Choosing the correct Escape

[Loren & Cathy]

This summer is flying by and we will be heading to Chilliwack in a few weeks. Since my tow vehicle will handle almost anything, all of our options are open and everything from the 17 to the 5a is on the table. How did you choose your trailer, how do you use it, and how often do you use it? Do you use it for traveling and overnighting or do you go to one place and stay for a few days or several weeks? We are leaning toward the 19 as the plan is a combination of both. Kind of in the middle. Plus we like the larger bed that is in the 19 over the one that is in the 21. The 5a is probably out as I want the pickup box for hauling our junk plus I just ordered a fiberglass tonneau cover today. We are nearing retirement and will use the trailer more and more. Plus I will take it to Iowa with me when I farm up there and will not have to stay in that rotten motel. How do you use your trailer and what was the main deciding factor in you choice? You probably chose the Escape because of its superior quality. Loren

 

[dspratley]

I am 6 ft 1 in and wanted a smaller trailer that I could stand up in, has a queen bed, could be pulled by a mid-size SUV, separate dinette from bed, bright with many windows, insulated, solar option for boon docking which we do about 50% of the time, additional storage such as front box, made from materials that do not off gas and smell like formaldehyde, wife wanted oven and three burner cook top and converter. Looked at Airstream and a few other brands. Went with a 19 ft and couldn't be happier. Seem to use it for about 6 weeks a year, plan to use much more when retired.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Having owned both a 19' and a 21' Escape, you will appreciate the spaciousness of the 21 over the 19. Regardless of how it is used, you have counter space and a lot more storage. If you like to winter camp, the bed in the 21 is warmer. The queen vs double bed size is only 6" but ease of egress is worth it. You can sit on the bed and put your shoes on, something hard to do in the 19. In addition with the rear dinette, it is all about the view!! But this is your personal choice, mine maybe different.

 

[Dave Walter]

... made from materials that do not off gas and smell like formaldehyde, .../QUOTE]

You do realize that a new fiberglass Escape is going to off gas significantly over the first few months after it is built, particularly in hot weather. Ours is more than a year old and is still noticeable.

 

[tractors1]

Ditto here on the 21 bed - no more crawlover needed. Coming from a 17ft Casita, we'll probably spend the first few days being lost in the 21. I was also surprised that the narrower bed of the 21 didn't feel cramped (I'm 6-1) when we tried one at a rally.

 

[floorpanel]

Went from a 17' Casita to a 21. Obviously no comparison. If you do any cooking inside the additional counter space in the 21 over the 19 is significant. I don't think there would be much difference in pulling it. I can't tell much difference between the 21 and the Casita. I sleep on the dinnette. It takes about five minutes to make it up and take it down. Gives us both our space at night. You will enjoy which ever one you choose

 

[rbryan4]

In praise of the 17, if you plan to travel with no more than two, like my wife and I, the 17 makes a lot of sense. We will be able to easily pull it with our v6 SUV, which we could not do in the 19 or 21. Yes, we sacrifice some storage and some bed space, but we gain efficiency, smaller size for better mileage and easier towing.

Bottom line is that Escape has done a great job with their lineup, and you'll be thrilled with whatever choice you make.

 

[Ron in BC]

the bed in the 21 is warmer. .

How so?

Ron

 

[pkgman51]

We opted for the 19 with a the dinette switched from the front to the back. We plan to sleep individually, having to convert the dinette to a bed each night, to avoid the crawl-over to use the rest room in the middle of the night. I liked the 17 and wanted to go that route but the sleeping arrangement just wouldn't work in that size. The 21 was just a little too much trailer for us. The 19 will be just right.

 

[cpaharley2008]

How so?

Ron

You are not surrounded by 3 exterior walls with 3 exterior windows…..plus I had the mattress cut 2" smaller so that the mattress does not touch any of the cold wall!!

 

[Dave Walter]

...the bed in the 21 is warmer....

Now that really depends on how much heat your sleepmate generates. My wife is like a furnace and I usually have to forego the covers to stay cool, even in shoulder seasons.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Yes , I like a cold bed, both n summer and winter. But one of us has hot flashes….

 

[Ron in BC]

..plus I had the mattress cut 2" smaller so that the mattress does not touch any of the cold wall!!

Not too sure how well a mattress transfers heat laterally but, hey, if it works for you, great.

Ron

 

[cpaharley2008]

In the Escape 19 the mattress is a little to large and you can hardly put you hand between it and the wall, making up the bed is a PIA. That said, in the winter, no air can get between the mattress and the wall and the wall being cold and the mattress being warmer you have condensation. No transfer of heat laterally, just a difference in surface temperature will create condensation. If you were to make the mattress smaller and allow air to circulate around it then you will not have a damp mattress. That is how the mattress hyper vent works, by allowing air to circulate. I'd install not only underneath, but also around the mattress in 19 Escape. With the my 21 I only need it on the bottom and not around the perimeter as there is air space.

 

[Cypherian]

Yes , I like a cold bed, both n summer and winter. But one of us has hot flashes….

CpaHarley,

Sure you have learned by now they are not hot flashes they are " Power Surges" ":}

Cypher

 

[Loren & Cathy]

You are not surrounded by 3 exterior walls with 3 exterior windows…..plus I had the mattress cut 2" smaller so that the mattress does not touch any of the cold wall!!

You mention cold wall. Did you get the optional insulation, walls or bottom?

 

[Ron in BC]

If you were to make the mattress smaller and allow air to circulate around it /QUOTE]

How does one get condensation if there's no air in that area? Aren't damp mattresses related to body perspiration, not condensation?

Seems like you have your theory and I have mine.

Ron

 

[cpaharley2008]

Mine is not theory but a result of camping in below freezing temperatures both in New York and West Virginia and here in Pennsylvania with my Escape with thermal windows, extra insulation, foam spray underneath and 12v heat pads with 120v heated water hose. You will get condensation as long as you are breathing. Has nothing to do with body perspiration which normally does not happen when it is 5 degrees outside.
Next time anyone finds condensation in the winter on the windows, open the shades and let the air hit the windows, it will go away. If in the cabinets on the walls, open them. Open your roof vent. Try it.

 

[LarryandLiz]

In praise of the 17, if you plan to travel with no more than two, like my wife and I, the 17 makes a lot of sense. We will be able to easily pull it with our v6 SUV, which we could not do in the 19 or 21. Yes, we sacrifice some storage and some bed space, but we gain efficiency, smaller size for better mileage and easier towing.

Bottom line is that Escape has done a great job with their lineup, and you'll be thrilled with whatever choice you make.

Our 17b goes in to production next week, so that is where we landed on this decision. Our thinking process followed much the same process as rbryan's ease of towing, only two of us traveling and basic simplicity. We live in a large urban setting and are new to towing. Although, we had a trailer for 10 years it was always at a vacation lakeside site, we both sat in the 19 and in the 17b and feel confident that given what we want to do(in and out exploring lots of small towns, some larger cities, lots of mountains) we want smaller not bigger. So we went with the 17b recognizing the "sleeping crawl-over" factor but in the end other matters overode other things.

I see that Loren and Cathy are in Kansas, I've spent lots of time in Kansas, lots of wide open spaces there so the decional factors and end use could be quite different for them then for us. At the end of the day, all this is very individualistic, unique.

It was good to ask about things on the Forum. For us sitting in both the 19 and the 17b and thinking about how we planned to use the trailers helped us make the final decision.

 

[Karen H.]

For us sitting in both the 19 and the 17b and thinking about how we planned to use the trailers helped us make the final decision.

I couldn't agree more. I visited the factory and just sat for some time in a 15A and 17A to get the feel for each model. I even had Tammy make the front dinette in the 15 into a bed to see if I could use it as a permanent bed as I wanted to go as small as possible but in keeping with my camping lifestyle. My truck could have handled any of the models but simple and small were the overriding factors to me. So if you've narrowed it down to two models, just spend a bit of time in each one if you have the opportunity. You'll know.