DanielBoondock

No worries, but let's just say I'm a physicist/engineer so curing myself of overthinking is like curing a Soprano of her voice 😅 And anyhow I've been debating this the last five years so I'm down to the fussy details so don't be surprised to see me ask more oddball questions, but this is the home stretch. I'm retiring in a few years, and the schedule is I can get the truck this year and trailer next. The lineup has been Escape, Bigfoot and Oliver. The Ollie was my first choice, but I left it for the Bigfoot due to the Ollie size. But recently with the tariffs making Canadian trailer purchases interesting, I took a look again at Ollie and realized 'heck a true 24' 7' wide would be nice and easier to deal with'. And I'm tall, my head brushes the Bigfoot ceiling, but the Ollie is a great 6' 7" or thereabouts. Finally I'm an old sailor and love the fit/finish. So basically I've made probably a final decision which is the Ollie 👏but my wife still has to decide 🤔... main problem is I don't see any Ollies nearby (N. Ca). I'd probably buy sight-unseen, but getting her in one would help.

I believe previously they used foil bubble wrap, but more recently (as of five years ago it seems) they're using Protex AD10 10mm 1/5” R22 insulation. This was taken from the following long video playlist with nerdy construction details. The bottom outer is wrapped, and the upper inner. Additionally for (all - some?) of the trailer there is an internal honeycomb material that is spray and fabric fiberglassed. This will have some R value due to those dead air pockets. As an engineer type I've thought about this design, it's interesting. Conventionally in a structure you want a single vaporbarrier with two climate zones. But having the double hull they have three, in trailer, in wall, and outside. This means that the between hull space is it's own climate and can potentially have condensation issues of it's own. This is why they added the drain holes along both sides. Normally that would be a poor design, but if you think about it, it's not much different from your attic or crawlspace. Both need air vents (ridge/soffet vents and foundation vents) to prevent humidity buildup, but also provide an insulation 'barrier zone'. In summer my roof will get to 100+ degrees, but I measure less than that in the attic. If I had a Protex barrier glued between the rafters, it should be roughly air temperature, which in a sense buffers the temperature from the roof which acts like a heat sink. For comparison consider, of all things, the James Webb Telescope design with it's five layers sun shield Now the inner space is heat conducting air and not insulation vacuum, but I'd think at least that should provide some buffering of the temperature gradient. Additionally, since the ducted heating runs along the water pipes below, during the winter at least that waste head isn't wasted - it goes into warming up the inner wall. And during the summer months, the outer takes the brutal heating from the sun which should be a lot of radiative, and the double foil deals with that. tl/dr ... basically I think it's possible it comes to some pretty high insulation R value given all these factors, maybe even R22. A test would be something like putting a trailer in some hot desert and seeing how long it takes to warm up an insulated box which is pressed/taped against the wall. It would give you a rough idea at least, should be pretty good I'd think.

Don’t have it yet, buying a Sierra EV this year and a trailer (the Ollie is in the lead at the moment) next year. Ease of unhitching is important as most charging sites aren’t pull through friendly. Fortunately with 500 miles range I should only need one charge for a towing day. Anyhow this one is particularly easy, especially for my wife who would like to be capable. Dealing with chains or bars won’t work for her, pity. Thanks -

I’m in the home stretch of deciding which trailer I’m going to buy. By the way, I’m not ‘overthinking’ as you say - my retina have very little pigmentation by some quirk of genetics, being outside without sunglasses can be painful, so yes before plunking down near six figures I’d like to be sure of my purchase and that changing out the lights wont’ be a major deal. One of the trailers I’m looking at has that as an option already. Thanks for the replies and sorry for missing some details, yeah this is interior lights mostly, but exterior would be great too but not too bothered about those. Coincidence, I have a 12” Dob I build I also plan to use when I can get some dark skies. Thanks for the tips. By the way I like your user name, you haven’t happened to have read Fall by Stephenson have you?

I’m light sensitive and at night can’t stand bright white lights. I love the LED light scheme Oliver’s have (considering getting one), but would ideally like a white (daytime) reddish (nighttime) switch, or just reddish. Any thoughts on the feasibility? What kind of light figures are these, just 12V screw on I suppose, does anybody have a picture or more information? Thanks! Dan

I’m wondering if the BW Continuum can be used with the Oliver? It appears not because of that long neck. Can anybody tell me how long the neck is to the V? Attached are the dimensions required, thanks!

Well I simply expressed my view as a potential customer that I don’t feel the cost increases and present day price (with just a few necessary options I got a $90k trailer easily) are justified, and got a storm of replies insisting it’s worth every penny. Fair enough - you folks have already bought in at some time or another, but FWIW the present day price is turning away at least one potential customer. For these prices I could purchase an Airstream, and as good as the Oliver is, it isn’t an Airstream, by reputation alone. Of the comparable other equally well build fiberglass trailers (in my view) can be had, that are larger and to my view better laid out. The two ends of a trailer are the premium spot, why put the bathroom, door and closet at one of them? That forces you to have a tiny dinette. Again just my comparison shopping views. Anyhow don’t get your feathers ruffled and no need to repeat how much you like your trailers, but FWIW feedback to the Oliver folks to whatever degree that matters. If the price now gets into Airstream/etc territory that’s what customers are going to compare it to.

Salaries haven’t kept up with inflation since 2000, except in public sector jobs where they gave 3% like clockwork. Now they generally make as much as private, plus the pension plan, it’s a joke. I interview young folks making 80 in a town with median house price of 800, double ridiculous, they’re getting it the worst As far as I can tell it was a 40% hike in two years, the II being approx 50k in 2020. Also folks you don’t need to bring in discussion of business ethics as that’s not the point, my comment was to the fact that I and I’m sure other folks in the market are not happy with the situation, so many will be rational and sit it out. Pricing is what the market will bear, plain and simple as all good business people will do. And unfortunately what usually happens in such a situation is that prices skyrocket, and then slowly deflate in the inevitable downturn that occurs afterwards (and shoppers cool off). For RVs in particular that appears to have begun. A nice fat recession will knock those material prices right down and in fact it’s already happening. Anyhow amateur economist here, enough said …

Hi John, Winter camping can mean a lot of things, given this geographically diverse country we live in, and yes there are many examples where it’s got the challenges you mention. Thanks for your thoughts. We could talk about monetary policy, the yield curve and the various forms of inflation and deflation but maybe not here 🙂 A small point though that the raw material prices, and demand for RVs has softened, exactly as you’d expect. Thanks very much for the comparison to the Airstream, that has been in the back of my mind. I don’t want to write a novel but my childhood was spent fishing with my Dad in RVs, tents and cars, in all seasons in remote areas. It’s mainly about what my wife thinks. I didn’t know Cruise America does trailers too, thanks for that tip.

Hi Folks, I’ve been chatting with the wonderfully helpful members here on the towing forum already, as there’s no reason to introduce myself if I can’t sort out whether its possible to pull one. Anyhow with the help thats cleared up so now I’m on to stage two to see if this is the right thing for us (wife and college age son will come with us occasionally) I’m retiring from my regular job in a few years (taking a somewhat early retirement) and am moving on to working for myself. Otherwise I don’t want to just have a working life at this point in my life and want to reconnect with many things in my life, including travel and old hobbies. Looking to do these kinds of things with a trailer Various hobbies such as astronomy (built my own telescopes), long time photographer, hiker and reconnecting with a one time career attempt at paleontology and geology. Have our own place while visiting relatives Moved around a lot and would like to revisit those places and many new ones in the US (I’m burned out of international travel I did for work) As I mentioned on the other thread I need to do computer and piano work while on the road. Anyhow, I’ve done winter backpacking and so am looking for a 4 season trailer, and being an engineer I appreciate the care and design of the Oliver. For tow vehicles I’ll be getting a 3/4 or 1 ton Silverado probably. The final issues I’m working through are the following - Cost - Oliver has jacked the prices by some $20k during the pandemic, which has been done elsewhere, but it sticks in my craw and makes it difficult to purchase at such nose bleed prices, including that I need a truck too. I’m all for companies making profit but am not comfortable with this. Annoying as I’m not suffering from pandemic consumerism but just want to retire. Interior dimensions. It’s very cozy, but (not having been in one) appears not to be as open as others. Probably a design trade off given the robustness of the trailer, but I wonder if it will bother me eventually, or isn’t a problem Ideally I’d be able to take one out for a weekend somehow, but probably not possible. I worked on farms and such, and drove all over towing stuff with my dad when young so am comfortable with that, but am not sure if this is worth the cost and trouble (I also need to find a place to store it!) For example I used to sail, and paradoxically a beautiful used sailboard goes for a fraction of the trailer, and no tow vehicle necessary, why not make it simple and cheap and buy a yacht? Anyhow those are my main concerns, any thoughts welcome

The smaller one is getting redesigned, is the II stying the same as far as we know?

Love it. I’ve owned 3 low end light duty trucks from past years, the new WTs actually have touch screens and cruise, I’m already upgrading My wife always picks white, we have two white vehicles already. We’ll probably do another white 🙂 Great point. Also, if it’s a work truck I’ll worry and fuss over it less which is a big bonus. I’m happy to fuss over a premium trailer though

The small two person dinette by the kitchen. I have a tall son. Thanks -

Thanks John, yes I’d like a better interior but not the price. The truck would be for trailering and odd jobs, I don’t otherwise need it and when home will have to drive it just to keep it lubricated. And also I want to replace with a high end EV truck when that’s more feasible with a >200 mi towing range (only problem is range now, the US is blanked with fast chargers now and they’re investing more billions of public and private money. We do lots of road trips in our 230 range mi boring EV no problem) And between a truck and trailer this is a very expensive proposition! I’d rather have pedestrian vehicle instead of a pedestrian trailer, for now I guess I wasn’t clear enough that there’s what I want to haul and what I will haul. But you make a great point, I’ll look closely at the 3500

Great tip thanks! I saw that but misinterpreted it to indicate the truck weight or something. Based on all the great feedback here I’m looking at Silverado WT (work truck) or equivalent 2500 or possibly 3500 (which seems overkill) Crew cab short box 6.6L V8 Gas engine 4WD 3.73 rear axel Highest GVWR I can get (only option is a lowered 10k GVWR) Trailering package (electrical, hitch etc) Cruise control, good/bad idea?

Thanks everybody, good thoughts here and I really appreciate the help. No firm plans yet but rough ideas and am information gathering and figuring what will work best for us. Really good info on trucks, I’ve learned a lot here. Maybe here’s the question I should ask, if you were Boondocking with a typical amount of equipment in a Elite II, of the trucks above available from GM what would you recommend, and any options you know of? I heard above that 2500/3500 are probably a good choice for this. Say I get a Silverado 2500, what are you thoughts on that in this use case, and any particular options I should be looking at?

Thanks John (my Dad lives in Spokane - been there many times). Boondocking, state parks and conventional, I’m going back to Canada, Yukon and AK, and we have plans for all the states. It would be the bigger Ollie. No the EU7000IS beats all others by a mile actually, fuel injection and on eco mode goes 18 hours at a whisper. We travel light otherwise so the 250 is nothing, and I need the 7kW as house backup power which is what I originally got it for, it’ll be just dandy. Piano is a Doepfer stage piano with Fatar action in a stage case. Not big for an 88 key, not much bigger than the keyboard. I’m thinking under the king size bed. Telescope goes in back of the truck, dobs are made to travel it breaks down. Anyhow thanks for the thoughts, but I am looking mainly for truck advise, I’ve owned several light duty truck only and never got into the bigger ones and towing.

Hello, Retiring guy, new RV’er though I did ton of it and boating with my Dad when younger. As an engineer I’m attracted to good design, and as a digital artist I’m attracted to good visual design, and so the Oliver is looking like a good fit on both fronts. But TBD … Anyhow I’ve got a couple years left, and meanwhile my company has a perk where we get basically any GM vehicle at employee cost, as if we were GM employees. I have an EV and an old Sienna van my son will probably get (tows 3500). So to do this I need a vehicle and a RV. So I’m thinking of getting something through the GM perk program - no negotiation, at cost and little hassle (I did it once before, the guy in the back room still tries to jerk you around). I’d get a BEV truck - if they weren’t nosebleed prices, and if you could get one, and if the towing range was 250+ miles. My desires … I’m a musician so I need a spot for my (digital) piano to keep my chops up Amateur astronomer so need storage for my 16” dob I have a Honda 7000is generator so will bring that (250 lbs) Otherwise a hiker, photographer and and no need for bikes, toys, kayaks etc I’m a election pusher so like to get pushed by electrons, so don’t want to spend much $$ on an ICE vehicle while I wait for BEV trucks to mature < $40k ideally Options Chevy Colorado 1500 - the 2023 is a big redesign and it looks good 2WD/4WD, 8k lbs towing Chevy Silverado 1500 - same design, looks fine GMC - well their trucks are available but look too chunky for me <various> GMC Savana Cargo Van - this actually looks like a serious contender, 10k towing, < 35k, 2WD. I could set up a studio in the back. $35k. So weirdly the GMC seems like a great choice, except that it probably won’t be great on dirt roads. But it’s cheap, boring (which I like), and can hold anything, but it has no tech (the trucks have towing assistance tech). Other choice that seems good is the Colorado, probably can get it for 40k (the ‘23’s aren’t on the spec sheet yet), and it will hold extra stuff, but I’ll need to get my piano in the camper in some way. Thoughts?