Hello from Calgary, Canada

[Sawdusty]

I recently retired and my wife will be retiring next summer. We are lifetime campers but have never owned or used a trailer. We have always used a high quality 4 season tent but it is often too cold in Canada to do much tenting outside of June through August. I am interested in a 17A or 17B or a 19 so that we can expand our early and late season camping but my wife still needs to be convinced. She likes tenting but is receptive to the idea of a small trailer with a permanent bed and with extra insulation but doesn't see the need for a separate bathroom so a 17A would likely be her choice. Everyone I talk to says that larger is better and that a washroom is a necessity so I am more inclined towards the 17B or 19. Configuration and options are also going to need a lot of consideration. Since we are completely new to trailer camping, we have a lot to learn and hopefully this forum will be of help to us.

 

[Eggscape]

Welcome...You have started in the right place to look for a quality trailer. Many end up here after years of dealing with regular tin trailers.
I have no idea if this fits your needs but it is about 2/3 the price of a new one. May be a good start to see if you like it. It has just been relisted and I have no idea what it is like. Good luck!

https://classifieds.castanet.net/details/2007_escape_17b_fg_trailer/3182825/#.WgxrSetu_hk.email

 

[Marry-ESC]

Welcome Laurie!
There are quite a few Escape owners in and around Calgary. Would be nice you could see a few. Get a feel for the different models, etc.
Would you be interested in doing so, give ETI a cal. They can give you contact info of owners willing to show.

 

[Karen H.]

Everyone I talk to says that larger is better and that a washroom is a necessity...

Not everyone believes this...hence, the 104 Escapes 15s out there and who knows how many 17As (and 17Bs). It all depends on what you want. Except for three or four people, most everyone else does seem to agree that Escape trailers are the best--one of the reasons being is that the buyer can customize one to their own style of camping...that is, until that style of camping differs from someone else's and then the sparks fly on the forum. Resale, resale, resale is a phrase often heard. But there is a lid for every pot. Order what is best for you.

And welcome to the Escape world and the forum!

 

[rbryan4]

I completely agree with Karen. Bigger is not necessarily better. Besides, the word "better" must be defined before it means anything. What works for your camping style and expectations may be completely different than the next guy. How do you want to camp, and what conveniences do you expect? That'll help you answer what's "better" for you.

 

[gbaglo]

Remember, unless you have a plan not to age, you will eventually find a bathroom very convenient.

 

[Jim Bennett]

Welcome.

I would definitely take your time and check out the different models. Each one has it's benefits. I understand a trailer is new to your camping style, but it would be best to try to see a ways into the future, as this purchase can easily last for the rest of your lives. This is tough I realize, as even for those having owned travel trailers before, camping styles change.

I too come from a background of tents used mostly in backcountry travels, and still occasionally do a canoe trip. We have had five trailers from when our kids were very small, from a tent trailer through a couple stick built ones, and two moulded fibreglass Escapes. This 5.0TA will be our final one, and one we will take into our imminent retirement.

I know the 5.0TA is not on your radar, but if you would like to pop over to see mine, you are welcome. We are in the NW, in Brentwood. Lots of other models in Calgary too.

 

[Ian G]

I recently retired and my wife will be retiring next summer. We are lifetime campers but have never owned or used a trailer. We have always used a high quality 4 season tent but it is often too cold in Canada to do much tenting outside of June through August. I am interested in a 17A or 17B or a 19 so that we can expand our early and late season camping but my wife still needs to be convinced. She likes tenting but is receptive to the idea of a small trailer with a permanent bed and with extra insulation but doesn't see the need for a separate bathroom so a 17A would likely be her choice. Everyone I talk to says that larger is better and that a washroom is a necessity so I am more inclined towards the 17B or 19. Configuration and options are also going to need a lot of consideration. Since we are completely new to trailer camping, we have a lot to learn and hopefully this forum will be of help to us.

Hi Sawdusty, If you are interested in looking through our 19' Escape we would be happy to show it to you. We also live in Calgary and also recently retired

 

[Dave Walter]

I recently retired and my wife will be retiring next summer. We are lifetime campers but have never owned or used a trailer. We have always used a high quality 4 season tent but it is often too cold in Canada to do much tenting outside of June through August. I am interested in a 17A or 17B or a 19 so that we can expand our early and late season camping but my wife still needs to be convinced. She likes tenting but is receptive to the idea of a small trailer with a permanent bed and with extra insulation but doesn't see the need for a separate bathroom so a 17A would likely be her choice. Everyone I talk to says that larger is better and that a washroom is a necessity so I am more inclined towards the 17B or 19. Configuration and options are also going to need a lot of consideration. Since we are completely new to trailer camping, we have a lot to learn and hopefully this forum will be of help to us.

Welcome to the forum. As others have stated, a bigger trailer is not always the right choice. It all depends on what your are comfortable with. I love the coziness of the smaller length trailers (the 15's and the 13's), especially when travelling alone or with one other person. However, the larger trailer's (19', 21', and 5.0TA) are also great if you prefer more space. Unfortunately both the 15' and 13' are no longer being manufactured, so if you want to buy new, the smallest available is of course the 17' (which is also a very nice unit).

We also have done a lot of tent camping, and still do. In this past year I probably slept in a tent 3x the number of nights that I slept in a trailer. That being said, my preference would be to buy a trailer with a bathroom, as it is so much more convenient for those middle of the night bathroom breaks that seem to occur more and more frequently with age.

Whatever you ultimately decide is the right trailer for you, Escape is indeed a great brand of trailer and you cannot go wrong with any of their products.

 

[Eggscape]

“Bigger is not always better” the Escape 19 has a wider bed than the 21...and the bed in the 21 is only a tad bigger than the 17. For us the bed size is a big thing.
On our trip across country this year in our old trailer we probably used the bathroom during the day while travelling just as much as when we’re set up to camp. Always nice to know anywhere you go...you can “go”.
When towing a trailer you will soon find out that you don’t just whip into fast food parking lot and pop in for a washroom. Many lots are not RV friendly...tight turns and no pull through spots.
Which brings me to the next point. If you have an SUV and a 17 you will be able to use most pull through shopping style parking spots. If you have a long box pickup and a 21 you will hang out beyond the normal two spots end to end.
This is all about your camp style. We like to explore towns, cities etc on route. We don’t just go to a camp site and sit there for a week where length of your unit does not matter as much.
Just a few things of many to consider...

 

[KLRchickie]

We too are in Calgary and just finished our 4th season with our 17B. It is "just the right size" for us, and we wouldn't consider not having that bathroom, despite being far less than retirement age... but hey, whatever floats your boat!

We live in our trailer more summer weekends than we live in our house :^). Still the perfect choice for us.

 

[thiggins]

We're switching to the 21 due to ( getting older ) needing to pee in the middle of the night ! Ha ...I said it. We're tired to crawling over each other, so the bed with room at the foot is a no-brainer. Keep that in mind : East/West bed versus North/South...

}:^)

 

[float5]

I recently retired and my wife will be retiring next summer. We are lifetime campers but have never owned or used a trailer. We have always used a high quality 4 season tent but it is often too cold in Canada to do much tenting outside of June through August. I am interested in a 17A or 17B or a 19 so that we can expand our early and late season camping but my wife still needs to be convinced. She likes tenting but is receptive to the idea of a small trailer with a permanent bed and with extra insulation but doesn't see the need for a separate bathroom so a 17A would likely be her choice. Everyone I talk to says that larger is better and that a washroom is a necessity so I am more inclined towards the 17B or 19. Configuration and options are also going to need a lot of consideration. Since we are completely new to trailer camping, we have a lot to learn and hopefully this forum will be of help to us.

Welcome to the Escape world! You are naturally looking at the smallest trailer that Escape offers but you might want to consider the others. We, too, looked at a 17' but when we saw the 19, we then decided on it. There was no 21' at the time and we later ordered our 21'.

The main differences that I see are the 19' having a bigger bed and dinette than the 17,' while the 21' does not have a climbover for the bed and has more counter and bath space than the 19' (but the 21' bed is smaller.). The main reasons we bought a trailer after some tenting were the hard shell and the bathroom. As Eggscape mentioned, you then have a bathroom anywhere when on the road, too.

What you want for a tow vehicle is an important consideration and may limit which model you get. If you do decide on a 17', the tow vehicle may not work if you later want a bigger model. Many of us here have switched Escapes for many reasons but usually people go bigger. Of course, you need to see the models that interest you by visiting owners in your region.

 

[yardsale]

I wish we had a few more inches in the bed, bathroom, kitchen space, and front dinette. The 19 would have provided that for us. Still have an east west bed requiring the inside person to crawl over the outside person. If that is your need, then heed the advice earlier in the thread and consider the 21. Regarding shoulder season camping, note that Escape inexplicably does not increase the size of the furnace in the larger trailers. How cold do you want to camp in?

 

[Fox hunt]

i started with a 17b i wanted a small trailer i could tow with my SUV and i was unsure if i would enjoy camping with a trailer. Now i have a 5.0 - i travel alone but sometimes friends travel with me i really like the extra space in the 5.0 i like to cook and i like having the separate sleeping space. i really like having a bathroom

 

[Sawdusty]

Thanks for the offer

Hi Sawdusty, If you are interested in looking through our 19' Escape we would be happy to show it to you. We also live in Calgary and also recently retired

My wife and I would be interested in seeing your Escape Trailer at a convenient time for you. Outside of Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's when we watch the grandchildren, most any time would work for us. Look forward to hearing from you. Our phone number is 403-208-2719.

 

[Ian G]

My wife and I would be interested in seeing your Escape Trailer at a convenient time for you. Outside of Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's when we watch the grandchildren, most any time would work for us. Look forward to hearing from you. Our phone number is 403-208-2719.

We are thrilled to show off our trailers, since you are new to trailers (we actually just entered the trailer world addiction about 6 years ago) you can tour all 3 of the fibreglass trailers in the collection, a 13' 1974 Boler, a 17' Casita, and the 19' Escape. I'll send you a Private Message to work out the details.