RV review: Ember RV Overland 221MSL—Significant boondocking updates

Today’s RV review is of the 2025 Ember RV Overland Series 221MSL. I’ve been doing these reviews long enough that now I’m on the third iteration of this rig. I had the chance to visit Camp Ember, which is literally a campground on the Ember RV property, and speak with David Blea, Ember RV’s regional sales manager. 

This almost could be a short update, but the updates to the trailer are so significant for boondocking that I’m going to flip how I normally do these articles and focus on that. 

Boondocking and travel access in the Ember RV Overland Series 221MSL

A lot of people who know that I have a pretty significant solar and lithium battery system always want to know the answer to one question: How long can you run the air conditioner? The problem with this question is how most of us answer it—by spending a small fortune on a lot of solar and lithium capabilities to handle the fact that RV air conditioners are basically antiques. 

If the folks who give things Energy Star ratings had any look at RV air conditioners they would give them “worst energy wasters on the planet” ratings. They’re antiques because they can be. 

We go to an RV park and plug in and really don’t care about how much power we use other than hitting the limits of 30 or 50 amps of draw. But things are changing in the RV space. More and more people are getting sick of crowded campgrounds (there’s a whole popular section here on RVtravel.com about that!) and have chosen to look to alternatives such as boondocking or going to places listed on websites like Harvest Hosts. 

Furrion Chill Cube is standard

What happened is Lippert, who owns Furrion, sees this trend and they’re a company that encourages their employees to think differently. That’s how things like the Furrion Chill Cube came about. I wrote an article about the Furrion Chill Cube but, in summary, it’s a modern, efficient and capable air conditioner that fits in the same space as the traditional rattle trap units RVers have been suffering with for years. 

This unit produces 18,000 BTU of cooling power and does so very, very efficiently. And quietly. 

So the 2025 Ember RV Overland Series comes with this air conditioner as standard, and is available with 1,200 watts of solar on the roof (Mama Mia!) and a Battle Born Game Changer 270-amp lithium battery system. 

My RV has 1,000 watts of solar and 400 amps of battery reserves. However, it has the unfortunate Coleman Mach antique A/C unit so I can run my A/C for 4-6 hours, depending on a few variables. 

Run the A/C all night long

The Ember system with a smaller battery reserve can literally run the A/C all night long. While we were in the trailer, David powered up the A/C unit and unplugged the trailer from shore power. With the decent sun we were getting there in the somewhat shady Camp Ember, we were actually at a net power gain even with the A/C running. 

Let me write that again. The A/C was running on battery power, yet the solar was still adding power to the battery system. That’s how incredibly efficient the Furrion Chill Cube is. 

So that means you can install a smaller battery, like the 270 amp-hour model in the Ember, and still be off the grid. That translates into less money spent and less weight in batteries. Though, let’s be honest, 1,200 watts of solar is pretty incredible. 

Other than that, the Ember still incorporates the SHOWERMI$ER water-saving system, which I also have combined with a Geyser shower system to really minimize water usage. 

Ember 221 Max Solar - 2025

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From the road up

One of the things that has set Ember’s Overland Series apart is the CURT fully independent suspension that features a coil spring and two shocks at each wheel. I’ve been told that this provides a much better towing experience on the road, but also enables some shenanigans off-road. I wouldn’t take this trailer on the Rubicon trail, but there are some back roads for which it is perfect. 

Also, I like that it incorporates a wheel chock into the design. I wish more trailers had some form of parking brake—and this one does. 

As we all hear about the issues of frame reliability nowadays, know that the frame on this trailer was very specifically designed to work with this suspension, which requires a much more substantial build. 

Ember RV Overland 221MSL’s holding tanks are uncommon

Having toured Ember’s factory in the past, one of the things I was impressed with was that the holding tanks are supported so you can transport them with water in them. This is not only not universally true, but it’s actually uncommon. 

I also found out that Ember’s plumbing system incorporates shut-off valves at each fixture so, if there is a failure, it doesn’t have to end the entire camping trip. 

All the joints between wall seams on the outside are covered in an EternaBond tape. That is the stickiest permanent thing I’ve ever messed with. Then a section of the aluminum exoskeleton is placed on top of that. The absence of issues is what Ember’s going for here. 

While many RV companies are using man-made materials in the lamination of their wall materials, Ember uses these on the interior walls, as well. You’ve likely heard of Azdel, which is a plastic material that is impervious to water damage and such. That’s what they’re using here. But they’re also using it in the roof lamination. 

The flooring in this rig uses a laminate, too, including a proprietary material that is used by Airstream in their builds. It’s just that, well, Ember’s use is twice as thick. 

Another thing to note is that these use the Exact Slide mechanism. That means you can use the slide room when it’s retracted, which is not typical. 

This also employs the Truma Combi, which is a combination water heater and furnace. Like its air conditioners, Truma’s furnaces aren’t likely going to wake you up in the night when they kick in with their jet plane-like sound. Both of these units are remarkably quiet.

The flexible cargo space in the Ember RV Overland Series 221MSL

Another feature that really sets these models apart is the flexible cargo space. Using what is generically called “E-track” and what Ember RV calls “EmberTrack™”, this model allows you to reconfigure the back of the RV on the fly based on what you want to do. 

For example, if you’re like me and want to bring e-bikes with you, this would be a good place to store them. 

When you get to the campground and take the bikes out, if you need to get a bit of work done you can take one of the included platforms and place it at desk height and do just that. You could then just move the platform up a bit and use this as a serving buffet. 

Bunk beds

There are also mattresses that come with this, and you can use the platform as a single bunk. There’s also a second platform to increase the width so that you can use this as a double bunk. Each side is rated for 300 pounds, so you could have a Tony in each bunk. (Lord help us all.) 

You not only get one of these flexible platforms, but you get two. So you could literally sleep four Tonys back here and then light your hair on fire and run screaming into the night. Four Tonys—Even I wouldn’t want that. Which of me would be in charge of dad jokes, who’d get the beer, and which one would write the RV reviews? 

But this flexible space can be reconfigured in moments, so you don’t really have to decide. Instead, you could just set it up as you needed it. This also means this would be the perfect bunkhouse trailer for those who aren’t sure if the prospective occupants of the bunk space were coming or would rather stay home and sulk. Teenagers. 

Ember 221MSL - 2025

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The rest of the story

This is a Murphy bed model, but fear not. It’s a fully 60” X 80” residential queen-sized bed. Further, you can just leave the bed down all the time, if that’s your thing, as the slide clears it by a few inches. So, if you’d rather not have a Murphy bed but like all the other features of this trailer, no worries. 

Also, that window above the bed just makes me happy. It can open for airflow and there is a screen and a shade that are built into the frame so you can adjust as desired. 

You’ll still have the sofa in the slide room which has a table that mounts on the front. This can also fold down into a bed. There are spiffy vertical cabinets behind it. 

Camp in the cold or the heat in the Ember RV Overland 221MSL

Ember uses Truma’s climate chamber to certify that Ember RVs are able to withstand use between 0° F and 100° F. So they’re ready to camp in the cold, ready to camp in the heat. While some RVs claim to be capable of this, Ember has certified through testing that theirs is.

Conclusions

I have been a fan of Ember RV’s Overland Series since it came out. With the more efficient air conditioning systems in the 2025 model—even more so than the Truma Aventa they had been using—this makes these models even better than their predecessors. Plus, they are more well-suited to the boondocking promise that a trailer that looks like this can deliver.

So… How long can you run your air conditioner on battery power alone? I’m liking Ember’s answer. 

More Ember RV reviews:

• The forthcoming Ember RV E-Series 21RKE is well done
• Ember RV E-Series 25RUD travel trailer – Affordable but not “cheap”
• 2024 Ember RV Touring Edition 26MRB – What did they do to the bedroom?
• 2024 Ember RV Touring Edition 20FB – Now, this is how to set an example for others

More about these RV reviews

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.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long 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.

You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy. 

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