Casita Travel Trailer Tour Freedom Deluxe 17

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Take a tour of our little Casita trailer camper as we show you the inside and out. It’s a 2019 Casita Freedom Deluxe 17′ travel trailer that we tow with our Jeep Cherokee – and yes it even comes with a bathroom. In this video and post, we’ll show you what it came optioned with, as well as the specs and tank capacities. 

In our last blog post and video, we shared the big news of our recent purchase: a second/additional RV to our motorhome. You can catch the backstory of why we decided to buy this little Casita trailer here in this post with a video.

You can watch the related video for a more visual tour. But we recommend reading the full post below for additional details and information.

RV Tour of the Outside of our Casita Trailer

As you can see, this camper is pretty small. It is not much longer than the Jeep we tow it with. Our Casita trailer is 17 feet long, under 9 feet tall, and under 7 feet wide. The smaller 16’ version of this trailer is only 7’8” feet tall since it does not have a rooftop air conditioner and has a lower interior height. Our 17’ trailer only weighs 2,500 pounds empty and can carry a maximum of about 1,000 pounds of water and cargo when fully loaded. 

By comparison, our Country Coach motorhome is 40 feet long, 12 feet tall, and 8.5 feet wide, weighing 32,000 pounds. And it is quite luxurious and spacious, especially after our Ultimate RV Makeover.

The Casita Trailer Fiberglass Construction Style

One of the best things about these little fiberglass shell trailers is their construction style. It is basically made up of two shells attached at the center, then attached to a base frame. This virtually eliminates seams/seals, which makes it virtually leakproof, pest-proof, and super easy to maintain. 

Some fiberglass shell trailers (like Oliver) take a step further and build double-hull shells, providing even better insulation. These Casita trailers are single hulls and are lined with carpet inside. The shells create the structure, so there is no need for internal framing with wood or metals. In fact, most of the internal cabinetry and internal walls are also made of large molded fiberglass pieces.

It is put together with rivets, like Airstreams. But there are so few pieces, so it doesn’t need nearly as many rivets. We love that this model has many large windows considering its small size. They make for a light and bright interior and lots of ability to take in the views surrounding your campsite.

Walking Around The Casita Exterior

Up front, there are two 20-pound propane tanks. Ours also has the upgraded electric tongue jack for even easier connecting and disconnecting to our tow vehicle. We also have the high lift package and aluminum wheels.

On the street side, there is a city water connection near the back, an outside shower in the middle, and the sewer connections are located toward the front of the camper.

There is also a 6-gallon water heater and a small storage area for the power cord with enough room to include an extension cord and an adapter in case you don’t park where there is a 30-amp power supply.  

Speaking of power, we are impressed that this little camper can run well off a regular 20amp 120 outlet. It can even run the air conditioner because it only needs a small air conditioning unit to keep it cool. There is also a battery bay that originally housed a single 44 usable amp hour lead acid battery. 

Update: After our first few camping trips, we upgraded it to a 100amp-hour Battle Born Lithium Battery.

Back and Curb Side of Exterior

Around the back is a bumper that houses a sewer hose, and our unit has two stabilizer jacks. There is also a freshwater tank fill. But most of the back of the trailer is taken up by the huge window. There are big windows on three sides toward the rear of the camper.

On the curb/patio side of the camper there is a small storage area and the ability to check the water level of your fresh water tank. There is no fresh water gauge. If you want to see how much water you have, you just open this bay and look at the tank. 

Our little camper has the upgraded 23-gallon fresh water tank. The standard size is 16 gallons. The large 32-gallon grey tank is located on the belly of the trailer, and the 15-gallon black tank is at the front under the toilet. Exterior storage is extremely limited. 

Our Casita trailer also has an upgraded awning, outside shower, furnace, and a huge list of interior upgrades. The original owners ordered this little camper loaded up with just about every option, even a Casita cover (which has never been used).

What is it like Inside our Casita Freedom Deluxe?

Though this is a pre-owned, one-year-old RV, it is in like new condition because the first owners only used it three times. They never used the toilet, shower, furnace, or many of the other features because they stayed at campgrounds and used campground facilities.

Being just 17 in total length, as you would expect, it is pretty compact inside. The living area is less than 14 feet long, and Marc can literally stand in the middle and touch both side walls with his arms outstretched. The total square feet is probably around 80-90. The interior height is a bit over 6’ tall, which is fine for us because we are not tall. That said, at only 5’8”, Marc has hit his head quite a few times on the low spots in doorways.

The general layout of our Freedom Deluxe includes a bathroom and small closet up front, to the right as you enter the trailer. Two swivel chairs are at a small table and a kitchen area is in the middle. At the rear of our camper, there is a bed that could be converted into a dinette area, but we leave it set up as a bed at all times. The interior walls are either fiberglass or carpet-lined for insulation and sound reduction. Yep, there is carpet on the walls, but the flooring is wood looks vinyl.

More Detail On Our Casita Trailer Interior

Starting at the front, the closet right as you enter is larger than it first appears because it is quite deep. We chose to hang a few clothes but felt the space was better utilized by using a hanging shoe rack, rolling our clothes, and using the cubbies for other storage. The base of the closet is good for bulky items like leveling blocks and tools. 

The Middle / Main Cabin Living Area

On the patio side of the main area, there is a kitchen. It has a 3-way fridge at the bottom, an optional microwave, and storage at the top. It is all built into a fiberglass mold, which makes it really clean-looking and solid. The cabinet doors on ours are all light gray. Previous years often had brown wood grain cabinet doors. We really like the more modern look of the gray cabinets in the 2019 model. Also, all the cabinets have locking handles to keep everything in place while in motion. And they really do work well.

The Freedom model has two swivel chairs at a small table. The chairs are quite comfy, and the swivel is nice because you feel like you aren’t locked into a small rigid space of other units. But, unlike those models with fixed seats, this dining area will not convert to an extra sleeping area. One of the fun things about a small camper is that nothing is ever far away. 

For example, I could be sitting at the dining table and getting something out of the fridge or microwave, or setting my dishes in the sink, grabbing some silverware from the drawer, or grabbing something off the bed. All of which without leaving my seat.

The kitchen area also has a small sink and a two-burner stovetop. You can use the stove top lid, a sink cover, or the dining table for prep space, as there isn’t any other counter space. We really like how the lid for the stove serves as a splash/splatter guard to protect the bed area from getting messy. 

Bedroom / Dinette of Our Casita Trailer

The bedroom area can also be used for dining if you had a family and make it up as a bed each night. But we leave it permanently set up as a bed. It’s a double-size mattress of around 54″ x 76″ with two rounded edges. So if you wanted your own replacement mattress, you’d need to get one custom-made to fit

This model came with a TV which is mounted to the wall, but we’ll likely end up removing that. It also has a 12-volt charging outlet and a power outlet up near the TV (and another down under the dinette.)

There are three storage cabinets above the bed. The largest cabinet (other than the closet up front) is at the very back above the bed. You could probably stuff most of your bed linens or sleeping bags in there if you converted the space to a dinette. 

There are cabinets all along the upper part of the interior. Depending on how you option a Casita, you might have even more storage. For example, if you choose not to order a microwave or furnace, both of those areas become storage.

More Bedroom Area Details

By always leaving ours in the bed position, we also have a huge storage area underneath the middle of the bed. Only the middle, though, because one side is the fresh water tank, and the other is the hot water heater, battery, and other mechanicals. It is big enough to slide a large laundry basket in there with room to spare.

Our bed is quite comfortable because the previous owner bought a bed ‘case’ that you stuff the original cushions in, zip it up, and have a built-in pillow top. It feels like a real mattress, not just a few cushions laid down to pretend to be a bed. It works well for people our size but would be a bit cramped for taller folks. 

For perspective, Marc is 5’8” tall, and Julie is about 4’8” tall.  Julie sleeps at the very back because that part of the bed is curved on the ends, reducing the length. When Marc lays in the bed with the pillow touching the wall, his toes can touch the opposite wall. So if you are much taller, you might need to bend your knees or consider one of the other Casita trailer models with 6” longer beds, like the Independence or Liberty.

The Casita Trailer Bathroom

The Deluxe versions of Casita trailers have a small wet bath at the front. I say small, but it is actually bigger than some other wet baths I have been in. There is quite a bit of room to have a shower, and you don’t need to straddle the toilet to do so. It is great that it is all one-piece white fiberglass inside the wet bath, making it easy to wipe down and keep clean. Also, with a small window and fan, it can air out and dry out pretty efficiently.

There is storage for bottles on shelves, and also some water-tight cubbies down low that have a marine-like feel. The toilet is a simple plastic gravity flush that drops straight into the black tank. There isn’t a gauge for the tank. If you want to know how much is in there, you need to grab a flashlight and look down the hole.

There’s a tall mirror on the outside of the bathroom door, facing into the living area. The door tends to get in the way a bit. We’re considering removing it and replacing it with a curtain.

How Does The Casita Trailer Tow?

The Casita’s egg-like shape is great for aerodynamic efficiency, whether from the head winds of being towed or with crosswinds.  It tows amazingly well behind our 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with the V6, 9-speed transmission, and towing package. Our Jeep is rated to tow 4500 pounds. But FYI, most Jeep Cherokees are only rated for 2000, which is a great reminder to always be aware of your vehicle ratings before towing. We were impressed that we could average 20mpg towing the camper from Texas back up to Colorado.

Our Overall Thoughts So Far

We really do love how efficiently laid out it is. A lot of RV goodness is packed into this little space, and we think it is very well thought out. Casita offers four different floor plans in the 17-foot length. Each is offered in standard or deluxe. The deluxe models include a bathroom in the area that is normally just storage or a bunk bed in the standard model. Ours is the 17-foot Freedom Deluxe.

We have also been loving our trips in the Casita trailer. It is so fun having a smaller, more nimble camper that we can park just about anywhere. Whether boondocking on a remote, rough road, squeezing into a tiny campsite, or parked in a friend’s or family member’s driveway are all easy. Especially compared to when we are used to trying to find places to put our 40’ Class A motorhome. 

The floor plan works great for us. We plan to make a few little changes as we get more organized and start personalizing it for our needs. So far, we are super happy with how easy it is to tow, park, set up, and maintain.  

Specifications of our 2019 Casita Freedom Deluxe 17' Trailer

Here’s how our 2019 Casita Freedom Deluxe 17′ came optioned, as ordered by the original owners, along with specs:

Standard Inclusions

  • Four cu ft Dometic refrigerator with freezer
  • Flat entrance door with screen
  • Large rear window (slides open with screen)
  • Roof mounted Air Conditioner with Heating Element
  • Rear dinette/bed
  • Pull out trailer step at the entrance
  • 32 Gallon Grey Water Tank

 Optional Extras of our Casita Trailer

  • Furnace
  • Aluminum Cased Patio Awning
  • 23 Fresh Water Tank Upgrade
  • Microwave Oven
  • LED Interior and Exterior Lights
  • 15″ Aluminum Alloy Wheels
  • Electric Tongue Jack
  • Friction Anti-Sway Control
  • Casita Trailer Cover
  • High Lift Suspension Package with High Lift Axle and 15″ D Range Tire Upgrade
  • Flat Screen 22″ HD Television with DVD Player
  • Air Conditioner Roof Mount
  • Water Heater 6 Gallon, Gas, Electric, Electronic Ignition with By-Pass Kit
  • Outside Shower/Wash Station

Funnily enough, we recently discovered that we have had the 2019 model brochure for over a year, and that’s the exact model we bought, albeit lightly used!

How to Buy a Casita Trailer

We found ours via an ad listing on RVTrader.com, and you can often find them on Craigs’ List or in Owner’s Groups. Casita trailers are not sold through dealers. Instead, they sell directly to consumers from the Manufacturing and Sales Facility in Rice Texas. If you want to learn more, their website is www.casitatraveltrailers.com; phone 1-800-442-9986.

You can order the base Casita trailer in 16′ and 17′ lengths, as a Standard or Deluxe (with bathroom) and choose from 4 floor plans. You can option it pretty much however you like, which will impact the price. We bought ours a year old, and while it wasn’t a huge saving on buying new, it did mean we were able to get it now instead of waiting several months for a new delivery. And it came with some upgrades that the previous owner added.

Finally, this is NOT a sponsored post or video. We have NO affiliation with Casita. But if you do happen to buy one, let them know if our blog post / video was helpful to you. Maybe they’ll share some of our posts.

Are you a Casita trailer or other fiberglass camper owner, too? Let us know in the comments below. And give us a wave if you see us out and about!

GOT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?

We would love to hear from you. Drop us a note in the comments section below.

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28 thoughts on “Casita Travel Trailer Tour Freedom Deluxe 17”

  1. Hi! We are Larry and Judy from Texas! We just got our Casita 10 days ago. We got the Spirit Deluxe. We had it home for 3 days and then took off on a business trip so we pulled it behind us to Tyler State Park for 3 nights. Larry said pack lite the first trip and we’ll determine what we need! On our last night in the park, another Casita pulled in. I got so excited to see another one. Anyway, LOVE our little home away from home! Really enjoy reading about your adventures. So long for now!

    Reply
    • Hello and congrats on your new Casita! They are SUCH cute little campers – we get comments on ours ALL the time! Definitely small though so ONLY take what you absolutely need. Have fun – there is a great group of owners that. meet up at events and rallies too! You might like to check that out! Safe and happy travels!

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  2. Hi there from Rio Rancho, NM near Albuquerque. We ordered a 17ft Freedom Deluxe Casita from the factory in January and expect to receive it early June. We saw a real one owned by a couple near us and tried the chairs and before ordering. Unlike you, we are moving UP from an Aliner, so it will seem palatial, and ditching the “luggable loo” bucket for a bathroom—woohoo!!! We have a new ‘21 Subaru Ascent for towing. We bought many of the same options you have, plus solar and the upgraded battery. We own 13.5 acres of land in the Jemez mountains where we plan to camp, as well as hitting the road to explore. LOVED your video and YES…PLEASE do post more about your Casita, ESPECIALLY your storage tips and any other “hacks” you discover.

    Reply
    • Hi there! Congrats on your new soon-to-be-yours Casita! You will love it! It WILL feel palatial by comparison to your Aliner LOL What a beautiful area you have to camp on! So glad you enjoyed the video and we definitely have more Casita videos and RV storage/organization tips we want to share. Been busy working on our next book for the last few weeks (you will love it based on what you have shared) but we hope to getting caught up on our other content soon! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. At 6’4″ tall I slept many nights in the 2002 Casita that we owned using a smaller pillow. I towed it with a V6 Nissan Xterra which they discontinued in 2014. It did an excellent job of towing it. There are 2 Casita web sites which are quite good.

    If you are in the area of Rice TX, south of Dallas you can visit the factory. They are friendly folks and will give you a tour so that you can see how they are built.

    Reply
    • HI Herb! Thanks for sharing. Wow 6’4″ and you still made it work sleeping in the Casita – which floor plan did you have? Great to hear your Nissan Xterra towed it well, we have been surprised at how well it tows behind our Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (6 cylinder). We have joined some of the Casita Facebook groups, and planned to do a tour of the factory while we were down there, but they are not doing tours right now due to COVID. No doubt we will get down there at some point! Safe travels to you!

      Reply
  4. HI
    Thanks for the video, very helpful to me as I make plans to buy my first FG RV. I am torn between the Casita 17 deluxe and the Scamp. I would travel on my own with occasional guests so either would work. Do you have any pros and cons when comparing the scamp 16(option 6) and the Casita 17 deluxe ? Especially in the areas of value vs. cost, quality and durability. tow ease and clearance from the ground are important to me as well, since I see a little off road time in my future. I will tow with a 2020 honda ridgeline.
    Thanks
    Teresa
    [email protected]

    Reply
    • Hello Teresa, As you know, the Casita and Scamp are very similar products. Personally, we just feel that the styling and the fit and finish is higher in the Casita. Also… my brother had a Scamp a few years ago, and had a few issues with it. I think that in general, they are both really good quality little campers, but we like the Casita better in terms of quality. That extra foot longer Casita gains quite a bit over the 16 foot versions (whether Scamp or Casita 16). Weight is similar on both, and both are WELL within the towing capacity of your 2020 Ridgeline. If optioned with the high lift package (like ours) you will get much more clearance, larger wheels, and more durable tires for any off road adventures. At the end of the day, you will likely be happy with either one, but as evidenced by our choice in getting the Casita, it was a better fit for what was important to us. Thank you and wishing you great travels ahead. -M

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  5. Do you plan to take the Casita along on your travels? That will require that both of you drive. That is the main thing keeping us from adding a small trailer to our current Motorhome + Jeep TH w Towing Package setup.

    Reply
    • HI David, to be honest we’re still working out the longer term plan… but we have spent the past 6+ months in Colorado (where Marc’s family is) to ride out COVID, and so we haven’t done much travel with both at all. Just stayed regional. Mainly the motorhome has been a base and we like to take the Casita on smaller trips – like over to Denver with the Jeep where we can park it in family’s driveway and have our own space, or to Ouray and Telluride. Mostly Marc drives the motorhome while Julie tows the Casita with the Jeep, which we don’t mind, but like we said, we have not traveled extensively with both. Fortunately we have already visited all 50 states already, and with the pandemic, we’re happy to slow our travel pace for a while and lay low. We have considered getting an annual site for the motorhome as a base then bouncing out with the Jeep and Casita for trips, but the Casita isn’t really set up for long term extended travel as it’s not as good for working from. We’re just wanting to stay fairly close to family for a while, so we can be close by in case anyone (like Marc’s mom) needs us, we can get there quickly. Funny you are also considering a similar setup! Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. My husband is 6’ 1” and we just purchased a Tesla model Y with 3500 towing capacity. The Casita seems like a good fit-do any of their models have a bigger bed and more headroom?

    Reply
    • Congrats on your new Tesla. Casita does offer two other floor plans that have longer beds (Independence is probably best). At 6’1″ you will definitely want a 17′ not a 16′ length as they have the taller ceiling heights. Also at that height, don’t plan on ever wearing shoes inside or walking tall, as he is right at the limit. -M

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  7. Hi! I can’t believe y’all purchased the Casita Freedom Deluxe. My husband and I took delivery of ours in Mid-July of this year (it is a 2020). It’s our first ever RV and we love her (named her The Desert Rose because our first big trip was to Big Bend National Park). We got most of your upgrades, but opted for the anti-sway bar and passed on the cover.
    Our TV is a 2019 Nissan Frontier V6 with the bigger engine, 15” wheels and tow package. We didn’t get nearly the mpg’s you did with the Jeep, but we didn’t expect to.
    We also enjoy our Desert Rose as our guest quarters and my she-shed.
    Tons of information, modifications, etc in the fiberglass RV forum and the Casita ‘Bible’ by Eileen Glick. I look forward to reading about the modifications you make for yourself. (First Suggestion: water cut off valve for the toilet). If you figure out how to install the Lagun table in the small dinette area – please post it!! The flexibility it provides would be marvelous, but the support requirements make it challenging without the box dinette.
    You were lucky to find your Freedom. I hope you love her as much as we do.
    Travel Well,
    Texas Rose

    Reply
    • How fun that you have virtually the same unit as us, and even similar towing capacity. Great choice in our opinion. LOL.. Thank you for the suggestions on where to get more information and your first suggestions on improvements. So happy that you love yours so much. Looking forward to sharing more with you. Thanks again, -M

      Reply
    • Hi Peter,
      There is enough room for a small scale solar install. Probably with flexible panels on the roof. Lithium would allow for substantial power increases with limited space and weight. We will definitely be looking into multiple stages of power improvements on this Casita over time, including considering a generator since many of the onboard systems could run on a low wattage genny. We will definitely be sharing upgrades we make as time goes on. -M

      Reply
  8. The tow vehicle is a jeep trailhawk. Do not get one ever. Those have so many mechanical problems it is not funny. I ended up with a ton of recalls and even after trading it in? I never received my refund from Chrysler. Anything but a trailhawk. Buy be forewarned.

    Reply
    • Knock on wood, but ours has been absolutely flawless for the two years+ we have owned it (and it is currently 5 years old with a bit over 50K miles. Sorry you had such challenges with yours. -M

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  9. I too pull a 17′ Casita with a Jeep TH. I looked and planned for a year before junping in with both feet. Photos from several trips are on the website but I haven’t posted the most recent trips. For me, I could not imagine a better rig.

    Reply
  10. Suggestion ( we have an 09 Spirit Deluxe, has a dinette instead of the chairs .
    Move the paper towel rack to the outset of the cabinet over the microwave, secure the roll with a small bunjee . If attach it just right, the cabinet will still open up all the way. Congratulations ! We are kinda backwards , our Ram 2500 is 2’ longer than the Casita. Congrats! Stay safe.

    Reply
    • Cool that you have a 2009 Spirit Deluxe. Very similar floor plan. Thanks for the suggestion on the paper towel rack.Wow… your Ram would make VERY easy work of towing the Casita. Similar to the folks we bought from. They had a 3/4 ton GMC. -M

      Reply
  11. We started with a Casita and really loved it. Ours was 2005. We have since upsized to a larger but still Fiberglass molded trailer. ENJOY your Casita, they are great little campers.

    Reply
  12. Greetings. We pull a nuCamp t@b 400 Boon Dock Lite with a Jeep Grand Cherokee V6. Love the smaller trailer aspect and we are fortunate that our 400 as a bed/sleeping area and a separate eating area for two. I did notice you have a portable fridge sat out by the door. We do as well in the form an an ARB 50qt. It rides in the back of our Jeep Grand Cherokee and is powered by a DC port in the jeep but when we park, we switch over to AC To haul our chairs, small table, outdoor rug and removable awning, we have a Thule installed on the Jeep Roof. I’m curious where you store all those leveling blocks? Don’t the stabilizers go down further? We have just six for our t@b, one under each of the four stabilizers with two spares. On the tongue we keep the wheel and use a yellow plastic jack wheel. The weight dry of your trailer is 2500lbs with a max of 3500lbs. If your Jeep Cherokee has the V6 you have a towing capacity of 4500lbs max and a payload capacity of 1,250 to 1,790 lbs. Have you had any issues with this tow configuration in the mountains?

    Reply
    • Hello John, Yes, we have a lot in common with you. Towing with a V6 Cherokee (though yours is a Grand), and very similar trailers as far as weights and capacities. We do the same as you with our Dometic cooler. plugged into 12V (in the Jeep or in the Casita) while driving, then out next to the camper when we park. Rugs and camp chairs often ride in the camper, but we also have a Thule rack like you and now keep many light bulky items up top so we have them wherever we go. Stabilizers do go down further, but since we have the extra blocks, it is less movement for the stabilizers. We have been super impressed with how well our Jeep (yes V6 rated at 4500 lbs and 9 speed transmission) does towing in the mountains. We have gone over multiple Colorado passes at 10,000 ft elevation and it performed amazingly well. We have a brake controller to help out on the descending, and of course downshift to use engine braking as well. -M

      Reply

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