Escape 19 and 21differences

[Gerbie53]

Hey all! I am trying to decide between an Escape 19 and an Escape 21. My wife and I typically camp alone but the dinette bed would be nice for guest. We have a Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe. I want a bit bigger than the Casita but I don’t want to skimp and buy too small. What is the biggest differences between the 19 and 21 besides 2 feet. I tow with a 2011 Tundra. Thanks

 

[zephirus]

I just sold my 19 and bought a 21c. Some practical differences are the 21 has more storage which is helpful. For us the biggest difference is the N/S bed vs the E/W bed in the 19. In the 21c you can get out of bed without climbing over. Plus me, wifey, and Australian Shepherd (55lbs) in the 19 was certainly doable but it could be a dance at times. I would not have gone from a 19 to 21NE for the money. The 19 is a really nice trailer. My 2 cents and YMMV. I might think of other points but others will share great points as always.

 

[Selkirk]

Are you comparing the 19 against the 21C or 21NE?

19 vs 21NE: Almost all of the added length goes to the dinette. This gives you essentially a second queen-sized sleeping space. The 19's dinette sleeping area is about 80" long, but only about 40" wide. This would be fine for a single house guest, but very cozy for a couple. Additionally, the kitchen and closet/pantry are about 6" longer and isle space 4" wider when compared to the 19. IMHO: The added space is very useful for families,...but less beneficial for a couple with an occasional guest.

19 vs 21C: Completely different layout where about 4" is added to the dinette and the balance goes to the kitchen. The center isle feels much more spacious due to the relocated bathroom and increased width over the 19. Significantly more storage space is available. This comes at the expense of a narrower (though more accessible) bed. IMHO: For a couple, the 19 is the ideal choice for a trailer for those looking for a reasonably spacious, well-featured, and very efficient layout within a compact footprint. The 21C is better suited for extended travelling for those who prioritize space over size/weight.

For the record, I use my 19 as a home-away-from-home through-out the summer season...and don't feel the need for anything bigger. If you are coming from a Casita, the added 2' of the 19 will make the interior feel substantially larger than what you're used to.

 

[Gerbie53]

Thanks so much for your reply. That’s all very helpful.

 

[Gerbie53]

I just sold my 19 and bought a 21c. Some practical differences are the 21 has more storage which is helpful. For us the biggest difference is the N/S bed vs the E/W bed in the 19. In the 21c you can get out of bed without climbing over. Plus me, wifey, and Australian Shepherd (55lbs) in the 19 was certainly doable but it could be a dance at times. I would not have gone from a 19 to 21NE for the money. The 19 is a really nice trailer. My 2 cents and YMMV. I might think of other points but others will share great points as always.

Thanks for your input always good to get information from someone who has been there and done that!
Thanks

 

[Ron in BC]

We've owned and used both quite a bit. The bed layout has been a discussion point since the 21C first came out. Looking back now I guess we've come to prefer the 21C for easier access.

My wife never liked the fact that the bathroom door opened out into the kitchen area. At one point she asked me if I could install a sliding door instead. Don't know why, I never actually opened the door and hit her while she was cooking.

The larger kitchen counter is nice and so is the ability to back into a site with a view and see it from the dinette. But, at the end of the day, we've been happy with both models. It's win-win.

Ron

 

[Fazer8]

We owned a Casita SD prior to buying our E21. After buying the 21C, I saw a 19. No question, personally I would buy the 21 again over the 19. Either will of course feel much bigger than the Casita, but to me the 21C feels much more open and roomier width and length than the 19. We love the floorplan of the 21C vs Casita ... N/S bed, long countertops and view out the back from the dinette. And since you're towing with the Tundra, you don't have to worry about the extra weight. There are a lot of great reasons to go with a 19 as well and it will still feel bigger than the Casita.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

We had a Casita 16 SD before we bought our 21C ... The 21C's bed is basically a Full XL, which is 54x80", 6" narrower than a queen. I'm 6' tall and sleep on the street side of the mattress, my wife is 5'1" and sleeps on the curb side. We use Full XL mattress pad and fitted sheet on the bed, and a queen comforter in a 'duvet' cover, which is basically two sheets sewed together with a zipper or buttons at the foot. The duvet doesn't have to be tucked in, and I can skinny out the foot of the bed without waking my wife to do midnight bathroom runs, when I get back in bed, its easy to 'flip' the duvet/comforter back over my legs and bod. Since the queen duvet is 6" wider than the mattress, we both get enough blanket.

We did a 4 month 10000 mile road trip in Mexico last year, and were comfortable the whole time. I could live full time in the Escape (yellow stars are where we camped).

The Casita SD was basically miserable for the two of us, my wife is claustrophobic, and insisted on being on the outside, which meant I had to climb over her to make those midnight P runs... the Casita Spirit dinette made an awful small bed for my 6' long bod. OTOH, the couple times I took the Casita 16SD out alone (astronomy trips my wife found annoyingly boring due to the dark enforcement), it was just fine.

 

[zephirus]

We had a Casita 16 SD before we bought our 21C ... The 21C's bed is basically a Full XL, which is 54x80", 6" narrower than a queen. I'm 6' tall and sleep on the street side of the mattress, my wife is 5'1" and sleeps on the curb side. We use Full XL mattress pad and fitted sheet on the bed, and a queen comforter in a 'duvet' cover, which is basically two sheets sewed together with a zipper or buttons at the foot. The duvet doesn't have to be tucked in, and I can skinny out the foot of the bed without waking my wife to do midnight bathroom runs, when I get back in bed, its easy to 'flip' the duvet/comforter back over my legs and bod. Since the queen duvet is 6" wider than the mattress, we both get enough blanket.

We did a 4 month 10000 mile road trip in Mexico last year, and were comfortable the whole time. I could live full time in the Escape (yellow stars are where we camped).

The Casita SD was basically miserable for the two of us, my wife is claustrophobic, and insisted on being on the outside, which meant I had to climb over her to make those midnight P runs... the Casita Spirit dinette made an awful small bed for my 6' long bod. OTOH, the couple times I took the Casita 16SD out alone (astronomy trips my wife found annoyingly boring due to the dark enforcement), it was just fine.

Wow John - that is/was quite the trip through Mexico ! Longer time traveling, bigger trailer !

 

[MrLynn]

When we went from a Casita Spirit (17) to an Escape in 2022, I wasn't picky; I would have taken a 19 or a 21 (NE or C); it was almost impossible then to find used Escapes east of the Mississippi. But fortunately a Forum member in Kentucky was looking to upgrade to a Bigfoot 25, so when he found one, we were able to grab his 2019 21C.

I'm glad we ended up with the 21C. Everyone who looks at it (we are Ambassadors) is impressed with the space inside, even folks coming from much bigger stickies. The bed is tucked away and still easy to get into; the galley counter is nice and long; and the hallway wide enough to pass each other. The dinette makes into a decent bed (with a 2" topper), in which I end up (snoring problem and staying up later). A 19 or 21NE would have worked, too, after the Casita, but they both feel a little cramped after living with our 21C. YMMV, of course.

 

[brroberts]

We looked seriously at the 19 and 21c. The 19 has way more space than we need, and it’s less tiring for us to tow a narrower trailer. The bed on the 21c, while it has benefits for sure, is too narrow for us to get as good a night’s sleep as the wider bed in the 19. It’s bed width that kept us from actually choosing a 17b. Everyone has different needs.

 

[Eddys2]

I would suggest that you give serious consideration to the size of their respective black tanks.We have had two 19s, a 2009 and a 2015, both of which had 18/19 gallon black tanks. Both the 2025 19 and 21NE have 13.2 gallon bts. Our style of camping is to stay at a site for 5 to 14 days and I would appreciate the 22 gal tank in the 21C that gives us more latitude in dumping decisions.
If your camping style is to move every 2-3 days then a 13 gal bt should not be that much of a problem. As our 2015 19 is imminently off to "the big campground in the sky"(thank you South Rim wildfire at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP) the larger BT was a substantial factor in our ordering a 21C for delivery this Fall.

 

[tukwilma]

For us, the big tipping point between the 19 and the 21NE was the width. The 4 inch difference doesn't make much difference for towing (for us) but inside that 4 inches is in the 'hall' - that space between the sink/oven side and the bath/wardrobe/fridge sided. We have a 130# dog, so he takes up a lot of room.

 

[tukwilma]

For us, the big tipping point between the 19 and the 21NE was the width. The 4 inch difference doesn't make much difference for towing (for us) but inside that 4 inches is in the 'hall' - that space between the sink/oven side and the bath/wardrobe/fridge sided. We have a 130# dog, so he takes up a lot of room.

Full disclosure: we're swapping our 21NE for a 5.0 this fall! It's the same width. Has a bigger black tank. Adding a few bells and whistles from the build sheet. squeeeee

 

[W@nderer]

Hey all! I am trying to decide between an Escape 19 and an Escape 21. My wife and I typically camp alone but the dinette bed would be nice for guest. We have a Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe. I want a bit bigger than the Casita but I don’t want to skimp and buy too small. What is the biggest differences between the 19 and 21 besides 2 feet. I tow with a 2011 Tundra. Thanks

Hi Gerbie,

We had a Casita Indy 17 and sold it to buy a 21C in January 2024. We have about a 150 nights in it so far. We needed more space and a table to work at. The reason was we wanted the dinette (we got the U Shaped one) so I could work at an actual table (Lagun) while we are on the road and we do not have to remove the table all the time. The size difference at first was like moving to a palace. Now that we are used to it, it really is the right size for us. Especially if it rains, at least we can move around a bit inside without feeling too cramped. Really like the NS orientation of the bed so we can crawl in and out. I am not as familiar with the 19 but do not like the bed orientation (EW, and we would not have a climb over set up)... We did look in a 19 a time or two when we met folks on the road or in a campground and it does seem quite a bit smaller/less roomy to us now. If you travel for more than a couple weeks at a time, the extra room of the 21 may be useful. The floor space of the 19 seems to be a lot smaller, I would check on that compared to the 21 you are considering and the Casita you have... We did find the standard table too large for us, I created a new one out of plywood as a temporary replacement (and much lighter) to try until we see if we like it on a month trip we are taking. Once we decide it is the right size, I will create a new, nice looking one... The second photo is to compare the two.

You may also want to ask on some of the Facebook forums if you are a member. Such as Escape Campers West at www.facebook.com/groups/escapecamperswest/

 

[Arizona Bob]

Hey all! I am trying to decide between an Escape 19 and an Escape 21. My wife and I typically camp alone but the dinette bed would be nice for guest. We have a Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe. I want a bit bigger than the Casita but I don’t want to skimp and buy too small. What is the biggest differences between the 19 and 21 besides 2 feet. I tow with a 2011 Tundra. Thanks

Pull up the layout photos on Escape’s website for both models, it will show the size differences. The 21 is a few hundred pounds heavier.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

We have never seen a 21 in person but are happy with the 19. It's my wife and I and 50lb dog who sleeps in the bed with us. We have had both teenage kids come too one slept on the dinette bed and one in a tent (his preference). We all did inside easily for dinner when it's raining.

For us, we knew the 19 would fit in some tighter water spots sites whereas the 21 and larger wouldn't.

I also like the narrow width for towing and maneuvering. We use the trailer for sleeping and when it's raining, otherwise we are outside.

Bottom line, you will be happy with either, so long as you don't regret anything on one or the other.

We have no regrets with ours. It's small, all manual operation, no extra gadgets or AC and couldn't be happier with it. We also didn't need to mortgage it, based on some current price builds for ETI.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

pretty much top of our 'musts' is, no climbing over anyone to get in/out of bed. That means a 21 classic to us.

 

[snowswamp]

pretty much top of our 'musts' is, no climbing over anyone to get in/out of bed. That means a 21 classic to us.

This is the only concern I have with our E19. Being over 6 ft tall, I can’t sleep in the shorter direction like some of my shorter friends do in their camper or I hang over a “few” inches. Oh well. We still love it.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

The 21C has a Full XL mattress, which is 80" long, 54" wide, except about 12" is cut off one corner... so the person on the street side gets the full 80" length, while the person on the curb side has about 68" ... most importantly to us is, this is a longitudinal mattress, not traverse.