Escape 23

[Perry Butler]

Reace and Tammy were unique. In many respects they treated owners like family. Those of us who've been here awhile could share dozens of stories about it. Of course when new owners come along they can run the business as they see fit. But it strains credulity to imply there's very little difference in CS between then and now. I've read this forum.

Except for the SDS2 exploding stovetop. I think Rease and Tammy would have at least warned the owners of the potential problem, whereas Karl and Co just ignored the issue. They were lucky no one was seriously hurt.

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[MrLynn]

Reace and Tammy were unique. In many respects they treated owners like family. Those of us who've been here awhile could share dozens of stories about it. Of course when new owners come along they can run the business as they see fit. But it strains credulity to imply there's very little difference in CS between then and now. I've read this forum.

Sorry I missed the Reace and Tammy era, but so far I am impressed with the friendly outreach we get from Karl and Samuel in their videos, and my user-repair questions have been answered promptly and politely by Dustin and others.

Of course I'm just the second owner of a used Escape, but I don't get the feeling from the company that I'm a second-class customer, and I have no qualms about recommending Escape to others. Original owner Shawn left me with a batch of brochures, and I've been handing them out to all and sundry.

Re the E23, I've been thinking. . . There's really no other molded-fiberglass company making a Class C motorhome. I think BigFoot did some years back, but no one now. It would take a new mold, of course, but 23' is not a bad size. . .

 

[Jill-ESC]

We've had our 21 for 7 years now. The time sure has flown by! We have been on the list for the new 23 and are excited about the wet bath. I know it isn't for everyone but I would much rather have a larger bathroom than a tiny shower that's used just once a day. Anything they can do to make the bathroom a little more residential feeling (this coming from someone who has the old style bathroom) would compensate for the lack of a dry bath. To me that is the only advantage of a dry bath.

Someone said earlier that this will just be a larger 21 and they are right. But this will hopefully also have more (and nicer) features, more advanced electronics, more comfortable seating, bigger windows etc. Hopefully!!

 

[Perry Butler]

We've had our 21 for 7 years now. The time sure has flown by! We have been on the list for the new 23 and are excited about the wet bath. I know it isn't for everyone but I would much rather have a larger bathroom than a tiny shower that's used just once a day. Anything they can do to make the bathroom a little more residential feeling (this coming from someone who has the old style bathroom) would compensate for the lack of a dry bath. To me that is the only advantage of a dry bath.

Someone said earlier that this will just be a larger 21 and they are right. But this will hopefully also have more (and nicer) features, more advanced electronics, more comfortable seating, bigger windows etc. Hopefully!!

I think your across from us at Gilbert Ray.

The one Escape item I wish I could have in our Bigfoot is the wet bath. For me, dry baths are overated. I liked the wet bath in our 5.0. Bigfoots shower is too small and the seat too low to wring water from the microfiber cloth into a pan, but the sink in the 5.0 was perfect when taking navy showers. Terry is happy though.

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[RangerMan]

I think your across from us at Gilbert Ray.

The one Escape item I wish I could have in our Bigfoot is the wet bath. For me, dry baths are overated. I liked the wet bath in our 5.0. Bigfoots shower is too small and the seat too low to wring water from the microfiber cloth into a pan, but the sink in the 5.0 was perfect when taking navy showers. Terry is happy though.

Enjoy,

Perry

I had a Navy 'shower' once. My detachment of Rangers (30) was on the way to the South Pacific many years ago and we crossed the equator. Sailors who were otherwise fairly 'normal' went bonkers.

I forgot what they called us but it evidently required its victims to be subjected to extreme abuse.

I still approach sailors with caution.

 

[brain]

It amazes me with the number of 7 to 7 1/2 foot wide 17 to 21 foot trailers on the market with dry baths, that ETI can’t do it. There are 23 footers with a non crawl over bed and dry bath. I would think they could figure it out. I’m sure those floor plans are cramped, but these are small trailers.

Totally agree!

 

[YakRV]

I had a Navy 'shower' once. My detachment of Rangers (30) was on the way to the South Pacific many years ago and we crossed the equator. Sailors who were otherwise fairly 'normal' went bonkers.

I forgot what they called us but it evidently required its victims to be subjected to extreme abuse.

I still approach sailors with caution.

It’s called the Shellback initiation. Before a Sailor crosses the Equator they are mere Pollywogs, once initiated they earn the right to call themselves Shellbacks (they even get a nice framable certificate). From stories I’ve heard, it is truly nuts!

Since I’ve gone astray of the thread’s purpose to answer RangerMan’s post, I’ll add that the Navy has another ceremony for Sailors who cross the Arctic Circle called the “Order of the Blue Nose.” (If anyone is interested )

 

[Donna D.]

It amazes me with the number of 7 to 7 1/2 foot wide 17 to 21 foot trailers on the market with dry baths, that ETI can’t do it. There are 23 footers with a non crawl over bed and dry bath. I would think they could figure it out. I’m sure those floor plans are cramped, but these are small trailers.

Because you can't have it ALL in a small trailer. For every inch put into a bathroom, that space has to come from somewhere else. Many of us would rather have more closet space or a bigger kitchen. IF the only thing that really interests people in a small trailer is a big dry bath and a big walk around bed, why not buy a cargo trailer and build it out to whatever those two specs they wish.


I figure if I need to be as comfortable as I am at home, it might be best if I stayed there. But compared to my days of backpacking and bathing in streams and lakes or a cold shower from a spicket at the beach, the tiny wet bath in my 5.0TA is luxurious. That space lets me get clean, just as intended. It's not a dance hall.

 

[oldwave]

I think your across from us at Gilbert Ray.

The one Escape item I wish I could have in our Bigfoot is the wet bath. For me, dry baths are overated. I liked the wet bath in our 5.0. Bigfoots shower is too small and the seat too low to wring water from the microfiber cloth into a pan, but the sink in the 5.0 was perfect when taking navy showers. Terry is happy though.

Enjoy,

Perry

As is Iris, especially the bath cabinet space.

 

[Selkirk]

I just looked at a couple of 23' trailers with no slides that feature both a dry bath and walkaround queen bed:
- Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB
- Vista Cruiser 19ERD

In both cases, the bed is only 74-75" long...not a true 80" long bed featured in the E23 (though with clipped corners).

I believe that even the larger Bigfoot 25RQ only has a 76" long bed.

That makes me wonder how many 23' no-slide floorplans actually exist that successfully integrate both a dry bath and a walkaround true 60x80 queen?

 

[brroberts]

I just looked at a couple of 23' trailers with no slides that feature both a dry bath and walkaround queen bed:
- Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB
- Vista Cruiser 19ERD

In both cases, the bed is only 74-75" long...not a true 80" long bed featured in the E23 (though with clipped corners).

I believe that even the larger Bigfoot 25RQ only has a 76" long bed.

That makes me wonder how many 23' no-slide floorplans actually exist that successfully integrate both a dry bath and a walkaround true 60x80 queen?

Not sure how many are in the market. You have to be careful, because some say 21’ for example, but they are 25’ overall. But they do exist, so ETI should be able to do it also.

I further agree they are cramped as I said these are small trailers. I don’t want one that cramped, but ETI’s expressed goal was a dry bath and walk around bed, and they should be able to deliver it.

I prefer a larger more open wet bath to a more chopped up dry bath. It’s not that I don’t like dry baths, it’s just I don’t want an 8’ wide 25’ trailer to get it.

We love 17’ to 21’ trailers 7’- 7 1/2’ wide. Others prefer 40’ 5th wheels. Our previous trailer had a huge bath and Murphy bed 18’ long. We decided we really wanted to go back to separate dining and sleeping areas.

 

[Eggscape]

I just looked at a couple of 23' trailers with no slides that feature both a dry bath and walkaround queen bed:
- Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB
- Vista Cruiser 19ERD

In both cases, the bed is only 74-75" long...not a true 80" long bed featured in the E23 (though with clipped corners).

I believe that even the larger Bigfoot 25RQ only has a 76" long bed.

That makes me wonder how many 23' no-slide floorplans actually exist that successfully integrate both a dry bath and a walkaround true 60x80 queen?

Bingo…finding a true 80 long walk around bed is a challenge in smaller trailer. I pity the first time RV buyer at an RV show that assumes the bed is a full 80 inches long.

 

[Selkirk]

So I just took a few minutes and surfed through a dozen or so additional floorplans from various Thor, Forest River, Winnebago, Northwood, Lance, and other manufacturers. I couldn't find a single example of a trailer in the E23's size range without slides that offered a walkaround 80" queen bed (though all had a dry bath). All beds were 74-76" long. The only models I found with a 60x80 queen were either 26'+ in length, had a slide, or murphy bed (and I could only find one example each of the latter two alternatives).

I'm beginning to think that it was inevitable for ETI to reach the conclusion that the either the bed or bathroom had to shrink in order to make the floorplan work. I'm happy they chose the latter.

 

[Mike G]

ORV Backcountry 20BD is 25'3" total length, and boasts a true 60x80 bed. Closest one I know of.

We have to keep in mind that ETI's models tend to be about a foot longer than the model number. So a E23 would probably run 24' OAL, maybe plus a couple inches.


I'm going to ask: if you all could choose for the same price between an Escape 21 and a Bigfoot 21, would any of you opt for the BF? Or a BF 17 vs a E17B? (That's the closest we can get since a E23 and a BF 25 would not be comparable.)

 

[YakRV]

ORV Backcountry 20BD is 25'3" total length, and boasts a true 60x80 bed. Closest one I know of.

We have to keep in mind that ETI's models tend to be about a foot longer than the model number. So a E23 would probably run 24' OAL, maybe plus a couple inches.


I'm going to ask: if you all could choose for the same price between an Escape 21 and a Bigfoot 21, would any of you opt for the BF? Or a BF 17 vs a E17B? (That's the closest we can get since a E23 and a BF 25 would not be comparable.)

One floor plan difference I see regarding your first thought is the E23 dinette is “L-shaped” with a long bench along the driver’s side, and the ORV 20BD has the standard short benches. I suppose if ETI had shortened that L-shape dinette they might have saved some room up front for the dry bath (maybe??).

As for the question on choosing between an Escape 21 or Bigfoot 21, they’re both great trailers (obviously). We chose the Escape because it’s not as wide or as heavy as the Bigfoot. After spending the first year towing our 21C, I still think we made the right choice. It’s SO easy to tow!

(BTW, I just checked on RV Trader, and saw two different 2023 21-foot Bigfoots with a list price in the $70Ks!!! Yikes! I don’t think you’d find a new Bigfoot 21 at the same price of a new Escape 21 - unless you somehow found a dealer offering a SERIOUS discount.)

 

[Donna D.]

Bigfoot and OutdoorRV are both wider than any ETI build. Those inches can make a big difference in the layout as well as the weight and towability of the trailer.

 

[brroberts]

Bigfoot is more expensive. We chose Escape for the narrower width.

 

[oldwave]

Having had both an Escape 21 and now a Bigfoot 25 RQ, we were willing to tow a wider and longer trailer fand heavier trailer for a much superior interior and living area. The Short queen is just fine, we aren't tall people. The dry bath is warm and the shower is adequate for camp showers. Cold weather resistance is outstanding. I didn't pay anywhere near list. Now bear this in mind we waited for years for Escape to release the 23 and was on the list to buy early on. The response from the factory has been nearly immediate for my questions and the construction quality was very high, electrical routing and wring is the weakest part.

We probably would have bought a 23. I have friends with airstreams and I feel the Bigfoot is better built. We loved our 21, but as we are now on the road more for the next few years as we have a new grand child on the west coast we will be using the roomier trailer many months out of the year. Too bad the 23 is so late.

 

[MrLynn]

ORV Backcountry 20BD is 25'3" total length, and boasts a true 60x80 bed. Closest one I know of.

We have to keep in mind that ETI's models tend to be about a foot longer than the model number. So a E23 would probably run 24' OAL, maybe plus a couple inches.


I'm going to ask: if you all could choose for the same price between an Escape 21 and a Bigfoot 21, would any of you opt for the BF? Or a BF 17 vs a E17B? (That's the closest we can get since a E23 and a BF 25 would not be comparable.)

If we could have gotten a BF21 (rear bedroom–don't care for the side dinette in the front-bedroom model) for the same price (and year) as an E21, I might have chosen the BigFoot: a little wider (so more room), dry bath, 4-season insulation. Our Expedition could have towed it (a BF25 might have challenged it). But, at maybe a $20k difference, the E21C is plenty of camper for our limited needs. And, I have to say, the E21 is better-looking than the somewhat obese BF21.

 

[Mike G]

Of course, I know how much more the BF costs (new). I posed the question as a hypothetical "if they were the same price," curious to know if some who say they love their Escape would actually jump at the chance to have a BF "even-up" (in other words, the BF under normal circumstances is just too costly, so someone may have "settled" for, what to them, was the "next best thing," Escape).