Front Bed or Rear Bed

[imflyinby]

Hello out there in Streamland !
Does anybody have any comments, pro or con, on purchasing a front bed or rear bed. We are looking in the 25 to 27 range but really don't know if there are advantages of one over the other. Thanks so much for your advice.

[dkottum]

Only the 25 offers a choice front or rear. Some like the rear view, some like the front entrance, privacy of the sunshades over the front living room and quiet of rear bed. We like them both but chose the rear bed because of the larger bath with window, availability of both conv/microwave and gas oven, and furnace located under the sink so we could convert to two recliners, drop-down side table and storage cabinet.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, we have the rear bed and we are very happy with it. I don't think one is any better than the other. Just different. The best things that you will see and do are not from inside of the trailer.

[ShinyPete]

Fly-

This is like the questions about which tow vehicle or hitch to use, like already said, no real right answer, just differences. If you go with a 27fb I recommend the twin beds. We aren't actually ready to sleep apart at this point in our lives, the Missus and I, but we love the twin layout. We've had our Shiny Pete for almost three years now, and easily 150 nights a board.

The twins allow you to have much more dressing and run-around room (we often camp with 5.5 and 2.5 yo grands), and they make a great lounging area for evening tv watching or reading. The best parts for us of the 27fb are the three big front exterior storage bays (don't store your cast iron or rock collection there for hitch weight concerns), an extra foot at the ends of the beds for stuff, a larger center aisle wardrobe, and both a microwave drawer and an oven. Oh, and we love the rear lounge layout, as we always try for a nice view from the rear, and prefer the privacy of the rear entrance.

Hope this helps.

[GettinAway]

We like the front bed on our 23, for two reasons. It puts the living area away from the road. If you back into a good spot, with a great view, it's nice to look at it while at a rear dinette.
I didn't like the front dinette on our Bambi because when we did eat inside, we were looking at everyone walking by the trailer. With the front BR, the curtains are pulled, we don't notice anyone out front.
For a 23, which has a choice front or back, the front gives you bigger bed, and a bigger bath. Much smaller living area though. We aren't full timers. We've never turned on the TV, and tend to be outside as much as we can. So the front BR, works for us.

[KJRitchie]

25 Rear bed pros:
Possible less noise at rear of campsite
Front entrance door location allows you to back into shorter campsites and still allow you to step onto the campground pad. Can fit into campsites less than 25ft.
Larger bathroom toilet area
Microwave/convection oven option is over the fridge which is at eye level.
Living room lounge is longer.

25 Rear bed cons:
50% of the shower pan is taken up by the seat which makes it harder to stand up comfortably.
Living area side lounge is shorter than front bedroom model.
Fridge has side vents and requires a fan to vent out air and it runs too much and is noisy. Expect to replace it with a quieter fan.

25 Front Bedroom Pros:
Rear dinette eating area has fantastic view in campsites that back onto nature.
Shower pan seat is smaller and allows you to stand more comfortably
Fridge vents to roof. No noisy ventilation fan.

25 Front Bedroom Cons:
Front bedroom closer to campground loop road and may be a little noisier
Rear exit prevents you from backing into a campsite too far. You are limited to campsite lengths equal or greater than 25ft.
Toilet area has less floor space.
Microwave option limits you. Gas oven is removed and a small convection/microwave is installed under stove top. You have to bend down or get on your knees to run the convection oven.
No gas oven when dry camping unless you run a generator.

Twins are available on both an are recommended.
The dinette/side lounge arrangement is not that comfortable for lounging or TV watching. That is a con for both floorpans.

We purchased used and the 25fb that we owned was the best choice at the time. My Classic 25fb gets over the microwave issue by having a microwave that hangs down from upper cabinets.
Kelvin

[Wayne&Sam]

There are several differences in the 25' front or rear bedroom. For us these were the deciding positive factors for getting a rear twin bedroom:

Unrestricted access to the huge rear outside storage
Bathroom is larger
Sofa is shorter

YMMV.

[Tincampers]

Good analysis Kelvin.

We have the 25rb with queen bed and have two very large outside storage areas. Not sure what the 25fb has.

Best way to decide is to find a dealer who has one of each and spend a few hours comparing them side by side.

[FCStreamer]

Well, with a rear bed, as you back into a camp site, you are leading with the area where you will sleep. In some camp sites, you are leading into peaceful conservation. In others, you are leading into your neighbors campsite.

A front bed will always have your bed next to the TV. Its as far as from the back as you can get. In the case of the neighbors campsite, if they are nosy, you may like it. In the case of the beautiful campsite, you'll miss out sleeping with a view.

[moosetags]

We originally owned one of the first 25FB's. It was a 2005 Safari. We had Old Lucy for eight years and spent over 1.300 nights camped in her all over the country. We enjoyed her immensely. When we were shopping for a new Airstream in 2014, we considered all of our options including going to a different kind of RV.

Once we settled on staying with an Airstream travel trailer, we started considering our options. Once we decided to stay with a 25 footer, we considered all of the pros and cons of an FB vs. an RB. Back in 2005 there was only an FB.

We went to a dealer and sat in each for quite some time. There were features of each that we preferred. We liked the front door on the RB. Many campsites are not set up for the rear door configuration of the FB. The slightly larger bathroom was a plus for the RB. We liked the FB's shower better.

In the end, the most important difference for us was the view from the dinette. It has been our experience that if there is a view to be had, it is more often than not out of the back of the trailer. We also had another view consideration. In our camping style, we often stay hooked-up to the tow vehicle overnight. As such, our living room view in an RB would be of the LP tanks and the rear of our tow vehicle. In our case, our one ton Silverado with our Outfitter truck camper on board would use up the entire view out of the front window.

When it was all said and done, we went with a 2015 FB which has become New Lucy. We now have a little over 200 nights in New Lucy, and we are still happy with our choice.

Good luck in your decision, and may you find the Airstream that is just right for you.

Brian

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

25 Rear bed cons:
50% of the shower pan is taken up by the seat which makes it harder to stand up comfortably.
Living area side lounge is shorter than front bedroom model.
Fridge has side vents and requires a fan to vent out air and it runs too much and is noisy. Expect to replace it with a quieter fan.

Kelvin

We have a 25RB, lets take a look at these.

There is a seat to the side of the shower where we never stand because you can't stand there, it's under the curvature of the sidewall, and it's not 50% of the space.

The living area side lounge is shorter to allow for a large, convenient, bright bathroom with its own window. In a practical sense, whoever sits there directly in front of the television. If you're lounging in the dinette, whose legs can reach far enough to make a difference. Many people use the area for storage, we took it out and put a drop-down table and cabinet there.

The fridge has a side vent at the upper side rather than a roof vent to accommodate a convention/microwave oven above the fridge, in addition to a standard gas range. The side vent works fine and has a fan and thermal switch to direct air outside in warm weather. Airstream's fan is noisy, we replaced it with a fan you cannot hear.

When you compare front and rear bed 25s you have to nit-pick to find an advantage of one over the other. There really aren't any, they both work well. There really is no significant practical difference, it's only a matter of what feels best to you.

You can't lose, they are both nice Airstreams in a good package. Smallest of the large Airstreams with all the amenities in a convenient size.

[Lily&Me]

In many campgrounds, the prettiest, most scenic and quiet area is at the rear of your campsite.

Also...if you like to prop up in bed and sip coffee of a morning, nice to have the quiet and something pretty to look at as the sun rises.


Maggie

[Msmoto]

Having had both....

Front bed....does give a nice view from the dinette out the rear panoramic windows in a 27FB. But, one needs to have these same windows tinted by an expert to avoid heat build up.

I decided on a rear bed this time as I wanted the door close to the TV, and I park often in truck stops, so sleeping at the opposite end from the big tractors running engines all night seemed like a good idea. Outside access to the storage under the bed is easier in a rear bed. Where I store the thousand pound 50 amp shore line...LOL

Disadvantage of rear bed, the entrance door is a suicide door, if it ever pops one on a trip, disaster.

Now, if I were in the JC design department, I might consider

AS_26UFB_05.08.16TFL.001 by Tommie Lauer, on Flickr

[imflyinby]

WOW. What a wealth of info. It is so helpful to get eveyone's perspective because we have been all over the map with our own ideas trying to figure it out. We have never RV'd before but one thing we have absolutely figured out is that AS is the only way we want to travel. I'm a flight attendant and we don't want to fly anywhere (except to look at Airstreams !!!)
Many thanks for all the comments
Jennifer

[greghoro]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

25' Rear Bed Twin... Unrestricted access to the huge rear outside storage.

Plus three external storage areas (2 road side, 1 curb side) vs 2 for front bed twin



Greg

[Tincampers]

Double lock the door. If it comes open you have bigger issues to worry about!

[greghoro]

One difference on 25' models most people miss is the location of the fresh water tank filler.

On the front bed, the fresh water tank filler is on the same side and next to the city water inlet fittings on the Front Bed (the road side)

On the Rear Bed, the fresh water tank filler is less convenient, as it is in the middle of the opposite side of the trailer (the curb side), requiring the filler hose to be routed underneath when filling from a campground. There are also cases where this could be an advantage.

Not something you would base your final decision on.


Greg

['55 Airlight]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

In many campgrounds, the prettiest, most scenic and quiet area is at the rear of your campsite.

Also...if you like to prop up in bed and sip coffee of a morning, nice to have the quiet and something pretty to look at as the sun rises.


Maggie

By moving the entry door to the curbside, Wally rearranged Hawley Bowlus' pioneering riveted aluminum airframe trailer (whose door was on the nose of the trailer. Bowlus was an engineer interested in aerodynamics.)

However, to my mind the door is best in the rear entry position, which is where it is on my vintage aluminum trailer. Not only does its location allow a floor plan that can provide for a front galley, but opening it in the morning brings in the outdoors most pleasingly -- and generally privately
Michael

[PecanMan5]

I have the 25 rb. I love the roomy commode but hate the shower. I have not been affected by those other issues.

[Diego]

Originally Posted by Msmoto

Having had both....

Front bed....does give a nice view from the dinette out the rear panoramic windows in a 27FB. But, one needs to have these same windows tinted by an expert to avoid heat build up.

I decided on a rear bed this time as I wanted the door close to the TV, and I park often in truck stops, so sleeping at the opposite end from the big tractors running engines all night seemed like a good idea. Outside access to the storage under the bed is easier in a rear bed. Where I store the thousand pound 50 amp shore line...LOL

Disadvantage of rear bed, the entrance door is a suicide door, if it ever pops one on a trip, disaster.

Now, if I were in the JC design department, I might consider

AS_26UFB_05.08.16TFL.001 by Tommie Lauer, on Flickr

I would LOVE the 26 U in an FB option!! That's my ideal floor plan!