First Timer Asking for Input on Models :)

[Airtandem]

Go to a dealership and "test drive" a truck. Try different makes and models. A 150 or 2500 would be my suggestion. PICK the one you like.
For the Airstream, we had a 30 and went to. 25 queen and converted it to a twin after 2 years.
Also check blogs by dokottum and ,Moosetag as they give good pointers on use.
There is a rental place in Ca. that rents trailer and tow vehicle..
Mj

[moosetags]

First off, welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us. As to your questions and concerns, We will not try to tell you what to do. Instead, we will share with you our fairly extensive Airstreaming experience. We were able to retire in our early fifties, and have been avid Airstreamers for twelve years now. We have traveled the entire lower forty-eight many time over. We have spent over 1,800 nights in our Airstreams, and have towed them over 160,000 miles.

We started out with a new 2005 Safari 25FB. It had the queen bed which was the only configuration available at the time. We had never owned an RV prior to that, so we were starting at ground zero. We enjoyed it immensely, and traveled extensive. the Airstream was our second home. We were usually gone over ninety days at a time, twice a year. We just couldn't deem to get enough of it. In 2013, we thought that we wanted to downsize. We had considered going to a 23FB. We stopped by an Airstream dealer in Mississippi. This dealer had just taken a 2012 Flying Cloud 23FB in trade. It was hardly used, and was like new. We traded for the 23FB on the spot.

We continued our extensive travels in the 23FB for about a year. We continued to enjoy Airstreaming but found that we were not quite as comfortable in the 23FB. We had spent 150 nights in the 23FB, and had towed her 16.000 miles. We were out in Oregon when SuEllyn told me that she really missed the 25FB. It was more the floor plan layout than the size that we didn't like. The side dinette was just not as conducive to our lifestyle. The six inch narrower 23FB also took its toll. I realize that six inches doesn't sound like much, but it is taken from the middle as all of the appliances are the same size as in the wide body Airstreams.

In October of 2014, we traded the 23FB in on a new 2015 Flying Cloud 25FB Twin. We like the twin for its between the beds dressing space and its extra outside storage. We now have over 300 nights in the new 25FB, and have towed her over 30,000 miles. We are very pleased to be back in a 25FB.

As to tow vehicles, we have towed with two different 3/4 ton Suburbans and a one ton diesel Silverado. These have worked well for us over the years.

Best wishes in your selection of the perfect Airstream and a tow vehicle to go with it.

If you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.

Brian

[Rgentum]

Dear RW,

My sweetie & I are both olfogeys, we have a large dog (a delightful Great Dane), & each of us in our respective separate lives has had RVs, but not an AS. I will tell you our process, as it illustrates at least one variable that hasn't been mentioned so far.

ASs come in two varieties as for the bedroom, in the rear (RB) or in the front (FB) (actually, three varieties as some ASs have beds in the middle). Whether to get one or the other seems to be entirely personal; there are a ton of posts on this blog debating the merits of each. As for us, both of us were adamant that we wanted a FB, and after putting 25K miles on our AS this past 12 months, we remain FB advocates. Each of us spends a lot of time at our mutual "desk" in the rear end of the AS (see attached photo), and we want to look out over the forest, the ocean, whatever, and not over the back of our truck or the parking lot etc. Consequently, I would encourage you to decide RB vs. FB for yourself.

As has been mentioned a lot so far, ASs come with a variety of bed(s) and their position in the trailer, eg, twins or larger single as well as up against a wall or out in the open. We wanted a larger single, not twins, and initially thought a 23 would work for us --- until we actually got into a 23 & found the bed position to be awkward. That led us to a 25. But the problem with the 25 is that, like the 23, the bed is up against a wall, and when the person far from the wall gets up in the middle of the night, the overhead storage cabinet becomes a "head-banger," and when the person next to the wall gets up in the middle of the night, that's really, absent a helicopter, a two person operation. Bottom line: when my sweetie looked at the queen bed in the 27, which you can walk around while making it, her (ie, "our") mind was made up --- the 27 FB queen it would be, which after the 25K miles, has proved to have been the right choice for us.

One of the beauties about ASs is that they come in a wide variety, so each potential buyer gets to decide what works best for him, her, or them. The foregoing was our process. I wish you my best in discerning for yourself what will work best for you.

Sincerely,

Richard Wills

[PKI]

Originally Posted by RFP

May I respectfully disagree -- snip --
-- snip --

Of course you can. The comparison to the 20 was a method of filtering the layouts. The 20 and 23D are living space oriented and the 23FB is bed and bathroom space oriented. As the coaches get bigger the features get better. The exception is a microwave. Not all have one.

Had honestly never considered the split sleeping configuration you propose, even after several folks have talked about using their coach in that manor. Certainly an alternative to the twins and a good solution if there is a small foot print objective.

If the D is a consideration, look up the posts by Switz. He has modified his for reliability and safety. Worth a look.

Good add to the conversation. Pat

[FCStreamer]

Don't let size scare you. Hitching and unhitching a 20 and a 30 is the same. Airstreams are known for being very "towable". My wife and I had never towed anything in our lives. We bought a 30' in New Jersey and towed it all the way to Tampa. No sweat. Well, maybe a little sweat.

As long as you have a capable tow vehicle, towing a 30 is as easy as a 20. You will perhaps need to take a little wider turns, but once your on your way you won't be able to tell the difference. And while you are inside of it, those extra feet will be most welcome.

Good luck!

[Masondood]

Originally Posted by FCStreamer

My advice? Buy the biggest one you can afford and tow. Many people fall into the trap of thinking smaller is better only to upgrade later on at significant expense.

Sure, smaller trailers work for some people, but no one ever complained of having extra space on a very hot or rainy day. My wife and I learned that lesson while boating, and 1 year ago decided to get into RVing. Never had towed anything before. Got a 30' and we don't regret it one little bit. At least go take a look at them before you make up your mind.

Good luck!

Agreed! We're a young senior couple with two cats and two dogs. If you're going to be essentially full timing, unless you're minimalist, you may well find the smaller AS'S fine for tight spaces but realistically, how often over the years is that going to be the case? As FC said, upgrading is expensive. We found our AS on the web used but never used, and saved 30% off the cost of a new Serenity 30'. There are deals to be had but it requires patience. Pls take your time and I hope you find your new alumapalace!

[denton]

I like what PK said. "The 20 and 23D are living space oriented and the 23FB is bed and bathroom space oriented."

We do not yet own an AS but we have been looking. We hope to retire in two years' time and hit the road. It is unlikely we will be able to afford a 30' AS, in fact we may not be able to afford the 23', but we are hopeful.

We would prefer the 23' for a number of reasons. First, I feel more comfortable with a dual axle trailer in case there is a blowout. Second, as I have never pulled a trailer before, I like that it is the largest of the narrow bodies, and narrower gives better visibility or so I hear.

We visited Colonial a couple of weeks ago to check out the 23' and also just to play in some of the larger and smaller versions.

I was sure we would like the 23FB cuz of the bigger bed. But we discovered that we MUCh preferred the 23D. I'm a big guy and we found the seating arrangement in the FB to be claustrophobic. The seating arrangement in the 23D was much more comfortable for me. At the same time, we found that the smaller bed of the D was perfectly fine. My wife is petite and there is plenty of room for her on the inside, yet there was still plenty of room on the outside. So now, having seen things in person. we both prefer the D. Obviously, if we were completely right, no one would buy the FB, right? And we noted that he D has a much higher hitch weight.

But yes you need to go hang out in them and spend some time researching them in person, as others have said. Good luck!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If at all possible, find a dealer with a wide range of models on the same lot. We latched on to Colonial based on the recommendation of AS owners across the street from us. I'm not suggesting they are a quick commute from California . Being able to go from one to the other and then back again was a very big help to us. We spent a full day going back and forth. They let us look and decide, but were right there if we had a question. I just got back from there about an hour ago. Things are noticeably more busy today than a month ago.

As you go up in size, the trailers do get heavier. That will take you through a progression of small SUV -> large SUV -> big truck as they get heavier. There are a few twists and turns in that selection process. Small trucks fit in the progression along with the SUV's. A Honda Pilot is a "small SUV" in this context, it will tow the Sport and Basecamp models easily. A F-250 / 2500 is a big truck in this series. It will tow any model and still have room for a variety of toys stuffed here and there. I would decide on a trailer size first and then work out the sort of tow that it requires. Take a look at the tow vehicles before signing for the trailer. If they all turn out to be "to much to handle", factor that back into your trailer search.

As a specific example: The 25FB is a nice size. Fully loaded it weighs 7,300 pounds. That is well below the "big truck" point in the progression. There are several SUV's that can be set up to tow it. You would have to drop back to the 20 (at 5,000 lb) to put it on a Honda Pilot. The 26,27,and 28's all are at 7,600 pounds. That still is inside the "big SUV" group.

Matching a tow to a trailer is not quite as simple as I've made it out to be above. There are always other details to look at. Payload on an SUV is one very important factor. That's why I would suggest only doing the tow deep dive after you have the trailer narrowed down to a specific weight.

Bob

[Betty Farmer]

Having the two of you working from your residence - whatever it is - should be your first consideration. We had a 25' Classic that had the dinette, plus a fold out table which opened in front of the couch. That worked well for me as I used the fold out table and did not have to re-do the dinette at every meal. But, the dinette made a great work area the times I did use it. As young as you are the crawling over will not be the problem it was for me, but I would surely give the sleeping arrangements a lot of consideration, thinking about the heavy covers you are trying to climb over as you get in and out of bed. So far as the rest of trailer about any length would do. Myself, I would go no less than a 30 foot - with a walk around bed - and there are two of us. My very best wishes and great success to you in you separate businesses.

[doctorlewis]

Over the years I have had different AS as many have stated, the 25 foot has been the best size overall. I would give them a very close look. I currently have a 25 foot Classic and I love it.

[369goose]

RadioWagon,

Your concerns remind me of myself only younger!

FWIW...much adieu about the different bed/floor plan configurations.
We've owned 3 completely different Airstreams:
31 ft - middle master bed/rear bath
29 ft - rear twins
25 ft - front bed, bought new
Each were traded up (newer) depending on our changing family needs. First two were slightly used and luckily didn't require much adapting 😍. We purchased our 29' from an older couple who bought it new, only had it a short time, used it once and realized they weren't comfortable towing or backing such a long trailer. Great find for us as they'd paid the depreciation! These deals are out there. Both the 31' & the 29' preowned AS's had terrific but very different floor plans and we enjoyed them both. In those days we had a family to accommodate so it worked out nicely having more size for our children & their friends.

Now we are only two and the 25FB is perfect for us. It came with a brand new mattress still in the packaging but we upgraded with thicker memory foam. Moral here is you've probably slept on a hotel or friend's home mattress so don't sweat the small stuff. Almost everything can be changed and YOU WILL MAKE CHANGES. Of our three AS's the 25FB provides easy maneuverability, good tank sizes, comfy layout, plenty of storage & living space just like our larger rigs (incl multiple bed options for guests). Possible caveat regarding bed issues: the cabinets above the FB...some folks refer to them as head bangers, 😉 might warrant careful consideration to anyone 5'4" or taller. Since we didn't realize the problem it poses for taller people until reading other's "head banging" stories its not been a deal breaker for us. We never really discussed who would sleep on which side of the bed and it just happened that I sleep on the cabinet side. As far as getting around to make the bed we haven't found that to be as difficult as some have mentioned either. Once the fitted sheet is on we toss on a top sheet, blanket and a beautiful duvet which makes getting around the "tighter" side not even necessary - again, no problem for us.

Side note: We thought the heavier, longer 31' towed just as easily as the 25'. And the shower being separate from the toilet & sink in our 25 FB is a luxury bonus I've come to prefer more than I thought especially when both of us need to get ready at the same time.

My point being that our fellow campers offer their experience & expert suggestions to your inquiry but not every situation shared will become your own. Be wise to consider what applies to you. Our mantra is gratitude to be able to spend time "IN the great outdoors" and to be fortunate to live "OUT OF" our Airstream; except for movie watching & cozying up inside on a rainy day!

Now go find your Airstream & enjoy every minute!

[RadioWagon]

Update!

We traveled quite aways to another Airstream dealer today, and spent a few hours doing some serious poking around. When we went yesterday, the rushed salesman was nice but only unlocked three trailers, and he was with us the whole time in two of them. We weren't there very long and it wasn't a comfortable shopping experience. Today, not so! There was an entire lot a'plenty, and all were unlocked, so we were free to roam. And roam, we did, opening all cabinets, nitpicking, and sitting on toilets to check knee room.

Y'all were so, so right to tell us to look at every model, even the ones that "seem" the same, because Golly they are all incredibly different.

The verdict? Madly in love with the Cloud 25FB Twin. Some of this could be part of the exact one we saw, but winning traits include:
--Twin beds. Yes for space, storage, sanity, sleeping.
--One big kitchen sink, not the split sink (split sink seemed small and difficult)
--microwave and oven combo, because you score storage and we never use the microwave
--FB, because I'd rather the good view be in the living area where I'm awake
--an actual separate freezer, and a bigger fridge
--the big dinette with the 66" lounge couch. Oh, the feeling of space! I could stretch my legs out and get lots of work done. The dog has many spots to sit. It felt huge. I could do yoga in the hallway there.
--The overall feel made us think we could for-real call this boat home. So if we spend the bucks, it's a housing cost, not a frill.
--The bathroom in the 25 was clearly bigger and a bit nicer with storage, but oh well. We have few illusions about perfection vs. compromise. I choose putting my legs up in the living space over a prettier toilet zone.
--Gosh, but it does feel nice to actually base my opinions on something other than floor plans!

Now we're in research mode--heavy research mode--to figure out how exactly this could work, and IF it could work. The idea would be to have this be a main living space, with some form of basic base camp to store off-season items and just rest.

In other words, we would be getting the 25FB Twin with the mindset of it being our primary or semi-primary living space, wherever, whenever, and have one simple space that serves as an address, etc.

This is, as you all know, a bit complicated. Not impossible, but complicated, and likely a lot more impossible without Best Friend Internet & Pals. Which we have now. So huzzah.

Now we're delving into:
-- Base Camp logistics. Right now we are in the Carolinas, but at a glance, it seems like Florida really "gets" the whole base camp plus RV concept. Hurdles include zoning, laws on RVs and trailers on properties, all that stuff.
-- checking state and national park regs on the size of trailer to make sure our 25' beaut would be welcome where we most want to go, and other park laws and regs (like if we can bring our dog... this is probably laughably obvious to most of you, but again, we're way new to it all)
-- What kind of towing vehicle we need
-- Where to take classes to drive all these items confidently and safely (thanks again for all the advice!)
-- Researching the general culture of RV life, to make sure forging friendships is easy so I don't go insane from loneliness
-- Renting a driveable motorhome so we can spend a long weekend at a state park, just to make sure we enjoy the actual vibe and haven't completely lost our minds

The thing that makes me think it's all a good idea is this quiet, wonderful, restless, forward-momentum feeling. I just feel in my soul that this could be a big, good thing, and though it's intimidating as hell and a lot of work, I am endlessly interested, and it's all still a lot of fun. It's fun, and we're not even doing it yet.

Onward, upward, Yukon Ho!

PS, I know this was long, but I figured if I'm going to journal something that could be important, I might as well let it be open to people with a lot more miles on their record. A journal only provides information to you as hindsight, but posting it makes it a living document that opens us to wisdom. I'm all about collecting the wisdom.

With Abundant Gratitude,
RadioWagon

[Piggy Bank]

Glad that you were able to really look around at the options. We actually just bought a new rig a week ago, as our first was damaged in a minor accident.

We pretty much knew before we shopped that we probably wanted a 25, but were not sure of the layout.

I expected to want the front bed twin model.
Or maybe the queen walk around model.

We chose the rear bed twin model.

I offer this information not to change your minds, but only to give you insight to our choices of your own personal consideration.

I highly liked the longer lounge of the FB, and didn't care much one way or the other about a microwave.

Queen was a no-go as I nearly split my head open on the overhead locker testing out walking around it. Also too short as my husband's feet hung over the end.
(twins are longer than the queen)

The primary reason we chose the rear bed was the differences in the bathrooms between the 2 twin layouts.

The WC in the rear bed model is much roomier, with a lot more space to actually fix your hair or work at the sink. Room for someone to change clothes inside the WC. Room to comfortably sit on the throne and have the door closed and not bang knees against anything.

Our previous rig was the sport 22. It had a nice bathroom that was large enough to change clothes in, or to use a hair dryer. Also had a toilet that was a straight angle and not some weird angle with knees hitting the door.

We felt that the WC in the front bed was a bit tight, and that we would enjoy the extra space every time we used the restroom, vs the extra space on the lounge. We also camp with a large dog, and our adult daughter was with us last weekend. Plenty of room.

For what it's worth, enjoy your shopping.

[Mollysdad]

From personal experience I'll never again buy a single axle trailer.

My 2 cents.

[FCStreamer]

It's great you got to see other models. And you are right, once you choose, then your "storage arrangement" is the next question to answer.

There is no right or wrong answer. Different people have different needs and tastes. For example, my wife and I are not retired, so we decided to "store" our AS in a nice RV park. So we use it almost every weekend without having to take it out of storage. And we travel every few months when we have vacation. Our arrangement would be different if we were retired.

So enjoy this part of the purchase process. Just as important as selecting a trailer. Good luck!

[LazyGray2]

Several reasons we decided on the 23D:
Smallest Airstream with 2 axels
Narrower than 25' or greater models by about 1 foot, I think
Small bathroom. We would have been ok with a wet bath.
Like the lounge area
Love ❤️ our FC23D!

[pegmurphy]

Originally Posted by RadioWagon

My husband and I are in our 30's, no kids, one labradoodle (35 lbs).

We finally realized that we can hit the road at will, since we can both work "from home" as long as there is Internet. Boondocking is a particularly enticing idea, as we don't exactly hate people, but are real introverts who enjoy nature and P&Q. We also love America (hey there, America) and want to see more of it, our own country, rather than spend all our dollars abroad.

We love flexibility, as on many of our trips we end up wanting to leave early or stay a day longer. We love seeing weird, beautiful, and interesting things on long car trips, and recently drove cross-country in our teenie weenie hatchback. So, we think we would love the trailer style.

We don't want an RV, as they seem to have more maintenance, and we'd like to unhitch and drive through national parks or to the grocery store with less drama than an RV entails.

We've looked at non-Airstreams online and now in person, and aren't feeling jazzed about anything but the classic AS brand. They just feel well made, and reliable, and beautiful, and a bit more trustworthy over time.

The pickle now is figuring out which one to choose...

The 16" sport felt claustrophobic, but the 23FB Cloud felt ginormous. The 22FB Sport felt just okay, but a little more closed in than the 23FB Cloud, maybe because the 23FB Cloud had brighter cabinet finishes.

We are driving 2 hours to a second dealership tomorrow to see a 19' Cloud, Cloud 23D, and re-see the Cloud 23FB tomorrow.

The thing is, we haven't found a way to rent an Airstream to test drive, so we don't quite know how to narrow it down.

The only thing I know I need for sure is a little breathing room in the bed area (the 16' would never work) and some counter space over the bathroom sink, which is ideally not the same as the kitchen sink.

This might not be enough information, and we are so very new to this world, but are beyond enchanted and have this feeling that it could be a lifelong love. We might even make it a part-time lifestyle, and just get a small house to call base camp locally part of the year.

So, New Internet Friends, I kindly invite you to donate all the advice you can. Thank you, and thank you again!

PS--We are only open to new trailers, so 2017 or 2018, because I'm not sleeping on a used mattress and I basically want to know where it's been and what happened to it. If it's going to get dirty or damaged, I'm the one who should do it.

Love my 2016 FC 20 - take a look at this model!

[LazyGray2]

Well put!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Very glad you got some real time to look at the various models in peace. Without that sort of time, we would have never been able to make any sort rational choice. It's a big decision, you deserve some time to dig into the details. The whole "look at two with the sales guy hovering around" thing simply is not right.

The 25FB was the smallest thing we thought we could fit into with three large dogs and two "full sized" people I'm not at all surprised you liked it. We decided on something else (a 30'), but that's not a knock on the 25. It bumps you up in a number of ways over some of the others. Ditching the microwave + stove for having just one - not a problem. The storage is more useful.

Towing wise, you have a lot of options with the 25. It's not super heavy. Large SUV's still are very much on the list. Campsite wise it will fit where a 30' will not. Based on my National Park stays, that can be a pretty significant thing. At the local KOA, not such a big issue .

One note: The 25FB Twin is a 7,300 lb max trailer. It has a 5,500 lb dry weight. Some of the weight will be taken up with water and LP gas. You may (or may not) ever make it to the full "loaded" weight. A lot depends on what you will be taking along with you. There are other models in the lineup that are not quite so forgiving in terms of loading them up. Another plus for the 25, and a bit of margin when looking at tow vehicles.

Have fun !!!!

Bob

[Rgentum]

Dear RW,

I'm delighted that you spent the time that you did looking at the various models, and that you found the one that resonated with you. For all the reasons you describe, the AS 25 has become the most popular model. My best to you in your further adventures. Just take one step at a time, & I'm sure you'll do just fine.