Escape plans for the future

[trainman]

Just heads up on Escape, we where at the Pineknot Rally in Grapeland, Texas last week and Escape Trailers had there new CEO there to talk about Escape's plans for the future. There plan is to open a new sales and service facility in Texas, probably somewhere along I-35 in the DFW area. Escape says that most of the sales in the U.S. are in Texas and this would be a good area for there U.S. Sales Office. Trailers would be transported to Texas and sold from that location, thus you would not have to go the Canada to pickup your new trailer. This is to be setup in the next two years and it's possible for trailers to be manufactured at this location in the next five years. Escape also said that they have no plans for a dealer network and that this would be an extension of there Canadian facility. Escape is now owned by a large financial group and the original owners have sold out to them, the new CEO was hired to increase the Escape trailer brand and the group is on board with his plans. I guess time will tell on this, but all sounded positive at this time. He also said that Escape is working on a 25' model and a 21' with twin beds, but don't look for it soon, plans are down the road.

trainman

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by trainman

.... Escape is working on a 25' model and a 21' with twin beds, but don't look for it soon, plans are down the road.

trainman

Actually it's a 23' model: "Details of the new 23 are still being worked out...with a new mold costing roughly $100K, everything needs to be well thought out before finalizing that. Plan is to have a walk-around queen in the front, dry bath and kitchen in the middle, and rear dinette. Lots of logistics to work out with the plumbing, electric, working around wheel wells etc. It will be 8 feet wide and that also presents engineering issues with the shell. Tanks and drain plumbing may be enclosed underneath..."


"The new 21 plan specifics will be coming out soon."

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Actually it's a 23' model: "Details of the new 23 are still being worked out...with a new mold costing roughly $100K, everything needs to be well thought out before finalizing that. Plan is to have a walk-around queen in the front, dry bath and kitchen in the middle, and rear dinette. Lots of logistics to work out with the plumbing, electric, working around wheel wells etc. It will be 8 feet wide and that also presents engineering issues with the shell. Tanks and drain plumbing may be enclosed underneath..."


"The new 21 plan specifics will be coming out soon."

Hi: Donna D... To paraphrase an old saying...My what a big trailer you have Grama. All the better to Escape with my dear!!! Ha Ha Ha.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[thrifty bill]

Sounds like a good plan. South Central US distribution point with possible manufacturing too.

With the cost of molds, that's one thing that has surprised me about Escape. They have always been aggressive on investing in molds. In the last ten years, they have retired many molds: 13 ft, 15 ft, first 5th wheel (single axle), first gen 17, 19 and 21, first dual axle fifth wheel. Thats some serious $$. Each trailer has a top and bottom mold. Then you have the current production molds for the 17, 19, 21, and TA 5.0. By my count at least, I could be off for sure.

[trainman]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Actually it's a 23' model: "Details of the new 23 are still being worked out...with a new mold costing roughly $100K, everything needs to be well thought out before finalizing that. Plan is to have a walk-around queen in the front, dry bath and kitchen in the middle, and rear dinette. Lots of logistics to work out with the plumbing, electric, working around wheel wells etc. It will be 8 feet wide and that also presents engineering issues with the shell. Tanks and drain plumbing may be enclosed underneath..."


"The new 21 plan specifics will be coming out soon."

The 23' does sound right now that I think about it, how did I do on the other stuff I remembered from the meeting.

trainman

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by trainman

The 23' does sound right now that I think about it, how did I do on the other stuff I remembered from the meeting.

trainman

I wasn't at Pineknot. What I quoted was by David Murphy, and he was there. I copied the info from his post on the EscapeForum here: ETI presentation at Pineknot TX Rally Oct 2019 - Escape Trailer Owners Community

[WaltP]

I believe they also bought out another BC fiberglass company, Northern Lite.
They made a few travel trailers but now only truck campers. I wonder how they will fit into the new owner's plans.
I've seen a couple of their trailers, but only from the outside. Their truck campers are pretty impressive. There was one at Cherokee this year.

Walt

[Fred762]

Originally Posted by trainman

Just heads up on Escape, we where at the Pineknot Rally in Grapeland, Texas last week and Escape Trailers had there new CEO there to talk about Escape's plans for the future. There plan is to open a new sales and service facility in Texas, probably somewhere along I-35 in the DFW area. Escape says that most of the sales in the U.S. are in Texas and this would be a good area for there U.S. Sales Office. Trailers would be transported to Texas and sold from that location, thus you would not have to go the Canada to pickup your new trailer. This is to be setup in the next two years and it's possible for trailers to be manufactured at this location in the next five years. Escape also said that they have no plans for a dealer network and that this would be an extension of there Canadian facility. Escape is now owned by a large financial group and the original owners have sold out to them, the new CEO was hired to increase the Escape trailer brand and the group is on board with his plans. I guess time will tell on this, but all sounded positive at this time. He also said that Escape is working on a 25' model and a 21' with twin beds, but don't look for it soon, plans are down the road.

trainman

DFW area wd B right in the face of Casita, wh is 40 mi SW of Dallas.., one of ETIs main competitors for FG trailers. Sure wd be nice not to have a 2600 mile trip just to go up there to pick up our E21 next Spring..not to mention the distance we will camp on the way home..tho that will at least be camping..this does not include the delays due to unpredictable snowy weather The way things work in my life, the date for opening the ETI 'Suthern Office' will be April 28th, one day after we pick up our TT in Canada. ;-)

[Captleemo]

So will that 23 footer be a bumper pull or a fifth wheel.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Captleemo

So will that 23 footer be a bumper pull or a fifth wheel.

Current plans are for a bumper pull.

[Fred762]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Current plans are for a bumper pull.

Last floor plan I saw was possibly rear twin beds (like our old casita) and front dinette w driver side bathroom. Sounds ok but I'd hate to lose the storage and room betw the kit counter and the bath. Oh well our 2nd gen 21 is waiting.

[Fred762]

Interior cabinetry is the new "maple". Fabric is a neutral 'Jute' (Holly loves neutral colors) as offered by one of the 2 Canadian companies, as recommended by ETI
Sink is upgrade, ordered from HD and drop-shipped to ETI
WHND1913 by White Haus

Large wardrobe cabinets on Driver Side(DS) are as follows: Holly wanted both wardrobes "up top", so... 'rear one' (next to frig) was moved UP from floor level, by moving MW to a spot under the range. Front wardrobe on DS was added, atop what was planned to be a factory-std dbl-drawer cabinet topped with a a piece of formica, matching the kitchen counters. We added the big wardrobe atop that std cabinet and there4 gave up that smallish piece of counter..but we added a 'flip-up' counter extension wh matches the kitchen counters on front of extra wardrobe on DA, and a 2nd extension to the left of the sink area and a 3rd matching flip-up extension, in the dinette area on the passenger side(PS)..for use by anyone needing to sleep there.
Also can see the round vents we added in each floor-level storage cabinet, and the extra door added for 'under-bed' access. We also added a couple of 120V and 12v outlets and a second pair of reading lites in the rear corners of dinette. Not shown are the dbl battery setup, the lg front sto-box, the covered front window and wiring for Zamp connections for our solar array. We also had them save the 'sink cut-out' so we can add a table support to it and make our own smallish card table, after I finish the edges.

ETI is great about making changes to their std floor plans!!! ;-) They will install several Umbra hook setups, which we will bring on pick-up day.

[garyhall]

This has the full queen in the back. Also any update on DFW delivery opening?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by garyhall

This has the full queen in the back. Also any update on DFW delivery opening?

Hasn't launched yet: https://escapetrailer.com/new-fiberglass-trailers/

[1500]

Seems Escape is taking the wanting two more feet literally, 15,17,19,21, and now a 23.

I am going to take a guess that they went with a 23' in order to keep the weight down, and it will end up with a GVWR of 5k, keeping it the same as the 21, with a small increase in dry weight. Walk around bed means they can't put in upper cabinets around the bed, just at the head, that should keep the weight down.

Lots of people have been asking for a 21' with the same layout as the 19'. I really hope the boat is a small house boat.

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by 1500

Seems Escape is taking the wanting two more feet literally, 15,17,19,21, and now a 23.

I am going to take a guess that they went with a 23' in order to keep the weight down, and it will end up with a GVWR of 5k, keeping it the same as the 21, with a small increase in dry weight. Walk around bed means they can't put in upper cabinets around the bed, just at the head, that should keep the weight down.

Lots of people have been asking for a 21' with the same layout as the 19'. I really hope the boat is a small house boat.

You forgot that Escape once made 13' models also but they and the 15' models are no longer built.

[1500]

Originally Posted by Ice-breaker

You forgot that Escape once made 13' models also but they and the 15' models are no longer built.

I had forgotten about the 13', but I did know the 15' was discontinued.

I wonder what their sales breakdown is. Perhaps they will stop making the 17' next.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Fred762

We added the big wardrobe atop that std cabinet and there4 gave up that smallish piece of counter..but we added a 'flip-up' counter extension wh matches the kitchen counters on front of extra wardrobe on DA,

When we got our additional cabinet, the flip up counter was included in the price. I guess they figured since you lost the one on top of the drawers (over the furnace), you could use this one. I do use it - mainly to put my Stanley 1 gallon water jug. I love having that additional storage space.

[Osos1]

Doubt they will ditch the 17; that was their first and is still their model truly able to be towed by "mid-sized" SUV. Everything above is a bit of a myth unless you tow on the flats or you love the sound of 4K+RPM's when climbing any significant mountain passes and don't mind the trailer weighing as much as your TV.

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by Osos1

Doubt they will ditch the 17; that was their first and is still their model truly able to be towed by "mid-sized" SUV. Everything above is a bit of a myth unless you tow on the flats or you love the sound of 4K+RPM's when climbing any significant mountain passes and don't mind the trailer weighing as much as your TV.

Not quite a myth! I have towed my Escape 19' with an FJ Cruiser since 2013 over prairies and high mountain passes.