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Old 10-22-2018, 04:21 PM   #1
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Any SOBs with style and comfort to compare?

Hi, I have a question for those who have shopped other brands comparing to Airstream. I'm not asking about quality or value or towing or longevity in this thread, and I don't care if it's aluminum or whatever. I am asking about interior style and comfort. When we go into an Airstream, we feel like we are in high end condo. We like how it looks and how we feel when inside it. When I go in most TTs I feel like I am in a cheap tract home, or mobile home, and can't wait to get out of there.
In my RV shopping I was wondering if anyone had found anything out there worth checking out, other than Airstream, that had clean contemporary styling and/or had comfortable furnishings. So far I have found the Bowlus Road Chief, and that is about it. Anything worth checking out?
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:01 PM   #2
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May I suggest you check out Oliver, and other mounded fiberglass trailers. They may or may not fit your needs for comfort, but definitely do not look like a mobile home inside.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:15 PM   #3
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The Internet lists the following as the 5 best ..... No Airstreams?

Grand Design Reflection Travel Trailer
Keystone Hideout Travel Trailer
Palomino Puma Travel Trailer
Heartland North Trail Travel Trailer
Jayco White Hawk Travel Trailer

The Oliver does come up in the search as a hit, but it really looks like a Clorox Bottle. Doubt it's what you want, but it's what a lot of people need.

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Old 10-22-2018, 05:27 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PKI View Post
The Internet lists the following as the 5 best ..... No Airstreams?

Grand Design Reflection Travel Trailer
Keystone Hideout Travel Trailer
Palomino Puma Travel Trailer
Heartland North Trail Travel Trailer
Jayco White Hawk Travel Trailer

The Oliver does come up in the search as a hit, but it really looks like a Clorox Bottle. Doubt it's what you want, but it's what a lot of people need.

Pat
Those "5 best" or "10 best" reviews are a joke and I am pretty sure money changes hands to determine who's is "best". Nothing more than a sneaky advertisement. Just look at the way some of them are worded, like they are written by someone who hasn't a clue about the product and in some cases hasn't mastered the English language either.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:38 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billstream View Post
Hi, I have a question for those who have shopped other brands comparing to Airstream. I'm not asking about quality or value or towing or longevity in this thread, and I don't care if it's aluminum or whatever. I am asking about interior style and comfort. When we go into an Airstream, we feel like we are in high end condo. We like how it looks and how we feel when inside it. When I go in most TTs I feel like I am in a cheap tract home, or mobile home, and can't wait to get out of there.
In my RV shopping I was wondering if anyone had found anything out there worth checking out, other than Airstream, that had clean contemporary styling and/or had comfortable furnishings. So far I have found the Bowlus Road Chief, and that is about it. Anything worth checking out?
I've looked at a lot and the only ones that have that same feel as Airstream are some of the custom renovations of older trailers. As far as durable and functional like said the Oliver and Bigfoot are good but IMHO not super comfortable. I don't consider the Airstream exactly real comfortable either.

ORV makes some decent units that are very comfortable and solid but still not as stylish and contemporary as AS. About the nicest two box type trailers we have looked at are Lance and Grand Design with Lance being quite nice, however no ducted AC. Grand Design is not really a lot better quality wise except for maybe their residential grade furniture and counter tops but their final inspections and after the sale support are touted to be the best in the business ( although if you call Bigfoot for support you get to talk to one of the owners). Grand Design also features really large, nice bathrooms.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:38 PM   #6
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We did an extensive search before buying and we also went to a lot of RV show in order to be able to compare and nothing is comparable to an airstream.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:40 PM   #7
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Oh I don't care about THEIR lists, I want to hear the lists from Airstreamers! I want to hear what Airstreamers found that tempted them when they were shopping. Was there anything else that made you go "hmm, that's really nice"? Yeah, I know it's slim pickings out there. They build Olivers right up the road from me, but I don't find them particularly attractive or comfortable, and even Airstream could stand to up the comfort quota, but they do seem to be moving in that direction lately.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:45 PM   #8
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This is interesting.
https://www.rvingplanet.com/blog/bes...iler-rv-brands

They find the AS Sport the number 1 choice.

Maybe they did not go in a Classic or International or a EB or a TB or even a FC for that mater.

I know the Oliver trailers have a good rep.
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Old 10-22-2018, 05:53 PM   #9
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Tiffin, Newmar, Nexus*, Foretravel, Prevost .......

Earthroamer ......

I'd like to be impressed by the Bowlus, but can't get past the wet bath.
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:13 PM   #10
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Airstreams are sleek compared to the “grandmas apartment” decor in some SOB’s.
I looked at an Oliver. It’s really “plasticy” and very white. Not for me.
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:15 PM   #11
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Leisure Travel Vans have some nice interiors on their class Cs. Made in Canada with quality.

Mike
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:23 PM   #12
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I certainly wouldn’t put the Bowless Road Chief in the SOB category, but if you are, it’s certainly as nice as any Airstream inside and out. And if the Bowless is game as an SOB alternative to Airstream you’d have to look at the Living Vehicle. It’s a box, but the most beautiful box ever with the nicest architect designed interior I’ve seen in an RV.
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:37 PM   #13
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Bill, what are you looking for? Is it the aluminum walls inside? Are you looking only at travel trailers, or would you consider a motor home? If so, take a look at a Newell.


Personally, I'm not all that impressed with the newest Airstreams (not that I could afford one), but they look too cold to me. The older Airstreams, say, early 2000's, look much more homey. It really comes down to a matter of taste.
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:50 PM   #14
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Nothing in a towable compares to style and quality IMO. Grand Design maybe, but it’s still the same ole look and cheap interior. Closest I’ve encountered is my father in laws 5th wheel. Heartland Cyclone. Comfortable seating and quality built interior. But it’s BIG and weighs about 16k #’s empty.
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Old 10-22-2018, 06:57 PM   #15
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We had a Camplite before our Airstream. They are not AS upscale as Airstream but they are a step up from cheap SOBs. They are a stablemate in the Thor lineup with Airstreams. They are crazy light and all aluminum...no wood floors and steel frames like Airstreams.
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Old 10-22-2018, 07:28 PM   #16
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I have no idea if there is anything worth checking out. I buy things I like. It is that simple. I went to one RV show in Toronto. It was a fairly large show as Toronto is the 4th largest city in North America and its shows are usually on the large side.

I walked around and went inside many. At the time I thought we may be interested in a Class A. I then walked into an Airstream. Although noticeably smaller I just liked it. It felt right.

A year later when we were ready to buy Airstream it is. We made the right decision. When my gut tells me it is right - I listen.
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Old 10-22-2018, 07:44 PM   #17
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What to Buy

We looked for 2 full years and were in a bunch of trailers. We purchased a 2017 Airstream International Serenity 23D. However, a STRONG second place was the Lance model 1985. It was very nice. Yes, a square box SOB. BUT, as far as I could see, decent build quality at about 1/3 less $$$$ than the 23D. I have talked to several Lance owners in our travels over the past 2 years and almost all were very happy with there purchase. Love our 23d, but would not think twice about purchasing the model 1985 Lance. Good luck and safe travels.
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Old 10-23-2018, 09:36 AM   #18
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You may want to look at DRV Mobile Suites.
http://www.drvsuites.com/mobile-suit...-fifth-wheels/
We full-timed in one and they can't be beat for quality and really do have great style, think high-end yacht. The down-side is they're HUGE!! Ours was the smallest unit (37', 18,000#) and we needed a 1-ton dually to pull it. VERY comfortable, even at 10 deg. F outside, but you can't fit into hardly any national parks and getting into state parks can be a challenge. After we came off the road back into a sticks & bricks house, we searched all over for a smaller RV that still had the quality of the DRV. We looked at all the ones listed by others but the only other brand that comes close for quality is the Arctic Fox: http://northwoodmfg.com/ but they come up way short in the 'style' category (and at 13/ 7" for their fivers, we were worried about OH clearance). That got us to where we are today with an AS Flying Cloud, which we've only had for 2-months but so far really LOVE IT!!!
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Old 10-23-2018, 09:37 AM   #19
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If pockets are deep... there are some class-A options with nice interiors
Other than custom stuff or airstreams, i've yet to see a travel trailer with an interior that isn't hideous and made as cheap as possible. Every rv show I've been to, all the showroom models are already falling apart, and the glue smell makes my wife sick


Travel trailers with decent interiors seems like a space in the market that airstream has to themselves
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Old 10-23-2018, 09:38 AM   #20
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Arctic Fox or Oliver
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