Dennis and Melissa

Does anyone opt for the Li batteries and NOT the solar panels?

I hear you. And I sincerely appreciate the input. We have tent-camped many, many times. We know we are done with that. We have rented a truck/trailer precisely once. Many years ago with the kids. We loved it. I know I DON'T want a class A or B or truck camper. I admit the possibility I might fail with the trailer, too. But, that would leave me with hotels. 😞 So, we are gonna try to make this work. I'm very comfortable that we have enough truck to be safe. I'm also very comfortable that we are getting a better trailer than we could have ever hoped for. But I'm not at all familiar with the everyday use of the machinery. So, I have lots to learn. For the most part, I figure I will just live with whatever the answer turns out to be. For example, I already thought I knew that shore-power/generator were the only really practical ways to run the AC. We don't plan on using it much anyway. And, for trips where it's required, I'm cool with getting a spot with hookups. But I don't know what kind of surge protector to buy or what amperage to connect to or..... One of my original posts, and the conversation I frequently have with my wife, is: "If someone gave me a base Ollie from 10 years ago and I had to live with it...." Well that would exceed anything I've ever had before. So, all of the "options" are well and truly that for me: optional. Still, I have a lot to learn.

How long can I run the AC 1) on 20 lb of propane with generator 2) on the standard battery pack 3) on the Li batteries I assume there are 2 sets of answers, one for standard AC and one for the new, quieter one.

We are working on that. But I fear a cover may be the option we end up with.

"get a decent 12v meter" - yep. on the list "tell your sales rep that you want the second electrical connection up front" - OMG. Great idea. Never even knew that was a thing.

I'm realizing that in my haste I've replied to some of you without saying thanks. How rude of me. Please know, ALL of your comments are so very much appreciated. TY!

"the simpler the better" if I ever get a tatoo, this will be it "Without solar, you will need to plug in to a power source (generator or campsite) pretty much every day, or every other day, with the standard batteries, a bit less frequently with the 4 agm 6 volts." exactly what I was wondering. And I'm good with that.

"Do you have to have air conditioning? " the whole point is to go places where it's not required. If we are still in FL, I'd be happy to be using full hookups. " have found that living in western North Carolina I only actually use my air conditioner less than 6 times a year." Exactly what I hope my future holds.

We will be visiting plenty of places with no hookups, but for relatively short periods. Our demands for electricity in those cases should be relatively small (mostly just the fridge to be honest). I feel like the generator will be enough. (If I'm wrong, I'll be shelling out another $10K or so next year in Hohenwald.) In no case am I worrying about running the AC or TV (or ???) when off-grid. I'm still in the mindset that this is a very comfy, hard-sided tent. 😀

we considered the bicycle thing, but are going to pass for now

My ommission. Anderson hitch for sure. And some sort of hitch lock. Going to pass on lithium/solar for now We will look into the sound levels of the AC TYVM

We've never owned a truck or a trailer. My wife and I are retiring in 6 months and diving in with all 4 feet. Tell me what we don't know please. We looked at lots of trailers and are finally pulling the trigger on the LEII. I've read a bunch of threads on here over the last year. Very helpful. But if you can point me to some that have already discussed this sort of thing, I'd appreciate that, too. We prefer simple: Everything we need, but nothing we don't. So.... LEII - starting the ordering process today 🙂. Scheduling factory tour soon. Standard except as follows: Twin Bed Floor Plan Two Upgraded Foam Mattresses Hypervent for Twin Bed Floor Plan Front & Rear Propane Quick Connects Backup Camera with 4.3” display Aluminum Storage Basket Inside Basement Access Door Auto Drain (push button drain valve) - What is this? Door lock (do I need the electric one?) TV - bought yesterday 🙂 Ram 1500 Laramie, 5.7L 8 cyl hemi, 4wd, max tow, air shocks, class iv hitch, 9 pin connector, rear video Approx 1,700 load capacity Locking hard tonneau cover, bed liner Miscellaneous side purchases (yet to be made) Generator that runs on propane - to be carried in Ollie's storage basket Surge protector (no idea what sort of electrical equipment I need for generator or shore power) TPMS for trailer Screen house carpet for under awning hoses, leveling blocks, antitheft? tools? Storage - We intend to use these toys a lot. Maybe even 6 months a year. But, inevitably, they will get placed in storage when not in use. We live in a FL subdivision, with no garage space for this size stuff. So, I thinking I buy a cover for both.

I live in Tampa. Airstream has a huge operation 10 miles away. Could fix anything. That's comforting.

This is a generic question. Probably been asked many times on this board. Feel free to direct me to a better thread. I'm hoping this one might be appropriate. We are considering a purchase of an LEII in about a year. Between now and then, we have to buy our first truck. I looking at all the standards (Ford F150, Ram 1500...), and I don't want to start a brand war (yet 🙂 ). What I need first is info on how to search for trucks that meet the necessary towing criteria. Auto trader doesn't seem to have anything searchable. And the dealer websites are notorious for misinformation. I want to search for trucks that meet 2 numbers: can tow 8,000 and can carry 2,000 in cargo. It's a waste of time for me to look at anything else, right? And even if my numbers are not perfect, there must be SOME set of numbers that are reasonable. And I don't know how to search for any of them online. Thanks for your time.

I don't want to kick the dog when it's down, but.... the shower interior, the floor, the subfloor, the support structure for the couches, the undercarriage barrier, the door, the step... It's not fair, really. It's cheaper than the Oliver for a reason. It's a VERY nice trailer, with some great attributes. If I weren't drunk on Oliver KoolAid, I'd be VERY happy to have one.

I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous to all you old hands, but.... We toured what we thought was a near-as-good competitor to see their offerings that were just a tad bigger, so we could get a dry bath. INTECH has a couple of very pretty options, and they appear better than your typical stickie. But many of the build-material issues immediately resurfaced (maybe we never should have toured the Oliver 🃏). And the praise lavished here extolling the virtues of small started to sound more like us again. Bottom line, my wife is voting for the LEII again. 😀 I'm gonna see if we can spend a weekend in a small Airstream somewhere close and experience a few wetbaths first hand. Just in case that pendulum has one more swing left in it. 😕

Thanks for all the feedback. My wife noted that it seems to be all the guys replying. How do the wives vote?

My wife and I recently toured the LE2 near in Tampa. We are a year out from retirement and getting serious about purchasing something for multiple extended trips of a month or so per year. We loved the trailer and the Oliver staff. Except for the dry bath. (I know...That is another topic all to itself...) We have convinced ourselves the we "need" the next size up from LE2 to get what we want. Which leaves me with a puzzle. I'm convinced that where we are going (mostly national parks or similar) the bigger our footprint, the more limited our options when picking a park, a campground or the individual site within. But I think it's a smooth curve. Backpack is best. Car with a tent is next. Then teardrop. Etcetera, all the way up. Each step eliminates some options the previous setup offered. But my son thinks I'm naïve. He has trailering friends who advise that 25' is a magic number. South of it, most of the National Park System is your oyster. Anything bigger and you are suddenly limited to the Walmart-parking-lot in the largest and most sterile campgrounds (assuming they let you in the park at all). From all I've read, I'm pretty confident I'm right. But I was wondering if anyone here had an "expert" opinion. Thanks for your time. This is a great forum. (I've been "lurking" for quite some time 🙂 )

+1 One of my fondest memories of my father ... Parents + 5 kids in a station wagon...just drove in from east jesus for our yearly camping trip...everyone exhausted and ragged...we can see the campsite where we are about to set up our tent...some fancy dude with some giant trailer thing can't get out of the road...what else could go wrong... Dad gets out of the car and just goes all "Ain't life beautiful" on everyone who will listen. "No place I'd rather be!" I was 12 and Dad was cool. There may be no answer when you are the guy backing in. But there certainly is when you are the guy waiting.

Ft. DeSoto you say? This is us a couple of years ago. We were in our tent. Our son's inlaws in the fancy RV. Great memories all around.

I figured as much. 😁 As the next best alternative, my wife and I are planning on a week or so in an Airstream. They park it some place pretty, and we live out of it. Hopefully that teaches us what we need to know about ourselves and RVing.

Does anyone rent their Ollie (like or rvshare or outdoorsy...)?

I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere. Just point, I'm happy to read up. But, 2 questions: 1) why have solar attached to the roof - seems like a driving negative, a structural negative, and difficult to upgrade as new tech arrives. why not just carry external solar? 2) how difficult/pricey is it to add solar later if you decide you want it?

Thanks for the feedback. The 30 lb propane seems like great addition. And we will take a serious look at the solar. I've never had it. So I figured I wouldn't miss it. But it seems to have a lot of loyal fans.

Not sure if I should start a new topic. Plz correct me if I'm violating etiquette. My wife and I are a couple of years from retirement. We are pretty sure we will buy an EliteII as soon as we have the time to use it. Yes, we are aware of the wait. The plan is to be on the road at least 3 months a year (more the first couple of years): Visit lots of National Parks; take day-hikes till we bleed; and stay till we can't stand it anymore. Then return home to play with the kids and recharge. We have camped and rv'd on vacations (2 weeks at a time) for years, but this will be a huge step up. I would like the trailer to be comfortable enough so we always find it inviting, but I'm not looking for a replacement for home (or even an air bnb for that matter). Why wouldn't I just buy the standard Ollie, with 0 upgrades, and celebrate my great luck?