Egg vs. R-Pod

[Lisa J]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are thinking about full-timing and are pushing the limits of tiny we realize by fantasizing about fiberglass. We really want something that won't leak and will be toasty in cold weather, which is why the molded fiberglass seems best. Tiny is the way we'll go anyway because we don't want to own a full-size pick-up (or any pick-up for that matter) and only have $25,000 to work with. The problem is, most of the fiberglass trailers aren't tall enough for my husband, who is 6'3". The only one that seems like it might work is the Egg Camper in MI. Nobody seems to have any experience with them though, and we live in CA, so it's a long ways to go to look. They never replied to my e-mail either, which is worrisome.
Does anyone on this forum know how the non-molded fiberglass trailers like R-Pod stack up against the Scamps and Casitas? We have many choices of those around here. The R-Pod is probably too small, though cute. The Rockwood Mini ETC has a 6'6" ceiling, a huge bathroom, a murphy bed and a fiberglass roof (and walls). It's $18,000. The Flagstaff Micro Lite XLT seems identical, and for the same price (probably because they are both Forest River). We're drooling over the Galileo and Gulfstream Visa, which are both very light (dry weight under 3000 lbs), longer than the eggs, and apparently eco-friendly (no formaldehyde). They are both in Indiana though, the trailer capitol by the looks of things. I'm not sure how well that would work to buy that far away. What if something breaks? Of course we'd have that problem with the eggs too (MI, TX, or British Columbia).
We are trying to avoid the rubber roofs, which most of the cheaper bigger rigs have.
Any thoughts?

[CindyL]

Friends of ours who occasionally drop by this forum and have attended fiberglass rallies, sold their 16' Scamp and bought a new R-Pod. They really like the new trailer. They said that it is surprising large. Both those guys are tall too.

CindyL

[Frederick L. Simson]

The only one that seems like it might work is the Egg Camper in MI. [b]Nobody seems to have any experience with them though, and we live in CA, so it's a long ways to go to look. They never replied to my e-mail either, which is worrisome.
Any thoughts?

In the upper right tool bar, click on Members.
Then under "Member List" click on "Toggle More Options"
Under "Additional Options" find "RV Type" and enter eggcamper in that field.
Then click on "GO!" in the lower right corner.
You will find that there are 12 members here who own the Eggcamper.
Send a message or an email to these people and ask about their experience.

Eggcamper does post a mailing address and a phone number on the website, in addition to an email address.
Some manufacturers respond better to alternate methods of contact than to email.
While Scamp is a large company with a sales force devoted to just sales, other manufacturers may be smaller, with just the owner of the company taking orders...

[Robin G]

Lisa, You ask,

Does anyone on this forum know how the non-molded fiberglass trailers like R-Pod stack up against the Scamps and Casitas?

They don't! They are a totally different type of trailer's.

may I suggest you contact Orlen Wolf, him and his wife own a EggCamper and he is very knowledgeable about them. It's the roomy-est egg I have been in. Beautiful quality. The only thing I didn't care for is the bathroom door situation. But wonder if a real door can be used? Anyway I would highly recommend it! I am 5'9 and slide along our Casita. But the EggCamper no problem. The first time my Dh and I met Orlen and Carolyn we were all in their trailer with room to spare, can't say that in our Casita! Though I love our Casita it's not as big as the EggCamper.



As far as a thought on any of the other trailers you are looking at, I am sorry I can't suggest any as I am the type that looks at them and say's oh pretty but keeps walking........... I will say though, you said your not into buying a truck, I would be very careful with the manufactures stated weight. Most times those weights are before anything is put in the trailer such as fridge, air conditioner, heater, etc................ Get any trailer your looking at weighted and certified. My BIL bought a new stickie last summer, I told him it was toooooo much for his truck to pull. He wouldn't listen! Bought the dammmmm thing anyway, took one trip realized I was right and though he will never say it, I believe he's scared to pull it again with his current truck. So his new trailer sits in my Barn waiting for him to buy a new bigger truck............ Probably not gonna happen this summer due to his wifes health and the state of the economy. The sales person keep telling him it will be fine, your truck can do it! I told the guy he was a jerk! I told him to have it weighted at the dealership, they weighted it, but they never gave my BIL the actual weight and frankly they had the tongue on the next scale so no matter what they were not getting a true weight. I had to leave, between the moron BIL with big dreams and the jerk salesman I thought I would blow a blood vessel! Don't trust them, trust yourself. Have it weighted.

Best of luck executing your new life style. And most of all enjoy it!

[Lisa J]

Thanks for all your kind replies. I'll try writing a letter by snail-mail to Eggcamper and see if I can get a catalog with more detailed specs. Their website is rather sketchy. I'll also try contacting the couple that owns one to ask some questions. I did find a few old threads about the Eggcamper and read them. They do sound great. If the bed if really 84" long, that would be amazing. I've noticed all the queen beds in the other trailers I've been looking at are 74" long. But my hubby is 75" long so I don't know how that would work. I wonder if any of them have room to modify the bed length? He has such big shoulders I'm worried the Eggcamper's bathroom might be too small. Bathroom size is something that can't be changed. The Rockwood has a huge bathroom which would be so nice. I don't know about that 74" bed though.
I won't make any decisions til I have a chance to visit my parents in MI again. They live 2 hours from the Eggcamper factory.

[Orlen Wolf]

Lisa

Have you tried calling Jim Palmer, the owner of EggCamper? The number posted on the EggCamper web site is Jim's cell phone. I've always had good luck contacting him at that number. Before I bought my EggCamper I had several conversations with Jim.

EggCamper is a small company with few employees and no "front office" to speak of. Also, I don't think Jim is very "into" e-mail or the web so a direct call is probably the best option.

I can probably answer most questions you have on the EggCamper if you want to give me a call or an e-mail. (owolf{at}mines.edu or 303.279.1328)

I bought the first kit version, essentially a shell with no appliances or other infrastructure, and built it out the way I wanted it. Last I heard Jim is no longer selling the kit version and is pushing the electric egg, an all electric version with a bracket on the tongue for a small Honda or Yamaha generator.

The bed area is indeed 84" long. I put in a 54 x 80 regular 8" thick mattress. The bed area is 53" wide so the mattress is a bit tight in that dimension but there is plenty of room in length. You can get a mattress through Camping World and other RV outlets that is 53" by 79" but I didn't know that when I bought mine.

The empty weight of my EggCamper when I picked it up at the factory was 1,506 lb. Keep in mind that that was with no appliances and no bathroom installed. I haven't weighed the completed unit but I would guess it is now about 1,950 lb ready to roll. Gross weight is specified at 2,500 lb.

I've towed the EggCamper over 10,000 miles so far with no problems.

I would definitely recommend an in-person visit to the factory to see one before you order if you can swing it. Many questions will be answered just by eyeball contact with a real live EggCamper. Unfortunately I don't know of any EggCampers west of the Denver area at this time. Most of them that I know of ended up on the east coast.

73
Orlen

[Robin G]

Orlen, check you private messages........................ I sent you one a few days ago about Red Feathers.



And Thanks for helping Lisa out, All I can say is I like it! Glad you found her post. I know there are others here, but I don't know them by member name..

[Orlen Wolf]

EggCamper owners on this forum the last time I searched:

Suzanne P
BillPatB
Ron F
artspe
weldon freeman
vi turner
Ray N
Darald & Pat S
Bill Robison
Dennis O

and of course orlen wolf

That's all I know of. Perhaps there are more hiding in the wings.

73
Orlen

[Terry G]

Before I bought my (used) Casita, I compared a number of trailers. I was impressed with the R-Pod although I thought the teardrop shape wasted a lot of interior room. The biggest difference you will find is that the fiberglass trailers are sold direct from the factory and the R-Pod uses a dealer network. R-Pod prices are all over the place for the same trailer so beware if you're buying new.

[Donna D.]

I'm preaching with the molded fiberglass choir here, but check out the R-Pod used prices then compare the same year of a molded trailer and see what they're selling for used. If you're looking for "best value" that alone should help.

[Lisa J]

Hi all,
Thanks for all your kind help.
I just read on Art's old posts that the shower in the Egg is less than 6' tall. That would mean my hubby would have to stoop. If that's true, then it's a deal-breaker. His shoulders are wider than the bathroom apparently, from the dimensions that were stated. Maybe I should resolve myself to get a truck after all, and just buy an Escape 5th wheel. I think they are pretty tall, and I like the separate bed for full-timing. Though I don't find the shape as cute.
Lisa

[Donna D.]

This has turned into less about full-timing and more about differences in the trailer brands. Into Care and Feeding it goes...

[Pamela S.]

Lisa,
I would look at buying a used Fiber Stream. They were made in the 70's and 80's in California, so they'd be easier to find for you. We have had ours for about two months and love it. Got lucky and found one in Ohio (we live in Illinois).

My husband is 6'3" and he can stand upright in it. Has to stoop just a little bit in the shower, but then, how much time do you actually spend in the shower? The bed/dinette area makes into either a gigantic, king-size bed, or into two twins that run along the long sides of the camper. They only made one size, and it's 16 ft. long (includes the tongue) and it is self-contained with a bathroom with toilet and shower, kitchen with stove, sink, frig, etc. We are hoping to take extended length trips in it after retirement. (And after we get all the systems up and running and upgraded.)

Be sure to look at the photo gallery pictures of Fiber Streams, and also do a search on this forum, because many of the postings include photos.

Best of luck,
Pamela

[Robin G]

Great Suggestion Pamela and your right, there seems to be a lot that come up forsale in Calif......... Of course now that we say that they will all be hidden away never to come out of hiding for sale. LOL........

[Frederick L. Simson]

I just read on Art's old posts that the shower in the Egg is less than 6' tall. That would mean my hubby would have to stoop. [b]If that's true, then it's a deal-breaker.

The shower in a 2nd or 3rd generation Fiber Stream (1978-1986) is only 5'10" tall due to the shower pan being 6" higher than the floor. This was done to enclose the drain trap above floor level. The 1st generation Fiber Streams (1975-1977) put the shower pan at floor level (6'4" tall) and hung the drain trap below floor level, but crowds the toilet inside the shower space making a smaller wet bath. The 2nd and 3rd generations separated the shower and toilet into their own spaces next to each other.

[Erik Meade]

I'm preaching with the molded fiberglass choir here, but check out the R-Pod used prices then compare the same year of a molded trailer and see what they're selling for used. If you're looking for "best value" that alone should help.

Donna,

Right now if you can find a used R-Pod they typically sell for more than the price you can get one for new from the big dealer in Ohio. They have not been available very long, so it is too early to tell about resale, I would say.

I am interested in this post as I am currently looking at both types of campers as well.

[Roger C H]

A few thoughts on this thread:

I would say that the biggest disadvantage of any other type, this includes R-Pod, T(at)B, etc is that they are stick built, that is, they have many feet of SEAMS. Through the movement of trailing, these seams will eventually open up and leak. Some stickie mfgrs tout that their trailers are made of fiberglass, but this is in the form of panels which have to be assembled and seamed.

Molded fiberglass is one piece with no, or at least minimal, seams.

That being said, some FG brands will, unaccountably, put holes in the shell to attach interior features. The best ones have very few holes through the shell. Every hole is a potential leak. Of course, I live in the Pacific Northwet and am very conscious of leaks. Plus, bolts through the shell conduct cold to the interior and will cause condensation.

Maybe, if you contact the mfgr, they could customize one for you with a taller interior. After all, Americans are getting taller. But then again, how much will you really stand in your trailer? I go inside and sit down. I am just under 6' and do have room to stand in my Trill. The only time I stand is when cooking or doing dishes.

If you really are into having headroom to stand, you may look at the a frames like Chalet or A-Line. They can have 8 feet or more of headroom, (in the middle).

[sugermc]

We rented a R-Pod 2 yrs ago from a dealer in Tn. We had it a week and went 1500 miles in our explorer. After the trip we purchased a used 13' scamp. Several reasons, but mostly the design of the r-Pod really was a drag and the gas milage of the explorer was terrible. the one we rented did have a bath and bunks in the front, it was made nicely but we are short and the poor gas milage and it trailer'd hard, we decided for the scamp. I will say the awning and screen room option was really cool. I will be looking into if that option will fit onto my scamp, bit pricey though acourding to sales person 600$ american. Another nice feature was the access doors in the back and the rear bumper jack system. Can not duplicate jack system for scamp, too low, but I did add access doors to our scamp, works great, considering another where I removed the water tank.

[Lisa J]

Hi all,
Did more research, and I agree with Roger that I need to be careful of 'stickies' even if they have fiberglass sides and roof. I kept thinking before that if I avoided the rubber roofs I'd be OK. But I see now there's also the issue of seams. I read a bit on the R-Pod forum, and some people have had issues already with them (leaking and other things). And they haven't even been available that long. Then I read on the T[at]B forums. Those have been available since 04, and also have a more solid roof, not rubber (I think those are all aluminum, not sure). People have had an absolute ton of problems with those. I haven't been thinking of T[at]Bs since they are too short, but I know they are constructed in a similar manner to the R-Pod. This is all upsetting to me because of that awesome floorplan in the Rockwood ETC, with the big huge bathroom and murphy bed. I'm not going to make a decision based on floorplans though, like so many do. We want a unit that will last 20 or 30 years with minimal upkeep, if such a thing is even possible. The eco-friendly trailer we liked, the Gulfstream Visa, has only been available a few months. I only found a few reviews of those but was shocked that some were already negative. How can something break on your first camping trip? No way can we full-time in something that shoddy.
Our first fantasy was to buy a 'tiny-house' (little cabin built on an 8' x 18' flatbed trailer). We are huge fans of Jay Shafer (Tumbleweed Tiny House co) and live nearby him. He was on Oprah not that long ago. Those are so cute and would last a lifetime. But we started running into problems of where to place it. Park Models are frowned upon around here. Our local campground said they wouldn't take it even if we had rv tanks put in (it would certainly fit into an rv spot). We couldn't travel much in it anyway, they are quite heavy with all that solid wood. A couple weeks ago we decided to make a big switch from tiny-house to rv. That way when we reach retirement age in 10 years (65) we can travel a lot. Meanwhile while we are still working, we can pick our favorite nearby campground and stay put for awhile. Full-timing in one spot I guess.
That's our story, sorry to be so long-winded.
Pamela, those Fiberstreams look cute, in a funky kind of way. But we are worried about buying used. Someone could sell us a lemon. And if we buy new, won't we more easily get our 20 or 30 years out of it?
I've started posting on the Escape forums. Those are too expensive, but look longer than the Egg Campers. I can't tell how long the Eggs really are, but I think the 17' is including the hitch. Living space may only be 15' or less.
Lisa

[Mary F]

Right, Lisa. Any new trailer will include the tow bar/hitch in its stated length. The box will always be a couple feet shorter.

If you haven't already looked at it, this topic on Inside Heights by Trailer Brand might be helpful.