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Old 08-08-2015, 06:17 PM   #1
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U-Shaped Dinette in 21

We have a 21 on order for April 1, 2016. We first thought we'd get a 19 after seeing RVOmaha's rig in early spring(thanks again Liz and Jay!), but then one "wish" led to another and here we are with a 21. As far as our camping "style," we don't have one This is our first camper...... It's a a crazy boomer, kids are gone, just-about-to-retire thing. Hope to see a lot of the country with this tug, an F-150 and the two of us.

We've made a lot of decisions already based on the great info on this site. One thing we are confused about is the U-Shape Dinette.
- How big is the table in the "U" (L x W) versus the regular Dinette.
- If you go with the "U", does the standard table slide side-to-side or front-to-back, both or is that another customer choice thing?
- I've seen some pictures of the "U" without any inserts for table legs. Do you forgo the built in table and do without one? We think we'd still like to be able to have a table.
- How comfortable is it to sit with your back against the back wall and feet up on the other two ends of the "U." Thinking about a future time where we might find ourselves over-nighting in a Walmart parking lot and watching a TV mounted against the fridge wall.

Apologize for the somewhat punctilious questions but we live in Nebraska with only one other instate unit (a 19) to go take a look at. BTW, if anyone with a 21 is cruising past Lincoln, Nebraska on I-80 in the near future and would be willing to let us look at their rig, please let us know. Will meet you anytime and buy you breakfast, lunch or dinner. If not, we will look forward to finally seeing a 21 in person when we pick ours up next spring!

Thanks!
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Old 08-08-2015, 07:21 PM   #2
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Stefan. We are bringing back a new 21 with the u-shaped dinette later in Sept. We were kind of shooting in the dark as to the table and dinette also, and really don't know what we have until we see it. We were planning on going through Lincoln on the way out but are flexible coming back. I'll get back to you by PM in a couple of weeks. As I said in an earlier post, deciding on the Andersen hitch and the u-shaped dinette were the two hardest decisions on the trailer. Crystal at ETI told me that they did not make the table slide from front to back, only side to side. Loren
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Old 08-08-2015, 08:16 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
- How big is the table in the "U" (L x W) versus the regular Dinette.
Same width as the regular table, but shorter front to back, in order to accommodate people sitting along there. You lose about 14" of depth.

Quote:
Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
If you go with the "U", does the standard table slide side-to-side or front-to-back, both or is that another customer choice thing?
You can specify a front to back slide, but the standard one is side to side.

Quote:
Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
I've seen some pictures of the "U" without any inserts for table legs. Do you forgo the built in table and do without one? We think we'd still like to be able to have a table.
People do this for 2 reasons: One, they want a lounge area and use the folding tables (added as an option) on either side for eating, or two, they want to mount their own table. I highly recommend the latter approach (using a single pole telescoping table base), but many are happy with the lounge and no table.

Quote:
Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
How comfortable is it to sit with your back against the back wall and feet up on the other two ends of the "U." Thinking about a future time where we might find ourselves over-nighting in a Walmart parking lot and watching a TV mounted against the fridge wall.
Very comfortable, IF you get some throw pillows or a lower back pillow to produce more of a recline.

Just to add one more option to this mix: some have also had Escape add a "filler board" in the U-shape, which goes from the back cushion to about halfway to the edge of the front cushions, and a corresponding cushion of the same depth. This gives even more lounging area. For converting to a bed, you remove the filler board and either lower the table (if you have one) or use a full depth filler board and another cushion.
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Old 08-08-2015, 11:15 PM   #4
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We have the standard table and find that a couple of throw pillows and the soft interior wall makes for a very comfortable lounge type seat for us. Just wanted it said that the standard seating is very comfortable. And when we have our family in the trailer we can squeeze on 3 per side for meals or games. Two great options for the dinette. To each their own I guess.
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Old 08-09-2015, 10:33 AM   #5
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Thanks for all the responses and detailed answers from rbryan4. Much appreciated.

Loren and Cathy: Let us know if you'll be swinging by our neck of the woods after your pickup in September. We actually have some relatives in KC and Topeka so it wouldn't be a stretch to stop by Olathe either if you'd be up for a visit to check out your rig.
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Old 08-13-2015, 11:02 AM   #6
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Bob K,

When you say you have the standard table, do you mean you have the U shape and use the table? Or the two sided arrangement with the table?

Thanks! I sure wish you would put up some photos!!
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Old 08-13-2015, 11:23 AM   #7
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Hmmm, maybe it's different on the 21', but the U-shaped table in our 19' slides front to back ... which we like as it gives us about six extra inches in the floor area when pushed back.
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Old 08-13-2015, 12:37 PM   #8
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Bob K,

When you say you have the standard table, do you mean you have the U shape and use the table? Or the two sided arrangement with the table?

Thanks! I sure wish you would put up some photos!!
No, we have the two sided arrangement. The table is big, but then we like it for when we entertain or when I tie flies. ( In the pics I have attached you will note the two LED captains lights installed over the fridge side window.) I also use one of the captain's lights when I read, while my wife uses the overhead light. Both are fine.

We find the arrangement most comfortable for reading, but I'm not saying that it is as comfortable as others who have a smaller table or one that lowers out of the way. When my wife reads by herself she pushes the table to the side. When we are both reading I often use the table as an arm rest. If you don't anticipate needing the table space and seating for 6 people (who you know pretty well because it is a bit tight}, then the U-shaped dinette might work better.

Hope this helps you.

Bob K
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Old 08-13-2015, 01:15 PM   #9
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Hmmm, maybe it's different on the 21', but the U-shaped table in our 19' slides front to back ... which we like as it gives us about six extra inches in the floor area when pushed back.
And I have seen a U-shaped dinette in a 5.0 TA (which has same dinette/galley area as the 21) where the table slides front to back. I was told (by the owner) that's how they do them for the U-shaped dinette, to make room for the person(s) sitting at the back side of the table; but apparently that's no longer the case.
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Old 08-13-2015, 02:16 PM   #10
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And I have seen a U-shaped dinette in a 5.0 TA (which has same dinette/galley area as the 21) where the table slides front to back. I was told (by the owner) that's how they do them for the U-shaped dinette, to make room for the person(s) sitting at the back side of the table; but apparently that's no longer the case.
When I first saw Alf's 5.0TA, his table slid front to back with u-shaped dinette. When I picked mine up, also U-shaped dinette, the table slid side to side. My wife hated it. So I changed it, and now she is happy with it. It took about an hour due mostly to careful measuring and marking. I cannot figure out why ETI would go side to side in a U-shaped dinette. The table was so close to the rear bench that the rear bench could not be used.
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Old 08-13-2015, 02:32 PM   #11
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I can see where, if you had the regular bench seats, the side to side movement would be the way to go; however, like Carl found out, in a U-shaped dinette, not having the ability to move the table front to back means that use of the back bench is restricted. Interesting.
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Old 08-13-2015, 04:19 PM   #12
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Not long ago you could specify how you wanted the table to move, E/W or N/S. May or may not still be the case.
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Old 08-13-2015, 05:00 PM   #13
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Not long ago you could specify how you wanted the table to move, E/W or N/S. May or may not still be the case.
You can, but it depends on the dinette size whether or not that's practical. On our 19, a front to back slide wasn't as practical as in the 21. A few extra inches of width and depth make a big difference with clearances. We solved the problem by installing the Springfield pedestal, and moving the sliders about an inch or two toward the back of the table. This gave us more clearance along the back, we could still slide left or right to get in and out, and more importantly, we could now rotate the table.
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Old 08-13-2015, 06:17 PM   #14
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You have to request front to rear, otherwise side to side is standard.
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Old 08-13-2015, 08:35 PM   #15
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You have to request front to rear, otherwise side to side is standard.
I requested the front to rear sliding table in May and Crystal told me it wasn't available. Loren
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Old 08-14-2015, 09:35 AM   #16
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WE have the front to back slide on our 21 u-shaped dinette. We didn't know we could request side to side. It came front to back. We picked up March of 2014. Works great-it was a bit hard to get in if you are a bigger person. My husband took the table off and moved it back further on the slides. There is no problem with front to back now. Handy when there have been 6 people in for dinner.
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Old 08-14-2015, 12:51 PM   #17
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We just picked up our 21' Escape July 28th. We opted for the U-shaped dinette for lounging purposes. I removed the installed table and floor pedestals before we made it home. There is only the two of us and the table took up too much room. (I don't have the measurements for the table.) We had ETI install 2 fold-down tables on each side of the dinette. We may, in the future, add a foldup table if we find we need something larger to eat off of.

The side cushions that you sit on are 25" deep. The back cushion you sit on is only 18" deep. I'm 5'10, my hubby is 6'. This cushion was not deep enough for comfort, either to lay across or sit on.

Today I made a cushion to extend that area an additional 6".
Click image for larger version

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You may want to ask ETI how much it would cost to have them make one out of the same upholstery as the other cushions.
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Old 08-14-2015, 01:39 PM   #18
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We had 2 filler pieces made.
One is 12 inches and the cost was $100 CDN.
The other one is 18 inches and cost $150 CDN.

Together they turn the whole area into a bed.
Sperately they give us more choices for the lounge setup.

Although, we have the table and hardware we asked ETI to not install the table. That way we don't trip over the floor mounts for the table. If we find that eating on the flip-up tables doesn't work we can install the table ourselves. Based on our 11 day trip home, we like this arrangement very much.
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Old 08-14-2015, 01:50 PM   #19
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Here is a picture of the 2 pieces setup together.
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Old 08-14-2015, 01:55 PM   #20
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I'm confused now. I would have thought, and was hoping, that the back cushions from the two side benches would have fit there to make a bed. They don't? Or did you just want to leave those in place?
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