Corner beds - are they really that bad?

[emdubyadee]

Originally Posted by millvalleyca

We had a 25' SS and traded for a 27' FB
One of the reasons for the trade was the corner bed...really only roomy enough for 1 1/2 people! Make sure you're ok with the bathroom. The toilet IS A joke! Try sitting on the can with the door closed and you'll see what I mean. Go with the 25 or 27 FB...you won't be sorry.

We also traded our 25' SS for a 27' FB primarily due to the corner bed and the toilet. The corner bed was extraordinarily difficult to make. Sleeping in it made my wife feel claustrophobic. Having a wall next to the head end of the bed on both sides made the already small width seem even smaller. (I often sleep with my arm haning off the side but couldn't.) The bed might have been okay for one person.

I also agree completely with MILLVALLEYCA's comments on the toilet in the SS. We spent a lot of money making the trade to at 27' because we were so uncomfortable in the SS.

[millvalleyca]

Originally Posted by emdubyadee

We also traded our 25' SS for a 27' FB primarily due to the corner bed and the toilet. The corner bed was extraordinarily difficult to make. Sleeping in it made my wife feel claustrophobic. Having a wall next to the head end of the bed on both sides made the already small width seem even smaller. (I often sleep with my arm haning off the side but couldn't.) The bed might have been okay for one person.

I also agree completely with MILLVALLEYCA's comments on the toilet in the SS. We spent a lot of money making the trade to at 27' because we were so uncomfortable in the SS.

How long did you have your 25"SS? We had our's for about 5 months.
Extremely happy with our 27 FB

[emdubyadee]

Originally Posted by millvalleyca

How long did you have your 25"SS? We had our's for about 5 months.
Extremely happy with our 27 FB

Actually about the same amount of time as you did (5 months). We collected a settlement from hail damage and rolled that into the trade. It is amazing how much more comfortable we are in the 27.

[Garfield]

Hi All! Thanks for all the great posts! I've been reading them all with great interest over the past day or so.

It's clear that, given the option, a full queen or twins is preferred over a corner bed. But after reviewing all of our requirements we decided that our only option was to buy the 2001 25 SS that our dealer had, and thus settle for the corner bed.

Our circumstances are that we needed to be able to sleep 4 in relative comfort so a dedicated dinette in the 25 SS model was the only way to do that. There are almost no recent model used 27 footers on the market around here and since we couldn't afford a new one, and wanted to keep it less than 30 feet and didn't want a vintage unit, for us right now it was this 25 SS or nothing. (The dealer indcated they only get a 1 or 2 recent model SS units on trade a year so we didn't think we had much of a choice.) Fortunately this particular unit was in excellent condition and setup exactly the way we would have ordered it.

More to the point, however, my DW and I spent most of the day lounging in the trailer, checking out the storage and bed and decided we could live with the corner beds "shortcomings", although we're likely going to upgrade the mattress to a heavy spring model or memory foam so when one of us tosses/turns it won't affect the other to the same degree. (the existing posture pedic mattress is very light and doesn't isolate sleep motion well).

Anyway, the paperwork is signed and in two weeks we'll be the proud owners of a new-to-us 2001 Safari 25 SS. As you would expect we're quite excited and hoping we might be able to take it our for its maiden voyage before the snow flies!

Our retirement dreams include buying a new Airstream Classic which will, no doubt, have walk-around queen bed. But we're hoping the 25 SS will work well until our kids leave the nest.

Excited new Streamers in Ontario...
Gary & Deb

[FordTruck]

Wife and I do well with the corner bed in our 22AS, although when our oldest grandaughter saw the interior, she asked wife "So Nana, Where is Papa Bob going to sleep?"

We're upsizing to a Safari 27FB SE but it's not because of the sleeping accomodations. We want more living room.

Been trying to find the floorplan online to upload a link but been unsuccessful.

[wheel interested]

Congratulations Gary and Deb on your new Airstream! Happy Airstreaming.



Here's a link Ford.

Airstream, Inc :: Floorplans Floorplans

[Garfield]

Originally Posted by FordTruck

Wife and I do well with the corner bed in our 22AS, although when our oldest grandaughter saw the interior, she asked wife "So Nana, Where is Papa Bob going to sleep?"

...so just how large IS Papa Bob!!! LOL (kidding)

Seriously, if we were buying new, the Safari 27 SE would be our first choice too - but that puppy will have to wait for our retirement! In the meantime we'll use the 25SS as a test to see how we like the Airstream experience. At this point it's hard to imagine we'll be disappointed though.

[Garfield]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

Congratulations Gary and Deb on your new Airstream! Happy Airstreaming.

Thanks Carol!!!

BTW we've been wanting to try Ludington SP for years - hope to finally make it next year and compare it to The Pinery PP here at home.

Cheers!

[extiger]

We recently purchased a 2000 25 SS and have used it several times. The comments are accurate. The bed is hard to make and one has to crawl over the other. The bathroom offers little knee room.

For us the bed is acceptable and we make due with the limited knee room.

On the plus side is the layout and the ability to sleep 6 (or more realistically 4). We use the dinette often and find it on the must list for the dream AS. The 2 closets are a plus and the storage is adequate. The shower is very adequate. It tows well.

Any AS model will have plusses and minuses. You have made a wise purchase and you, as we are, will learn a lot about what you like and don't like as you think about our dream AS.

[salvarez]

We have the 25 FB and really love it. Before we purchased our 25, we fell in love with almost every size. The Bambi's are so cute, and perfect for towing around. The 23 gave each of our kids their own bed (a big plus, we decided). But, the 23 still had the corner bed. The 25 FB gave us that extra "walk around" space that makes everything just a little easier. We have two kids, so the 25 FB also provides just a little bit more privacy when needed. The 27 was more thn we wanted to spend or travel in. Someone gave us good advice and told us that before we purchase our AS, get in and picture your daily tasks and how it feels to move around in there. We spent a lot of time visualizing how we wanted to use the trailer and in the end I think that really helped. Another thing that really meant a lot to us was the direction of the layout. We like to camp in beautiful places (I know, who doesn't) and with the 25 FB, the dinette is in the back. If we are backing into a great campsite with a view, we can sit at our dinette and really enjoy it. With the 23, we were looking at the back of the truck. The 25 FB was more than we wanted to spend, but in the end, I'm thinking we have a lot of great years to enjoy it.
Good Luck.

[wheel interested]

Big Wheel and I doubled up in the corner bed of the 23' last night. Well is it considered "doubling" up when you also add a German Shepherd and a lab/border collie mix or would that be "quadrupling" up? Having read on this forum of sleeping head to toe for more room, I thought I would give it a try. All I can say is those stunts were performed by specially skilled individuals and should never be attempted at home. Again sleeping is not the problem, is is waking up that begins all manner of complex problem solving. I awoke and had to use the (ahem) powder room...not so fast or so easily accomplished...noooooo. From the inside of the bed with my feet at the curve I had to complete an svelt 180 degree turn in my allotted narrow band of the bed which I am convinced would rival any of Houdini's challenges even if I had been fully awake and it was not pitch black. Eurika... I got my feet heading out the outside space but only then to discover the kitty litter tray placement. A quick half step averted near disaster but left my arms flailing about the air and pushing off walls for balance and looking for the light switch. Another sharp turn and a step back to open the door and a flick of a switch and the entire bedroom and bathroom area was jointly aglow in 3200 K hallogen lighting. On the way out I opted for the more easily negotiated front lounge and wrapped up in the doggie blanket, grabbing a designer toss pillow for my head. Golden slumbers and to all a good night.

[Garfield]

LOL - that's a pretty funny description Carol. I hope our experience with the corner bed isn't quite as "adventurous" as yours! We're also going to try sleeping in the reverse position next time (we've only had one night in our Safari - impatiently waiting for Spring now). At least we always have the sofa to fall back on if things get rough.

BTW, I love your avatar!

Gary

[Silvertwinkie]

I've had this corner bed/bathroom in this talked about config now since 2003. It's not for everyone. All the issues that have been brought up are true. You try it and either accept it and can use it or not. As has been indicated, there are pitfalls to nearly every model. Some folks say 18 gallons of black tank are not enough. I must not be full of S**T, cause in over a week, I've never filled it with two other people with me.

Some of the plusses of the 25' SS is that it's a great towing RV. It's widebody, yet can be manuvered into many tighter spots some of the bigger ones would have a tough time doing. Compared to some of the smaller Airstreams, the 25 SS gets both dinette and couch. There are two types of folks, those who love dinettes and those who don't. Same holds true for the couch. I love the dinette and wasn't too sure how I'd like the couch......I'll never have an RV without both again. Storage. There is just plain lots of it and lots of it everywhere.

But try one. Go to an RV show and look at one, climb into the bed, get a feel for it. Once you buy it, it's yours and though you could sell it, IMHO, it's never a bad idea to see one before you buy one.

[Jimandrod]

We were all set to order a 25' SS SE but switched to the 28'.

Why? It was all because of the corner bed and all of the issues discussed here.

[Bonzai30b]

With respect to the problem of how to make the bed, I'd like to offer a simpler solution...Don't make the bed! You're on vacation. So what if the trailer looks a bit messy? Use the extra time to do whatever you really lucky people get to do in your Airstreams.

Can you tell I'm more than a bit jealous of folks who get to spend of material amount of time on vacation?

[RDM16CCD]

My first Airstream (21' Sovereign) had the corner bed, and my present 16' CCD has the full bed across the back. Both configurations compromise the sleeping arrangement, but the 16' has more total space for sleeping.

It all has to do with expectations! For years we were backpackers and eventually into pickup truck camping, and any Airstream is total luxury compared to those! But if your expectation for a trailer is more along the lines of a 'home away from home', a more normal bed is the way to go.

A side note - we discovered a double sleeping bag deal (called a Trav Sak, there are other brands too) that solved the bed making problem. It zips together, and has special sheets that velcro around the edges to stay put. So making the bed is pretty much just shaking it out and straighten it up (a little). Good for a week camping trip, then take the sheets out to launder when we get home. If I had my way we would use it in the house as well!

[Gene]

Another factor is that the doubles and queens are smaller than the ones we buy for home. We have a king at home and are both tall—best size for us. We've slept in doubles in motels and felt cramped, feet hanging off the end. Even the Safari 25 FB queen is shorter than normal. We looked for the shortest trailer with a queen bed and selected the Safari 25' FB. We put 2" memory foam mattress on top of the Airstream one and that makes it longer, though it sags at the end and the sheets don't stay in well. But my feet aren't hanging off.

We tried the bathroom on the double bed models and the door won't open all the way because it hits the bed and we had to exit sideways. Sitting on the toilet resulted in our knees jammed against the door. Even the 25' toilet is small if you have wide shoulders, but is doable.

As for twin beds, we're not young anymore, but still liking it together.

Gene