager. If you can make this happen it may serve to point you towards or away from an Oliver as your next trailer. Also suggest a factory tour of both Oliver and the Airstream plants. Best wishes in your search.

That definitely won't happen. I will break the news to you though that there are more deer in TN than Montana.

We often say the bathroom is the cleanest area of the trailer. We don’t use a curtain and do use soap and shampoo. No issue with creepy residue, we squeegee and wipe with a microfiber. We do rinse remaining suds down the drain. One or two minutes max, not absurd at all.

We began our search for a quality trailer with Airstream as it seemed the logical place to start. As I began researching, we were quickly dissuaded by owner reports of poor workmanship with many repairs being necessary right off the lot. I could understand some of these, were we talking about a $15-20K entry level trailer, but not a $75K+ icon. After I reached beyond the beauty of the Airstream interior, I decided one big problem was getting in the way: We weren't willing to pay a premium price for poor quality control and an obvious lack of care for the ultimate owner. My final judgment is that Airstream, after being bought out by Thor, is simply another mass produced trailer sold by a company that is leveraging the longstanding reputation of what was once the ultimate luxury trailer, looking to profit off the buyers thinking they are getting the same product that earned the Airstream it's reputation. In addition, there is the dealer "middleman" who, many times, only cares about making the sale, after which all concern for the satisfaction of the buyer is lost. As luck would have it, we discovered the unknown-to-us Oliver Travel Trailer. Though not for everyone, we feel our Oliver Elite II is hands above any Airstream of comparable (or even higher) cost in regards to beauty, quality, attention to detail, customer satisfaction, service, and resale value. One thing, in particular, that attracted us, was the ability to customize your trailer, adding only options you want and are willing to pay for. Airstream comes standard with many features that we weren't interested in, but had no choice of; thus we would pay for features we didn't particularly want. I think the most amazing difference, however, is doing business with a family that is passionate about the product they build and caring toward their customers. There aren't many places in the commercial world of RV marketing where you will get this kind of treatment.

A falling branch wiped out our backup camera antenna recently. I found this replacement at etrailer.com (p/n PXXHD0006301R fits camera model WVCMS130AP, $21 plus tax and S/H). First experience with that site, fully satisfied with their prompt shipping and protective packaging. Hoping this info may help someone. - Brian

The hitch we purchased from etrailer is rated for 7,500# - 750# tongue weight. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch-Ball-Mount/Curt/D210.html There is plenty of clearance for turning radius. It doesn't look like it in the photo, but with this hitch the tailgate can be opened while the rack is in place and loaded with bikes. The only problem is me getting into the pickup bed with the tailgate down . . . . but that is always a problem. We carry a collapsible step stool for this, but usually it's easier to just use the bumper and climb over the tailgate. A retracting step at one corner of the bumper would be nice. I am so happy we found a solution for our 1up rack . . . . didn't want to give it up!

It sounded like you were fine with a utilitarian trailer. If you really compare the 85k build with the 63k build you'll find you aren't really gaining much for your 22k. Personally, I'd rather have a solid foundation on the road if my other option is fully loaded in a browser tab. 😁 Jokes aside, the base Oliver is gets you 99% of the way there. Everything else is just nice to haves (or additional complications).

John, If I were buying today, I would definitely opt for Oliver installing the solar. Or, at the very least, prewire. 200 watts of solar have given us so much freedom of choice on campsites over the last 13 years. As far as equipment, the Zamp panels that Oliver installs are highly rated, high efficiency (over 21 per cent, I've read, which is quite amazing, actually), and US manufactured. They have long warranties. I'm assuming Oliver will continue for some time with the legacy 170 watt panels, since the new Zamp obsidian panels aren't available yet in more than 100 watts. (The obsidian series panel is really a beauty!) I think they're worth the money in fixed panels, but I would personally hesitate to invest that much in portable. I don't have any personal experience with the zamp controllers. In our 2008 trailer, we have BlueSky mppt controllers and monitor, and progressive dynamic charger/converter. We don't have an inverter. The customer service from BlueSky is absolutely top notch, and the equipment, though perhaps not state of the art, has proven to be extremely reliable. When we added wattage this year to the trailer, we opted to add another BlueSky controller, rather than switch brands. On the boat (600 watt) install, we used Victron equipment, primarily, though we have a Xantrex xcpro inverter charger. We chose the Victron gear this time around because of its extensive use in marine installations, (better future proofing opportunities for integration of systems), a better water resistance rating, and its ease of installation. Plus the bluetooth 🙂 capability. We've been very happy with the Victron equipment so far, a little over a year. We had installed the Xantrex just a year before the solar, or we'd have opted for victron there, as well. As far as batteries, we started with lead acid in 2008, but have had agms since we replaced the original set. I, too, would love to have lithium, but the boat will likely need batteries next, and we'll start there. We're still exploring brands. Sherry

$85-$90k? My build will come in under $67k and thats with solar pro package, composting toilet, outdoor pro package, ultrafabric and several other options. I wouldnt buy the lithium from Oliver nor anything in the technology package. For your price quote of 85-90 what did you choose (or are you talking Canadian $)?

Perhaps I missed something but a base Elite II is $57,500. I know of only two options on the build sheet that can't be changed post build should you decide you require something else down the road: The additional 30 amp hookup and the microwave/storage option. You can add the base solar package $2799, add your own AGM batteries and call it a day. The decor option is by far the biggest waste of money if you're looking to stretch your dollars. Upgrading the tables to wood down the road can add some life should you decide white and black isn't for you.

In cold weather, the warmer cabin air (from the furnace registers ) will be drawn into the electronics compartments via the lower 4” round holes I am adding (and some warm air will be drawn from under the floor) and then the air is pulled up and through the battery box, and out the top vents just below the pantry. It won’t be a huge airflow, but the fan consumes almost no power (0.07 amps) so it can run 24 hrs with minimal affect on the battery load. The main idea is to get rid of the dead air and replace it constantly with conditioned air from the cabin. It should work. How well, is the big question. I will have a battery temp sensor, so I can tape off the vents, see how it reads, and untape the vents and operate the fan for a few hours. I would expect to see a distinct temp change. And I hope the pantry temp will also be a little better. It and the closet both need airflow. I may add a fan at the closet up high, with holes drilled in the floor right next to the door opening, to get it “moderated”. I have pretty much finished with the venting, I still don’t have the Redarc charger. Soon I hope.. John Davies Spokane WA

Homolovi is really nice . . . . we were there in early June and there were Jack Rabbits everywhere. If you stop, take the time to visit the ruins east of the campground.

As someone working to finish my build sheet I am under $70k for 2021 LEII. I actually think I will be under $66k but again all depends on must haves in the trailer.

@JRK On our return to Oregon from Hohenwald the first part of December, we took I-40 to Barstow, then US 58 to Tehachapi where we stayed at a nice little RV park situated on a small private airstrip where they have a glider flight school. Unfortunately, we didn't arrive early enough to watch them fly. They also have a restaurant at the airport; it was take-out only meals. Covid regulations restricted camping to self-contained RVs only; the bathroom/showers were closed. They do have a dump station. It's uncertain, in light of the tighter lock down in place now, what the situation will be in March. I believe the nightly rate was $40 with water/electric. http://skylarknorth.com/RV PARK.htm

We currently have 5 deer (Mule) that hang around our house . . . . The problem is, they have nearly 200 acres of our land to feed on, but insist on coming into our yard to eat the flowers and any vegetables that aren't fenced in. "Cute" isn't the word I use in reference to them. 😬

CT short Thanks for the picture. I knew nothing about the Andersen, other than Oliver sales told me that I needed it. I said okay. I now know what I need, and don't need, when I pick up my Elite I in March. And have a better idea how to secure the trailer and hitch. Thank you very much. SherMica, I had a similar question about what I was going to need - I am getting the Andersen for my Tacoma and Elite I. I now know that I don't need anything, other than the square thing that the thingy slides into - the receiver, the part that is mounted to the truck. Everything else will be provided by Oliver at delivery, it seems. We won't need to have a ball, or the insert - just the brake controller and seven pin plug. I couldn't ask that question the way you did, because I am a 66 year old male who is supposed to know stuff 🙂 I now understand why I was getting confused answers when I asked what insert height I needed to take with me. I don't take one.

"Axis are bigger and stay out of neighborhoods. The white tail are more like roaming pets. Big deer can be found down around Big Bend and up around Guadeloupe Mountains." Yup. Visited an old friend last spring in Pontotoc, Texas, northwest of Llano. 265-acres of arid Hill Country that was filthy with pigs/hogs, deer, armadillos, scorpions, skunks, you name it! Deer were tiny and plenty skiddish. We took a lazy 6-day trip out west to Balmorhea, Ft. Davis, Marfa, Lajitas, Big Bend, Langtry, Del Rio, and eventually, San Antone, then back up through Fredericksburg and Llano to his place. Saw a number of Axis deer along the way, and it proved to be a cherished and most memorable trip for me. He and I go WAY back. I loves me some Tejas!

I’ve got a dozen white tail deer sleeping in my front yard right now.... ...and they are cute.

Thank you! Apology accepted, and the same courtesy is extended to you as well. As I said, no harm, no foul. But to be clear, you're not "breaking any news" to me here about deer numbers. Not sure where that's coming from? Let's see if I can clarify. Montana has three and a half times the land mass of Tennessee, with roughly a half million white-tailed deer, and barely a million people. Tennessee has somewhat more, but still less than a million deer, with 7-million people. So yes, statewide, you have slightly more white-tailed deer (and zero mule deer), but we have nearly four-times the space and have FIVE-times the deer, per capita, than you folks. And, I'm afraid I can't really speak to the relative 'riff-raff' numbers per state. 😉 There! Does that help square things? 👊

From the specifications page: "Full 8’ projection (on sizes 10’ & Up)" https://www.girardgroupcompanies.com/product-details/gg-750-rv-awning-71

There wasn't as of just after Christmas. They were supposed to open a ticket for me so I'd me notified when the fix is available. I haven't seen mail saying it was opened so thanks for the reminder to check with them on that.

Thanks for all the replies and information. Good food for thought. Larry

We recently sold our Airstream, not due to a lack of satisfaction or suitability, but due to discovering Oliver trailers. A walk thru of an owners LE II while we were camping in our Airstream sealed the deal. Once we were home from the camping trip, the Airstream was listed, and sold within 3 hours. We’re planning options, and looking forward to ownership of a LE II twin.

We often keep the laundry basket, mop, broom, bucket, etc in the shower of the rvs we deliver to Alaska. A minute to unload, another to reload after showers. In our boat, the dry bath shower often doubles as a sail locker, plus mop and bucket. (Second head on the boat is a wet bath. We also added a handheld shower to the sink and toilet room of the big head, so it's basically a wet bath, as well.) Same deal. Probably the biggest selling point for me in dry bath. Lol. A bit of extra storage.

And the Oliver also allows the use of a bike rack between the tow vehicle and the Oliver's tongue jack.

The airstream globetrotter 23fb is quite pretty. But, it would never work for me. We always seek out campsites with beautiful views, and some solitude. Back in the early days, I often posted photos showing the view from my big rear window, as most of those view campsites are back-in. The globetrotter 23fb devotes the best real estate in the trailer , the entire back end, to the bathroom. Which doesn't even have a tiny window to the view. What would be my view from the big front pano windows, lying in bed? The back of my truck. And that, only if I got up on my elbow, and twisted my neck around, because the twin beds are forced to orient to the wall between the salon and the bedroom by the little hanging cupboards at the foot of the bed. It's really my belief that as design is geared more to people who spend a lot of time in resort style parks. That's all good, and it's been obviously a successful market for them. I'm just not part of that market segment. Btw, "lipstick on a pig," that popular American phrase, has been used by many politicians over the past couple decades. But I don't think the late John McCain was one of them. I won't go into it further here, as we have a policy to avoid politics on our discussions. It keeps things oriented toward camping and trailers. 😉

From previous posts I understand that the awning is a 16-foot version of the Girard model GG750. FYI, I called Girard about the two fabric options (standard is a vinyl material; "pro" is a canvassy sunbrella material called "Bravia") -- I was interested in longevity. Longevity, of course, depends on many factors, including sun exposure, humidity, conditions during storage, etc. I was told that the vinyl might last at least 3-6 years with "typical" usage (whatever that means, although the company is in Southern California); Bravia 5-8 or perhaps 10 years. Bravia is breathable; vinyl is less so, and can mildew if stored wet. The vinyl costs $270 + shipping and labor to replace (he said replacement is not all that difficult, and there is a video to help guide the process). The corresponding replacement Bravia material costs $560 + shipping. Thus, a person could go through 2 vinyl replacements and still be ahead over the cost of the Pro model (assuming labor is DIY and free), although the Pro model represents less throw-away material (the Pro model would also include the sensor and light, I suppose). Finally, FWIW, the entire unit (didn't specify standard or Pro) weighs about 80 lbs.

Great analogy . . . . most Airstreams are more suited to RV resort camping . . . . but, you miss out on a lot by avoiding the other end of the camping spectrum - boondocking, public lands, etc . . . . not to say you can't experience these in an Airstream . . . . but the Basecamp is more suitable, and the closest comparison to an Oliver.

Not to sidetrack the topic into all toilet talk, but can those who don't like the wet bath explain to me exactly what it is that bothers people? It's a genuine question - not trying to be snarky or anything. It's just not something that even crossed my or my wife's mind when we were looking, so I don't really get why it seems to be a big sticking point for other buyers. Is it that you feel like you'll have to dry off the toilet to use it, or you don't want to look at it, or does it just make the bath feel institutional? I'm wondering if the shower curtain that we installed makes the difference for us. Functionally, it does keep the toilet dry and hidden. And it also makes the space just nicer feeling, which I do understand and appreciate. I'm curious if Oliver made a shower curtain standard, and photographed it that way, if people would still feel as strongly about it.

KenB, What is this noise you speak of? 😂😂 I sleep like a bear! Beautiful pups by the way! Love setters and grew up grouse hunting!

Easily. Even in 90 degree temps I think you could hang meat inside. The issue is the noise from the AC. Kicking in an out during the night isn’t very restful. We shut it off whenever possible. The ability to control humidity is what we enjoy the most.

Here are a couple of field-trails-wanabees that love to travel in our Elite II. They’re English Setters for the non-bird dog audience. We hunt ruffed grouse together.

That's a very good looking dog. Is it an English Pointer? We travel with three dogs. We find that in warmer temps, if we need to be away from them for shorter (one to two hours) periods of time it's best to leave them in the trailer with the air conditioner running on the generator. In colder weather, under the same time constraints, we just leave the furnace on low. We've been doing it this way for 13 years and it has never been a problem. Here's Reacher, Rocky and Lucy...

Yes, it is quite the special campground, and you get to put your mountain driving skills to the test as you first, climb a steeeeeep hill and descend the precipitous downhill approach to the lake. You really appreciate the relaxing views after your arrival!

We’ve been members of Harvest Hosts for two camping seasons now in our travels with our Oliver. Well worth the money. It’s been very useful for quick overnight stops on the way to our destinations, and some hosts have had a power hookup available. Some great overnight stops to see things that we otherwise would have missed out on if we had just done the Walmart or Cabela’s parking lot overnight stays. Nowhere near I40 but one example of a great HH stop is the Glenn Curtiss Aviation Museum in New York. This was one of my favorite HH stops. Otherwise a lot of wineries as HH stops. We did get the upgraded membership that includes many golf courses as well. We’ve been planning a trip out west for next year and there are a LOT of HH stops all along I40.

My inverter remote worked for the first week we had our trailer. Then I jinxed it by saying we didn't have the problem. It's gone again right now but comes and goes seemingly randomly for me. For me, the hard resets that naturally happen from time to time when the inverter and battery are disconnected and then reconnected seem to fix it - but it eventually goes back to the [20]. While working on another inverter issue with Xantrex support last week, I was told by the person I was working with that the problem was software related and required a re-flash. Apparently this is more involved than a firmware upgrade and may require an authorized Xantrex service center to perform the upgrade. I'm in no hurry as this particular remote error is cosmetic and does not impact the operation of the inverter. Will wait to see what solution Jason and the OTT team come back with.

Last June we stayed at the Hampton Inn in Columbia Tenn, when we took delivery and drove to Hohenwald about an hour away. There was nothing that really appealed to us closer to the Oliver plant. The Hampton was very clean and quiet and we got great rest. Also a better selection of decent sit down dinning places to eat. As for price, It really depends on what you think is reasonable? I think the Hampton Inn was $120 a night, which worked for us. For the plant tour in Dec be sure to dress warm and wear comfortable warm footwear. We did the Ollie tour in March and it was cold then. Brrrrrrrr!!