21' Escape - MY impression

[Donna D.]

cpharley (Jim) was asking over on FiberglassRV, what those of us that saw it at the Oregon Gathering thought. Welllllll

Drool, drool, slobber, slobber I think that should tell you something. It's absolutely fabulous. I not only looked at it once, I had to take a second tour. And if there hadn't been a line waiting, I would have given it a third look. I'm not sure what I liked best, there's so many bests about it. But, anyone that likes to cook inside is going to absolutely love the counter space!

Some of the comments I overheard, etc.:

I thought I wouldn't like walking into the trailer and seeing the bed. But, it doesn't bother me at all... you really don't see it because of the bathroom walls. (I knew it wouldn't bother me, because I like a rear dinette!!)

The bathroom is really spacious.

Look at that long open counter.

Oh a huge refrigerator. (I think the freezer is as big as some owners entire 3-way)

Sitting at the dinette, it feels spacious and looking out these big windows is lovely.

What I really noticed:
The bedroom area window is one of the largest (longest) I've seen in a molded trailer, it kinda reminds me of the big side window in the Perris Pacer.

I thought I'd miss not seeing a window in the front, but that big window on the side is more than adequate. YMMV

If I didn't want an Escape 5.0, the 21' would be the trailer I'd certainly be strongly considering.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I thought I wouldn't like walking into the trailer and seeing the bed. But, it doesn't bother me at all... you really don't see it because of the bathroom walls. (I knew it wouldn't bother me, because I like a rear dinette!!)

It definitely is not as prominent as I pictured from all the preliminary info made it seem. The one negative my wife pointed out was that we use the dinette table for marshalling stuff all the time, but the larger counters will help offset that a bit.

Otherwise, your thoughts and observations are very close to my take on the trailer too. I am positive it will do well.

 

[Vicki A.]

Thanks Donna!
I wish I could see the 21 in person, I love I would love it!

I too, am waiting for the "new" 5'er - gosh, can I wait that long?!

 

[Scuba4155]

I too viewed the 21 in Oregon, my impressions are the same as the above with one exception. I thought the bed looked small, smaller that what I expected. A full queen is important to us, so we may go with the 19, 5.0 or the new 5.0/21, tough to decide, they are all great. The good news is I won't be ready to buy until next spring, about the same time the new 5.0 is expected.

 

[brain]

It ALL sounds very nice. Just when you think the 19 is the one, it turns out maybe it's the 21! Now I want to hear about the 21 5er...
At least it doesn't cost me anything at this point.

Thanks for the report Donna.

 

[abby-ESC]

I too viewed the 21 in Oregon, my impressions are the same as the above with one exception. I thought the bed looked small, smaller that what I expected. A full queen is important to us, so we may go with the 19, 5.0 or the new 5.0/21, tough to decide, they are all great. The good news is I won't be ready to buy until next spring, about the same time the new 5.0 is expected.

Thanks for giving the impression of the bed, my husband and I also the thought the bed looked cramped and being closed in with the walls (at least on paper).

The 19 footer still looks good to us.

Vella

 

[LeonardS]

One advantage to the bed layout: like the 5.0, a person sharing the bed does not have to crawl over the other person. My wife and I just visited the factory expecting a shoot-out between the 19 and the 5.0, and then the 21 stepped up with the nice counter space and no crawl over bed design.

They had the very original one at the factory, getting some feature changes. I think they are moving the heater out from under the bed and also eliminating the narrow storage behind the driver side dinette seat. Or something like that.

 

[Don W.]

Awesome feedback, very helpful. We are considering the 21. But are there plans for a 21 5th wheel? or is this just a rumor of what we all want?

 

[escape artist]

Hi: All...What no one took any pic's? Donna D must have been afraid she'd drool on her camera!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[cpaharley2008]

Exactly, pictures would have been nice.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I think there were a bunch of photos posted from the Escape Rally. Not sure what thread though. I know I never took any either.

 

[Scuba4155]

Don,

I asked Tammy about the 21/5.0, its not a rumor, she said it will be out next spring, about the same time of year when the standard 21 came out. I believe she said it will also be a little wider than the current 5.0, sounds very exciting! I think it will be a home run. The only down side, it may require me to upgrade my truck. Tammy thought it might weigth a few hundered lbs than the standard 21, putting it in the 3200-3300 lbs.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Vicki A.]

Happy dance!

 

[cpaharley2008]

and I believe it will be a dual axle model.

 

[Scuba4155]

yes, its suppose to be a dual axle.

 

[atf]

Hi, we are in the process of purchasing the new 21ft. Do you know if anyone took pictures at the oregon rally and if so how could I see them? I noticed you were on line so thought I would take the chance you might answer me. thanks Alice (atf)

 

[Donna D.]

Hi Alice, I'm embarrassed to say I carried a camera around for eight days and didn't take a picture of anything! It's early yet, lots of folks aren't home from the gathering. You might check here and FiberglassRV and CasitaForum in the rally threads for pictures.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Alice,
Welcome to the forum, there are some pictures here http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f20/21-escape-final-photos-2379.html

 

[Don W.]

Wow, now I am really happy! Can't wait this new 5th wheel will probably be it...or the new 21 that is out. Thanks Scuba55.

 

[keager]

Been home a day from the Oregon Gathering and just getting back to the computer. Wanted to add my impressions of the 21'.

In a word, WOW.

This is the first trailer I have walked into and felt that this is in every way what we have been looking for. I told Reece that I had participated in the discussion on the forum during the planning phase and since he did everything that I asked for (I was not the only one by any means), it has to be perfect for me.

The first impression is that the trailer feels very spacious. The extra 4" of width helps, but, I think the biggest factor is moving the bathroom out of the middle of the trailer. A center bathroom by its' nature splits the trailer into two spaces with a narrower area in the middle. I love the corner bath floor plan as it opens up the center. Donna noted the lack of a front window. Not to worry, the windows are already on the way from the supplier. For those who want a front window, it will be there, pretty much filling the space above the head of the bed (the shelf will get rearranged somehow). I expect that will really brighten up the bed area adding to the big window on the side. The trade off for the corner bath is the bed. As planned, it is not a queen size. It is a full size bed, 54" wide. I feel the positives of a north south, no climb over, bed with corner bath is well worth 6" of bed width. A full size bed is plenty fine for us. For those that must have a queen size bed, there is the fifth wheel (s) and the 19.

The bed being the first thing you see as you walk into the trailer is not an issue for us. Being partially behind the bathroom helps to provide separation from the rest of the trailer. Also, when you walk in, you naturally turn left (the cut corner on the bed unconsciously encourages this) and your attention moves into the kitchen/dinette part of the trailer. There is a privacy curtain being developed to allow trailer entry/exit while the bed is in use. The present experimental version is across the door opening. The contoured roof line does provide some challenges on where the curtain can be. I am confident a good solution will be found.

The bathroom is, I believe, the largest in an Escape. I found it quite roomy for a wet bath in a small trailer. Let's remember that for us Fiberglass trailer people this trailer is quite large, but, for the rest of the RV world, it is still a small trailer. Reece told me he can still fit this rig in a pair of back to back parking lot spaces.

The trailer at Bandon was #2. It was finished on Tuesday with them arriving in Bandon Thursday evening. Talk about fresh off the line! This trailer already has the furnace moved into the dinette bench with the converter. Also the storage area behind the dinette bench has been eliminated. Reece said the storage was small, the dinette was not visually pleasing off center, and just was better on paper than in reality. The plus side of that change is that the dinette and table are now a little bigger. I also really like the table hooked to the wall with the folding leg. When you remove the table, there are no table pedestal cups attached to the floor. Also, as advertised, the floor is completely flat, no step up in the back of the trailer.

It was tempting to try and buy the trailer from them right then and there. Unfortunately, we would have needed their truck as well and Reece had only had it three weeks. Not likely to give that up. Besides, they were just starting a three week Holiday and needed the trailer.

Speaking of Reece's new truck, it is an F150 and we now understand why there will be a new fifth wheel trailer coming. There were a couple of contributing factors, but, a major one was that the style of the current generation of full size pickups is to have a very high, and deep, bed. These trucks are now too tall for the current 5.0 to fit into. The new fifth wheel will be taller, wider, and longer.

Finally, a few pictures.