Are We Just Airstreamers or Are We Just Fulltimers In An Airstream?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Please Read Before Voting-

So DH and I are discussing parting with our dear Minerva. We are thinking of getting a Mortimer instead. We bought Minerva long before the words fulltiming were ever considered. People who full time with kids were just weird and crazy. Kind of like those homeschooling freaks.... (Oh, how the mighty have been converted) :animated-smileys-character-024:

Minerva is a 1971 27ft Airstream International Overlander. She was meant to be a weekend warrior but as you well know that is NOT what happened. Just shy of having her a year, we set out on a fulltiming adventure. We have made the most of certain deficiencies in her layout and character but the word space keeps coming up.

Space for me to craft

Space for the kids to have beds that don't have to be made up nightly

Space for DH to work without bothering the rest of us

Space for me to nap

Space for the remaining dog to avoid our kids (her cattle)

Space for keeping the sanity.

Space, space, space.....

We didn't intend to but we kind of set out to prove you could fulltime with kids in an Airstream. You can but we always knew we'd have to replace her when our DD got too big....... we are wondering if life would be a bit easier it we got a different rig. Now we love airstreams. We really do and if i could pull into a dealership and find one that fit our families needs it would be a no brainer. But Airstream doesn't really make an RV that fits a family of four with kids that aren't the same gender that fulltime. They don't even make a bunk house model anymore. If you try finding one of the old bunk house models that is camping ready, you will see that it t'aint easy and would likely cost you more than another TT of the same size but regular floor plan. People tend to snatch them up quickly.

Today we went looking at the local RV dealerships. We found two Ultra Lights with bunks that would fit our needs. There are trade offs.

Airstream has no slide. New TT has slide. Kinda of a toss up on that one.

Airstream has too much bathroom storage but lots of wasted space (wrap around counter over tub/shower) and takes up a large amount of room (has an actual usable tub in it). New TT has NO bathroom storage in the bathroom.

Airstream has larger hot water tank but it only runs on propane. New TT has both gas and electric.

Airstream has no grey water. New TT has grey water.

Airstream has electric tongue jack. New TT had electric stabilizers but manual tongue jack.

Airstream has large closet in "master bedroom". New TT does not require children to walk through master bedroom to go to potty.

Airstream has massive amounts of easily accessible interior storage but NO exterior storage. New TT has exterior storage but interior is often under things that require the moving of cushions/mattresses.

Airstream has large pantry but new TT will allow bike rack. (roof rack on truck is LLLLLOOOOOOUUUUUDDDD and reduces gas mileage... alot).

Airstream has rope and pull awning. New TT has electric mounted awning.

Airstream has broken step that would require removal of banana wrap (bottom skin of trailer) to fix. New TT has three steps.

Airstream requires making/unmaking of three beds on daily basis. New TT would have a bunkhouse room for the kids and some playroom too.

Airstream has fold down table, gaucho bed, and chair bed. New TT has U-Shaped dinette and a sofa.

Tell me what you think.... and vote in the poll.

[bord1niowa......Curt 79]

Reading your options and the differences, you answered many of your own concerns. Having raised 5 kids and only having a pop up, I understand the space thing :rofl2:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Prefacing this by saying I don't know much about Airstreams at all, so I'm not sure what that means in terms of any bias here, but this one was the deciding factor for me...

Airstream requires making/unmaking of three beds on daily basis. New TT would have a bunkhouse room for the kids and some playroom too.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I agree with Monique!! My camper has a convertible bed/dinette, but we NEVER use it as a dinette. We have instead chosen to leave the bed up all the time and dine outside.

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I was just wondering today how you manage to fulltime, plus homeschool, and give DH space & quiet to work while keeping your sanity. Airstreams sure do look cool though...

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I do not own a RV, but just going by what you have layed out....I think a different RV may be better for your family's needs...but again...I am a novice and have only ever camped in a PUP.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I have to go along with the group, Especially making and unmaking the sleeping areas/ The Airstreams are cool but I'd want more space.

[Total Joker ... TJ 203]

Sounds like the Airstream would be great for a couple, but a family of 4 full timing.. not so much.

I love the look and feel of the Airsteams though.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Nicki, this is a tough question. As a diehard Airstream fan, my first reaction was you should get a bigger Airstream. If we ever went back to a TT from the MH it would definitely be to another Airstream.

But then I thought back to our early RV'ing days when we made many trips to WDW with our 3 kids and my parents. 7 people in a 32 footer. 2 kids had to sleep on the floor. So in addition to making up the sofa bed and the dinette, we had to put a pallet on the floor for the boys. It took us so much time to take care of the beds twice a day. After 2 weeks it got really old. I can't imagine doing it for months on end.

Lots of comments:

Slides are great. I don't think you truly appreciate them until you have lived with them awhile.

We need bathroom storage.

Even if we have both gas and electric for hot water, we only use gas because it heats up and recovers so much more quickly.

You only need a grey water tank if you plan to dry camp.

Could an electric tongue jack be added to the new TT?

Rear bath in your Airstream is a pain. My parents' floorplan was like that too.

Exterior storage isn't always that great. And do you get it at the expense of interior storage?

Our biggest storage need is always in the kitchen area. Loved our pull-out pantry that MH doesn't have.

I wouldn't trade our electric awning for anything!

I think you need a bunk bed model, but are you willing to sacrifice quality for quantity? Will the construction on the new trailer stand up over time to all your traveling?

Do you need to take more time, do some research, visit more dealers with other brands before you make a decision?

I'm gonna reluctantly vote for "another brand."

[stefa70 205]

I completely understand the storage thing. We went from a pup to a TT, huge difference!!

We love the exterior storage for sewer hoses, regular hoses, anything wet or even muddy shoes.

We did add an electric tongue jack to ours.

IMO, having a slide out is the difference between night and day! I can't imagine ever not having a slide. it literally doubles the floor space. When we set up our screened room, we have a triple wide.

My RV repair friend once told me:

"They come up with newer and fancier things every year. Just remember, the more fancy/convenient, the more that will break"

Just something to think about with electric jacks, electric awning......

I think another brand would fit your family's needs better, especially since you live in it. Good luck!

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Where by chance did you look at campers, seeing you are in Md. were you at Leo's RV? If so they seem to be a pretty good dealer,we tried to buy a unit there but just could not meet on price.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Reading your options and the differences, you answered many of your own concerns. Having raised 5 kids and only having a pop up, I understand the space thing :rofl2:

I know... I know.. I know....

Prefacing this by saying I don't know much about Airstreams at all, so I'm not sure what that means in terms of any bias here, but this one was the deciding factor for me...

Good luck with whatever you decide!

I agree with Monique!! My camper has a convertible bed/dinette, but we NEVER use it as a dinette. We have instead chosen to leave the bed up all the time and dine outside.

The beds do get old. The kids don't have "personal" space since they sleep in the livingroom/kitchen.

I was just wondering today how you manage to fulltime, plus homeschool, and give DH space & quiet to work while keeping your sanity. Airstreams sure do look cool though...

Airstreams and Monorails do look good.....

I do not own a RV, but just going by what you have layed out....I think a different RV may be better for your family's needs...but again...I am a novice and have only ever camped in a PUP.

I think the first RV is an experiment to find out what you really want and need....

I have to go along with the group, Especially making and unmaking the sleeping areas/ The Airstreams are cool but I'd want more space.

I have never been a fan of all that bed making....but since the kids do their own I couldn't complain too much.

Sounds like the Airstream would be great for a couple, but a family of 4 full timing.. not so much.

I love the look and feel of the Airsteams though.

There are families that fulltime, with more kids than us, in airstreams (they are fewer than other brands). Most of them have modified the inside of the trailer or completely gutted it. We did not have the time or the money to do so nor did we want to as we didn't know if we'd last more than a few weeks on the journey.

These days Airstream really builds toward the couple and not the family. Most of the couches that convert to beds has a cushion that isn't comfortable to sit on much less sleep on.

Nicki, this is a tough question. As a diehard Airstream fan, my first reaction was you should get a bigger Airstream. If we ever went back to a TT from the MH it would definitely be to another Airstream.

But then I thought back to our early RV'ing days when we made many trips to WDW with our 3 kids and my parents. 7 people in a 32 footer. 2 kids had to sleep on the floor. So in addition to making up the sofa bed and the dinette, we had to put a pallet on the floor for the boys. It took us so much time to take care of the beds twice a day. After 2 weeks it got really old. I can't imagine doing it for months on end.

Lots of comments:

Slides are great. I don't think you truly appreciate them until you have lived with them awhile. DH was initially afraid of breaking slides. I think he is slowly changing his mind.

We need bathroom storage. Both units we looked at had bathroom storage but it was one small cabinet OUTSIDE the bathroom. One of them had an exterior bathroom door so kids didn't have to trek through the house to get to the bathroom....but you understand how much storage an old rear bath has. Regardless I would have to pare down the "extras" we carry.

Even if we have both gas and electric for hot water, we only use gas because it heats up and recovers so much more quickly. Ours recovers in under 10 minutes.

You only need a grey water tank if you plan to dry camp. True, but every time we stop to use the bathroom while traveling you have to warn the kids to be sparing about water usage while handwashing. Not having grey water also insures we HAVE TO HAVE FULL HOOKUPS. We could save about $50 a week just by taking showers at the campground and only using TT to wash dishes.

Could an electric tongue jack be added to the new TT? Yes, it could. I like the electric stabilizer jacks... in theory.

Rear bath in your Airstream is a pain. My parents' floorplan was like that too. Everything is spacious but so much of it is wasted. Cleaning behind the toilet is terribly difficult.

Exterior storage isn't always that great. And do you get it at the expense of interior storage? Not really but sort of. The interior storage is arranged much different than in an Airstream. Our Airstream was built at the end of the great caravanning days so it has mammoth amounts of storage. Plus the two units didn't have drawers to access the interior storage.

Our biggest storage need is always in the kitchen area. Loved our pull-out pantry that MH doesn't have. One had pull out and the other did not. The Airstream has MASSIVE pantry storage. An arms' reach back into the cabinets with four shelves worth of it.

I wouldn't trade our electric awning for anything. You should have seen DH's face when he heard those words...

I think you need a bunk bed model, but are you willing to sacrifice quality for quantity? Will the construction on the new trailer stand up over time to all your traveling? DH is looking at that. The second unit quality was much better. We knew that we'd have to get another rig and Airstream just doesn't make a floor plan that has a bunkhouse. Our current circumstances don't allow us to gut one and redo it. Shawn is looking at it as an interim house or rent house until we can get an Airstream again.

Do you need to take more time, do some research, visit more dealers with other brands before you make a decision? You are gonna laugh. We have an airstream rally in early July. We aren't doing anything until we attend that rally. We are currently looking for some RV shows to attend. DH has already found another brand TT he wants to look at.

We will likely be the only Airstream Rally hosts that no longer have an airstream.. in november.

I'm gonna reluctantly vote for "another brand." Painful, isn't?

I completely understand the storage thing. We went from a pup to a TT, huge difference!!

We love the exterior storage for sewer hoses, regular hoses, anything wet or even muddy shoes.

We did add an electric tongue jack to ours.

IMO, having a slide out is the difference between night and day! I can't imagine ever not having a slide. it literally doubles the floor space. When we set up our screened room, we have a triple wide.

My RV repair friend once told me:

"They come up with newer and fancier things every year. Just remember, the more fancy/convenient, the more that will break"

Just something to think about with electric jacks, electric awning......

I think another brand would fit your family's needs better, especially since you live in it. Good luck!

Sewer hoses and anything that doesn't belong in the trailer have a bin that currently rides in the back of the truck. There is always the chance someone will steal it in the night. Particularly when you are camped at Walmart overnighting. It would be nice to get those things into a compartment.

Regular hose rides in the bathroom tub.. and I would love not to have it there.

I don't want fancy. We really just want an awning that's attached. To get one for the Airstream would cost about $1500 plus installation costs.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

IMO, having a slide out is the difference between night and day! I can't imagine ever not having a slide. it literally doubles the floor space. When we set up our screened room, we have a triple wide.

Agreed x 100!!

We went from a 21' hybrid that was 30' open, no slides, to a 33' TT with 2 slides, including a 16' one in the living room. Technically we only added 3' of trailer length, but with the 2 slides open I swear you could fit the entire hybrid inside! I know it's not apples to apples, but the difference in the square footage alone is amazing.

We no longer have to do that "dance" to get by each other walking back and forth, and the pups can run around without crashing into stuff, each other... and us.

The hybrid could have reasonably slept 6, but you were packed in like sardines.

With the mods we made for the dogs' crates in the new TT (eliminating 2 beds) it sleeps 6 also.

The difference is that we've had 5 adults and 6 dogs sleep in this camper without any trouble at all and without wanting to kill someone, in large part because of the extra space provided by the slides.

I can't even imagine trying to do that in the old camper with no slides. (EEK)

Considering space alone... I loved our hybrid a lot but couldn't imagine living in it, even though we'd spent 3 weeks at a time in it at WDW comfortably.

I could live in the new camper forever - no problem.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

So to give you an idea, here is an article I did for another blogger about life in Minerva with a few pictures of her interior pre-re-upholstery.

http://wanderingairs...adtrips/?p=5032

honestly, I think I need to read number 9 for myself..... (edit to add this)

here is a floorplan of one we have not seen but would like to look at -

http://www.vantage-r...st=&model=32QBS

not sure of the price on that one but we are looking at dealers near our next stops.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Nicki aka Rebelstand

[Lou... 3,118]

I'm sure you're well aware of it and would if you could, but a MH is the only way to go for full timing RVing if you're bouncing from place to place a lot and have kids.

As it's something we're planning on doing in a few years, we thought about, should it be a 5th Wheel or a MH. We actually like the interior space of a Fiver much more, but they're just not as convienient as a MH especially while on the road.

I realize getting a MH is not in your budget right now, but if you were able to hold off for a couple of years, could it be?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I'm sure you're well aware of it and would if you could, but a MH is the only way to go for full timing RVing if you're bouncing from place to place a lot and have kids.

As it's something we're planning on doing in a few years, we thought about, should it be a 5th Wheel or a MH. We actually like the interior space of a Fiver much more, but they're just not as convienient as a MH especially while on the road.

I realize getting a MH is not in your budget right now, but if you were able to hold off for a couple of years, could it be?

We really need something now but I would love a moho. Just don't think I can convince dh

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Nicki, my first thought was a moho too, but I assumed it wasn't in your budget. There are so many advantages -- set up/take down in 1/4 the time, not having to stop for bathroom breaks and/or meals, more room, enormous storage, less stopping for fuel, having a generator, easier to drive, I could go on and on. David told me recently he would never want to go back to a TT. And if you get a used one, you can really get a steal. (That's what we did.)

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

We are going to look into all the options I think but DH is predisposed not to want a MoHo. However, he is agreed to look at them.....

Depending on the price depends on whether it's in the budget...

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

Where by chance did you look at campers, seeing you are in Md. were you at Leo's RV? If so they seem to be a pretty good dealer,we tried to buy a unit there but just could not meet on price.

The manager of Leo's was the one at the rv show a few years back that called a PA dealer "Wh**es" in front of my young daughter when we were ready to sign and asked them to meet the other dealer's price. I'd have loved to have taken that outback home but DH decided the conversation was over. Thankfully they weren't the only game in town...

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

My #1 concern would be if the new ultra light tt could hold up to full time use. Airstream's (especially the older ones) are extremely well built. New campers are not well built. 99% of them are thrown together with barely adequate materials and frames. Many RV manufacturers will void the warranty if the camper has been used for full time use. Although, a few a do market "full time" models.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

My #1 concern would be if the new ultra light tt could hold up to full time use.

Agreed. I would probably steer clear of anything billed as "Lite" and make sure the construction was solid, there was sufficient insulation, etc. Floorplan and space are great, but if the thing doesn't hold up to full-time use more than a year or 2, not much point.

I'm no expert on such things, but if you haven't already, you might want to take a peek at the Open Range line. They have some really good floorplans and while they are lighter than you'd think because of the way they are constructed, I can tell you that the one we flipped over on the highway held up remarkably well! Ours flipped on it's side, slid a good 100 yards or more down the highway, and then had to be uprighted to put on a flatbed and taken to the salvage yard. Not a single window broke and people were amazed it didn't just blow apart. To look at the side that wasn't on the road, you could hardly see anything wrong at all.

I know that's a bit extreme, but to my mind that says the thing is pretty well built!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

The manager of Leo's was the one at the rv show a few years back that called a PA dealer "Wh**es" in front of my young daughter when we were ready to sign and asked them to meet the other dealer's price. I'd have loved to have taken that outback home but DH decided the conversation was over. Thankfully they weren't the only game in town...

We aren't buying in MD and certainly not from them now. We are planning on visiting a few dealerships in PA as we should be in that state for the next few weeks.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

We aren't buying in MD and certainly not from them now. We are planning on visiting a few dealerships in PA as we should be in that state for the next few weeks.

Try to let me know where you will be looking in Pa. I might be able to recomend who to see or who to STAY AWAY FROM, I have had a lot of dealing and info about dealers in Pa. What area will you be in I will be in the Hershey area the week after Father's day at a Thousand Trails park.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Gettysburg this next week, not sure about the week after then west PA around the 4th

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Try to let me know where you will be looking in Pa. I might be able to recomend who to see or who to STAY AWAY FROM, I have had a lot of dealing and info about dealers in Pa. What area will you be in I will be in the Hershey area the week after Father's day at a Thousand Trails park.

Do you know anything about Keystone Rv Center near Greencastle, PA? We saw a pretty good one there today. It appeared to have everything we needed, including lots of interior storage as well as exterior. A bunk house, 3 beds, but with a sofa instead of a fourth bed. There is a small slide in the bunk room with storage in it. One super slide in living area with U-Dinette and sofa. One queen size bedroom with doors... yes, doors!!