Touring the US - 25 vs 27 vs 28 + what truck?

[MWCamper]

I WFH and my wife retired early. We're finally in a position to tour the US next year. We're thinking about being gone a few months at a time, exploring different regions. We have owned a travel trailer for years and are experienced campers, ready to upgrade for our long road trips.

I have a few questions:

1. 2 people sitting down for 3 - 4h per day to work on their laptop, is this comfortable in all 3 wide body AS sizes (25/27/28)? Not mentioning the 23 here as it seems a bit too small for our purpose and anything over 30 seems limiting.

2. Is bottoming out an issue with AS, traveling on smaller mountain roads? They look like they sit pretty low.

3. TV -- A new F150 with Powerboost and 7.2kW generator looks good on paper, but will it hold up wearing over thousands of miles towing, compared to a F250 which is by design better suited for towing? My wife is 5' tall and not sure she'd be happy getting in and out of one, or see well behind the wheel of a 3/4.

Thanks a lot for any help

[jeffb831]

My opinions to your concerns:
1 - I regularly work full days from my trailer - an Int'l 28 so I have a separate table to work on and not interfere with my wife or dogs on the couch. If you go with a 25/27, consider the desk option to provide a workspace.
2 - I don't feel that they bottom out on any paved roads or campground access roads. I haven't taken mine in any off-road situations so it isn't something I've noticed but could be valid if you expect to venture into some pretty rough terrain
3 - The problem with a 1/2-ton vehicle is going to be payload. Most are in the 1500# - 1700# range and the tongue weight of the trailers you're looking at will be 900# to 1000# when loaded. That'll only leave 500# to 800# for everything else in and on the truck, including occupants, dogs, bed covers, etc... Since you are looking for an extended trip, you will want to have more capacity to bring along things such as a generator, supplemental solar panels, bikes, grill, etc...

[daleyocum]

+1 on a F250/350. I started out with a F150 but was constantly fighting payload issues. Ignore the vendors who claim this or that can tow X pounds. You’ll find, By looking at the door sticker what the payload is. My FC25 puts 1,100 pounds on tongue loaded for travel.

A decision you’d need to make is whether you want your work area to be the dinette for both of you. If so, any of the wide bodies will do. If not, I'd be tempted by one with separate dinette and lounge areas like the FC28. You can even remodel the lounge a tad adding a Laguna table.

I’d have anything longer than a 25’ lifted 3” to avoid any bottoming out if you are going off pavement at all. That’s a simple thing any dealer can do.

[majorairhead]

F250 and 30 footer is just right for my wife and I. Just sayin'

Rear twin configuration is our choice, we like the roomy bathroom, and the four outside storage compartments. Plus we think it gives us more room in the rear between the beds for getting dressed. Not to mention the twin can double as a couch back there with proper pillow arrangements.

I personally like the separate couch, for stretching out and takin' a nap, while Mrs. can sit at the dinette and do whatsoever suits her fancy over there.

Stock suspension, no lift, though there are some dips and angles that I avoid when pulling in and out of gas stations, and sometimes other places. Yes indeed, the stock Airstream sits low to the ground.

[os1r1s]

I have a 27ft GT and most of the time it is just my wife and I. With the 27ft it is comfortable, but I would go for the 30ft if you were planning to work from it often. The table in the 30ft variant is much better to use as a desk than the one in the 25/27. I started out with an F150 and quickly transitioned to an F250. One thing that you many not realize is that storage space is very limited in the airstream. I carry around a BBQ pit, a solo stove, chairs, generator, etc, etc. I could not fit it all in the airstream. The F250 with a camper top is perfect.

[rwnash]

Camper,

Lots of decisions (and compromises) to make! Can't help you with all of them but my wife and I have owned 25' Airstreams for over 25 years and find them big enough for multi-week outings while being able to get into most campsites.

But my real reason lfor posting is that I recently went from a 3/4 ton back to a 1/2 ton pickup and could not be happier. Current vehicle is a Chevrolet 1500 LT with the 3.0 diesel. Wife is VERY pleased with the lower height and I like the fuel economy. (I get 15 mpg towing, same as the 3/4 ton diesel, and in the high 20's empty.) We have only had it a few months with 4 short trips towing the trailer so I am not claiming long term results; but so far so good.

You have a bunch of decisions and trade offs to consider - too many to list here. There is no "perfect" set up in my opinion.

Good Luck!

Whit Nash

[Sailorjamie]

I recommend 30' Airstream and 350/3500, non-dually long bed.

We've done one 2 month trip from Ohio to the west coast and back and the 30 worked great. To echo some earlier comments the separate dinette from L sofa is great. Twin beds for the center area between the beds is great. We converted the bottom of our closet to a combo washer/vented dryer. That's a trade off. We lose storage space but we have less need for storage space because we can wash clothes with no hassle more often (when in a full hookup campground). We can wash clothes while we are doing other things whether working on a laptop at the dinette or watching a movie in the evening.

A 150/1500 is great, a 350/3500 is great. The 250 doesn't make as much sense to me. You pay a big amount and get a really different vehicle when you go from a 150 to a 250. But a 350 is a very small jump in price from a 250 and you get a bunch more payload with the same ride (unloaded). Get the long bed because as someone else said the Airstream just doesn't have a lot of storage.

[Kittycatcat]

At 5"5" I have no problem getting in & out of the cab of our F-250, but for shorter people, maybe consider a running board or door step - either factory option or after-market add-on - there are fixed and retractable versions available.

We love the payload on our F-250 - But do check carefully on the specific model, don't go by the online general specs - options & model trim level make a big difference - our diesel added a good bit of weight, although we still have almost 3000 lb payload on our XLT.

[Starlight Mike]

I definitely recommend 250/350 for 25 and up mainly due to payload. Regarding the right trailer, go sit in each model for an hour and really get a feel of what works for you. I think you are on the right track regarding general size, 25 to 28. I've had a 30 and I prefer the smaller sizes.
As mentioned, a 3" lift easy to install and worth while for anything off the highway and sometimes even on a bad highway.
With a little planning, you will have a blast!

[jstetson]

My wife and I have a 25FBQ and I've towed it with an F150 for the past six years. We live in PA and have towed to several multi-week trips to Montana, Utah, Florida, Canadian Maritimes... with absolutely no issues. (Even passed another branded truck struggling to tow a small camper going up Wolf Pass in CO.) In 2021 we traded in our 2018 F150 for a new one with the Powerboost set up and couldn't be happier - no hauling a generator and no messing around with power. Just plug the AS into the F150 and you're all set. The F150 takes care of monitoring and controlling your power. I've even plugged in 2 campers at the same time and it worked flawlessly. There is no doubt that 1/2 ton pickups don't have the payload of their bigger brothers BUT that's never been an issue for the two of us and our dog - just properly balance your load and don't take heavy stuff that you never use anyways.

[JeffKim]

I'm sure you'll get a lot of differing opinions but I can relate our experience since I also can work remotely and set up our camper for that purpose. We often camp in campgrounds with smaller sites like National Forests and often without hookups. So, it depends somewhat on where you plan to go and how nimble you want to be.
A few thoughts:

• With our 2023 Globetrotter 25FBT we are rarely left out of smaller campgrounds, it's plenty big for two of us and a 150lb Newfoundland. We don't usually go longer than a couple weeks, so I can see an argument for something larger, but it's more than adequate for us.
• Look at the different trim levels. We really like the Globetrotter with the wrap around rear seating, upgraded cabinetry and upholstery, automatic stabilizers, etc. If you're on the road a lot I think it's well worth it. The newer GTs have the pedestal table which would make a nice stable surface. I manage with the wobbly table. With two people we can work at the table, but usually Mrs. JeffKim likes to work on one of the twin beds. I think most people prefer twin beds regardless of what you go with. It makes it easier to get around and in a 25' they are North-South which makes leveling a lot easier.
• Most people tow with a truck, but if you want to think outside the pickup box (ha, ha), we tow with an Audi Q7 SUV. It was set up by CanAm and we have had no issues in all kinds of terrain and conditions. We prefer having a SUV as a daily driver and it's fun to drive. We have no plans to get a truck, but I do see with the power options, it's nice to have.
• Our trailer isn't lifted and again no issues. We haven't ventured off-road with it but no scrapes.
• We have 300W solar on the roof and 420W of external panels and 400Ah of lithium batteries. With adequate sunshine we can power Starlink, cellular modem, computers, and other normal loads almost indefinitely without a generator.

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by MWCamper

3. TV -- A new F150 with Powerboost and 7.2kW generator looks good on paper, but will it hold up wearing over thousands of miles towing, compared to a F250 which is by design better suited for towing? My wife is 5' tall and not sure she'd be happy getting in and out of one, or see well behind the wheel of a 3/4.

Thanks a lot for any help

There are many variables to consider. Depending on the trim level of the F-150 PowerBoost that truck will do fine with a 25' or 27' Airstream. The power, torque and fuel economy towing a trailer is close to a diesel.

But the big, big difference is always having the ability to fully power the trailer at any location and any time with the PowerBoost ProPower on Board 7.2 kW inverter generator. With a 25' Airstream and ProPower on Board you can fit into most any campground and never have to worry about keeping the trailer powered and cool.

The PowerBoost and a 25' Airstream has a total length of only 45' so it can easily maneuver in tight campgrounds and gas stations. For two people the 25' Airstream makes a lot of sense.

Good luck.

[Boba911]

Originally Posted by MWCamper

I WFH and my wife retired early. We're finally in a position to tour the US next year. We're thinking about being gone a few months at a time, exploring different regions. We have owned a travel trailer for years and are experienced campers, ready to upgrade for our long road trips.

I have a few questions:

1. 2 people sitting down for 3 - 4h per day to work on their laptop, is this comfortable in all 3 wide body AS sizes (25/27/28)? Not mentioning the 23 here as it seems a bit too small for our purpose and anything over 30 seems limiting.

2. Is bottoming out an issue with AS, traveling on smaller mountain roads? They look like they sit pretty low.

3. TV -- A new F150 with Powerboost and 7.2kW generator looks good on paper, but will it hold up wearing over thousands of miles towing, compared to a F250 which is by design better suited for towing? My wife is 5' tall and not sure she'd be happy getting in and out of one, or see well behind the wheel of a 3/4.

Thanks a lot for any help

I can't comment on 1 and 2 because the largest AS I have had is a 23ft. Currently I have a 19 ft Tommy Bahama with an f150 Limited that has the power-boost 7.2 kw generator and I love it. Last year i traveled from RI to Montana and back 10k miles. Many days off grid with just the truck power-boost. It worked flawlessly and did not consume all that much gas. Running the AC for example the truck only ran for about 20 min out of an hour and turning the truck on and off with the key fob while inside the AS was great when you need the power. As others have said payload is the issue. I travel alone and don't carry much except my fly-fishing equipment, a small grill and some other very light stuff.

[foobar]

We have a 2022 Globetrotter 27FB Twin and a 2024 F350.

We started out by putting over 8000 miles towing our 27ft Airstream with a 2015 Porsche Cayenne S all over the American western states. The Porsche is a phenomenal tow vehicle. Nimble, massive brakes, weighs as much as an F150 and is very stable when towing our 27FBT at any speed with a properly set up and tuned WD hitch.

The gotcha? Payload. With a full tank of fuel and the missus and I, we were always right at the limit for payload and axle weight limits. We couldn't carry anything else in the Cayenne. Given we take 3-4 month Airstream excursions, that limitation was painful.

We got tired of literally weighing everything that went in the Airstream and hitting CAT scales before every trip.

So we bought an F350 instead of an F250. For towing tongue heavy Airstreams, diesel F250s also quickly run out of payload capacity. By my calculation, we would be over the payload limit for the F250 if we kitted out the F250 with a stainless steel smartcap, decked drawer system, 60 gallon fuel tank upgrade and put all our gear in the bed.

Given that an F350 is only $915 more than an F250, but almost doubles the payload capacity, it didn't really make sense to us to purchase a diesel F250 vs the F350. The F350 is literally identical to an F250 except for an additional leaf spring in the rear that only activates under heavy loads (so the ride quality remains the same).

As for the trailer, the 27ft trailer has a lot of additional storage capabilities inside vs the 25ft. Also, you can find suitable campsites in nearly every National Park for a 49ft combination of F350 + 27ft Globetrotter, but the extra length of the 30ft trailers would have precluded us from finding a campsite or traversing some of the roads in about a third of the National Parks in the USA and Canada we stayed at in this past summers nearly 5 month trip.

So, when it comes to trailer length with a standard bed length F350, we found the 27ft Globetrotter to be in the sweet spot in term of length vs storage vs campsite availability for our purposes anyway.

Other notes: in my opinion, a 3" lift kit is a necessity if you want to boondock or traverse National forest service logging or fire access roads, blm access roads, etc. It also eliminates most rear dragging concerns at gas station, parking lot and driveway entrances. Our 3" lift had zero impact on stability, wind resistance, gas mileage, etc. Airstream should consider making this a standard factory option so you don’t have to do it after purchasing the trailer.

We now have another 25,000 miles of towing using the diesel F350. It is the optimal tool for the job.

As for the topic of F350 access, our F350 diesel Lariat trim with the Lariat Ultimate package has 21" tires and power running boards. My wife is 5ft tall as well (maybe 5'1" with shoes on) and she has no trouble getting in and out of the F350 Lariat using the running boards. The power running boards split up the 30" cab floorboard height into two 15" steps.

The F350 Lariat w/ Lariate Ultimate package also has power adjustable pedal positions which makes it easy to adapt the seating position to her petite size. She can comfortably sit in and drive the F350.

[Atwebs]

Your trailer should fit YOU, no opinions matter but yours. If you are undecided, rent to see how you really like it and what you need/want/would like before you jump in and buy. Too many folks buy the wrong thing and soon discover they've made a big mistake.

Now, our opinion? We have a 27' GT Twin and love it, we can both work at the dinette without interfering with each other (our 2019 has a solid table instead of a split table in newer models, that may make a difference). We added a folding table between the twins for when we need privacy on zoom calls or just more desk space. We wouldn't want to go any bigger than that and had we had the choice of a 25' when we bought, that's what we would have done. Our 27 is tight in many older National Forest, State and Local campgrounds while it does fine in the big, full service RV parks (you know, the ones with a clubhouse, swimming pool, doggie yard, and valet service). We had a 23' and loved the ease of parking, it fit in head to head regular parking spaces so we didn't have to hunt to find a parking place if we needed to stop, with the 27' we do. A 30 would be even more limiting as to the places you can park or camp.

Never have bottomed out on any road in thousands and thousands of miles, don't have and won't get a lift...its only slightly less than 3" anyway and while that might be enough to get you over whatever hump is in your way, it is pretty minor aid. Very useful if you have a steep driveway to negotiate though...

We have a Chevy 2500 and won't tow with anything less, it gives us plenty of power as well as plenty of payload and stopping weight to control the trailer if things get out of hand. With a smaller truck, we'd go with a small trailer. Double check all the ratings for payload and towing, once loaded you may find yourself really close to having to choose between the BBQ and the extra mattress pad.

Added Starlink for accessibility to the Internet, even RV campgrounds that have Internet can be wonky and if you boondock you will need it.

[aftermath]

MWCamper. Welcome to the forum. Lots of opinions here as you have already picked up on. I can only share my experience so here goes. We purchased our used 2006 25FB in 2009 and then retired in 2010. We have been on many long, like a month or more, trips and like our combination. I suppose if money were no object I would prefer a 27FB for the added room around the bed and the built in microwave. But, nothing larger.


We do not work but we do spend time at the table looking at our iPads. We read the paper and keep in touch with the kids. The space is sufficient for our needs. I don't think you will be disappointed.



We tow with a half ton Tundra and have been doing so since 2009 (on our second Tundra now). We get decent mileage towing 11-12, it burns regular gas and we have plenty of power to go where we want at highway speeds. I looked into the clearance issue early and heard plenty of advice from experienced folks to not worry about that. I have been on many logging roads getting into some pretty good fishing spots. I don't bring the Airstream, not because of clearance but because of the overhanging trees and bushes.



As far as a half ton vs 3/4 ton truck it comes down to how much "stuff" are you planning on bringing? Half tons are great but they do have limited capacity when it comes to weight in the bed. If you plan on getting a nice topper, that will add weight as well. We travel light, even on long trips so our Tundra works well for us. Make sure you think about how you plan to travel and what you are thinking of bringing.

[GammaDog]

My wife and I were where you are 12 years ago. We retired in 2013.

There are going to be as many opinions on your question as there are Airstream owners. The q is what’s right for you?

We bought a new 2014 25’FB Eddie Bauer (novel at the time for the hatch). I already owned a 2014 Tundra with the 5.7.

We still own the trailer and have 40-50,000 miles on it from Florida to Washington State. I still drive a 5.7 Tundra, but a 2020 replaced the 2014.

So… in an effort to help you, let me share pluses and minuses (with corrections).

The plus side:
- The 25’ is a good size for a couple. We also travel with 2 dogs.
- Some campsites we’ve been to were 25’ max. Not many… but enough that I feel the shorter trailer had some advantage for us. We have camped everywhere from boondocking on BLM land to a friends driveway in New York.
- Most 25’s (incl ours) have a single AC and 30 Amp service. Lots of 27’ and larger trailers have 2 AC and 50 Amp. I see the lighter service as an advantage fir us.
- At least in 2014 the features of the 25 and 27 were the same. The extra 2’ went to the forward bed area and the pantry.
- The Tundra is great on the road with the AS in tow and is my daily driver. On paper, it’s to the limit with two passengers, gear and the 25’. The 27’ would have worsened that. Another passenger or two, or more gear would have made things worse. Naturally, a different tow vehicle has totally different aspects.

The negatives:
- We could never have done what we’ve done with the trailer with the AS factory interior. After our first long trip (FL to Yellowstone and back in 6 weeks) I tore out the back and put in a short bench and two recliners with a table between them.
- The bed in our 25’ is an “RV Queen” mounted east/west. I’m 6’. It’s too short for me. A 25’ FB will accept a standard Queen east west. You need extra support and lose the walking space at the foot. We went a step farther and now have a standard Queen north/south plus a custom made dog bed where the head of the original mattress was. The extra size is worth it to us. The downside is entry and exit require crawling the length of the mattress. The 27 solves that from the factory. That’s the one feature of the longer trailer we envy.

Lots of other good info posted already by others… hopefully the collective wisdom will help you think through how you’re likely to use your rig and from that you’ll find the overall best answer.

[Piggy Bank]

Great questions and here is my opinion--

We have owned 3 different Airstreams 22, 25 and 27. The smallest I would recommend for your situation is the 27. With the 27 you get both microwave and gas oven, a full pull out pantry that is about a foot wide, and a double wide closet for loads of storage. Along with the under bed, and under the side dinette area. We have extra room for storage. And I bring along an extra monitor that fits easily under the side dinette area.

I would recommend the twin beds for your situation. One reason is that you can physically separate and use a twin bed to work from comfortably (like a second sofa), giving 2 physically separated areas which is nice if your work includes video meetings or phone calls.

I think you would be happy with any of the larger Airstreams, but I would really look at the closet, and the kitchen storage in other layouts. We liked the storage in the 27 over the 28 personally. And wanted a gas oven to cook when we were without electric hook ups (note-ours is a 2019 and has the propane fridge too).

As to tow vehicles, We previously owned an F150 and from our experience it was unsuitable for our towing needs. This with only 2 adults and holiday camping. We were within all specs and had the max tow pkg, but it was too light of a truck and we felt pushed around in the mountains. We now have an F250 diesel which we find amazing.

As to that, sometimes more is better. When we traded into a diesel, we found a used one and took that. Had for a year or so and liked it, but it had some repair issues. When we decided to trade vs repair, there was only 1 250 Diesel on the lot. And it is AMAZING. It's the platinum and has the power running boards, and even a in-built generator. The ride comfort at this trim level is miles above the previous truck we had. And it's my daily driver and I'm 5'4". It also fits (just barely) in our garage. We have the crew cab short bed.

[Piggy Bank]

I will also second what GAMMA DOG said.

When we had our 22 and our 25 Airstream we had a Tundra 5.7L Truck and loved it (mostly). Really the only downside was the lack of tow mirrors (we used the strap on McKesh with side spots).

If you really don't want to get into a 250 size truck then I would look at the 25 and a Tundra.

But that being said, all things being equal, towing with a diesel 250 is just way easier and less stressful.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There is absolutely no way to work out the "fit" stuff without actually going over and spending time in these trailers. What fits or does not fit is *very* specific to you. Something that might be a problem for somebody else may work just fine. Something they find fine may be a big problem for you.

Head over to a dealer and plan to sit in an example of everything from a 25 to a 30 foot AS. It's going to be at least a day of hopping between trailers. You need to have them to yourself while you do this. No sales guy pestering you. No crowd of folks walking through the trailer while you are there.

Can you tolerate this seat with its foam for hours? Only way to even guess is to sit there for at least a half hour.

Can you work here or over there? Only way to tell is to set up your gear and see what the result is.

Do you "fit" between here and there? That's highly dependent on your "profile" and which model you are looking at.

Past that:

A lift kit can be put on any of these trailers. With that you will be ok on any normal dirt road. Just keep your speed down.

Truck wise, work out the trailer first. It's the thing you should aim to keep for a decade or two. Trucks come and go. We went over thinking about towing with a SUV. We quickly moved to an F250. We now tow with an F350.

If you are out for months at a time, you will have a lot of stuff with you. That has to go somewhere. The smaller the trailer the less storage you have. The lighter (and smaller) the truck ... same problem. You aren't just hauling the trailer.

Fun !!

Bob