Today’s RV review is of the 2023 Rockwood GeoPro 19FD. The GeoPro line are smaller, single-axle models within the larger Rockwood family that offer a full set of features in a smaller package. Further, these models are unique in the smaller trailer world in that they are built as well as their larger counterparts, they’re just smaller.

What does that mean? A lot of the features that are hallmark Rockwood features have trickled down to the smaller GeoPro line including the way the trailers are built. The traditional thinking in the RV space was that people wanted smaller trailers because they wanted something inexpensive, but Rockwood listened and made smaller trailers that were fully featured. The result?

Not long after the company introduced the line they had to build a separate facility to keep up with demand. In fact a number of companies have looked over Rockwood’s shoulders and decided that they, too, want to copy the formula including Jayco where we recently saw their Volare introduction.

I am very, very familiar with this floor plan and this trailer for the simple reason that our first new travel trailer, a 2016 Rockwood Mini Lite 1905s was essentially a slightly larger version of the Rockwood GeoPro 19FD we’re looking at today. It had the same floor plan and essentially the same features.

The principal difference is that the GeoPro line is a narrower trailer at 92 inches wide whereas the Mini Lite was a full eight feet wide.

Build quality

Since I brought up the subject of build quality, I think Rockwood offers some of the better build quality in the industry. I write this because I have been to the plant and watched these being built and it didn’t scare me.

But, more than that, these feature walls laminated with Azdel substrate both on the interior and exterior surfaces. The walls are also laminated in the company’s own laminating facility and use the a more premium glue product. Further, they are vacuum bonded which is also a better way to do things.

In fact even the roof is built of a laminated structure, very unusual in the RV space.

The windows in these rigs are frameless which is a lower maintenance design.

While many, many towable RVs use cheap leaf spring suspensions these feature a Dexter torsion axle design that tends to result in smoother towing but less jarring for the stuff inside the trailer. That includes the body of the trailer itself. The less shaking, the less breaking.

Places like the dinette in these that are structural are built of welded aluminum construction which is both lighter and stronger than wood, the common build material for these kinds of structures.

There are other hallmarks of this brand that really played out well in my experience with them. For example, Rockwood uses the larger propane oven so you can actually cook real things inside. They also feature a high-performance ventilation fan and that fan has a shroud so you can literally move air inside the camper even in the rain.

I’ve done so!

In fact the combination of the high-performance vent fan and those frameless windows works well because you can open a window in the rain and run the fan as well. It is a nice combination.

What’s inside

While the interior of this trailer is compact, as you would expect in a trailer of this size, it’s got what we needed. I liked that the bathroom of the trailer ran the full width of the unit so there was plenty of room in there to take care of what you go there to take care of.

Our trailer had a small tub but this design sports a shower with a flexible door. I prefer that. In fact ours didn’t the Shower Miser system which is a system that recirculates the water until it gets hot at the valve. This saves you water while boondocking and we find it to be another useful feature.

One of the disadvantages of the narrower body is that the dinette really is a two seater, but there’s also a couch at the front of this trailer.

That couch integrates kick-up footrests so it’s almost theater seat-like. There’s also a center arm rest in the couch. Nice.

Naturally a camper this small isn’t going to have one of those chef’s kitchens and lack of counter space was an issue for us in our trailer. We added an extension to the end of the counter and, apparently, Rockwood listened as these now come with a flip-up counter extension.

Let’s be very honest here, it’s a small amount of counter space even with that extension but we didn’t starve when we had this same kitchen.

There is a decent amount of cabinet space, though. There are cabinets above the dinette and one above the sink. A couple of drawers reside below the sink and there’s more storage below the stove.

I mentioned the couch at the front which may leave you wondering about the bed. This model features a Murphy bed which seems to be a very polarizing feature. The way this is implemented it’s a pivoting platform so the bed never has to fold. That way you can put a mattress pad or a better mattress like a GhostBed in here if you desire.

However being a smaller trailer that bed measures 54” X 74”. Some of you are out and I fully understand. For those still here wondering about making the Murphy bed, this is why we bought our RV SuperBag which we use to this day. It really does take the pain out of making the bed.

I had mentioned that the kitchen was rather small but even in our new, larger Rockwood I still take advantage of the flat-top griddle that came with the trailer. I find myself cooking on that more than I do the inside stove.

This griddle and a metal table slot into a rail on the outside of the camper. You hook the griddle to a propane fitting and it functions much like a Blackstone griddle. Since my goal with camping is to go places where I can go outside, this works very well for me and it’s good to see that this griddle and table come with the GeoPro trailers.

Power Package

When the GeoPro line first hit the market one of the hallmark features was the solar was included in all GeoPro models. Rockwood has since upped the ante with these but there’s a way to go further.

Like in our own trailer, there is an option called the Power Package. This is a step above solar and lithium package comprised of MasterVolt and GoPower components and put together by a company called ABC Marketing.

In the case of the Rockwood GeoPro 19FD the package is comprised of 600 watts of roof-top solar and a 400 amp hour lithium power system. The package also includes a 3kW (3000 Watts)/160A Mastervolt Combimaster inverter/charger. What this means is that, should you choose to add portable solar panels, the system is more than capable of handling them.

Further, the air conditioning system is changed to a 11,000BTU Coleman Mach system that incorporates soft start technology. Yes. You can run the air conditioner on the battery.

We have found that the Power Package in our own Mini Lite absolutely changed the game on planning our camping experiences. We found a lot more opportunities for off-grid camping including free off-grid camping at places hosted by members of Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts. But there are also all sorts of other places that are free, or very inexpensive, so the price of the Power Package option paid for itself.

You can learn more about the Power Package in this podcast episode.

Tony’s thoughts

I think we estimated that we put about 40,000 miles on our own copy of this floor plan before the unfortunate incident in the desert. What I did was hit a drainage ditch with such force I cracked the frame of our trailer. The choice by the insurance company was to simply total the trailer out.

What did we buy to replace that? We bought another Rockwood trailer.

We really liked this floor plan quite a bit and it’s only gotten better since ours was built in 2016. This is a smaller version and the size of the bed and the fact that it’s a Murphy bed will not work for all campers.

Also, this truly is a couples’ camper. They do make other floor plans in the GeoPro line including bunk models and toy haulers.

As for updates to the 2023 models, there haven’t been huge updates but the ones they have put into place. The cabinets are slightly sleeker and interior colors are nicer. I also like the blackout shades they’re putting in these, although the one over the windshield is not a blackout shade.

One of the bigger changes for 2023 is to the pass-through storage, which has grown in size in the front. This has been a complaint by some owners and this larger space should help. Further, there’s now a storage compartment on the camp side of the back of the trailer which is a nice bump.

Speaking of windshields, our old Rockwood didn’t have one and, with a Murphy bed, I wish this one didn’t either. It just seems silly.

One more thing, if your local RV dealer doesn’t carry Rockwood trailers but does carry the Flagstaff brand the two are identical. The only difference between them are the decals on the outside. Period. End of story.

Overall I think the combination of features and build quality of these really do set them apart in the industry. Of course I showed my own bias by buying the predecessor to this years ago and then buying a slightly larger version to replace it.

But that bias is based on lots of research and looking at things in the RV industry. And for someone who spends their time ding just that, it was an easy decision to buy a Rockwood product. Again.

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