Unique backcountry travels, photography, hiking, and fly fishing journeys, from short day trips to weeks and months long adventures. See and experience special locations in British Columbia, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska. Learn about the planning resources used to get there, and the personal insights into the challenges and successes along the way. For over 30 years we have travelled to every corner of this vast region by highway, resource and logging road to discover hidden gems along the way.
Maybe the newer campers are poorer quality? I have a 2011 Rockwood A126 that I bought new. It’s been on both sides of Canada and the US. I haven’t had all these problems except the back window getting cloudy. I had it replaced but now thanks to this video I know what to do to make it clear again. 13 years and still going strong. I LOVE my A126 camper!!! ❤️
So many of the newer RVs are having issues, not just this unit. Cost savings that the manufacturer makes almost always relates to lesser quality. Glad that yours is holding up well!
Glad you like them! They take a very long time to create. I am combining all of the episodes into one complete video, editing it down with less talking and more scenery. This whole process was quite the learning curve!
Sure! From the seat back along the bottom to the back of the cab is 34”, the width from door to door is 55”, the height from the floor to ceiling is 40” as measured from the behind the front seats.
Good thing I sold it for a small profit after fixing most of the issues with it. No more trailers for me, ever! I’m either camping in the back of my truck on overland journeys or sticking to lodges or hotels from now on.
Wow only 5 minutes in and this is epic. Says a lot about the trip when you can Only trim it down to an hour and 40 minutes. How did the Rockwood hold up? Any more leaks?
Thanks! My first rough cut was 5 and a half hours long. The trailer leaked the entire trip. Permanently fixed it when I got home with a 4” wide strip of Eternabond tape. I sold the trailer this spring and only truck camp now.
Thank you for your detailed exterior comparison. We have a 2016 Aliner Scout. It’s a stripped down version because that’s what we wanted. It fits our needs, the AC is still working, and virtually no problems in the 8 years we’ve had it. We like to set it up as a base camp in an area of interest. We have a Clam shelter that works like an outside kitchen, that has been a game changer for inclimate weather so we aren’t trapped inside the Aliner. I can’t really imagine moving across the country in our Aliner and having to set up and take down everyday. Your review challenged my perception on the Rockwood as a heavier, and therefore sturdier, camper. Thank you again.
I was filling the fresh water tank on my Palomino A-frame and it fell out! The anti-rotation bolts weren't installed on the hangers, and there aren't any safety straps. Tons of other issues too. I've owned over 20 RVs over the years and never had one I liked. They are all junk. I recently built a Wedge Camper for my truck and am quite happy with it. Looking forward to a van build in the future. Thanks for confirming my bias.
Thanks for commenting. The good ones are few and far between. Too bad less expensive has to always mean not just less quality but also far less reliability. Even the low end models still cost too much for the life they have in them before costly repairs start kicking in.
I just traded my 1991 Mazda mx-5 for a 1998 Aline July 16,2024. Yeah! I can't wait to get started making it to fit me. I heard all the stories on RU-vid about leaks and cracks. I have a plan to fix all that. There's so many fixer upper repair stuff you can buy these days.
@@capturereeladventure Thank you! I hope i picked out the right one. It's too late. I can't un do the deal...lol.... I have to move forward and get it worked out some how. I might have to live in this thing one day when i retire.
Good idea. The cost of owning and maintaining a trailer is hard to justify if you only use it a few times a year as most do. This is especially true on new trailer purchases and the fast depreciation they go through. When you factor in total cost of ownership after a trailer is sold and you divide that by how many times it’s been used, the daily cost of using that trailer is shockingly high in many cases. If you only plan on going out a handful of times a year then renting is by far the better option.
I had a black bear and her two cubs sniffing around one night on a remote lake in northwest British Columbia. They could break in easy enough as the aframe campers are just over an inch thick compared to a larger travel trailer. Makes for good stories though. 😵💫👍.
It's unfortunate that QC/build quality seems to be such an issue with these models, the newer A213 model is one my wife and I have our sights set on because of its sleeping arrangement not being offered in the higher quality A-Liner brand (dual twins that can convert into a large king). While these Rockwood/Flagstaff models are clearly a much lower-tier in quality to A-Liner, they are also substantially lower in price (in the $15k/40% cheaper range for comparable models). Do you think a proactive initial investment in some of these remedies from the outset might have changed your opinion of the camper? If I "save" $15k on the Rockwood model, but also make a ~$2k additional investment in fixing most of these weak points before they become problems, do you think it becomes a worthwhile product at that point?
You bring up an interesting point. Whether you make additional proactive improvements I would machine that it depends on where and how often you plan on taking your trailer out. I’m no expert on these units, I’ve only been able to share my experiences. The many other comments on this video clearly shows it is a lesser build quality than the Aliner, hence the increase in price. I suggest posting the same question to the various Aframe Facebook groups. This is where I believe you’ll get much more insight into whether your suggestion may be the right way to go. Good luck with your purchase. I hope the trailer serves you well. Thanks also for the comment. It’s really appreciated. 👍
I have one of these campers it's a 2015 Forest River A122 I love it I take care of mine and keep it covered when not in use - the windows on yours are really jerry-rigged! Someone has run self tapping screws through the windows into the camper that's not factory no wonder it leaks - The lift support looks bad/stuck thats why it ripped out the side you can see all the corrosion on it + it's not fully extended - The hinge is just a big piano hinge that's such a easy fix don't keep cutting it as it comes out - also the door seals are not factory
@@capturereeladventure Which unit did you buy? so i don't buy one. Someone will buy it. I am using this Aliner for my job. I am getting tired of eating in my truck.
I thought it was the best option for me at the time. Rockwood Aframe campers are the worst in the industry according to so many comments on this channel. And I agree given my experiences.
I only had about a minute inside the Aliner and unfortunately didn’t get a video of it. Adding more trailer comparisons this year as the opportunities arise. Cheers.
I tried that once. Took quite awhile to put one on by myself and figure out the easiest way to do this. I put it on when the camper was in the down position before setting up the roof. Securing it down with bungee cords and creating an overhang on the front that I used as a place to sit out of the rain. I had three poles and ropes to hold that part in place. Took me a half hour to set up. Not something you want to do regularly but it did work.
What year was your camper? I have a Rockwood A-Frame and have had great luck with it except for the skylights which I replaced with Lexan Formed exactly like the originals and they were all bedded in butyl rubber and then taped with Ethernabond. It's a great camper!
Mine was a 2018. The skylights on Rockwoods are screwed in compared to the Aliner which is glued on and no screws. The holes drilled to allow the screws to hold down the bubble windows develop stress fractures which cause it to leak. They should do away with the bubble windows and not even have any in that location. There is plenty enough light coming in from the main windows anyway. Everyone who owns a Rockwood Aframe camper will develop leaks in these locations. Good luck with your camper and thanks for your comment! 👍
I love my Rockwood A122S... It's a pretty solid unit and very comfortable heated mattress ... I have the heat pump and gas furnace, factory solar and the storage area is so handy... I would of loved to have an Original Aliner but for what they cost, I am very satisfied with Rockwoods version. I bought mine on closeout saved $8,000...
Glad it’s working out for you! It wasn’t a good fit for me unfortunately. I sold mine and am sticking to lodges and hotels for the foreseeable future on longer trips. But when I go fishing or photographing in the backcountry I will just go truck camping on those occasions. No more trailers for me. Thanks for your comments. Cheers!👍
I think it’s built in obsolescence. Let’s build it low quality so we constantly have to bring it in for servicing. Reminds me of Microsoft, build an operating system full of holes that hackers can exploit. Then charge everyone to learn how to stop the hackers with additional software and training courses. That’s my rant for the day. 😁
Thanks for sharing. We stayed at that campsite twice last summer - on our way north on the Dempster to Tuk, and on our return. Great place to refresh. We have a 2016 A-Liner Classic mounted on an Expedition frame, so a bit bigger than the Ranger you showed and we have a storage box in front with lots of room. Our A-Liner did great on all those dirt roads, but our friends had a smaller model without the beefier frame and had more difficulties. Highly recommend the larger wheels and "Off Road" if you are going to spend any time on rough roads.
Interesting campsite but not the most private. Wall to wall without any trees. Big parking lot really. Dawson City is such a great town though. We didn’t spend much time at our campsite as there was so much to do in town. I wouldn’t recommend any trailers on the Dempster. Saw many truck campers and class B types though. Thanks for sharing!
I knew this jewish American carsten kid growing up in the new york area . Beautiful scenery but i left the usa on my ancestral irish passport for Europe. Currently relocating to iceland's capital from.north east England Interesting but way way way to remote for me . But very well done video. If it does not have high functioning quality public transport or its very walkable no thanks .
These clips transported me back to many past fishing trips to Cache Creek, Englishman River, Deadman’s Creek, Nechako River, Columbia River, Lilloet River, Texas Creek, Tweed River, etc. It is a wonderful series of memories to recall standing in pristine streams with rushing, rippling water about … the sounds and views are unforgettable…whether or not I even got a fish on my line.
Fished many of these as well. Fishing is a state of mind for me. I get lost in the joy of standing in a river and knowing the best places where the fish will be. Even the slightest nibble lets me know they are there, adding to the enjoyment of the day. It’s never about the catching but rather the pursuit and just being there that makes it so worthwhile. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers!
I I would be curious to know which flies you are using, hook size, line weights, etc. everything is so very pristine. This transported me back to reading of the adventures of Roderick Haig-Brown with his fishing odysseys. Very enjoyable.
My goodness! I have a 5 year old Aliner Scout and have had zero problems with any of it...unless I don't level it right. By reading the comments this isn't just a one off for you. Hope you can find something else that you can actually enjoy time in.
Aliners have a much better build quality. Glad you’re not having g the same issues. Will be using the bed of my truck with the cap on the back for my backcountry roughing it trips, watch for those videos of amazing places and experiences coming this year! I’m also glad to be staying in lodges and hotels when I want some luxury. Cheers!
There were multiple layers of repairs done to these windows and would have taken a huge amount of time and effort. I decided a year after buying it that I would only own it only long enough to take me on a 14,000km/9000 mile journey up to the Yukon, NWT, and Alaska. Did the necessary repairs and recently sold it. Glad to get rid of it, just way too many issues. In fact it has sworn me off of rvs for the forerseeable future. Will go truckbed camping when I want to rough it. Cheers.
