Escape 21 NE Build Sheet Review?

[L in NV]

new here and camping in general. i've placed an order for october delivery and would like someone to please take a look at my build sheet and let me know if there are any glaring omissions. i will mostly be using shore power-- 15-20% boondocking, max.

any other advice before i sign off on this would be great.

thank you!

[felix2]

Looks good! I'm taking delivery of my 21NE in September. So I feel your pain. Seems you have everything to make a really nice abode.



I'd question the $300+ for the stereo system...what with all the bluetooth wireless speakers and apps available, you could do a lot better for sound at less $$. So I hear. But maybe you want it for video/tv?



Sand pads, good.

[steve dunham]

Looks like a nicely equipped trailer , I am sure you will enjoy it .
I don’t regret any of the options we purchased but I do regret several we didn’t
Our style of camping , necessary options and physical abilities have changed as we’ve gotten older .
Ten years ago I thought a power jack was a waste of money , now I think it’s worth every penny !!

[Bluesky]

Looks like a nice build sheet. We also ordered our 21NE for a Sept delivery. I must say that I got carried away with all the options and didn't hold back on what i feel we would really get our money's worth out of. We put in all 8 reading lights, several usb/12v plugs so as not to struggle finding a plug, reinforced all interior walls so we could hang anything at any time plus i like solid walls just to have solid walls even if we never hang anything, any place we could put extra flip up counter we did so we ended up with 3 flip up counters, opted for the 3 burner stove and oven and bigger Norcold fridge but no microwave since we eat almost every meal at home when we are home and figure we will be doing the same in the Escape, solar ready but no solar panels or inverter since we plan on being plugged in but maybe sometime down the road things will change and then we could just add the panels and away we go, its just the two of us so we will be using the dining area as a lounge quite often so we ordered a 12 inch insert to make the back row much deeper as easier to lounge, we also got the tv ready and radio since we thought at times we may want to watch the old fashioned way and pop in a dvd or if there is absolutely no way to stream tv or get any live channels then we always have a way to entertain ourselves when not playing a game or something , exterior we put showers on both sides, lights on all four sides, extra tube underneath for some creative storage, power jack and storage but manual awning,

[L in NV]

thanks for everyone's replies. they were helpful!

[Upfisk]

Awning lights, not to be too critical but bugs love lights and are attracted to them.

[Iowa Dave]

For us there are numerous places we camp and times of the year where light attracted insects are not a problem. The Dimmable awning lights are a nice feature and now the propane lantern stays at home where it used to be a mainstay.
Free to operate also. Very low electrical draw. YMMV
Iowa Dave

[steve dunham]

After rereading your build sheet I noticed you did not order the solar option .
Solar gives you many more camping options at a reasonable cost . IMHO
Even if you plan on camping with full hookups , solar is a great asset when the reality of the situation doesn’t match up with your plans .
Remember many County , State , National Parks have the best scenery but they don’t have campsites with electricity !

[L in NV]

i deliberated getting the solar but decided against it since I'll rarely use it. it may make sense to get it pre-wired though....

[frank_a]

All these ideas help us with our future 21NE. Escape has not sent me all the build sheets, but an owner did, God bless them. Wife is still working. When she retires next year, and we sell our house (hopefully!), we'll be buying. By then, we'll be 68 and doubt we'll be doing much boondocking.

Frank

[MadCAT3]

FWIW,

I second Steve’s comment about the benefits of the solar panel(s). Our system keeps the batteries topped, such that one doesn’t have to actively think about it…

A nice break for me after several years surveilling the condition of sailboat batteries. (We’ve even found that it keeps the batteries charged during the winter when covered with the cover that ETI sells!)

I’m under the impression that fewer owners feel the need for electrical generators based on availability of solar (generators still with a role for some styles of camping and if you need the amperage to run the air conditioner, etc.) Makes for less noisy campgrounds.

Possibly also a benefit for resale of the trailer?

Thanks!

Claude