While one staple North American fiberglass 'egg' camper builder was preparing its first-ever off-road-specific trailer, another was putting the finishing touches on its smallest, lightest trailer to date. The all-new E13 shrinks down Escape Trailer's rock-solid insulated fiberglass construction to two-sleeper+ size, creating a tiny habitat that tows and stows with ease. And Escape offers a full baker's dozen of color options that range from explosively retro to three shades of gray.
In covering the all-new Scamp X off-road trailer, we took a quick look back at how the fiberglass 'egg' trailer concept was born in Canada under the Boler name. While Scamp has worked in the USA to carry the original Boler heritage into the 21st century, a number of brands north of the border keep the Canadian egg camper industry humming forward just as steadily. Escape might just be the best known among a group of brands that also includes the likes of L'air, Outback/Trillium and, until a year or so ago, Armadillo.
Interestingly, while Escape has been building trailers in the tradition of vintage fiberglass egg campers since 2002, it has far less history with the 13-foot (4-m) class of trailers to which the original Bolers belonged. From what we've pieced together, the company introduced a 13-foot trailer in the late 2000s when it was initially growing out its lineup of trailer offerings but quickly put it on hold in favor of the slightly larger 15-foot model that proved more popular and cannibalized sales. The manufacturer eventually discontinued the 15-footer and, prior to last month, offered only larger trailers ranging between 17 and 23 feet (5.2 and 7 m).
The new E13 changes all that, and it appears here to stay. Escape introduced the new model in November as a smaller, lighter option perfect for pairing with today's smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, including electrics. In fact, it's billed as the smallest, lightest Escape trailer ever, bookending the Escape lineup opposite the E23 Escape launched in 2024 as the British Columbian company's largest model.
Like Scamp, Escape builds its trailers using separate molds for the upper and lower halves of the trailer body. Instead of waiting until the gelcoat fiberglass halves are out of the molds, though, it stacks the upper mold atop the lower mold so the two shells can be bonded into a single body shell from inside, using more fiberglass and resin at the seam to unite them.
Escape's construction method gives the trailer the "single-piece" design claims Escape advertises heavily and serves as a point of differentiation from competitors like Scamp that secure the two molded halves together after removing them from their individual molds. Escape trailers have developed a very solid reputation for long-lasting durability and waterproofing.
Individual videos from Escape and Scamp show the different processes in action.
Escape insulates its trailers with closed-cell foam and adds in a soft-touch vinyl interior layer. It advertises the E13 as a three-season construction, but it does outfit the new trailer standard with a 12,000-BTU furnace for cold weather.
As with other Escape trailers, the model number is more of a ballpark class, not a precise measurement – the E13 stretches well past 13 feet, measuring in at 13.7 feet (4.2 m) long in total. Tack on another 14 inches (36 cm) when hanging the optional spare tire off the rear wall.
The trailer complements that length with a 6.6-foot (2-m) width and 8.5-foot (2.6-m) height to the top of the roof fan. That opens up a 6.1-foot-high (1.9-m) interior that allows men and women of average height to stand comfortably inside four hard walls dropping seamlessly down from the roof to which they're molded. The trailer weighs 1,850 lb (839 kg) dry and has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 2,500 lb (1,134 kg).
Inside, the E13 has a highly functional layout with a rear double bed and front two-seat dinette split by a central kitchen directly across from the passenger-side entry door. The dining table drops down to create a single bed for a third camper. The kitchen comes equipped with a dual-burner gas stove, sink and 85-L fridge/freezer.
Shoehorning a bathroom into a curvy 13-foot trailer entails some sacrifices, as we saw in comparing the Scamp X's two floor plans, and Escape avoids those downsides by launching the E13 with a single floor plan and no bathroom. It does slide an optional portable toilet below one of the dining seats to ensure the most critical part of the bathroom's function is covered.
The E13 also counts as standard a 3,500-lb rubber torsion axle suspension, manual side awning, 76-L fresh water tank, 12-V lithium battery, shore power connection, solar prep, ceiling fan, LED lighting, and dual 20-lb propane tank storage with quick connect. Pricing starts at US$23,999 or CA$33,600. Escape offers plenty of customization by way of 13 exterior colors, a number of which feel like a throwback to generations' past, and a variety of warm, rustic interior trims and fabrics.
Source: Escape Trailer
