Micro Minnie: whatcha think?

[MKish]

Hi!

Does anyone have a Micro Minnie? Or has anybody who knows anything about trailers checked them out and formed an opinion?

I'm (still) looking for a seven-wide TT with big appliances and the Micro Minnie 2100BH is in consideration.

https://winnebagoind.com/products/travel-trailer/2018/micro-minnie/floorplans

I don't have any TT experience and might be overlooking something. I know it's small, and the tanks are kind of small, but it seems okay for two adults and two kids. We only dry camp and are capable of conversing water.

Any thoughts on this model or the line in general are appreciated. Thanks!

[MKish]

Lower frontal area should offer slightly easier towing and better fuel efficiency with the associated reduced TV wear and tear, but it's mostly about the parking.

It's the size of my parking space. That's pretty much it. 🙂

[SoundGuy]

MKish wrote:
The hybrids are really appealing but the 7-foot wide ones (and we ARE limiting ourselves to around 7 feet) are targeted to low budgets and low weight.

Since you've now realized that 7' wide are most often "targeted to low budgets and low weight" inquiring minds would like to know why any trailer you might buy has to be limited to just 7' wide. :h

[MKish]

Thanks everyone! It's good to know that this general floorplan works. It's one of our favorites so far. Camplite has a similar model as well.

Soundguy is correct in that we usually are in some sort of campground with facilities (although water is becoming less reliable in some of the public campgrounds). If we were to boondock for any length of time (instead of just overnight on the way somewhere), we could tote extra water in the back of the TV, but we're pretty good at conserving water. We have a slide-in camper with around 35 gallons fresh water and a portapotty. We don't have problems with THOSE tanks. Our 7 gallon gray tank is annoying though. Obviously we don't shower into it!


The hybrids are really appealing but the 7-foot wide ones (and we ARE limiting ourselves to around 7 feet) are targeted to low budgets and low weight. I should have looked at them beFORE looking at the Winnebagos and Lances because then I might not have been so turned off by their craftsmanship. 🙂 But on the other hand, I could lose several feet in length with a hybrid. Hmm.

The Micro Minnie and Camplites are the rare 7 ft trailers that pack in all the nice options and better workmanship.

[SoundGuy]

afidel wrote:
However if my primary aim was dry camping I'd want at least a 50 gallon fresh tank and 30 gallon grey and black tanks (more grey, we always run out of grey space even without running showers but ours are 15 gallon not 25).

There's a difference between "dry camping" and "boondocking" as the former usually means camping without on-site services but within an organized campground of some sort where services such as potable fresh water and waste water disposal facilities are available. That being the case there's really no need beyond convenience for really large tanks when 30 gals is plenty, the key being to have on hand a convenient method of collecting more fresh water and disposing of grey water as necessary. I also have the means on hand to dispose of macerated black water but with a 30 gal BW tank I rarely need to resort to off loading that tank while we're still camping. This said, other than for those actually boondocking where no services are available, 30 gal tanks IMO are plenty. :B

[afidel]

MKish wrote:
Thanks!

Unfortunately that link takes you to their entire lineup, with the smallest one pictured. I lack the skills to link to the proper model. We're looking at the one with a dinette slide. It's big enough for everyone to have a spot to sleep and a large enough dinette to play cards if the weather is bad. Looks like it will hold food, clothes, and toothbrushes.

Good to hear you're enjoying your larger version, Neschultz. These things look like they're put together a little better than average, when you look at cabinetry and details like that, but then again, I could probably build a beautiful trailer that would fall apart if you leaned on it so...looks aren't everything! 🙂

The tanks are small but you can't do much better in a TT this size. We can always carry more water in the TV. Bigger is always better but you can't have everything!

I don't think we have rental places around here but I will certainly look. We've spent time in a slightly smaller no-slide TT with some friends on a rainy camping trip and we thought it was pretty nice until we brought the dog in too. At that point it got a little tight and started to smell bad.

My trailer is very similar to the 2100BH, worked well for 5 of us for a 3 week 5,000 mile trip and for a two week trip for Florida with 4 of us. We've even been rained in for 2 days of a 4 day weekend with 4 and not gone crazy (both electronics and plenty of board and card games). The bathrooms are quite tight but are functional even for me at 6' 3" . However if my primary aim was dry camping I'd want at least a 50 gallon fresh tank and 30 gallon grey and black tanks (more grey, we always run out of grey space even without running showers but ours are 15 gallon not 25).

[SoundGuy]

MKish wrote:
Thanks--we finally got out to look at them in person as well as some 7 ft. hybrids. The options and build quality differences were huge, but darn, those cheapie hybrids have a lot of space for when you're sick of each other.

Despite their many disadvantages compared to a conventional travel trailer there's no question that if interior space in a smaller trailer is your primary goal then you really can't beat a hybrid for that purpose. If indeed you decide a hybrid is going to be the only realistic solution I'd suggest you consider a full width triple bed hybrid such as this Coachmen Freedom Express 21TQX which offers not only a copious amount of floor space that can easily accommodate a family with a dog but also offers 3 full size queen beds. :B Tank capacities are typical for this size of trailer, exactly the same as my own Freedom Express 192RBS, and are certainly adequate for the task at hand. This is just one example, many other manufacturers offer similar models.

[rbpru]

MKish, you are on the right path. Look, evaluate and look some more.

We looked at PUPS, A-liners and a Casita to decide on what we needed. We needed a bed you could exit without crawling over your spouse, closets to keep clothing and linens in, a decent sized bath and room for a big dog. Also, it had to be small enough to wind through city streets to find quilt shops, towable by our TV and not cost too much.

We settled on a 25 ft. TT, and then rented one for a trip to the Ozarks, to see if we were right; before we spent the big bucks.

Advanced planning eliminates a lot of buyer's remorse.

[MKish]

Thanks--we finally got out to look at them in person as well as some 7 ft. hybrids. The options and build quality differences were huge, but darn, those cheapie hybrids have a lot of space for when you're sick of each other.

Overall you get the feeling that the Micro Minnie is really meant for couples and the bunkhouse versions are more of an afterthought. Other models have much nicer bathrooms. It's not bad--it's kind of impressive that they pulled it off. The kids didn't mind the bunks, but that's probably because I tried shoving them into a truck camper over-the-dinette bunk last time we went looking. You don't forget that! 🙂

[Kansas_Farm_Gir]

I revise my opinion, now that I have looked at the correct floor plan. I am sorry, I was looking at the 17 ft version. 21 ft for the 4 of you would probably be perfect. We had a very similar 24 ft layout, minus the slide out, for 2 of us. It was more trailer than we needed but if we had had 2 more people we would have wanted that extra room.

It got to the point that I hated the side mount bed. Hard to make and someone has to crawl over their partner to get out of bed. I assume young kids can climb in and out of the top bunk, I never slept in ours and I am not agile enough anymore to get into it.

[Lwiddis]

“We can always carry more water in the TV. “

Not always. Depends on the TV’s payload. Never say never or always regarding RVs. And pouring water into a TT from a 5 gallon can isn’t fun or fast.

[rexlion]

A 31 gallon fresh tank is pretty typical size, and should serve you well enough. That TT is 22' long overall, a decent size. There may be times when you grow tired of looking at each other's faces over the single place to sit (dinette), but anything with a sofa added in will increase length a fair bit. It has plenty of cargo carrying capacity (weight wise). Looks like they vent the fridge through the roof, which is far better for proper function than sidewall exhaust. Winnebago has been around for a long time. If you like it, go for it.

[MKish]

Thanks!

Unfortunately that link takes you to their entire lineup, with the smallest one pictured. I lack the skills to link to the proper model. We're looking at the one with a dinette slide. It's big enough for everyone to have a spot to sleep and a large enough dinette to play cards if the weather is bad. Looks like it will hold food, clothes, and toothbrushes.

Good to hear you're enjoying your larger version, Neschultz. These things look like they're put together a little better than average, when you look at cabinetry and details like that, but then again, I could probably build a beautiful trailer that would fall apart if you leaned on it so...looks aren't everything! 🙂

The tanks are small but you can't do much better in a TT this size. We can always carry more water in the TV. Bigger is always better but you can't have everything!

I don't think we have rental places around here but I will certainly look. We've spent time in a slightly smaller no-slide TT with some friends on a rainy camping trip and we thought it was pretty nice until we brought the dog in too. At that point it got a little tight and started to smell bad.

[Bumpyroad]

drsteve wrote:
Four people? I would seriously consider a slide out model. And to my mind, those are some very small tanks for dry camping.

2100BH is a slide out model.
bumpy

[Kansas_Farm_Gir]

For me, specially if I had kids, it might be too small unless the only thing you will do it it would be to sleep. If you are used to tent camping this will feel like a palace. Depending on how old the kids are it might not be long before you start to feel cramped. Do you live anywhere that you can rent a similar unit to take one of your typical camping trips to test drive it before you buy?