Who wishes they had a SMALLER Airstream or a LARGER one?

[Outdoorpeak]

Originally Posted by JamuJoe

You are doing well to analyze your planned use. We also are more the 'active outdoor traveler' type. Our trailer provides for comfortable cooking, sleeping and toilet facilities. We don't spend much time in RV parks, watch TV or host parties aboard. We've got 43,000+ miles on our 2011 FC23FB, and quite a bit of that in rough country. We often travel for 4-6 weeks. At times I've mused over a larger unit (generally after a week with 2 grandkids aboard) but the overall agility and greater selection of suitable sites in Nat'l Parks leaves us very satisfied with our mid-sized 23. Many is the time when we've made a u-turn on a backroad or maneuvered into a great site that my First Mate has reminded me that we couldn't have done such with a larger trailer. The economy and agility of towing with our Jeep GC diesel is another big factor keeping us with the 23. There are always compromises, whatever you choose. Good luck in finding your best fit.

Safe Travels,
JamuJoe

Thanks for the insights. You sound a lot like us. We really liked the 25RB, mainly due to the lounge area vs. the 23FB. We haven't yet seen a 23D but that might be the one for us. Looks like a pain to make the bed and one of us (my wife) will have a hard time getting up to use the bathroom, but it might be manageable. I love the idea of a smaller AS but with the lounge area. Not sure if the bed will be too small. We shall see!

[explore more]

We full-time and we've seriously been thinking about downsizing due to the fact that we'll probably be getting a different tow rig in the next year or two. The new tow rig (a Ford Transit or Sprinter) won't be able to tow our 30 footer.

My wife and I keep going back and forth between downsizing and not. One day we want to stay in our 30 footer, and the other day we want a 25 footer just for a simpler, smaller setup. But we're starting to realize that there are a LOT of compromises with downsizing - far less room for clothes, having to climb over each other to get out of bed (sounds romantic, but after 3 days it's not), a cramped bathroom, no walkaround bed with room to change, smaller fridge, etc.

I guess it all comes down to how often you plan on moving and how long you'll be staying inside each day. If you're out hiking for 10 hours a day, a smaller trailer may be the perfect setup. If you're stuck inside working 8 hours a day (like I am), a bigger trailer is really nice.

[SCbarber]

Originally Posted by msmcv51

We now have our 25' 87 Sovereign for sale. My wife has always preferred more compact cars and trailers. Sooo we have turned our tow vehicle into a mini motorhome by putting a Camp-lite 11' camper in the bed. Now we can tow our Ford C-max when we travel. The Camp-lite has no steel or wood in it so no ROT or RUST. The two big problems in most other RV's.

Can you give me details of the trailer you are selling or link to ad, etc.? Thanks. Paul

[PA BAMBI II]

This is a great discussion! Seeing as our Bambi II is only 17', there are only a handful of smaller AS models out there (Pacer, Bambi, Cruisette, Der Klein Prinz, Wee Wind, etc.), and all are few and far between.

That being said, we are happy with our 17 footer and our camping trips with a family of 4. It works for us...but we spend a lot of time outside.

This is a "to each his own" thread. Dad loved big, bigger, biggest AS models. My family growing up enjoyed a 31' for most of its camping days. But my wife and I like our little trailer because we can utilize a smaller tow vehicle, we get better gas mileage, etc. Lots of perks.

It is a bit tight in the morning until our gaucho bed is put away, but we manage.

[Outdoorpeak]

Originally Posted by explore more

We full-time and we've seriously been thinking about downsizing due to the fact that we'll probably be getting a different tow rig in the next year or two. The new tow rig (a Ford Transit or Sprinter) won't be able to tow our 30 footer.

My wife and I keep going back and forth between downsizing and not. One day we want to stay in our 30 footer, and the other day we want a 25 footer just for a simpler, smaller setup. But we're starting to realize that there are a LOT of compromises with downsizing - far less room for clothes, having to climb over each other to get out of bed (sounds romantic, but after 3 days it's not), a cramped bathroom, no walkaround bed with room to change, smaller fridge, etc.

I guess it all comes down to how often you plan on moving and how long you'll be staying inside each day. If you're out hiking for 10 hours a day, a smaller trailer may be the perfect setup. If you're stuck inside working 8 hours a day (like I am), a bigger trailer is really nice.

Sounds like we might both have our answers

[larryglarson]

We went from a 30' Classic to a 26 FC U and we are glad we did, we travel about 100 days per year.

[switz]

We are glad to have both a 2015 23D International Serenity and a 2014 31' Classic. For the smaller parks for a few days, we take the 23D.

The Classic becomes a summer home in the mountains at Ponderosa Shadows (an Airstream brand only park) in Lakeside, AZ at 6,600 feet elevation. There is a 20 to 30 degree cooler air temperature there as compared to Phoenix in the summer....

[Outdoorpeak]

Originally Posted by switz

We are glad to have both a 2015 23D International Serenity and a 2014 31' Classic. For the smaller parks for a few days, we take the 23D.

The Classic becomes a summer home in the mountains at Ponderosa Shadows (an Airstream brand only park) in Lakeside, AZ at 6,600 feet elevation. There is a 20 to 30 degree cooler air temperature there as compared to Phoenix in the summer....

So cool! I never knew there were AS only parks.

[AWCHIEF]

Info here,

http://wbcci.org/airstream-parks/cla...irstream-parks

[dickschaak]

I personally don't feel you can buy too big of an Airstream.

[nickclifford]

Originally Posted by larryglarson

We went from a 30' Classic to a 26 FC U and we are glad we did, we travel about 100 days per year.

what is the main difference ? getting into parks ? or just general manoeuvrability ?

[mccrosti]

BIGGER love my Overlander but wish I had an Amabassador


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[CherylJoy]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Is it just me or are there a lot of folks who consider an Airstream as pretty much only to be a glorified tent meant for base camp for nature walks, canoeing, and bird watching within walking distance of a campsite?

My favorite use (but not my only use) is a basecamp parked in a spot that allows access (via walking or driving) to regional attractions.

When doing this kind of "camping", being parked in the right camp with full hookups and enough space to relax, cook, shower, lounge, and otherwise function within a vein of normalcy while at "home" is kinda cool.


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

I so agree with your statement! While we love the Airstream as a basecamp for outdoorsy activities, such as daily walks, bike rides, hikes and campfires, we also enjoy it as a portable hotel room! We've parked it near San Francisco and gone into the city for the day, even exploring local towns to have a nice dinner out.

Yes, we love our Airstream! It's our happy place, whether we are just hanging out in the campground enjoying nature, inside enjoying a movie, or using it as a place to come back to after a day of sightseeing. So our 25' FB is perfect for us after upgrading after 6 months from a 16' Sport!

[CherylJoy]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Reading your post I had to relate our very recent experience.
Last month we were traveling out west with the intent of visiting Yosemite Ntl. Park We were going from east to west and our original intent was to go over the Sierras to west side to set up camp. We changed our mind and began looking for a place on the east side. We found an available spot at June Lake RV Park CA. This is an RV park smack dab downtown of this most picturesque little tow with an Alpine lake surrounded by mountains. Our spot was 50amp full hookup, 300' from the local brewery, 150' from best Taco stand ever and within a block and half of restaurants, hardware store and two blocks from the most picturesque lake outside of Switzerland. We got lucky and we were able to stay an entire week. My wife wanted to stay for the entire month of September. This to date was one of my most memorable Airstream Experiences.
I had to back in our 30' International of a 20' wide city street into a 40 deep spot. It was piece of cake.

While we love the outdoors, we too also love to be able to check out local towns! Will have to check out June lake RV Park since we're close by. Thanks for the tip!

[Al Boondy]

I am rebuilding a 31 footer and every day that I work on it I wish that it was an 8 footer.

[Cristobal]

We have a 34' and a 27'. I would hook them both together if I could.


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[dkottum]

We have traveled a lot this year, the 25' is really nice when camped and getting around the tight travel venues. If we were to travel even more, staying only a few days at a destination, we would probably go back to a camper van towing nothing.

[NorCal Matt]

I sometimes miss our 16'. My wife LOVES our 25, but it's not as cozy.

[e2girardin]

We are a family with 2 kids and bought our first ever trailer; 23 CB Bunk this past year. Our typical trips are 3 days and we usually don't go longer than 1 week at a time. I can understand longer for those that are doing long trips and parking for longer periods of time, but we like go to a variety of places and feel like we are in nature (vs. an RV parking lot).

All that said, we are now looking to downsize to either a 19CB bunk or possibly a 16 Sport. Have not had any issues towing or getting around, but we find more planning is needed with a longer trailer as most of the national parks (and private campgrounds) are booked well in advance. We like the flexibility to pick and go and not have to plan to go somewhere specific 3 months from now, and have found the last minute (i.e. a few weeks out) spots are usually 18' or under. Also, most of our friends have either a small trailer under 19' or are tent camping so we become a limiting factor to locations we can access with our AS.

If we were doing longer trips and able to plan further out, the 23' would be perfect for us and would highly recommend for a family of 4. And if you have young kids (our are 5 and 2) the bunk is definitely the way to go! My boy loves it so much that it's one of the main reasons we are thinking of going to 19' (Sport doesn't have bunk option)

[switz]

Our 2015 23D measures 23' from the front of the hitch ball socket to the rear of the bumper storage compartment per Airstream literature. Most other brands measure just the "box" length. So in the parlance of most RV park personnel, we can say the trailer is closer to 19' since the "A" frame in front is about 3' and the rear bumper is about 10".

The living space on our 31' Classic is about 27' using that logic.

I think you might find about 15' of livable space a huge down sizing in a 19'.