Brief Casita History

Back in the 1980’s, Dorrie and I were traveling and camping in our Dodge Maxi Van camper. We ordered the van - with a two barrel carburetor 318 engine - as a bare cargo van in 1976. I used my Dad’s carpenter shop to finish that bare van into our first comfortable camper vehicle.

Camping in that old Dodge van was fun, but by the mid-1980’s we were ready for a camper with stand up room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Still, I loved the Dodge camper van I built and I wanted to continue to use it for our camping trips. So, we started to talk about upgrading to a small lightweight camper trailer that the our van could tow with its 318 engine.

I had some family camping experience with a pop-up tent camper trailer in the 1960’s. Pop-ups are OK, but after 10 years of travel with our van camper, we were in the mood for something a little more plush, with a bathroom, that I wouldn’t have to set up and take down at each camping stop. So that lightweight camper option was quickly dismissed. Few other seriously lightweight options available in the mid-1980’s were appealing to us.

Dorrie heard about an ultra lightweight fiberglass camper manufacturer called Casita that had recently started operations in Kerens, Texas in 1983. Kerens is less than a one hour drive south from our home just north of Dallas, so Dorrie called Casita and made an appointment for us to go check out the factory and their camper model. The original Kerens Casita production line was modest.

We liked the Casita 16’ Liberty model, but we decided to research Casita and fiberglass campers in general before committing. There was no commercial Internet, websites or Google back then, so it took some time for us to do the old fashioned research to establish that the company was reputable and that their fiberglass shell trailers were safe and serviceable.

About Molded-Fiberglass Camper Travel Trailers

Fiberglass camper trailers first became popular in counties around the world in the 1960s. Since then several dozen companies and manufacturers of fiberglass trailers have been developed in North America alone. Molded-fiberglass trailers, featuring rounded corners and shiny sides, are aerodynamic, lightweight and built to last.

A molded-fiberglass travel trailer is not just an RV. It represents a lifestyle. Those who dive into researching fiberglass camper trailer RVs will quickly discover that this niche is markedly different than the rest of travel trailer culture.

Brief Advice for Those New to the Casita Life

If you’ve never camped before - even a single night - in a RV travel trailer camper or motor home, and you’re waiting to pick up your new Casita at the factory, you may have many questions swirling in your mind as you contemplate the camping experiences awaiting you. 

Foremost in your thoughts, no doubt, are questions about the essential items you’ll need for your first nights camping after you pick up your new Casita. The Casita factory includes a Water Hose and Water Pressure Regulator as standard equipment with standard and deluxe models, plus a Sewer Dump Hose with deluxe models. The propane tanks on your new Casita are empty so ask your Casita sales rep at pick up for the closest propane retailers they currently recommend. Plus, there are a few comfort essentials you should consider buying to take with you to pick up your new Casita.