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AirsDream · 07-01-2011, 04:41 PM

Like most everything else in life, there are tradeoffs. An AS has smaller tanks than I'd like (I've got a good solar system and electricity/battery life is never my limiting factor; it's always tankage ... if I carry an extra 7 gal. of water I can easily boondock for a week), and one can always either use more storage space or simplify more. You have to calculate your own tradeoff points.

But I think that for traveling, an AS can't be beat for fuel mileage, towing comfort, tow safety, etc. 5ers do tend to pound the devil out of the tow vehicle .... one as small as you're looking at, probably less so. You should try to get a ride with someone who owns the trailer and tow vehicle you're considering, to see what the comfort level is. They also use up most of the truck bed, but then again, they've got more of their own interior storage or "basement" storage.

If I were gonna' be in one place for months at a time, I'd definitely look at a big box. They've usually got bigger tanks and more storage. But I tend to roll more, and the AS is great at that.

I'd also never consider a washer/dryer unless I had a Prevost and the washer/dryer were completely top of the line. Too many friends with them find them useless and prefer to go the laundromat route. Besides, to use them, you need hookups and a) I don't go to many places with hookups, and b) when you're at such a place, there's almost always laundry facilities. If I had the space, I'd put in a fly tying desk or reloading bench! But then maybe you'll love having a washer/dryer - like I said, it's all tradeoffs. I once saw a huge 5er with a small piano in it! Not for me, but he loved it.

sutallee · 07-01-2011, 07:10 PM

AirsDream, what make/model of airstream do you have. Do you live in yours and just travel around like I want to do. Tell me about your way of doing this. You say you "tend to roll more", how so? You say you "dont go to many places with hook up". So when you need more water what do you do? Where do you go to get fresh water? How often do you stay in one place?

Ben4762 · 07-01-2011, 08:46 PM

I like my Airstream, but I would never full-time in it. I've used it in the summer as well as some in the winter. They have very little insulation and are hard to heat and cool. There is not a lot of storage space and they get roof leaks just like any other unit.

sutallee · 07-01-2011, 09:25 PM

Ben4762: Im starting to realize that the Airstream isnt something you want to live in fulltime traveling around the country. Its starting to look like 5th wheel or a class C is the way to go.

fmr.capt.evi · 07-02-2011, 07:01 AM

Yes, nsteel; I've about got all the bugs worked out of this one, so my 2012 "fixer-upper" has been ordered...........someone, help me, please!

dkottum · 07-02-2011, 09:19 AM

Just for the record and not to discourage those who "fit" the Airstream lifestyle, fulltiming and traveling around the country may not be one concept. We have traveled around the country in our small Airstream as well as a VW camper van in complete comfort, months at a time. Many full-time in their Airstream traveling around the country.

The point is you are likely to travel more with rig designed primarily for travel, and none are better designed for travel than Airstream. You are less likely to travel more with a rig designed to spread (slide) out, hook up to utilities, and sit with the comforts and space of home, and none are designed for sitting better than a fifth wheel.

doug k

slowmover · 07-02-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sutallee

Ben4762: Im starting to realize that the Airstream isnt something you want to live in fulltime traveling around the country. Its starting to look like 5th wheel or a class C is the way to go.

This thread isn't representative of A/S fulltiming. While you may want something else, there is much more to be read on this forum. The canard that A/S leaks, etc is overblown. The insulation "could" be better but are you planning on staying in Death Valley in July? Minnesota in winter? With but an exception or three all RV's are 3-season.

Good luck

sutallee · 07-02-2011, 11:30 AM

You are less likely to travel more with a rig designed to spread (slide) out, hook up to utilities

I dont see how you couldnt hook up to utilities in an Airstream with the small tanks they have.

sutallee · 07-02-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDNAX

While you may want something else, there is much more to be read on this forum. The insulation "could" be better but are you planning on staying in Death Valley in July? Minnesota in winter? With but an exception or three all RV's are 3-season.

Im not sure what I want , thats what imtrying to find out here.
I would like to think I could stay any where I wanted in relative comfort.
3 seasons? There are 4 seasons, which season is left out here?

wheel interested · 07-02-2011, 11:47 AM

the cold cold season, or from the previous post, the hot hot season. Extremes of temperature are conducted easily through the aluminum and glass.

You will need to use propane generously to heat the tanks to keep from freezing. Condensation is a problem when the AS is all shut up in very cold weather too. I spent November to the middle of January in the Airstream and will again this year in temperatures that went below freezing and into the single digits for a short spell. Freezing tanks and heat will be the big preoccupation. A secondary heater or electric throw is good to consider as well as blocking or insulating any place you feel the cold coming in. In hot climes cooling and insulating would be your main concerns.

You buy Airstreams for their iconic shape and style, not so much for their 4 season or fulltiming livability, however Airstreams do well. In fact when the big SOBs froze up the AS heated tanks were doing fine.

Airsdream will probably tell you he conserves his water but if you use more water than that you can add it from a carried water tote. There are also waste water containers that can be hauled by hand or truck to the sanitation station at most parks so you do not have to pull out of your site to dump and fill your tanks. Conservation is something you will learn and adjust to what compromises suit you as an individual. there are lots of tips and tricks you will acquire from others, especially reading through the forum, or better still attending a few rallies! That is always the best.

sutallee · 07-02-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel interested

You will need to use propane generously to heat the tanks to keep from freezing. Condensation is a problem when the AS is all shut up in very cold weather too. I spent November to the middle of January in the Airstream and will again this year in temperatures that went below freezing and into the single digits for a short spell. Freezing tanks and heat will be the big preoccupation. A secondary heater or electric throw is good to consider as well as blocking or insulating any place you feel the cold coming in. In hot climes cooling and insulating would be your main concerns.

Are these issues you would have to worry about with a 5th wheel ot class C?

nsteel · 07-03-2011, 10:43 AM

Sutallee: I hope you have been following this current post. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f514...lem-77961.html.
It pretty much sums up what you will be experiencing in hot weather. In our 27FB I ended up having all the windows tinted and had the silver bubble wrap cut for every window and stored when we needed them. No you don't need to be in death valley in the summer to bake in the aluminum oven. We were in Golden Colorado last summer baking in the 100 degree heat and ended up going to Montana to cooler temps. We rarely stayed anywhere longer than a week and were lucky to be able to move when the weather got extreme. If you are going to be in heat, realize that aluminum heat conducting tube IS going to be tough to cool. They sandwich an inch and a half of pink insulation in-between two aluminum panels on the roof. I know we have an " ugly" 5th wheel now post Airstream but it has 6" of insulation in the roof and uses blue Dow foam board for wall insulation. And yes it is 4 season with a fully insulated heated belly pan. Granted we have a 15k main AC and a 13.5 bedroom AC but even in Austin TX at 100 I was able to maintain the setting of 75 with just the one AC and don't have bubble wrap or fans running.
You originally asked the question about which would be better for fulltiming and we have owned both and full-time AND we move around frequently. This is our second around the country trip in less than 12 months.
Honest truth for us is the Airstream was a nice looking rig but lousy storage and great for short trips up to a month or so. Full-time can be done but you need to be more of a minimalist. We stored so much crap in the truck. We knew traveling full-time this was going to be home and I didn't want to deal with the bubble wrap and being in the dark in the heat just because it was hot out etc.
I did wonder how hard it was going to be to set up at CG as compared to the Airstream. The HitchHiker came with auto hydraulic levelers (Bigfoot) so when I arrive I push a button to lift the front end, pull the unlock lever on the hitch and pull up. Next I push the "auto" button and within 30 seconds its level. Then I go inside push three more buttons and the slides are out. No more level blocks, no more dropping my Reese bars for tight back ins no more crappy wind down stabilizers that don't level or really stabilize.
Now as far as towing? Airstream is better in the wind but is in my opinion a rougher ride at least with our truck (even with the lighter Reese bars). A 5th wheel is weight in your bed so your truck sits with the load where it belongs. I never towed a 5th wheel, I went right from one to the other in the middle of our trip. In fact the first drive was from Grants Pass,OR to Cresent City,CA through those mountains and tight turns (I forget the hwy) its a different feeling but what I noticed was the 5th wheel didn't push me off to the side on a curve downhill like the trailer did. It's a different towing experience and you just get used to either I guess.
Trying to give you the comparison for fulltiming you asked for, and you already know you can't buy junk whatever you decide. You do get what you pay for.

mistermcfrug · 07-03-2011, 12:10 PM

The advantages of full-timing in an Airstream would be minimal compared to a good 5th wheel, particularly for someone who essentially states that he's not trying to save his last dime. The Airsteam company itself states that its trailers are not intended for full time use. When a manufacturer says something like that, they're saying it for good reasons. Why else would a seller make such a statement?

sutallee · 07-03-2011, 05:59 PM

Thank you everyone for your time and input on this.
I have decided that I wont be getting an Airstream for my journey. The main reason is I dont want to be limited to where I go and stAy because of the climate.
Now I have to decide between a Class C and A 5th wheel. Now, from what I read it sounds like New Horizons and NuWa might be the top 5th wheels.
I havent reasearched Cass C's to much but from what I have read and Four winds appear to be nice.
Do any of you have an opinion on which would be better a 5th wheel of a Class C.
Thanks

dkottum · 07-03-2011, 06:51 PM

You will be limited by climate no matter what rv. It was 17 degrees one night last winter in Tucson and fifth wheels and motorhomes plumbing froze up, some things broke, not all, but some very expensive models. Our Airstream did not. This is not to say I would even consider a cold climate, but it did not freeze anything.

I believe rv's are for travel. A motorhome would be better than a fifth wheel because its easier, and you don't have the big truck for everyday driver if you tow a small car. There's some complexity in both that will result in reliability issues sooner or later.

doug k

sutallee · 07-03-2011, 06:56 PM

dkottum: Do you fulltime in your Airstream? I so is it parked or do you travel around?

Mr.Bill · 07-03-2011, 07:07 PM

Regarding the 3 season thing - if I want to put up with weather that I don't like I could stay in my house. To me the big attraction of full-timing is that when it gets hot I can head up to the Oregon or Washington Coast, when it gets cold I can head to Arizona, etc. .

dkottum · 07-03-2011, 07:23 PM

We do not fulltime, and have had the Airstream only two years. We now spend summers here at home and travel from Florida to California 6 months in winter. If we find a place we like, we may stay for months. We have traveled for years with a total of four VW Westfalia campervans, and now the Airstream. Our next trip this month will be the north shore of Lake Superior with the Airstream. Sometimes its parked, sometimes its moving . . . love this retirement lifestyle.

I suggest smaller rv's based on our own experience, they are easier travelers.

doug k

Air Apparent · 07-05-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sutallee

Do any of you have an opinion on which would be better a 5th wheel of a Class C.
Thanks

Sutalle:

I would suggest that you go to the Escapees forum Escapees Discussion Forum and search for motorhome vs 5th wheel as this topic has been discussed many times. Also the responses you will get will be from people fulltiming. The consensus there is that if you move very frequently then get a motorhome but if you sit for a while you may be better with a 5th wheel. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

I believe that 45% of Escapees fulltimers have motorhomes and 45% have 5th wheels. The remaining 10% is for everything else (trailers, class B's, etc). Also only about 1% to 2% are Escapees fulltiming in an Airstream.

It seems that most Airstreamers do not full time. A majority of Escapees do fulltime as it was founded by fulltimers to support fulltimers.

Take your time doing your research and you will be happier with your decision.

Andrew Selking · 07-05-2011, 09:16 PM

Everyone on this thread needs to look at the other threads that talk about full timing in an Airstream. There are lots of full timers on the Forums that have Airstreams that have not chimed in on this thread. They have done it for years and can tell you how it can be done in an Airstream and not an SOB or Fifth Wheel unless you have a Airstream Fifth Wheel.