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Old 02-08-2014, 03:06 PM   #21
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Very nice Rosemary, some good ideas.
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Old 02-08-2014, 07:01 PM   #22
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Fishbiogirl, we have slept in our new 19' only three weekends after we got it in Oct.
After after 48 yrs of marriage and pushing 70, I'd still rather climb over husband and have 6" extra of room.
:-)
Like coming in between dinette and galley. We went with U-shaped dinette. Table smaller but plenty big for two or 4 for cards. Real plus is table slides toward front, giving you extra foot of standing area when you come in.
We hope to get it out of snow & to FL soon! Then we can give comments on downsizing from 27' 5th wheel to Escape 19' ! We were convinced the quality, semi-customizing, great folks at Escape and ease of pulling smaller RV into our 7th decade were the way to go for us.
As Jim said, each situation and person's needs are different.
(We did backpack for years and still have a sailboat with about same space as 19', so shouldn't have too major an adjustment. Extra bonus - if need be, I can walk out the door, don't have to jump into Lake Michigan!)
Diane
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Old 02-09-2014, 10:28 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by FishBioGirl View Post
Heavy sigh.... It was enough to consider the 19' over the 17'. I have yet to see any in person. My short wheel base TV leads me to think 21' is too long. This forum is great, but right now it's killing me! Somebody please erasure me as to how great my 19' will be!
I can fully understand your doubts. We were fortunate to view a 17' and, while we felt we would have been okay, we opted for a little more room so ordered a 19', sight unseen. Then we heard about the 21' and thought, "Maybe we should ... " (listening to others rave about the 21' will only add to your indecision). So we sat down and listed what we would gain/lose by upsizing and ended up sticking with our original 19' for several reasons. One of our main limitations when looking for a trailer was our TV. It's a big ol' Toyota Tundra '04 with an amazing lack of tow power; however, it's a comfortable truck with very few miles. The 19' gives us a bit more flexibility in the weight and we're towing a few less feet (important if you've never towed a trailer before). Plus, as some other posters have said, we're travelers first, campers second -- our main purpose for a trailer was to supplement our desire to see the U.S. And, as others have pointed out, the resale value of the Escapes is very comforting, knowing we could "upsize" without too much hassle if the 19' proves too small.
Jan

P.S. Thanks for the Pintrest site! We don't pick our trailer up until the end of March so I now can spend my time "accessorizing" ;-)
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Old 02-09-2014, 10:34 AM   #24
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We went with U-shaped dinette. Table smaller but plenty big for two or 4 for cards. Real plus is table slides toward front, giving you extra foot of standing area when you come in.

So glad to hear your like your U-shaped dinette! We ordered one for ours as we liked the idea of stowing the table and having a "lounge" area -- and now we find there's an extra foot of area when the table slides forward!
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Old 02-09-2014, 11:49 AM   #25
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Which RV

We have had many RV's and we liked each one when we had it, you know, always dance with the one you bring. The 13' scamp worked great with 4 of us, the 17' Casita with just two, the 19' Escape we thought would be our last, but we did switch to the 21 for a couple of reasons, basically we are long retired and after 50 years together we felt the another couple feet of space was a good idea.
When towing, the 21 is larger and I have to be a little more careful rounding corners, I needed to install the add on mirrors as my jeep is narrower than a full size pick-up or the larger SUV, and since people in the 70's do tend to get up at night we don't have to crawl over one another, just the dog at 3 a.m. We have always tried to stay as small as possible and it is a lot more fun and easier to live with. Even the double bed is plenty of room. Buy what you want and you will love it.
Jack and Nancy

P.S. Nancy is out redecorating the 21 right now.
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Old 02-09-2014, 12:23 PM   #26
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Which Trailer

This is quite the subject, and one that will never be resolved. With that in mind, here goes. We came from a 17’ Casita where everything was close at hand. We had to give hand signals to move about the cabin, and inviting someone in to play cards or table games during inclement weather was impossible (we left the bed up all the time).

When we toured a 19’ at a gathering, I thought we were in heaven. It just felt right! By the time we were ready to order our new trailer, the 21 had been announced, or at least rumored. When the plans were published, we were disappointed that the 21 didn’t maintain the Queen Size bed. We were also disappointed that the bed was in the front instead of the dinette.

I didn’t mind the crawl over getting in and out of the Casita bed. Of course I wasn’t the one doing the crawling, but we did find making the bed very difficult. We made suggestions and requests for major design changes in the 21, but Escape held fast. In the end, we bought the 21 anyhow.

We’ve only stayed in it for two nights so far, and I’m glad Escape stuck to their guns. The bed has turned out to be great. It feels much larger than the dimensions suggest and its placement gives it a nice cozy feeling that would be hard to get anywhere else. The bed is easy to get in and out of, and making it is a snap compared to the Casita. I even like the bed placement and wouldn’t change it if I could. I keep making drawings for modifications, but really, I just like projects, it doesn’t need anything.

We still think about the 19, its size presumably making it easier to tow and park, etc. I haven’t compared towing the two, but really, the 21 actually seems to tow better than our Casita did. The trailer seams more stable even without sway control, and my truck (Chick-up) stays level when connected. I did have to purchase extended mirrors, but I probably would have with the 19 for safety's sake. We like so many things about this trailer, that for us, I think we made the right choice. Guess we’ll see as our adventures continue this summer. See you all at the parks!
Tom
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Old 02-09-2014, 05:34 PM   #27
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I will be interested in hearing whether the 21 is more difficult to tow than the 19, from those who have had both. With the current weather crisis in many places, it may be awhile before they ave the chance to get out and try their new trailers to form such an opinion.
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Old 02-09-2014, 06:29 PM   #28
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We will be picking up an Escape 21 in 166 days and had the great fortune to see one in person yesterday! A big thanks to Alice and Terry for their hospitality and letting us see their 21! We've seen a 19 and 21 in person and for us the 21 will work better for a number of reasons. Like many have already said, it is personal preference and what your style of camping will be. No doubt Escape makes a fantastic product, so no matter what you choose you will have a great trailer for many years to come!

Even though we've already placed our order, it was valuable to see the 21 in person. It reinforced some of our decisions and made us change our minds on a few other things, but even if we hadn't seen it beforehand, we would still be happy with the end product. And so the wait continues!!!
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Old 02-10-2014, 10:24 AM   #29
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We looked at a 19 and a 21. I feel one big decider for us was the visual aspect. On paper the layout looked great for the 19 and we were leaning in that direction but when we were inside the19 and 21, it was the 21 that seemed just right. The layout, width, windows and bathroom location made it seem more like a room. Now when I look at the Escape site and look at the photos I can see I still like the visual affect of the 21 over the 19.
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Old 02-10-2014, 11:25 AM   #30
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A few months back I mentioned that I'd been to Chilliwack (after ordering the 19) and I had the opportunity to see a 21 as well as a 19-- It was reassuring to me because I'd thought from the floorplan that the 21 wouldn't work as well for us, but the extra storage and the extra counter space sure does look appealing. Anyway, I knew as soon as i walked into the 21 that the 19 was the right trailer for us. I still think about the crawling over each other in the bed thing but it's just one thing -- I like the location of the bed -- Lying down on it and experiencing the space with the three windows around was the clincher. I would not want to be so close to the door, but I love a view when I wake up in the morning.
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Old 02-10-2014, 04:51 PM   #31
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I've really enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread. We've decided on the 17b (due Oct 2014). We've made two trips to the Escape facilities to kick tires. we were enticed by the 19' and vacillated back and forth between the 17b and 19. Tammy (Escape) mentioned that many of the options we will likely end up putting into the 17b' are included in the 19. The 19' was very attractive but we decided to avoid one footitis and stick to our original vision.

We are preparing for retirement and the two of us want to travel Canada and US without having to motel every night. The 17b just seems to be a smaller easier tow. Especially when our original musings had us trying to be minimalistic (tenting to a small little teardrop). Since we are new to towing the 17b just seems like a more viable option for long distance travel.

While I have had a few second thoughts we are content and want to set up the 17b so we can boondock at smaller locations as well as use the full-service RV sites.
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:10 PM   #32
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Great to hear your story LarryandLiz. It is so easy to get caught up in the gains attained by going up in size while you give up some of the benefits of a smaller trailer. I am sure you will have many great times with your 17B. Your recollection of all the great times you had with a tent no doubt kept you on track with arriving at your decision.

Besides, you can always upgrade in a few years should you decide that you really need the extra space of a 19 without loosing on your original investment because of the way Escape Trailers keep their value.

I am sure you will have the best of times as you venture out camping in the luxury of your new 17B. To me camping means being out enjoying all that nature provides not inside a big RV in a paved parking lot (to borrow on a quote from Joni Mitchell). Enjoy camping while you have the health and desire to get out there in natures paradise.
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:33 PM   #33
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Hi All, I am still in the dreaming stage, but after a tough day at work today, I'm in the mood to move as fast as I can on making that dream come true! I am leaning towards the 19 over the 17, but would love to know about the storage capacity in each. I'm planning on "3/4 timing" with a late fall through Jan layover but the rest of the time on the road. I'll be solo, accompanied by my trusty Beagle mix. Thanks for any and all advice!
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:45 PM   #34
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Hi suzago,
Welcome to the forum
I always thought our 17B was palatial when I used it on my own. There's enough storage space to get it really heavy.
We are going to the 21 for the additional indoor space for the two (uh, four) of us in colder weather.
Try to get inside one of each before you decide.
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:54 PM   #35
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Oh man, decision and choices. I agree with Paul. See each model and do sit and lay test. I'm going with 4ft-itis. Going from a 16 Scamp to a new Escape 5er... and I'm a single traveler. Just shows, there is no "one-size-fits-all."

Best of luck with your decision!
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:55 PM   #36
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Thanks for the reply, Paul. Wow - palatial? That puts the 17 in a new light! I'll be doing lots of freelance writing work, so I'll need room for a printer, files, computer, etc. I'm thinking the dinette in the 19 is better for doing "desk" work at, but what do I know... I'm only looking at these trailers on the computer. I'd better see if I can figure out how to look at one in person.
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Old 02-10-2014, 07:59 PM   #37
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HI Donna, I started out wanting a 5er but I got talked out of it by enough people who said it was a real pain in the rear to hitch and unhitch on your own, in the rain, when you're hungry and tired... How did you ignore all those voices?
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Old 02-10-2014, 08:01 PM   #38
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Ah, the 19 defiantly has a better desk
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Old 02-10-2014, 08:01 PM   #39
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I think you'll appreciate the four-seat dinette in the 19. When we travel with friends with their 19' we always end up in their trailer for cards or dinner. In my 17' we'd have to re-make the bed into a dinette to accommodate four.
The 19' is also wider making it easier by four inches to pass one another in the kitchen area.
But, I'm not trading in my 17'. That would require a new tow vehicle and maintenance for tire replacement, bearings, brakes etc. would double.
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Old 02-10-2014, 08:06 PM   #40
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HI Donna, I started out wanting a 5er but I got talked out of it by enough people who said it was a real pain in the rear to hitch and unhitch on your own, in the rain, when you're hungry and tired... How did you ignore all those voices?
Any towable is a PITA to hitchup in the rain and if you're hungry and tired, truly. But experience has allowed me to get it done fairly quickly on a bumper pull. I'm not expecting a 5er to be any more time consuming. In fact it should take less time, because of the electric landing gear in the front and I'm going to use a electric drill on the rear. Besides, who says you even need to completely unhitch (when setting up). Often I don't with my Scamp. Just release the ball and level. I don't pull out from under the ball unless I'm going to be at a site for several days and want the tug for traveling into town. Otherwise, I'm out on foot or my bicycle.

It will be well worth any hassle because I'm getting the layout I want. YMMV And don't listen to those "others." Just listen to your own heart/head.
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