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Old 10-29-2009, 03:44 PM   #1
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anyone squeeze a family of 4 in a smaller trailer?

Just wondering if the small ones (bambi etc... 17-22 foot range)
can squeeze 2 adults and 2 kids? I don't see many small ones and I am still learning. It would be easier to store and tow the small ones. I am OK with remodeling and would prefer to have somewhere for everyone to sleep even if on the floor.

Any ideas?

thanks!
Karen
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Old 10-29-2009, 03:51 PM   #2
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hi karen...

there are many threads on size/family/fitting/needs/floor plans that seem BIGGER...

but a general observation in rving is...

the smaller the trailer, the MORE people, kids and dogs come out the door!

so yes 4 can fit in the little ones...

just don't expect the holding tanks to contain all of the, ah, um, discharge...

cheers
2air'
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Old 10-29-2009, 03:58 PM   #3
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It can be done...........

squeeze 2 adults and 2 kids? would prefer to have somewhere for everyone to sleep even if on the floor.

Karen,

I have let my nephew and his wife use my 16' with the 2 kids on the floor. It is a bit of a squeeze, guess it depends on the size of the kids as to how many nights they would be comfortable with doing it. They stayed in it for 4 nights.

Also, depends on the floor plan. If either of the adults needed to use the head during the night it would have meant figuring out how to get there without smashing one of the kids. My bed is up front, head in the rear.

If you go more towards the 22' range, it will probably be much better if you need to accomodate 4 people on a regular basis.

TB
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Old 10-29-2009, 04:12 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karendee View Post
Just wondering if the small ones (bambi etc... 17-22 foot range)
can squeeze 2 adults and 2 kids?
Karen,

We fit 6 in our 19' Globetrotter very comfortably. You can check out my blog for picts. (link in my signature)

Good luck in your search!
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Old 10-29-2009, 05:00 PM   #5
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When I was a little girl, we had a 13 ft Trotwood trailer that slept 4 of us. No bathroom in it, but we had a tripod with a toilet seat on top that you put a plastic bag in for at night. (You can still buy the toilets!)

When our 3 kids were growing up, we had an 18 ft. Mallard trailer for the 5 of us. Worked fine, for the most part. Once the boys hit early teen years, they prefered a tent anyway, but when we were traveling, or it rained alot, we all slept in the trailer. A lot depends on what kind of camping you do, how old your kids are at any given time, how you travel, etc. Campgrounds with good bathrooms are probably a must most of the time. You also should look closely at floor plans. We bought one trailer with a bunk, thinking the kids could use it, and the table for the 3 of them to sleep on. Turned out that the bunk would only accomodate the youngest for a couple years, and the table only would sleep one of the boys, who were in high school at the time. Luckily, the oldest son was only with us one summer, so it worked out. Good luck!

Kay
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Old 10-29-2009, 05:21 PM   #6
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Bunk

Do a forums search and you will find some options

I've put 6 in my Tradewind. 2 gouchos 2 bunks. 1 floor. Guess who ends up on the floor? In this case the people on the gauchos were grouchos.
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Old 10-29-2009, 07:16 PM   #7
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Thanks everyone!!! This is encourgaging. I am off to read more and search. I will see what I can find.

I may go a bit bigger but it is good to know smaller is possible. (the boys are 10 and 12 now so they do need some room)
Karen
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Old 10-29-2009, 07:18 PM   #8
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Camping with 4 in a 16' CCD

We use our 16' CCD for camping in Forest Service campgrounds (no hookups or showers, etc) most of the time. The notes below are for boondocking - staying in a place with full hookups and campground showers is easy!

Sleeping - 2 in the real bed, 1 on the dinette folded down, 1 on the floor with an air mattress or low cot

Toilet - single grey/black holding tank is way too small for 4 for any length of time, so everyone uses the campground toilets

Shower - since we don't use the toilet in the trailer, the single holding tank is essentially a grey water tank, which we drain with a hose amongst the trees

Fresh water tank - also way too small for a family of 4 for very long. We carry the drinking & cooking water in the pickup - would do this anyway since we always have a ? about the quality of the campground water supply. The freshwater tank gets filled with the campground water so we can use the water heater for showers.

Refrigerator - also way too small for very long, so this gets used for the really important stuff and we rely a lot on canned and dry food.

Storage space - really enough of this. But mice are a problem in Forest Service campgrounds so we use Action Packers (Rubbermaid storage containers) to store ALL the food items - these seal up tight, carry easily to the picnic table outside, and can carry as much as we'd ever need between the trailer and the truck.

This probably sounds like a hassle for people with 'real' trailers - but we started out with tents or car camping, so our little Airstream still feels like a luxury item to us.
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Old 10-29-2009, 09:08 PM   #9
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I enjoy reading these posts by young families who still possess the "make-do" American spirit. A small Airstream is a luxury compared to what many have camped with. We traveled all over this country with a VW camper van and used a 16' Scamp at our lake lot before we built our house (with two kids). It is not the gear that matters (the less the better), it is the family adventures together.

Doug and Cheryl
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Old 10-29-2009, 10:43 PM   #10
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We have three teenage boys that normally prefer tents. On occasions they end up inside or when we winter camp, we have me and the boss in our queen, one on the gaucho up front and two on the floor. Two are 16, 230 lbs each, and the younger at 150. Nice and cozy!

We typically have the boys use the campground facilities unless we are boondocking. Thank goodness our 16 yr old daughter strongly prefers not to go! lol


Al
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Old 10-30-2009, 10:14 AM   #11
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wow, thanks everyone! I invision short trips with an airstream so I think a smaller one would work out just fine.
Now I need to save the cash and start searching for a small model that will work well.

byamcaravanner, I did check your blog. your small trailer looks nice! I like the bunk idea you did as well. that would be something I might do as well.

RDM16CCD, from what you described it looks like I can do that. We use a tent now so a small trailer would be a blessing.

We mostly camped in campgrounds with water and hookups etc. (with the tent we rarely used any of the water or power)

I think this is possible...

Karen
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Old 06-01-2010, 10:47 PM   #12
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i say--get a small one and let the kids sleep in a tent. that way you can not have a "greyhound bus sixed trailer" parked at your house. I'm restoring a 15 foot 1956 bubble which will sleep 3 when i'm done. I have 3 kids--so my daughter gets the dinette small bed--my wife and i get the back bed--and the two boys get a tent! and when it;s just me and the wife going out in the future--the perfect size--or when i take the boys on a man-retreat--it's all good. the airstream fits in our shed--out of rain, sight, and wear. and you don;t have to buy a $18,000 giant truck to pull it. what's better than that! good luck--ted

ps--the smaller they are the more they cost--but they will appreciate more too. have fun. get one in as good of shape as possible--it's only money after that. ted
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Old 06-02-2010, 06:49 AM   #13
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All 3 of my sons are in their 20's and have their own families. They do, however, look at our 20 footer and get "that look" in their eyes and ask the question "how many can this thing sleep"? At this stage in my life, even if it was a 34 footer, the answer is and will always be - TWO!
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Old 06-02-2010, 06:56 AM   #14
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I say go for it! If you plan to go larger in the future the smaller ones are easier to sell. my other half and I bought a 19' Bambi in March and LOVE it! We have 2 labs 1 giant and one med. We were worried they would be under our feet the whole time but they know to hop on the bed and at night we set up the dinnette (with a full sheet over it) and they love it. It would hold two kids easy, all 4 of us watch movies on there and were not at all crowded. The grey tank will fill up fast with showers but most campgrounds have nice shower houses and if boondocking you can (check the rules) run a hose for the grey water. We use bio safe shampoo and soaps so we won't kill any vegitation etc. Have fun searching and keep us posted on what you find. The classifieds are great and that's how we found ours.
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Old 06-02-2010, 12:14 PM   #15
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I think it depends on the kids and on how much time you plan to spend in the trailer. I have three kids, and find that the 30' twin I have is about right. It allows for two separate seating areas (the gaucho and the dinette), and the separate bedroom with twin beds gives some flexibility. It can serve as a quiet place for naps for younger kids, or for kids going to bed earlier than the rest of the family, in addition to being private space for the adults.

The trailer seems smallest on those trips when we had planned an outdoor trip and wind and rain prevent us from following the plan. Inevitably there are going to be some of those unless you always plan your trips to a location with indoor activities or are willing to cancel or shorten a trip based on weather.

On the other hand on trips where the weather is perfect and everyone is outside you only need sleeping space, the galley, and the washroom, and all kinds of allowances can be made.
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Old 06-02-2010, 01:34 PM   #16
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This summer our son, wife and 7 kids will be squeeeezed into a 28' AS. Wow, it will be a tight, tight fit.........but I'm sure they will have a blast!
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Old 06-02-2010, 02:42 PM   #17
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We do just fine with our 22'.
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