Newbie. I have 5 kids and am looking at air streams

[dwaltchack]

Does anyone have ideas/recs on how to modify to accommodate that many bunks?

I haven't bought the rig yet, so am open for which used model would be right as well.

[KJRitchie]

Save yourself a lot of work and money and look at an SOB with bunks. Get an Airstream when the kids have left the nest.

Kelvin

[dwaltchack]

Dumb question, what does SOB stand for?

[SteveSueMac]

SOB = some other brand - aka white box.

[dwaltchack]

Urg. Just because they come like that as is? Or is there more to it w kids and airstreams?

[Ray Eklund]

SOB.... Some Other Brand

Five kids...
(1) Purchase ANY sized trailer that you plan to use for a decade
(2) Purchase several tents, sleeping bags and LED flashlights

Use the trailer as you would the living room or kitchen table at home. At night, you turn the kids loose with two or three to a tent.

I know many who have large families who survive with tent camping and enjoy every moment.

I know those who think a motel is beneath their dignity.

Choose one of the three options. Financially... a SUV, three or four tents pulling a small UHaul trailer with everything tossed into it that might be needed.

Floors, bench seats and any other available unused space can be for sleeping if everyone wants to be inside the trailer.

IF you are not a regular camping family... I would rethink the whole idea of anything other than Lodges, Hotels and Dude Ranches. It would be a disaster to spend the money on a RV or Trailer to discover nobody was happy....

When I was a kid... I would have been thrilled to have been able to go camping in a card board carton. If the kids are not enthused... over any optional ideas, Disney World and the like might be all you will find to please everyone.

Good luck. Each family has its own dynamics. Your question has few details and only you know how everyone will react.

ASK them first. Then proceed with EVERYONE to find that one special RV, Trailer or Tenting options.

[BoldAdventure]

They make bunks and there are people with kids and Airstreams who do fine. And plenty of naysayers on here too. Somewhere around here there is a family of 7 in an Airstream that's 31 or larger.

Happy hunting.

[BigAl]

check out what Pizzachop did to his trailer to accomodate two adults and 9 children.
Al

[paiceman]

Airstream used to make a rear bath, center beds with an isle down between, then up towards the front a dinette and pull out couch. That configuration could sleep two adults and four kids. If you add bunks over the center beds you are then up to six, you could take a friend.

I think they were made in late 60's and 70's. think it was a 31' signature.

Good luck, most kids don't care where they sleep as long as they are on an adventure.

[BAB]

PM "Skatiero".....Katie and Rob Schultz....they do this not only with 5 kids plus, but also additional guests, and they do it without fuss. Rob has made some amazing modifications to the interior of their trailer...and even with all these folks, Katie found room for a dishwasher. I kid you not! A wonderful, amazing Airstream family.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Save yourself a lot of work and money and look at an SOB with bunks. Get an Airstream when the kids have left the nest.

Kelvin

No...
Look up Pizza Chop (Ron) and Skatero (spelling?) on here. They have like 9 or 12 kids and have done amazing renovations of older Airstreams into bunkhouses-

[kposey]

I third(?) the others. Check out PizzaChop and Skatero's modifications. Absolutely brilliant!

AND close enough to even see them. They both will be at Springstream in Hiawassee, GA on April 10-12. Come on out and visit. There is a motel just outside the gates if you need to stay there, but this is a great way to see their modifications in person. We will be at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds.

[B00merang]

Depending on their ages....a good quality hitch hauler can accommodate 3-4 of them. (I'm so sorry...). jon

[BigButtUgly]

Eric Olson NC did a 74 29' Ambassador Twin w 2 bunks. Kept the overhead cabinets and sleeping space looks not too confining. A 2011 post

[SeeMore]

Blow off the naysayers and forge ahead.

Rob Shultz's (aka Skatiero) unit can be viewed here:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f179...ms-114620.html

Not only does he regularly camp with 7 kids plus adults quite successfully, but he will also modify the unit of your choosing should the notion of tackling the task yourself seem too much. Rob is a talented builder who does Airstream mods for a living :-)

The other choice mentioned above is Ron Kaes (PizzaChop) who modified his 31' unit to accommodate 9 with very clever solutions for maximising space. You can find pictures of Ron's work in his gallery.

I have had the pleasure to camp beside both over the years and delight in my every encounter with them. Their families are a marvelous harmony in action.

I also encountered a family with 6 kids some years ago who had a 2005 30' Safari bunk with additional crosswise bunks added. It is doable, so forth and enjoy.

[Skatiero]

Thanks, everyone! If you're close by, come see our Excella. It sleeps our whole family (ten people) plus two guests (the other set of grandparents) and we can even have everyone sit down for dinner inside when we need to at a pair of hideaway tables which unfold to seat everyone banquet-style. We love our Airstream. We are just north of Atlanta. Rob and Katie Schulz Ditchen plus seven kids and grandma

[Panama Red]

I'll also jump on the Skatiero bandwagon. The work they have done is just incredible. Got to see their camper at Canopener... I wish I did that nice of work. Before seeing that, I considered an Airstream a 2 person camper. Man, was I wrong...

-Red, jelly of the KatieRob....

[dwaltchack]

Skateiro, so glad you chimed in. And thanks to everyone else as well! I actually read your whole conversion thread and was super impressed. A couple questions if you wouldn't mind:

1. Is the model/ appx yr u choose/found the best for doing the multiple bunks? Are there some other models that could work as well?

2. Assuming a full gut job and reusing a few things, is there a ballpark estimate on cost to redo a 30+ footer? Assuming similar trim like yours?

3. My family has never even RV'd before but I am seeing more and more w our kids and their ages, going together on an adventure is what really draws us closer. Our ages are 9,8,5,4,2.

And my question is what's the best way to try this thing out to see if it's up our alley? I can rent a regular trailer here in Bham and go on spring break or we could go out west and rent a real airstream and try it out. Or other options?

[mandolindave]

I think Airstreams are harder to modify than SOBs.

[dwaltchack]

1450 we did adopt, our two youngest. Thanks for your encouragement.