Today’s RV review is of the Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 20BHS, a smaller trailer that might fit some family’s camping styles very well. However, it’s also very different from most small trailers in some very important ways. Know, too, that this and the Flagstaff E20BHS are the same trailer with different stickers.
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A different idea
Typically, when you get the smaller members of any product family, what you get are the least well-made of any product family. There are so many examples of the compact version of anything being the least well-made, or the least well-thought-through. Like Cadillac and the Cimarron, for example. Ew.
But when Rockwood introduced the Geo Pro line, what they did is simply make a small camper that was built to the standards of their larger campers. These little versions still have the things that make Rockwood products so class-leading in so many ways. Like what, you ask?
Walls are still laminated by Rockwood in-house using Azdel waterproof substrate inside and out. These still have frameless low-maintenance windows. They are still suspended with torsion axle suspensions.
Tires are fitted with a tire pressure monitoring system. In other words, these aren’t the cheaper version of a Rockwood or Flagstaff product, they’re just smaller. So what did customers think?
It didn’t take long before Rockwood had to build another production facility for these. Yes, they were that popular.
Below is my video of the Rockwood Geo Pro assembly plant.
What’s inside
Of all the Geo Pro lines this is the largest. This floor plan can sleep six people. That’s a lot of people in a small space, but it can be done.
The way this was accomplished is with an east-west short queen bed at the front. Now, I know, for some of you, that just took this out of the running. I dig that—I’m the same. But if I were younger, crawling over my partner in the middle of the night wouldn’t be such a feat.
Well, what might happen is we conduct monkeyshines that ultimately result in more of the bunks being occupied in the back. 😳 😍 😜
Bunk flex
That brings us to the bunks in the back, and there is an upper and lower berth. These remind me of the bunks in old railroad cars. Like those railroad berths, each occupant has their own curtain and a ladder is included so the top tier sleeper can get up there.
Each sleeper also gets their own power with a household and USB outlet in each bunk. However, whoever is selling these USB outlets to Rockwood shouldn’t put the ever-on green light in them. I have one next to my side of the bed in my own trailer—some black nail polish has solved the light issue.
These bunks also have another trick up their sleeve in that the lower bunk flips up to reveal cargo space. That space can be accessed by a door to the outside. This is enough space for a couple of eBikes or some of the things you might bring camping when you have a collection of younger campers with you. It really does make this more useful.
Living spaces
With a trailer that’s this short, there’s not a huge amount of room for living and kitchen space, but it’s not bad. There is a four-person dinette in a slide room. Know that any structural thing in the interior of a Rockwood is built of welded aluminum. That is highly unusual in the RV world and a very nice touch.
It’s lighter and stronger.
The kitchen consists of a single-bowl square sink and the usual three-burner stove top, which actually incorporates a usable larger oven. That is not something you expect in a smaller trailer at all. There’s a 12-volt fridge, of course.
For a diminutive trailer, this one does have a fair amount of storage space inside. There is a pantry or closet (your choice) between the kitchen and the bathroom. I also like that the cabinetry in these is still true hardwood construction for doors and drawer fronts and such. The company has its own cabinet shop.
Boondocking and travel access
I was surprised to see that you could access the bathroom and kitchen with the slide in. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but I’ll give it to them—this is fully usable in road mode.
One of the features I use a lot on my own trailer is called the Showermi$er. Essentially it allows you to divert the water going to the shower back into the fresh water tank while you’re waiting for it to get hot at the shower.
This prevents a lot of the water from just getting wasted in this process—which is a good thing.
This model also comes with a 200-watt solar panel on the roof along with a 1,000-watt inverter. But you can opt for a second 200-watt panel, which should be enough to compensate for the fridge and have some left over.
Further, you can get the Power Package in this, which is a more capable off-grid solution consisting of three 200-watt panels, a 30-amp CombiMaster inverter/charger, and 400 amp-hours of lithium battery. For off-grid camping, this is a really capable package.
I also like that the 32” TV in this is a 12-volt model, so no inverter is necessary. It also incorporates a Bluetooth speaker function so you can play your favorite podcasts, or whatever.
Not perfect
Of course, every RV has a few things about it that I don’t like—we had already looked at the east-west short-queen bed.
I also am not a fan of carpeting in the dining area, and there is carpeting right under the dinette. In a bunk house. You know, where there will be kiddos spilling stuff.
While we’re here at the dinette, know that some Rockwood models feature a free-standing dining table, but this one has a knee-knocker pole, although the back of the table slots into the wall.
Lastly, if you’re a taller traveler, I would try out the shower enclosure before making a final decision. It’s definitely a low-bridge situation.
My thoughts
My first Rockwood was about this same size and we camped for five years in it and just loved it. Until I totaled it. Oops.
It’s good to see things like the high-performance vent fan, vacuum-laminated walls, and so many of the other Rockwood core features that have found their way even into these models.
Another thing I really like that we have on our own 2023 Rockwood is a new control panel that incorporates a motion sensor and the ability to operate it via Bluetooth. I’m surprised at how much I like this new feature.
Overall, you can probably tell that I like this trailer in the context of a small bunk model that also has decent cargo space. I can see why Rockwood had to increase its production capacity specifically to accommodate the demand for the Geo Pro line. While nothing’s perfect, this is one of my favorite small trailers and more so when you consider build quality and materials.
More about Tony
Tony comes to RV Travel having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done, and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
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##RVDT2183
east-west bed, nope.
Impressive video, thank you.