Twofootitis? Nope, fortyyearitis.

[Mitzi Agnew-Giles]

Parkliner will happily work with you to customize to your desires. Tom is in charge of sales and will happily show you his top of the line personal trailer. There is a truly amazing amount of storage space. It would have cost about $5,000 less than my Snoozy.
However, I couldn't have made three cats happy in it. Hence the snoozy.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Single car garage, Dave. So it might fit in but I couldn't store things along the sides and I'd lose a lot of the space in back, too. I haven't actually measured since I don't want a bigger trailer, just a newer one.

If I go new I'm probably looking at Scamp or Happier Camper. Scamp I might find a late model, used.

[lhowdy]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

New. I want everything in excellent condition, working. Not working now but about to break. Not sorta working. Not working today but stops working in the middle of a trip. I'd consider late model, barely used. But if I get a new trailer I don't want to have to fix or upgrade anything unless I want to- not because I have to.

What I like about the Campster- low height, decent sized bed (but I only use it as a 48" wide bed), lightweight, back door. What I don't like (besides age-related defects)- lack of floor space, not very well planned storage, lack of insulation, no awning, no extra bed, poor lighting, no counter space (I'd rather have no kitchen if there is no counterspace). I don't think I'll find the perfect trailer but I'm going to look for something that I like.

Even tho you buy new you aren`t guaranteed that everything will work. Trust me we did that & yes there was more things went wrong than any other time when we have bought used.

[Jimp]

Unless you plan to camp without electricity , there is no need to spend money & get a heater installed , as the smallest electric heater will keep you happy in a 13 ' camper .

[Bobbie Mayer]

I want a heater that isn't on the floor and can't be knocked over- I have dogs who camp with me. But I don't need a propane heater and there are lots of electric options.

[Jimp]

The small el. Heaters can be placed anywhere you have an outlet , be it on the floor on a table or any other location you desire . The most important advantage to me , was it's light weight . Space saving is another advantage .

[Bobbie Mayer]

In my Campster I have an electric space heater that mounts on a wall. Works great. I tried a free-standing one but it was always in the way. But you are right that it doesn't take much heat.

[Bobbie Mayer]

I found the cure for my forty year-itis- I bought an Escape 15A. Or am in the process- I won't get it until the former owner picks up the new Escape next month. I'm in the process of looking for a new Tow as well, probably a Rav4 V6 (2012) or possibly a Toyota Tacoma. (I think the Forester could pull the Escape if it is loaded properly but I think I'd rather not worry about that all the time.)

I was thinking about a new 13 but my dream trailer has been an Escape 15.

[Glenn Baglo]

Can't recall what the 15' tongue weight is off-hand, but I think it's close to the tongue weight of the 17'. Mine runs 320#, or significantly more than the Forester can handle.
Here's the thread: http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ight-3830.html

[Donna D.]

Bobbie bought at 15A. No bathroom, that has to help with the tongue weight (?)

[Glenn Baglo]

I think the issue is that the kitchen is at the front of the trailer.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Bobbie bought at 15A. No bathroom, that has to help with the tongue weight (?)

Right. And if I needed to I could carry one small propane tank, plus there is a back end hitch so I could use that to balance the tongue load. I had it figured out, but when I started to think about rewiring the Subaru I also started to think about upgrading to something with a little more power. A single axle trailer is pretty easy to balance- I did it all the time to keep my boat trailer's tongue weight correct. In the Campster I have to add tongue weight by carrying the canopy up front (under the table/permanent bed).

But I have a 2012 Forester so I'm not going older if I find a nice 2012 Rav4. I haven't ever driven one so need to do that before I decide for sure what to look for. The Forester has great headroom so if the Rav4 doesn't I'll be looking at something else.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I think the issue is that the kitchen is at the front of the trailer.

Dry tongue weight is 190; Forester can do 200. The fridge is almost over the axle, mine doesn't have a sink (so no water.) (I never used the sink in the Campster.) I also don't use propane in the Campster though I might want to use the heater in the Escape. The bed with storage is in the back so plenty of places to store heavier things and adjust for tongue weight. So I think it is do-able and if I don't find the right vehicle I'll do it for awhile, but I think for mountains I'd like more power.

[Glenn Baglo]

Dry hitch weight ( tongue ) for the 17' is 250#. My actual loaded tongue weight ( two propane tanks, no storage box, batteries on the rear bumper ) is 320#.
But, it's not my Forester.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Dry hitch weight ( tongue ) for the 17' is 250#. My actual loaded tongue weight ( two propane tanks, no storage box, batteries on the rear bumper ) is 320#.
But, it's not my Forester.

Tongue weight is a variable. It's more of one than most people realize. You can get out the scales and adjust it. If you tried I bet you could get your tongue weight back to 250#. And the axle is more centered on the 15 so easier to change tongue weight than it would be- from the pics it looks like the axle is further back on the 17.

Overall weight is more of a concern for me, though, on towing uphill. The brakes will take care of towing downhill but don't help with the uphill part, and I like to have a little pep on the hills.

[Dave Fish]

Once you get it, bring it up to the transfer station by Coupeville to get it weighed. They said the would not charge me to weigh the Campster behind my Ridgeline. I know the weight of the Ridgeline with the dog, so the math is simple. I plan to do it this coming week to see if my wife can tow it behind her CRV.

If you are concerned about getting it weighed before hooking it to the Forester, let me know. I'd be glad to help you out.

Besides, I want to meet you and compare notes on the Campsters.

1970 Trails West Campster
2008 Honda Ridgeline

[Bobbie Mayer]

Good idea. I wondered if they would do that but forgot to ask when I was up there.

[40bpm]

It seems there are other FGRV forum members on Whidbey Island. We could have our own rally.

[Mary F]

Congrats, Bobbie! I saw your post on Escape Forum, but wasn't sure it was you. Lucky day, finding a 15!

[Dave Fish]

Originally Posted by 40bpm

It seems there are other FGRV forum members on Whidbey Island. We could have our own rally.

We should do that. I know a couple of others that may or may not be on here.

1970 Trails West Campster
2008 Honda Ridgeline