Other than an Airstream what would you consider the best new SOB travel trailer out there.
I have a dear friend who is in the market for a new travel trailer. New Airstreams in the largere sizes are beyond his price comfort zone. He is seriously considering a Star Stream (by Starcraft). He's looking at a 29' w/so that goes in the high 30's. I looked at it and it looks pretty decently made.
Is there anything else out there that he should be looking at?
Brian
__________________ SuEllyn & Brian McCabe WBCCI #3628 --- AIR #14872 2005 25' Safari FB (Lucy) with HAHA 2005 Suburban 2500 Quadrasteer (Olivia) & 2004 Suburban 2500 Quadrasteer (Daisy)
We have a 2008 24 foot StarStream. We are very pleased with how it's put together. Plus we really like how it looks. The only real complaint I have is the water pump is really noisy. We added an accumulator, which helped quite a bit. It tows very well, and it's quite a bit lighter than the same size '98 Jayco we had (like 2000 lbs lighter), so it has helped on gas mileage.
One other word of advice – buy a tube of good caulk and crawl under the trailer and seal up any little opening you find. Look around the wheel wells and the four corners of the trailer. I found small gaps which let mice in. Once I sealed them all, no more mouse problems.
It’s a great trailer for meeting people! Lot’s of folks stop by and ask about it since it is a tad bit unusual. Some even mistake it for an airstream, but I really don’t think it’s that similar looking. I know some of the people here on the forums have even called the StarStreams ugly… but I digress.
Brian, tell tell your friend to Google "RV ratings" and "RV Reviews" for more information than he wants. This site: RV Rating - Customer Survey of RV Makes and Models
collects information for many brands and fairly easy to read manner. Aistream rates in the middle, sort of a "C"; there are lots of brands with higher owner ratings. There aren't a lot of people rating their RV's, but it's the best I can find.
This looks pretty interesting to me! I think it is quite new on the market. Seems to incorporate lots of good features such as a composite floor, impervious to rot, LED lighting etc.
If this had been available when we sold our "Award" trailer, I certainly would have taken a look at it. As it was, only the AS seemed to fit our needs.
Earthbound don't really seem to offer a model with a layout that we like though - ie front lounge/dinette/galley/toilet/bedroom at rear. That was what we had in the Award and what we have in the AS.
A plus is that the longest Earthbound - around 30' - weighs not much more than half our AS!
This might not mean anything to most people, but it does to me. When we were looking, I found it very difficult to find a new trailer with a front window. I think Airsteam is about the only one left.
Ken
I think the front window or rear window placement desire is a function of what is in the room. With a front bed, windows that let in heat or cold in the bedroom are a liability. We've covered them with Reflectix. The fan suffices for ventilation. The problem is it's so much darker in the bedroom we sleep later and find it hard to get out of bed and get going. It's rare when parked the bedroom window faces anything but the truck. More windows may mean a weaker body and more leaks.
We didn't think of any of those things when we bought the Safari and I don't think you can get an SE without panos front and rear anyway. We love all the windows in the main cabin, although curbside is kind of useless—the oval windows by the sink are too low to see out of because of the hanging cabinet placement and the door window is translucent.
SOB's may offer different floor plans and some are quite nice, nicer than Airstreams. I was looking at Arctic Fox's website one day and I thought their floorplans were superior. They rate pretty highly too.
If I were going to buy another trailer, and I'm not, I'd look at other brands with better reliability. It's the same reason I buy Toyotas—their kind of boring, but I don't have to fix anything and know it's very unlikely I'll get stuck anywhere while traveling.
I would very likely find a leftover Bigfoot. I've seldom heard major complaints about them, and they often come up in these sorts of threads on other RV forums. Even though the company went under (I believe they were purchased), the fiberglass construction is appealing.
I came close to getting a Trailmanor, but we're sorta style snobs and the resemblence to a tent trailer didn't appeal. But the space you get for the weight is very appealing. Their solid-sided trailer has a rather nice floorplan, but is not exactly pretty.
I wonder if an "almost new" Airstream would fit the desired price range.
EDIT: I've been in an Earthbound - they sell them up at CanAm where I got my Argosy - and was really impressed. Very slick trailer. Tempting weights too...
I have the feeling that Earthbound and Squarestream are just the beginning of new models that will be both lighter weight and also more reliable. There are many types of "raw materials" and construction methods used elsewhere that will slowly find their way into RVs.
IMHO AS has made few efforts to "lead" the way...instead just relied on their "rep" to keep prices high and quality unchanged...or down. Many on this site have had great ideas that could be considered to "evolve" the AS icon w/o losing the Brand premium. By the time AS gets on the band wagon it may be to late.
FWIW...(not much?) Tom R in Two Harbors, MN...where it is getting cold and the wing is blowing...and I HAVE to go outside and do some last minute fall "to do's"...should have done when it was nice out
We recently helped a friend look for a gently-used, pre-owned trailer. He really wanted an Airstream, but we could not find a decent one in his price range. We decided that the other two well-built and well-insulated trailers on the market were Arctic Fox and Holiday Rambler. He found a gorgeous Holiday Rambler in his price range, and he is now a happy trailer camper!
I looked over the specs for the Earthbound—mostly smaller water tanks, grey and black too—all 30 gal. except for one with a 60 gal. grey tank. 30# propane tanks are an upgrade. 14" wheels with Goodyears. Nice interior, light weight. They are using vacuum pressed panels, a not too new technology, that gives better insulation, quicker assembly, and high quality when done right and something I suggested to look into when at JC. I think they have thermopane windows too. The 25' 10" one is a little over 5,000 #. A touch choice compared to Airstream when side by side. A lot of things are TBA so I think they aren't making many right now and the question is whether the company will be around in 5 years as small companies can't get financing, so the 3 year warranty may be an illusion.
Thanx for the input. I haven't done any RV shopping in recent years, and I didn't know what's out there.
I went on the Earthbound site. I will have to admit that I am somewhat impressed. I hope that they make it. Maybe AS will take some hints. I wouldn't sell Lucy to buy an Earthbound, but if I was buying a new TT today, I would sure be looking hard at this newcomer.
Brian
__________________ SuEllyn & Brian McCabe WBCCI #3628 --- AIR #14872 2005 25' Safari FB (Lucy) with HAHA 2005 Suburban 2500 Quadrasteer (Olivia) & 2004 Suburban 2500 Quadrasteer (Daisy)
If he's looking at a NEW 29' w/so in the high 30's, then for the same money he could afford a gently used Airstream that's perhaps only a few years old. IMO, a used Airstream can be in better condition and last far longer than something brand new in a different brand. Have him check the classifieds here. On the other hand, maybe AS just isn't his thing.
I have looked at the Earthbounds at a local dealer and was impressed. If I wasn't planning on a used AS next year, I would give consideration to the Earthbounds. It will be interesting to see how they fair with the claims of rot-proof composite construction. I also agree that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Once the world economy recovers and fuel prices go up, more and more of these units will appear.
__________________
2003 Jayco Kiwi 23D Hybrid
2003 Chevy Duramax/Allison 2500HD
Yamaha EF2400is
Equalizer Hitch
Hopefully soon this economic mess will settle down (yeah right ) and I will be able to purchase my AS, likely a late model 25' Classic/Safari with a queen bed.
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Once I sealed them all, no more mouse problems.
) and I will be able to purchase my AS, likely a late model 25' Classic/Safari with a queen bed.
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