Need help with an Airstream Purchase

[gldwinghaulr]

Okay you have probably heard all of this before but here goes nothing.

We currently have a 38' toyhauler 5'er. We kinda want to stay with the ability to haul a toy now and then. We having been searching the past few months to switch to a truck camper, but after much research and looking, my wife feels that it is too small and way too many stairs to climb (both inside and out).

I feel that by switching to a TT we can still haul the motorcycle in the bed of the truck and tow the camper. My current camper is 38', 13'6" high, and weighs about 14,500 loaded when towing. Way too big to do some serious camping out west and generally just outrageous big "wind sail."

I was kinda thinking of moving to a 30' or 31' (same size, just different floorplan) Airstream. Does anyone have any advice about this change in our camping lifestyle? Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[TROPHYJIM2]

You would want to look at the Airstream Pan American. It has a garage.

[gldwinghaulr]

Well actually we want to get away from the toyhauler thing. The garage wastes space, especially if you don't use the bike all the time. It is also too long again and trip axle again. All negatives as far as I am concerned.

Keep 'em coming....

[TBRich]

Welcome to the Forums! I have towed neither a 38' toy hauler 5'er nor a 31' Airstream...just a 19' Bambi, but I think it's safe to say that you would certainly find the change to be a good one...one that can both meet your needs, allowing you to still do the things you like to do, but have a much more positive towing experience...a 25', 28' or 30' Airstream might just be perfect for you... Just my 2 cents...but it's got to be a lot easier towing an Airstream just because of the physics involved! Check out the various Airstream models that might fit you in person and get a feel for them...I'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised... Good luck!

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

We have pulled our 2005 25FB over 40,000 miles and spent 340 nights in her in the last 2 1/2 years. We have found that this floor plans works very well for extended trips. The 25FB will make it into about any campsite. We pull with a 2500 Suburban.

[happycamper2]

We downsized from a 29 ft fifth wheel with slide to an Airstream 25 FB. We towed it from Alabama to Yellowstone this past summer and my husband was thrilled with how much easier it tows. No more watching for limbs and low bridges. We like to stay at State Parks and National Park Service campgrounds...so the Airstream makes it easier to get to them on the smaller roads. We have not regretted the trade.

[norsea]

Originally Posted by gldwinghaulr

Okay you have probably heard all of this before but here goes nothing.

We currently have a 38' toyhauler 5'er. We kinda want to stay with the ability to haul a toy now and then. We having been searching the past few months to switch to a truck camper, but after much research and looking, my wife feels that it is too small and way too many stairs to climb (both inside and out).

I feel that by switching to a TT we can still haul the motorcycle in the bed of the truck and tow the camper. My current camper is 38', 13'6" high, and weighs about 14,500 loaded when towing. Way too big to do some serious camping out west and generally just outrageous big "wind sail."

I was kinda thinking of moving to a 30' or 31' (same size, just different floorplan) Airstream. Does anyone have any advice about this change in our camping lifestyle? Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

Check out http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...-up-43568.html and take a look at posts #1 and #32.

We faced the same dilemma. We did NOT want a toy hauler or anything larger than 30'. We found the p-cup body did not offer sufficient space for our sidecar so we replaced it with an aluminum flatbed. The weight of the flatbed was actually not as much as the p-cup body.

We installed a 60 gallon fuel tank at the same time as the flatbed install. A generator is mounted on the passenger side of the flatbed at the headboard. There is a winch to get the sidecar on/off the flatbed.

We have seen the Airstream toy hauler up close and personal. Not interested. Too much space for living is lost due to the area for the toys and the interior is much to spartan for our needs.

This flatbed gives us more flexibility for use without the bike as well.

Good luck in your quest...

Jim

[gldwinghaulr]

I plan to keep my bed since we will use it for other transport items whenever we don't haul the motorcycle. I plan on using a lift to load the bike into the truck. It's a little easier to ride it in with a sidecar, no chance of falling over or dropping it. I currently ride into the 5'er and don't really like it, having almost dropped it several times on the slippery floor. The only disadvantage I see is that I can only haul one large bike, unlike my current TH.

Here is a link to the lift that I plan on using for the truck:

Pickup Truck motorcycle lift, Pickup Truck motorcycle carrier from Overbilt Lifts

[kariall]

We traveled all through the 1990's in the Western USA pulling a 24ft Holiday Rambler with a 1/2 Suburban taking it into some campgrounds where it defiantly was a tight fit.. Then we moved to New Jersey and went trailerless. Now in Houstonian and although fully employed are starting to work on an exit plan. I really would rather have a Sub instead of a truck, but felt that 25ft was too short for anything beyond 3 weeks.

What tips do you have for long duration traveling in 25ft.

Did you shift your storage into the Sub?

Thanks

Steve

[gldwinghaulr]

We really feel that a 25 is too small for anything more than weekend jaunts. You need to look at the larger ones, starting with the 27 and all the way up to the 34. Its like the others have said, you just have to walk through the different models and compare and visualize what is right for you, especially since you have camped before.