6-month review of our 2021 Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S 

I've been researching trailers for over a year now -- with the 2509S being at the top of the list for us. This is, without a doubt, the best video I've seen on it. You laid out all of the little (potential) problem areas to look for, as well as offering a bunch of great tips, tricks and add-ons to make the trailer more functional. This deserves lots of views. Thanks.

Thanks for taking the time to make this review! Good tip on draining the kitchen faucet before travel. Bathroom sinks on the 2022s are on an angle now... must have taken your advice !

I have the identical twin to your trailer, which is the 2021 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS. The only real difference between our units is that mine has the 12-volt refrigerator, which I love. We don't camp off-grid and the fridge and freezer get cold very quickly. We also have the same issue with our cabinet doors over the dinette; however, we simply close them in a manner so that they don't sag. We completely bypassed and removed the inside water canister style filter and use an outside inline filter now, as I was worried about emptying the canister during winter storage, as I didn't want it to freeze and crack. My tread on spare tire (Chinese made) completely separated while mounted to the bumper, so please check your periodically. I switched to Goodyear Endurance so that it matches the rest of the tires. We too love our trailer. Great vide and happy camping.

Suggestion for the floor under the Murphy bed…place a nice decorative rug under it instead of the washcloths. 👍🏻 Thanks for your great video! Can’t wait to get our’s in a few weeks.

Appreciate your honesty about the power stabilizers. Besides I'm not putting down enough force, I've seen enough people with wiring issues and fuses blowing.

Great detailed honest review :). What I’ve learned so far … there is NO company that makes a perfect travel trailer ! They all have their issues

Thanks for this. We went to look at this today and your review of the bathroom made me realize this is a no go for me!

Great review! I own this trailer also. Having the stairs come out from under the trailer old school is so much better than the way this is set up. If you ever want to pull next to a curb you won't even be able to put the stairs down and close the door and they have to be readjusted practically everywhere you go so the door doesn't hit them. You have to get on your hands and knees to look at the instrument panel. I have a list of issues with it and intend to make a video about them.

We got the 2507S this June and love it. Had an accident with the two propane bottles falling off due to the dealer not tightening them down enough which caused damage to the line that runs to the back end. A cabinet door hinge came loose the wood broke and the GFI plug keep tripping on its own. Nothing major wrong yet and dealer will have it all fixed in 4 weeks. We opted for the queen size bed convertible sofa in the slide out where our two grandkids slept, they or we can watch tv directly in front of it and have the bigger bathroom & storage with glass shower doors, much bigger pantry and bigger outside kitchen with bigger refrigerator . With the roof solar inverter option you get a bigger 0.9 cu. ft. refrigerator freezer and battery charging. The electric jacks when leveled have no wave action that we noticed and the steps were adjusted correctly with no issues. I realize that everyone will have some issues to be fixed, they all do but all in all we like the quality and layout for this size trailer. Wife’s Ram 1500 will pull it but my Ram 2500 Cummins with air ride give us added security and better fuel economy. I added a aux 36 gal fuel tank so we don’t have to stop and refuel as much with 67 gal total on board. Rockwood is one of the top manufacturers. The Murphy bed and outside kitchen were a must have for us, like having a 30+ ft’r under 26 ft. that tows like it isn’t there. Very happy, and would buy it again.

Nice review. We have the nearly identical RV. Interesting, your opinion on the jacks is opposite from ours. I couldn’t love ours any more, but to each their own. We’ve used ours now for a lot longer than you had when you recorded this. Not one single warranty issue. It’s our 13th RV - from diesel pushers, Class C, fifth wheels, some TT’s. This has been the most trouble-free RV we’ve ever owned. Best wishes to you!

I have this , slightly different model, purchased in 2021. I’ve had numerous…numerous problems. Covered so far by warranty so far but holy moly it has been very frustrating and time consuming to get things fixed. Our ford f 150 works fine, we have 23’ trailer

No need to move the rail for the shower curtain. Get one of those hotel curtain rods that articulates, IMO. That way, you can push it back over the tub when you’re, a, pushing, then push it over the commode when you are showering.

Thanks for the great overview of your trailer. My husband and I are still looking for one that would work for our family, so these videos are very helpful. We love Nature's Bakery, btw! I get the big box of fig bars from Costco for the kids and I get the smaller box of gluten free for myself. Plus the new oatmeal bars are really good. :)

Probably the best 2509S video I’ve seen, excellent! Almost bought this twice!

You put it best regarding pulling that trailer with a 1/2 ton versus 3/4 ton. The weight adds a huge difference when towing.

I was at that KOA earlier this summer, it's pretty awesome, really nice and clean. Also, nice trailer and truck.

Thank you for your long(er) term review. It’s a great balance to ask of the professional reviews. Like someone or you said nothing is perfect, but I agree you seem pretty handy! PS: those fruit bars are excellent as well as the Kind bars!

We have the 2507s with the electric stabilizers, and we agree: they could be better. Trailer still rocks and rolls with them down. The bathroom faucet is too short as well. Makes it difficult to wash your hands. We've had some issues with warranty stuff, and continue to find more, as we live in ours full time. Thanks for sharing!

I had to laugh. We live in Silver Springs and just stayed at the Colville KOA two weeks ago. Practically in the same space. The folks were great and we plan to go back. Nice seeing a fellow Nevadan on RU-vid. 😄

We stayed at this KOA in that exact site last September 2021. Wonderful place to camp.

I actually have those jack stands from years ago. I’ll be using them in the future. Thanks for the information

Wow! I see why the dealer is so backed up now. Thank you, I was about to buy one just like it and you helped me think it’s not a good idea. I really appreciate it a ton!

We have the 2507s with the 12 volt fridge. It gets cold quick and zero propane use. No more turning off the fridge when refueling. Yay !

It’s funny, that cheap aluminum Jack stand is the same general kind that came with a 1967 Trailblazer camper, lol, but great to know they work well.

Great video.... we need people like yourselves? That take the time to show flaws in these trailers.. I actually was going to purchase the E- pro.. micro.. there actually built really good.

We have a 2021 2205S…. We love ours and being up here in eastern WA am just getting it ready for first camping of the year.

Great video. Thanks, and I think you just talked me into an Oliver. 👍

Great video. Looking the buy the exact model. Now I know what to look for.

We are waiting for the arrival of our Rockwood Mini Lite 2507s….yours is pretty much the same….good video

Awesome. Thank you. We were looking to buy this camper

Very informative. Will look out for these potential problems if we ever get our 2509s that we ordered on March 11th. And by the way, we ordered ours with the standard manual jacks but we did opt for the 12v fridge. We have a 2018 Ram 1500 hemi and hope it will tow this trailer with no problems.

Very good review. Such good observations for those of us whom are looking to purchase one of these smaller packages. One has to wonder where is the quality control prior to leaving the factory? Seems like all the manufacturers want are money money money, now leave next buyer please. Honest observations. Maybe the manufacturer will see your review and step their game up..

Wow you really have a few flaws. We also bought the same model a 2021 2509S and are really happy with it. Also built during covid, but one of the problems we had was the slide got stuck and we could not get it out. We took it in and it was not adjusted right and it froze shut. We had the same problem with a loose doors on the cabinet over the dinette, it turned out to be a stripped wood. I glued a tooth pick in the hole and that made it tight for the screw to hold the door tight. We were fortunate that there wasn't many things wrong with it but like some of you all say you do need to have some carpentry skills to fix things yourself. All in all we are very happy with-the Forest River brand and plan to buy a couples model with a larger bath and no bunks once our last child graduates High School in two years.

From one Mars Wrigley associate in Ga. with a 2507s Happy Camping.

Thank you! Grear job, thinking about small size but...fifth wheel cuz cant back worth rip and has gooseneck ht so more used to that. Love Tahoe and N Calif area too!

Thank you for the thorough review. Blessings.

Great Job! So sorry you had so many issues, the wife and I see the demands on the manufacturers due to covid and the huge demand and we decided to wait a couple of years so some of these issues go away. Hopefully.

We brought our RV during COVID also, I also notice the same. I am not sure it was because of COVID or Supply Chain issue. It was also a pain buying a RV during COVID, if they didn't have one the lot, then you had to put money down and wait a few months for review it.

We broke our fridge handle the first camping trip, but the dealer replaced it under warranty and it now is a much better handle that works a lot better. so much better that they must have redesigned it in some way. Probably a recall.

Loved the video, we have been considering this model or maybe the 2511, so like seeing all the features! Hey, tell me what the make is of that great coffee maker that works when off grid on your inverter / battery power? Can't quite see the brand on the video and we would love to get it....I can't make it a day without my coffee😉

We stayed in that exact spot a mo th before the earthquake.

Thanks for your 6 mo review. Hopefully the mfc is listening. Good job.

Other than the previously mentioned 100 complaints.... no complaints.

You gave a very good review. That was a 'real' review.

Funny, we have those electric rear stabilizer jacks on our fifth wheel and don't even use them anymore. Painfully slow, do very little for the bounce and wiggling. I put on a pair of scissors jack along with JT strongarms then use an cordless drill to raise and lower. Much faster and very solid

Nature Bakery has good stuff!

So I’m looking at this trailer for my 2016 2.7 eco boost F150 - 6500lb tow rating. Was that what you were pulling with first? What was your experience?

Wondering what F150 ecoboost you used? We're looking at this trailer and have 21 F150 3.5l ecoboost with the max trailer tow package. Great video by they way.

Great review! Thank you!

The stabilizer jacks are not meant to be fully extended. That could be your problem. Buy 2, 8 foot 4x4s and cut them 12 inches long. Double stack them and you will have a more stable trailer. No wonder you had trouble with the trailer moving.

Great video! We bought a 2021 covid built Flagstaff 25fbls ( Rockwood it's 2511s) We also bought the flame king grill that side mounts ( Steaks aren't meant to be fried) . We have minor challenges like you. I found that if you put snap pad mini's on the electric stabilizers feet with x chocks our unit is rock solid. Good call on stepping up to 3/4 ton truck. They make a huge difference. I like your flame king grill bag you store yours in. Could you post a link for that? If been searching amazon with no luck...once great honest video.

nice and to the point. really wish buy a trailer was buying a new car, where everything works and isn't going to fall apart. nice camper.

Great video! Quick question, We would like to go ahead & make some changes to our 2022 Mini Light 2509S, by changing the latches to RVLock Key Latches. Can you tell me how many I would need? We are hoping it will arrive this week to our dealer. We ordered the unit back in January.

Great Video, Like the tip on the stabilizers. I do wish the bathroom had more cupboard storage. Like the shelf unit you have. Does the stuff stay in place on travel days? Is there room to put one of those units that fit over a toilet? I looked at this unit at our RV store. I saw a gap behind the sofa and the bed. We travel with a cat and I don't think this would be safe for her. Can this be blocked to keep a pet from accessing the storage bay? My son suggested maybe a cargo net could be installed over it and then covered with a blanket. Do you have any suggestions. A wider window by the dinette is a good idea. Can two adult bikes fit it he bunk area? How do you like the murphy bed?? We have a hybrid Rockwood Roo 21ss. The beds are getting to be a bit much to set up and take down every trip we take. Hubby has to climb over me to get in and out of the bed.

Nice video thanks!!

It's been over 2 years now, do you still have it? if so, do you still like it? Oh, by the way, I love Natures Bakery fig bars.

Ty

Thank you for showing us your RV. Did you have an RV before this. Would you buy this again if you had to do it over?

I'll be ordering a 2109S at the end of Sept with 2 roof solar panels. Curious about your battery setup. Was your unit Go Power controller wired so that you can read the charge level of each of your two batteries, or is it just for the total of the two? Nice review of this model. I suppose every camper will have its issues.... Beautiful area you're camped in.

I've been looking for awhile and have, at the moment, narrowed down my choices to the 2509s and Geo pro 20fbs. I felt like my Tacoma could haul either and I like the tandem axle on this model. But...your comment at the beginning scares me. I take it from your experience a 1/2 ton or bigger would be better for this trailer....my Tacoma can do up to 6000 I think. Any thoughts or advice? Great video - thanks.

We have a large pop-up and honestly, cranking the stabilizers with a cordless drill is so easy I don’t see the need for powered ones. Just another power feature to break down.

Great review.. Quick question, how did you get a white awning? Ours came with a black one and it gets very hot in our Colorado sun. We didn't know it was an option.

Do you by any chance have a link to the coffee pot in your outside kitchen? Great channel btw. I’ve just subbed!

More rv should have projector and screen that rolls down for movies

Great video. I will certainly shy away from that manufacture. So many flaws in the workmanship. Thank you so much for the insight.

Considering this one! Great review. Thank you! Did I miss the part saying if you are able to access the bathroom and fridge when stopping for lunch?

How do you like using the side mount for the griddle? I feel like on ours it just doesn’t feel sturdy enough and worry about it falling off!

Thanks for the video! Do you have links for the propane fire pit and the quick connect hose?

Thanks for the review I'm waiting for my 2509s ordered on Feb 25 and what a coincidence I also Fly Paramotor :) I will Carrie mine on a tray on the hitch, have you tried? is there enough space for that?

Do they have a bead of silicone around the outside storage compartments my 2507s does not, and he says rockwood doesn’t have to because they have an inner seal not sure … thanks

Thanks for your review. Can you give me a link to the folding outside table?

Very useful video. One Question: How did you connect the fire pit to quick connection place of trailer. I mean what kind of adaptor did you use: the outland fire pit has not the quick connector.

Did you like the 20bhs you had? I’m trying to decide between that and the 2509s It’ll be me and my two year old full Time living

We bought ours but didn’t come with a book to figure out how to hook up to solar and the antenna if we don’t have cable

Great detailed walkaround in & out. I just sold my 2005 Zeppelin trailer and looking to get this 2509s. My truck is 2020 F-150 2.7 Ecoboost, we go camping 4-5 times during summer and usually local provincial campground but we also go far like 4-8 hrs drive once every summer. Do you think my truck is good enough to handle this trailer? Thanks in advance.

Great Review. We have one on order. A lot of your tips are going to help. With only 6 months in, would you have bought knowing all this and are you going to keep it?

Super informative video! We have our 2509s on order! Is there anyway you could give me the dimensions of the opening for the outside kitchen shelf? As in the empty area above the outside burner? We’re really hoping it’s high enough to hold our travel smoker!

You mentioned having an E Pro, & an F150. Did you tow the E pro with the F150? And would you say a standard 1/2 ton is good enough for an E pro? Thanks

I just bought a 2022 rockwood 2509s, with a gas electric fridge, do you take it on the road with the fridge running which would be the propane running to power the fridge while driving

Just wondering which coffee pot you have that works off 12v. Great video!

I'm really looking into upgrading my RV to this RV and I have a 2014 F150 Ecoboost. Anybody know if that truck has an issue pulling this kind of trailer? I'm pulling a Jayfeather hybrid no problems with my F150, but this trailer is slmost twice as heavy.

Wait, so how do you connect the wifi? Where does it come from and how reliable is it?

What’s the width of your steps? I want to put those carpet cover on them to wipe feet before going in.

I got an f-150 with eco boost, and was thinking about towing one of these. How well did it tow?

Would you recommend it or buy another one?

I keep hearing how campgrounds are full but that one has plenty of spaces. Huh?

we have that same refrigerator with the poorly designed handles. difficult to open when the door is loaded with drinks. Its been almost a year now since you posted this video, how did they fix your refrigerator door latch?

Looks like quality control, is not their priority. Too bad, because the the lay out is nice.

I’ve noticed all of you guys have all these complaints take it back to the company and have them fix it. That’s what your warranty is for.🙁🙁🙁

Do you like this one or the epro best?

Can you tell me what the hitch height is when level?

What is the stabilize jack brand that you purchased for between the tires? I bought the plastic yellow one from Walmart and won't fit. I have 2511s. I'm assuming the tires are same distance apart? Thanks

What is that coffee maker..I could use that size?

Great video. What brand is the coffee maker? Thanks

How is the Murphy bed to sleep on? I’m kicking around an idea of the smaller one, we don’t have kids so the 22 might be fine.

Why did you use the stabilizer jack in the dinette storage area?

Where did you get that shelf in the bathroom?

The engineering on the stabilizers is atrocious. It's no wonder they don't work. Btw, there are different "grades" of coaxial and connectors and the connectors are especially sensitive. I would upgrade all of it otherwise your signal will always be subpar as most manufacturers use the lowest quality cable.

?Could you please link the items from amazon in your descriptions specifically the shelf?

Wow... that's a lot of little things gone wrong for the money... talking myself out of this.