22 vs 23 vs 25

[Piggy Bank]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thanks for the report. Glad it all worked out! As we discussed on your other thread, your two-cooler method is very similar to what we have in the van, although we haven't upgraded to the higher end coolers yet. For the next long trip that is the plan, with maybe some new Pelican coolers [made in the USA] TBD.

Did you actually buy "blocks of ice" like in the old days? And did you replenish them during the trip, or just buy bags of ice? The block ice holds so much better over time, but is hard to find sometimes. I remember going to the ice house decades ago, and the cast iron "tongs" used to pick up the 50-pound blocks with one hand.

For the block ice, when we departed from home, I used home-made blocks.

I pre-chilled the coolers with bagged cube ice, then threw out the cubes, and then loaded with the block ice and food.

For the larger Yeti, it happily works out that 2 of those disposable foil pans (like used for catering and BBQ) fit perfectly in the bottom. So I made home-made blocks of ice. Per the excellent advice in the Boat Galley blog, I learned to put the empty pan in the freezer, fill up only ½ by pouring in the water. (I used cold water in a kettle) Let freeze, and then fill up the rest of the way. This does 2 things. Lets the first layer expand so that the ice doesn't crack. And avoids spilling water while carrying a full pan to the freezer. Then I just popped the ice out of the pans into the bottom of the cooler.

When we were at the campground in Yellowstone (madison) there was an ice vending machine. ($3 cash money exact change) that sold either cubes or the big 11 pound blocks of ice.

The blocks melt so much more slowly that we still had some unmelted ice after returning home. This after a couple of days of the cooler in the bed of the truck driving across Wyoming, Colorado, and Kansas. From our standpoint, for this type of camping the Yeti coolers completely live up to the high expectations and made it easy to bring along as much cold and frozen food as we needed for a 10 day trip for 4 adults.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

For the block ice, when we departed from home, I used home-made blocks.
. . .

Thanks for the details, that Boat Galley blog is full of great ideas.

Your earlier citation to their plastic tubs and wire shelves to keep food off the ice was helpful. I guess your custom blocks of ice could be sized to fit under the wire shelves and tubs of food. A nice efficient system! Thanks again.

Happy Trails . . .

Peter

[Jim Arnold]

Hello! I am a proud owner of a 22FB. My wife and I love it! We are newbies in the Airstream world but at this time think that our Airstream has everything we need. We are not living in it like a house and are outside when when weather permits. When we have to stay in the 22FB is perfect. It pulls like a dream. Just our opinion.

[Piggy Bank]

Originally Posted by Jim Arnold

Hello! I am a proud owner of a 22FB. My wife and I love it! We are newbies in the Airstream world but at this time think that our Airstream has everything we need. We are not living in it like a house and are outside when when weather permits. When we have to stay in the 22FB is perfect. It pulls like a dream. Just our opinion.

Glad you are enjoying your 22.

We really like ours, and hope to continue enjoying it for many years ahead.

It has such a comfortable bed, and such a good bathroom with usable shower and room to get dressed in it.

[Jim Vandy]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Glad you are enjoying your 22.

We really like ours, and hope to continue enjoying it for many years ahead.

It has such a comfortable bed, and such a good bathroom with usable shower and room to get dressed in it.

We are picking up our 2016 22 next week. We chose it for the bathroom, shower, to save our creaky knees, and because we are towing with an all electric vehicle (Tesla Model X) with a 5000 lb towing capacity, so we could not really consider anything larger or heavier, and we liked the 22 layout and features.
I'm glad you are enjoying yours, and thanks for starting this thread, and keeping it going. Jim

[stsammy]

We're still super happy with our 2015 22 we bought last summer. I'm so happy, too. That we pulled the trigger when we did - our trailer was imported when the USD and CAD were pretty much at par.... we'd be spending 20% more just in difference in exchange if we bought now.

We're heading off for our first big trip next Saturday. I'm bursting at the seams with anticipation, ha. We're doing some exploring in NY, MA, ME, NH and VT. The longest we've done is an extended long weekend, so two weeks with my husband, six year old son & I should be our ultimate test.

[OTRA15]

Just a quick followup on the custom homemade block ice -- your system works great! We are getting ready for a trip, and have blocks in the freezer ready to go. I think that adding pre-chilled water in thinner layers helps minimize expansion. I just grabbed some larger plastic bottles from the recycling bin, and first chilled water in the fridge. Then used this to fill the aluminum pans in the freezer. Very simple to pour and gauge the water level.

Thanks again and Happy Trails!

Peter

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

For the block ice, when we departed from home, I used home-made blocks.

I pre-chilled the coolers with bagged cube ice, then threw out the cubes, and then loaded with the block ice and food.

For the larger Yeti, it happily works out that 2 of those disposable foil pans (like used for catering and BBQ) fit perfectly in the bottom. So I made home-made blocks of ice. Per the excellent advice in the Boat Galley blog, I learned to put the empty pan in the freezer, fill up only ½ by pouring in the water. (I used cold water in a kettle) Let freeze, and then fill up the rest of the way. This does 2 things. Lets the first layer expand so that the ice doesn't crack. And avoids spilling water while carrying a full pan to the freezer. Then I just popped the ice out of the pans into the bottom of the cooler.
. . .

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Would you pay more just to have a larger water holding capacity in a 23 or 25.

Is the exterior size difference when camping so insignificant that having a 23 or 25 is going to make little difference in campsite selections.

How much time do you really spend inside when camping for a week. Will we regret only having the dinette for a seating space vs. the additional lounge space in a 23 or 25. Or is this just going to be us dragging around more than is needed. Yes I know that it will rain every day in the mountains.
\.

If the overall price difference is taken out of the consideration of factors, which would you choose to be light to travel in the mountains and comfortable once you get there?

We would prefer not to buy a second time!!

Thanks for your opinions and insight.

I would not buy larger just for water capacity owning a 2014 Tundra. I have a 22 foot trailer and a 2014 Tundra 5.7. I carry a minimum of two 5 gallon (heavy brown plastic) water jugs and generally at least one case of bottled water in the truck bed. I also carry a folding two wheeled cart with a bungy cord to bring water from central water locations found at most places where they don't have water to individual sites. I will often replenish the water supply so I can use the benefit of the water pump for convenience. Generally we are talking my wife and I and no pets.

I have never had a problem with the 22 foot on campsite restrictions. I read that they exist, but many with much larger trailers than you are talking about say they have never run into a restriction. I suspect if you roll up to KOA parks all the time you might never find a restriction... but I have to believe some Boondocking opportunities would have some restrictions on longer trailers. Remember the difference between 22 foot and 25 foot trailers is the length of a yardstick. It can make a lot of difference to inside living, but in the greater scheme of things in the great outdoors 3 feet isn't all that much. Yes, there no doubt exist places where 3 feet is the difference between a fit and no fit, but everywhere I have camped I generally could keep my truck attached if I wanted to, so I wouldn't let that be a big consideration unless I wanted to Boondock a lot of difficult sites (See Ray Eckland's posts).

Only you can answer the question about what you need for living space inside. We like to be able to get outside. I recently read a post where in a 22 FB the poster kept the dinette permanently as a bed. This means they must eat outside all the time? It is one way to do it, however in July I camped at the Valley of Fires in New Mexico and the gnats were so thick when the sun was out that you couldn't spend much time outside and remain sane. We do fine with a dinette and the bed as sitting/reading places but the added seating of a 25 foot would be welcomed luxury.

I do not have direct experience, but I doubt you would even notice the difference towing between a 22 foot and a 25 foot. My 22 is older and has dual axles. It is comforting to think that the second tire is there if a blowout does occur, but if I had a single axle with 15 inch wheels, I would have more tire size options. My 14 inch tires could go to 15 but not 16 and the number of Michelin's for 15 inch wheels that are used by others on the thread is well documented in other posts.

I am attracted to the 25 FB twin, but I am unwilling at this point to give up my rear kitchen with AMAZING amounts of counter space. Everything is a tradeoff until you get bigger, and even then you trade somethings. We know Airstreamers who have 20 foot units with the bigger kitchen and big dogs, and they do very well and have traveled all over the continent. They tow with a 5.7 hemi Jeep Grand Cherokee, and I have never heard talk of a bigger trailer or a different tow vehicle. If you can attend a unit rally somewhere as a guest, most folks love to talk about their Airstreams and even give you a tour of their rigs. Don't be in a hurry. Research (which this post is clearly a part of) and then find what you want. My wife and I in earlier years used to backpack 20 miles into the Colorado mountains every weekend. Trust me, with that kind of background, a 22 foot trailer is the Hilton by comparison.