New member, currently looking

[Jo3]

Hello! After trying a few trips of tent camping along with hotel stays; we are looking for an upgrade to our tent camping. Our tow vechicle is a 2014 Buick Enclave , 4,500 lb capacity. So I think that limits us to a Bambi 16' from Airstream line. Had been interested in Tab 400; but concerned with it not having all of it's bugs worked out and they want a hefty price without a proven track record. They are asking 10k more than European model.

We have been following forum some and have learned some useful info. Are Bambi 16' owners happy or do they find it cramped for 2 people? Husband 6'1", I'm 5'3". Both average weight, not considered overweight. 63yrs.

[Ruffn It]

So ... can you say Why you're looking to upgrade from tent camping? Those (honest) specifics would help you determine if a Bambi would likely suit you. With a Bambi you can likely fit into most back to back parking spaces so it could afford you similar itineraries to hotel based travel. I'd love to have a Bambi but can't say DH finds the same charm in the "smaller is just cooler" aesthetic.

[Jo3]

We would not be using the hotels. Having a nicer covering for sleeping in national parks is appealing while opening up "boondocking" possibilities . While hotels in national parks are booked sometimes a year in advance; we can get 1st come first serve campgrounds with out having to reserve in advance. Grizzly bears in Glacier NP and making sure no odors were in our tents to attract them were a concern and hassle our trip there last summer. For health reasons I need to have access to air conditioning or fans if temps are in 90's. This last trip, we were able to sleep in our SUV(I made mosquito screens for windows) for boondocking one night in National Forest. I would not feel comfortable in a tent in NF. Husband would only boondock at Walmart if we had a trailer, not SUV. In the past; too much time searching for last minute hotels. We typically travel for weeks with some reservations and free days in between in order to be flexible. I would be willing to continue this way tent, hotel when one makes sense and sleep in SUV when tent isn't safe and hotel doesn't work out. My husband prefers the trailer option and is willing to pull one. Does this help?

[Alluminati]

Are you considering the Bambi only because it's the limit of your Buick? If you had a larger vehicle would you choose a larger trailer? If so, then you probably will be continually disappointed in the limits of the Bambi. It will always be the Buick's fault for its limited capacity. It would be a shame to have "almost" what you want, and live with regrets.

Go shopping again, and find the trailer you really really REALLY want. Then decide how to make that happen. In the end, you may find the Bambi is perfect for you, and you won't have to second guess your choice. On the other hand, you may find that upsizing your tow vehicle will provide you with a very satisfying trailer experience.

A sink with hot water, and a toilet that flushes puts boondocking in a Bambi lightyears ahead of a tent. But then moving up to a middlesize 25' trailer will generally double the capacity of your tanks, fridge, propane, batteries, etc. This makes a huge difference when you're boondocking for any length of time at all.

It was suggested to us that <20' trailers are excellent for weekend getaways. 20-28' provide comfortable accommodations for 1-6 week trips. >28' offer the comforts of home for time measured in months or years.

Keep in mind the average Airstream outlives nearly every car on the road. Airstreams are handed down to the grandkids, while cars are carried out with the trash.

Find the right trailer, then get the tow vehicle you need.

[astroboy18]

Originally Posted by Jo3

We would not be using the hotels. Having a nicer covering for sleeping in national parks is appealing while opening up "boondocking" possibilities . While hotels in national parks are booked sometimes a year in advance; we can get 1st come first serve campgrounds with out having to reserve in advance. Grizzly bears in Glacier NP and making sure no odors were in our tents to attract them were a concern and hassle our trip there last summer. For health reasons I need to have access to air conditioning or fans if temps are in 90's. This last trip, we were able to sleep in our SUV(I made mosquito screens for windows) for boondocking one night in National Forest. I would not feel comfortable in a tent in NF. Husband would only boondock at Walmart if we had a trailer, not SUV. In the past; too much time searching for last minute hotels. We typically travel for weeks with some reservations and free days in between in order to be flexible. I would be willing to continue this way tent, hotel when one makes sense and sleep in SUV when tent isn't safe and hotel doesn't work out. My husband prefers the trailer option and is willing to pull one. Does this help?

From the great company of fellow campers at every RV park, am told that rather than dry camping at a Walmart, pull into a Cracker Barrel. Better clientele/safer and like Walmart, they welcome campers in their parking lots! Tell your husband

[FCStreamer]

Some Cracker Barrel's don't. Depends on where they are located. I know. I tried parking in one and they had no trailer parking.

[Ruffn It]

Originally Posted by Jo3

I would be willing to continue this way tent, hotel when one makes sense and sleep in SUV when tent isn't safe and hotel doesn't work out. My husband prefers the trailer option and is willing to pull one.

Sounds familiar.

My take, as someone who owns a larger trailer -

If you are really satisfied doing what you're doing now then a Bambi will likely cover all the concerns you have. It will still be nimble enough to allow you to drive like a normal person (go where a large truck or SUV could go etc.) but offer the safety of a hard sided trailer, with a lockable door.

I think the other considerations already mentioned are very much worth thinking about. Both "how long do we camp at a time" and are you possibly placing too much emphasis on "working within the confines of the TV we currently have". That's something only you can decide.

The ideal solution would be to stay in a smaller and larger camper and really get a feel for both. You'll want a smaller one for driving and a larger one when you get there. I'm not sure that tension is avoidable. So you really need to have a firm preference for one or the other and just go from there.

The only other consideration might be whether or not you want something you are comfortable handling by yourself. Does DH do all the driving? What if you wanted or needed to drive your rig? Something to think about.

[Ruffn It]

I just sent you a private message (since you're new to these forums you might not know to look for that).

[WhereStream]

We have a 16-foot Bambi. Still new to Airstream, and have only had it out for a few weekends of camping. With that caveat ...

We've done tent camping (and I've done a lot of backpacking). Then we had a VW Westfalia, which we used for years all over the country (and one trip up into Canada). A great rig!

To our eyes, and compared to tents and the VW Camper, the Bambi seems luxurious.

We are interested in seeing the sights, and the Bambi should let us continue to do so, and in comfort (air conditioning ... none of that in the VW).

If we had not traveled light for years previous, I can see that we might have gone for a bigger rig (pulling with a Suburban, so we could tow somewhat bigger if we chose to do so).

From where we are coming from, though, the Bambi is big enough.

[Jo3]

Thank you all for replies. If we had larger tow vechicle, we would probable go the 22ft Airstream. We liked the larger bed; however in our new experience of sleeping in SUV (width was 48") same as Bambi 16', 19' so that opens up more options if we had larger TV. I am not really comfortable backing up our Buick, so I am the one leary of getting a larger vechicle ( love the smooth ride of Buick too)! Husband does most driving; but I would help on long stretches. We pulled a 8x10 uhaul from New Mexico to GA last year...he did all driving.

We were thinking a smaller unit to see if we liked the "pulling trailer" unit that would hold up in resale a few years down the road and we buy a larger unit that we would travel and stay in one place longer. This would be once we downsize our home. We moved here after living in Europe and hoped our kids would end up nearby, 11 yrs later, they only are here a few times a year, and our great "resort" here with boat are not utilized enough. We spend our time going to them to help and visit 5 grandchildren in 3 different cities.

If we knew we could adjust to a different travel style; then definitely we would change TV and get a larger Airstream. We definitely want to go back to Glacier NP and spend more time there. Last year, our first year there, we spent 8 nights.

It's the sight seeing along the way that concerns me. Can one unhitch trailer and "sight see" a few hrs in a place. Is there a safe place to leave a trailer a few hrs? Or do you have to add a night in a place to see points of interest? Example: This past trip (to experience boondocking) we went to Charleston, then overnighted in Francis Marion NF; (surprised we were able to get by with 1/2 gal of water for dish washing and ourselves.). then checked out beaches along coast including Myrtle beach and overnighted in Carolina SP. Then in Wilmington heard of Wrightsville beach (close) and Beaufort 2 hrs away. Getting to the beaches was possible without a trailer. It would have been difficult to see the beaches with a trailer. From Beaufort husband chose to drive home 81/2 hrs. Negative reviews of Croatian NF. In a trailer, we would have needed to stay at a Cracker Barrel. I am concerned about not sleeping where the driver is able to make a quick get away if the area becomes unsafe. The getting out of trailer to drive off concerns me. I did check out WalMarts along the way. A very nice one just out of Charleston. Isle of Palms. I agree, some Walmart seemed sketchy.

We would definitely be slowing down our travel pace with a trailer. Hope to go to Alaska and feel a smaller trailer would be better for this trip? Especially for newbies. Hope all of this info helps all of you "counsel" me!

[cwf]

Respectfully.... go rent an sob... camp... you will have more data than we can ever transmit here.

Be prepared to commit... it is great to wake without being soaked with morning dew..or rain... unless you want to sleep outside the camper, at least you have an optional shelter.. :/

If you like.. the AS experience will be better than the sob

[Ruffn It]

Originally Posted by Jo3

It's the sight seeing along the way that concerns me. Can one unhitch trailer and "sight see" a few hrs in a place. Is there a safe place to leave a trailer a few hrs? Or do you have to add a night in a place to see points of interest?

Humm that seems like an obnoxious amount of work. I'm sure there are places you could technically leave your trailer for a few hours but I can't imagine where that would be legal or secure etc. Besides, with a 16' trailer, you could park that sucker anywhere you had 2 normal parking spaces back to back, no need to unhitch. (this appeals to me, considering the amount of space we need with our rig)

If you do a lot of "in and around town" sightseeing - it sounds like you'd be better off with a Sprinter-type conversion. Any thoughts there?

[Ruffn It]

Here's a blog from some folks who decided on the van conversion route ... http://snowmads.blog/iving-full-time...igital-nomads/

[Alluminati]

We are prone to extended road trips. Two years ago we toured New England, sleeping in 6 beds in 8 days. Last fall we slept in 1 bed during a 5,000 mile west coast tour with the trailer. With the trailer we spend more on gas, and drive slower. But that’s nothing compared to all the time and money we waste hunting for motels and restaurants. We still eat out for dinner sometimes, but breakfast and lunch is so much easier “at home” in the trailer. The flexibility is not understood nor appreciated until experienced.

When exploring a region, say the SC coastline, find a home-base campsite centrally located, then do daytrips to the various destinations. Hitching/unhitching takes about a half hour, so even if you unhitch for a single day, it’s not that big an ordeal. Even when touring through small sightseeing spots, there are plenty parking places for large RVs. None of this is immediately obvious, but you’ll be on a steep learning curve, and quickly discover how easy it can be.

On the road between destinations we overnight in Walmarts, rest areas, truck stops, church parking lots, behind motels,... never a problem, and oh so easy when you’re fully self-contained.

We always enjoyed tent camping, but it’s a one-season sport for us. My biggest gripe was my wife’s insistence that we pack everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink! With the trailer, we camp three seasons, and I happily bring the sink along. Our primary frustration with a longer trailer is backing into tiny campsites. We’ve prepaid for campsites that were supposed to be long enough, but couldn’t get in due to a tight approach. But that’s only a fractional part of our experiences.

We chose and older trailer the first time around to avoid the cost of depreciation supposing we change our minds right away. We could be satisfied with a smaller trailer right now, but we hope to retire soon, and expect to tour extensively for a while. But I’m also deeply grateful for the enormous tanks we have every time I see a Blue Boy tank roll by.

[Jo3]

RuffnIt. I did ride in a sprinter airstream with Mercedes engine. Nice smooth ride and got my husband to go with me a second time, drive it. I even drove it and pulled in a parking space. I was surprised by how smooth a drive it was. I sat in the far back, so it was difficult to hear passenger and driver conversation. However when just the two of us; this wouldn't be a problem. I really liked it. My husband felt too small for him, he felt not enough storage and he didn't like the price. At time 2016 yr end model $140k. It would be too large for me on mtn roads at present. I am presently getting over a "fear" of mtn roads with sheer drop off. I think this fear came as a result of husband looking at scenery while driving and then having to quickly correct when we met a vehicle around the curve. (something about being on the cliff side and no shoulder did me in after yrs of this all around the world). He is now driving slower and limiting sightseeing to pull overs. This last summer he drove "Going to the sun road", Bear tooth pass, and Rocky Mountain Skyline drive in our smaller Buick Encore. I made it through these drives with my "imaginary brake". I now feel I can make the ride in our Buick Enclave. If I did not have this fear; I would really be pushing for the AS Mercedes Touring Coach. With a trailer, we will have to leave the trailer at a campsite and day trip to the beautiful places requiring curves and mtns with no shoulder. I will definitely need to check out our route to avoid undesirable situations until I am more comfortable with the "pulling a trailer" idea. To be clear my husband doesn't have these fears and concerns. I was nervous riding to Meat Cove campsite in Nova Scotia in our SUV and I wonder if trailers make it there? It would be a while before I could "ride" there with a trailer.

He was not interested in renting option when it looked like $500+ a day. He feels he would rather loose the couple thousand in resale down the road. I feel we are maybe a two stage trailer, but wonder about the loss in switching AS down the road. Small one as a learning curve and larger one later.
I think it was Aluminate that had a good model of usage vs length. I can't see taking 22ft to Alaska. I do find hearing of experiences helpful. I never camped until in my late 50's! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

[Jo3]

Alluminati, you went from hotels to 34ft? No trailer experience before? Sorry, new to lingo what is blue boy?
CWF, not sure of "sob" referring to?

[PKI]

OP - You will lose much more than a couple of thousand in a trade unless you purchase used and trade very sharp. Best plan is to find what fits your long term needs and go for it. Then your optimization, and there will be some, is not wasted. The older we get the less time we have to waste on fooling around with poor compromise.

The rating of 4500 lbs for your TV matches up with the 22 sport, so maybe you are not so limited as to coach size. It is narrow and that helps a lot. Also, it is not necessary to load a coach to gross capacity, so some additional layout flexibility exists if you travel light. Take care with published specs - they exclude gear and can change considerably.

Several times the possibility of using two parking spaces has been mentioned. That is usually 36 ft. A good fit for 17 ft Bambi and smaller SUV. Our TV is 17 ft and coach is 24 ft for a total of 41 ft. Not exactly a good fit. However, a full size crew cab pickup truck is about 20-22 ft and it is not unusual to see them fit in parking spaces by hanging over a bit. Also, diagonal parking is longer. So, if you choose how you go sight seeing, the coach tagging along is less of a problem.

When we did the Bear Claw, Going to the Sun Road, and the New England coast line we left the coach in the RV park as a base camp. When we ran Smugglers gap, we took Glimmer along for the ride, because it was on the way to our next stop. It all depends on your comfort and skills, with real consideration for the capability of your rig. So thinking about how you will use the rig now is key to being happy with your RV experience.

A slight increase in the capability of your TV to 6000/600 would allow you to move up to the 23FB. That is a dual axle coach that is somewhat more stable than the single axle models. The layout is quite similar to the 22. The reason for mentioning this is that it can be a very usable coach for two if you ramp up your expectations as you investigate options. Do not totally count it out.

We were surprised to meet a lady who was touring with her engineer husband in a 16 ft Bambi. They were very happy with their rig. We never would be, but you may well be thrilled with it. Just be sure before you pull the trigger.

Enjoy the hunt. It's fun too. Pat

[PKI]

Blue boy is a small plastic cart used to transport toilet waste from trailer to a dump facility. Some trailers need them because they do not have normal tankage which would be a black tank (toilet waste), grey water tank (dish/hand washing water), and fresh water tank. Used quite often to boondock. Note - It used to be illegal to transport hazardous waste from state to state. Vintage coaches have interesting challenges but get lots of smiles.

SOB is some other brand. A bit arrogant at first note, but saves a lot of typing and many feel there is no other choice, than an AS. For you, there are lots of choices. Moving up from a tent, check Casita, the retros, the hard sided popups, the T@Gs, the teardrops, the Olivers ...... lots of options.

Note that the B-van is an AS built in the past. It's a van conversion. Not especially expensive but not shiny and will require some renovation with possibly some mechanical maintenance. It would fit in those pesky small parking spots.

Good luck with your investigation. Pat

[cwf]

Originally Posted by Jo3

Alluminati, you went from hotels to 34ft? No trailer experience before? Sorry, new to lingo what is blue boy?
CWF, not sure of "sob" referring to?

SOB - Some Other Brand .... true! Sorry, I shoulda capitalized the letters.... if I put punctuation and caps.. S.O.B. ... well, I can't imagine what that might mean...

[Alluminati]

Originally Posted by Jo3

Alluminati, you went from hotels to 34ft?

Yes, the 34' is our first trailer.

Years ago we bought an ancient worn out motorhome cheap. We put a lot of miles on it right away, but got rid of it soon too.

We attend a church convention each year in northern Florida. The provided accommodations are pretty rugged. Mrs told me she wanted to buy a trailer for personal comfort. I told her it would be a classic Airstream (I wanted something fully depreciated, but with solid value). But following exhaustive research, we chose to go with older Avion instead. She wanted something much smaller, but I wanted the comforts of home. Going to church convention is not about travel or camping; we need a LOT of closet space for church clothes! I need a comfortable shower. There has to be room to cook decent meals too. Plus a trailer works well to improve our current lifestyle; mega roadtrips and camping.

So yeah, we made the plunge in a big way, and VERY happy with our decision. We've towed the trailer 8,000 miles since we bought it last July.

If you have a camper that has a waste tank large enough to accommodate two days use, but you're camping three days, a Blue Boy is a wheeled tank that you can empty your waste tank into, then drag it to the dump station, instead of hitching up the trailer.

Our grey tank has capacity for three days if both of us take long hot showers every day, and do a lot of cooking and washing up. Less frequent military showers, conservative water use, and dumping dishwater in the toilet instead of down the sink, will double the time it takes to fill the tank.