19 vs. 21 vs new 5.???

[Don W.]

Hello All,

My mom first took me camping, even as an infant, once my father passed she learned how to hitch up the camper and took me and my sister with the camping club, so she is the reason I still camp today.

She took a break and stopped camping for many years. Now she is 70+ just got cochlear implants and said "I would love to camp with you and your wife" So....... We need to upgrade from the Casita Freedom that only sleeps 2.

I am wanting advice on which rig to purchase in the next year (cross your fingers, I have a potential buyer I am talking with now). We want enough storage and space, as well as the ability to make the sleeping areas a bit private with a curtain. I love the idea of the new 5th wheel but want to wait until that develops. So please give thoughts and ideas on which rig will work best.

Thanks again for all the advice

Don, Brenda, Mom, and Maceydog

[Jim Bennett]

I don't see a real big advantage to either model to suit this arrangement. All of them have a permanent bed for two, and the dinette would have to be set up for the third to sleep on. Any of these models could be adapted for your intended use.

If your mom is sleeping on the dinette, maybe a special arrangement with making it into a single bed, with the left over room as a standing/dressing area, could be done. A curtain could then be drawn across that opening.

If you are wanting a privacy curtain drawn anywhere, whether around the bed or the dinette, knowing this ahead of the build would be a good thing, as Reace could likely put in some appropriate backing/blocks under the vinyl for support.

I am sure you will get lots more great ideas from the riff raff here.

It is great that you are giving your mom this opportunity, kudos to you. I have brought my mom (78 ) on an extended weekend once, and will likely do it again. She has stayed in our trailer out at our rec land too. We have not bothered to do the privacy curtain, though if there was more of this type travel, I am sure something would be done. There is a bed in our cookhouse there, but she wants a toilet handy for night time trips, ans does not want to trudge across to the outhouse in the middle of the night.

Though, just this week we solved the issue of her staying at our land, in a way that will encourage her to come out more often, as she always says she does not want to be a bother. We just picked up a 1986 17' Bigfoot in really good condition as a 'cabin' to give her her own space. Though her first reaction was to grumble on us spending money, you can tell she really likes her new digs. Even though she still drives fine, she is not keen on pulling a trailer anywhere.

[cpaharley2008]

Don,
I'm not sure how often Mom will go camping so I'd concentrate on which trailer your tow vehicle can handle the best, unless you are upgrading both?

[Don W.]

Jim,

I upgraded my tow vehicle last year. I have a Toyota tundra. I have the smaller V8 so my rating is around 8,000 pounds. So I am good for any of them I think. One route I am considering is the 19 for the time being and then look at the new 5th when it comes out, since the 19's sell so quickly.

[cpaharley2008]

That maybe wise or the 21' model. The 5th wheels sometimes have configuration issues re: sidewall height and type of truck bed. With a tow behind, you should be fine.

[Scuba55]

The new 5.0 (so I'm told) are being designed to fit the larger trucks that are up higher and have deeper beds.

[hillary]

I'd think all of them would work, with a privacy curtain being a must! I know my Mom would never go with us, but if she did you can bet she'd insist on a privacy curtain
I have a 17B and would shudder to have anyone else camping inside with us, but it's two of us and two dogs.

[Don W.]

Thanks everyone. Mom has enjoyed looking at the escape site as well. Jim Bennet, I will add the blocking for the curtains onto my dream build sheet. Otherwise, many of my options closely resemble cpaharley2008. We like many of the same things. But I am so excited to start to make this happen.

[Donna D.]

A tension rod and fabric shower curtain used between cabinets across the hallway is a simple solution. It's temporary and can be moved around to find the best use.

I use a tension rods for several different things in my trailer. One across the front bunk. Another in the bathroom for hanging coats, etc. If they're wet they just drip into the shower pan.

[cpaharley2008]

The new 21' is supposed to have factory installed curtain option, around the front bed, IAT. the rear, similar to the 19 can be curtained off with a tension rod as Donna mentioned. I did do this in my 19'

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Don W.

Thanks everyone. Mom has enjoyed looking at the escape site as well. Jim Bennett, I will add the blocking for the curtains onto my dream build sheet. Otherwise, many of my options closely resemble cpaharley2008. We like many of the same things. But I am so excited to start to make this happen.

Hi: Don W... We have on many occasions taken our 30 something daughter on trips with us. She gets the dinette section and we use the tension rod thing cause I had one handy from a bathroom redo. I make sure it goes across beside the fridge and the ends are up at the top of the cabinet's where the blocking is located. The curtains match our quilt on the bed...so all looks as it should. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie