Young family of 3 searching to start our adventure!

[NW Cat Owner]

Update on sound machine

Wanted to give an update on the sound machine I recently purchased from Amazon. Granted, I've only used it a few nights, but I got really (as in really!) good sleep those past two nights. Things that normally wake me up - I slept right through 'em. I've got it set on medium Ocean.

I've not used it in a noisy environment, like what some campsites could be (but I will in March), so can't tell how it would work there.

Here's the link again for others to check it out:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SMJQT4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Another update on the sound machine

I just went to Amazon to purchase one for The Trailer. Price had gone up 30 bucks in those few days! Forget it! I'll just haul mine back and forth from the house. I did send them an email to the effect that it was a huge increase and one I wasn't willing to pay. And how I wasn't going to purchase another one unless they matched my original price. I know sellers can set up coupon codes through Amazon as I used that on another product that needed replacing and I got it for free. So, we'll see.

It wasn't exactly inexpensive to start with and now it's even more! Ack!

 

[rubicon327]

Yeah, in a hotel you always run the risk of hearing the banging of the headboard and a screamer next door faking it. :whistling:

This has my vote for the funniest line on the forum ever.:rofl2:
This could be part of their pitch in RV sales brochures.

 

[casejh]

I have been using the White Noise app (from TMSOFT) on my iPhone now for many months and greatly enjoy it. I plug it in each night beside the bed to charge the phone battery overnight and sleep with the noises from the app on the phone. I can choose from dozens of sounds and mix the sounds to make a custom sound for sleeping. Inexpensive, takes up no extra room, travels wherever I go, and works great. When I wake up to the alarm clock app I shut it off and have had a good night's sleep and have a fully charged phone battery.

 

[NW Cat Owner]

This has my vote for the funniest line on the forum ever.:rofl2:
This could be part of their pitch in RV sales brochures.

I was wondering if anyone was going to comment on my comment.

Yeah, I called the guy in the room next to me "Oh Baby, Oh Baby" as that's what she was calling him. The front desk found it very funny and said I wasn't the only one complaining about the occupants. I also asked if she was a "short term" visitor. :whistling:

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

The a/c in both units is fixed, in other words where the vent is located in the shell. In the 19 it is over the kitchen which is right next to the bed, in the 21 there is a little more distance from the a/c to the front bed, maybe another 2 feet.

ok so same distance from the dinette in both? either way, good to know the 21' has more distance in at least the big bed. gives us options. we're pretty set on the 21' at this point. bc of the layout and just the little extra room will be a little luxury.

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

Wanted to give an update on the sound machine I recently purchased from Amazon. Granted, I've only used it a few nights, but I got really (as in really!) good sleep those past two nights. Things that normally wake me up - I slept right through 'em. I've got it set on medium Ocean.

I've not used it in a noisy environment, like what some campsites could be (but I will in March), so can't tell how it would work there.

Here's the link again for others to check it out:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SMJQT4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

Sometimes we're almost at jet engine status with the white noise in my son's room because my neighbor (family, go figure) has a habit of trying to shape metal or pile lumber by throwing it (seriously?) during naptime. i can imagine this is pretty close to the best sounds you'll get on a campground. white noise helps to smooth it out, but it'll still jolt you awake!

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

Just make sure that you spend time in both the 19 and 21. While this is correct, and the 21 does have more room, we still prefer the layout of the 19. But you won't know which you really prefer until seeing them both.

I know this sounds totally irresponsible, but we just won't be able to see both styles before purchase, maybe not even one. Our life is pretty hard and we don't have the luxury of all packing up to go take a look and go home. I'd almost rather buy it, try it out, and sell it if it doesn't work. Is that crazy? They are THAT easy to sell, right?

Maybe we're even crazy for thinking that we can do this at all. I just thought that maybe if we have the camper here at home, we can fix it up just right with light blocking curtains etc, and head out with our portable little home to set up elsewhere. But the thought of taking an all-day or overnight trip just to look in one takes the wind out of my sails...

Escape emailed me today, and the closest 21 is over 3 hrs away. Not only that, I saw a recent listing in that town that sold, and I'm willing to bet they sold that very one. Maybe i'll ask them to send me info on the closest 19.

Are we crazy to even do this is we can't even stomach the hassle of taking a trip to go look at some a few hours away?

 

[War Eagle]

Adrienne, See if these floor plan images from the ETI website help you visualize the standard location of the roof-mount A/C unit (if you order the A/C option). In each of the images, along the center line of the camper, there are two squares with diagonal lines crossing through them. In each case, the square on the left (towards the rear of the camper) represents the location of the roof-mounted A/C unit, and the square on the right (towards the front of the camper) represents the location of the roof-mounted Maxx-Fan. Does anyone know if ETI will reverse the locations if requested?

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

That's what I understand too. And at night as well. Don't most kids do?
Wouldnt it be nice to now have the option of the curtain around the bed...
Just throwing out suggestions here. But this might be an option that works for all three.
Would love to hear it all works for them once they are on the road and camping away!

Correct, both. He has extremely bad reflux pain (I hate to even say it because it sounds like such a non-problem to most people) and for some reason btwn the hours of 2-7AM he often cannot sleep due to pain. So you see, sleeping conditions needs to be highly manipulable so that when he's not in pain, he's not otherwise disrupted from sleep.

Light blocking curtains will definitely be set up to make little privacy doors in one or both sleeping areas once we see how it will work. We'll probably alternate him btwn the beds depending on random factors. Would have to try it out and see what was better. My biggest concern with this is blocking air flow, but we'll figure it out.

I figure for light (and will also help with indoor temp) we'll do something like velcro strips around the windows for quickly attaching light blocking material, or something suction cupped to the windows under the curtains, etc. When we go to the hospital we literally duct tape light blocking material onto his hospital room windows. We're really classy about our light blocking.

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

Adrienne, See if these floor plan images from the ETI website help you visualize location of the roof-mount A/C unit. In each of the images, along the center line of the camper, there are two squares with diagonal lines crossing through them. In each case, the square on the left (towards the rear of the camper) represents the location of the roof-mounted A/C unit, and the square on the right (towards the front of the camper) represents the location of the roof-mounted Maxx-Fan.

Ooo...so the AC is further from the dinette in the 19....hmmm man i really want to go with the 21, but... We could always sleep my son in the bigger bed on hot nights to put him further from the AC when it's on. Man, my husband and I are not wide, but 44" is tight, especially on a hot night!

I wonder what it would cost to have a mini split installed by a pro if we get the 21 and can't take the AC noise?

 

[War Eagle]

Ooo...so the AC is further from the dinette in the 19....hmmm man i really want to go with the 21, but... We could always sleep my son in the bigger bed on hot nights to put him further from the AC when it's on. Man, my husband and I are not wide, but 44" is tight, especially on a hot night!
I wonder what it would cost to have a mini split installed by a pro if we get the 21 and can't take the AC noise?

A simple little 8" fan can really help move cooler (or warmer) air around inside the camper to wherever you want it to go. Does anyone remember, before A/C, filling the sink with ice and having a fan blow over it to help cool a small camper. You just had to get used to the ice collapsing and clanging around in the sink as it melted through the night. Good times....

 

[NW Cat Owner]

Okay, SouthernCamper, some thoughts for you to ponder. I'm not an expert at this camping stuff so I'm coming at it from the same level you're at probably. ;D Yeah, long post (of course!) - can't help myself.

Regarding darkness - I know some folks have posted they would put something between the shades and the window for heat/cold reflection. You could probably make something with a black fabric backing that would work. You really don't want to start putting velcro on the walls. I already explored that idea when we decided to get cellular shades and nixed that idea quickly. Although you could probably put the adhesive type velcro on the frame of the windows (that wasn't an option for us so not sure if that would work - I'll go look at my windows tomorrow and let you know what I figure out).

Here's a thread I did on the cellular shades we put in our trailer. They were NOT cheap. We did get a bit of a credit from ETI but it certainly didn't cover the cost of the shades. If you go this route, be prepared to spend wads of money. But, with the blackout type shades, they do block a lot of the light (but then again I've not tried it in a super bright WalMart parking lot at night), but some light will come in around the sides.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/cellular-shades-are-in-the-trailer-9222.html

You're also going to need to figure something out to cover the light coming in from the door window. As well as the overhead fan. If you want it super dark in there. I've not made any, but have been thinking about it. I was probably going to stick them on with velcro, when I get around to it.

If you're trying to figure out what all it looks like inside, this thread has lots of photos, plus measurements, of the new 21':

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f40/lots-of-photos-of-the-new-2017-21-trailer-8286.html

Regarding your son's acid reflux. Been there, dealt with it for years, so I know what it's like. Some thoughts for you on that:

Is he sleeping on more than one pillow? Elevating the head/shoulders helps that crap from coming back up.

I tried that; didn't really work. Also tried elevating the head of the bed; got tired of blanket and sheets sliding down all the time and it didn't really work. Tried the drugs for many years; didn't really work. Wondered if life was worth living like that for the future; obviously I didn't say "no", but it was a close thing at times.

Ended up seeing a nutritionist and in our first meeting she said "well, you know gluten can cause an acidic stomach" and it was like a light went off.

What worked (at first) was getting rid of gluten in my diet. Talk about a bitch to do! Gluten is in lots of stuff.

However, after a while that didn't work, so Dirk did some cruising around on the internet and stumbled across FODMAPs. I won't go into detail other than to say it's even more of a bitch to follow but it's really helped me out a lot, so it's worth it in the end. And it will for anyone with IBS. Let's just say we would not have a trailer if Dirk hadn't discovered FODMAPs (I wasn't seeing the nutritionist by this time, so I don't know if she knew about them as it was rather a new "thing" at the time).

There's several cookbooks I got off Amazon geared for this diet. If you don't tell someone it's gluten free (among other things) they won't think "Oh ick" before even trying what you've made from these recipes.

Read about it on wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FODMAP

If you really can't travel to see one of the trailers, take the measurements off ETI's site, look at the various photos on this site (the link I gave you, plus many others where folks have posted photos of their trailer, including "2017 and beyond" thread) and then get a measuring tape out and pace out the trailer. Can you guys sleep on the bed/dinette just fine? Is there room to move around the aisle? Enough room in the bathroom? If your son needs a tub bath, that's gonna be a problem.

If you're going to go with a different brand of trailer, you can find oodles of the so-called stick builts at lots of dealers. That's where we started before deciding on a fiberglass trailer. If you're interested in a particular brand, join the forum for that brand. Start reading up on 'em. I was super hot to trot for (ack - blanking on the name now!) a certain small trailer, joined their forum and then started reading about all the problems owners were having. Yeah, crossed that one off my list. Granted, not every single trailer is going to cause problems, but their forums (I joined more than one) really opened my eyes.

R-Pod! Whew, now I won't have to lay awake trying to remember. Yeah, I was really hot for one of them, to put it mildly.

I've only used that sound machine for two nights, but I really like listening to the ocean sounds over the white noise from the machine I've been using for many, many years. I found that if the white noise was too loud, I couldn't relax enough to sleep through it.

Many Escape trailer owners have purchased sight unseen and have been happy with their purchase. Not everyone is able to view any ahead of time. Fortunately, with this forum you can see lots and lots of photos that will help you visualize what they're like. And you can ask lots of questions. Many folks are willing to tromp out to their trailer to take a measurement for you or to snap a photo of whatever you're most concerned about.

Many of the used trailers have sold quickly, but some have sat around for a bit with the price dropping. I don't know if they asked too much to start with (I don't keep track of that, so am clueless about pricing on a used one) or if it's because ETI is/will be producing more trailers and most folks are willing to wait for one they can customize to exactly how they want it.

Laundry - other issue you haven't mentioned. Esp with a toddler, that might be fun. I don't like using commercial washer/dryers after one experience I had while on a long trip. I'm super sensitive to scented stuff and their dryers REEKED of dryer sheets (I can tell when neighbors are drying their clothes - yuck!). The washer didn't get the clothes super dry and I was in a shady spot so it would have taken days to dry the clothes (spring time, not hot summer time). I decided for long trips I'm gonna take this item along. I won't get it until later this year, so I haven't a clue as to how it'll work, but I did a ton of research on various items I could use on the road and this is what I decided to use:

yirego

I know some might laugh over using this, but I feel it'll work for me and it's something for you folks to think about (regarding laundry; not that you need exactly this device).

Good luck!

 

[SouthernCamper-ESC]

A simple little 8" fan can really help move cooler (or warmer) air around inside the camper to wherever you want it to go. Does anyone remember, before A/C, filling the sink with ice and having a fan blow over it to help cool a small camper. You just had to get used to the ice collapsing and clanging around in the sink as it melted through the night. Good times....

Oh we went old-school ice in a basin in the hall with fan blowing on it when our home AC went out for, oh...4-5 day in AUGUST!

 

[Marry-ESC]

SouthernCamper, you won't be the first one or last one buying sight unseen.
Once you start dreaming you are hooked. At least I was. We also took a leap of faith with ordering an Escape.
If YOU see it work, go for it! Follow your dreams!
(being content and happy yourself, will reflect on the ones close to you. making them happier too)

 

[Jim Bennett]

Sometimes we're almost at jet engine status with the white noise in my son's room because my neighbor (family, go figure) has a habit of trying to shape metal or pile lumber by throwing it (seriously?) during naptime. i can imagine this is pretty close to the best sounds you'll get on a campground. white noise helps to smooth it out, but it'll still jolt you awake!

One thing to remember, and this will be dependant on the campgrounds you are at, is that in my experience most of the time spent camping there are lots of natural white noises that are comforting, it is rare to hear bothersome noises. This is mostly the case with most federal/provincial/state campgrounds I have been in.

I am generally a minimal sleep type person, averaging 5 hours a night. BUT, when camping this is often extended by a couple hours. Not sure if it is just the locale, or that my mind is better relaxed with camping. Probably both.

If your camping sees you in private campgrounds a lot, this can be different, as you are usually much closer to other campers, and their locations are often nearer traffic and populated areas. Still usually nothing like the noises coming from your neighbour.

All the best in finding a trailer, and coping with (and hopefully correcting) your son's condition,

 

[Donna D.]

SouthernCamper, you won't be the first one or last one buying sight unseen.

Many of us plunked down cash to buy a trailer that didn't even have molds yet so the model could be built. That's the kind of faith we have in ETI

 

[War Eagle]

On reducing light for sleeping - Camping World offers these to block the vent, and it doesn't look difficult to make one. Not sure how well it will work with a MaxxFan, though (not much of a cavity to compress up into). Sounds like you don't want to wash it because it shrinks and won't fit snugly after that.
Vent Cushion - Intersource D10-146 - Fan and Vent Accessories - Camping World
Also, regarding our 21', at one time I toyed with the idea of having ETI not install the big window beside the bed and just put a small awning window over the drawer stack at the foot of the bed. That would really reduce light around the bed and still allow cross-ventilation near the bed. But we enjoy light and open views during the day, and that might also have affected resale value down the road if no one else thought that was a good idea. So we just went stock design. But it's something you might want to consider in your situation. With no big window beside the bed and a black-out curtain around the foot of the bed, you could make the permanent bed a really dark sleeping area. Just some thoughts....

 

[rubicon327]

I wonder what it would cost to have a mini split installed by a pro if we get the 21 and can't take the AC noise?

As I pointed out in my Custom A/C install thread the only ones I have seen done have been DIY. It may be difficult to find a contractor that will warranty a system on a travel trailer rolling down the road and they may not want to deal with the custom aspects of the install. Not trying to dissuade you, just trying to be realistic. That all said, if you can find someone great. The rear upper cabinet of the 21 (and 17 and 5.0TA for that matter) over the dinette looks like a perfect space for the indoor unit. This is a mirror image of what I've done on our 19 so refrigerant lines would need to run under the trailer along the frame up to the condensing unit on the tongue. You would need to omit the front storage box. Batteries as I understand are already inside on a 21 so that is not an issue. Otherwise, some provision would need to be made on the rear for the condenser, but I think this is more challenging and unsightly. Sometimes it is function over form though.

By the way, I shared some videos of the stock A/C and mini-split running for you to get an idea of noise levels in your Louisiana thread, but I still suggest you listen to a stock unit in a trailer first hand.

Any Escapes in Louisiana so I can check out AC/Heater noise?

 

[War Eagle]

... The rear upper cabinet of the 21 (and 17 and 5.0TA for that matter) over the dinette looks like a perfect space for the indoor unit. This is a mirror image of what I've done on our 19 so refrigerant lines would need to run under the trailer along the frame up to the condensing unit on the tongue.

Dave, If one wanted to mount the inside unit of a mini heat pump in the rear upper cabinet, as you mentioned, is there some reason why you would NOT want to mount the outside condensing unit just outside the rear wall on the rear bumper? ETI says the rear bumper will support 150 pounds. Surely that outside unit isn't heavier than that, is it? That would put the two units within 5 or 6 feet of each other, almost directly above and below each other, and greatly reduce refrigerant line losses. Electrical power would be nearby for both units that way. And you could keep your utility box on the front or move your bikes to the tongue if you carry them outside. Am I missing something important related to installation?