An RV is a storehouse of technology. Combine that notion with Moore’s law—that computers exponentially become more proficient and smaller—then considering RV manufacturer K-Z’s achievement is no surprise.
The Escape Mini, an ultra-lightweight, fiberglass-roofed trailer coming to dealerships mid-May, fills a hole in the market that K-Z’s team discovered. Simply put, when it comes to towables, customers want more bang for the buck. Much like Apple has proved over the decades, the Escape Mini shows that smaller can be better.
“Reaction from the dealers has been positive,” said Brent Froman, product manager at K-Z. “They’re all packed with a lot of standard features that some of the other competitors put in as options.”
The Escape Mini, a proficiently utilized version of its Escape predecessor, comes with a standard feature list that outshines many lightweight fiberglass RVs, without feeling shoehorned. It’s been in development with the input of multiple engineers for the past year.
Assembled within the 2,800-pound RV just shy of 21 feet in length is a myriad of amenities. To list a few, the Escape Mini comes packed with: a convection microwave, 6-gallon gas/electric DSI water heater, 4.2 cubic-foot LP electronic refrigerator, separate shower surround with fabric curtain, separate toilet, 20,000 BTU furnace, plywood floors, power awning, LED light strip, exterior speakers, solar and backup camera prep, and electric tongue jack and folding grab handle.
“It’s very amenity-packed. … That’s what impresses me most about the Mini,” Froman said. “At the end of the day, we give the customer a very versatile unit.”
The Mini is narrower in size on the inside than the Escape, which has been on the market now for about six years. But it doesn’t feel cramped. A slide in the floorplans (of which there are four options) expands the interior, which comes in a decent, head-clearing height at 82 inches. As a big first for the company, the roof is comprised of one whole seamless piece of fiberglass. It’s weight is certainly something a quarter-ton pickup, SUV, or minivan can handle.
“A lot of people are wanting to go camping, do the RV lifestyle, but it’s a matter of not wanting to buy a big SUV or bigger pickup,” Froman said. “A lot of people have minivans or smaller crossover vehicles as their everyday vehicle. And they want to be able to … get a laminated trailer that’s lightweight and easy to tow, so they can get out and enjoy the RV lifestyle.”
At an MSRP of $18,000, the Escape Mini succeeds in answering a growing niche of people afraid to commit to buying a sturdier vehicle with a high GVWR, but who also want to venture outdoors in an RV.
For the more adventurous, K-Z answered back with the off-road package.
“What the package consists of is 15-inch mud tires, extra ground clearance, electronic leak control, heated holding tanks, and a double entry step,” said Froman. It’s essentially tailored to your Jeep owner or hunter going off the grid in the woods on the weekend, offering a lot more clearance over rugged terrain. According to K-Z stats, its popularity is more regionalized to Colorado, Wyoming, and the West.
For all potential customers, however, the Mini represents an opportunity to be small but with more livability, all while being able to hold onto their “lightweight, minivan or small crossover vehicle.”
For more information, visit www.kz-rv.com/products/escape-travel-trailers.