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12-28-2020, 02:37 PM
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#1
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,503
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Four Season Airstream?
I've read lots of threads about using an Airstream in colder weather but there is one question I have not yet been able to find an answer to.
We're in the slow process of looking for an Airstream, probably something in the 25 foot range. Since we live in Wisconsin and have hopes of being able to use the Airstream in the colder ends of the season (early spring and late fall) where temps can fall suddenly and drastically, I would really rather have a trailer which is factory equipped for this.
Did Airstream every make a true 4-season model? We'd prefer a used trailer, so if there were 4-season models made at some time I'll narrow my search to just those. Or can one be ordered with a true 4-season package from the factory?
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12-28-2020, 02:39 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB International
Trent Woods
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,120
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I don't know about ever, but there are no options to make this a 4 season trailer today. Go to a brand that really builds a 4 season trailer.
Larry
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12-28-2020, 02:56 PM
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#3
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 19,977
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Welcome Aboard👍
As far as I know Florida still has all its Seasons.😂
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
"You don't know where you've been until you leave, enjoy life" RLC
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12-28-2020, 04:16 PM
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#4
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Married with Airstream
2004 25' International CCD
Vancouver Island
, British Columbia
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 934
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__________________
La Dolce Vita Brick & Mona
We're Married With Airstream dot com
2004 International 25CCD Registered Name "Blue Streak"
2013 F-150HD FX4 SuperCrew Lariart (MaxTow) "Red Dragon"
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12-28-2020, 04:23 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,077
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AS is only useful for 2 1/2 seasons,
once the temp goes lower than 10C, many issues occur such as
too much humidity
frozen pipes etc at night,
frost on the walls
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12-28-2020, 04:25 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
. . .
Did Airstream every make a true 4-season model? We'd prefer a used trailer, so if there were 4-season models made at some time I'll narrow my search to just those. Or can one be ordered with a true 4-season package from the factory?
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To my knowledge . . . no.
This recent thread from Colorado is an interesting read for how it can be done, with a lot of time and effort, by customizing our aluminum tents:
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...-a-215428.html
Post #83 goes into detail: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...ml#post2442068
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12-28-2020, 04:26 PM
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#7
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,503
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Well, that's disappointing.
__________________
Richard
11018
1994 Excella 25 Follow the build on Gertie!
1999 Suburban LS 2500 w/7.4L V8
1974 GMC 4108a - Custom Coach Land Cruiser (Sold)
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12-28-2020, 04:38 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2017 28' International
Jim Falls
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,294
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
Well, that's disappointing.
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We live in Wisconsin. You can get by when the temperature is cold. We have done it for a week or so. But the LP gets sucked up pretty fast, and you really need to keep vents going. But the camping season is pretty much April 15 to October 15. Maybe extend it 2 weeks either side. That’s when most campgrounds are open in the north. Unless you are going to boondock quite a bit, which then means using generators.
And honestly unless you really like cold weather it isn’t much fun to camp when it is cold. At least we haven’t found it to be.
Now if you are really into things like cross country skiing, etc. and boondocking then you can get a 4 season trailer. Lance makes one that is pretty nice. As I get older I like the cold weather less and less. THE ONLY reason I would go with a 4 season trailer is I’m leaving here in March and going south where it is warm. But for those few days I’ll stay in a warm motel room.
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12-28-2020, 04:48 PM
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#9
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Rivet Puller
2003 28' Safari S/O
Atlanta Burbs
, Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,002
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__________________
"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."
Sir Tristan
Air #48582, S/SO #003, WBCCI #4584
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12-28-2020, 05:17 PM
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#10
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,503
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Thanks for the information. Guess I'm somewhat surprised, both that in all the years Airstream has never found enough of a market to do a 4-season model and that in the absence of a factory 4-season option no one else has produced a mod kit to accomplish this.
I've seen lots of SOB trailers with 4-season packages, but none of them have that special something inherent in an Airstream.
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12-28-2020, 05:37 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2019 25' International
Providence
, Senior Electrical Engineer
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
Thanks for the information. Guess I'm somewhat surprised, both that in all the years Airstream has never found enough of a market to do a 4-season model and that in the absence of a factory 4-season option no one else has produced a mod kit to accomplish this.
I've seen lots of SOB trailers with 4-season packages, but none of them have that special something inherent in an Airstream.
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All you have to do to answer the question is consider the construction.....the outer and inner skin in an AS are metal......which in newer AS are separated with double sided tape to create a small thermal break......other brands are wood or other materials that are not metal....so creating a 4 season other brand is something that can be done because the conduction methods of cold to the inner chamber is very different.......pros and cons to both I'd guess.
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12-28-2020, 05:50 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2017 28' International
Jim Falls
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,294
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The fact is most people don’t camp in the winter. How many campers do you see going down the road in the Winter? Very small percentage camp in the winter.
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12-28-2020, 06:53 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2013 31' Classic
billings
, Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,570
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Airstream is not a 4 season trailer..hot in the summer cold and froze in the winter....4 season. Look at artic fox. Be better for winter
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12-28-2020, 07:04 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2009 34' Panamerica
2005 28' Classic
Still
, in the thick of it
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjdonahoe
Airstream is not a 4 season trailer..hot in the summer cold and froze in the winter....4 season. Look at artic fox. Be better for winter
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Sadly, I have to agree.
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12-28-2020, 07:24 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2019 30' International
Pennsylvania
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,234
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjdonahoe
Airstream is not a 4 season trailer..hot in the summer cold and froze in the winter....4 season. Look at artic fox. Be better for winter
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Wouldn't take much for me to go in for a 25Y model
__________________
If you ain't havin' fun you ain't doin' it right
2017 Ford CCSB F250 XLT 6.2L Gas 4x4 Ruby
2019 International Serenity 30 Rear Twin
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12-28-2020, 07:53 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2014 25' FB International
2007 20' Safari SE
2005 19' Safari
Qualicum Beach
, British Columbia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,096
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Quote:
Originally Posted by majorairhead
Wouldn't take much for me to go in for a 25Y model
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I believe that another very capable 4 season trailer is the Bigfoot. Apparantly they have been building a 4 season since 2007.
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12-29-2020, 05:42 AM
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#17
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,503
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daquenzer
The fact is most people don’t camp in the winter. How many campers do you see going down the road in the Winter? Very small percentage camp in the winter.
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I don't want to camp in the winter either - my goal is to have be able to extend the season further than what's normally done here in Wisconsin. My current coach is usually winterized by the end of October and I don't de-winterize until the end of April or early May.
Meanwhile there are events and rallies around the country in warmer states taking place every year in March and November. Attending those in with a trailer not suited to cold weather would mean having to winterize or de-winterize while on the road, something we're not at all interested in doing.
In some years getting to the events we want to attend would mean driving a day or more through temps in the teens or lower, not a risk I'd want to take with exposed plumbing. On top of that, when we travel we like to be able to stop for a night or two along the way to enjoy the areas we're passing through, and that isn't possible if you're trying to hi-tail it out of town to keep from having the pipes freeze.
We'd also like to visit some higher-altitude places in the country, and in those areas it can be late May or June and still have below freezing temps, especially at night.
I get it that winter camping is not a thing everyone enjoys, but with the number of threads I see on the various RV sites about how to travel from a cold climate to a warmer one without incurring freezing damage, I don't think I'm the only one wanting to do this.
My point? There are lots of things to do in this country in an RV which aren't really "winter camping" but still require an RV suited for below freezing temps.
If Airstream never made a 4-season model, what about the possibility of doing a renovation to an older one to convert it to 4-season? Is that possible, or does the structure inherent in an Airstream preclude the possibility of making the necessary improvements?
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12-29-2020, 07:06 AM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1962 28' Ambassador
1961 19' Globetrotter
1962 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5,996
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Of course "you" could do a winter oriented reno. Put in spray insulation, bubble wrap, thinsulate etc. Carry underneath skirting, install a dehumidifier, a dickinson heater with a wave heater and sleep under down duvet covers. Schedule for lots of propane delivery's and enjoy.
Airstream likey is selling so many 2.5 season trailers for big bucks they haven't the need or time to make a fully winter geared, more expensive, heavier model.
There are folks in here who tuff it out for a winter or two. There are also some folks who regularly go skiing in there's.
Just traveling to a more southern location in the winter doesn't take that many upgrades. Stay winterized until you get south.
__________________
Hittenstiehl
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01-04-2021, 07:03 AM
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#19
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New Member
St. Paul
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard5933
I don't want to camp in the winter either - my goal is to have be able to extend the season further than what's normally done here in Wisconsin. My current coach is usually winterized by the end of October and I don't de-winterize until the end of April or early May.
Meanwhile there are events and rallies around the country in warmer states taking place every year in March and November. Attending those in with a trailer not suited to cold weather would mean having to winterize or de-winterize while on the road, something we're not at all interested in doing.
In some years getting to the events we want to attend would mean driving a day or more through temps in the teens or lower, not a risk I'd want to take with exposed plumbing. On top of that, when we travel we like to be able to stop for a night or two along the way to enjoy the areas we're passing through, and that isn't possible if you're trying to hi-tail it out of town to keep from having the pipes freeze.
We'd also like to visit some higher-altitude places in the country, and in those areas it can be late May or June and still have below freezing temps, especially at night.
I get it that winter camping is not a thing everyone enjoys, but with the number of threads I see on the various RV sites about how to travel from a cold climate to a warmer one without incurring freezing damage, I don't think I'm the only one wanting to do this.
My point? There are lots of things to do in this country in an RV which aren't really "winter camping" but still require an RV suited for below freezing temps.
If Airstream never made a 4-season model, what about the possibility of doing a renovation to an older one to convert it to 4-season? Is that possible, or does the structure inherent in an Airstream preclude the possibility of making the necessary improvements?
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We just got back from a trip to Arizona from Minnesota for the Holidays. Both Colorado and New Mexico had very cold nights. (13-19 degrees) We used the water in the belly tanks and the gas furnace to keep them warm. Even when we got to Iowa and Mn with temps down to 7 degrees this worked fine.
The issue we had was the waste gate valves froze up at night. If I could figure out a way to prevent that I would be in Colorado more often.
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01-05-2021, 05:59 AM
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#20
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Site Team
1994 25' Excella
Waukesha
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5,503
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markf004
We just got back from a trip to Arizona from Minnesota for the Holidays. Both Colorado and New Mexico had very cold nights. (13-19 degrees) We used the water in the belly tanks and the gas furnace to keep them warm. Even when we got to Iowa and Mn with temps down to 7 degrees this worked fine.
The issue we had was the waste gate valves froze up at night. If I could figure out a way to prevent that I would be in Colorado more often.
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I assume then that the waste gate is outside the enclosed area?
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