Help me narrow it down: retail trailer edition

Out of the three, based on our wants, what would you pick?

  • Escape 17A

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Escape 19

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Trailmarker Up&Out

    Votes: 1 16.7%

  • Total voters
    6

Grassland

Well-known member
Our staple and caulking special aka our purchased used 2010 Forest River Palomino Pony is nearing the end of its life. Barring stripping it down to the frame and rebuilding it.

We have our trailers of "choice" narrowed down to 3 units.
I use quotations because the trailer I/we want doesn't exist, and we don't have 90 grand in CAD let alone USD to custom build it.

Main goal for me is a sub 3000# "when dry" trailer that you can stand up in, has a main bed that isn't the table, and isn't built of OSB, caulking, particle board, and staples. It must also have a decent electrical system, LED interior and exterior lighting, an exhaust fan, and fridge. And an 8' awning.
My wife's requirements are higher. She really wants a wet bath, running water, and a furnace on top of my requirements. As well as a 9+ foot wide awning.

We have settled down to an Escape 17A with a cassette toilet.
(Cons are the placement of the door limits usable under awning space, is also fairly cramped, no "bathroom")

An Escape 19
My wife's choice.
(Cons are it's getting large by my standards, has an extra axle so more maintenance costs, highest up front purchase price)

Or a Trailmarker Up and Out with a cassette toilet.
(No "bathroom", cramped table under the lift up bed, less storage than either Escape, less available information online in general)


The Escapes will likely go down hill in quality and up in price in short order as the original owners were bought out by a For Increased Profit consortium. But in the near future the main product seems pretty decent in quality and materials as well as design.

Trailmarker is pretty new, nobody on here seems to have first hand experience, and it's the hardest sell to my wife. It's also in USD, so it costs me an extra 30% more or less to buy it.

The trailers would be used for one 1.5-2.5 week road trip per year, plus 3 long weekends and one or two regular weekends per year. Mostly on highway and graded gravel roads.
Almost exclusively non hook up sites.
Long term goal is more fire service roads, longer road trips of 4+ weeks, etc.

Would like a trailer that isn't built like ********, is 3 seasons (when without water) and isn't reliant on AC in weather of 28 celsius band warmer to be usable.
 

hscoots

Member
I've been considering Escape as well(17b and 19). Also talked to David from Escape, apparently they will have some offroad version in spring, so wait and see for now, doubt it will be beefy frame though. I think it's been few months now under new ownership, so reviews should be out soon in forums if people have issues with build quality and all.
If I had $$ to burn, would just import zone rv expedition series and be done with it. :)
GL with your trailer search.
 

WildRig

Approved Vendor : Boreas Campers
Hey Grassland, i'm the owner of Boreas Campers and we are getting ready to launch our XT-12 hybrid camper. All of our campers use "zero wood" construction. This camper will be around the 3000lb mark dry. It will also be four season capabale with heated tanks, wetbath, and 50 gallons of freshwater. Here is a link to the write up on the camper - Boreas Campers XT-12
xt-12 opened render.75.jpg
 

TGK

Active member
Wildrig, any likelihood this new hybrid could be ordered without the wet bath, plumbing, furnace, etc. for those who don't need all those amenities? On your link, I see a ball park in the 40K+ range loaded up. I understand how some folks may want all of those features, but a more bare bones version would also be appealing to those who don't need those features and also possibly put the cost within reach of a wider range of people.
 

Grassland

Well-known member
I've been considering Escape as well(17b and 19). Also talked to David from Escape, apparently they will have some offroad version in spring, so wait and see for now, doubt it will be beefy frame though. I think it's been few months now under new ownership, so reviews should be out soon in forums if people have issues with build quality and all.
If I had $$ to burn, would just import zone rv expedition series and be done with it. :)
GL with your trailer search.

There is a lot of hassle for imported trailers from Australia, such as doors on opposite side, wrong mains power, etc.
Plus I have a budget here.
If $$ was no object I'd have a trailer custom built.
Alas, we are stuck with production trailers under $37,000 CAD.
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Hey Grassland, i'm the owner of Boreas Campers and we are getting ready to launch our XT-12 hybrid camper. All of our campers use "zero wood" construction. This camper will be around the 3000lb mark dry. It will also be four season capabale with heated tanks, wetbath, and 50 gallons of freshwater. Here is a link to the write up on the camper - Boreas Campers XT-12
View attachment 566714


Thanks for this post. I've not come across this product before.
I'll run it past my wife, but I'm sure this won't fit her bill due to the layout.
I'll go check this out on a desktop computer.
 

WildRig

Approved Vendor : Boreas Campers
Wildrig, any likelihood this new hybrid could be ordered without the wet bath, plumbing, furnace, etc. for those who don't need all those amenities? On your link, I see a ball park in the 40K+ range loaded up. I understand how some folks may want all of those features, but a more bare bones version would also be appealing to those who don't need those features and also possibly put the cost within reach of a wider range of people.
We definitely want to offer a base model of the XT-12 and allow for some customization. It will take a bit of time to get out systems and processes nailed down to offer that. Since the "zero wood" construction is fairly expensive we have to be incredibly efficient for our margins to work. I would say a base model option won't be available unitl mid 2021.

You're are not the first to ask about customization. We've already received a order for 6 custom XT-12's for a backcountry EMS/Search as Rescue company. These will operate as mobile command units, equipped with computers, satelites, and gps communication systems to name a few.
 

WU7X

Snow on the Roof
If you can get by with a table that’s part of the bed issue, I’d recommend a Mission Overland trailer. Very rugged construction and made in Canada. We put over 9,000 miles on ours last year and I’ll be doing the Heart of the West loop in it this coming Septimber.
 

dreadlocks

Well-known member
Yer still looking for your trailer @Grassland? damn bro, u been at this a while now..

Dont look at on Tandem axles as a Con, yes you have to buy 2x as many tires.. but trailer tires are cheap, and most people's age out before they wear out, how long you expect it to take to put 40-50k miles on it?.. the pro's are that you now have twice the brakes, making mountain travel easier on you and your tow vehicle, and ability to crawl up and over rough terrain without pivoting on the hitch.. the suspension on single axles dont do much going slow over uneven terrain.. looks like that Escape is tandem torsions, even better.. with 4 indy wheels its gonna float down washboard roads and over big potholes.. I absolutely love my tandem torsions, Ive towed alot of different types of trailers and its an incredible performance difference.. most leafs shake the trailers apart on washboards, tandems can be worse because front and back are connected w/equalizer that can find a resonate point and compound the shaking.. my tandem torsion trailer flying down a washboard road is so silent its like your rig has stealth fighter tech.

edit, I also believe tandem axle would handle a blow out or other tire failure more gracefully.. chances of your trailer dragging you off into a ditch because it lost a wheel are almost none.
 
Last edited:

Alloy

Well-known member
I'd take the one with the highest payload. Extending trips you'll want to add batteries/solar/ water.

From what I can see of the Trailermaker pics the aluminum frame isn't designed well. The tongue is butt welded to the frame vs. running the A fame underneath to pick up the front cross members.
Should be something like this.
1581522808943.png
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Yer still looking for your trailer @Grassland? damn bro, u been at this a while now..

Dont look at on Tandem axles as a Con, yes you have to buy 2x as many tires.. but trailer tires are cheap, and most people's age out before they wear out, how long you expect it to take to put 40-50k miles on it?.. the pro's are that you now have twice the brakes, making mountain travel easier on you and your tow vehicle, and ability to crawl up and over rough terrain without pivoting on the hitch.. the suspension on single axles dont do much going slow over uneven terrain.. looks like that Escape is tandem torsions, even better.. with 4 indy wheels its gonna float down washboard roads and over big potholes.. I absolutely love my tandem torsions, Ive towed alot of different types of trailers and its an incredible performance difference.. most leafs shake the trailers apart on washboards, tandems can be worse because front and back are connected w/equalizer that can find a resonate point and compound the shaking.. my tandem torsion trailer flying down a washboard road is so silent its like your rig has stealth fighter tech.

edit, I also believe tandem axle would handle a blow out or other tire failure more gracefully.. chances of your trailer dragging you off into a ditch because it lost a wheel are almost none.

Still looking bud, what we want doesn't exist. Everything is too small, or too big and full of crap we don't want.
And most of all most product is built too poorly for the cost.

My wife's "top choice" is the 19 foot Escape with tandem axles.

But her frequent argument is we can keep buying used pop ups or hybrids made of OSB and replace them every few years rather than invest in a near $40k decently built unit.

LT235/75R15 are about $170-220 per tire and I would need five of them minimum. Actual trailer tires are even more.

Alloy, We would be getting dual batteries and at least solar prep on any trailer.
Not sure about fixed roof solar panels as I'd like to park in the shade.

To give you all an idea how bad we get hosed for things in central Canada (we are thousands of miles from any manufacturer) I'll post what the local OSB and caulk manufacturers crap goes forwhatTF.png
 

Grassland

Well-known member
I'd take the one with the highest payload. Extending trips you'll want to add batteries/solar/ water.

From what I can see of the Trailermaker pics the aluminum frame isn't designed well. The tongue is butt welded to the frame vs. running the A fame underneath to pick up the front cross members.
Should be something like this.
View attachment 566804
I hadn't noticed that. Thanks for pointing it out.
 

TGK

Active member
I drove up to the Escape factory in BC last year. They looked good for a trailer offering all the basics. I've also spoke with some local owners in Oregon who were very happy with them. One of the things I did not care for was how they have some of the "plumbing" hanging exposed below the belly. Placement varies according to the model. While one is most likely not going to be rock crawling with a rig like this, I still don't like it. I much prefer stuffing it away under a belly pan the way they did on my 49 year old Airstream. Having said that, I'd seriously consider an Escape if I decide to sell the Airstream. I've also seen an Oliver. Nice trailer but even heavier and way more $$. While not has refined as the Oliver, the Escapes seem like a better value. It will be interesting to see what Escape will be offering for an "off road" package. I'll be surprised if it's more than different tires and increased clearance like most manufacturers are offering.
 

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