Visit our Popular Forums

ljmiii · 10-23-2006, 01:33 PM

You don't mention how you want to use your AS...do you expect to spend time in the Bambi during the day or just use it for eating and sleeping? And do you expect anyone else to be sleeping with you?

I just took my wife and two young kids in our new 16' Quiksilver for our first outing last week - a 6 night trip deep into Virginia (from NY). It was really nice to sleep 'under' the panoramic back window and to have the ability to draw a curtain between their bed and ours.

Also, since the back bed doesn't fold down we were able to replace the airstream mattress with a tempur-pedic...*very* comfortable compared to fold-up cushions.

That said...we never spent any time in the trailer during the day and really would not want to try. If you are looking for a beautiful place in which to sit next to the beach (or woods or whatever) for a week you should go for the 19' Winick. If you are looking for relatively comfortable place in which to start and end each day go with the 16' Bambi...preferably the Quiksilver.

Randjg1 · 10-23-2006, 11:31 PM

i too am considering the winick but was slowed down by comments that it may ultimately be too small. Two small boys on the fold down dining area. my wife and i on the fold out bed in back. But ljmii's post gives me hope. I too feel that its where we would sleep and get out of the rain but for the most part we'd be outside. There is something about the perportions that are very appealing to me. Ok and the great design inside. The non stainless interiors do not have the same appeal to me and the other layouts don't either. I keep vacillating on this decision.
I do have myself talked into having it up an running in the side yard to be used for fun and a bit of a get away or entertaining while not being used camping. Anyway now with winter breathing down my neck i'm willing to wait for spring to try and make it happen. I don't imagine for a minute with the cramped quarters and my propensity to snore that it will be a heavenly slumber all the time but its got to beat the tent. And a clean bathroom to boot.

Does anyone else use theirs on their home turf while awaiting the next trip? I wonder if this is just more of my rationalizations.

5cats · 10-24-2006, 02:17 AM

This weekend I got to look around my onw just-arrived-at-the-dealer trailer, sitting next to the winick bambi. The feeling of open space inside is something you have to experience, it's really impressive!

The toilet is much nicer than the one in my 2007 SE. Might be one of our early "fixes" to have ours replaced sooner than later.

Cheers,
-jd.

wheel interested · 10-24-2006, 04:18 AM

We use our Airstream at home almost constantly. It is a great place to get away from the phone and have a nice retreat. In good weather we pop the awning set up the chairs and bring out the Weber portable fire place. The epitome of leisure is curling up for a read and a nap in the afternoon. Airstream take me away! Even if it is driveway camping.

ljmiii · 10-24-2006, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randjg1

Does anyone else use theirs on their home turf while awaiting the next trip? I wonder if this is just more of my rationalizations.

My parent's next door neighbor bought a 16' bambi two years ago which hasn't moved for a year and a half - he uses it as his escape from the noise and furor of a house full of kids. Your mileage may vary (one hopes).

Antique Pedaler · 10-24-2006, 01:46 PM

We looked at the 75 Anniversary 19er very closely. At first inspection it is really great...cool set up, nice fit and finish, wonderful details. Then we looked to see if we could use it for our lengthly travels. I wouldn't want to sleep often on those multiple cushions making up the bed. The fridge is way to small. There's no medicine cabinet. These are the first things we remember. For us it would be great on a day trip, but not suitable for extended travel.

But that's why AS makes more than one model.

yukionna · 10-24-2006, 03:58 PM

A few years back, I considered changing the floorplan of our 2002 Bambi to replace the bed with a sofa or dinette option (as we have a sofa in the front) but we decided against it. The primary reasons were we wanted a real mattress to sleep on that wasn't just "cushions" and didn't have to be made up every morning and night.

I agree the fridge IS small but we get by with just using the fridge for food and using a separate cooler for drinks.

campadk · 11-03-2006, 07:27 AM

We've only slept in our 75th one night.. but it gave us a good feel for what it will be like. We slept on similar 'bedding' before in our teardrop (30+ nights a summer)... true not so comfy as is. But if you add a decent pillowtop bed cover it is fine. Its easy to put on at night if you choose to do the daily bed/couch conversion.

The bonus is that for extended travelling if you convert back to couch during the day, you gain some decent floor space so you don't get that cramped feeling. We're planning to camp about 45-50 night next year in it so I better be right

Is the fridge in the 75th smaller than the 19ft CCD or safari? Hadn't really checked that. Ours is a Dometic RM2351, 3 cu ft.

Like Yukionna suggests though, we plan on storing our drinks separatedly in our Coleman cooler. At least then I'll feel that we are still camping!

Minnie's Mate · 11-03-2006, 11:10 AM

Congradulations on receiving your new DW Airstream! They are beautiful inside. I know you'll enjoy yours next summer.

BTW, do you teach to have that much time off? My wife does, but I am a construction management construction and have a 9-5 or we would have used ours more than 7 times this summer.

campadk · 11-08-2006, 02:58 PM

Hi Minnie's Mate,

My wife and I work for the Internet LOL (I mean on the Internet), so we have quite a bit of available camping time, and certainly more time off in the summer than winter. We'll camp at least 45 nights next summer in the Bambi. My goal is to get well wired for mobile Internet, which will mean we can camp even more!

Going back a few posts, I re-read 2airs analysis.. as always he more than covers any subject matter and offers some great pointers!

I will certainly watch the countertop issue and look into sealing wood surfaces.

One of the biggest plus's we found after spend hours in the 75th over 3 days, is that it really feels spacious. For a 19ft the overall feel is roominess. The bed converting to couch area opens up a lot of space at the back end and the upper cupboarders are much less intrusive. Supposedly we have more storage area... but not sure how that all works out. The Safari for example seems to have pretty big upper cupboarders, and isn't there storage under and behind the dinette seats as well in a Safari? And since the Safari/International has a fixed bed, there should be more under bunk storage... hmmm..

So far we have only found a few design flaws:

1. The quality and finish (including corner piping) is great on the cushions... but the material is a bit on the stretchy side... maybe more than it should be... maybe a few of our cushions were made to loosely... we shall see.

2. The thermostat is in the bathroom. On the original model, David had put it close to the light switches to the side of the stove. Maybe this is an issue with being to close to a stove generating heat... but the problem with being in the bathroom is that with the furnace on, the inside gets pretty warm before the thermostat flips off. Then the furnace is slow to start. So you inside of the trailer goes through cycles of too hot, too cold. I had to get up in the night a few times to 'adjust' the thermostat to compensate. I suppose we need to keep the bathroom door ajar to help in this matter... not sure I like having to do that. Any suggestions?

Hey I just noticed that the thermostat IS above the stove in one of the photos of a 75th at Colonial... ok so maybe this was changed as a CSA requirement since it was imported into Canada.. maybe we ware a bit anal up here

Where is the thermostat in a 19ft Safari or International?

We were a bit disappointed not to have the front wraparound window, but in the end we didn't find it got to dark. If you compare the two sets of street side windows on a 75th to the Safari or International, you'll notice the lower window is about 3-4 times larger on the 75th, and the upper window is actually a vista window (I believe thats the name for them) that is up higher and thus brings in much more light from outside. The side by the bed has the same windows as a Safai or International, but with the addition of a vista window. Interesting all the little differences you can find if you start looking closely.