Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-15-2016, 04:25 PM   #21
2 Rivet Member
 
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Olympia , Washington
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 31
25 vs 27

We went from a 23 to a 27 FB when we decided to most-time it for a while on retirement. If you use your kitchen a lot, and it sounds like you value home cooking for good health, we picked the 27 in part because it has much more pantry and kitchen storage and prep space than the 25. We also liked the walk-around rather than crouch-around bed, and nightstands for each.

One of the comments on this thread is in support of the Interstate as an option. Friends of ours are trying to full-time in an Interstate, and are facing significant limitations on space and functionality for full-timing, severe limitations on boondocking in cold weather.

If you're planning lots of national parks and remote sites visits on longer trips, boondocking including some cold nights will be a regular part of the equation. Solar isn't dependable enough to recharge your batteries to run the furnace fan to keep the interior at 45 or 50 degrees all night on a 20 or 25-degree night, and you'll want to carry a generator (we have a Honda 2000). With an SUV, if you don't want the gas inside your vehicle (except what's left in the tank), I have found the Rotopax system to work well so far on the roof rack with our Sequoia.

The 27 can be harder to camp than a 25 at many national parks and monuments, some of which have few or no sites they consider large enough to accommodate 27-foot trailers, though 25s are usually fine.

The Airstream community spirit is strongly based on WBCCI caravans and rallies - check out the opportunities. Our first was the Alaska caravan (63 days, next one is in 2018) which we found to be a wonderful trip with stunning scenery and amazing wildlife, on which we met some great folks. Some people will say it rained, but we discovered that rain, mud, dust and gravel is just part of what makes Alaska Alaska. The Sun Valley Jazz Festival rally this October was where we wound up boondocking a number of nights in subfreezing weather to the low 20s, and made very good use of our generator - plus a "Little Buddy" propane heater to minimize the need for the trailer furnace fan - to see us through the night just fine.
Pat.Mann is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2016, 04:27 PM   #22
3 Rivet Member
 
Rjpuckett's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
San Antonio , Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 116
When your heart skips a beat when you see one coming down the road you know you are hooked.

If you find one used you like, be in the position to pull the trigger. We just bought a 25' and sold our 16' in 2 hours.
Rjpuckett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2016, 06:31 PM   #23
2 Rivet Member
 
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Queen Creek , Arizona
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 32
She's on board!

So, thanks to the community for the instant feed back. Amazing! Actually, my wife is very much on-board with the AS notion of travel/adventure, though we are surely naive to perhaps many considerations at hand. I simply wrote her a memo to articulate my current thinking and then, using that same document, solicit validation from the forum while seeking other points to ponder. We're moving forward, probably new and new, FC 25FB or 26U plus a TV (Denali, Tahoe, or Navigator). I'm yet trying to vet GMC's V-8 vs. the efficient Ford V-6.
rbaldwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2016, 08:11 PM   #24
3 Rivet Member
 
2014 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Glen Arbor , Michigan
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 171
I was in a similar situation with a similar vision. I could almost see myself and my wife in Arches national Park with a gorgeous view after a breath taking hike enjoying a fish dinner and a nice white bordeaux. Then I made all the investments and did it. Well, it turns out that my vision was directionally accurate, but, as grandeos it was, fell short of how much fun it really is. It was so much fun that I am going to retire and go whenever we want.
Wanna EB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-16-2016, 04:59 AM   #25
Rivet Master
Commercial Member
 
Andrew T's Avatar

 
2019 27' Tommy Bahama
London , Ontario
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbaldwin View Post
So, thanks to the community for the instant feed back. Amazing! Actually, my wife is very much on-board with the AS notion of travel/adventure, though we are surely naive to perhaps many considerations at hand. I simply wrote her a memo to articulate my current thinking and then, using that same document, solicit validation from the forum while seeking other points to ponder. We're moving forward, probably new and new, FC 25FB or 26U plus a TV (Denali, Tahoe, or Navigator). I'm yet trying to vet GMC's V-8 vs. the efficient Ford V-6.
Both the Ford and GM engines will have plenty of performance. The big advantage in the Expedition or Navigator is the independent rear suspension. It gives you a better ride towing or on rough roads solo but at the same time is more stable handling. I am sure you will love Airstream travel, join the WbCCI and you will learn so many ways to use it you won't be able to fit them all in.

Andrew T
__________________
Andrew Thomson
London, Ontario

"One test is worth a thousand expert opinions."
Tex Johnston, Boeing 707 test pilot
Andrew T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2017, 09:38 AM   #26
3 Rivet Member
 
dprvashon's Avatar
 
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
Vashon , Washington
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 103
Images: 11
Hi...some good comments in this thread but let me tell you, I retired 2 years ago and waited for my wife to retire last May. For work, I traveled the airways, staying in city after city, I was 'gold' status in multiple hotel chains and I accumulated hundreds of thousands of airline miles that I still have....but I didn't want to stay in hotels any longer or forced to eat in restaurants. I was done. Still wanting to travel, we decided on getting an RV even though we had no experience towing or traveling in one. We looked at class A, C, and fifth wheels. But once I stepped into an AS, I thought, this is it. I quickly brought my wife back and she agreed, let's try it (see: Melchertroad.com). We bought our first AS, a 2014 19' FC. We took it on 3 trips and found that it was just too small for us and our wet golden retriever.

One great thing about an AS, is it HOLDS ITS VALUE. You can have a do-over without a lot of cost. We got the whole price back on a trade up to our current 2016 25' FB Twin. We love it and have spent a total of 2 months this year traveling. We are now on our first winter trip lasting another 2 months. We have been to 7 National Parks, small towns and saw beautiful country but no big cities, restaurants, and hotels. We sleep in our own beds and have a'rest stop' anywhere we want. We love traveling and found the combination or our 2014 Ford F150 and our AS is perfect. The truck has lots of creature comforts and room for our things. It pulls the AS terrific at around 11-12 mpg and handles the passes great.

One suggestion is to get into an AS with your wife, kick the salesperson out, and do the dance. Pretend you are living in the trailer....pretend you are dressing, cooking, taking a shower while the other makes the bed or is in the bathroom. It is important that you can both move around in the coach and do things. Our 19' proved just too small as only 1 person could do those things at a time while the other sits.

But overall, enjoy the process and keep asking questions...lots of experience in these threads (and opinions)
__________________
2016 Flying Cloud 25 FB Twin
2014 Ford F150 3.5L V6 Ecoboost w/ max towing pkg
oh, and Cleo the wonderdog
dprvashon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2017, 11:25 PM   #27
4 Rivet Member
 
zapper's Avatar
 
2007 25' Safari FB SE
2017 30' Flying Cloud
Highland , California
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 432
Glad you are enjoying your As. Had a similar experience with our 2006 Safari FB queen. Traded up to a 2017 FC 30. We stated looking around after my wife crawled over me during the night to use the toilet missed grabbing the hall way frame and went head first onto the floor. Oops. You see the queen bed is located transverse to the center line of the trailer and there is little room between the edge of the bed a the front window. A mild concussion later my wife had little patience for a repeat performance and we decided we wanted a bed mounted along the centerline of the trailer. The 30 foot FC works just fine. It's huge. You wouldn't think that 5 feet would add so much interior volume. We pull ours with a 2010 Tundra and we get a whopping 10 mpg if we are lucky. Enjoy your new rig we are enjoying ours. No thumps in the night either. Lol
__________________
Hugh----
zapper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2017, 02:27 AM   #28
2 Rivet Member
 
Outdoorpeak's Avatar
 
Currently Looking...
Charlestown , Massachusetts
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 67
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wanna EB View Post
I was in a similar situation with a similar vision. I could almost see myself and my wife in Arches national Park with a gorgeous view after a breath taking hike enjoying a fish dinner and a nice white bordeaux. Then I made all the investments and did it. Well, it turns out that my vision was directionally accurate, but, as grandeos it was, fell short of how much fun it really is. It was so much fun that I am going to retire and go whenever we want.


Reading this makes going back to work on Monday a daunting thought! Congratulations on realizing such an amazing vision!!
Outdoorpeak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2017, 06:15 AM   #29
Moderator
 
moosetags's Avatar

 
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
2012 23' FB Flying Cloud
2005 25' Safari
Santa Rosa Beach , Florida
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,156
Images: 5
It sounds like you have a solid plan in mind. We had a similar plan that we brought to reality. We retired and started Airstreaming eleven years ago.

We also selected the 25FB as a our Airstream of choice. We chose a 2500 Suburban as our tow vehicle. Our original Airstream was a 2005 Safari 25FB. We found ourselves traveling so extensively that we have two tow vehicles.

We now have a 2015 Flying Cloud 25FB. We now have almost 1,800 nights of Airstream camping all over the country. We have towed our Airstreams over 160,000 miles.

Airstreaming has been the highlight of our life. It has made our retirement a great adventure.

Brian
__________________
SuEllyn & Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628 -- AIR #14872 -- TAC #FL-7
2015 FC 25' FB (Lucy) with ProPride
2020 Silverado 2500 (Vivian)
2023 Rivian R1T (Opal)
moosetags is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2017, 02:53 PM   #30
Rivet Master
 
Kensington , Maryland
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 554
Great thread.
We are about 4.5 years out from buying a Airstream and beginning to wander around the USA. Our "big picture" plan is to travel by AS to interesting places for hiking and bicycle riding. We will alternate this with coming home for a few months or more than off we go again!

I've done alot of reading and sounds like we won't be happy with anything larger than 25' since that's the limit for some really neat RV parks and campgrounds.

Luckily, or not, my trusty 4X4 failed and we just got a new Tundra 4X4 so that's taken care of
Too tall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 09:29 PM   #31
2 Rivet Member
 
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Queen Creek , Arizona
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 32
Update to Plan

Affirmative decisions made and our plan is coming together. We just got word from Orange County Airstream that our FC 25A, Twin factory order will begin its build cycle the last week in March in Jackson; delivery to us in April. We also took delivery of a new 2017 F-150 Platinum, Max Tow, FS 4X4 last week. So, while I become familiar with the bells and whistles of the F-150 tow vehicle, we're beginning to vet WD hitch options, solar configurations, gear lists, and all the other facets of this upcoming retirement hobby such that when all the equipment finally comes together in May, we'll be sufficiently competent to safely and happily begin our wanderlust! I continue to enjoy reading the forums and benefit from the community's collective wisdom. Thanks.
rbaldwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 08:40 PM   #32
3 Rivet Member
 
judyjudy's Avatar
 
2016 30' Classic
Little Rock , Arkansas
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 167
Wishing you the best. Hubby retired last year. I am retiring this summer. Can't wait. We are spending our retirement split between airstreaming and cruising. We love going to rallys! You are going to have a blast.
judyjudy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
tv headphone and a/v inputs whitevan Electronics & Connectivity 1 02-01-2015 02:42 PM
Confused about front and side electrical inputs cdanj Electrical - Systems, Generators, Batteries & Solar 3 10-19-2014 09:12 PM
HDMI Switcher with 3 inputs ghaynes755 Audio, Video & TV 1 04-29-2014 08:42 PM
How to replace the Cable/Phone inputs deauxrite Phone, CB & Ham Radio 3 04-09-2010 06:35 AM
Three Landline Inputs highlander Electrical - Systems, Generators, Batteries & Solar 1 04-09-2005 07:44 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:36 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.