Has anyone looked at the Casita trailer as an option for full-timing. I currently own a Ford Ranger pickup with a 2300 lb tow rating. The Casita 16 footer weighs in at about 1700 lbs. It offers a full-size bed, full bathroom and kitchen with two comfy swivel chairs. It is fully self-contained and ideal for two, I think. With the rising cost of fuel I'm just considering my options. I would appreciate any feedback.
See you down the road someday I pray!

Songwriter

There was an older couple from Canada with a casita in florida a couple years back.Not sure if they were full time but they spent the winter .
BOB

We were attending an Escapade in CA a few years back and a young couple - full timers - had a very nice Casita. They mentioned that outside activities kept them out and about - used the trailer to shower/sleep -- next day would be another adventure. Did not spend time in front of the "tube"..

Don

Never use the advertised trailer dry weight when matching your tow vehicle to a trailer. Use only the trailer GVW, unless you plan to always tow empty, leaving all your clothes,etc at home.
Enter your actual weights into this towing weight calculator to properly and safely match your tow vehicle to a trailer. Some experienced folks even use a 20% safety factor in the towing equation.
To answer your question, yes, I know an older couple that traveled/lived in their Casita-type trailer for nearly 8 months around North America. They cherish the experience, and still talk about it, now 17+ years later. He was an accountant, she, a college professor.

We ran into a couple that spends several months every year in one of the teardrops.
I would not think about FTing in anything less than our 37 footer although many do FT in smaller units.

quote:

I would not think about FTing in anything less than our 37 footer although many do FT in smaller units.

We have twice met people who full-time in a Casita, one in a Burro and one in a Scamp. The Scamp was a miniature fifth wheel. We have also met one couple who were in their third year of full-time travels in a pop-up.

The real question is not if it can be done, but the question is, can you do it? Clearly some of us could not do so. Pam & I have been in a 35' motorhome with no slides for more than eight years and we still have folks try to convince us that it can't be done! Of course, there was a time that RVs like ours were among the largest ones so it just depends upon the person who lives in it.

I suspect that most people who begin full-time RV life in the smallest of RVs do not continue that way for many years, but there are exceptions. There is at least one Escapee who lives quite happily in a van that he built a camper into. Part of the question you need to address is, can you get everything that you want with you into the choice you are considering?

Although we do not full time we do spend about 9 months out of the year TRAVELING in our 17’ Casita. Ten grandkids and wanderlust after working for 40 years keeps us on the move. I guess the longest we have been out is about 4 months on one of our trips to Alaska. The longest we have ever spent in one place was about 6 weeks in DFW area for medical reasons going back and forth with one of our grandkids to hospitals. Me, my wife and two bark cannons (Chihuahuas) had no problems. We have had two sizes of Casita (13’, and 17’) and the 17 is for us because you can stand up inside and the bed is 14 inches wider than the 13 or 16 footer. During rainy days the Casita does get a little crowded and like Don says we use the trailer to shower/sleep -- next day would be another adventure and as a grandparents retreat. You have to realize that the 17’ is overall length and the actual body is a little over 13’. I second Ray’s comment about trailer weight. Casita clams the 17’ is 2,385 pounds. Our fully loaded with water, two batteries, two solar panels etc is 2,960 and right at 425lbs. tongue weight. We have towed the 17’ with both my 81 Ram Charger (stroked 318 to 381 CID) and since the Ram is basically a sign board going down the road we averaged around 12 mpg at 55 mph (the Ram has 4.83 gearing). Our Jeep Liberty CRD, which is our primary tow vehicle now, we get right at 19-20 mpg cursing at 1,800-2,000 rpm (63-68 mph). We have averaged this for about 120,000 miles towing with the little jeep. Other Casita owners towing with various tow vehicles get around 14-16 mpg on petrol. Every time we think about up sizing to a bigger trailer/tow vehicle we just remember that we can turn around in 36 feet and we have found is that the 17’ Casita can fit in almost any driveway so when we visit our kids / grandkids we can park in the driveway and not extend into the sidewalk or street. This turning radius plus what we think I acceptable fuel mileage when towing currently meets our requirements. If we do anything we will probably go for a 17’ Bigfoot with a winter package. Hope this helps.

We had a young couple park next to us at the free city park in Pioche, NV, this spring who were fulltiming in a Casita. There are people who fulltime in truck campers, so, yes, fulltiming in a smaller rig CAN be done.

If you will check the "Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle" topic and sub-topic "Article about two fulltimers, there is a link posted in there about a couple who are fulltiming in a Casita Trailer.

Most people do what their budget allows.
We have a 25 ft TT that I lived in alone
for two years while I was divorced and it
worked just fine for me.

Other people will tell you that it can't
be done in less than 35 feet.

Think of your needs and wants and just block
out other peoples opinions.

There was a couple that were full-timing in a Casita----

They had a sign that said:

YES-----We are full-timers.

NO-----We are not crazy.
===============================

My only thought was:

Where do they store stuff?

.

We did look at a 17ft Casita and no we didn't think it would work for us as I'm 6'2". We have fulltimed in a 23' travel trailer, moved up to larger units even tried a 5th wheel with a super slide but it wasn't for us, We currently full time in a 26' travel trailer with no slide and nothing in storage and it really works for us. We don't mind being close .

It's been said that the question to ask yourself about recreational vehicles is: how much inconvenience are you willing to tolerate? Virtually every one is inconvenient in some way. Some more than others. To each, his own!

Roy

Where we are currently camped there was a Casita that had a equal and seemingly matching tent/breezeway attached that looked like it would double the overall interior space.

For some this might work, but for us, it wouldnt.

I say go for what you are comfortable in. I'm trying to talk my DH into fulltiming in a 19' roadtrek.

These folks are fulltiming in a Roadtrek.....

http://www.mytripjournal.com/wecoombs&i=1