How to decide?

[LouisianaGal]

Hi all,
This will be the first trailer for my husband and me - getting out of the tent!
We started looking at the 17, but believe the 19 may be better for the additional space. Any 17 owners wishing they had ordered the 19 instead? Just the two of us since the kids are grown.

For other people who were trailer newbies, how long did it take for you to get comfortable driving/towing? Hubby is fine towing, but I like to share driving and this will be new for me.

I am enjoying all of the information on this forum!!

 

[steve dunham]

Hi all,
This will be the first trailer for my husband and me - getting out of the tent!
We started looking at the 17, but believe the 19 may be better for the additional space. Any 17 owners wishing they had ordered the 19 instead? Just the two of us since the kids are grown.

For other people who were trailer newbies, how long did it take for you to get comfortable driving/towing? Hubby is fine towing, but I like to share driving and this will be new for me.

I am enjoying all of the information on this forum!!

We owned a 17 ft Casita before we purchased our current 21 ft Escape
We found that our 17 ft trailer was a little cramped for my wife , myself and our dog especially on longer trips .
After 10 years of owning a FG trailer my wife is still apprehensive about driving when towing so I drive while she crotchets. . We try and limit how far we drive each day and so far it has worked for us .

 

[Ron in BC]

We loved our Scamp 13. But at some point we thought a little larger might be nice and so we were ready to order a Casita 17 but we heard about Escape, read up on the 17 and went there to put our money down.

We went inside a demo one, it confirmed to us that it was perfect for our needs. There was a 19 demo beside it so, what the heck, might as well look inside it before we go in and do the paperwork. We did the paperwork, although it was for a 19.

The Ranger towed the 19 OK but it was pretty much its' limit. So we got an F150 and it's really smart, lots of brainpower in that truck, but it didn't even know the 19 was behind it. Towing became a much more pleasurable experience and with the memory seats and lot's of power my wife was very happy to do more driving.

Of course with the F150 we could tow a 21 and there were some features that my wife liked, like the longest counter available and the bathroom door not being behind the "cook". So now we have a 21.

The moral of the story: there is no wrong answer. Any of the Escape trailers will let you go out and make memories. And that's what it's all about.

Ron

 

[MyronL]

What Ron said.

If you are tall people like me, size matters. Had a Burro (cute, snug) but no way the bed setup worked. Our Scamp 16 bed was tolerably better but not by much. Casita's horrible head room killed them immediately. Went inside an Escape 17, which was nice, but for me, claustrophobic walls. I inspected Dave's 19 - although 6'3" ceiling still not high enough, all other things considered (parkability - compact towing ease) - that was the compromise I liked best.

 

[mcdonner]

Hi all,
This will be the first trailer for my husband and me - getting out of the tent!
We started looking at the 17, but believe the 19 may be better for the additional space. Any 17 owners wishing they had ordered the 19 instead? Just the two of us since the kids are grown.

For other people who were trailer newbies, how long did it take for you to get comfortable driving/towing? Hubby is fine towing, but I like to share driving and this will be new for me.

I am enjoying all of the information on this forum!!

We have a 2017 19 and LOVE it more everyday. It's perfect for the two of us. As my wife says it has everything we need and not a square inch more. We tow with a Dodge Durango V8. Tows like a dream. I drive while towing but my wife could if needed. Her family had a farm and she has driven and towed all kinds of farm equipment. We went with the 19 as it was just a little bigger and we liked the permanent real queen bed. You will be so happy with whatever you decide. I always think there are different options as everyone has different needs and desires. You need to find what is right for you.

 

[GregandTeresa]

The best thing you could do is view both. We initially ordered a 17B, thinking that it would be perfect for the 2 of us. At that time, we had not seen any Escapes, but we wanted to keep it as small as possible.

But then we got a chance to view a 19 at a local egg gathering, and started thinking...hmmm, all that extra space might be nice, especially the queen bed.

And then we got a chance to view a 17B, and knew that we had made a mistake. Fortunately we had time to correct that mistake, and changed our order to the 19. And we could not be happier with it (going on 4 years now).

 

[Dave Walter]

Our first choice when we were purchasing our first trailer in 2013' was the 19'. It has served us well since then and we are happy with it, although sometime in the future I could possibly consider a 5.0TA for the extra headroom. In the meantime, I always loved the small sized trailers so a couple of years ago I bought a 15B for my kids to use (also me). My yard is starting to fill up with trailers (I also have a small utility trailer), so any more purchases would require us to move to a bigger lot.

 

[jadams]

My wife and I came from tent camping also. We had no towing experience. We have a bigger pup. I'm 5'9" and Michelle is 5'. We plan on full-timing for a year next spring unless Covid has other plans. We already had to delay.

We looked at conversion vans, Casita and Armadillo. We have a 17 B. We’re into small space living. Our house is 920 square feet.

We’re really impressed with the 17 B’s amount of storage and interior space design. Our Honda Pilot also provides additional space. With all the weekend camping we’ve done we now realize a long trip will require a more minimalist approach to gear, sports equipment, clothing, etc.

I would like to have a 19 in the future for additional space and weight capacity. Michelle is fine with the 17. Buying pre-owned really directed our model decision. We scooped up what we could get and feel so lucky and fortunate to have a well maintained 17 B.

Towing is just a breeze. The trailer is light and tracks straight and true (sway control and weight distribution hitch in use). Is easy to maneuver and park. I’m getting really good at backing-up into tight places. I still have to remind myself to not exceed 65mph and always be looking ahead to anticipate slowing down or braking… just can’t stop fast.

It took me three trips, about 400 miles, to get really comfortable with towing. Having an amazing and helpful partner whose alert as a passenger also helps me. I get distracted easily. To get out to nature we're driving metro-Boston high volume roads with aggressive drivers. I do get more fatigued towing due to being more alert.

 

[jadams]

The best thing you could do is view both.

Excellent idea. Contact Escape or ask here on the forum for folks willing to let you view their trailer. We've had the pleasure of letting both prospective buyers and one person with a deposit down with ETI our 17 B.

A 17 B owner and forum member was kind enough to allow us to visit her when we were researching RVs. It was a 2 hour drive both ways, worth the trip.

 

[jadams]

The moral of the story: there is no wrong answer. Any of the Escape trailers will let you go out and make memories. And that's what it's all about.

Ron

Spot on! I like this.

 

[Doug2000]

Welcome to the Forum

Well, we have had 6 other trailers. Our last trailer was a 2007 Escape 17B and now own a new Escape 19.

The 17B was a great trailer but I disliked sleeping on the dinette cushions. I wanted a permanent mattress. The 19 is a great trailer. We like the bed, it has everything you need, and the 19 has a lot more storage.

In hind sight, I should have kept the 17B and ordered a custom 8” mattress for the rear dinette. The 17B is available with a permanent bed in the back if you know to ask. A few have been built like that.

As far as towing. The bigger your tow vehicle, the more comfortable you’ll be driving. To many people buy tow vehicles that are close to their capacity. I suggest being around 50%. Get a truck, you’ll thank me after someone cuts you off.

 

[kstock11]

The purchase of my 19’ was my first trailer. Picked it up in May of 2014. Started the 9 week trip home with a back-in site. Read many others who wanted to start with pull through, but realized there would always be a first time, whether it was the first night or 100th. Towing was “scary” at first but got easier. Doing my homework up front as to mirrors and towing in manual mode helped. My biggest advice is to always be aware of the awesome responsibility and respect it. Good luck!

 

[LouisianaGal]

Thank you all so much for the helpful information.

I am excited and nervous - but decided even if we only start out with areas close to home until we get the hang of it, there are plenty of places to enjoy. Enjoying camping came as a surprise to me. Previously I considered anything less than a 4 star hotel to be camping, but my husband introduced me to the serenity of nature. And now with the pandemic, this type of travel experience makes even more sense.

There will be more questions as we work through the order process. Thanks, again!

 

[Rossue]

Thank you all. And now with the pandemic, this type of travel experience makes even more sense.

And to thousands of others. Time will tell whether we are in for serious camping gridlock or if people who thought it would be great decided it wasn't for them. Seems like in general- especially in "Stickie(stick built) Land- this is the worst time to buy a trailer or RV of any type.

 

[h2owmn]

I travel most of the time by myself, and I have a 17A set up with a single bed for me, but I can also take three grandchildren with me. I think for a couple, a 17B is do-able and a 19 is better especially IF you plan on long trips with many nights in the trailer. Also, as someone mentioned, consider the height of the people involved as well as the size of the bed. The 17 has a double.

I started out in 2007 with a tiny A-Frame trailer, graduated to a bigger A frame, and now my dream castle with fabric and formica and floor that I chose. I had never towed anything. It's not that hard....take your time and practice, and particularly don't be shy about not letting other people ruffle you. I personally recommend the rear view camera--I use it all the time when driving and i feel safe that I can see what's all around me.

Whichever you choose, welcome to the club!

 

[Ronn]

I personally recommend the rear view camera--I use it all the time when driving and i feel safe that I can see what's all around me.

I am with you on this one! Defensive driving is increased by knowing what and where the traffic is around you. I also use extensions on my mirrors, even so without the camera I have had traffic behind me that would only be visible by swinging the trailer. Also the rear view camera makes switching lanes etc so much easier because you can see when the trailer's rear is in front of the vehicle in the adjacent lane.

 

[LouisianaGal]

I travel most of the time by myself, and I have a 17A set up with a single bed for me, but I can also take three grandchildren with me. I think for a couple, a 17B is do-able and a 19 is better especially IF you plan on long trips with many nights in the trailer. Also, as someone mentioned, consider the height of the people involved as well as the size of the bed. The 17 has a double.

I started out in 2007 with a tiny A-Frame trailer, graduated to a bigger A frame, and now my dream castle with fabric and formica and floor that I chose. I had never towed anything. It's not that hard....take your time and practice, and particularly don't be shy about not letting other people ruffle you. I personally recommend the rear view camera--I use it all the time when driving and i feel safe that I can see what's all around me.

Whichever you choose, welcome to the club!

Thanks! The rear camera is a definite. ��

 

[uthorns]

Welcome to the forum. There's a great bunch of people here that will help you with any questions. We just ordered a 21C so aren't too far ahead of you.

 

[thunderworks]

Hi all,
This will be the first trailer for my husband and me - getting out of the tent!
We started looking at the 17, but believe the 19 may be better for the additional space. Any 17 owners wishing they had ordered the 19 instead? Just the two of us since the kids are grown.

For other people who were trailer newbies, how long did it take for you to get comfortable driving/towing? Hubby is fine towing, but I like to share driving and this will be new for me.

I am enjoying all of the information on this forum!!

We have a 20 year old, 17' Casita but have just ordered a 19' Escape. I hope (and expect) that the slight increase in space will make a noticeable difference. We just spent 4 weeks in the Casita, and my wife and I enjoyed it (and are still happily married!). The permanent queen bed and slightly more space for our dog, will be a real plus.

We are new to all of this too. I had towed farm equipment for a number of years, but my wife had never towed anything before. Our 4 week trip to California was her first experience towing, and really for all intents and purposes, mine as well. It's not rocket science, but staying alert and slowing down, kept us in a comfort zone. I'm getting better at backing the trailer and have learned to listen to the engine to know when to back off and slow down. I think that slowing down while you develop a comfort zone helped us a lot.

 

[lj_stjean@hotmail.com]

Like some others, I was set on the 17, until we viewed a 19. In my eyes, it’s the perfect compromise; it’s still small enough to fit pretty much anywhere, but big enough that it doesn’t feel cramped. I would have been miserable with the smaller bed (as I’m finding the queen is JUST big enough). We like that it has the dual axle as well, and the huge amount of storage. They’re both great trailers, but I’m really glad my husband talked me into looking at the 19 before we made our deposit.