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Old 11-22-2016, 10:05 AM   #1
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Name: Henry
Trailer: BigFoot
Tennessee
Posts: 1,311
Oliver Factory tour, Observations

Oliver Legacy Elite II: Observations

Went to the Oliver Factory to view the OLE II. I do not own this trailer, but am considering purchasing. We have gone to the Escape factory in Canada, and have inspected the Big Foot trailers at a showroom in Oregon. We also have inspected the Airstream trailers, and many other stick builts. We own a 2013 Casita 17’ Spirit, highly modified, and will be comparing to this Casita. Would like more room.

Lead time is about 17 weeks, possibly slightly less, depending on the time of year that you place your order. The show room is disorganized. Very difficult to choose your counter top material, cloth material and colors of both. Best to try and identify everything you want well in advance of placing your final order. That is, do not go on the last day to finalize your order and expect to comfortably identify your options, if you do you will be very stressed out.

Pros:

Many really neat options
Fiberglass and all materials and marine grade fittings, very high quality
Fiberglass doors are molded with rubber seals
Lights everywhere, inside and out
Tandem axle, brakes on each wheel, four shock absorbers, leaf springs
Collar lock coupler
Has an outer hull and an inner hull (good): Has both bubble wrap and air gap
insulation, inside walls are smooth white fiberglass
Very large, load class E tires
Bathroom seems to have just a bit more room than my Casita, same design
TV placement in corner is unsightly (same as Casita)

Cons

Lack of storage, possibly less than the Casita. It appears you can’t or at least
shouldn’t, store anything, or very little, under the beds and seats.
However, does have a pantry, and drawers under the sink and stove
Has an outside storage bin that partially makes up for the lack of inside
storage
Overhead storage is possibly slightly better than the Casita, because trailer is
longer, but close to same
Black water line runs from the front toilet to the discharge point at the back,
between the hulls. There is almost no drop. It was stated that to increase
discharge flow you should raise the front of the trailer. Really? This
means that when you are in a long line at the dump site you must
unhitch, jack the trailer up, then dump. Very bad design. This almost
necessitates getting the macerator option.
Has outer hull and inner hull (bad): Very difficult, if not impossible, to repair
electrical, water and sewer lines. For instance, water lines are Pex, some
with copper ring connectors, other with compression connectors.
Compression connectors used because there is no room to use the copper
ring tools. Very difficult or impossible to access black and gray water line
valves
Having two outside electrical ports requires having a transfer switch, which
takes up valuable storage space, and may be having issues
Having Basket option on front frame significantly reduce turning radius
DYI mods very difficult or impossible to do.
Sleeps three comfortably, but not four.

Conclusion

Lots of bling, very high quality, trying to evaluate if value to cost ratio makes sense. Want the twin bed option: If it was designed to sleep four by not sleeping on the floor, I would purchase without a concern.
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Old 11-22-2016, 11:43 AM   #2
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Rzr,

I've never had to raise the front of mine to dump. I think that only means, as stated, that it will increase the slope. It has worked fine level so far. But if you did want to raise it a bit, you simply touch the button for about 15 seconds and you're there. No need to even disconnect. And the advantage of no hanging down plumbing underneath is huge to me.

I don't care for the optional basket on the tongue. But it's optional, not required, and I don't have it. One of the advantages of the Ollie tongue setup is that it is very long for excellent maneuvering and the jack is set back to where you can open a pickup tailgate without interference. Most trailer have the jack too close to the ball and very short tongues.

I'm not a fan of the TV placement either. Someone modified theirs by mounting it in the middle and had a bracket that allowed it to fold up against the overhead, above the rear window. Very clean.

So many things are tradeoffs. The double hull brings with it a host of advantages, but if you crash it and need to repair the glass, yes it would be difficult. It's probably better to plan on enjoying the advantages instead of planning how bad you are going to damage it.

I first wanted the double bed option, but found a twin. Now I really like the twin with it's walk between design and night stand. Even when we are home and Ollie
is in the garage, we still go out there to have "movie nights" in it.
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Old 11-22-2016, 12:34 PM   #3
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Name: Henry
Trailer: BigFoot
Tennessee
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Not meant to Dis the O. Really just to find out how owners handle the negatives that I saw. Anyone who owns the O that has a work around for sleeping four would be appreciated.

One though is to get the king size bed and sleep 3 or four adults

Another is to get the U dinette plywood spanner, but get the twin bed option, then use the spanner and an air mattress, resulting in a king size bed and so sleep 3 or 4. This really is not an option. I doubt that my adult boys would like it not to mention their girl friends....

The black water issue does not really pertain to us because we use other methods, but the company said some customers we having issues dumping, so I thought i would mention it.

The company had a drop down TV located over the back window that is not an option at this time. But it is so much better than the current TV placement that I for one would buy it and ut it in myself. The reason the company does not offer it is that one of the code they adhere to does not allow them to block the rear window, which is the safety egress window. As far as we could see it only blocks the window when the TV is in the down position, so Oliver may be able to convince the code people that it meets the code.

The Oliver is a well made and beautiful trailer. The main issues are the sleeping arrangements and the lack of storage space.
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Old 11-22-2016, 12:45 PM   #4
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Escape factory tour

How was the Escape factory tour?

I would be a first time owner and looking at the same 3 trailers for full time living. I appreciate the time you put into researching and your observations on all 3.

Thank you
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Old 11-22-2016, 12:49 PM   #5
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If the plumbing needs repair, how do you get to it cut the hull?
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Old 11-22-2016, 01:22 PM   #6
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If the plumbing needs repair, how do you get to it cut the hull?
Yes for certain items.
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Old 11-22-2016, 02:05 PM   #7
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If there was a requirement to sleep 4 on a regular basis I would not consider an Oliver. For two it is quite comfortable. We have the twin bed model.

I've never had an issue dumping, even when hitched. It would be easy enough to use the front jack to raise 4 or 5 inches while hitched, but there hasn't been the need to do so.

Access to the black/gray valves is from the rear dinette seat. Lift the cover under the cushion and there they are.

I agree about the TV location. I plan on relocating it centered under the rear upper storage so that it folds up flat when not in use. A couple of owners have done that using existing hardware and it works pretty well.

We've found that inside storage is good with the closet, pantry, kitchen and nightstand drawers and the overhead bins. The single outside storage area is not large and so we carry grills/chairs/rug/etc in the bed of the truck.

There are a number of access points built in around the trailer to access the area between hulls. I don't know if there are critical junctions or connections that might be potential points of failure in locations that are not accessible. Others smarter than me might know. I've not heard of anyone needing to cut away fiberglass to enable repairs.

After 6 months and over 7,000 miles we're happy with our Oliver. It's been trouble free, comfortable and easy to tow.
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Old 11-22-2016, 04:00 PM   #8
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Tennessee
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gsg,

The Escape company would not allow anyone to tour the factory at the time we were there. They were working on existing orders and at the same time trying to move into another building. Their current facility is small and very crowded. They did have one each of all their models outside and open for inspection. They responded to our questions. There were 20 to 25 other people going through the trailers.

We spent half a day or so looking at the 19', 21' and the 5th wheel. The fiberglass was well done, on par with the Casita, and is a single layer of fiberglass with a soft smooth padded cover inside, so easy to clean. The design of all their units are a bit more square in cross section, and therefore results in the cabinets holding more items (compared to the more rounded hull of the Casita). The units have wood cabinets, so the insides are similar to stick built trailers, and are a bit dark as a result. The drawers have metal glides. The cabinets are glued and stapled. Quality of the wood working is about the same as a low to middle end stick built trailers out of Indiana. We were hoping for a high end product, but were disappointed in the quality of the units overall, relative to the price. To put this in perspective, it is about the same level of quality as the Casita, but costs quite a bit more.

We viewed the Big Foot Travel trailer at Camper Outlet, 9620 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062. According to this dealer he is the only dealer for Big Foot in the US. I did call around to the dealers listed on the Big Foot website prior to driving out, and this was the only dealership that had units available. Some of the dealerships I called did not even know they were a dealer for Big Foot travel trailers.

There are two salesmen/owners at this dealership. I called to make an appointment two months in advance, and was assured the next shipment of trailer would be in two weeks from that date. When we got there we were not allowed to go into the only trailer on the showroom floor. It had been prepped for a customer and was ready to be picked up: I can understand why we were not allowed to go inside. However, I was upsit that they did not have any trailers at all from Big Foot. They were adamant about not letting us go into the purchased trailer. We did look at the outside, and we did go into a number of slide in truck campers, which the dealer said was the same quality as the trailers.

The trailers are square in cross section, similar to the Escape. They do have some sort of paneling over the fiberglass, with insulation in between. Fit and finish is high quality. The units are very expensive. Overall they do not have the bling of the Oliver but do have quality fittings. They are more expensive than the Escape, possibly more expensive than the Oliver.

We rejected the Big Foot (although I may go back and review again) because the propane tanks drop below the frame. We go over some fairly rough terrain and difficult situations and need the clearance. I asked the dealer if the company would be willing to place the tanks above the frame like other manufacturers, and he stated Big Foot would not make that change, others asked and were declined.

It is hard to recall much about the trailer, because I was a bit upset about not being allowed to go inside the unit that was sold, was upset they would not make a simple change, and basically wrote Big Foot off because they did not have the courtesy to call and let me know they did not have any units to view, even through I had left my name address, telephone number and email. I wonder what happens when an owner has a serious problem.
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Old 11-22-2016, 08:03 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raz View Post
If the plumbing needs repair, how do you get to it cut the hull?
When I went through the factory tour Jason told us that the whole rear bumper will slide out and certain things can be attended to there. For instance, the water tanks can be changed out and so forth.
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Old 11-22-2016, 08:22 PM   #10
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Name: Rhett
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
Oliver Legacy Elite II: Observations

Went to the Oliver Factory to view the OLE II. I do not own this trailer, but am considering purchasing. We have gone to the Escape factory in Canada, and have inspected the Big Foot trailers at a showroom in Oregon. We also have inspected the Airstream trailers, and many other stick builts. We own a 2013 Casita 17’ Spirit, highly modified, and will be comparing to this Casita. Would like more room.

Lead time is about 17 weeks, possibly slightly less, depending on the time of year that you place your order. The show room is disorganized. Very difficult to choose your counter top material, cloth material and colors of both. Best to try and identify everything you want well in advance of placing your final order. That is, do not go on the last day to finalize your order and expect to comfortably identify your options, if you do you will be very stressed out.

Pros:

Many really neat options
Fiberglass and all materials and marine grade fittings, very high quality
Fiberglass doors are molded with rubber seals
Lights everywhere, inside and out
Tandem axle, brakes on each wheel, four shock absorbers, leaf springs
Collar lock coupler
Has an outer hull and an inner hull (good): Has both bubble wrap and air gap
insulation, inside walls are smooth white fiberglass
Very large, load class E tires
Bathroom seems to have just a bit more room than my Casita, same design
TV placement in corner is unsightly (same as Casita)

Cons

Lack of storage, possibly less than the Casita. It appears you can’t or at least
shouldn’t, store anything, or very little, under the beds and seats.
However, does have a pantry, and drawers under the sink and stove
Has an outside storage bin that partially makes up for the lack of inside
storage
Overhead storage is possibly slightly better than the Casita, because trailer is
longer, but close to same
Black water line runs from the front toilet to the discharge point at the back,
between the hulls. There is almost no drop. It was stated that to increase
discharge flow you should raise the front of the trailer. Really? This
means that when you are in a long line at the dump site you must
unhitch, jack the trailer up, then dump. Very bad design. This almost
necessitates getting the macerator option.
Has outer hull and inner hull (bad): Very difficult, if not impossible, to repair
electrical, water and sewer lines. For instance, water lines are Pex, some
with copper ring connectors, other with compression connectors.
Compression connectors used because there is no room to use the copper
ring tools. Very difficult or impossible to access black and gray water line
valves
Having two outside electrical ports requires having a transfer switch, which
takes up valuable storage space, and may be having issues
Having Basket option on front frame significantly reduce turning radius
DYI mods very difficult or impossible to do.
Sleeps three comfortably, but not four.

Conclusion

Lots of bling, very high quality, trying to evaluate if value to cost ratio makes sense. Want the twin bed option: If it was designed to sleep four by not sleeping on the floor, I would purchase without a concern.
For more storage, as I agree, the Ollie lacks storage space, we will be pulling with an older full size pickup with an 8 ft. bed and will use plastic totes for extra clothes, a generator, maybe extra diesel, a tool box, maybe extra propane tank, safety equipment, chain, high strength rope, axe, high powered lighting, roll up table, camping chairs and stools, and according to the period of camping we can take extra water, gasoline and more propane etc. camp stove or bbq grill, hard wood to burn. For an idea list see this one:RV Travel Checklists - ////the lists here when you click on them prepare you for almost anything. It's best to talk to a active camper now, a friend, brother, or neighbor who you know goes camping or is a snowbird. My brother and cousin happen to be snowbirds and go to TX for six months or so every year. It helps to hear about their experiences and stories on camping. So I ask lots of questions too.
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Old 11-22-2016, 09:57 PM   #11
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Name: Dean
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
Oliver Legacy Elite II: Observations

Went to the Oliver Factory to view the OLE II. I do not own this trailer, but am considering purchasing. We have gone to the Escape factory in Canada, and have inspected the Big Foot trailers at a showroom in Oregon. We also have inspected the Airstream trailers, and many other stick builts. We own a 2013 Casita 17’ Spirit, highly modified, and will be comparing to this Casita. Would like more room.

Lead time is about 17 weeks, possibly slightly less, depending on the time of year that you place your order. The show room is disorganized. Very difficult to choose your counter top material, cloth material and colors of both. Best to try and identify everything you want well in advance of placing your final order. That is, do not go on the last day to finalize your order and expect to comfortably identify your options, if you do you will be very stressed out.

Pros:

Many really neat options
Fiberglass and all materials and marine grade fittings, very high quality
Fiberglass doors are molded with rubber seals
Lights everywhere, inside and out
Tandem axle, brakes on each wheel, four shock absorbers, leaf springs
Collar lock coupler
Has an outer hull and an inner hull (good): Has both bubble wrap and air gap
insulation, inside walls are smooth white fiberglass
Very large, load class E tires
Bathroom seems to have just a bit more room than my Casita, same design
TV placement in corner is unsightly (same as Casita)

Cons

Lack of storage, possibly less than the Casita. It appears you can’t or at least
shouldn’t, store anything, or very little, under the beds and seats.
However, does have a pantry, and drawers under the sink and stove
Has an outside storage bin that partially makes up for the lack of inside
storage
Overhead storage is possibly slightly better than the Casita, because trailer is
longer, but close to same
Black water line runs from the front toilet to the discharge point at the back,
between the hulls. There is almost no drop. It was stated that to increase
discharge flow you should raise the front of the trailer. Really? This
means that when you are in a long line at the dump site you must
unhitch, jack the trailer up, then dump. Very bad design. This almost
necessitates getting the macerator option.
Has outer hull and inner hull (bad): Very difficult, if not impossible, to repair
electrical, water and sewer lines. For instance, water lines are Pex, some
with copper ring connectors, other with compression connectors.
Compression connectors used because there is no room to use the copper
ring tools. Very difficult or impossible to access black and gray water line
valves
Having two outside electrical ports requires having a transfer switch, which
takes up valuable storage space, and may be having issues
Having Basket option on front frame significantly reduce turning radius
DYI mods very difficult or impossible to do.
Sleeps three comfortably, but not four.

Conclusion

Lots of bling, very high quality, trying to evaluate if value to cost ratio makes sense. Want the twin bed option: If it was designed to sleep four by not sleeping on the floor, I would purchase without a concern.

Hi Henry,

Thank you for your thread. Always interesting to read other's perspectives, particularly regarding Olivers!!! Laura and I toured the Oliver plant in September while attending the Oliver Rally. We only live 2.5 hours from the plant. We also got to see nearly all of the 14 Olivers that were there. We are not currently in the market and it would take cracking into a retirement account in 8.5 years for us to afford one, BUT I found them to be amazing trailers. Our plan is to continue enjoying our new-to-us Casita that we have owned for a year and to think about an Ollie in 2025!

Take care,

Dean
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Old 11-23-2016, 09:01 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
The Escape company would not allow anyone to tour the factory at the time we were there. They were working on existing orders and at the same time trying to move into another building. Their current facility is small and very crowded. They did have one each of all their models outside and open for inspection. They responded to our questions. There were 20 to 25 other people going through the trailers.

We spent half a day or so looking at the 19', 21' and the 5th wheel. The fiberglass was well done, on par with the Casita, and is a single layer of fiberglass with a soft smooth padded cover inside, so easy to clean. The design of all their units are a bit more square in cross section, and therefore results in the cabinets holding more items (compared to the more rounded hull of the Casita). The units have wood cabinets, so the insides are similar to stick built trailers, and are a bit dark as a result. The drawers have metal glides. The cabinets are glued and stapled. Quality of the wood working is about the same as a low to middle end stick built trailers out of Indiana. We were hoping for a high end product, but were disappointed in the quality of the units overall, relative to the price. To put this in perspective, it is about the same level of quality as the Casita, but costs quite a bit more.
Escape has now moved into their new facilities, something that will help them out greatly in production.

I know some like the stark, clean look of fibreglass cabinets, but there are many (like myself) that like the wood look, finding it warmer and cozier feeling.

After touring lots ofy stick built trailers, I would definitely say that the Escape cabinetry construction is well above the low end units. They are definitely not top end either. As a renovation carpenter who does lots of cabinetry, I am able to see quality where it exists. What Escape does is provide a quality build using less than top of the line components. This is done to save weight and cost, things that for some are quite important. There are many former Casita (and Scamp) owners now in an Escape, and they all say it is a set up in quality. Having a company that stands behind their product as they do, is another big bonus.

That said, there is not doubt that Oliver builds a quality unit, with a higher level of fit and finish than Escape. This though translates into a much more expensive unit, with less usable space.

Bigfoot too builds a good unit, with the fit and finish at par with Escape. The positives for them is that they build a true 4 season trailer, with a couple nice larger options for those that want that. I think the value is their for the cost, but that cost is a fair bit higher. Because of their good construction, they do weigh a lot.

It is great though that we have ALL these options, as competition and selection are a great thing for the industry.
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Old 11-23-2016, 10:03 AM   #13
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Jim,

You have hit the nail squarely on the head.

However, we prefer the white, high quality fiberglass interior of the Oliver, and don't much like a wood interior, which was probably the biggest reason we will not be going with the Escape: It did not jump out and grab us, which is what I was hoping for. The Oliver did. Did not have the chance to really see the inside of the Big Foot trailers, and have reservations, as previously noted. I am intrigued by the Escape fifth wheel, but there simply is not enough storage space available, especially because the back of the truck becomes less available for storage.

One thing that is important to us at this time is the unit be able to sleep at least 4 adults, not on the floor. The Oliver does not do that.

The longest Big Foot trailers do seem to minimally do what we would like, but start to get really heavy, and may start to push the limits of my 5.7L Tundra.

If I have to get a larger truck to pull a heavier trailer, I may just go with a motorcoach and be done with it.

To put it another way, the Oliver is at the top of our list at this point: As far as utility, the Casita is at 98% of the Oliver. As far as quality the Casita is about 50% of the Oliver, if that.

With the Escape, I put the Casita at 80% utility and quality at 80 to 90% of the Escape.

In other words, the value for the buck does not seem to warrant selling our Casita and purchasing either of the other units.
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Old 11-23-2016, 10:11 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
Escape has now moved into their new facilities, something that will help them out greatly in production.

I know some like the stark, clean look of fibreglass cabinets, but there are many (like myself) that like the wood look, finding it warmer and cozier feeling.

After touring lots ofy stick built trailers, I would definitely say that the Escape cabinetry construction is well above the low end units. They are definitely not top end either. As a renovation carpenter who does lots of cabinetry, I am able to see quality where it exists. What Escape does is provide a quality build using less than top of the line components. This is done to save weight and cost, things that for some are quite important. There are many former Casita (and Scamp) owners now in an Escape, and they all say it is a set up in quality. Having a company that stands behind their product as they do, is another big bonus.

That said, there is not doubt that Oliver builds a quality unit, with a higher level of fit and finish than Escape. This though translates into a much more expensive unit, with less usable space.

Bigfoot too builds a good unit, with the fit and finish at par with Escape. The positives for them is that they build a true 4 season trailer, with a couple nice larger options for those that want that. I think the value is their for the cost, but that cost is a fair bit higher. Because of their good construction, they do weigh a lot.

It is great though that we have ALL these options, as competition and selection are a great thing for the industry.
Jim,

I like your synopsis and agree with your conclusions. I trust your expertise as a carpenter and how it impacts your views of quality. I think a "fair and balanced" assessment. Cool that we have such nice choices and that we can find the trailer that best suits our needs and wants.

Take care,

Dean
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Old 11-23-2016, 12:24 PM   #15
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A couple of years ago, hubs and I saw an Oliver, and being Uhaul owners, hubs really liked the smooth, inside walls, not to mention all the quality in the camper. However, I really wanted a camper with a sense of multiple rooms and had been looking at Bigfoot 25-foot campers online. Happily, for our checkbook (The 25-foot was simply not in the finances, anyway.), we found our Bigfoot Silver Cloud. There is not a trip we take that we don't comment over and over how much we love this camper. In fact, hubs was not home when I came home this AM from a doctor's visit. I bet he is at the parking place where our Bigfoot is, doing something to prep it for our FL trip in a few weeks.

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Old 11-23-2016, 12:52 PM   #16
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CindyL
Thanks. I am going to check out the BF Silver Cloud on line right now. Wife and I were just discussing all this over lunch.
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Old 11-23-2016, 01:52 PM   #17
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Sorry, they only made 12 Silver Clouds in the 80s and 90s. Ours is a 1987. The 25-foot Series 2500 version RQ new Bigfoot model is similar though in that you get a sense of rooms like our Silver Cloud. It is nice to be able to go to the bedroom and nap or (eventually) watch TV that is different from what is being watched in the livingroom.

Occasionally, they do come on the market in various condition. We were lucky. We had to repair water damage in the bedroom, put in new curtains, a new fridge, a new door, new tires, new hitch, and, because we had a lot of sway, a Propride sway bar. That sounds like a lot, but we got a really good deal to begin with, and now, barring new stickers and since we cleaned and poly-glowed, it looks like a new camper.

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Attached Thumbnails
Bigfoot after painting.jpg   second kitchen shot.jpg  

bedroom Bigfoot.jpg   Bigfoot living room.jpg  

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Old 11-23-2016, 01:55 PM   #18
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Here is the link to the 25 foot RQ Bigfoot: 2500 Series Travel Trailers - Bigfoot RV - Truck Campers & Travel Trailers - Recreational Vehicle Manufacturer

The other thing is the Bigfoot Silver Cloud is really low if you are in rough areas. The newer ones are higher.

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Old 11-23-2016, 02:31 PM   #19
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Thanks for the pics Cindy. Looks great, good job indeed!
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Old 11-23-2016, 05:11 PM   #20
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Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
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Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
gsg,

The Escape company would not allow anyone to tour the factory at the time we were there. They were working on existing orders and at the same time trying to move into another building. Their current facility is small and very crowded. They did have one each of all their models outside and open for inspection. They responded to our questions. There were 20 to 25 other people going through the trailers.

We spent half a day or so looking at the 19', 21' and the 5th wheel. The fiberglass was well done, on par with the Casita, and is a single layer of fiberglass with a soft smooth padded cover inside, so easy to clean. The design of all their units are a bit more square in cross section, and therefore results in the cabinets holding more items (compared to the more rounded hull of the Casita). The units have wood cabinets, so the insides are similar to stick built trailers, and are a bit dark as a result. The drawers have metal glides. The cabinets are glued and stapled. Quality of the wood working is about the same as a low to middle end stick built trailers out of Indiana. We were hoping for a high end product, but were disappointed in the quality of the units overall, relative to the price. To put this in perspective, it is about the same level of quality as the Casita, but costs quite a bit more.

We viewed the Big Foot Travel trailer at Camper Outlet, 9620 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd, Tualatin, OR 97062. According to this dealer he is the only dealer for Big Foot in the US. I did call around to the dealers listed on the Big Foot website prior to driving out, and this was the only dealership that had units available. Some of the dealerships I called did not even know they were a dealer for Big Foot travel trailers.

There are two salesmen/owners at this dealership. I called to make an appointment two months in advance, and was assured the next shipment of trailer would be in two weeks from that date. When we got there we were not allowed to go into the only trailer on the showroom floor. It had been prepped for a customer and was ready to be picked up: I can understand why we were not allowed to go inside. However, I was upsit that they did not have any trailers at all from Big Foot. They were adamant about not letting us go into the purchased trailer. We did look at the outside, and we did go into a number of slide in truck campers, which the dealer said was the same quality as the trailers.

The trailers are square in cross section, similar to the Escape. They do have some sort of paneling over the fiberglass, with insulation in between. Fit and finish is high quality. The units are very expensive. Overall they do not have the bling of the Oliver but do have quality fittings. They are more expensive than the Escape, possibly more expensive than the Oliver.

We rejected the Big Foot (although I may go back and review again) because the propane tanks drop below the frame. We go over some fairly rough terrain and difficult situations and need the clearance. I asked the dealer if the company would be willing to place the tanks above the frame like other manufacturers, and he stated Big Foot would not make that change, others asked and were declined.

It is hard to recall much about the trailer, because I was a bit upset about not being allowed to go inside the unit that was sold, was upset they would not make a simple change, and basically wrote Big Foot off because they did not have the courtesy to call and let me know they did not have any units to view, even through I had left my name address, telephone number and email. I wonder what happens when an owner has a serious problem.
We have viewed several Escapes and they are nice trailers.
That being said I was also not impressed with the cabinets.
Hot melt glue and staples is something I would expect from IKEA
but not in $40 K trailer.. In one of the 21 footers we viewed the cabinet components were pulling apart ,the glue joints had separated, and the staples were working their way out . It may look good when new but probably not 4 or 5 Years down the road .
The cabinetry in a friend's new stick built is much better.
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