13' Escape, No Longer Making?

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Brian Van Snell

I feel I must defend the reputation of the Escape 13, not just because we own one and love it.

Glad to hear Brian you like most Escape owners love yours. Don't think you need to defend it Brian as I don't think anyone was slamming it. Just attempting to understand the marketing reasons behind why it may not have generated as much demand as their other trailer sizes.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Glad to hear Brian you like most Escape owners love yours. Don't think you need to defend it Brian as I don't think anyone was slamming it. Just attempting to understand the marketing reasons behind why it may not have generated as much demand as their other trailer sizes.

I refit 13ft fiberglass trailers, and when they are ready to sell, they are sold in HOURS or days, never yet a week.

[Donna D.]

What I believe to know... is YES Escape will build a 13 foot trailer if that's what a customer wants. They don't advertise it.. and that probably due to the competition. There's Scamp and Casita and Outback and Trillum RV that are ALL building 13 foot trailers. What Escape has found is when people compare the 13 footer to the 15 footer there is an OMG moment. Who would ever think two feet could make so much difference? But, if you really want a 13 foot Escape, they will pull an "open" slot for a 15' trailer and build a 13 foot trailer to customer specs. Just expect to put more of a deposit down... it's not their target audience. Contact Escape Trailer Industries for a confirmation.

[Brian Van Snell]

Donna:
I agree that the market (i.e. customers) will determine the future of 13 foot trailers. When we bought ours no 15 foot Escape had been produced, and we had a tow vehicle too small to haul one if we had waited. The 15 is a wonderful trailer, with a larger bed than the 17.

As you said, there is a lot of competition for 13 foot trailers, and the rise in value of the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar has made American-made 13 foot trailers more cost-competitive. The economic climate in the US and rising cost of fuel must be hurting the sale of all trailers.

Brian

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... The high cost of gasoline may yet revive the sale of 13' trailers. That's probably why Escape kept the molds. Yes Reace& Tammy can be convinced to build one...if that's what the customer insists on having.
Top quality trailers is what Escape does best... and yes that does cost more!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Brian Van Snell]

Alf:

You bring out another aspect of the 13 foot trailer: the beauty of small! A previous posting on FGRV sums this up well

60 Square feet of Wisdom

Brian

[Darrell O]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

What I believe to know... is YES Escape will build a 13 foot trailer if that's what a customer wants. They don't advertise it.. and that probably due to the competition. There's Scamp and Casita and Outback and Trillum RV that are ALL building 13 foot trailers. What Escape has found is when people compare the 13 footer to the 15 footer there is an OMG moment. Who would ever think two feet could make so much difference? But, if you really want a 13 foot Escape, they will pull an "open" slot for a 15' trailer and build a 13 foot trailer to customer specs. Just expect to put more of a deposit down... it's not their target audience. Contact Escape Trailer Industries for a confirmation.

Anybody got a penny (Canadian) for these thoughts?:

In trailer manufacturing I see that many of the costs are fixed, e.g. appliance, windows, wheels, etc. Additional costs for of a couple or three feet more fiberglass and frame tubing is marginal. Escape has probably discovered the 15' requires little more investment in materials and labor than what's required to produce a 13'.

There a greater supply of existing 13' trailers on the used market to compete with new 13' Escapes.

Escape would see a greater demand for the 13' model if the next Escape size in the range was 17'. People may still perceive the "cute factor" of short trailers in the 15' model.

The extra couple of feet might not make a big difference for portability and stowability for most campers in most cases. However, in our experience there have been many situations and campsites where any trailer longer than 13' (30' overall with TV) just wouldn't have worked out.

[BCDave]

Having owned a 15 footer (stickie) as my first trailer, then having (briefly) a 13 Boler, followed by a Boler 17 and now a Bigfoot 21, I gotta say that for my wife & I, bigger is ALWAYS better - no exceptions! (he says, casting covetous eyes at a Bigfoot 25!)

My son has a Surfside 14, as does a buddy who simply cannot fit into a Boler 13 (he borrowed mine a couple of times when I had it - but he is 6 foot 4 inches tall! However, that DID get him out of a tent and into his Surfside) The difference that an extra foot makes is unbelievable, and then, when you see the incredible job Tammy & Reace do with a 15 footer which feels more like a 17 inside.......

People are speculating about what will happen as fuel prices rise even more. My prediction: It will be the 13 footers that will lose value faster that the larger ones.

If fuel economy is overwhelmingly critical to a decision, then a substantial price rise will simply result in a decision NOT to go camping at all! (Blasphemy! )

I do not think the guys with the 40 foot Moho's with umpteen dozen slides, all the gizmos and a luxo car on a trailer behind are gonna be bothered by fuel price - if you can lay down a million bux for a moho, the cost of gas (diesel fuel) is not even a consideration!

My guess - you can quote me and laugh at me a year from now if I blow it - but:

FGRV owners are not the typical campers. There are a zillion different reasons for choosing a FGRV.

Economy is one reason. If it becomes uneconomical, the decision may be revisited, length and frequency of trips may be cut back.

For spouse & I, we have never in our lives "gone camping" (OK -once about 30 years ago, with a truck-mounted camper - we went to a Nat'l park for a weekend. We arrived on Fri eve, and by Saturday early afternoon, we said - "this is nutz, I hate this", and we went home!) When we go to the NOG in April, it will be our first "camping trip" - it may well be our last! We use ours to bring a convenient bedroom along for attending events. Fuel costs would have to prevent our attendance at the events at all before it would impact our usage.

Others are at the opposite end of the scale - they travel a lot of miles to go boondocking. For some, this is such an important component of their lives that they may downsize but never consider missing a chance. This group will be the core of the continued use of the 13 footers.

Some use the trailers for family vacations - my prediction: Vacations will be shortened or a different vacation mode will be used. Fewer trips will be taken.

My prediction is that people will continue to buy what they are comfortable with - in terms of how nice it feels inside, how nice it feels to tow and the level of financial comfort in terms of purchase price and cost of usage. I suspect that the financial "comfort" will be more of a factor at the smaller end of the market than at the "million dollars each" end, and if fuel prices go WAY up - there will be a lot more campsites available!

We'll see what happens.......

[P. Raz]

"2011, 13' Escape Travel Trailer, $18,682.00

Includes standard features as well as the followign options;

3-burner stove,
Additional window over sink,
LED Interior Light Package,
Exterior Storage Box,
95W Solar Panel with Charger,
Stereo, shelves in wardrobe,
Stove cover,
12V outlet.

For more information please contact Escape Trailer Industries."



An Escape 13 , a Casita 17, or two bottom end Scamp 13's all seem to cost the same. Raz

[Cathy P.]

The "cost" thing is complicated between the different manufacturers and within the manufacturer's different sizes. I like "smaller" and can live efficiently in a small space. I like the "cuteness" factor involved with the 13' or maybe just the efficiency. Liking the efficiency would make my opinion less superficial though.

I also like and have been heavily supporting "Made In America". Yeah, I know the down side of that too well.

[melissab]

The entry price for a Scamp 13 is $8495 even the Scamp 13 Deluxe (all wood interior) with bath is $13,695 so way less than this Escape 13 at $18,682. The Scamp 16 Standard is $11,295 and Deluxe is $17,195. Scamp is still the least costly FG trailer out there if all one is concerned about is keeping the purchase price down.

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by Carol H

:Nope Dorthy this isn't Kansas

to see what I mean!

A few years ago we spent a few days in the Princess Luisa Inlet anchored at the Chatterbox Falls. This was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The movie about BC is great but it missed that place.
George.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by melissab

The entry price for a Scamp 13 is $8495 even the Scamp 13 Deluxe (all wood interior) with bath is $13,695 so way less than this Escape 13 at $18,682.

Yup but the Escape is to many a nicer trailer and it doesn't have rivets....

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by GeorgeR

A few years ago we spent a few days in the Princess Luisa Inlet anchored at the Chatterbox Falls. This was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The movie about BC is great but it missed that place.
George.

The problem is George there are just way to many beautiful spots to highlight in a short film