What kind of Casita do you have and why?

[bookernoe]

Lots of 'homer' responses. The one thing that I saw a few times that is absolute is the importance of climbing in every one you are interested in. There is nothing like seeing the real thing. I called Casita, and they sent me referrals to 3 local owners (all within an hour of us) of their various floor plans. It made all the difference in the world. We bought used, but the factory would have paid the local owner a fee for showing his rig had we bought new.

I still have a 'dream' camper for us, that no one is building. We NEVER use a kitchen inside the unit. As soon as we arrive, out comes a table, and our inductive hotplate. We'd love for someone to build this (as a roll out shelf or the like), and leave us a fridge, and small microwave inside.

Our priorities inside are a large, comfy bed that we don't have to crawl over each other, a spacious wet bath, and storage. We got those high points in the Liberty Deluxe. If we were twin bed folks, the Independence would have been our choice.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by bookernoe

I still have a 'dream' camper for us, that no one is building. We NEVER use a kitchen inside the unit. As soon as we arrive, out comes a table, and our inductive hotplate. We'd love for someone to build this (as a roll out shelf or the like), and leave us a fridge, and small microwave inside.

Check with Scamp, they used to sell "Blank Slates" nothing in the interior except support for the door and a closet across from the doorway (structural to hold up roof!). They even sold them without windows (to contractors seeking daytime sleeping space). OR, there's the Lil Snoozy. Mike uses his as a kinda/sort utility trailer for transporting his product. Either brand and you can truly make it your own.

[bookernoe]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Check with Scamp, they used to sell "Blank Slates" nothing in the interior except support for the door and a closet across from the doorway (structural to hold up roof!). They even sold them without windows (to contractors seeking daytime sleeping space). OR, there's the Lil Snoozy. Mike uses his as a kinda/sort utility trailer for transporting his product. Either brand and you can truly make it your own.

I didn't look much at Scamp. I suppose it was because I couldn't find a bed arrangement that suited us. I did look extensively at Lil Snoozy, including a factory tour. It was quite clear they would customize to our liking. Sticker shock on new did me in, and we found our Liberty Deluxe at an excellent value. The simplicity of the Lil Snoozy is still a very attractive package to me.

[janisg]

Wow, so much information. Didn't know about the exchange rate in Canada, that's great news! Thank you all for all your answers. Dave, thank you for the info. you sent me. It really helps in making a decision. Campers are really a friendly group of people that want to help. Thank you all again.

[Glenn Baglo]

Yes. Best make sure you know if the price is in Canadian or US dollars.
If buying used, you might find that the seller 'meant' US dollars because he was advertising to a US market.
Just be sure to check.

[patrick crawford]

16' SD. odd as it may seem, i wanted that curved door. it's just very cool. and yes, you can have a screen door but you have to build it (another fun project). another thing i wanted was the front mounted ac unit which, when it expires, can be replaced from a slowes or home despot for a couple hundred bucks. my traveling companion is winston the wander dog and we find we have plenty of room and storage. casita dulce has many mods but in the living space the bed is always a bed, those terribly uncomfortable dinette cushions have been replaced and the range hood removed to allow room for an ikea "kitchen" (hanging spice rack, pot lid storage and draining tray).

p@

[Courtland PieperCo]

I would go to the rally section and find a rally close to you and look at the different trailers there.

[janisg]

Originally Posted by Courtland PieperCo

I would go to the rally section and find a rally close to you and look at the different trailers there.

I didn't know there was a rally section--Lancaster, PA would have been perfect to go to. Thanks for the info. There are some videos someone posted from the last one in October from Lancaster which I'm going to watch.

[Ziggy]

We have a 16'SD.. It's perfect for us and we wouldn't trade for a 17. The 16' although only a foot shorter is a much more compact trailer- easy to get into tent sites. Smaller TV needed and better gas mileage. To me the 17' feels more like an RV. The only disadvantages of a 16' vs 17' for us are:
The bed is a little smaller: But modifying the room divider can get you some extra room.
The fridge is smaller... but we work it out.
No ice cream.... Bummer!
13 gallon grey tank. This is it's biggest drawback, but we work around it with a portable tote and a cheater hose.

[ZachO]

Yes definitely check out youtube. I found a video (maybe the same one) with a woman walking through several different kinds of trailers at a rally with a video camera, pointing out differences unique to different builders and models.

2nd best thing to actually getting in some of them, which not all of us have the ability to do.

You can always google scamp vs casita or bigfoot or something along those lines and look at the video results.

[Rick in Maine]

2013 We bought one of the first Casita Independences. love it. Being seniors, we like the separate twin beds and full bath, extra headroom. We have most of the options, except the power jack. We travel several times a year upto 5-6 weeks at a time. Not many mods, just additional gel-foam mattresses, microwave oven, flatscreen tv with DVD player and hanging shelves in the closet. Wife made custom bedspreads, pillow cases and curtains .


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[janisg]

Originally Posted by Rick in Maine

2013 We bought one of the first Casita Independences. love it. Being seniors, we like the separate twin beds and full bath, extra headroom. We have most of the options, except the power jack. We travel several times a year upto 5-6 weeks at a time. Not many mods, just additional gel-foam mattresses, microwave oven, flatscreen tv with DVD player and hanging shelves in the closet. Wife made custom bedspreads, pillow cases and curtains .


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

My original pick was the Spirit Deluxe but I'm beginning to look around at the other campers Casita has and rethinking things. I would love to see the curtains and bedspreads your wife made--I like to sew too. But, I might stick with the SD because of the side table so I would be able to sew. It would be just me traveling so there is no problem with room--except I would like to bring a couple of my grandkids camping once in a while and the SD has a twin bed by lowering the sidetable. But I liked the independence and can understand why you chose it. So you don't feel the Casita is to small for you both? That's what I was really worried about since I've never been in one. I'll have to go to a rally like others suggested and look at some Casitas. Thanks for your input.

[Indiana Lynn]

I boughtca 1999 Casita Spirit 16' last fall. After looking for 18 mos, I chose mine because it did NOT have a bath taking up space but did have gouchos front and side (one with a porto potty under.) They both make into bunks so my 3 nieces and I can each have a bunk and leave the dinette table up for whomever is staying up late or getting up early. I didn't want this big conversion that has to take place twice a day to turn a bed into a table and visa versa.

And when it is just me, the double couches feel like a little living room. And it feels so open and roomy. Here is a picture with 5 people sitting in there with me. I am sitting alone at the dinette talking the photo.

My suggestion is to go to a rally and get in some. That is how I ruled out a 13' - even just for me. And then, think through the aspects of the lifestyle you want to live in it, make your criteria list, and stick to it.

For decorating, I am going red and white (really cream andcrimson) for IU because I am currently om Indiana and Both my Brother and I went to IU. It is hisdaughters I camp with. Hedied a year ago and made me promisecto keep takijg you s girlscamping. (We havecbeenctent camping and I am 56.) Now my cushions are blue and tan but they are neutral wniugh that I think the red & white will be OK. Eventually I will recover the cushions in fabrics with red & white - probably in a micro-fiber faux suede because it is thick but easy to sew, and you can wipe spots off it so easy. Even without changing the cushions, I have put several red things in there like a clock, coat hooks, tea kettle, baby Keurig, S&P, IU blanket etc and it looks really cute already. I am ordering a black and red IU spare tire cover. Tomorrow I pick up my new Ford Escape SE 2.0 L w/ tow package and I ordered rucy red. Next year I will replace the blue decals on the outside of rhe Casita with red Indiana decals.

A good decorating tip I heard is to buy pleated curtain hooks to slide into the carpet on the walls and hang things from. I saw one egg with pants pockets hooked to the carpet to store things like a phone, charging cord, flashligjt, things you need to reach while in bed. I am going to use the sticky side of velcro on things I want to stick to the carpet, including clear plastic picture frames and my travel alarm.

I am not doing curtains. My PO replaced the aluminum blinds with vinyl and they are quiet, neat, neutral, and so easy to open and close. Curtains could hang onto the bunk amd I could see the girls pulling the rods right off the wall.

I am going to hang the TV from under the storage compartment that runs along the back - above the dinette. There is a plug up there and I can put the DVD player in the compartment. Eventually I will have an antenna on the roof and a router/modem/digital receiver so I can get free broadcast tv and hot spot internet.

I love movies and so did my brother. Since kids can watch the same movies over and over and still enjoy, I am going to build DVD racks on the sides above the dinette benches since there are no storage compartments there. (Above woman in black jacket sitting at table - my Mom.) That way we can travel with 80 or ao movies from my brother's collection.

That is all I can think of for now. Our first trip is 3/23 to Morenga Cave and I will take some pics of the inside for you.

Welcome to the family, Lynn

[janisg]

Thanks Lynn--seeing all those people in the Casita you own shows me that the camper is a lot bigger than I thought. I never even thought about getting the one with the bunks--gives me something to consider. I love movies too--all your ideas for the camper sound great and I hope you have a safe and happy trip. Will look forward to seeing pictures of it. Nice looking family. Janis

[ZachO]

Yeah if you don't need a bathroom that frees up a lot of space. One thing to consider about the 16' Casita is headroom. It's under 6', in case that makes a difference. For some people, obviously, it's still plenty of room.

For a guy like me of average height, right around 5'11", even right at 6' isn't enough. You add any kind of shoes to the mix and you're always stooping when you're cooking or cleaning or standing for any reason.

[jaye580]

I had a Casita a long time ago, way before the internet so I don't have any pics of it but I decorated it like the inside of Jeannies bottle from I dream of Jeannie <3 I have since had 2 Scamps one is decorated in a jungle theme and the other in a woodsy theme. You can see pics of them by clicking on the shutterfly link on my signature. Right now I also have Little Guy teardrop that is decorated in a pirate theme and am in the process of buying a brand new Scamp - haven't decided on it's theme yet but also being a girl decorating is the funnest thing about a new camper IMO! Have fun!