Being an outdoor enthusiast and camping often go hand in hand, especially here in Oregon. Having lived in many areas of the US, Oregon campers (the people, not the RVs) are different than in most parts of the country. Here in Oregon we don't typically go camping at some ritzy RV Resort. We camp in state parks, small private campgrounds near lakes or in the mountains, or just in the middle of nowhere, completely off the grid.When picking out your perfect camper, it is important to think about your needs and your camping style. Do you like to take kayaks and bikes with you? How about fishing gear? Skis? Etc.
What is my camping style? My husband and I, if we could plan our perfect camping trip, would pick a lakefront camping spot and bring kayaks and fishing gear. (If you'd like some great Oregon Lakeside camping locations, visit this blog) Of course, Kayaks don't usually fit inside a camper (unless you have a toy hauler). Fishing gear is not usually a problem but I really don't like having a mess of fishing poles rolling around in our front compartment.I think I've found our dream camper. It fits every single need we have. The GPS 210RLD is a completely unique camper on the market. It is perfect for Oregon camping. I am thisclose to trading our toy hauler for this camper. The more I think about it, the more I want to! Here's why I love it so much.
Front Storage Locker
The front of the camper has a walk in storage room with a slatwall that you can install hooks, baskets, etc on. It has built in fishing rod holders on the wall. And there is plenty of room for our coolers, chairs, rugs, firewood, grill, etc. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this front storage locker. Plus it has a lockable door with a deadbolt. Extra security, especially when we have expensive items...YETI coolers aren't cheap!
Rear Patio
This is a big thing to me. I love Oregon, but lets face it, we get a lot of rain and sometimes our campsites can get pretty muddy and nasty. Having a rear patio lets me sit outside and look at the lake or watch the night sky, without having to deal with mud. Plus this unit has a rear awning that you can put out over the patio for those rainy days. And, if the weather is not ideal, has a screen room that you can attach as well. The patio railing is ideal for keeping our dogs from wandering off. Sliding glass doors lead out to the patio, giving it a really homey feeling. Plus, the sliding glass doors are large enough that we can use them when loading our kayaks into the camper.
Inside Design
Kitchen has a cooktop (we have never used an oven in any of our campers, this one has a convection oven/microwave, but we would probably never use it either). I would rather have the extra storage than an oven. We honestly don't do much cooking inside when we camp. Almost everything we eat is grilled. Occasionally we will boil water on the cooktop but that's about it. I don't like cooking in a camper because campers tend to hold cooking odors. This camper does have an extra large Double Door Fridge/Freezer (Gas/Electric) which is important to me.
The sofa is comfy and makes into a large bed if we need extra sleeping space for the kids. And of course, it has a TV and DVD player (important to the hubby and kids, not so much to me).There are lots of storage cabinets inside as well. As any RVer knows, there is never enough storage in a camper. And the kitchen drawers are great, our last camper did not have drawers and it was kind of a pain not having designated areas for cooking utensils and silverware.
Outside Kitchen
As I mentioned, I don't like cooking in a camper. The outside kitchen will make it super convenient to do our cooking outside.
100 Gallons of Fresh Water
When we are dry camping, nothing is more important than having plenty of water. Most campers have anywhere from 30-50 gallons. This one has 100 gallons! Score!
Light Weight & Small Enough to Go Anywhere
This camper is only 5785 pounds. I can easily tow it with my mid sized SUV. At only 21' 10" long (when patio is closed), it will fit in almost any campground and makes it easy to tow through windy mountain roads.
Off-Road Extreme Pkg
For those middle of nowhere camping trips, the extreme package has extra ground clearance and off-road mud tires. Perfect for Oregon camping.
Solar Ready
While I would probably have solar panels installed on the roof, this camper is prepped for a portable solar panel, it plugs right into the side of the camper. A must have for off the grid camping!
Winter Camping Ready
Camping doesn't stop when the temps drop here in Oregon. This camper has a heated and enclosed underbelly so we can extend our camping season.
Solid Step System
Ok, this might seem silly, but I love these steps. They are so sturdy. My husband recently had a full hip replacement and these steps are way safer for him to use. Plus I really have a hard time opening and closing traditional rv steps. They never seem to work right for me.
Construction
I would really disappoint my husband if I didn't at least mention the construction of this camper. The walls are all aluminum framed and the fiberglass walls are VACUUM BONDED. This is a huge thing to him. It is the strongest type of wall construction you can get and makes the fiberglass walls much less prone to delamination. The roof is a full walk on roof and super strong. 
Final Thoughts
While I realize this isn't the perfect camper for everyone, I think it is very unique and will fit the needs of most Oregon campers pretty well. I find that when camper shopping, it is easy for people to try to get everything they have in their house in a camper. But remember, this is camping, not your permanent home. Most of your time will probably be spent outside doing the things you love to do so I think it is important to make sure your camper will make it easy to do all those outdoor activities you want to do and make it easy to get to all those out of the way camp spots that you want to visit. In closing, I'm pretty sure this camper is going to be my next camper :) You can view more photos and see unit specs here
