Questions about 17'B and 19'

[float5]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I often take the trailer away for a weekend activity by myself.
I've never had the thought that I could do with a smaller trailer.

Ron

LOL. Me either. I have been in the trailer for quite a while by myself. "Bigger" dinette, bed and more.

[John in Santa Cruz]

the main reason we got a 21 rather than a 19 was because the bed layout... neither of us can climb over the other in the middle of the night for that 2am bathroom run without waking the other. that and hte 21 has a significantly bigger fridge, which I'm sure we'll put to use on multi-week road trips.

for solo trips last year, the little 16' Casita was fine.

[Anachr0n]

Originally Posted by Sheepdogger

I could never begin to fill all the storage space in the 19....and maybe even the 17B.

Remember Boyle's law: 'Stuff' expands to fill the space it's given. I said the same thing when I went from a 1 1/2 man hiking tent to a 6 man base camp tent.

A couple of years from now you'll post something about a modern convenience you've brought along and someone will dig up this thread.

[Moaboy]

RV shows r a bargain is my experience after going to the big show in Hershey PA for several years when I lived near there. Not sure a car dealer is an apt comparison when one stops to think about all of the work involved in getting the rv’s from the dealer to the show, set up, and back...unless they sell them.
Escape makes a darn good trailer, but I’d suggest u spend time in any or all of the trailers u have mentioned and others and I think u will understand why we Escape owners r so passionate about our rv’s.
I was reminded of this recently when my binlaw and I went out looking at trailers as he is interested in getting one, but not waiting. Saw nothing that came close to an Escape,unless u like an Airstream or Oliver at twice the price or more....

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Similar to paying a fee to visit an auto dealership.....

More like paying for admission to an auto show... which millions of people do every year. Obviously it makes no sense to pay for such a show if your purpose is to shop between all the alternatives in one place, and the best alternative is not there. Also, auto shows usually have concept cars, new model displays, and other attractions, and there's very little of that at RV shows.

I've gone to RV shows to see what's available; generally I will now only go on a complimentary ticket (typically from an RV dealer).

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gocamp

Odd no https://www.armadillotrailers.net/ at the RV show.

That's not surprising. It's expensive to put product in one of these shows, and they are sometimes (as with car shows) run by associations of dealers... so the small manufacturer - especially one without dealers - may be excluded even if wanting to be in the show.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by gocamp

Odd no https://www.armadillotrailers.net/ at the RV show.

How do you use them with the wheels up in the air?

Edit, in the south we are used to possums on the half shell laying upside down dead by the roadsides. Very weak eyesight and poor hearing means the armadillo does not notice the car until it hears it or feels the vibrations. Then it does its defense and springs up. Result yet another dead armadillo.
They carry leprosy, the strain was brought over in the 15th century by Spanish conquistadors. And while it is not highly contagious you can get it from them.
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/...rosy-armadillo

[Anachr0n]

That's Possum trailers. Armadillo trailers hitch themselves to their own back bumper.

[Moaboy]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

More like paying for admission to an auto show... which millions of people do every year. Obviously it makes no sense to pay for such a show if your purpose is to shop between all the alternatives in one place, and the best alternative is not there. Also, auto shows usually have concept cars, new model displays, and other attractions, and there's very little of that at RV shows.

I've gone to RV shows to see what's available; generally I will now only go on a complimentary ticket (typically from an RV dealer).

The big Hershey RV Show had programs, seminars, all kinds of exhibits and over a 100 venders. Well worth the price of admission, if one is interested in those types of things.
Not to mention more rv’s than one could walk thru in ten hours. From park models to teardrops, yea enough to make u cry.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Moaboy

The big Hershey RV Show had programs, seminars, all kinds of exhibits and over a 100 venders. Well worth the price of admission, if one is interested in those types of things.

Good point, they often have these things... but the vendors are just more people selling stuff (often having nothing to do with RVs, and usually not anything of value to me), and I haven't seen a seminar of interest, again to me. It's worth looking at the program, as these features may well make the show worthwhile.

[sumac.rhus]

Hi Consuelo.
Have noticed a number of people emphasizing liking the permanent bed of larger models, but I got a 17B this past August, and am very happy with its size. Am only 3" taller than you size, but have taken along larger friends on the few trips I've gotten to enjoy so far. We were quite comfortable. Maybe because of so many years tent camping and long distance bicycle touring, my sweet 17B seems luxurious.

I opted for the gaucho bunk bed, and when camping alone, or with just one friend, leave the bunk in place, and have the larger dinette set up as table all the time. We've all been surprised by how comfortable it is. I, too, didn't want to be having to flip back and forth between sleeping and dining set ups. Alternatively, am figuring can reverse all - set up the larger dinette as bed and leave the single front dinette set up for table/sitting.

I was happily surprised by the relatively large amount of storage space. Admittedly, I DO, of course, also have use of the cargo area of my Highlander, as needed.
I also realized I wanted something which would take up as little space as possible, wiggling into challenging campsites and parking situations. Sometimes two feet can make all the difference

Whatever you end up choosing, I hope you are as happy with your selection as I!!!
- Susan

[Fox hunt]

I realized how much stuff you can store in a 17B when i cleaned it out to sell it -wow i filled a room in my house with all the stuff!!!! Now I've been slowly deciding what should go back into my 5.0.

[Anachr0n]

Originally Posted by sumac.rhus

Hi Consuelo.
Have noticed a number of people emphasizing liking the permanent bed of larger models, but I got a 17B this past August, and am very happy with its size. Am only 3" taller than you size, but have taken along larger friends on the few trips I've gotten to enjoy so far. We were quite comfortable. Maybe because of so many years tent camping and long distance bicycle touring, my sweet 17B seems luxurious.

I opted for the gaucho bunk bed, and when camping alone, or with just one friend, leave the bunk in place, and have the larger dinette set up as table all the time. We've all been surprised by how comfortable it is. I, too, didn't want to be having to flip back and forth between sleeping and dining set ups. Alternatively, am figuring can reverse all - set up the larger dinette as bed and leave the single front dinette set up for table/sitting.

I was happily surprised by the relatively large amount of storage space. Admittedly, I DO, of course, also have use of the cargo area of my Highlander, as needed.
I also realized I wanted something which would take up as little space as possible, wiggling into challenging campsites and parking situations. Sometimes two feet can make all the difference

Whatever you end up choosing, I hope you are as happy with your selection as I!!!
- Susan

Hmm. Good point. You can bunk with your fishing buddy and have a big permanent table. Or share a double bed with your S.O. and have a small permanent table. I guess it would boil down to whether the 52" bed is enough for the couple. Still waay bigger than a couple of Therm-A-Rests tied together.

Decisions, decisions.

[caheath]

Been enjoying reading everyone's responses... thanks to all! You've shared helpful info and perspectives I had not considered.

We won't need to make a decision before this time next year and so I have LOTS of time to agonize and change my mind several times.

I read somewhere that the dry weight on the 19' has gone up to about 3,400 lbs (I will verify with ETI). Start there and add more weight for options and at least 600 lbs for "stuff" and viola! You're hitting 4,500lbs - which means at least 450 lbs (10%) on the tongue, but probably more like 540 lbs (12%). I would not tow that weight with a vehicle rated for 5000 lbs, especially considering tug GVWR, GCWR, pax, and cargo.

I discovered today that the 2014-2016 (the only years I checked) Dodge Durango with the V6 and tow package is rated to pull 6,200lbs AND its gas mileage is no worse than the Ford Explorer. So, maybe a Durango is my answer. Or maybe not. Or maybe it is.

[gbaglo]

According to the website, 19' dry weight is 2,950.
Go here: The 19 Foot Escape
Maybe somebody can explain 'dry axle weight' versus 'total dry weight'.

[caheath]

Yes, I've spent quite a bit of time on their web site But I read in this forum (or some other forum) that the *new* build on the 19' weighs more than what is posted on the site. I will contact ETI for a definitive answer and post here when I find out.

[caheath]

Originally Posted by sumac.rhus

Hi Consuelo.

I opted for the gaucho bunk bed, and when camping alone, or with just one friend, leave the bunk in place, and have the larger dinette set up as table all the time. We've all been surprised by how comfortable it is. I, too, didn't want to be having to flip back and forth between sleeping and dining set ups. Alternatively, am figuring can reverse all - set up the larger dinette as bed and leave the single front dinette set up for table/sitting.

That is a pretty creative approach - might work well for me. Hmmm....

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

According to the website, 19' dry weight is 2,950.
Go here: The 19 Foot Escape
Maybe somebody can explain 'dry axle weight' versus 'total dry weight'.

Well, it sounds like the total dry weight minus the hitch weight should equal dry axle weight, but the math doesn't work...

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

According to the website, 19' dry weight is 2,950.
Go here: The 19 Foot Escape
Maybe somebody can explain 'dry axle weight' versus 'total dry weight'.

In the dry (and empty, and base equipment) state, the axles are carrying a total of 2,354 pounds, while the tongue is carrying 256 pounds, for a total trailer weight of 2,610 pounds.

So why is the total weight listed as 2,950 pounds, and not 2,610 pounds? 2,610 pounds is the old total weight; apparently Escape changed the design in 2016, then updated the website in May 2017, and did not update the axle weight or tongue weight. That means that the axle weight is incorrect (it is the old value), and the tongue (hitch) weight is suspect as well (again, it is the old value). This has been wrong for a while and has been mentioned in this forum before, so I would not expect the error to be corrected.

[gbaglo]

That's what I found on Google search:

Dry Axle Weight is the weight of a trailer when the RV is on a hitch. This is also known as UVW - Hitch Weight = Dry Axle Weight