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Old 10-07-2016, 06:14 AM   #1
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Who wishes they had a SMALLER Airstream or a LARGER one?

My wife and I are hoping to purchase our first AS, and we're interested in hearing from people who - if given the opportunity to do so (cost aside) - would purchase a SMALLER AS or a LARGER AS than they own. We are a very active couple, and are avid hikers, runners, and general "active outdoor" type people. We expect to use our AS to take us to state and national parks and travel the country for approximately 6+ months each year. We are *not* "bigger is better" people, and yet we DO love comfort. We are drawn to the 30 Classic for the lounge chairs and extra storage, but don't want to regret purchasing a larger camper by finding that we are severely restricted on where we can go.

I've read many threads on this issue, and the most useful ones are where people share their thoughts on how happy they are with their own AS (wishing they had SMALLER, LARGER, or SAME size). We are especially interested in hearing from anyone that feels that their AS is TOO LARGE, but all input is desired. Please share your honest feedback. We know that there is no right answer, but your input is SUPER DUPER helpful :-).
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Old 10-07-2016, 06:49 AM   #2
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Who wishes they had a SMALLER Airstream or a LARGER one?

We have a 25' SS with rear corner bed and shower. It's still the perfect size after 7 years for us and our 2 kids. Large enough to lounge in and move around, cook, play games with the kids, etc... but small enough to be agile through the national park campgrounds, mountain back roads and tow with a large SUV vs a 3/4 ton truck.
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Old 10-07-2016, 06:58 AM   #3
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We travel six months a year and are active outdoor retirees. We wish our Airstream was smaller when parking it and getting fuel in some service stations, and wish it was larger in the campsite on a rainy day. So a mid-size Airstream is pretty good overall.

For long-term travel, the greatest comfort problem is the bench seating provided in every new model but the Classic. We converted ours to recliners, but you can't put two recliners easily in most models. The Classic has the only genuine sofa, and two positions recline somewhat with a leg rest, that looks pretty good.

Another long-term comfort problem for some is the bed mattress, everyone has a favorite. We replaced ours with a Sleep Number air mattress, individual firmness controls, terrific and the RV Queen Radius corner model fits the Airstream platform perfectly. The bed access is also difficult for many in the double beds with one side against or near a wall. The 27 and up models solve this with the queen bed and walking space on each side, and most 25 and up models offer twin bed option, or can be converted to twin beds.

You may want to do some custom work to fit your trailer to you, and upgrade some equipment. Most do. The new Classic has been a very popular model, you would be in plenty of good company.

We would wish for a Classic rear queen bed 27 with front recliners for the amenities and finishes of the Classic, and the liquid heating system, in a little smaller size. That most probably won't happen so we'll hold the course, it's working well. We head out for the winter next week, Calif, Arizona, and New Mexico stays.
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Old 10-07-2016, 06:59 AM   #4
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As several dealers about when folks trade in an Airstream, do they go bigger or smaller. I think you will find that most go bigger.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:01 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Outdoorpeak View Post
we DO love comfort. We are drawn to the 30 Classic for the lounge chairs and extra storage :-).
I think you answered your question. If you like comfort and storage then the 30 is the way to go.

I personally love my 30 and I got it for the comfort. But yes there are times when I think it is too big. When I need to pull into a fill station that is jam packed with vehicles or is just super tight. When it is off road and there are some serious dips and bumps it can bottom out the hitch or back of the trailer. And then it is limiting in getting some sites. The larger the trailer the more difficult it is to get sites. The larger sites are the ones everyone wants even the guy with the tent. Most sites are first come first serve so getting the good sites or just even a site where the trailer will fit onto can be a challenge in the high season. Private places usually always have sites and I have rarely had a problem there, but personally I try to avoid private parks. You are packed in like sardines with no privacy. I might as well stay home. I ran into this issue this summer, where my usual go to place was closed for renovations. By the time I realized it all of the sites at other parks with power were gone. I added another 200 watts of solar and went boondocking. Best experience ever.

There are always pros and cons to owning a large or smaller trailer ( I have had all of them). But at this point in my life the pros to owning the 30 out way the cons. Once I'm in my 30 I forget all about the issue at the fuel pumps and the difficulty in getting the site.

BTW. You can purchase the Lounge chairs separately. I swapped mine out for the director type chair.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:07 AM   #6
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I had bigger and went smaller - could even go more smaller now - we are hikers bikers - bicycle - outdoors ourselves - smaller is much better in my view - I like to cook outside as well - so smaller makes us spend more time outside :-)
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:10 AM   #7
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I spent almost 10 years living and cruising on a 32 ft sailboat. Almost every cruiser I knew either wanted a smaller boat if they had a large one and same with the small boat owners they wanted a larger boat. I started with a 16 foot trailer and went up to a 23. There are times when it would be nice to have a smaller simpler trailer for quick easy getaways. That seems common here with some owners having several Airstreams. On the other hand hopefully going full time in the future and thinking a larger trailer might be a good move.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:22 AM   #8
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Since you want to spend your time in national and state park I suggest you take a look at reserveamerica web page to see the size of available sites at a few parks you intend to visit. Some parks are really tough to get into , the size of your AS might make it even tougher by limiting the number of sites you could fit into. We have a 27fb and were lucky enough to book sites in 13 differents Florida state parks where we will be spending the winter. I am not sure this would have been possible with a 30. We also like to be outdoors and unless we are sleeping or it is raining we see no reason to be inside so we would probably never go for a larger AS. As for going smaller we really wanted a bed that you can walk around and we did not want a wet bathroom so that limited our choices somewhat.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:43 AM   #9
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Full time (to me) means being able to carry roughly 4-seasons worth of gear. Call it three plus.

One needs storage.

And then the reality that one may fall ill and be incapacitated to some degree for 10-14 days, say. Two people cooped up in a 25' is dreary where with a 35' there are (literally) two lounging areas. Thus, inclement weather and temporary handicaps should be considered.

To extend trips to places without re-supply is the other.

To this alignment, bigger fresh water, propane and holding tank capacities are superior. Not to mention dry storage of food and refrigerator capacity.

Etcetera.

I've found that a 27-8' TT of our type trailer is a fair minimum. The last three trailers for me have been 33', 30', and now a 35'.

Being alone I'd prefer a 28' (and somewhat older Silver Streaks are better laid out as to storage -- and much better than AS), but there isn't much unused storage at present in the 35'.

Were I simply a vacationer taking off on a number of trips per year I'd be packing the trailer specifically for conditions expected in that time frame. So, maybe a 25'. But I'd rather have the 28' IF analysis of differences showed an advantage. There isn't any real difference in towing or backing.

Backing becomes a chore with 30' and longer due to tail swing (distance from axle centerline to rear bumper).

Good luck.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:43 AM   #10
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Like you, we are active people who visit state and national parks (averaging 50-60 nights a year) for the natural experience the parks offer. We also like comfort: we have a large home and a kingsize bed! We started our camping on the ground, moved to tents, VW buses and then to a 23' Safari SE.

In the 23' we always felt like we were "inside" and insulated from the experience -- we started calling it our mobile cabin. Plus that is a lot of stuff to be dragging over mountains and through towns and there are many great campsites that even at 23' it would not fit into. So, we bought an original Basecamp for (we thought) the shorter trips.

For us, the smaller trailer was so much more fun and so much easier that we stopped choosing to use the 23' trailer, and recently sold it. This year, in addition to the shorter trips, we spent three weeks in Teton/Yellowstone and another three weeks on the Oregon Coast and Olympic NP.

Ultimately it is a personal choice. My advice: do not be led by common wisdom, or by anyone else's individual choice. Spend time in the different models imagining how you will use it to achieve what you want from it.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:52 AM   #11
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We had a 2001 Safari 25 for two years. It was a great size for driving, and getting into campgrounds. The original owner had it converted on delivery to two recliners from the gaucho/jacknife sofa. They were great for relaxing and watching TV, but for eating, not so much. This model did not have a dinette so we had to eat off of TV trays when we ate inside. There was no place for guests to sit. The newer 25/27/28 trailers do not have these problems since most, if not all have a dinette.

We opted for a 2002 Classic 30 with a slideout and love it, but it still has the original style jackknife sofa which is lacking in head support if you are over about 5' tall. The newer Classics with the reclining sofa solved that problem. I'm planning to build and install a removable headrest cushion across the top of the sofa.

The only problem I had with fueling and/or backing was with my 25. ALWAYS use a spotter when backing.

The 30 may restrict your flexibility somewhat but so far I/m OK with it.

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Old 10-07-2016, 08:06 AM   #12
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After 15 years of avid boating, my wife and I learned one lesson. Bigger is better. We had a 38' power boat and wished we could afford something bigger, but decided to trade the sea for the road.

So we went 30' right off the bat. Our experience told us we enjoyed the comfort of the extra space. But that's us. Some folks don't like towing that much Airstream, or prefer camping in smaller sites. Us, if our Airstream doesn't fit, neither do we. So far it hasn't been an issue, but we don't do boondocking or national parks. YMMV.

I recommend people consider the biggest AS they can safely tow. Those few extra feet inside make a big difference when you decide to relax for the evening in your AS if it's too hot outside or if the mosquitoes are biting. But they make Airstreams in different sizes for different folks to pick the size that suits them.
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Old 10-07-2016, 08:26 AM   #13
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Have had my 24 footer for 15 years. When all three kids were still at home, we were cramped but loved and enjoyed every memory that was made. We considered buying a larger AS but life got in the way. We are now 1 child away from being empty nesters and are actively planning our downsizing on all fronts except the Argosy. For the wife, pets and myself 24 feet is more than enough room for our planned travels.
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Old 10-07-2016, 08:29 AM   #14
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When our trips were limited to weeks rather than months we traveled with VW Camper vans, four of them over 35 years. Nothing in tow allows you to camp almost anywhere, tour cities and the backcountry easily, and head out with little more than a turn of the ignition switch. Simplicity adds greatly to touring and we loved it, and we may get another for limited touring lengths.

Extending our travels to months, the Camper Van was too small and we got an Airstream 20, at first spacious but soon uncomfortable seating and sleeping accommodations. We got our 25 with the plan of converting to reclining seating, a folding side table for hobbies and meals, and have now added a larger folding table top between our recliners. A very comfortable Airstream.

I think the "right" size depends on how you use it, each individual's idea of comfort, and how much stuff (be careful of stuff) you need to carry around the country. Each time we upsized it became a little more difficult to use, but for months at a time comfort matters a lot.
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Old 10-07-2016, 08:36 AM   #15
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We are outdoors enthusiasts too. We backpack, mountain bike, kayak, SUP, we do it all. We have a FC30. It's been amazing. We haven't had any problems getting our 30' to fit anywhere. To us, the biggest limitation with a 30' (or anything over 20) is the lack of ground clearance. We installed a 3" lift block from Dexter and it has made all the difference in the world. We wouldn't have made it into half our campsites without the lift. We boondock a lot, and we don't like to stay inside the national and state parks. Even so, we fit in 25' spaces ALL THE TIME. The best part about a 30 foot trailer is the huge holding tanks. If you're going to be full-timing, they make the difference between being able to stay out for 3 days before dumping, or 2 weeks before dumping. If you're a weekend warrior that won't be living in it long-term, you may find something like a 23 footer would be good enough.

I've never towed anything smaller than a 30 footer, but I have a hard time believing there's a huge difference between towing a 25 footer and a 30 footer.

If you're going to be spending a lot of time inside the trailer, go as big as you can. If you're just using it 2 or 3 days at a time, you could get away with something smaller. But I'll second the thought that on a rainy day, where you're cooped up inside, it's nice to have as much room as possible.
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Old 10-07-2016, 08:42 AM   #16
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We went smaller then larger.

I started out with 30' & 31' trailers, four different Airstream trailers. If I could own only one, a 30' would be the size I would choose.

7 years ago I bought a 25' because I thought I did not want to tow a big trailer as I aged. The 25' is a good middle ground between large and small. We have lived in this trailer a little over 3 months away from home, but after a series of rainy days it is too small. Though, this trailer is the one we choose to use when we travel long distances. We towed this trailer across the US this summer.

3 years ago I bought a 34'. We have retired and are living in this trailer 4 to 5 months per year. We wanted more space. We are really happy our 34'. Towing the 34' is no more trouble than towing the 25'. It just takes more room to maneuver. If I would take this trailer into the mountains I would need a heavier tow vehicle. We towed this trailer about 1,200 miles this year.
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Old 10-07-2016, 11:03 AM   #17
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Well, my wife and I aren't long term owners, but started out looking at SOB's, changed to airstream and finally bought a 27 FB with twin beds. Sometimes wish it was a queen, but the extra room is nice if it's windy and the dogs want to share.
We walked through 15 different models from 23 to 30' last week while out. Still feel like the 27FB is really an ideal size. Towable with an F-150 comfortably and fit into anyplace we wanted to be. If you get north in Michigan try the Platte River Campground in Sleeping Bear Dunes. Beautiful and great hiking.
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Old 10-07-2016, 11:09 AM   #18
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I have a 30' Classic.
I wish they still made a 34' Classic Slide-out.
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Old 10-07-2016, 11:17 AM   #19
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I traded a 23' Hi-lo for a 25' 'Cloud last year and after four or five trips in it, got really fed up with That 'East-West' bed, and not much storage.
So I took it back to CanAm and traded it for a 30' 'Cloud.
Good move. Comfortable, reasonable roomyness and a very comfortable bed.
Handling a 30'er is no problem for a Ford F-150, and I have never had a problem finding a spot due to length.
For us, it was a good move and we like it.
Even DW who's not an RV fan is happy with it.
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Old 10-07-2016, 11:22 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gator.bigfoot View Post
I personally love my 30... When it is off road and there are some serious dips and bumps it can bottom out the hitch or back of the trailer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowmover View Post
Backing becomes a chore with 30' and longer due to tail swing (distance from axle centerline to rear bumper).

Quote:
Originally Posted by explore more View Post
We haven't had any problems getting our 30' to fit anywhere. To us, the biggest limitation with a 30' (or anything over 20) is the lack of ground clearance.
I hope the OP doesn't mind this follow-up question, but the length behind the rear axles has been mentioned at least 3 times now as a problem to consider. Does anyone know where to find the overhang lengths for the various Airstreams?

I haven't found this distance mentioned anywhere, but it appears that the 30 has a longer overhang than other models - is that true?

The 27' / 28' models, as compared to their 25' equivalents, appear to have most of their extra length in front of the axles rather than behind them. Do they have the same overhang length?


And one last question, for Steve (since I follow your "The More We Explore" vlog on Youtube, as anyone who is interested in Airstreams should)... you sound happy with your 30, but you've said on your vlog that you're planning on downsizing. Is this simply because you expect the sites back east to be a lot smaller, or do you think it will make a difference in the western half of the country too?
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