How long can you stay out

[beetlebob]

Am looking at a AS and unlike a 5er there is not a lot of storage or big tanks. So how long can you stay out in the boonies before you have to come in to re supply. I am thinking of taking a MDT and putting a box on it and put water/waste tanks a big solar on it and run power to the AS from it plus storage for food and toys. So with that what are you seasoned AS people doing in the outback so you do not have to go into the town?

[r carl]

First thing would be eating less everyday.

[Mike91208]

The water/waste tanks are the big limiting factors. Depends on your lifestyle. If you shower and poop outdoors, you could go for a long time, but I'd guess the average is about a week or so for most people.

[beetlebob]

I was thinking of using a M2-112 Freightliner to pull with and put a box on it for extra storage. Want to stay out for a month if possable. I have read that that will be to heavyduty for a 31 foot AS and will cause frame damage? Any truth????

[tuffr2]

A M2 Sport Chassis would make one heck of a tow vehicle. I saw toy hauler 5th wheels with 150 gallon fresh water, 80 gray and 80 black. For me alone I could go a month with those tanks. Plus with a toy hauler you could carry all kinds of supplies - extra water, a few sewage totes, food, clothes, generator, fuel.

You do not mention how many people.
So - how many people?

If you have your heart set on an AS probably a 2500 truck with an 8 foot bed with a cap on it could carry lots of stuff but not as much as the toy hauler.

Wait - there is an AS with a garage, that might be the ticket. I think it is called Panamerican. But my guess is the holding tanks will be much smaller than the 5er.

You could tow this with a truck with a cap and carry lots of supplies.

This is an interesting question.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by beetlebob

I was thinking of using a M2-112 Freightliner to pull with and put a box on it for extra storage. Want to stay out for a month if possable. I have read that that will be to heavyduty for a 31 foot AS and will cause frame damage? Any truth????

You will need a silver Avion to get a proper frame.

[beetlebob]

New to AS so what is an Avion?

[Wazbro]

To tow with an M2-112 Freightliner you should use an Air safe hitch to help protect the trailer.

Also you would need a macerator pump to pump sewage up into tanks on the truck.

Avion was one of Airstreams competitors, they look similar to Airstreams.

[Drathaar]

Originally Posted by beetlebob

New to AS so what is an Avion?

Some Other Brand (aka SOB)

[dlb435]

For my wife; about one day. She wants all of the comforts of home all of the time.
For me, as long as I can get fresh water, propane and gas for the truck...no limit.
Using only the water and propane on board, 3-5 days if you really conserve. (poop outside, no showers, run lights and fans as little as possible, limit the heater usage)
For an expended stay, I'd bring extra water and a generator. This would be good for about one week of comfortable living. I don't like living like a mountain man unless I need too.

[timmaah]

We can do about a week, and that is just the water running out. Black tank seems to take about 2 weeks to fill.

After that first week, we can refill with our portable jugs (13 gallons), but that only lasts ~2 days, so repeated resupply trips are needed.

[tuffr2]

I used to boat camp. Never worried about water to stay clean. Jump in the lake, come out, soap up, jump in again...done.

The 1st time I tent camped on land I did not think about having water to stay clean. I actually cut the trip short after 3 days w/o a shower. So now I make sure I take or can get water - even with the trailer. As long as I can go to sleep clean I can stay out.

Now if I want to bring the wifey - that is s whole different ball game. I now need 4 times everything. Instead of using 2 gallons of water a day I am lucky to use 8.
I can eat trail mix, wifey wants a meal.
I am not complaining, meals are nicer. We usually stay out 5 to 7 days.

Are you by yourself or have other people with you?

[Bill M.]

If I was gonna have that big a tow truck I would buy some other brand of trailer. You are not really using the towing advantages of the airstream design and you still have to deal with all of the many disadvantages that design causes. I bought a Airstream for travel and caravans and we move every few days. I winter in Fl now in an Airstream but it is hooked to sewer and water and power and we have a storage shed. We dump every 5 days.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by beetlebob

Am looking at a AS and unlike a 5er there is not a lot of storage or big tanks. So how long can you stay out in the boonies before you have to come in to re supply.

Varies widely depending on what you do.

Sewage (black) tank, rule of thumb, 1 gallon per person per day

Freshwater tank, rule of thumb for us, 4 gallons per person per day not including showers. We cook most meals in the trailer and use a fair amount of water for cooking and dishes.

Shower, rule of thumb, 2 gallons per minute.

Electricity, rule of thumb, 2 days per group 27 battery with no or minimal furnace and fan use.

I am thinking of taking a MDT and putting a box on it and put water/waste tanks a big solar on it and run power to the AS from it plus storage for food and toys. So with that what are you seasoned AS people doing in the outback so you do not have to go into the town?

I have a setup with big water and waste tanks that I sometimes use. Goes in the bed of the pickup. It's a nuisance, and in most situations it's easier to move the trailer.

I have some 5 gallon moller scepter water cans that I use to carry water. In some situations that works -- we had a 300 gallon wastewater tank on one trip that a portable toilet place provided so we just had to bring freshwater. There are still a few places where you can dump wastewater on the ground in which case you just need to take care of freshwater.

I don't usually find electricity to be limiting. I've added a 2nd battery to my tow vehicle and have it set up so I charge that from the engine alternator if I drive to town then run the trailer off it when I park.

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by beetlebob

I was thinking of using a M2-112 Freightliner to pull with and put a box on it for extra storage. Want to stay out for a month if possable. I have read that that will be to heavyduty for a 31 foot AS and will cause frame damage? Any truth????

When I was towing for a trailer transport company we had a couple people towing with heavy duty trucks.
Several of the companies we delivered for would NOT let them tow their trailers because of the stiff suspension beating them too death

[polarlyse]

Last summer we dry camped for 3 days at Glacier NP. We were comfortable with the fantastic fans and I'm sure we could have gone a 4th day if needed. That is on 2 new group 27 batteries. There's only 2 of us so the holding tanks were not close to being filled either. That's the longest we've been unattached to either campground electric or our generator.

[dkottum]

My early camping was done with pack and canoe, which could supply us for an easy week with stream/lake water and firewood available along the way, supplemented with fresh fish, all of which were plentiful in Minnesota and Canada. With what an Airstream can carry, that could be a lengthy stay.

doug k

[Pagey]

Thank you for the comments.

I am the other half of the Beetlebob crew. It will just the two of us. We're even going to give up having kitties.

We have always tent-camped. We have done multiple week long trips in the Okefenokee, camping out of a canoe, carrying our own water, so an Airstream would be a definite step up for us.