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FlyFishinRVr · 09-20-2017, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0557

50K more for a bigger bath

Now you know why they refer to it as the "throne".....

NotStock · 09-21-2017, 05:27 AM

I decided at the last minute to go to Hershey and overnighted in my Interstate, and didn't even know the Atlas existed. When I was walking through the airstream area I ran right into it looking at new interstates. I had that holy cow wow feeling when I first saw it, but after climbing all in and over it it made me realize that I love my Interstate........... I have actually bought the perfect motorhome for my full-time lifestyle. I even went in 500,000 dollar big rigs and wasn't even interested. I did take this quick video of the Atlas for my wife, and its a really cool unit just not for me...............that being said we should be excited that Airstream is still moving forward even if it might not be the unit for us at this time.https://notstockphotography.smugmug....as/i-3bcZLPc/A

Msmoto · 09-21-2017, 06:14 AM

My hopes are AS will come up with a more functional floorpan rather than a pop up television...the ultimate waste of space, IMO. If I wanted all this, I would have kept my Allegro Bus.

A better galley, conventional bed and elimination of all the electric stuff would be nice. Also, fresh water...at least 35 - 40 gallons for me. And the small diesel fuel tank... I suspect one can find room somewhere for at least 40 gallons.

I understand these are my personal preferences, but they are deal breakers if I am going to spend this kind of money.

InterBlog · 09-21-2017, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotStock

........... I have actually bought the perfect motorhome for my full-time lifestyle. I even went in 500,000 dollar big rigs and wasn't even interested. ....

The question sometimes gets asked, "Could you live in a Class B?"

For many of us, the answer depends on what we are doing WHILE living in a Class B. It has little to do with the size of the B itself. This summer I moved a bit closer to the answer. I don't think I'd spend the rest of my life perpetually in a B, but I could do it longer term if everything else were going well, such as, I was able to do my job without running into barriers.

A funny thing happened on my return. I had to re-learn how to walk on our house floors. You have to push your feet closer together in the narrow B; it becomes an unconscious default. But it doesn't work well in a stick and brick house, especially one that has 100% ceramic floors (installed seven years ago because we tend to flood in this part of the world, dontcha know) which will invite slipping if not walked on properly. We arrived home around 3:30 pm and it took me the rest of that day to adjust back to a normal walking gait after a month of using a different approach.

lovetokite · 09-21-2017, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Msmoto

My hopes are AS will come up with a more functional floorpan rather than a pop up television...the ultimate waste of space, IMO. If I wanted all this, I would have kept my Allegro Bus.

A better galley, conventional bed and elimination of all the electric stuff would be nice. Also, fresh water...at least 35 - 40 gallons for me. And the small diesel fuel tank... I suspect one can find room somewhere for at least 40 gallons.

I understand these are my personal preferences, but they are deal breakers if I am going to spend this kind of money.

To offer only ONE floor plan is very disappointing. Look at the choices other manufacturers give you, especially Leisure Travel Vans!

FlyFishinRVr · 09-21-2017, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovetokite

To offer only ONE floor plan is very disappointing. Look at the choices other manufacturers give you, especially Leisure Travel Vans!

Give them some time. LTV didn't crank out 5 Unity floor plans from the start, they started with one and grew from there.

By the way, for people who wonder why Airstream made the Murphy bed floorplan first, the answer comes from Dean at LTV:

“Our most popular model? All of our models sell really well but the Unity Murphy Bed is number one in sales for us. It’s the ultimate small motorhome with the most versatile use of space. What’s not to love? It’s 25’1″ in length with a nearly King-size Murphy Bed, large three-piece bathroom with a 6’7″ stand-up shower, 39″ pop-up TV, optional powered reclining chairs and large vertical exterior storage space – big enough for two sets of golf clubs or whatever you need to take with you!”

israndy · 09-22-2017, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Msmoto

a pop up television...the ultimate waste of space

And the small diesel fuel tank...

I like the idea that during the day you get a window (when you want a window) and at night you get a TV, when you want a TV. The pop up seems like the best way to SAVE space. If you swing it out of the way, it's still out. On the LTV they did the TV with a dark plastic cover below, so you could use a fireplace video when you had the TV lowered.

The tank in a Sprinter is 26+ gallons. On a Class B that is almost 700 miles, on the Class C like the Atlas you can still get 500 miles on a tank. That seems pretty good. Sure beats *my* Airstream with it's 150 gallon tank. "Yes please, I would like to take out a mortgage to fill my tank".

-Randy

Protagonist · 09-22-2017, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by israndy

I like the idea that during the day you get a window (when you want a window) and at night you get a TV, when you want a TV. The pop up seems like the best way to SAVE space.

The best way to have a television when you want it— and out of the way when you don't— is to have it store flat, with the screen up, against the ceiling, and swing down for viewing. Nordic Tugs use this on some of their trawler yachts. See this photo for an example:

Then the cabinet below the television can be used to store other stuff instead of a television.

FlyFishinRVr · 09-22-2017, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protagonist

The best way to have a television when you want it— and out of the way when you don't— is to have it store flat, with the screen up, against the ceiling, and swing down for viewing. Nordic Tugs use this on some of their trawler yachts. See this photo for an example:

I agree, that cabinet could have been a lot more useful, but I don't think there's enough headroom in the Atlas for an overhead TV. No matter where you put it, someone 6' or taller would be smacking their heads on it. Sure, Airstream could have made the rig even taller to accommodate it, but doing that just for a big TV???

Airstream copied the LTV Unity MB, right down to the waste bin built into the kitchen counter top. Personally I think that's really sad because with a clean slate, they could have been so much more creative. Instead, they just made something that's already on the market, at $65k more than the competition. I'm not sure if they did it because they had a lack of imagination, a fear of failure if they tried a "new" design, or a little bit of both......

israndy · 09-23-2017, 08:59 AM

Talk about 'Sprinter RV floorplan copying' it a difficult subject. When Sprinters were first converted there were many floorplans from various manufacturers, Forest River had a really nice full rear cap that housed a large bath by taking out the rear doors. The Gulf Stream I started with was one of 5 floorplans available, Airstream had another 5 floorplans if you include the Westfalia that were NOT the same as those from Gulf Stream.

The second year people were doing Sprinter conversions PleasureWay came out with a floorplan that included a fold down couch in the rear and a dining area up front. When that started to sell more than all the others it became the template for others like RoadTrek and Great West to "copy" when they got in the business. When the Sprinter got revamped in 2007 and everyone had to go back to the drawing board suddenly all the random floorplans vanished and EVERYONE was doing the rear folding couch. Gulf and Airstream both came out with this design joining the crowd. For years it was up to Leisure Travel Vans and Winnebago to provide any creativity. Really need to update the RV database on https://sprinter-source.com/wiki/index.php/Sprinter_RV

So if Airstream wants to enter the B+ market it's NOT unusual for them to copy the big guys. Heck, back in 2011 Forest River already had a copy of the murphy bed design that LTV had created the year before.

-Randy

FlyFishinRVr · 09-23-2017, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by israndy

So if Airstream wants to enter the B+ market it's NOT unusual for them to copy the big guys. Heck, back in 2011 Forest River already had a copy of the murphy bed design that LTV had created the year before.

-Randy

Understood, but when I watch various YouTube videos from James and Steph at the FitRV on their European adventure, and others showing rigs from across the pond, I can't help but think they are doing a much better job of innovating than the US manufacturers are. They have smaller rigs, on average, than we do (they typically build on what amounts to the 2500 chassis' w/ 144" wheelbases vs. the longer 170", and even fewer use the extended 170") and make better use of the space. The Hymer Aktiv is one of the first "European styled" coaches available in the US and it seems to be generating a lot of interest (hopefully that also means a lot of sales). I would love to see more of that style of van for sale here in the US.

One example of the type of innovation that I'm talking about is the swivel and slide cassette toilet. While I'm not convinced a cassette is "better" than a black tank, I really like the idea of sliding the toilet out of the way to totally open up the bathroom for showering. Combined with the fold up sink, viola, instant "big" shower in the same space. What a clever idea!

That's the sort of thinking and innovation I would like to see in a van offered here in the US, so while I "get" that Airstream copied the most successful floorplan in LTV's inventory, I'm still disappointed they went with this "me too" design. Maybe Hymer with their European roots will continue to grow their offerings here and they'll be the ones to capture this piece of the market......

israndy · 09-23-2017, 10:44 PM

I still cannot get over that Hymer Aktiv, I stood with the salesman in their booth and watched American after American try to fit in the 5'6" bed they have in there. He and I were both well over 6 foot, not even sure why they would put in such a small bed. Storage? Obviously Europeans are smaller and don't need roof AC so they don't need generators, so they can build on a 2500.

-Randy

FlyFishinRVr · 09-23-2017, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by israndy

I stood with the salesman in their booth and watched American after American try to fit in the 5'6" bed they have in there.

-Randy

Maybe the one you were in got wet and shrunk, because the one that Cate and Joe have been traveling around in on their YouTube channel We'reTheRussos seems to fit Joe just fine and he's 5'11".....

From the Hymer specs:

Fixed queen bed – 72.5″ x 55.5″ (width x length)

israndy · 09-24-2017, 10:56 PM

I am sure there are lots of people who fit in the Winnebago Rialta with it's 5'8" ceiling, I am just not one of them, nor was the salesman, and many of the customer's we saw. Yeah, I know, tall people problems.

This is why I never owned a VW camper van, despite spending most of my youth in a 1966 VW Bus, when I camped it was in a 32' Class A.

Now that I have an RV of my own the 82" bed in the Sprinter makes me very happy, along with the 6'3" headroom, or even more in the Airstream Sky Deck

-Randy

uncle_bob · 09-25-2017, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by israndy

I still cannot get over that Hymer Aktiv, I stood with the salesman in their booth and watched American after American try to fit in the 5'6" bed they have in there. He and I were both well over 6 foot, not even sure why they would put in such a small bed. Storage? Obviously Europeans are smaller and don't need roof AC so they don't need generators, so they can build on a 2500.

-Randy

Hi

I haven't run into a lot of "short" Europeans in my travels over there. Maybe their target audience is all under the age of 12 ....

Bob