Still trying to convince my husband...

[bpowell487]

Hello-

Looking to purchase a 21’ in the near future but my husband still needs convincing before we invest 35k on an RV.

I live in Libertyville IL.

I have two children, with the hopes to add a third in the near future, ages 5 and 3.

We’ve tent camped for the past 3 years and I’m SICK of sleeping on the ground. Plus, the kids are getting older which allows us to be a bit more adventurous.

Wondering if anyone lives in this area/close to this area that has an Escape that would allow us to come and see their unit. My husband isn’t fond on dropping cash sight unseen. I myself, think it’d be super exciting!!

Brittany

 

[Nrgtic4]

We live in Schaumburg, about 30 minutes away and would be our pleasure to show you ours.
Just PM me

 

[cpaharley2008]

The Escape 19 can be purchased with a front cot option which could handle 3 children. Also the new model E21 LE may also have a bunk option, it is still in design stages. Contact the factory and they will give you names of E19 near you.

 

[bpowell487]

The floor plan of the 19’ and new 21’ LE don’t do anything for me. Yes, the ability to sleep more is there but the current 21’ layout is much more appealing for the long haul.

We invested in some really nice camping gear so as the kids age and grow tired of cuddling they can use the tent or sleep on a mat/cot on the floor

I’m more so wanting to see one in person to get a feel of build quality and available options.

 

[Doug2000]

I sent you a PM

 

[bpowell487]

Any Escape owners with young families?

I’m wanting to purchase an Escape trailer, not set on a specific model but definitely leaning towards the original 21’.

I have two young children who could easily share the ushaped dinette.

Looking to add another child in the near future.

Am I making a mistake? Is this camper going to be too small for my family?

We’ve only tent camped so the accommodations I’m used to are fairly limited.

Please, Escape owners with young children, I need your help!!

 

[padlin]

Am I making a mistake? Is this camper going to be too small for my family?

As always this is just an opinion, but yes, it'll be too small with 3 kids. Maybe not when you first get it but kids grow. On the plus side, resale is pretty good on these.

We make the grand kids stay in tents, but they aren't little kids.

 

[cpaharley2008]

Once they become teenagers, they will want to camp outside in a tent....right outside the Escape's door with an extension for their iPhone charger....

 

[steve dunham]

We have 5 children + a dog and we all stayed in an 8 ft x12 ft temporary cabin while we built our lake home . You can make anything work for a short period of time ( 1 to 3 days) but beyond that from our experience it just doesn’t work both physically and mentally.
We have an Escape 21 which works OK for my wife and I plus our dog but I would hesitate to go any farther..

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

the dinette on a 21 classic is nearly queen bed sized when put down in bed mode. plenty of room for 2-3 kids at least until they are mid-teens. of course, then you can't use it as a dinette without putting away their sleeping bags and putting the table back up. we almost always eat outside, anyways, unless the weather is miserable, or we're overnighting in a walmart parking lot or something.

 

[Greg A]

It is certainly doable with 3 kids n 2 adults, but probably not preferable with all the options out there that would be more accommodating. We did it with two kids when they were toddlers in a Scamp, but ended up getting a 29 foot bunkhouse trailer once the kids started growing older. Later we came back to the small molded fiberglass trailers after teens didn’t want to go much anymore.
Love our trailer for my wife and I, but having walked the kid path it wouldn’t be what we’d personally choose with multiple kids.

 

[bpowell487]

So much to think about!

A queen is plenty big for the kids.

We’re simply looking for something to provide shelter in inclement weather, sleep us comfortably (let me remind you we’ve been tent camping the past 3 years), the ability to be towed by our F150 and allow our family to take more adventurous vacations. Not looking for abundant amounts of space, heck maybe the “cramped” quarters will keep the kids out of the trailer.

Would the 5.0 be a better fit? Doesn’t seem much larger in regards to living space but maybe with the bed out of the way??

 

[Patandlinda]

It is certainly doable with 3 kids n 2 adults, but probably not preferable with all the options out there that would be more accommodating. We did it with two kids when they were toddlers in a Scamp, but ended up getting a 29 foot bunkhouse trailer once the kids started growing older. Later we came back to the small molded fiberglass trailers after teens didn’t want to go much anymore.

Reminds when the kids were teens . Went to Yosemite . We were in the camper , kids in a tent . Just not much room otherwise . Pat

 

[Doug2000]

So much to think about!

A queen is plenty big for the kids.

We’re simply looking for something to provide shelter in inclement weather, sleep us comfortably (let me remind you we’ve been tent camping the past 3 years), the ability to be towed by our F150 and allow our family to take more adventurous vacations. Not looking for abundant amounts of space, heck maybe the “cramped” quarters will keep the kids out of the trailer.

Would the 5.0 be a better fit? Doesn’t seem much larger in regards to living space but maybe with the bed out of the way??

The Escape 5.0TA was our dream trailer for years, but ultimately when it came to ordering a new trailer, we couldn't give up the truck bed.

 

[GeorgiaBill]

Why not used?

I know the used prices are hefty, but your husband might be more comfortable doing that.

My strategy with buying used has been that the expected loss is pretty reasonable if I change my mind.

We bought a really nice 2012 Casita last year, so nice that we decided in 3 months that an Escape would be better for us. Sold for $500 more than price paid.

Fortunate enough to get an outstanding deal on a 2014 Escape 21 in Colorado this past May, and cancelled the new purchase.

I looked at the Escape RVs for Sale thread early every morning and eventually got lucky.

I've looked at the trips to purchase as an adventure.

Our expectations are that you will find several possible Escapes to tour, and once you do, you will be an owner.

I have purchased two trailers, three motorcycles, and two Miatas out of town and have yet to be disappointed.

Good luck.

 

[stratos175]

Hello,
First let your husband read thru this forum if he is concerned about the quality of an Escape trailer, in the 21' version I don;t think there's a better value in the industry. Plus I would agree maybe you search for a used one, that's how we found ares on this forum.
Like many Escape owners we had a 17' Casita and it worked fine for the two of us and one grandchild but when little brother came along 6 years later we new the Casita would not be big enough. We loved our Casita but also love and appreciate the extra space the 21' Escape gives us, which I think is plenty big enough for two adults and 2 kids until they no longer willing to share a bed, even then the floor is big enough for at least one.
You sound like you camp like us, we spend very little time inside the trailer, we've owned 3 campers on wheels over the last 9 years and have never cooked inside, can only think of one or twice other then breakfast we ate inside.
YES I think the 21' Escape would work for you and be a great investment if you are buying a travel trailer. What I would suggest is you also invest in a Clam or other quality popup shelter, one you can attach walls to. That way you almost double your leaving space and can cool it with fans and heat it in many ways.

Enjoy the journey.

Steve

 

[bpowell487]

I’ve been searching the classifieds daily. They just go so darn quickly!!

My husband watched a YouTube review on the 5.0 and is now partial to that.

We have a Kelty shelter we purchased last year so will definitely continue to use that as we plan on continuing to eat/prepare food outdoors unless the weather keeps us inside.

I appreciate the continued feedback!!

 

[caddoster]

If your reasons to have a trailer is to 1. have real beds 2. have walls & roof when weather isn't favorable, I think the 21 will do just fine... because you will probably still spend the majority of times outside anyway.

We got the 19 for the above reason (there's just the 3 of us), in the two years (about 60 nights or so) we have it the dinette is in bed mode most of the time, I think only a handful of nights it was converted to table so we could eat inside... the rest of the time we enjoy spending time outside and typically dont go in until bed time..


I found with the trailer it extended our camping season by quiet a bit, which is a plus, but towing a trailer also changed our travel style a bit because sometimes the trailer can't go where we want to go compare to if we only have the car...

 

[h2owmn]

i know what you mean. i was so tired from packing, driving, setting up that by the time we reached our destination i was not having any fun. if you plan to cook and eat outside except in bad weather, i'd say go for it. you can leave the dinette down and sleep three across with heads at back until they are quite tall. it would be easy to use a reinforced crib bumper to contain a baby.

both my kids are grown now and i take my grands a set at a time with me. one family is 13 and 11 year olds, the other, 6 and 4. they each have a mesh bag (i think designed for scuba or snorkel gear) and in the morning, in goes sleeping bag, small pillow, stuffie, and pjs. those are stored in the bench seats. for the younger two i have a waterproof pad that is laid down before bed. a springfield or lagun table mount would be, in my opinion, a must.

hope it works out for you to have many wonderful adventures that are easier for parents than tenting.
ps, the base price US dollars for the 21 is 29,000.