New members thinking of going bigger

[Winer49er]

Hello! We currently own a 2015 Flying Cloud 25FB and love it. It's been on road trips to the Oregon Coast, Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta and last year did an epic 9,000 km trip from Burnaby BC (next door to Vancouver) to Nashville, TN and home. Prior to owning the Airstream, we had an awesome Coleman tent trailer which was great once we arrived at our destination. Now our vacation starts the moment we leave the driveway. I'd often towed the tent trailer but took a long time to work up the courage to tow the Airstream, (think it was the dollar value issue). The Airstream is a dream to tow, WAY easier than the tent trailer.

We're thinking about upgrading into a 30' Classic and getting a different tow vehicle. We're figuring the extra 5' will be a pretty easy learning curve. We already plan ahead as far as what gas stations, parking lots, campgrounds we can easily get in and out of, so thinking the pros will outweigh the cons. Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with going from a 25' to 30'? Also, is this where I should be posting this question or somewhere else?

Thanks so much!
Sheila and Duncan
Burnaby BC Canada

[uraljohn]

Currently own a 2017 International Serenity 23D. Love it for travel but anything more than 2/3 weeks leaves us wanting more trailer. Just got a price today on a 2019 International Serenity 30' rear bed twin. Should have purchased the 30' right from the start. Go big or go home!


Get the 30'. The Classic is nice but we like the lighter interior of the Serenity.

[wulfraat]

After 8 years we made the move from a 25 to a 30 and didn’t look back. Love the additional space all around.

No learning curve for towing but after 3k miles on the road we did upgrade our tow vehicle which made a big difference traveling through the in the Rocky Mountains here in Colorado (went from a 1/2 ton SUV to a 3/4 ton truck with diesel).

Love our 30’ serenity.

[GMFL]

We are currently in a 23D and are looking to move to a 27 Front Queen Globetrotter in the near future.

[dbj216]

Hello from Colorado: Welcome to these Air Forums. Your desires are very common on these Forums. We buy an Airstream and then wish we had a size or two bigger.

We started out big. We inherited the family Airstream back in 05. It is a 1986 Limited 34'. My wife's folks traveled all over the USA in it during their retirement. Now we are doing the same thing. Many people say a larger trailer is easier to tow than the short ones. Your experience with the tent trailer is an example. I find I can handle the long trailer just fine. I did purchase a "no sway hitch" which certainly calmed things down in cross winds and motorhome wakes.

We enjoy the extra room. We have a dinette, a front couch and a recliner. There is a big wardrobe, nice pantry, and nice sized bath. I'm working on a 1975 Overlander 27' which does not have a dinette or recliner. My wife isn't too interested in taking it out as it is "not as nice as her trailer". I get it.

There are some limitations on trailer length in certain National Parks and the like. Sometimes maneuvering in and out of fuel stops can be a challenge. Sometimes I need to encroach into an oncoming lane when navigating a sharp right turn in town. I can't scrape the side of the trailer on a light pole or something. Most of these problems aren't too bad using caution. If a semi truck can do it, so can I.

David

[white laker]

welcome to the group! We started out a few years back with a 31 Classic and moved up to a 34 Classic /slide. We love the extra internal room and simply cant get "two foot fever" anymore! As you mentioned there is a learning curve with the longer rigs as far as getting into gas stations and some campsites, but it is a short curve. As far as towing goes, I was really happy with my 31 and the 34 with the three axles tows even better. Both had Hensleys.
Spend time sitting and moving around in a few different floor plans and ask yourself "how will this work after three full days of endless rain". More room isn't just about storage space!
Have fun. enjoy the 'hunt'!
Pete

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by white laker

. . .
Spend time sitting and moving around in a few different floor plans and ask yourself "how will this work after three full days of endless rain". More room isn't just about storage space!
. . .

Ditto.

[turk123]

We upgraded from a 27 signature to the Classic 30. Our TV is a f250 diesel.

At first, it was a big difference in towing for me. The 27 is not exactly swelt, but it is more maneuverable in tight settings than the 30. You tend to plan more when picking parking areas and fuel stops as you would expect. We learned that just pulling off an exit to get food can kill an hour and a half in tight quarters. We pack our lunch now.

We also carry a diesel can (not full) for walking fuel to the truck. Hey, it's already happened once to us!

Google maps is also your friend. When looking for a place to park, pull up a satellite of the area to find roadways and parking lots to use.

After time you get used to the extra length and you will think nothing of it. But when camped for the night, you will enjoy the extra room and the extra amenities of the Classic.

[Winer49er]

Thanks for all the fantastic suggestions!

We pick up our 2019 Classic 30’ this weekend. Went to Seattle Airstream and checked out so many different trailers and floorplans but loved all the extras that the Classic offered. The partial fuel can is a fantastic idea. That would have been handy and stress reducing Friday night when we rolled into the gas station on fumes after a crazy country back road roundabout way that google maps took us on (usually google maps is great, but other times, yikes)

Cheers