Anyone go from teardrop to AS Sport?

[fishbisquit]

My wife and i have had a teardrop for the last 3 years and have been loving camping in it. We love that it's so easy to tow, fits in our garage, fits in almost any camping spot, easy to go off road boon docking and basically just easy. However we've had our eye on a sport 16 for a long time. Our last trip we had a little bit of bad weather and that is really where the teardrop fails. No place to retreat in bad weather. Also we travel with a dog and more and more we are thinking it would be nice to have a climate controlled secure place to leave her when we need to. Also starting to want to plan some trips to wetter places like the NW corner of NA. Just wondering if anyone else has "upgraded to an AS from a teardrop and what you experience has been? Especially interested in all the new things you have to deal with like weight and size. Are the creature comforts of an AS worth the extra work?
Thanks,
Dave

[PKI]

Look for a hard sided popup. Fits in garage, bigger footprint than your teardrop and with a bit of DIY, they can be purchased for a reasonable cost. We saw one in Missouri with AC. The shiny will get you smiles, but easy may get you more utility. Pat

[Skybear46]

We went from a teardrop to a 22' Sport and are happy with the change. Loved the teardrop (CampInn) but the limitations caused us to change. Had to go with a beefier TV but like the convenience and flexibilities the AS offers. We also wanted more 3 season travels as well. The checklist when setting up and taking down is obviously longer but like most things not that difficult the longer you do it. There are many options out there for RV's too and I'm sure some good ones in addition to an Airstream but even with all the negatives you will hear on this forum an AS still is tops from what we see. And a popup? Good luck with that. A lot of work setting up, etc. for essentially putting you back into an elevated tent. Rent an AS or try one already placed at a private campground and see how you like it. Try a rainy or cold time to do it. That should bring a smile to your face for sure while inside nice and cozy. And, your dog will love it. Ours does.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Always thought THESE were kool...like the hard side "tent". 😎👍

Bob
🇺🇸

[fishbisquit]

Hey Skybear we are currently in a CampInn 550. We totally love it. Just last night as we were talking about this purchase both my wife and said we feel like we are "giving up" on the teardrop. We've only camped with it for 3 years and feel like we could camp a few more years. But as I stated in the original past. We've gotten lucky with weather. We also kind feel this pull to an AS sport. So we are saying why not get an AS sooner then later. Also it seems like this is a really good time to buy a 2018 as the dealers are trying to clear them out for the 2019.

[texasvette]

fishbisquit, we are twins almost identically. The difference is we have three yorkies and we are in Texas, near Houston, NW Harris County. Our teardrop was spec built for us by Tex's Teardrops and we love it. The same issue about wanting a safe place for the dogs to stay while we are away for a bit and the fact that in the middle of the night I have to stumble to my mini-popup structure for a visit. I am beginning to fear tripping and taking a really bad tumble. What looks level in the daylight is very different at night, even with a flashlight. We just cancelled another camping trip starting Monday because of weather. It always makes me upset when we have to cancel because of two days of hiding from rain and not doing what we planned. Laying in a teardrop while it rains gets old even though we have two EZ ups also. At least in my dream Airstream I can stand upright while I have to hide from bad weather. It is time for the upgrade if I can get him motivated. Anyone looking for a really nice teardrop?

[75Bob]

My wife and I camped out west one year in a teardrop. It was defiantly one of our most memorable trips. It did rain, but we had that netted entrance assembly with a lawn chair in that area for standing and getting dressed. The thing I miss the most is, when towing the tiny camper, my Harley Road King fit in the back of the pick-up truck with the tail gate down. That is not a possibility towing an Airstream. We did rent a motorcycle when in Seattle and took it around the volcano, but my own ride is now sorely missed when we camp. We do bring our bicycles but still not the same. The single most appreciated upgrade is a hot shower any where, as opposed to hanging 5 gallons of water from a tree in the sun and basically taking cold showers. Do the upgrade when you are ready, not just because you can afford it. The tiny camper will always have it's own special place in your good memories.

[Donaldo]

I made the move to a Sport 16 from an A-Liner 16 after enjoying it for over 20 years. Camped in all kinds of weather most of the time with 2 dogs and had plenty of room.
The Liner is a hard sided pop up, and has many of the amenities of the AS and for us was a very big step up from the tent.
I do miss the ability to store the RV in the garage, but the extra room and the inside bathroom in the Sport are worth it to me.
I have found the Sport easy to tow ( have a PU) and it fits in all the places I camped with the Liner.
Whatever you decide just use it, and enjoy our great outdoors!
Give the pups a biscuit from me.

[Oregonboy]

We sold our Little Guy Teardrop for a large AS International and love it. Even having a bathroom has made a big difference. No brainer.

[rmkrum]

Nothing quite so handy as having a clean bathroom and a warm place to sleep in bad weather, just steps behind your vehicle at all times when traveling. Solid shelter from heavy wind and rain is also a serious plus. Nothing quite like being in a tent in heavy winds to make you decide it’s not a good idea...

We tent camped for years, as a family and with the Boy Scouts. Finally built a custom van with everything except a shower, but the AS still wins hands down.

[Baby Zeppelin]

Moving up to an Aliner after tent camping was great, but not having a shower, having to crawl over each other to get into or out of bed, etc. got old after about three years.

Our next move up from the Aliner was our current Airstream. We wanted a shorter Airstream then what we got, but wanted a queen size bed that we could each get into from our own side, so ended up with a 28'.

Our beloved Aliner soldiering on through inclement weather:

[GinaNBob]

Hi
My husband and I had a Campinn 560 and loved it. Took it out on a 3week trip to Yellowstone and South Dakota. Loved towing it with a Cherokee. Was comfortable but the side tent setup was a time buster as well as the shade for the galley area. Walking to the restroom in the middle of the night also got old. So we traded up and got a 28 ft airstream. We probably would have bought the 25 ft with twin beds (didn’t like the sideways queen) but when I saw the Pendelton, we went with the 28 ft. We also had to upgrade the tow vehicle. We remember our days in the teardrop with fond me memories, but never regreted moving the to AS. We now have a puppy and would never have attempted it in the teardrop although I know many people have.
The airstream community has welcomed us with open arms and we have made many new friends.
Having a wet vs dry bath is also something to consider.
Good luck on your search.
Gina

[Foiled Again]

I like those Aliners. First time I saw one it was like... who would EVER put up with a pop-up after seeing one of these? Easy to set up without the mechanical cranks and cables that can break or come off the tracks. If I had one of those, I would keep it even if I had an Airstream. Perfect for a weekend, or to bring extra friends along, or just for a backyard playhouse/garden shed.

I have seen one or two big ones that have skylights, porta pots, etc.

But a hot shower and a real toilet and a bed that isnt on the floor.. yep hard ro argue with that.

[veratipton]

We had a teardrop, one of the funnest thing we ever owned. Camped every where and anywhere. Only problem was 2 or 3 am when you get that calling. Husband had no problem, just found a tree to go behind, me, had to wait, wait, wait until tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. A bathroom in the dark of night is a wonderful thing,
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[wsrb]

We started with a T@B teardrop. The one with a wet bath. Really like it. We recently purchased an AS International 25FB. We ended up keeping the T@B too which works well for shorter trips. After having both we’re certainly more impressed with the quality of the T@B over the AS.

[Len n Jeanne]

We never owned a teardrop, although we looked at those original T@B's in 2005. The decider was that the little Airstreams, [today, even the Basecamp and Nest,] all come with inboard bathrooms. (We didn't see any T@B models then with indoor toilets and some had outdoor kitchens.) Sure, the 16-Sport has a wet bath, but having that toilet inside is really handy at 3:00 am when it's raining.

My son and daughter-in-law have an "A-chalet" by Rockwood, and while it's a nice unit, there is no indoor toilet.

Our sixteen-footer was totaled in an accident, or we would still have it. Though on a recent trip to our dealer/service center (Airstream of Spokane) we learned that someone actually bought it as salvage and restored it. The AS mechanic noted that, had we bought a fiberglass trailer like the Nest, it would have exploded on the road. So there is that aluminum safety feature.

We live in bear country. If you plan to camp in such places, as well, there is something to be said for a hard-sided camper. If you roll up to your site after dark or in foul weather, no special set-up is required.

We traveled with a medium sized dog in Bambi the First, no problem.

Compared to some of the other smaller, lighter trailers on the market, we found that the Bambi had the most head- and elbow room. Some of the small trailers are more claustophobic. It is heavier, but we towed our 16-footer with a Tacoma, no problem.

Back when we bought our small International Bambi, the stone guards and rear storage bumper were standard, and were nice to have. They can be installed on the Sport at the dealership.

[KMH25TWIN]

Hey fishbisquit. We had a teardrop made by Campinn in Wisconsin. HATED to part with it. Beautiful wood and hand work. It was perfect for short fly fishing trips. Wish I still had it, miss it all the time. Bought a FC 25 flying cloud. Presently on day two of a coast to coast trip. No way would we have tackled it in the teardrop. I was saying to my wife last night how we made the right decision and had just the right combination of camper and RV; two very different things in my opinion. My only regret is I don’t have time or space to keep both units. The systems and issues with the larger camper are a little more complex, and issues just are what they are. The larger camper opened up much more opportunity for me and the family; I just don’t plug and play to fish as much; though, I’m sure many do.
Good luck, and have fun!

[texasvette]

Don't get me wrong, if we wanted to keep it for the quick trips we would but all the reasons matter be it for an over night trip or several days trips. We enjoy being outside most of the time so the teardrop fit our style. One thing also for us is unless you stay at state parks or LCRA parks you won't be accepted with the teardrop.RV parks don't want teardrops generally. The good thing about the teardrop is the small area has helped me know we don't need a large Airstream. We stay alone in our unit by choice so we don't need additional sleeping places. So again my dream AS unit has a bathroom and a walk around bed (even if it is a couple of inches) and standing room.

[Msherw]

We moved from the Rpod (mistaken for a teardrop) to the Sport 22. The Rpod was fairly well made (only leaked when it rained) and had the wet bath and torsion suspension. So we didn’t know what we would be gaining getting the AS.

We found out quickly that the AS handled like a dream behind the same TV as the Rpod. It is so aerodynamic that it defies description unless you have had a trailer that is taller than the TV.

The move from a wet bath to a real bath is also not to be underestimated. Having a separate shower and a nice dressing area when we take the grandkids was a huge improvement. (We added the teak floor slats for both the main and shower areas. It keeps both floors clean and tidy until ready for homebase cleanup).

All in all, the Sport is light enough we didn’t have to buy a new TV. It tows so well I often forget it’s back there. The build quality is so much better than the boxes and the life span for an AS will be considerably longer than most other manufacturers type so it is worth the additional cost. It is worthy of upgrades and improvements that you would never consider in another brand.

[Kyet]

I heard long ago that a teardrop is a gateway drug into larger units. I started with a Little Guy teardrop (2 years) and then moved into a T@B (same manufacturer) for 4 years. Then I took a huge leap to a 2018 AS Classic. So I guess someone was right about the gateway I absolutely miss the quality of the T@B and teardrop. Much better than the AS. Plus that teardrop could go everywhere. I would not want to live in it though!!!