Where are all the fiberglass trailers?

[LBaranyai]

Originally Posted by FMLNM

We were surprised that there were so few fiberglass rigs of ANY brand. Saw lots of stick built tow behinds and bus type motor homes but we were always the only fiberglass at the campground.
Fran & Dave

I was driving back to BC from a tripo by car to Saskatchewan and just around Hinton, I pulled into a rest stop to get something out of my backseat. What should be parked ahead of me but an older 17 - I believe it was a 2006. Had a nice chat with the Edmonton owner who was taking his family to Jasper for a holiday. We even discussed next years rally which they hoped to be able to attend for the first time.

I think the prevalence of stick trailers has a lot to do with the "go big or go home" syndrome. Some people always believe bigger is better. Additionally, fiberglass trailers are considerably more expensive. Of course, they last a lot longer but many people are shortsighted in that department. My friend's fully loaded 35' stick trailer cost less than my Escape did but they also had to buy an expensive powerful truck to tow it! They are limited in where they can go with it but they always stay in serviced sites. They like sitting in the trailer and doing things and compare it to staying in a hotel suite while many fiberglass owners I've talked to would rather be outside exploring than sitting in a trailer all day. Different strokes for different folks. One thing does seem to be true. I always see tons of stick trailers for sale, and often they're not very old. It's pretty rare to see fiberglass trailers for sale - there are certainly less of them but I think the turnover is very low. People buy them to use them and keep them for a long time. Additionally, they hold their value unlike stick trailers.

[kstock11]

I look at the purchase of a quality fiberglass trailer the same as I look at camping gear. I've been a tent camper my whole life. When I purchased gear, I have always done my homework and bought a quality product. I have found that not only does a quality product outlast the cheap one, but it also gives you better performance throughout the life of the item. Like so many of us on the Escape Forum, I looked at all 4 of the fiberglass egg style campers. I even went so far as to make a visit to the Casita factory. But, once I started seeing the passion of the owners of Escape trailers, there didn't seem to be any reason to look further. My feeling is that once I get this trailer next spring, I won't be disappointed. Not only will I have a product made to last, but when the time comes to stop traveling with it, there will be many buyers ready to pay top dollar to continue it's life.

[NuthatchBC]

We are on Day 4 of our cross-country post-retirement mega trip and so far, we have seen three Escapes, one in Prince George, BC heading north on Hwy. 16, one driving west on Hwy. 16 just east of Colonsay, Sask. and one heading west on Hwy. 16 just west of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. So, they are definitely out there. Hopefully, we'll see more.

Doug

[Jrn56]

My brother-in-law was driving from Olympia WA to Minnesota last weekend and on Saturday he saw an Escape 5.0 somewhere in Montana.

[Donna D.]

It's been often said we gain knowledge the older we get (anyone relate to THAT). As I'm looking to purchasing my next trailer, I'm also considering it to be an ASSET. While the purchase price is higher than a sticky, I can be assured when I go to sell it, that it will be worth something. At my age, I can't afford to throw money away... there's going to be less of a chance to gain it back. If I was in my 20s or 30s, my thoughts WOULD be different. But now.... I am looking at a much shorter "future."

I don't begrudge folks for making a different decision. All molded towables are NOT for everyone for many different reasons. And aren't we ALL glad, or else we'd never be able to afford them!

[Cypherian]

I did see a 5.0 North Bound in Maine on 29 July TX tags Red Ford Pulling it.
Anyone ideas on who it had red strips and such on it. I beeped and waved even slowed down before I got on another road to see if they were going to go the same way.

Cypher

[ChuckS]

You missed 104 FG Trailers at Bandon,Oregon this July.

[captmath]

That might have been me in Montana. We were leaving Yellowstone on our way to Chilliwack.

Dick

[Jrn56]

Originally Posted by captmath

That might have been me in Montana. We were leaving Yellowstone on our way to Chilliwack.

Dick

It's a small world. My brother in-law probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been talking to him about buying one.

John

[Scuba55]

Fran and Dave, Do you feel you can safely store items around the fifth wheel hitch while driving? It looks like you have room, obviously they would need to be secured, and kept to a level below the top of the hitch.

Thanks,
Mike

[J Mac]

Two Escapes in Okanagan North Provincial. My 17b and a 15a.

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

Fran and Dave, Do you feel you can safely store items around the fifth wheel hitch while driving? It looks like you have room, obviously they would need to be secured, and kept to a level below the top of the hitch.

Thanks,
Mike

So far it has worked fine. Dave puts a container about the size of a carryon suitcase with miscellaneous items such as oil, hazard signs, brake fluid, etc in the truck bed along with a milk crate containing the chocks and leveling pads. We could still fit some other small items, water jugs, etc. This is all placed between the hitch and the cab...not behind the hitch and it is all much lower than the hitch. (Given that the truck bed is not covered we wouldn't want to store much of value there since it is wide open when we are stopped on the road to go into a store of something.) Everything else we stow in the trailer or the back seat of the truck. We don't take a huge amount of stuff anyway. Even the screen room will fit under the dinette seat in the trailer.

Just got back for a 2 night trip to a state park...everything went great!
Fran & Dave

[Scuba55]

I think learning to travel lite is the key, something I need to work on. I sent you a duplicate question earlier thinking you might get it on that thread, please disregard.

Thanks again,
Mike

[Cypherian]

Hey,

Caught this one on the road with TX plates on 90 East In MA on 29 July, I did beep when I went by and even slowed to see if you were heading as far north as I was figured on introducing myself.






Cypherian