So tired of tents!

[rsdoug]

Hi
Been lurking here for awhile and got up my nerve to introduce myself.
We have been camping in a tent for many years and this year decided to upgrade to a camper. After much looking and pondering, we decided to take the plunge and order an Escape (17A). Our hatch date is October 2016! One more year of tenting. Will be hard tenting for one more season knowing soon we will have the luxury of an Escape.
So nice to see a few people owning a 17A. I have my concerns with out having a bathroom, but we like the lighter side of the A.
Any ideas or wisdom would be welcome.
I have learned so much already from this site and know we have made the right decision on ordering one of the best.

Ron and Shirley

 

[J Mac]

My preference is to have a bathroom but every one is different.
Is the 17a dry weight that much lighter than the 17b dry weight?
To have a bathroom or not to have a bathroom is sometimes a deal breaker as far as re-sale is concerned (it seems).

 

[dfandrews]

Welcome and congratulations, Ron & Shirley.
We also have a 17A on order (It's the Teal one in Laura's photos: http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7/factory-tour-on-9-3-15-a-6380.html#post109019 )


We were tent campers, then tent w/porta-potty, then pop-up tent trailer w/ porta-potty. So, when we considered whether to have a 17B w/ bath, or the 17A, we discussed what we are used to, and what we are comfortable with.
We camp, fish, and explore. The trailer is our warm (and cool-we got the AC option), dry refuge during our outdoor activities. We also wanted a good bed for my old bad back. We are used to the porta-potty, like its convenience of use and disposal, and chose campgrounds w/showers when those are needed. We also wanted to be able to sleep four adults, and be able to park it beside our driveway.
The 19 is too long; the 17B only sleeps 3 adults. It was a pretty easy decision for us.
Looking at our build photos, ( Escape Trailer Owners Community - dfandrews's Album: 17A build photos )
we are really liking the amount of space and storage in the 17A as well.
Here is an analysis of our choices, with following discussions and great advice from forum members. http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f40/17a-choices-and-why-4861.html

Edit: probably the biggest changes to the original list were to add solar, larger 12V battery, and add the openable window at the sink. The hot water heater requires a tank; the combination is a set of expensive options for the 17A that we did Not get.

Good luck, have fun, ask lots of questions.

 

[rbryan4]

Congrats Rob. You did the smart thing. So much can be learned by visiting the factory. I made a point of flying to Vancouver and driving out to Chilliwack after we had made a deposit (luckily I had a ton of airline miles) even though I was pretty sure what we wanted. The visit answered so many questions and made the build sheet much easier.

 

[Ron in BC]

Hi
. I have my concerns with out having a bathroom, but we like the lighter side of the

Ron and Shirley

Hi and welcome. If you've followed the forum for a while you'll know that we are are diverse bunch with widely varying opinions. So you'll get both sides of the "have bathroom" , "don't have bathroom" opinion.

My only comment is that if you have the slightest of concerns now about not having a bathroom you may want to think about it some more. You have lots of time. Personally, unless there was an interior space constraint that was the most important item, I'd go with a bathroom. I don't think the weight difference would be an issue unless you were in the most marginal of all towing situations.

Ron

 

[rbryan4]

Congrats Ron and Shirley!

The debate between bathroom/no bathroom comes down to a personal choice based on how you camp and what's important to you. The fact that so much interior space is freed up by not having a bathroom is huge for some people. The 17A looks so much roomier and less closed in than the 17B and I can fully understand the appeal. I've said it many times that the 15A (no longer offered) is the most efficient use of space I've ever seen in an Escape. For us a bathroom was a must, but if you're convinced you don't need it and would rather have the open feel and space, stick to your guns.

 

[Jim Bennett]

If I was ordering a 17, and could convince my wife that she does not need a bathroom, I would go for the A in a heartbeat. It gives you so much more room, and the layout is WAY more open. Maybe somehow put in a porta-potty of some kind. I bet if we could put in some good solution like this, she would be fine, as she used the shower once or twice in over 6 years, and I have used it maybe 6 times. She does like to have the toilet for those middle of the night trips. I am good with a tree, unless in a developed campground.

 

[J Mac]

porta-pottyies are fine for some, but not for me. Even in the middle of the night I prefer the luxury of a closed door (I believe my wife likes that too) and the ability of an enclosed, wet bath/shower.
Some things in life are best enjoyed behind closed doors!

 

[Greg A]

The Escape 19 is our 5th molded fiberglass trailer, and we've done porta-potty to full bathroom. For us, the full bathroom is now a must, but that's us at this point in our camping evolution. I even shower now in the trailer, which someday I'm going to publish a manual on the 21 positions necessary to shower in a trailer bathroom.
I was an avid backpacker most of my life and if you'd asked me about RV's etc when I was 35 I would have made a huge face. Age brings wisdom.
Anyway, I don't think you'll go wrong either way since the 17A or B are great trailers. Of course, the 19 is not that much more. Then there is that 21 or maybe a nice shiny 5.0TA........
Congrats and welcome.

 

[bdornbush]

We bought a vintage trailer a few years ago, fixed it up, then found that the lack of a bathroom was a deal killer after a 4 night trip to a national park with no showers even though we had a porta-pottie and that worked for the middle of the night. So we ordered a 19 and found that we easily sold the vintage trailer as we had restored it in the year and a half we owned it even with no bathroom. The 19 with its shower is working really well for us. We found that when you have no park shower available and no hookups, we can take 5.5 showers before we exhaust the fresh water tank. My last shower was the .5 So now we plan for up to 5 showers then it's off to dump and refill. We feel it is a reasonable tradeoff for the luxury of the shower in the national park.

 

[sturski]

Fwiw, you can get a 19 without a bathroom, if you ask. I have one.

You can still get an external shower with water heater, as well.

Different strokes and all.

The extra cabinets, counter top, and window get used constantly. All of my plumbing is inside with the exception of the gray water tank. I' m very happy with my choice to eliminate the bathroom.

 

[rsdoug]

Thank you so much for the welcome and your ideas.
I have been following you closely dfandrews! We have a lot of the same ideas and it is so nice to "see" how things are going to look. Oct 2016 is SO far away!
We are very used to a porta-potty, only would use it middle of the night. We always stay in Provincial parks or forestry camps, they always have bathrooms. We will have the hot water tank and outdoor shower. Lots of ideas on using that. It will be an adventure
Just this past weekend at a camp ground we saw a 17B Escape. They were so kind and gave us a tour. Yes, we are glad to have the extra room in the A as the bathroom takes up a lot of space. They only use the bathroom for the middle of the night.
So I think we made a good choice for us. I do love seeing the 19, 21, and the 5.0TA's...and love seeing how they have made so many people happy.
So far we have added and taken away from our "list". I'm sure this list will change a few more times yet.

 

[gbaglo]

What is a 17B Element?

 

[rsdoug]

Ooops....I ment a 17B Escape...lol We drive a Honda Element and get this mixed up a lot. Sorry

 

[J Mac]

The space the bathroom takes up has never been an issue with us because we spend most of our time outside our 17b enjoying the outdoors. About the only time the two of us are sharing "cabin space" is when we're sleeping.

 

[Donna D.]

When I was younger (?) I could deal with a lot of different "stuff." Like so many folks here on the EscapeForum, I'm a former car camper, truck camper, tent camper... sleeping on the beach rolled up in a blanket camper.

Now I'm older (can't say wiser), but I now have more money... and I-DESERVE-it-camper. I bought a custom built 5.0TA. I'm thrilled with my decision. I remember those early days.. who knows what the future will bring?

(Made my decision, best of luck with yours

 

[rsdoug]

Thank you Donna
Your "Ten Forward" is beautiful. I'm a Trekkie also...been thinking of a good name.

 

[Donna D.]

Thank you Donna
Your "Ten Forward" is beautiful. I'm a Trekkie also...been thinking of a good name.

The best advice I can give folks wanting to have a custom built trailer (any brand), it's not about your PAST, it's about your future!

Best of luck. Make memories!