Any full time Airstreamers out there? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Any full time Airstreamers out there?

Lonney Wade · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have followed Long long Honeymoon since 2007. They have helped me a lot and got my motor started LOL !!!!
Sean and Kristy Michael

http://longlonghoneymoon.com/2014/05/video-rv-boondocking-power/

Lonney

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you very much for the link, I will check that site out. Our heads are telling us to get a 5th wheel, but our hearts are screaming Airstream!!! biggrin biggrin

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

There are bunches of full time Airstreamers out there.. here are some awesome links to start with:

www.snowmads.com (their sweet vintage one is actually up for sale)
www.aluminarium.com
www.watsonswander.com
www.malimish.com
www.riveted.com
www.glamourstream.com/
just5moreminutes.com/blog/
www.weaselmouth.com/

And many many more out there...

- Cherie

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are currently living full-time in our vintage 25' Airstream Trade Wind. We have two small dogs with us also. :).
Yes it can be done. Does it get tight sometimes, yes. I would recommend a 30', which we have also owned, but we sold it to refurbish the vintage and THEN we decided to full-time so only had the 25'.
You can contact me privately if you would like.
When I proposed the idea to hubby to full-time, it was with a 5th wheel in mind. He does not want to full-time, but part-time full-time, say about 6 months out of the year. So we are building a house, closer to family and living in the vintage. We have been in it since Jan 15.
Someone mentioned Long long honeymoon; they do not live in their Airstream full-time, I think, but go on extended trips. They have a house.
We love our Airstream, but find for full-timing, we use the back of the truck for storing things we do not use everyday, but want or need to have with us. You will need to limit what you have much more then in a 5th wheel.
We have rode out high winds, extremely heavy rains, and severe thunderstorms this year in the Airstream. 70 mile hour winds can kick you around, but the little Airstream handled it great! You can check out my blog and if you go to the beginning you will see pictures of the refurbishing.

-- Edited by cejones4210 on Wednesday 30th of July 2014 08:55:38 AM

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just want to add, do we love our Airstream? YES! Will we ever sell it, probably not. We have Airstreamed since 2001. So we have spent LOTS of time either in our 25' or the 30'. The 30' was much better laid out for fulltiming, but the kitchen in the 25' (designed by me) is fantastic for cooking and I have tons more storage then in the 30'.
But yes, I am hoping to get a 5th wheel for our part-time full-time adventures and keep the AS for shorter trips, vintage rallies and long weekends.

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hello Cherie,

My husband and I have watched your videos!! We enjoyed them very much and found them to be very informative! Thank very much for taking the time to post these links, I will check them out!

Dana

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

cejones,

Thank you for the advise, I really appreciate it. We are going to look at a1986 Excello 30' this weekend. Have you had to stay in yours with temperatures below freezing? We are both 50 years old, so my husband will have to keep his job for about a year before we take off on the road and workamp. We will have to make it through a Midwest winter, and I was wondering how the Airstream does in cold temps.

Dana

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

So, for me, the easy part was convincing the wife to go fulltime. As for an Airstream, my not-so-secret fantasy would be to have a shiny new Airstream 30 footer, all tricked out to make it fulltime-able. I agree with her that they are not the best fulltime RV out there, due to less storage, less insulation, less space overall, less water capacity, etc. BUT, she just doesn't get it. They're like a Harley, either you lust after them or you don't, and if you do, it's for reasons other than high technology or perfect design. She does not. So, we'll be getting a "normal" fulltime rig for now, and when we devolve into vacationers again, I shall have my Airstream! smile

Roy

-- Edited by HighwayRanger on Wednesday 30th of July 2014 08:33:57 PM

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Maybe you could compromise with something like an Aviator from River Forest. Their beautiful Wright-Flyer model has a slide and a 3,370lb CCC. www.forestriverinc.com/TravelTrailers/Aviator/default.aspx

You might also want to look at the Keystone Vantage. I don't think they make them anymore but they did just last year. www.campingworld.com/rvsales/travel-trailers/2012/keystone-vantage/332767/

Chip

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Beautifully put Roy! We are definitely in the lusting stage.

Dana

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you are not aware already, this website has a lot of info: www.airforums.com/forums/

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you! we will take a look at those!

Dana

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

No I was not, thank you very much!

Dana

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dana:

For perspective: My parents full-timed in an Airstream for way over 30 years. They did it by choice, not to save money as such. They travel all over the US and Canada when all you had was a paper map and a Trailer Life Campground directory. I say this as a word of encouragement.

Obviously there is less space. But with a Suburban or a pickup with a topper you have plenty of space, IMO, if you choose you items carefully.

Airstream Land Yacht Harbors can be extremely inexpensive to use as a home base and the site (your site) is there when you return. We’ve had such a site in Florida for over 25 years and the community spirit is excellent. “Birds of a feather” as they say

Most long-time Airstreamers will tell you the older ones are better trailers. The “classics” as they are called. I agree and we still own a 34’ Excella.

If I were going with an Airstream I would renovate a slightly older one. There are companies that do the renovations and you can get stuff customized the way you want them – even some light weight solar. But don’t expect to carry big batter banks. There just isn’t room. But either way you choose, they are a very good, but expensive when new trailer. The labor to build one is just pretty high.

Airstreams tow great – are rugged and nothing better in a tag trailer. With a proper hitch they are a pleasure to tow and use. But this is very important. Wrong hitch arrangement and any trailer is not safe. They and the truck must run level to tow correctly. (True for any rig for that matter)

It is a lifestyle choice and one that I can recommend as long as you are comfortable with the space and don’t try to bring along everything like some of us do in 5’ers.

Feel free to PM me if I can be of assistance. We’ve done this Airstream thing a longtime and still love the rig.

Bill

kdkarch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill,

Thank you for all of the information, it was very helpful! I showed it to my husband, he said to say thank you and we just might take you up on the PM smile

Dana

mpierce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have owned a couple older Airstreams. Like the better build, do not have as many "nice" features. Great trailers. Lots full time in them. Looked at new ones at the RV show in Tampa in Jan, 2014. Did not like them at all!

We had a 1964 26' Overlander with bunk beds. Raised three kids camping and traveling in it! Great trailer.

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

kdkarch wrote:
cejones,

Thank you for the advise, I really appreciate it. We are going to look at a1986 Excello 30' this weekend. Have you had to stay in yours with temperatures below freezing? We are both 50 years old, so my husband will have to keep his job for about a year before we take off on the road and workamp. We will have to make it through a Midwest winter, and I was wondering how the Airstream does in cold temps.
Dana

KD,

We spent the winter in it this year. AZ and CA for Jan and Feb, but IA for March on and yes we experienced lots of weather below freezing in IA this year. I was actually surprised how well we did in it. We have a little electric space heater that pretty much ran nonstop. We ran the furnace at night, which kept it cosy, if you think 68 is warm. But we set it at that to conserve propane. If it dropped below 32 degrees we unhooked the water hose, so do not forget to do that. Otherwise, trouble with frozen water line. We had really cold floors some mornings (actually most mornings), but otherwise no issues.

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Another comment; our 30' was a 2001 Excella. It had a queen bed in the back with storage under it. Given a choice I would have rather full-timed in it, but we had already sold it and refurbished the 74 25' when we decided to full time this year. As stated previously, we use the back of the truck with a cover for storing items we don't need everyday. An 1986 will have bigger tanks then our 74. (15 gallon black and grey and 45 gallon fresh.) We dump every three to four days if we do not have full hook ups, but have managed to go 6 days as our record. I think you should have at least 30 gallon tanks in a 1986.
Airforums is a great website; lots of AS listed for sale, quick answers to questions and tons of useful AS information. I personally do not like the newer AS, except the Classic.