Step 1 Completed

[k0wtz]

mark we camp mostly at Bennett, have been to roaring river and mantauk. we like mantauk reall well but its an hour past bennet. We are not into what you are doing not into the boating much

regards

bob

[Joe & Cherie]

Mark. I'm in your same boat at 6'5 3/4" to be exact. My #1 pick would be an Escape 5.0TA. #2 is an EggCamper. I believe those are the only FGRV we fit in, period.

Some say its ok to not be able to stand up straight, or lay stretched out. I tried in in a Casita, it didn't work for me. Even standing in my friends Escape 21 is a HUGE no-go for me!

The TA wins in my mind because we want to extensivly travel too. I just dont think the EggCamper has enough room for all the "stuff" needed. Solo, yes. Couple, no. So the 5.0TA wins. Lounging on the U shaped dinette of an Escape seems like it would be nice too.

But I have to admit I LOVE the hard tonneau on my Silverado and all the truck bed for the camp gear, water, chairs, BIG beer cooler, etc. So that's a HUGE negative for the fifth wheel. Although one thing I really like about the fifth wheel is that just any low life cant hook it up to their 2" ball and steal your home while you are sightseeing! Big Plus!

Neither is perfect. But one of those two is the only option for us....

[Missouri Mark]

I may be taking Step #2 this summer. I found a guy near my hometown who has a Little Guy tear drop camper for rent. I am thinking of renting for a month this summer (school teacher, summers off) and hitting the road to see if I like the lifestyle, Camper is not much more than a bed on wheels, and back flips up for a kitchen. But don't figure I will need much more in the summer, and get a good feel on how I like travelling alone and living out of a camper.
July is hot in Missouri, probably head to the Rockies for some cooler weather.

[Civilguy]

I think renting something, most any RV in fact, is a great plan. It's easy to get caught up in wanting something, but sometimes it turns out we're not so excited by it after we've actually had a chance to try it out. Renting is a great way to start finding what works for you without having to put a lot of money at risk.

We really liked the outdoor kitchen in the back of our teardrop trailer. We spend most of our time hanging out outdoors anywy, and only cook inside the trailer as a last resort. Many of the larger trailers feature a second, outdoor, kitchen additional to the one inside. So, it's clearly a popular approach.

[FishingBob]

Great plan. In the Rockies, be ready to do the trout thing, especially if you're seeking cooler temps at higher elevations.

Think about going ahead and springing for some kind of popup shelter; not much interior space in a Little Guy when weather sends you inside. My trailer has a nice awning, but in addition, since mosquitos can become quite fond of me, I got a Clam screen shelter, the smaller 4-sided one. Compact to carry, room for two chairs and a cooler, good height, available zip-in side panels, and still something I can park at a lake or so, if not fully camping. Plenty of other shelter options, too.

Have fun.

[Missouri Mark]

Yep, camper has an outside screen room. In the central CO mountains in the summer, you can just about set your clock to a pop up storm about 3pm. Actually kind of cool to see the clouds form coming across the peaks to the west midday and hit the cooler air of the central mountains.

[LyleB]

Mark, when considering Escape, do not forget to take into account the exchange rate. The prices quoted by Escape are Canadian dollars. A couple of years ago I created a comparison of similarly equipped Scamps, Casitas, and Escapes. I found, in general, after applying the exchange rate, that the three were all within two or three thousand of eachother.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by LyleB

Mark, when considering Escape, do not forget to take into account the exchange rate. The prices quoted by Escape are Canadian dollars. A couple of years ago I created a comparison of similarly equipped Scamps, Casitas, and Escapes. I found, in general, after applying the exchange rate, that the three were all within two or three thousand of eachother.

And as I type this the exchange rate is 78 cents CD to $1 US. That's like getting a sale of $2,200 for every $10,000 spent. Getting a $30,000 trailer for $23,400 is sweet for US buyers. When I bought my trailer the exchange was 86 cents CD to $1 US... and I was still thrilled.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

And as I type this the exchange rate is 78 cents CD to $1 US. That's like getting a sale of $2,200 for every $10,000 spent. Getting a $30,000 trailer for $23,400 is sweet for US buyers. When I bought my trailer the exchange was 86 cents CD to $1 US... and I was still thrilled.

It's a big deal, for sure. At one point recently the CAD was 75 cents vs the USD. Basically 25 percent off a new Escape for US buyers. When we paid for ours in early 2015, the CAD wasn't quite as low, but we were very happy with the savings.