Just ordered our first Escape Trailer (the 21)

[cpaharley2008]

Donna,
I used one of those awning covers one year, it made the awning worse than if I left it uncovered, the mold and whatever else thrived inside. I have it away to another owner.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Donna,
I used one of those awning covers one year, it made the awning worse than if I left it uncovered, the mold and whatever else thrived inside. I have it away to another owner.

Thanks for the info, truly!

[Nindy]

I seriously may need to quit reading posts on this forum! It's a toss-up on whether to stay blissfully ignorant of scary problems or read it and glean lots of useful information!

I do use my manual awning a lot and love it.

Linda

[Bea]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I have posted this before but to put everyone that has ordered a power awning at ease...there is no problem in a full down pour with a fully extended power awning if you use a pole. It takes just I few seconds more to install than it takes to dip a corner.

You can make it out of a painters pole and a piece of pvc that slides over for storage. It makes a great peak for all the water to shed off. You can actually lift the awning up an inches and take all the load off the arms.

If there is extreme wind then deal with it as you would the manual awning.

Thank you so much for sharing your clever way of using the awning in the rain with your pole/pvc-pipe. Truly, much appreciated! Also, nice to hear others liking and using their electric awning, as well. Encouraging!

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I have posted this before but to put everyone that has ordered a power awning at ease...there is no problem in a full down pour with a fully extended power awning if you use a pole. It takes just I few seconds more to install than it takes to dip a corner.

You can make it out of a painters pole and a piece of pvc that slides over for storage. It makes a great peak for all the water to shed off. You can actually lift the awning up an inches and take all the load off the arms.

If there is extreme wind then deal with it as you would the manual awning.

Hmmm. So glad I ordered a second stinky slinky storage tube for the rear of my as-yet-built 5.0. I knew it would be useful for storing something but didn't have anything specific in mind. Now I do!

[themarkofak]

Are you getting the oak or maple interior?

[Bea]

Originally Posted by themarkofak

Are you getting the oak or maple interior?

My husband’s response: We picked Oak - long live the 80’s!

My respose: When we got the email saying we could switch, we had already picked out, ordered and paid for ($$$) our custom fabric based on the Oak palate, which we still really like - so we stuck with Oak. We did however, like the Maple with those pretty cabinets but the lack of back splash was puzzling.... but easily remedied with those peal n stick back splash things at Home Depot, I suppose. We also like to boondock and decided we would not want extra lights in cabinets consuming our batteries. In fact, the inside of our cabinets have more of a pragmatic look and not the museum look. Nothing fancy here! However, we were told we would be getting the new taller faucet so that is nice!

[Lisa M.]

This may be a stupid question (and I'm a teacher, so I know there are stupid questions!), How do you know what your choices are regarding cushion fabric, flooring and counter top? I have seen pictures of the maple paneling and assume the oak would look similar to that in my Casita. I can't find pictures of choices here on the forum or on Escape's website. I realize these choices may change before we order next winter, but I need lots of time to think things over. The only fabric I've seen that possibly is stock seems to be a black and brown shape patterned fabric. Can anyone send me in the right direction? Thanks! I am keeping a notebook of all the information I find and questions I have. When I'm able to see some 21's in person again, I should have many of them answered.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Ellie

This may be a stupid question (and I'm a teacher, so I know there are stupid questions!), How do you know what your choices are regarding cushion fabric, flooring and counter top? I have seen pictures of the maple paneling and assume the oak would look similar to that in my Casita. I can't find pictures of choices here on the forum or on Escape's website. I realize these choices may change before we order next winter, but I need lots of time to think things over. The only fabric I've seen that possibly is stock seems to be a black and brown shape patterned fabric. Can anyone send me in the right direction? Thanks! I am keeping a notebook of all the information I find and questions I have. When I'm able to see some 21's in person again, I should have many of them answered.

After you put down a deposit, you get an email packet with a spreadsheet that is your infamous "Build Sheet." You also received links to suppliers for fabric, flooring and formica. You can choose from the recommended suppliers or pick your own. There are tradeoffs in price and convince. (US or Canadian $$. If US, additional shipping and import fees.) You will also get a document with color choices for the exterior graphics.

So bottom line, since the suppliers are mostly 3rd party, ETI does not provide a list of options, just a list of suggested suppliers.

On their website, under the base price for each trailer is a button for "Online Estimate" Using this tool you can get an idea how much each option will cost. Note: those are install costs not the material costs!

Hope this helps.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by Ellie

How do you know what your choices are regarding cushion fabric, flooring and counter top? I have seen pictures of the maple paneling and assume the oak would look similar to that in my Casita. I can't find pictures of choices here on the forum or on Escape's website. I realize these choices may change before we order next winter, but I need lots of time to think things over. The only fabric I've seen that possibly is stock seems to be a black and brown shape patterned fabric. Can anyone send me in the right direction? Thanks! I am keeping a notebook of all the information I find and questions I have. When I'm able to see some 21's in person again, I should have many of them answered.

For fabric you can choose pretty much any fabric from any source and have it sent to ETI, they should state on your build sheet how many yards of fabric depending on solid vs. pattern and some other variables. Many people have purchased fabric through Sailrite, they offer a wide variety of durable fabrics and can ship directly to ETI. You can go to the Formica website or a local retailer and see all the Formica options - all ETI needs is the color number and they will order that and use it for you. There is an additional charge for some patterns, again check your build sheet for that info. It is pretty expensive to have vinyl flooring shipped from elsewhere to ETI - if you want a custom vinyl there is a supplier or two that they use locally and they can point you towards them, they will order the vinyl you select. They also have sample sheets of many of the vinyl options available locally in the showroom in Chilliwack if you visit there.

[cpaharley2008]

I believe you can request samples of the stock upholstery and the thread http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...yond-8031.html
will give you build pictures with various custom floors and upholstery. Your interior will be maple with the dark tile floor as standard and there are pictures in that thread.

[Eggscape]

This video was done not very long ago and shows the new maple interior as well as the new standard counter top and flooring. You can also see the standard fabric.

https://youtu.be/FiR5x2Fea3k

[Eggscape]

Here are 2 screen shots from the video and 2 pictures I just took of the standard material.
Hope this helps

[Bea]

If you pick the Oak interior, your standard linoleum flooring will be 'Benchmark 3812 Mannington Sunset' and your standard Formica will be 'Giallo Granite 3523-58'. If you pick the Maple interior your standard linoleum flooring will be 'New Castle Knights Armour' and Formica will be 'Formica Mineral Jet 3450'. Like others mentioned, there is only 1 standard for fabric (regardless whether you choose Oak or Maple - the fabric you see on ETI's website photos). I was able to pick up both of these Formica samples at our local Lowes and a local flooring store had samples of both linoleum options. IMHO, the Oak wood interior has a little bit of a yellow/orange hint in it and the Maple wood interior, more of a tan, neutral color. I hope this will help you see if you want to stick with the standard options or not, especially if you haven't seen seen an Escape in person, yet...but I highly recommend it. I think both interior wood options are beautiful and match their respective color standards quite well...and if you like them, can help you save $. However, some pick out custom linoleum not only for the looks but want to upgrade to a thicker linoleum, as well....all personal preference. Hope this helps!

[Upfisk]

We did not like the stock fabric, but decided to stick with the brown-grey standard until we could not stand it anymore. After 80+ days in our Escape, the dinette cushion foam is losing it's firmness. We will replace the seat foam and recover the cushions with different fabric in May. The cushions are fairly easy to recover, there is no piping, anyone that knows their way around a sewing machine can make decent looking covers. Stick with stock initially, as that foam is medium grade not high grade.

We did not like the standard Formica for the oak interior, after a visit to Home Depot we found a Formica we liked, it is close to the new standard Formica in the maple interior. We felt that Formica was semi permanent unlike fabric cushion covers, and it made sense to get exactly what we wanted for something more permanent.

We do not like the floor choice for oak interiors and prefer the color of the maple interior flooring instead. But we are cheap, and did not want to order a different flooring. We decided after we wear black spots in the floor we will recover it with "something", linoleum sheet or planks, someday. At that time we will not have to recover the vinyl under the bed, seats, or cabinets.

[Lisa M.]

Thank you, one and all, for all the information. By looking at the formica and flooring samples, as well as the fabric, I could see where it all ties together really nicely. Someone with way more interior design knowledge that me put it together! At first I didn't like the black formica, but the more I see how it picks up the black around the trailer, the more I like it--especially since from googling Bea's info I can now see that it isn't just plain black. I still don't care for the cushion fabric, myself, but it does look like trailers--the boxes and the wheels. I wonder if that was ETI's plan? I really love the "hardwood floor" vinyl I had put in my Casita a few years ago when we tore out the carpet, but I might be able to live with the other. It probably won't be a deal breaker when I consider the cost, but I think the cushion fabric will be. I want a bold patterned fabric with green or a bold floral or something that makes me think mountains and outdoors. And something that will hold up to the dogs, big and small. I checked out the Sunbrella fabrics I could find and didn't see any outdoor fabric I liked. I also checked JT's with little luck. Maybe I'm pickier than I thought. Thank you again for all the help. I can see people on this forum will be just as helpful as those on FGRV who have been a Godsend the last 12 years.

[Bea]

Ellie - I agree, it does all tie in together nicely....but just to clarify, in my previous post (#94) I meant to say, I highly recommend seeing an Escape in person...if you can, before submitting your build sheet. Not that I highly recommend the standard options... I simply wanted to let you know what the 'standard options' were since those options are included in the base price. Anything other than the 'standard options' are considered custom and will cost extra. I too, am not a fan of the stock fabric but could not find a fabric I liked with Sunbrella Fabrics so I looked around until I found something I liked in a local Joann's Fabric store. ETI says it just needs to be 'upholstery' fabric. Good luck in your search for fabric, I have a feeling your dogs will love whatever you pick! And yes, you said it, this forum is a real Godsend, for sure!

[Lisa M.]

Originally Posted by Bea

Ellie - I agree, it does all tie in together nicely....but just to clarify, in my previous post (#94) I meant to say, I highly recommend seeing an Escape in person...if you can, before submitting your build sheet. Not that I highly recommend the standard options... I simply wanted to let you know what the 'standard options' were since those options are included in the base price. Anything other than the 'standard options' are considered custom and will cost extra. I too, am not a fan of the stock fabric but could not find a fabric I liked with Sunbrella Fabrics so I looked around until I found something I liked in a local Joann's Fabric store. ETI says it just needs to be 'upholstery' fabric. Good luck in your search for fabric, I have a feeling your dogs will love whatever you pick! And yes, you said it, this forum is a real Godsend, for sure!

Bea, so it doesn't have to be an outdoor upholstery fabric? One Sunbrella that I liked wasn't outdoor and said DRY CLEAN ONLY which scared me off-- I figured I was looking at the wrong stuff.
And don't worry, we will be able to see several 21' and plenty of others, too, at a rally here in CA in May. There is also one maybe 1 1/2 hours from us, according to ETI, and I will call them at some point. I've been in Escapes at rallies before, but not with an eye to purchase. My husband has always been way too attached to the Casita and memories made with it. I figure there will be new memories to make!

[Bea]

Originally Posted by Ellie

Bea, so it doesn't have to be an outdoor upholstery fabric? One Sunbrella that I liked wasn't outdoor and said DRY CLEAN ONLY which scared me off-- I figured I was looking at the wrong stuff.
And don't worry, we will be able to see several 21' and plenty of others, too, at a rally here in CA in May. There is also one maybe 1 1/2 hours from us, according to ETI, and I will call them at some point. I've been in Escapes at rallies before, but not with an eye to purchase. My husband has always been way too attached to the Casita and memories made with it. I figure there will be new memories to make!

No...it does not have to be outdoor upholstery fabric, just 'upholstery fabric'. However, I assume the outdoor fabric is quite durable, in comparison and if you think it would be better for your dogs then you might want to consider it. We, however, don't travel with pets and our kids are all grown so I chose regular upholstery fabric. I understand about the memories. When our boys were 10 and 12 we sold our tent trailer (they grew up in) and as we watched it drive away with it's new owners, they sighed and said with a sad face '...there go all our memories". But we already had a new tent trailer, already waiting for them to make new memories in...and they did, every year all the way through college. And now a new chapter of memories begins for us again!

[Lisa M.]

Bea, neat story, I'll have to repeat it to my husband. Down the road I may start a separate thread regarding kinds of upholstery, and how they have cleaned up traveling with pets, and have some people weigh in--unless I find a thread first. I looked at Joann's and there were a lot of fabrics to choose from. As a quilter, I usually avoid their sewing fabric because it isn't quite the quality I want. I'll have to do some comparisons. Thanks again.