Why did you buy the trailer you have?

[honda03842]

An egg might not offer enough protection but in Denali only hard sided campers were permitted on our trip.

[tractors1]

Path was backpacking->tent camping-> pickup camper -> bigger pickup camper -> Casita 17 -> Escape 21 due the end of this month. Needed to find a no-crawlover permanent bed setup where I could elevate the head 4-5 inches for wifeys GIRD issues.

Escape is built 6 hours away - visited the factory, and dug into design and construction details (retired engineer.) Definitely fit my needs with less weight than similar FG trailers and customizing details was absolutely simple with those folks!

Charlie Y

[Jared J]

I wanted a camper, but knew and wasn't impressed with the maintenance of others. I stumbled across this site, and quickly knew I wanted fiberglass.

I looked around kansas for months, and sent my parents on wild goose chases in Minneapolis, and kept coming up with overpriced junk. It was a good thing, as I thought a 13' camper was 13'. My dad looked at a 16', thought it was short, measured and told me it was only 13'. That's when I found out how they were measured. Then I knew I wanted bigger, enter the 19' ones.

I didn't like how the scamp 19's were equipped from the factory, so I knew I wanted an older, cheaper one that I could gut and do what I wanted.

I found one in Iowa for $4k, and had my dad drive from Minneapolis to look at it, since I couldn't get off work. My dad called to tell me the shell and frame was solid. He left a $200 deposit, and it would stay shedded until I could get to it.

Two weeks later, I picked it up, haven't had a moment of regret since.


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[Donna D.]

I noticed I originally posted on 06-16-2011, 12:42 PM, more than three years ago. I NOW have a new Escape. Why did I change when I still love my oldy but goody Scamp? Because I CAN. I can afford what I wanted and I'm looking at the short time before retirement. Ten Forward is going to provide me space and storage and comfort for longer (much longer) trips no matter the weather. I'll no longer feel confined by space, but will be much more comfortable for longer periods of time when needing to be inside. Besides, I have a special trailer now built just for me, how cool is THAT?

[beater_bug]

The short and simple answer was price. $600 was hard to beat even with the amount of work that is required. We had mulled it over for some time and the thought of spending 3-4k for something that still had frame issues and needed updating just didnt seem worth while. So we get a clean slate and get to make it our own, as I can do all the work myself we will really only be sinking material costs and the re-upholstery of the cushions into it, I think we will come out ok.

[morgynm]

My husband couldn't sleep on the ground anymore due to a pin in his shoulder. We're young and I camp all year round in tents, hammocks, and cabins (-12oC in a hammock was my highlight!) so I wanted to make sure he would still camp with me and our daughter.

At first we thought we'd get a popup but I really hated the look of them and you have to dry them out after a trip as much as you'd dry out a tent. Plus they were "common". I was talking to a friend on the ferry home when she showed me a picture of a teardrop like trailer (rpod). I liked the lightweight part but not that it wouldn't fit 3 of us (4 if you count the almost 90lb dog!).

Google is your friend, right? Googling lightweight trailer brought me to pictures of a Boler. Love at first site! The potential for what it could become was unlimited!! Except for the costs which startled me right out of that daydream. I quickly realized that most of these old fiberglass trailers had become a hot commodity and had appreciated in value. Drat!

Fast forward to the bet... my husband told me that if I could find one for $1000 or less, we could get it. If not, the money was going towards his new tattoo. I put an amusing ad on kijiji (it's still there!) and got quite a few responses. Unfortunately, they were things like "loved your ad" or "if you find two, can you tell me?"

Fast forward to my dad...
He somehow got involved and chipped in ALOT more money. The next thing I knew (btw...this all happened in less than a week, start to finish) we were going to see this Boler a two hour drive away with cash in hand. Guess what followed us home?! Really, I had decided that as long as it was towable it was coming home. (Gosh darn it!)

My husband is happy he won't have to sleep on the ground, my daughter just thinks it's cool, and I have a project to keep me busy on my off days!



Morgyn
1981 13' Boler
Nova Scotia

[floyd]

Originally Posted by floyd

We loved our '73 LoveBug and had it fixed up very nicely....
Still we longed for a head with a shower... One good look at the custom cabinetry and the larger bed of the 13 Scamp dlxe, made it somewhat easier to part with the beloved LoveBug.
"Eggy-Sue" (the pull-it surprize) was the result, with no regrets, seven years and two days after accepting delivery at the factory.

Still no regrets(10 years now) still the right choice!

[CampyTime]

I was tired if the pop up experience, having to wake up early, pack up and get that thing down in the rain grew old. Dutchmen duck 801D. I loved her and she was mint, but a sweet little family now enjoys her.

Was looking at little stickies for about a year. Although I can't remember how I came upon eggs, when I started really doing research here and on other sites, I was hooked.

I have Floyd to thank and the wonderful prior owner Bruce. Floyd referred me to him and the owner drove from Illinois to Ohio to meet me. Although she was in an accident, repaired at factory, she still has a few cracks. In our family, we have great love for anything slightly "defective" as we endearingly call it.

And so, I love my little egg. No crafty original names, I just call her Scamper like some others because I love what the word means.

These little things are precious and addicting. What's more, I've made some great egg pals here. Because my egg was a little irregular, she was more in my price range.

It simply was meant to be!


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[TomK]

My wife and I started our search for something light enough to tow easily with our Ford Ranger around 2008. I stumbled on this forum about the same time and wanted a molded fiberglass trailer from the start. We looked hard at Aliners and even teardrops, but kept coming back to FG., and Scamps in particular. We changed our tow vehicle to a Subaru Forester, and light weight became even more relevant. We chose a Scamp 13 Std. with a "big" bed.

Our configuration and option list was developed after carefully reading many threads asking other owners what they wanted and why. We felt the 13 was too small for a full bath, and didn't want to deal with the extra plumbing, preferring to keep it simple. We liked the bigger bed option, and wanted a heater, but didn't think A/C or awning was necessary, choosing our trips when the climate was favorable. That changed at the last minute when our daughter and SIL moved from the U.P. of MI to FL. The AC and awning will give us a little more flexibility, and was added to the list.

I think the best thing anyone contemplating buying a FG trailer can do is get an education reading all you can about the choices and options and go for it. No better place than right here on this forum. We finally got ours and are not looking back, happy with our choice.

Still no regrets (1 week now) still the right choice. Sorry Floyd, couldn't resist.

Tom

[CampyTime]

Hi Tom,

I can't resist either. 10 months and going strong!


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[TomK]

Originally Posted by CampyTime

Hi Tom,

I can't resist either. 10 months and going strong!


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Hi Wendy Lee! We could do far worse than copying Floyd's quote. His enthusiasm for the "Scamp Brand" is admirable. I noticed over the years of lurking here, how he comes to the defense of his choice in campers anytime it comes into question. I like that! Two songs come to mind. "Love the One You're With" and "Stand By Your Man". I'm also glad your choice is working so well for you. Your enthusiasm comes through in almost every post.

Tom

[Timber Wolf]

I had been wanting a camper of some fashion for quite a while. My “ex” (back before she became an “ex”) repeatedly stated she was not camping so I did not pursue it. Fast forward to a few years post divorce and back on my feet financially to where I could afford a trailer and I began looking in earnest. In the meantime I threw an old camper shell on my F-150 and a mattress in the back and my daughter and I went camping. It was tight but got us in the woods. I missed an old Scotty that would have worked for us and looked at tear drops. I had missed out on a 13’ U-Haul a few years back so knew about FGRVs but had never seen one when a friend told me about an “Egg” camper just sitting at another guy’s place. It was not for sale but enough cash got it pried loose and a 1988 Scamp 16 layout 4 followed me home. A lot of work and two or three thousand more dollars later we are really enjoying it (its’ only money right?). I have at least twice as much money in the Scamp as I would any other trailer (sticky) of similar size and age but am sure it is a better rig. I have since seen only one other Scamp (a 13), one Snoozy, and one Casita in my travels. FGRVs are darn scarce in these parts.

[TomK]

Tim, there will be plenty of Scamps and others at Scamp Camp near Sebring, FL this coming Feb. We'll be among them. Stop by if you're anywhere near there.

Tom

[frank_a]

Well, shucks, what can I say. First of all, we are simply died-in-the-wool campers. For our wedding 40 years ago, our "registry" was for backpacking gear, and we honeymooned backpacking into the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was love of the outdoors that drew us together, as we climbed most of the peaks in the Adirondacks and Hudson Highlands before we got married. The last backpacking trip we took was into the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon when our oldest son was a baby (he's now 37). That was it. I had to carry the big pack AND the kid! From then on, we left mountain backpacking and started driving to sites to camp. We ended up with three sons, and our last family tent was a Eureka Northwoods Mountain Lodge, a 9' X 16' two room tent that we used every summer for many, many years, even taking it do Disneyworld and camping at Fort Wilderness when the boys were young (maybe 1992 or around then). The boys grew up and went their individual ways, but Gail and I were and still are died-in-the-wool campers, so got a good Eureka 3 man tent and kept camping. All 3 of our boys still love to camp.

As we got older and our backs started complaining, we thought of building a teardrop trailer, but ended up buying a 1979 Sunline Sunspot, a very small trailer that was mostly just a bed on wheels. We found we liked not sleeping on the ground, but wanted a few more amenities, so moved on up to a 1981 Sunline T-1550 (like Norm & Ginny had). While we enjoyed the trailer, it had not been well maintained, the wood framing between the walls was disintegrating and the bed was small. We decided if we were to continue camping, we needed to make some decisions.

After perusing the web, it seemed the most trouble free trailers we could buy were eggs. Once that was determined we figured we should buy new (or nearly new), so reviewed layouts of both Casitas and Scamps, but were somewhat put off by the distance to the factories and some of the dimension stuff. So we figured we'd look in the east for a factory closer, and found ParkLiner. As we reviewed the specs, we liked it. 15' trailer, 2100#s, queen size bed, toilet & shower (Gail used the shower Sunday morning and loved it!), AC, heat, hot water, dinette, little kitchen, and a 6'4" ceiling height. Once we decided that was probably it, Tim & Arlene Wood invited us over to look at theirs. That did it. We were hooked. When ParkLiner #006 came up for sale in NJ, we snagged it.

The rest is history.

Frank

[CampyTime]

TimberWolf,

Fiberglass RV's are darn scarce round these parts too. So scarce in fact that when I see one I'm always shocked and inclined to stare or chat with the owner if I'm camping.

I too had to wait a long time post divorce to buy a trailer. Not enough moolah.

Just met a scamper with a fully restored 1974 scamp 13 and it was the first 13 I'd seem around here other than my own. I've since become pen pals with the lovely couple.


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[frank_a]

Originally Posted by CampyTime

TimberWolf,

Fiberglass RV's are darn scarce round these parts too. So scarce in fact that when I see one I'm always shocked and inclined to stare or chat with the owner if I'm camping.

I too had to wait a long time post divorce to buy a trailer. Not enough moolah.

Just met a scamper with a fully restored 1974 scamp 13 and it was the first 13 I'd seem around here other than my own. I've since become pen pals with the lovely couple.

I don't know where you are in NY Wendy Lee, but I get the impression eggs are rare in the entire NE! We lucked out finding ours in NJ, and could not be happier.

Frank

[CampyTime]

I'm in Sanborn...short version is about 6 miles from Niagara Falls. Someday if I win lotto I'd like a 16, but for now my little beaner works well for me.


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[frank_a]

Originally Posted by CampyTime

I'm in Sanborn...short version is about 6 miles from Niagara Falls. Someday if I win lotto I'd like a 16, but for now my little beaner works well for me.

LOL! If I win the lotto, I want a new truck and money for gas!

We have kids out that way. Our middle son and his wife live in Fredonia. They have one son, and our DIL is expecting their second child (woohoo!). Our youngest son lives in Buffalo and commutes to West Falls for work. We get out that way often.

Frank

[CampyTime]

That's wonderful! Congrats on the soon to be new family addition! Whereabouts in NY are you?


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[frank_a]

Originally Posted by CampyTime

That's wonderful! Congrats on the soon to be new family addition! Whereabouts in NY are you?

I think it's wonderful too! thanks!

We live in the town of Coeymans, in the foothills of the northern Catskills. I work in the village of Catskill, and the little woman works in Albany. We live about 1/2 way in-between the two.

Frank