Winter Travel

[cpaharley2008]

You can always camp your way to the Osoyoos Escape Rally in May, there will be over 100 of Escape there, all lined up in a row.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

You can always camp your way to the Osoyoos Escape Rally in May, there will be over 100 of Escape there, all lined up in a row.

And plenty of former sufferers of 'twofootitis' who will GLADLY show you their 21.:

[Brian B-P]

The Bigfoot weight penalty is partially due to construction, but partially due to width. That extra width also means extra aero drag, more difficult manoeuvering, more difficulty seeing around it... and more space for an island bed. All design is compromise, hopefully optimized for what is important, and Escapes are toward the lighweight/compact end of the travel trailer range.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

And plenty of former sufferers of 'twofootitis' who will GLADLY show you their 21.:

Suffers of twofootitis are never cured, only in remission awaiting the release of a larger Escape model.

[Josh.W]

Hi All,

Thanks for the additional comments. Sonya and I were thinking about trying to make it up to the May get together, will have to see if I can get away from work at that time.

"Two-footitis"; am I correct in assuming the reference is to the width of the aisle. Definitely one of the things that has begun to get to us in our Casita.

The weight and the width are definitely the downside for me with the Bigfoot (in terms of towing, parking, etc.). I really like knowing that if I can make it through a tight fit with my current tow vehicle, the Casita will follow without a problem, as long as it's not a sharp turn.

Sonya of course loves the extra width and space in the Bigfoot (and the separate bedroom in the back; the dry bath; more storage...), so the cards may be stacked against me. Still working on it...

Thanks,
Josh

[gbaglo]

Just tell her you'll have to trade in your current tow vehicle and get a F350 dually if you get the Bigfoot.

[padlin]

The gain in width is why we went back to considering an Escape. Makes all the difference in the world.

Don't know that I'd call the bed in the 5.0TA a walk around.

[gbaglo]

I look at the "crawl-over" bed as a desirable feature.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

And plenty of former sufferers of 'twofootitis' who will GLADLY show you their 21.:

I would not be surprised if you are not next..........

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Josh.W

"Two-footitis"; am I correct in assuming the reference is to the width of the aisle. Definitely one of the things that has begun to get to us in our Casita.

Actually, "two-footitis" refers to the tendency to always want just two more feet of trailer length. After battling the "disease" for a lifetime, the little 13-foot travel trailer can grow to a 30-foot monster, two feet at a time.

Originally Posted by Josh.W

The weight and the width are definitely the downside for me with the Bigfoot (in terms of towing, parking, etc.). I really like knowing that if I can make it through a tight fit with my current tow vehicle, the Casita will follow without a problem, as long as it's not a sharp turn.

Narrow can be good. Escape models from 13' to 17' (plus the original 5.0 fifth-wheel) all have the same classic 2-metre (or 80-inch) width as the Casita; each longer model after that is also wider (19' is 84" wide, 21' is 88" wide; 5.0TA is the same width as a 21'). Bigfoot went 96" wide, long ago.

On the bright side, no RV is more than 2.6 m or 102" wide, and almost every road accommodates that width because that's the same limit for normal commercial vehicles. Compared to that limit, a Bigfoot has a bit of margin for error and an Escape 21' is no problem at all.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Just tell her you'll have to trade in your current tow vehicle and get a F350 dually if you get the Bigfoot.

That worked for me...went to a bigger Tacoma than when we had the Casita. Pulls the 21 Escape just fine!

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I would not be surprised if you are not next..........

Not a chance Jim, at least the Escape 21-itis. I know there are a ton of people who love it but we weren't fans of the layout.

[cpaharley2008]

With that bonus from heaven, it would not be hard to upcharge.

[Josh.W]

Ha! OK, now I get the two-footitis, thanks Brian.

I didn't realize the 21 and 5.0TA were 88 inches wide, don't know why I didn't check that. For some reason I assumed they were the same width as the Casita, so it's good to know they are a bit bigger all around.

How does the Tacoma do in terms of towing the Escape 21? The people who showed us around their trailer in LA were towing with a six cylinder 4-Runner and they told me it pretty well squashed the rear springs and shocks. Do you think the Tacoma could handle the 5.0TA in terms of power and weight?

I'm kind of partial to Toyota; my 98 Land Cruiser - midlife crisis - which we use to tow the Casita has 347K miles on it and is still going strong, but I don't think it would be happy handling anything bigger than the Casita.

I like the Tacoma better than the Tundra, and I'm not even sure the Tundra could handle the 25RQ Bigfoot.

Josh

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Josh.W

Ha! OK, now I get the two-footitis, thanks Brian.

I didn't realize the 21 and 5.0TA were 88 inches wide, don't know why I didn't check that. For some reason I assumed they were the same width as the Casita, so it's good to know they are a bit bigger all around.

How does the Tacoma do in terms of towing the Escape 21? The people who showed us around their trailer in LA were towing with a six cylinder 4-Runner and they told me it pretty well squashed the rear springs and shocks. Do you think the Tacoma could handle the 5.0TA in terms of power and weight?

I'm kind of partial to Toyota; my 98 Land Cruiser - midlife crisis - which we use to tow the Casita has 347K miles on it and is still going strong, but I don't think it would be happy handling anything bigger than the Casita.

I like the Tacoma better than the Tundra, and I'm not even sure the Tundra could handle the 25RQ Bigfoot.

Josh

Several people tow the 21 with a Tacoma. That's the great thing (well, one of the great things) about an Escape-- they're LIGHT. Will your tow experience be ideal with a 21 and a Tacoma? In my opinion, no -- but it does work.

[Josh.W]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Several people tow the 21 with a Tacoma. That's the great thing (well, one of the great things) about an Escape-- they're LIGHT. Will your tow experience be ideal with a 21 and a Tacoma? In my opinion, no -- but it does work.

Hmmm...Thanks.

What kind of mileage do you get with that combination?

Josh

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Josh.W

Hmmm...Thanks.

What kind of mileage do you get with that combination?

Josh

I'll defer to Tacoma owners to answer that one. I will say that there are LOTS of variables, depending on your style of driving, the engine, and the environment.

[cpaharley2008]

I just traded 2012 FJ Cruiser which I believe had the bigger motor than the Taco. The FJ handled the Escape 19 fine but you could feel the 21 a lot more and my comfort level was not as high. Definitely need a Andersen set up with the Taco but as others said, the bigger tow will have a bigger safety margin. I went with a Ram with an 8 speed and lower rear end for gas.

[Brian B-P]

Toyota's FJ Cruiser and Tacoma share an engine (and presumably transmissions, maybe front suspensions), and the FJ has a more sophisticated rear suspension; however, the Tacoma wheelbase is longer (if the shortest 2WD version), or significantly longer (most versions), or much longer (if double cab / longbox) than the FJ. I wouldn't draw too many conclusions about handling or the need for a weight-distribution system from experience with the FJ.

As far as I can tell, all FJ Cruisers have the same 1GR-FE (4.0L V6) engine; the Tacoma has been available with various 4-cylinder and V6 engines, but the current V6 is that same 1GR-FE again.

[tractors1]

Currently getting 12.2-12.4 mpg towing our 21 up & down Coast Mountain range hills in Oregon with a 2013 Taco V-6 long bed 4 dr 4x4. About what I expected; rated 6400 lb tow and haven't weighed the loaded trailer yet. Does has the Anderesen hitch. Will have a better idea when I do a Xmas run from Portland, OR to San Francisco and back.