With all the social media gathering spaces I am part of, one of the most commonly asked questions from new RV owners is “What upgrades should I make?” It’s not uncommon for someone to leave the dealership and then wait for the delivery truck to arrive with tons of boxes of stuff and mods to make your new camper much more like what you want it.
It has been particularly true of the travel trailers that are more affordable where you have a laundry list of stuff that you wished was included but wasn’t. Which might be why Rockwood found itself with a monster hit a few years back when they introduced their Geo Pro line (and accompanying Flagstaff ePro line).
Geo Pro trailers are small with popular features and good build quality
Rather than be the small trailers with the least equipment, the company decided to outfit the line with many of the most popular features, build them with the same build quality as their fifth wheels and high-end trailers, but package them in smaller sizes. In fact, the line was so popular it invited imitators who have come close, but I don’t think they’ve hit the target as hard as Rockwood and Flagstaff.
So I was eagerly anticipating being able to share with you the upgrades to the 2022 Geo Pros and detail some of the equipment that has been added to an already-lengthy list. As such, we’re going to be taking a look at the Rockwood Geo Pro G20BHS.
Build quality
First of all, I want to address build quality of trailers in general. There are a lot of ways to build a trailer. But there are two main ways people are used to: wood framing with a metal skin and aluminum framing with a fiberglass skin. The way companies do what they do really is quite different when you look beneath that skin.
With laminated trailers, or those that have a smooth skin, there are a lot of ways of actually building things under the skin. From my experience, the best way is to vacuum laminate all of the panels. But that’s also the most expensive way to do it. There are plenty of trailers built where some walls are laminated and some are “hung” walls, or just fiberglass over the interior structure but not laminated to it.
Good laminated product
Just because a company says they have a laminated product doesn’t make it the same laminated product. The Rockwood/Flagstaff trailers are not only vacuum laminated, but the walls are double-glued, use an Azdel substrate (impervious to water damage) and are vacuum laminated in batches of only two walls. Furthermore, all the walls are done this way, not just the side walls.
In fact, even the ceiling and roof are a vacuum-laminated, metal-framed. foam-lined structure.
The suspension on these is a Dexter TorFlex unit. The windows are frameless models that have a lower incidence of leaking. So while you might find these are a bit more expensive than some of the newer models that are entering this space, there’s a good reason for that.
Not optional
I had mentioned that these were really well-equipped, and I wasn’t kidding. The door features a keyless entry and is keyed alike with all the other exterior locks. That means one key – but it also means you don’t have the same key as every other camper in the park. You also won’t have to add a replacement lock, as many do. And you won’t have to carry your keys – just punch in a code that you choose and you’re in!
There’s also a high-performance vent fan in the ceiling as standard, but also with a cover. I’ve used the one in my own trailer quite a bit, including in the rain.
For 2022, these trailers come with a 190-watt solar panel on the roof along with a 1,000-watt inverter. You can opt in a second 190-watt panel if you choose, and also use a portable panel.
There’s also a tire pressure monitoring system standard. It’s much like the ones installed in passenger vehicles on the wheels themselves. But one of the things I really like is that you can use your smartphone or just buttons to control things like the awning, lights, slide room and more.
Grand Tour of the Geo Pro 20BHS
Stepping in through the door to your left in the “nose” of the trailer is a full-sized (54” X 74”) bed facing “east-west.” That means that the person at the very front has to crawl over the other. That can either be good or bad, depending on the people.
There is a single slide room in this smaller trailer on the road side where you’ll find the dinette. This is a “raised floor” slide but, for some reason, they still put carpet in it. This would seem like the worst place for carpet – in the dinette of a bunkhouse trailer.
The galley in the Geo Pro
Across from the dinette is the galley where there is a flush-mount propane stove and a stainless steel sink with a roll-up drying rack cover. Apparently you can also get this trailer with a propane oven. Rockwood/Flagstaff tend to favor the 22” ovens. If you don’t opt for the oven, there is cabinet space below the counter as well as two cabinets overhead. There’s also a drop-down cabinet door at the floor, presumably for pots and pans.
The standard microwave is big enough for a dinner plate, and you can upgrade this to a convection model. If you like to bake, you could literally have an oven and a convection microwave if you wanted.
For 2022, the refrigerators are all 12-volt DC models. As mentioned, the trailers come with the 190-watt solar panel and 1,000-watt inverter. Next to the fridge is a pantry – which surprised me in a trailer of this length.
The bathroom, at the rear of the trailer, features a toilet and shower. There’s also a small sink in the shower that has its own faucet separate from the shower head. I guess this is making the most of a space-constrained situation. It does work, but it was surprising to see the sink in the shower.
Small bunk beds in the Geo Pro 20BHS
The bunkhouse portion of this trailer has two smaller bunk beds sort of in the corner. Each bunk has its own privacy curtain, light, 120-volt power outlet and USB outlet. The bottom bunk is nifty in that it lifts up to reveal a fairly decent amount of storage beneath. Plus there’s a door to the outside where you can access the storage from there as well. This really makes the trailer much friendlier to family travel where you can put the kids’ “stuff” back in this compartment.
The bunks are pretty tight so you might want to get your youngsters to give them a full test before you make a buying commitment. Also know that the portable ladder to the upper bunk blocks the bathroom door. So if you move the ladder in the middle of the night on a potty break, you’ll want to be sure to put it back on your way back to bed.
In summary
As I’ve written in the past, I like this brand enough that it’s what I have chosen myself. But that was after a great deal of research on my part, not any particular favoritism. As someone who understands this industry, that’s why I want readers to be able to discern the differences for themselves. If the things I’ve pointed out are something that you value, now you know. If not, there are lots of great RVs out there.
No RVs are perfect
But I don’t want it to sound like these trailers are perfect, either. No RV ever is. I don’t like east-west beds and I am no fan of carpeting in slide rooms. Further, the bunk rooms are pretty tight and some people bothered by being in smaller spaces might be bothered by being in this space.
The Geo Pro line has a number of models of different configurations but with the shared values of build quality and high content level. I think these things are part of the reason that this line is so very popular with consumers but also with other manufacturers who have clearly set their sites on the line and are quickly trying to catch up.
Thank you to Josh Winters and Haylett RV for use of the photos and video.
Tony comes to RVTravel having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. 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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Although the Rockwood options list doesn’t include a table and 4 chairs in place of the dinette, it should. Why do you need a dinette that makes into another bed in a 21′ trailer that has beds for 4? The table and chairs would be much more flexible and could even be removed and replaced with a folding table and folding chairs, a folding rocking chair, a desk, etc. In our 21′ Mini Lite, we had a jackknife sofa slide and folding table that seated 4 by use of 2 folding chairs. And that sofa was much more comfortable on our 9,000-mile Alaska trip than a dinette would have been!
Thanks Tony, I’ve seen these out and about a couple times and wondered what the layout was. That shower would never work for me being 6’1 and 230. But I bet it would for quite a few people being only 4500 lbs fully loaded.