Fiberglass Molded Trailers and Outgassing?

I cannot help but wonder if the lingering smell is the fiberglass resin entirely. I watched the Scamp video on their website and noticed a LOT of glue going on that "rat fur" and I am guessing that Casita does the same thing to glue their carpet to the wall. With EggCamper, you would avoid gluey fabric but deal with the gel coat which will outgas also but perhaps not with the punch that the glued fabric would produce.

I once moved into a brand new mobile home to suffer dizziness and headaches. It took awhile to figure it out since this was years and years ago before I ever heard the words "out gas". I don't go anywhere with new carpet.

Since we have had the stick trailers, I know it would not be an issue if we avoided carpet. Yeah, the "carpet" keeps coming up.

I purchased my Escape new, and for the first couple of weeks it had a slight "fiberglass" smell, particularly if it was kept completely sealed. Running the Maxx fan, even on low removed the smell, and after a couple of weeks on the road, it was gone.

Now that the trailer is 4 years old, even when sealed & stored for the winter there is no "smell" when opening it in the Spring.

I wouldnt worry about it. Virtually every sailboat made is a fiberglass hull and many people live in them full time and sail them around the world and do just fine.

The smell is strong in the beginning but fades quickly to a low level.

Thank you, Tony, that information helps a lot.

I have owned both a 1975 Boler fiberglass trailer which we (my ex and I) bought in the 1990's and a 2005 Scamp which my current wife and I bought new. The 15 year old Boler did not have any outgassing which we could detect. The 2005 Scamp outgassed from the fiberglass resin for about a year and, if you go into enclosed areas like the cupboards or if you cut a hole in the material, there is still a fiberglass odor which resolves quickly. With this being said, I wouldn't buy any other camper trailer than a fiberglass one. They are dry in the rain and totally set up to pull over to the side of the road and climb into when you need to get some rest or a bite to eat after a long day of traveling.
We are looking at the Lil' Snoozy now with the wider rear entry door (I have broad shoulders and the wider door is of interest) along with the air conditioner and the full queen sized mattress. There are a lot of things on the Scamp that we don't use (such as the gas furnace and the gas stove top)which we can do without. Overall, if your looking for a camper, get a fiberglass one that is a couple three years old for the best deal and to make sure the odors have settled out and when you store it, if you can, put it in a building and leave the windows cracked.

Thanks again everyone! I have a mold allergy and it doesn't take me long to react to that with a cough that can go on forever. I have just found a homeopathic medication that improves the situation. We try to prevent rather than end up treating symptoms. With our son being non-verbal, it is always a guessing game with him. We have the tent trailer and have always liked the open air so it will be an adjustment. I'm watching for a fiberglass rv ralley within a reasonable driving distance and also have looked some at the stickie hybrids but quality is a concern there. Quality is such an issue with every single thing we purchase now. Getting older and remembering when quality and pride of workmanship existed. Ah, the "good ole' days".

People are sleeping in fiberglass boats around the world over. A sailboat or powered yacht forum might also be another place to find info. Good luck on your search. It's a good question.

Brookside, can your son spend some time in a camper before you buy it and tell you if it bothers him? I'm not to knowledgable about DS, but am familiar with allergies and chemical sensititive. Some of the folks who suffer from these other issues have found the older airstream campers to work well. Specifically, they look for the models with much of the interior made out of aluminum. Metal is one of the most inert building materials available.

From what I've read, well cured fiberglas is usually tolerated fairly well by folks with minor to moderate allergies and/or sensitivities. Folks with ultra severe allergies can react to nearly anything. Carpet; fossil fuels such as natural gas; and manufactured wood products such as plywood, paneling, etc. are the 3 biggest problems in most homes for those with allergies. Unfortunately, most campers have all three of these major triggers.

If Brookside's son has problems with mold, find a mold free RV could also prove difficult. Many older RV's have mold problems. A normal person may not be able to smell the mold, but an allergy sufferer will smell the mold and react to it.

Sunbird wrote:
We are in our second Casita, both were bought used. Zero problems with odors, outgassing. Our longest trip has been a ramble from Phoenix to Key West.

we went thru the Casita factory in TX which wouldn't be that big a trip for the OP.
bumpy

Thanks everyone! I'm guessing that any odors that would be an issue could be detected fairly quickly by entering a trailer and looking around. Hoping to make a decision this spring and giving up the pop-up. Learned at almost 60, both of us, popping up isn't really our thing anymore.