NJ lurker - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-20-2019, 07:09 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Name: Thomas
Trailer: Flagstaff
New Jersey
Posts: 2
NJ lurker

Hi, folks. Looking at small trailers and came across this site. Just found the Aliner Ascape and it has my wife and me interested in a small trailer. As such, the investigation begins. We could go in any direction at this point and aren't set on one brand. Below is what attracted us to the Ascape in hopes the experienced small trailer owners can provide some tips, advice, and recommendations.

- VERY lightweight
- Bathroom/Shower facilities
- Sleeping accommodations do not require taking down the dinette
- Just enough to accommodate travel to/fro with the ability for long weekends
kltk1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2019, 08:08 PM   #2
Junior Member
 
Name: Thomas
Trailer: Flagstaff
New Jersey
Posts: 2
Thank you. The Ascape ST model can be a twin bed or queen bed which is what attracted us to it. Along with shower/bath facilities and coming in under 2000lbs it's pretty impressive for what it is. Although, they are pricey at +$20k. I've seen a couple on RVTrader well below that price.

In any case, this is what the research is all about, right? We're looking forward to hitting a few shows this year in hopes of getting into many small trailers to see what we like.
kltk1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2019, 08:17 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Go here for a link to Trailer Weights in the Real World:
http://lakeshoreimages.com/spreadsheets/Weight.xls
Note that tongue weight is also important.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2019, 07:28 AM   #4
JBB
Senior Member
 
JBB's Avatar
 
Name: Jan
Trailer: 2017 Lil Snoozy
South Carolina
Posts: 492
Welcome Thomas! Have fun in your search for the perfect camper!
JBB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2019, 07:34 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,136
Registry
If you want bath/shower and a bed separate from the dinette, you are in the 16 ft or over category. Most common is a Scamp 16, next is a Casita Spirit 16 Deluxe. Most common Casita is a 17 ft.

That Ascape I saw required converting dinette to bed every day. Price at the RV show was $24k for a really small stick built trailer. As you can imagine, this is a molded FG forum so not many follow TAB and similar small trailers.

At the same show a new Hymer was $28k, night and day difference. Scamp 16 Deluxe, Casita Spirit Deluxe and Escape 17B are all options. Odds of finding a 17B used are somewhat remote.
thrifty bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2019, 04:46 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Steve L.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: Casita Spirit Deluxe 2003 16 ft
Posts: 1,899
Registry
Oh goody! You're soliciting advice...

I'd search for a real weight, maybe on the Aliner forum or the RV forum. The empty weight is a useless number. The Ascape is not a molded FG trailer, rather it's a "sticky" or stick built trailer, so not really in our group's wheelhouse.

I don't get a sense of your prior camping experience so in terms of generalities: I don't know your ages which might influence the amount of roughing it you might want to do. It looks claustrophobic to my eye, much like a TAG (the TAB is much longer). Not something I'd want to deal with as an older camper. Still, many of us claim to spend all their time out of the trailer so a shelter of some sort is probably helpful if that describes you. (Clam-type popup shelters are popular around here.) But then, some of us chase down meteorites for the metal to pound out their own sporks and camp with a level of purity the rest of us don't strive for.

My last trip last fall I saw handful of hard shell trailers much the shape and size of coffins-for-two so there appears to be no lower limit to hard shell camping. They kind of gave me the willies though the campers themselves appeared content enough standing around shivering with hot coffee in their hands. I think you're aimed more towards a Scamp 13 with a bath. Aliners and tent campers need to be set up each time you want to enter them which I expects gets old pretty quick.

Lastly, I don't know if you're a member of the group that is trying to make an existing micro car tow a trailer (to exaggerate a little). As an engineer I feel obliged to point out that the laws of physics are not just a good idea, they're, well, the law. There is a vague consensus (because we never agree on anything here) that the trailer purchase should precede the tow vehicle purchase.

But, not to worry, somebody will endorse pretty much anything.
__________________
Without adult supervision...
Quando omni flunkus, moritati.
Also,
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.
Steve L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2019, 08:13 AM   #7
JBB
Senior Member
 
JBB's Avatar
 
Name: Jan
Trailer: 2017 Lil Snoozy
South Carolina
Posts: 492
Thomas, I watched a YouTube video on the Ascape. It's a cute little camper and reminds me of our first one. It was a T@B Maxx S, which is very similar. We only kept it 3 years and then sold it. Our biggest complaint was the breaking down of the dinette every day. That got very old and my husband who is tall only had a tiny area to stand up in. It was good first camper for us to determine if camping is what we really wanted to do. Weekend jaunts in it were fine, but our month long or longer trips got cramped. Research led us to our Snoozy which is perfect for us. Maybe rent a camper to see what meets your needs first! Good luck and have fun shopping!
JBB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Longtime lurker, new oner of an old Boler Fallon Hi, I am.... 5 06-09-2014 09:08 PM
Lurker turned member Cadet85 Hi, I am.... 9 07-12-2011 07:08 PM
No longer a lurker... Terry G General Chat 6 03-19-2010 02:34 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.