Tremors and Campers let's talk camping!!

[Chris-DTA]

Went towards the desert for the weekend. The original trail and camping I had planned to do was a bust, so I went towards Borrego Springs and the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Found this campsite in the mountains above Borrego Springs. Significantly nicer temperatures compared to the desert, too. It is still hot out there. Could see the Milky Way with my bare eyes. The night sky was incredible.

 

[Cortez1521]

Outdoors RV and 23 F350 Tremor

 

[NightForceFan]

This is our first travel trailer/RV, so we don't really have a base of comparison. But, we've been very happy with ours. The creative use of space and thoughtful design that went into the floorplans goes a long way in maximizing the available space in useful ways. Overall build quality and construction is very nice and the fact that you see so many older and/or remodeled Airstreams on the road is a testament to that.

They aren't perfect. Just like with everything else there are going to be some issues along the way. But in our experience any issues have been minor and the company and dealerships have stood behind their product and helped get any issues corrected.

And it's a great community of owners. If doing rallies and caravans is your thing ... you won't want for things to do. And even if it isn't your cup of tea, you may find yourself surprised once you get around a few other Airstreams while camping.

Take a look into the features, floorplans, tank sizes, etc ... compare all that to what type of camping you plan to do. See how it all measures up. But don't think that these things are fragile little pavement princesses. Airstream has a long history of exploring and caravanning around the globe that spans back to the founder. Those same ideals still exist within the company and the products they build. Is it going to keep up with someone with a fully independent, articulated suspension with rock sliders, etc ... no. But you're in no way limited to KOAs, state parks and other established campsites. Oh, and do the 3" lift.

Thank you very much for the detailed, personal review. We plan to go to the closest AS dealer this weekend and check them out.

 

[gmoon]

Spent a few weeks around Park City Utah with the new camper to shake it down a bit. So far so good but ride and stance should improve with the new Carli leafs coming soon. Very pleased we did not end up with an AEV Ram 3500.

 

[Chris-DTA]

Spent a few weeks around Park City Utah with the new camper to shake it down a bit. So far so good but ride and stance should improve with the new Carli leafs coming soon. Very pleased we did not end up with an AEV Ram 3500.

View attachment 132315

Great looking rig. I am sure I said this before, but probably cannot say it enough!

 

[PA-pilot]

We made it over to eastern Oregon and spent 4 days in the Owyhee Canyonlands last week. The RC truck was great entertainment while I was waiting for my wife to get ready. I have been wanting to try one of these rightline truck bed tents, so I ordered one for this trip. It felt like a palace compared to the rooftop unit on my wife's Rubicon.

 

[Modman]

View attachment 132319We made it over to eastern Oregon and spent 4 days in the Owyhee Canyonlands last week. The RC truck was great entertainment while I was waiting for my wife to get ready. I have been wanting to try one of these rightline truck bed tents, so I ordered one for this trip. It felt like a palace compared to the rooftop unit on my wife's Rubicon.

Nice perspective with the picture! Love it!

 

[Divinggumby]

Last official camping trip/ race weekend of the year . The tremor did well this year.

 

[modified]

We took the camper down to Cagle Recreation Area just north of Houston for the 3 day weekend. It's a really nice campground with plenty of space between sites. It sits right along Lake Conroe in the Sam Houston National Forest.

 

[Modman]

We canceled our final trip of the year... I had a few issues that surfaced that I wanted to get documented and covered under warranty. Still waiting to get it back, but they are covering both issues 100% so that's good!

 

[modified]

We canceled our final trip of the year... I had a few issues that surfaced that I wanted to get documented and covered under warranty. Still waiting to get it back, but they are covering both issues 100% so that's good!

That's too bad, at least you'll be ready for next year. We weren't able to use our trailer all summer, so I'm making up for it now that the weather is nice. I'm hoping to get at least 3-4 more trips in before the end of the year.

 

[DarinH]

2022 F350 Tremor & 2022 Four Wheel Campers Hawk For Sale

We have recently decided to sell our dream set up, F350 Tremor/Hawk combo. We spent years of thought and research figuring out exactly what set up we wanted, and selling this is an extremely tough decision prompted by a growing family, limited use, and changing priorities. This set up is in...

expeditionportal.com

No affiliation with the seller, but pretty solid deal for someone.

That is a smokin deal. The camper itself is worth about $40k, and I'm sure the truck would go for more than $60k if sold separately.

 

[modified]

Sort of off topic from your stickers, but we have been kicking around the idea of buying a travel trailer. I like the more offroad capable trailers ie Black, Roamer, Pause, etc. Wife wants an Airstream and usually wins. Thinking about Flying Cloud 30. Anything you don’t like about the Airstream or any tips you wish you knew before buying?
Any info from any Airstream owners on here is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I'm currently on my second Airstream, and overall, I've had a good experience. I like the classic design of Airstream trailers. Their layouts are functional, and they tow quite well. I had a Raptor Toy Hauler before so that's what I'm comparing it to. My in-laws also have a 2008 Flying Cloud 25FB and they've had very little trouble with it.

You can usually find a good deal on Airstreams that are 2-3 years old. I first bought a 2014 Flying Cloud 27FB in 2016. After enjoying it for seven years, I sold it for nearly the purchase price. I never had any major issues with it other then tires! I finally switched to Goodyear Endurance tires and haven't had a problem since. (knock on wood!)

Earlier in the year we found an awesome deal on a 2020 Flying Cloud 28RB that was down in Buda. This floor plan seems to suit our family better now that my kids are older. I also went with a dual AC setup to hopefully extend our camping season a little longer. The new AC units are really quiet and do well cooling down the trailer.

There is a checklist on AirForums that is worth going over: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f138/trailer-inspection-checklist-43294.html

There isn't much ground clearance, so I've had problems scraping the rear end of the trailer. I'm planning on lifting it 3" and possibly upgrading to 16" wheels & tires next year. I think that will give me a little more confidence for longer trips.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[NightForceFan]

I'm currently on my second Airstream, and overall, I've had a good experience. I like the classic design of Airstream trailers. Their layouts are functional, and they tow quite well. I had a Raptor Toy Hauler before so that's what I'm comparing it to. My in-laws also have a 2008 Flying Cloud 25FB and they've had very little trouble with it.

You can usually find a good deal on Airstreams that are 2-3 years old. I first bought a 2014 Flying Cloud 27FB in 2016. After enjoying it for seven years, I sold it for nearly the purchase price. I never had any major issues with it other then tires! I finally switched to Goodyear Endurance tires and haven't had a problem since. (knock on wood!)

Earlier in the year we found an awesome deal on a 2020 Flying Cloud 28RB that was down in Buda. This floor plan seems to suit our family better now that my kids are older. I also went with a dual AC setup to hopefully extend our camping season a little longer. The new AC units are really quiet and do well cooling down the trailer.

There is a checklist on AirForums that is worth going over: https://www.airforums.com/forums/f138/trailer-inspection-checklist-43294.html

There isn't much ground clearance, so I've had problems scraping the rear end of the trailer. I'm planning on lifting it 3" and possibly upgrading to 16" wheels & tires next year. I think that will give me a little more confidence for longer trips.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Another awesome first hand experience. Really appreciated.
Sort of overwhelmed with the whole online research process. So many options and while it’s pretty easy to find great reviews on certain manufacturers, it’s just as easy to find bad reviews on the same. Seems like everyone sort of accepts that they will all have issues, just trying to determine which have the best chance to have the least issues and suit our needs.
I have narrowed it down to 3 at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Roamer 1, Airstream Flying Cloud 30 w/bunks, Airstream Trade Wind. Heading to Buda this weekend to look at the Airstreams and trying to find a Friday my kid can miss school/golf and fly to SLC to check out the Roamers. Ideally, would have unit bought or ordered in next 3-6 months. Fingers crossed.
Appreciate the info and look forward to running into you one of these days here in the Hill Country.

 

[Patriot]

We have been camping all around Colorado for a month this Wednesday. We have visited all the National Parks in CO and it’s just been an amazing journey.
Rocky Mountain NP, Mesa Verde NP, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP and today the Great Sand Dunes…just an epic trip. Now onto New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee making our way back home to North Carolina.
Onward!!

Parked our rig in downtown Telluride.

The Great San Dunes

 

[Dented]

How do you like that Oliver? I'm torn between them and the ORV Back Country.

 

[Sjmcken81]

This is our first travel trailer/RV, so we don't really have a base of comparison. But, we've been very happy with ours. The creative use of space and thoughtful design that went into the floorplans goes a long way in maximizing the available space in useful ways. Overall build quality and construction is very nice and the fact that you see so many older and/or remodeled Airstreams on the road is a testament to that.

They aren't perfect. Just like with everything else there are going to be some issues along the way. But in our experience any issues have been minor and the company and dealerships have stood behind their product and helped get any issues corrected.

And it's a great community of owners. If doing rallies and caravans is your thing ... you won't want for things to do. And even if it isn't your cup of tea, you may find yourself surprised once you get around a few other Airstreams while camping.

Take a look into the features, floorplans, tank sizes, etc ... compare all that to what type of camping you plan to do. See how it all measures up. But don't think that these things are fragile little pavement princesses. Airstream has a long history of exploring and caravanning around the globe that spans back to the founder. Those same ideals still exist within the company and the products they build. Is it going to keep up with someone with a fully independent, articulated suspension with rock sliders, etc ... no. But you're in no way limited to KOAs, state parks and other established campsites. Oh, and do the 3" lift.

@Bill,

We’re now thinking about an AS rather than a 5er…maybe a 28 or 30 rbq.

Was concerned about low ground clearance. What does the 3” lift cost?

Thank you

PS We currently have a Grand Design 297rsts TT…so, this would be downsizing, but easily towable anywhere for our 7.3 Platti Tremor.

 

[Rolind]

Sort of off topic from your stickers, but we have been kicking around the idea of buying a travel trailer. I like the more offroad capable trailers ie Black, Roamer, Pause, etc. Wife wants an Airstream and usually wins. Thinking about Flying Cloud 30. Anything you don’t like about the Airstream or any tips you wish you knew before buying?
Any info from any Airstream owners on here is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I would look seriously at an Oliver made in Hohenwald, TN. It is a great trailer and very offf road capable. Our previous trailer was an airstream BasecampX 16. We loved our airstream but needed more room. Fiberglass trailers also require some exterior care (wash, wax, maybe ceramic coat) but shrug off hail and filiform corrosion is not a concern. I would search airforums for posts from Ray Eklund. He is a long time air streamer and recently was upset bc of front end separation on his airstream. He currently has both his airstream and an Oliver Legacy Elite 2 and has some very helpful and interesting posts comparing the two. In addition his posts are usually pretty entertaining and worth a read and a chuckle. We absolutely love our Oliver. Just spent a week off grid on the western slope and it performed flawlessly.

 

[Bill]

@Bill,

We’re now thinking about an AS rather than a 5er…maybe a 28 or 30 rbq.

Was concerned about low ground clearance. What does the 3” lift cost?

Thank you

PS We currently have a Grand Design 297rsts TT…so, this would be downsizing, but easily towable anywhere for our 7.3 Platti Tremor.

I think its a few hundred dollars in parts from Dexter, the axle manufacturer. Otherwise I've seen places charge about $800/axle for parts and labor.

 

[Bill]

I would look seriously at an Oliver made in Hohenwald, TN. It is a great trailer and very offf road capable. Our previous trailer was an airstream BasecampX 16. We loved our airstream but needed more room. Fiberglass trailers also require some exterior care (wash, wax, maybe ceramic coat) but shrug off hail and filiform corrosion is not a concern. I would search airforums for posts from Ray Eklund. He is a long time air streamer and recently was upset bc of front end separation on his airstream. He currently has both his airstream and an Oliver Legacy Elite 2 and has some very helpful and interesting posts comparing the two. In addition his posts are usually pretty entertaining and worth a read and a chuckle. We absolutely love our Oliver. Just spent a week off grid on the western slope and it performed flawlessly.

Ray's got some ... colorful, posts for sure. He can be a little tough to follow at times when he gets rambling.