We did it - new 21

[sehoyles]

Well we did it! Ordered a 21 - due in early December. This forum has been very helpful in making our decision. Also thanks to wonderful people from Chillawack who showed us theirs - you know who you are. We met them in our local Walmart parking lot and had a great tour and chat. Looking forward to our camping next year. Any recommendations from other 21 owners for our build sheet. Things you ordered and liked. Things you didn't like?

 

[cpaharley2008]

I'm getting the optional window over the nightstand, saw it on another unit and loved the look of it, also the frameless and power awning is a beautiful combo.

 

[rotateclockwise]

I'm getting the optional window over the nightstand, saw it on another unit and loved the look of it

That is the one option i wish i had requested. Didn't know about it until it was too late.

 

[CADreamin]

Congratulations!! You'll love your new Escape. And you're going to find that there are varying opinions on options when it comes to 'customizing' the Escape so take them all in and then decide what makes YOU happy.

Some things we've opted for (some new and some we had on our 19'): The window over the drawer stack. The U-shaped dinette. The Springfield pedestal table. The 'old' Carefree awning. Sliding thermal windows. Custom sink (never liked the 'stock' sink ... too small). Custom kitchen faucet (one of the first things we replaced in our 19'). Stove/oven combo (didn't have it before so thought we'd give it a try). And so many more ...

 

[Fun&Sun]

Congratulations, we are sure you will have lots of fun choosing your options.
It was a pleasure to have to have shown you our trailer, you’ll enjoy being Escapies.
The solar panel and dual 6 volt batteries have given us a lot of freedom in our travels.
Have fun and again congratulations.

 

[matt-ESC]

Congratulations! We just picked up our 21 in May and we really like it. My two favorite options are the U-Shaped dinette and the window over the drawer stack. We also got a Lagun Table Mount which I installed as soon as we got home. We are very happy with the Lagun. I wish I had told ETI not to install the standard table pedestal mounts in the floor. No matter what options you choose or don't choose you are getting a great trailer. Have fun with the process.

 

[Loren & Cathy]

This forum was the biggest help with the build sheet when we ordered our 21. The only regret I have was only getting one shelf in the wardrobe instead of two. Hope this helps. Loren

 

[vermilye]

I'm getting the optional window over the nightstand, saw it on another unit and loved the look of it, also the frameless and power awning is a beautiful combo.

Or, if you want extra storage, get the full height cabinet over the drawers & skip the nightstand. They give you a fold down table that takes the place of the nightstand top...

 

[Chris & Patricia]

Well we did it! Ordered a 21 - due in early December. This forum has been very helpful in making our decision. Also thanks to wonderful people from Chillawack who showed us theirs - you know who you are. We met them in our local Walmart parking lot and had a great tour and chat. Looking forward to our camping next year. Any recommendations from other 21 owners for our build sheet. Things you ordered and liked. Things you didn't like?

On the 21 there are a couple of unadvertised options. The window over the drawstack is one. The other is an extra cupboard right over the drawstack. The other unadvertised option is the potential for reinforced walls. Your sales person at Escape can send you the details.

 

[CADreamin]

Another 'unadvertised' option is a small cabinet above the cabinet where the microwave would normally be. Yes, it costs but you can never have too many cabinets ...

 

[cpaharley2008]

Another 'unadvertised' option is a small cabinet above the cabinet where the microwave would normally be. Yes, it costs but you can never have too many cabinets ...

Is that not standard, it shows in their pictures?

 

[CADreamin]

Don't think so. It cost us an extra $300 ... Kind of like the fact that they show the U-shaped dinette in the 21' photos when it, too, is an option.

Here is a photo of the standard interior (except for the dinette) and one of our build photos. If you look on the left of the build photo, you can barely see that there are three openings for cabinets. It's the top cabinet that was extra ... small but we figured we could utilize it for things like paper towels, etc.

 

[CADreamin]

Oops, I see what you mean. In the stock photo, it shows three cabinets, counting the one closest to the floor. We will have four cabinets in that area in ours. Saw a photo of someone else's 21' that had this mod ... Found it!!
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/hinge-for-door-above-microwave-cabinet-11472.html

 

[cpaharley2008]

So that space is not available inside the stock upper cabinet? ETI charges $300 to open it up? It was originally in the earlier models....I'll have to ask now.

 

[Jim Bennett]

That is the one option i wish i had requested. Didn't know about it until it was too late.

Easy enough to add one if you wish.

Or, if you want extra storage, get the full height cabinet over the drawers & skip the nightstand. They give you a fold down table that takes the place of the nightstand top...

I have seen a 5.0TA where they did a full height cabinet beside the door where counter height is the norm, and I was not a fan of it, as I find that counter space is at more of a premium than storage. Mind you, I did eke out a lot more cabinet storage elsewhere.

 

[Chris & Patricia]

So that space is not available inside the stock upper cabinet? ETI charges $300 to open it up? It was originally in the earlier models....I'll have to ask now.

Already sent a message to Joldie to ask about that Mod. One thing we are doing on our new 21, as we are choosing not to have a microwave, is to get a mirror on the "microwave cabinet" door. On the 17B, the mirror on the cabinet door if you don't take the microwave is standard and we liked it there in ours. In the 19 there is a mirror on its wardrobe door, but there was no mirror in the main cabin of the 21, only in the bathroom. I thought that this cabinet door is pretty much the same size as that of the 17B, so ETI was prepared to add a mirror to that cabinet door for only $25.

 

[cpaharley2008]

good idea, well worth the $25, I installed a full length mirror on the bath door exterior in BlackJack, but adding this little one maybe enough to please the opposite sex. One more suggestion I'm making, the Escape label they install inside the closet, it had some important info and it is too hard to read inside the closet, I'm suggesting they install it on the back side of the closet door, just open for ease of reading.

 

[escape artist]

good idea, well worth the $25, I installed a full length mirror on the bath door exterior in BlackJack, but adding this little one maybe enough to please the opposite sex. One more suggestion I'm making, the Escape label they install inside the closet, it had some important info and it is too hard to read inside the closet, I'm suggesting they install it on the back side of the closet door, just open for ease of reading.

Hi: cpaharley2008... If it's put on the door, it's too easy to replace the door, thus removing that very important label. There are regulations I think!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[cpaharley2008]

All I know is that in side the dark closet makes it impossible to read with my aging eyes, on the door there is more light and I can also use a magnifying glass to read those small numbers if need be.If need be, I'll just peel it off and relocate it there, that is what I have done on my past Escapes.

 

[Jim Bennett]

One more suggestion I'm making, the Escape label they install inside the closet, it had some important info and it is too hard to read inside the closet, I'm suggesting they install it on the back side of the closet door, just open for ease of reading.

After seeing some on the door get badly worn over the years, some virtually unreadable, I would not want this. If you need to read it and can't see because of the angle, take a photo, and then you can have a record wherever you go.

I don't think I have looked at mine yet in 1 1/2 years.