8 week HiLo experience

[liizzie]

Hello All. I posted several times last spring a we prepared for an 8 week trip to the Canadian Rockies in a borrowed HiLo. This Forum was very helpful to us. We had a wonderful trip and had many amazing adventures. Pulling the HiLo enabled us to also have our 4x4 truck with all our toys (canoe, bikes,). For that I am very grateful. The actual camping experience in the HiLo? Not so good. We own a 19' Class B Roadtrek and found the HHi Lo did not measure up. The interior space was not well designed, especially the storage, and the quality of the material (cabinets, latches, locks, flooring, etc) was poor. We missed the ability to just pull off the road anywhere and prepare a meal or take a nap. When it was cold, the HiLo was very, very cold as it seemed to be poorly insulated. I realize that pulling any trailer vs. a self-contained unit is like comparing apples and oranges. Folks make choices on the basis of their camping life-style. As I said, we had a great trip and having the HiLo was good.But for us, we would not buy one. lizzie

 

[PaulS-HILO]

I agree they should of atayed in a hotel or taken there own camper, and tied the canoe on top of there vehichle. Hi-Lo campers are unlike any other camper, I guess thats why i have two Hi-LO's

 

[vannooch-HILO]

Lizzie, did you use the 21 or 26 foot? There can be some significant differences between the two. I have a 26rd and find the floor plan perfect for my use, the flexibility of the interior is awesome. There seems to be plenty of cabinet space in this floor plan, actually I don't even use it all. I don't know if the wall cabinets in the front half make the difference or not.
I don't know what type of temps you were staying in, but I just spent the weekend with 40 degree temps over night while using only a ceramic cube heater and had no problems, I have plenty of windows too, probably more than your Roadtrek.
Maintenance could be a factor as well, did it seal all the way around?
The only complaint that I have with mine is that the gray water tank is too small, I solved that with a 30gal blue tote.

 

[RichR]

I have always told people that they have to select the RV to fit their likes and lifestyles. There is no one RV that will work for everyone. Our Hi-Lo 2310H works very well for us but my neighbor may hate it.

 

[liizzie]

We were in a 20 or 21', the temperatures were in the 30's many nights in June but it was the wind that made a difference. We "boondocked" almost the whole trip, no electricy and often no water at our campsites.( Sorry guys, no Holiday Inns for us). I hesitated to post about our experience, but some folks go on this Forum to learn the pros and cons of HiLo's. Let me emphasize that WE HAD A GOOD TIME. Compared to a tent, it was heaven. Thank you for the help you have provided in the past. lizzie

 

[gmbishop]

gmbishop

We have pulled our 2006 Classic over 15,000 miles on good and some not good roads and found it to remain tight and solid. Solid wood cabinet doors, big pantry, hanging closet, large galley and IT RAISES and LOWERS!!!. How much more couuld you expect in a trailer ment for camping? And I get 17mpg. How many RV owners can make that claim?

 

[JMDoering]

RichR states it well in saying that your RV needs to fit your likes and lifestyle. I would only add that even as loyal Hi-Lo owners, after years of use my better half and I final grew uncomfortable in our 19' Hi-Lo Bon Voyage... and camping wasn't so much fun. Needs change with age. Our solution was a new trailer... a bigger 27' Hi-Lo with a permanent bed. Now camping is fun again and we're heading to the hills even more than we used to!

 

[PopRichie77]

We bought our 95 21 ft. and have logged some where between 70,000 and 90,000 miles on it. We had consider a driving RV but decided that having a separate tow vehicle would be better for our needs and it turned out that it was. My wife can't walk very far, (due to years of smoking, finally quit when she almost died) and some places we went, driving motor homes had to park up to a mile away, but we were unhooked from our trailer and drove right up to a very short walk. I am not knocking anyone that has a driving RV, for us it just wasn't and isn't suitable. We looked at full size RV trailers, but then we decided we liked the 95 so much that we updated to a 2209. Just hope we get to log another 70 to 90,000 miles on it. We like to travel more than stay in one place. But spent the last couple winters in FL. Was nice but we want to do some more traveling. Maybe I missed something but Lissy said they couldn't stop and fix lunch when they had the HI-LO, we do that all the time and anywhere there is a level spot and room to stop.

 

[FHILO]

Lizzie's hi-lo experience

well what year was the hi-lo mine is like 32 years old and though i need to work on it . i was in it this past summer during a small tornado solid as a rock and as far as heat. mine has a nice duct - thermostat controlled furnace . the ducts allow the heat to be constantly delivered through out the camper. toasty warm, but i do agree with the other member who basically each to his own - variety the spice of life or theirs an *** for every seat.

 

[PaulS-HILO]

FHILO I have 2 Hi-LO campers I have a 1966 16ft Traveler unit i use for boondocking by myself with the dog and also a 1996 21 TL I use for me and the wifey. the 1966 is built as well as the 1996 the 1966 is all alunimum and the 96 is fiberglass and sheet metal. they are both easy to use and tow.