Help me narrow it down: retail trailer edition

Out of the three, based on our wants, what would you pick?

  • Escape 17A

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Escape 19

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Trailmarker Up&Out

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • Total voters
    6

billiebob

Well-known member
I liked it, until I hear about durability issues when used on rough roads. Frame issues, body panel issues. And leaks
This is an issue with the RV industry period. There is zero reason to build a better more expensive product. Most do the same thing.
Some manufacturers build up to 20 different brand names. Think Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, GMC.
 
Last edited:

ROTCatCU

New member
Where have you even found those?



 

Grassland

Well-known member
I've convinced my wife to go visit the Escape factory in BC this April. I guess we will see where this goes.
Could be a future of buying half beat pop ups and using them till they rot apart. It has worked so far.
 

TGK

Active member
I've convinced my wife to go visit the Escape factory in BC this April. I guess we will see where this goes.
Could be a future of buying half beat pop ups and using them till they rot apart. It has worked so far.
I'm also considering an Escape. Have looked at 17A, 17B and a 19. Leaning toward the 19 with the queen bed. Unfortunately, don't see the things used very often. Appear to hold value very well.
 

hscoots

Member
There was an older escape 17b on sale in escape forum, and it went in hour or so, hard to find sth old/decent that you can modify for ur needs.
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Well... we were supposed to go to the Escape factory in April. Waiting to see how this mass panic and shut down of everything pans out. Our trip to Florida in a week has been cancelled. Lost a bunch of money there.
If there isn't anything preventing us from driving to BC, we might do that. I think we can hit Chilliwack in 3 days.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
Well... we were supposed to go to the Escape factory in April. Waiting to see how this mass panic and shut down of everything pans out. Our trip to Florida in a week has been cancelled. Lost a bunch of money there.
If there isn't anything preventing us from driving to BC, we might do that. I think we can hit Chilliwack in 3 days.
Good luck.
I think America is closed for the next month or so.
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
Our staple and caulking special aka our purchased used 2010 Forest River Palomino Pony is nearing the end of its life. Barring stripping it down to the frame and rebuilding it.

We have our trailers of "choice" narrowed down to 3 units.
I use quotations because the trailer I/we want doesn't exist, and we don't have 90 grand in CAD let alone USD to custom build it.

Main goal for me is a sub 3000# "when dry" trailer that you can stand up in, has a main bed that isn't the table, and isn't built of OSB, caulking, particle board, and staples. It must also have a decent electrical system, LED interior and exterior lighting, an exhaust fan, and fridge. And an 8' awning.
My wife's requirements are higher. She really wants a wet bath, running water, and a furnace on top of my requirements. As well as a 9+ foot wide awning.

We have settled down to an Escape 17A with a cassette toilet.
(Cons are the placement of the door limits usable under awning space, is also fairly cramped, no "bathroom")

An Escape 19
My wife's choice.
(Cons are it's getting large by my standards, has an extra axle so more maintenance costs, highest up front purchase price)

Or a Trailmarker Up and Out with a cassette toilet.
(No "bathroom", cramped table under the lift up bed, less storage than either Escape, less available information online in general)


The Escapes will likely go down hill in quality and up in price in short order as the original owners were bought out by a For Increased Profit consortium. But in the near future the main product seems pretty decent in quality and materials as well as design.

Trailmarker is pretty new, nobody on here seems to have first hand experience, and it's the hardest sell to my wife. It's also in USD, so it costs me an extra 30% more or less to buy it.

The trailers would be used for one 1.5-2.5 week road trip per year, plus 3 long weekends and one or two regular weekends per year. Mostly on highway and graded gravel roads.
Almost exclusively non hook up sites.
Long term goal is more fire service roads, longer road trips of 4+ weeks, etc.

Would like a trailer that isn't built like ********, is 3 seasons (when without water) and isn't reliant on AC in weather of 28 celsius band warmer to be usable.

What did you end up buying?
 

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