Possible future Escapee

[arniesea]

Hi there, My husband and I were in Chilliwack ordering our 5.0. We are down to the final few decisions. One of them is about the oven. Do we need it or just a toaster oven? Or....Do we just get a cooktop and then add a convection microwave below? We live in the northwest and may do some dry camping so would we want the propane option of the oven? Decisions, decisions! Do you have any thoughts?

If it were me I would go with the oven. Propane gives more flexibility. Or if you have solar, twin 6-volt batteries, and an 1500 pure-sine wave inverter on your build sheet, go with a 2 burner stove top and learn to use an insta-pot. We have the above and find we can cook more meals off solar with the insta-pot than a convection microwave that requires one to be hooked to power. Even at home, we use the insta-pot more than our convection microwave. Good Luck!

 

[Ronn]

I moved up to the 21 for several reasons. I like the bed layout much better, the larger refrigerator, more storage underneath, and more overhead cabinet space.
Also, when I stepped up in size, I knew what options I wanted. When I ordered the 19, I didn't order a lot of options, that I later added. Some were third party additions and some Escape. I ended up paying more in the long ruin.

Hi Tommy, I am wondering if you would share some of the options you added to your 21 and your reasoning (ie; we dry camp, boon dock etc.). I think your and others experiences in this thread are enlightening to many of us. Thanks, Ronn

 

[mconrath]

Hi Tommy, I am wondering if you would share some of the options you added to your 21 and your reasoning (ie; we dry camp, boon dock etc.). I think your and others experiences in this thread are enlightening to many of us. Thanks, Ronn

I agree with Ronn. For those of us who are new to this forum and in the process of thinking through what options we will want on our future trailer, it is valuable to hear some reflections on the decisions more experienced Escape owners have processed and what they have learned.


Yet, as the preceding few comments about the oven show, there are a lot of personal preferences involved. But, I find the thinking that goes into those decisions worthwhile.


Mike

 

[mconrath]

On the oven or no oven question: As my wife and I discuss this this option, she reminds me to not think of adding the oven as a total loss of storage space. We store quite a few pots and pans in the oven with our current trailer. We will likely stick with the oven option when we order.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Here is my $,02 worth on my 4th Escape build sheet. Solar w/dual six volts is definite, the benefits outweigh the costs, similarly thermal windows and extra insulation and the foam package. That said, extra windows make the unit seem spacious and open. The microwave we dropped to make that space a pantry plus we found that microwavable food was not that healthy. Cooking outside is what it is all about. Oven, we had one, never used it and the storage space is minimal as the oven is small. Extra 12 and 120v outlets are wonderful to have and judicious planning of their use will make your unit very enjoyable. Anything else is just window dressing on a fine trailer.

 

[vermilye]

You almost need a "starter" trailer to determine what YOUR needs are. We all have options & modifications that we think of as necessary or a waste of space, but only you will discover what you want/need.

I made many modifications to my 17 to get it to what I wanted over the 6 years I spent traveling, but when I realized that I wanted an oven, a permanent 4 person dinette & bed, and a built in microwave, I changed to a 21. Of course I'm still "fine tuning" it.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

indeed re starter, we had a casita 16 for 2 years, put a dozen trips and thousands of miles on it. decided it was great for my solo trips, but just too small for the two of us, stepped up to the E21, which we'll likely own til we're too old to go anywhere anymore.

 

[Loren & Cathy]

We drove to Rice, Texas to see the Casita’s and to Chilliwack to see all of the models that Escape had to offer. We had some very enjoyable trips and bought the right trailer for us the first time around. Even with the Escape 21, we are usually the smallest trailer in the campground.

Bringing the trailer home, me and another Escape owner were standing on a bluff overlooking the entire campground on the Pacific coast. We were the only trailers with solar. Loren