We're Leaving the Molded Fiberglass World

[Mr Lynn]

. . . in favor of an inTech Sol Horizon.

I mentioned this cancelling my 'Wanted' post in the Classified section, but it's worth repeating here, considering my determined advocacy of molded-fiberglass travel trailers (see my 'Obsession' blog post from 2016). I signaled this development with a query early last month HERE about the Airstream Basecamp, which I began thus:

The side dinette bed in our Casita Spirit is pretty narrow, even with the 4" extension with plywood boards I made, and a bit of a pain to set up. See my thread from last May, HERE.) So I've been looking around at fancier fiberglass trailers (like the Oliver Twin) and stickies, for a little more flexibility.

I then began watching the classifieds for used Escape 19s and 21s (and Bigfoot 21s), but the few that appeared were too far away and (the Escapes) quickly snapped up. Lead time on new ones is 1–2 years off, and, to use the hackneyed-but-true phrase, we're not getting any younger.

So it was something of revelation when Mike (of 'Carol and Mike') wrote,

. . . You might look at Intech, they appear to be very good quality - travel trailers are only a small part of their trailer manufacturing. They have a couple of smaller trailers that look nice.

Jack Walter chimed in with observations from the RV show in Atlanta, and some photos as well.

I had never heard of inTech, so I hustled over to their web site, and liked what I saw. The closest dealer is about 70 miles away, but an Horizon owner on the inTech Sol Facebook page let us look in theirs, and then Tim of Tim's RV in Erving let us take a gander at a sold unit that had just arrived.

The inTech RVs are built with an aluminum cage on a welded-aluminum chassis, with a fiberglass nose and roof, and Azel/Fiberglass sides. They're not molded fiberglass (the floor is OSD with a heavy plastic coating below and marine-grade nylon covering on top), but so far the main complaints I see on the FB page revolve around defective Dexter axles, but others (including Escape) have had those. Of course, the Sol Horizons were introduced in 2019, so they don't have a long history, but inTech has been building a variety of custom and RV trailers for a long time.

What really sold us was the open feel of the Horizon. It's really only two feet longer than our Casita Spirit, and no wider (except for the outboard wheels), but the forward lean over the tongue and the huge picture window creates a much more spacious feel, even more than the equal-length E19. A fellow named Allan on the Sol FB page, who lives in BC near the Escape factory, pointed out the difference: ". . . walking in both within minutes you see exactly what I am referring to in the space. One is very open; the other very boxy, confined."

I think he's right. Below are a couple of promotional photos: Escape 19 on the left, and Sol Horizon on the right. Not quite fair shooting angles, but you get the idea. The Escape harkens back to the 1970s; the Horizon is new, modern. Look at their websites and you'll see the kitchens are the same. Nothing wrong with vintage trailers (our daughter and husband have a 1963 Avion), but I love the Horizon dinette (even if half the time you'll be looking at the back end of your tow vehicle).

Anyway, we've put a deposit on a 2022 model, already built for the RV show in Springfield, MA, after which we can have it—just before the newest price rise. So I won't have a full molded-fiberglass trailer (but the front nose of the Horizon is in fact molded fiberglass). However, we will have a new one in time for this summer, and if I lift the canopy I just bought for our Casita a foot or so, the Sol Horizon should fit right under it.

Thanks to Mike and Jack for the tips that led me to inTech.

[ShelbyM]

Very nice, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Bye bye!

[Carol and Mike]

I’m glad it worked out for you and you’ve found what you need. Good luck!

[Friz]

Only complaint I have is the wheels sticking out. I see posts and small trees taken down on turns. Same problem with teardrop trailers. Otherwise really neat.

[jeepers29]

Originally Posted by Friz

Only complaint I have is the wheels sticking out. I see posts and small trees taken down on turns. Same problem with teardrop trailers. Otherwise really neat.

That sounds more like a driver issue than a trailer issue.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by jeepers29

That sounds more like a driver issue than a trailer issue.

I'd call it a bit of both. Obviously if you never make a driving error, then you will never have a problem with outboard wheels. But for those of us who admit to occasional lapses, the stakes are higher.

I caught a few curbs with our Chevy Express (long wheelbase) camper van before I mastered tight right-hand turns. Thankfully, all happened at low speeds and without serious harm to anything beyond my pride.

Compared to a Casita, there will be a learning curve.

[Darwin Maring]

Just like learning to back up, it takes practice i order to get it right.

[Artist Chic]

Originally Posted by jeepers29

That sounds more like a driver issue than a trailer issue.

Hmm, this leads me to believe my "scrapes", curb issues with my recently acquired F150 is MY fault??? . Ha!
Guilty!


Mr. Lynn, I responded to your other post. It is great looking!
I hope you enjoy it! You can always share trips, right?
Cheers!

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by Artist Chic

Hmm, this leads me to believe my "scrapes", curb issues with my recently acquired F150 is MY fault??? . Ha!
Guilty!


Mr. Lynn, I responded to your other post. It is great looking!
I hope you enjoy it! You can always share trips, right?
Cheers!

Thanks, Gigi! I can always share trips here, if I'm still allowed.

One question, for anyone who may know:

What's the effect on air resistance of a slant down, like the Sol line has, as opposed to a more conventional slant up?

[jgilliam1955]

Looks very nice. Thanks for the information.

[nancyrnfit]

Took a quick look at the Sol Intech, and I don't care for the bed orientation. After owning a Scamp 16 for 6 years, and a Scamp 19 for the past 3 years, I, too, am looking at a different trailer.


Though I like the room in our 19 Deluxe, the bed is still a bit short. My 5'. 10" husband needs to sleep catty cornered, and I sleep in the triangle, which is OK-plenty of room.


I am perusing the Alto 1713. Very spacious and open, with the retractable glass roof, and I really like the bed setup. We don't use our wet bath, so just having a toilet is fine with me.



Gonna keep the Scamp 19 Deluxe until we get a new camper, and if it is the Alto, will probably be 2024!

[flaco]

Nice looking campers from Intech. Modern looking like a Parkliner. Those outboard wheels do give you less interior width but, if it's roughly the width of my R Pod, make it way easier to use your rearview mirrors while towing.

[Bonnie RB]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

... but the forward lean over the tongue and the huge picture window creates a much more spacious feel....

And yet for all the "advantages" that 'forward lean' offers, the rear of the trailer doesn't? I'll (Jon MB ) still check it out at the Big E show site, but we've already got a different replacement for our Casita on order.

Originally Posted by nancyrnfit

I am perusing the Alto 1713. Very spacious and open, with the retractable glass roof, and I really like the bed setup. We don't use our wet bath, so just having a toilet is fine with me.
Gonna keep the Scamp 19 Deluxe until we get a new camper, and if it is the Alto, will probably be 2024!

...and our "2024" 1713 will be ready in August 2023. Get your order in for 2025 delivery.

[Spongelander]

We liked the Sol Horizon (great layout, especially that window) but for our Casita's replacement, the better half wanted yet more room. The Terra Oasis was brand new, too large, and nosebleed pricing (but very pretty). Two years ago we put a deposit on an Escape 21, and with their second assembly line coming on, would have received delivery about now, at 2022 prices. We also looked for a used one, and also looked at Alto - which we like, but it seems more of a weekender/short trip trailer than even our Casita. Shockingly, we stumbled on a lightly used 2017.5 Lance 1985 for about 13,000 less than our Escape 21 would have cost. We're of course paying plenty of that back in gas mileage, and it doesn't fit in all the same places - but we weren't getting younger either, and the new Escape was a big check to write.

Do stay with the forum, and provide your feedback. We still attend fiberglass rallies, if only as an object lesson . The slide HAS come back in each time we've put it out, so far... Enjoy your new trailer and do report back!

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by nancyrnfit

Took a quick look at the Sol Intech, and I don't care for the bed orientation. After owning a Scamp 16 for 6 years, and a Scamp 19 for the past 3 years, I, too, am looking at a different trailer.

Though I like the room in our 19 Deluxe, the bed is still a bit short. My 5'. 10" husband needs to sleep catty cornered, and I sleep in the triangle, which is OK-plenty of room.

I am perusing the Alto 1713. Very spacious and open, with the retractable glass roof, and I really like the bed setup. We don't use our wet bath, so just having a toilet is fine with me.

Gonna keep the Scamp 19 Deluxe until we get a new camper, and if it is the Alto, will probably be 2024!

The Altos are pretty neat, and I would have considered one of the larger 'fixed roof' models (the retractable roof sounds problematic to me), but their lead time was comparable to Escape's lead time (1.5–2 years), and they were way up in Quebec to boot (of course, Escape is in BC, which is even farther from us). inTech is running behind, but only a few months for Sol Horizons.

As I recall, a lot of the Altos have twin beds, which we considered, but watch out—many twins are quite narrow (even the Cadillac of fiberglass trailers, Oliver, has only 30" twin beds). If you can deal with a 26' trailer (and a $70k price), the inTech Terra Oasis has a queen 'walk around' N-S bed (plus dry bath, and the same great U-dinette as the Horizon, but even larger). Last I heard the Terras are delayed until July '22, but that's better than some.

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by flaco

Nice looking campers from Intech. Modern looking like a Parkliner. Those outboard wheels do give you less interior width but, if it's roughly the width of my R Pod, make it way easier to use your rearview mirrors while towing.

Parkliners are 'modern-looking'? Maybe on the inside.

Taking the wheels outboard does increase the inboard space some, if you're starting with a 7' wide box (like our Casita); the Horizon has no wheel wells.

Note to those warning about the outrigger wheels: I posed the question on the inTech Sol Owners Facebook page (they don't have a proper forum, yet); respondents said they got used to them fairly easily, but advised practicing (good idea with any trailer). Horizon has marker lights on the fenders, so you can see them in the dark.

[Flydog]

It's too light on the net carrying capacity and the seams where the sidewalls meet the roof have always been a problem on my previous SOBs.

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by Flydog

It's too light on the net carrying capacity and the seams where the sidewalls meet the roof have always been a problem on my previous SOBs.

SOBs? I was concerned about those two seams (and the one where the one-piece fiberglass roof meets the nose cap). There is are plastic covers over those seams which does need replacing after 2-3 years, but owners say they cover up overlaps that are screwed to the aluminum framework. The only leaks reported on the Facebook page are from plumbing joints.

Net weight does seem low, but we put heavy stuff in our Expedition, not in the trailer, and there are just two of us.

[jgilliam1955]

We would like to get a bigger camper with a bed so we don't have to crawl over each other.
It may be Bigfoot or Escape 5.0? This is a few years off. To scared not to get fiberglass.

[Flydog]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

SOBs? I was concerned about those two seams (and the one where the one-piece fiberglass roof meets the nose cap). There is are plastic covers over those seams which does need replacing after 2-3 years, but owners say they cover up overlaps that are screwed to the aluminum framework. The only leaks reported on the Facebook page are from plumbing joints.

Net weight does seem low, but we put heavy stuff in our Expedition, not in the trailer, and there are just two of us.

SOBs is "some other brands". In my case Jayco and Montana. On the Jayco I had a small but persistent leak on the back vertical seam. I took it apart 3 times and never was able to stop it. Ended up selling at a huge discount.