Hi, I'm new to the forum - looking for info on an armadillo or Escape

[greentravels]

Hello!
We are just beginning our adventure into the RV life! Right now we tent camp. We are looking for a small fiberglass trailer (ideally Canadian made). Does anyone have first hand experience with either Escape or Armadillo? We would need a trailer that sleeps 4 (3 - 5'+ in height) and is capable of being used in the late fall/early spring.

Many thanks!

[bjsmitty]

What size and what are you going to tow it with? I had an Escape 19 and currently have a 21. While they are both wonderful, the older 2015 19' was actually a better trailer. Fewer glitches. What ever you do, get the manual awning if you have a choice.

[WaltP]

A 17' Escape with the bunk bed option would be a minimal but quite nice fit to those specs. It Will sleep 4 6 scooters and the table Will Seat 4 in reasonable comfort. The bunk bed comes as a permanent installation but it's an easy mod to drill out the jingle pins and replace them with quick release pins and leave the bunk bed at home when not needed.


Walt

[greentravels]

Hi! I am towing with a RAM 1500 with the Hemi - think I am good til 12500 lbs or so.

Thanks for the responses on the Escape trailers!

[greentravels]

I read about a cot option with the Escape (I think)? Does anyone have experience with it for a 100lb+ person?

[greentravels]

Thank you for the pointers!!

[Gypz]

In 14 years have had a dozen trailers and the Escape has been the best so far. Easy towing and aerodynamic design makes driving in windy areas easy. Good luck 👍

[nerak31]

Hi, we were in a similar position. I had posted about debating between a Casita vs. Armadillo a few weeks ago, and we actually ended up with an Escape 17A! I think the Armadillo Backpack was our first choice, simply based on how it looks--much more modern, loved the color choices, lighter weight. My 3 young kids loved the idea of a triple bunk. The used Escape happened to be for sale and in a city where it could be shipped up easily to us. And most importantly, it was available NOW (versus the 6 month wait for building a Backpack). So, we decided to go for it. We just got it a few days ago, and we've enjoyed hanging out in it in our driveway. My kids are small, so the 5 of us fit in it fine for now. Can't wait to take it out!

There's a small FB group of Armadillo and Backpack owners that you can join to get a better feel for them. Definitely more limited than Escape, but seems like a happy bunch of folks. One of the more recent builds included a HUGE bed (king size, for a trailer), an overhead bunk, an enclosed toilet (not sure if it is a wet bath), and front kitchen with window.

Enjoy the research process!

[greentravels]

Thanks for the link to the Armadillo FB page! I am thinking that we might be more in the market for a used FG trailer. There doesn't seem to be too many on the market in Ontario right now. Maybe once September comes people will decide they want to sell? Just a thought. Thanks again to everyone who replied to the thread

[NW Cat Owner]

You could join the Escape forum and start reading up on them. Look at their website and figure out which floor plan works for you. When we were trying to decide (rather me, Dirk didn't care) if we wanted the U-shaped dinette, I laid it out in the living room with boxes and the couch, to replicate the size of their dinette. You could do the same either inside or outside your home, to see which size fits for walking around and sitting, etc, etc.


You can also ask the Escape company, as well as on the forum, for anyone that's willing to show you their Escape trailer that lives near you. Not sure how it'd work, or if folks would be willing, during these COVID-19 times.


We looked at the 19, 21 and 5.0TA when we were trying to decide which size we wanted. This was before we headed to the factory, as I didn't want to drive 3 hours north unless I was really serious about getting one.


By looking at different sizes you can whittle down what you're interested in, esp when looking for a used trailer. If possible, take everyone with you, so you can see if you can all fit inside the trailer comfortably.



I don't know anything about Armadillos, so can't give you any information there.


Good luck with your search.

[greentravels]

We did the living room layout for a 13' to see if we could fit - it is tight! There is something about towing something small that appeals to me though, even though the Escape 21 looks very nice!!

[Jon in AZ]

I agree... about small. I thought it odd you were cross-shopping Escape and Armadillo, since Escape hasn’t made anything under 17’ for years (and very few when they did).

My personal objection to the original Armadillo 13’ is the lack of windows: none in front and only a small porthole in back. The slightly larger Backpack model solves that problem.

The 13’ no-bath trailers feel amazingly roomy inside, more than the footprint would suggest. All-around windows add greatly to the feeling of space. One person remarked that a 13’ Scamp actually feels roomier than a 17’ Casita. Of course, the Casita has a lot more features and storage, so it’s apples and oranges, but open space in the Casita is tight, and the front bath blocks the forward views.

Our whole crew of four can comfortably hang out inside our 13’ Scamp on a rainy afternoon. More than a few hours, though, and we’re looking to get out, and it wouldn’t matter if the trailer were twice the size. A rainy day for us is a reason to take a day trip to a nearby town or don raincoats and take a hike.

Adding a wet bath changes the feeling of a 13’ trailer quite a bit, and (for me at least) would push me into a larger trailer. If you can get by with campground bathrooms or a porta-potty and washcloth, if you don’t mind converting beds to seating daily, if camping is mostly about being outside, and if you can resist the urge to bring a lot of stuff- then 13’ers are wonderful.

[greentravels]

I like that Armadillo and Escape are made in Canada (no border hassles). I see that Trillium is starting production in ON now too, so that's on the table . I have limited refurbishment skills, but am drawn to the redo projects so I can make it my own. For now it's tent camping for me and my family . I'm sure the right egg will come along

[Jon in AZ]

If you’re thinking older, take advantage of all the good information in old threads about common problems with each of the different brands so you know what to look for and avoid getting into a bigger project than you intended. The “site search/google” feature at the bottom of the search menu is the best tool for finding them.

I don’t know if Canada is as much affected by COVID-induced RV madness as the States, but on this side, it’s pretty slim pickings for both new and used.

Happy hunting!

[thrifty bill]

Its typically not a skills thing, its having the TIME and covered workspace. A lot of people are very busy with family/job/personal commitments and lack the time to devote to a restoration.

You really don't save $$ buying a project trailer unless you have plenty of time and consider it entertainment. On a per hour basis, your time needs to be free. Now if your time is free, a restoration on a budget can work, as supplies and parts are relatively minor in cost.

+10 Get educated, or get taken. There is so much here on this website. There is no reason to get surprised. Problems are well documented, and every brand has its weaknesses. Sellers rarely disclose all the issues, it is up to you as the buyer to make an informed decision. Going into it blind is foolish, as a few hours on the web and you can get a lot of knowledge. Some people seem to have time to do the research AFTER they buy, but don't take the time researching before they buy. I passed on several trailers that had terminal issues, big ones. Within a week, the sellers were able to find other buyers. Wishing them luck.

[NW Cat Owner]

Before we committed to purchasing the Escape (our first trailer), we looked around for several years, trying to decide what we wanted. Hit the RV shows and local dealers. Killed our knees going up and down inside a bazillion of them. But we were able to narrow down what we liked and didn't like by quite a bit. Nothing with dark brown upholstery! Ick!



I also joined the forums for various brands that we were half way interested in. After reading about many of the issues with most all of those brands, they were crossed off the mental list and I unsubscribed from those forums. I also rented a motorhome for a month long trip from Seattle to Sacramento and back along the coast, just to see if I wanted the lifestyle (even though we knew we didn't want a m/h; my FJ wasn't set up for towing). I joined the forum for that brand, so I could learn the ins and outs of it before the trip.


Joining all those forums was very, very useful in that my questions were answered and I also read what other owners were going through.


I remember one comment someone made on the forum for the R-Pod. Someone was complaining about problems and someone else said "it's the nature of the beast", meaning if you have an RV you're gonna have problems like that (leaking, loose nails, issues with slides and I forget what else). I decided "nope, it doesn't have to be that way and started looking at the fiberglass trailers, which I had just learned about.


So, yeah, definitely read the past posts on this forum and any others you join. I don't spend much time on Facebook, so didn't join any groups there, but others enjoy FB and it works for them. Get your questions answered and start learning about your options. It's definitely worth the time and effort to do so.

[Jackie in Indiana]

Originally Posted by bjsmitty

What ever you do, get the manual awning if you have a choice.

Can I ask why you prefer the manual awning? We are getting an Escape 5.0TA and my husband is super excited about the power one since it will retract on its own if needed... Eager to hear your experience!

[bjsmitty]

The Automatic awning is noteworthy for the problems. If it fails, and there are numerous ways it can fail, you are seriously stuck, such as if it tangles, the power remote fails etc. But on a more practical level, you cannot adjust it to control water runoff or block the sun. As the sun changes its angle, you can adjust the manual. The manual awning can be anchored with lines to control it in moderately high winds. In tight places you can again adjust the angle to fit. We also had a screen room that we loved, and are still looking for one for our new trailer, which cannot be mounted to the automatic awning.

Read through the list of problems people have had with the automatic awning. It is quite impressive.

[WaltP]

I'll let folks with the electric awning discuss the pros and cons. I looked carefully and decided I wanted no part of them. Unfortunately when I bought mine in 2017 the manual awning was a flimsy piece of crap and I quickly replaced it with the sturdy model used on earlier Escapes. It's what I had on my Bigfoot and knew it was as close to bomb proof as you can get.
And wouldn't you know it, shortly thereafter Escape went back to that style and it's now the default.
To each her own obviously but I think the current manual rollup awning is the best awning style made.

Walt

[thrifty bill]

The original manual original awning on my 2013 Escape is so reliable and easy to use. Meanwhile, the complaints on the automatic awning are countless. Paying more to get something more complicated and much less reliable makes no sense to me.