Not "in" quite yet..

[GettinAway]

My wife and I are looking to move up.. We have towed a pop-up for years, but have not used it the last 3 or 4 years as the kids got older.
Well, they are all gone now. (college or beyond)
We want to start traveling again. But no more pop-up..
I have a Tacoma 4x4, dbl cab..etc. We are hoping it will handle a 19' Bambi. We found one (04) we think we can get.
The big question I have is.. I'm 6'5" 230, my wife is 5'7" can we fit in a Bambi?? We've been together 32 yrs, I think the "closeness" of the 19 will be fine.. It just seems like the kingsize bed in the pop-up was bigger.. It is.
Well we will be trying to decide in the next day or two.
Any suggestions will be appreciated..
Thanks,
Jeff

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

My wife and I are looking to move up.. We have towed a pop-up for years, but have not used it the last 3 or 4 years as the kids got older.
Well, they are all gone now. (college or beyond)
We want to start traveling again. But no more pop-up..
I have a Tacoma 4x4, dbl cab..etc. We are hoping it will handle a 19' Bambi. We found one (04) we think we can get.
The big question I have is.. I'm 6'5" 230, my wife is 5'7" can we fit in a Bambi?? We've been together 32 yrs, I think the "closeness" of the 19 will be fine.. It just seems like the kingsize bed in the pop-up was bigger.. It is.
Well we will be trying to decide in the next day or two.
Any suggestions will be appreciated..
Thanks,
Jeff

6'5", 230....Hmmmm. Yes, you will fit, but the real question is, will you be comfortable? And my experience says you probably won't.

I would suggest you go to an Airstream dealer and try one on for size. Stand in it, sit in it, lay down in it, and last but certainly not least, sit on the toilet.

After you decide that it's too small :-), pick out the size trailer you really want, and concentrate on finding one in your price range. THEN, concentrate on an appropriate sized tow vehicle you will be happy with.

Believe me when I say, I've been there, and done that. Good luck with your search.

Edit: Sorry I forgot...welcome to the forum.

[willyd]

I agree with SteveH - looking at different floorplans will help you decide. Welcome to the Forum.

[moosetags]

First off, welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

At your height, I'm sure that you've had duck and weave all your life. Just about any RV is going to be low clearance for you. The one thing in a Bambi that may be the most troublesome is the corner bed. I would definitely try out the bed before making a final decision.

As for your Tacoma tow vehicle, you're probably in marginal territory.

Brian

[AZ-JH]

We initially wanted a Bambi, but the whole bed issue is what nudged us into a unit with a 60X75 walk-around queen (now a 23FB and up). We have no regrets on getting a larger unit, and we sleep very well in the AS, especially since the factory mattress has been replaced.

You and your partner will probably not sleep comfortably squeezed in a 48X75 inch box. On width, it's only 9 inches wider than a kid's twin and it's still 6 inches less than a full.

You are 77 inches tall. At least with the 60X75 queen, your feet can hang off the edge and you can stretch out some without your head being right up against the wall.

[Foiled Again]

I let my niece and nephew-in-law use my 25FB for a week while I was out of town. He's also well over six feet tall, so I knew he'd hang off the end of the queen bed. Being inventive, they merely schooched the mattress downward, and filled in the top with my couch pillows. Worked for them, and didn't hurt the mattress. I think you could make a hinged shelf with a locking brace to allow the bed to be lengthened if hanging your feet over is an issue.

I'm much shorter, but I generally don't like my feet confined so I never tuck in the sheets or blankets that cover me. I've awakened several times with my feet hanging over the edge... just a comfort thing for me.

I've never liked how much the mattress shifts around though. So one night last week I was pondering whether to throw out an extra roll of padded shelving liner... when it hit me to put it under the mattress. Seems much more stable now.

Paula

[SilverRanger]

As has been wisely stated in previous posts, get in a Bambi and try the bed before you decide. My wife and I are used to sleeping in close quarters, and are very pleased with the size of the bed. But I'm not as tall as you. If the Bambi you are considering has the dinette that converts to a bed... I find it has a bit more leg room, and is lower in height, but not as quite as comfortable as the rear bed.

Welcome aboard, and best of luck in your decision.

[SilverRanger]

"...I was pondering whether to throw out an extra roll of padded shelving liner... when it hit me to put it under the mattress."

Hi, Paula! Haven't seen you since our first CBR in 2006. We actually bought one of those things that keep a carpet from sliding around on a floor (similar to shelving liner, only thicker) to put under our mattress, but haven't gotten around to trying it out. I'm encouraged enough by your success enough to stop procrastinating.

[GettinAway]

We spent hours in and out and around it.. I laid on the mattress, my wife did. We think it's ok..
Going to a larger trailer means going to a larger truck etc.. Not going to happen.
Besides I liked the idea of a well cared for 04 for 1/2 the price of a new one.
I don't think we will get hurt on it too bad ($$) if we decide to go larger in a few years.

Next question.. Hope I don't rub anyone the wrong way with this one.
How fast do you guys pull your trailers?
I used to truck along pretty good with the pop-up, and we had two canoes on the car, and five bikes on the trailer. (Looking a bit like the Beverly Hillbillies)
Maybe it's time I slowed down to smell the roses, but it's pretty boring going across KS or NE, no matter which of the five routes I've used..
Just curious? Does a Airstream pull that much better than a standard camping trailer?

Also, if there is another place in the forum I should post this, please let me know.
Thanks,
Jeff

[bwoodtx]

Jeff
I have a '97 30' Excella 1000 towed with a 1/2 ton chevy 4X4 with 1 extra set of leaf springs in the back. I have towed this trailer at 75mph with no problems. With that being said, it really is a matter of how fast do you feel comfortable with. My comfort zone is more like 60-65mph occassionaly 70 on a perfect day

Bruce

[GettinAway]

Well, we have the Bambi parked in the driveway (looks good), we have spent a night on the small bed (not as bad as I thought it would be, but not perfect), have pulled it all over St Louis & back a few times (I can't believe how easily it pulls behind the Tacoma), and are in the process of loading it up for a 9 day trip to Colorado.
We sure had some issues with Bill Thomas Camper Sales (AS dealer in St Louis area) they have some problems there.. (not a pleasant experience)

However, we are really looking forward to the first big trip w Bambi..

Still can't decide where to put everything.. bikes, carpets, silverwear, trash, clothes, etc.. I think I'm going to put a lot of stuff in the back of the pick-up..

Will post again (and/or) in Bambi section about the trip.. It's an adventure, we are sooo looking forward to..

Jeff

[moosetags]

Best wishes on your maiden voyage.

Travel safe, Brian

[aircooled4]

Welcome to the forums Jeff, and congrats on the new AS! I think the packing issues will reveal themselves in time... you probably didn't get the packing down to a science the first time out with the pop up either. But now that you don't have to raise and lower your camper, just pull in and park, you'll have a lot more time to figure out the packing arrangements!

We love photos around this place, so please don't hesitate to share! Pics of the first trip would be great, but we love the "sitting in the driveway" photo ops, too. And whenever you all decide what his/her name is, there's a great thread lurking out there with trailer names!

Again, welcome!

[GettinAway]

A little over a week away... (From 1st long trip with Bambi) Things are shaping up inside...
This pic was taken with a cell phone camera, so please excuse the quality...
It's how she's sitting in the driveway... I have her backed into a corner for now... And it's given us the idea that it might become her permanent home. We think we'll get out more often if we see her every day... I don't know. Plus, the debate about covering her, etc... I do know if she sits there all summer she'll be covered with tree sap.
The next pics will be of her, hooked up and ready to roll. Then a few from Colorado!!
Jeff

[aircooled4]

Excellent! She looks right at home. Best wishes for the first big trip, and we'll be waiting for the report and accompanying pictures when you return!!