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I have an 2005 Forest River Lexiton B+ with a slid out but no outdoor storage. It has the E450 V10 which is as reliable as a Swiss watch, gas, Diesel is available. Sliders are a big deal and Sprinters need to really add them on their rigs. Mine’s livable with slider in, when I and just resting at a rest stop or something. Most lack light coming in also, like mine. Best full time rig I ever saw was a semi tractor with a ramp on back to load a small car behind cab then a 40’ 5th wheel. I love that full window on back of them also, but 5th wheels break a lot when moved a lot. He set up for 1-3 months at a time though. This is so cool you guys get to get a new rig!
@Felipe Roberto You again & that stupid website? lol You always post a fake advertising comment for that site, then another fake account comment following pretending to be someone that visited it. haha
@Lennon Jad And here's the other fake account. lol Make them sound more believable like real people. And don't create the accounts one day apart from the second fake account. It looks too obvious. hehe
Host Everest truck camper with F550 4x4 Chassis extended cab (large payload number), with custom bed. All that will be less than your Airstream. Bigger refrig, tanks (65gal fresh, 40 grey and black), storage (even store stuff in the truck) and space (triple slide). You can tow still but you have the truck to go driving around. Outside storage has a sliding drawer. Plenty of room underneath to add batteries. Comes with big propane tanks and even bring more tanks in the truck bed. With the bigger tanks, you can stay out longer so dismounting the camper wouldnt be bad. plus if you get external black tank carrier and bring a collapsible water bladder, you could take care of that with your truck. Just my two cents. Good hunting
We went from a 38 foot diesel pusher with tow car to a Sprinter T1N (slightly smaller than yours) to a 2007 Class C Winnebago View Bunk bed model with over-cab storage. Yes, it was strange and small selling, but it has oodles of storage, a fixed dinette, dry shower that doubles as a closet, and (now being 60+) we don't bother each other rolling around on a bed that is too small at night. We both sleep like rock stars! A slightly larger fridge ON THE SHADY SIDE of the rig is a must. 4x4 be damned, we have visited plenty of BLM and NFS land, in addition to all 32 states in Mexico, plus Belize and Guatemala. Good luck in your pursuit.
Lance 2075 - Windows, space and huge opening sky lights. Rear outdoor kitchen built in with awning. Kitchen a bit small but great bathroom and epic bedroom. Not to big so a monster truck isn’t required. Find one and walk through. Better quality than Airstream. No slide so no maintenance and quicker set up. Can get the solar, inverter and lithium from factory. They have other models if you need a slide but the 2075 is a gem. Probably about $60K all in in today’s market. Oh yes, true all weather and dual pane windows.
We feel the same way on our current ORV 25rds titanium series 32' trailer. It feels like a mansion back in early 2018 when we full-time, now we are ready to move up to a 39' toy hauler for more space and carrying capacity. Enjoy the ORV trailer. Ours continue to serve us well and will miss it a little when we get our newer 5th wheel. Happy travels!
Travel trailers are nice, but you have to remember... the hook, the unhook, the hook, & the unhook. There is no just getting up and walking into the back. Class A's are big and wonderful looking but you have to like driving a bus and remember that some places are hard to get it into. A class c could be a happy medium. There are many lengths, and many interiors. I don't like pushing one manufacturer over another but remember, you get what you pay for. No matter what you get, make sure you go over it more than one time because service nowadays is almost impossible because there isn't enough people to help. Good looking happy looking. Florida has a lot of good dealers and you can search until you find a good salesperson. Excited to see what your ideas are.
Once we decided to downsized from a small class c to a class b, we realized there were none around in dealerships. We wound up watching a lot of videos in order to narrow it down. And then, we implemented my wife's idea which turned to be the best way to see the potential campervan up close when no dealers had any in stock. We joined a facebook user group and in our case, we joined the Pleasure-way owners and wannabe owners group. Since we live in North Carolina, we asked if anyone had a PW Lexor TS, our top candidate, and would they mind showing it to us and giving us a tour. Our criteria included solar panels, LI batteries and made from 2018 on. We received immediate responses from 2 people, both within 2 hours of where we live just outside of Asheville. We spent a couple of hours with each, both generous in their time and their willingness to share experiences. Susan and Mark couldn't have been more generous and it made a real difference to us since we felt very comfortable with the quality and features that we had selected. We even drove their vans on back roads, through small cities and on an interstate. We wound up placing an order with the same dealer, Carolina Coach, that both Mark and Susan used and are really happy with our decision. So facebook owners groups are one way to go. The other technique we used was to rent from Outdoorsy, the potential candidates. The other van we seriously looked at was the Third Sequence. We took that van on a 5-day trip and confirmed our criteria. We decided against the Thor Sequence for lots of reasons but build quality and the bed were the biggest. This is how we eliminated some vans and focused on others. Good luck with your hunt.
My wife and I have been fulltime Rvers with conventional remote jobs. You learned some lessons the hard way that's for sure! We have a 31ft class a gads Winnebago sightseer. We flat tow a small Honda and I think it's probably almost exactly what you're looking for. Walk around queen bed, big table, nice two way fridge that can run on propane, tons of outside storage. I would say don't discount the value of slides, and I would argue this would be a huge benefit for your daily quality of life. We can excercise inside, we have had 10 people inside at once and ate! The tow car is what makes it feel like living in a moving apartment rather than an RV. A few things I would advise you to consider: flat tow don't dolly. Pick your tow vehicle carefully. It is not cheap to set it up but it's 100% worth it. 50 amp service with two air conditioners. Very convenient, nice to have the backup and we have done 110 degree weeks with a plug and it wasn't bad. Two way appliances. Our ac has a heat pump, this has been our heating for 95% of the time. Our water heater can run off electricity as well. We have filled up propane only once! Diesel is awesome and if you have the money to afford one, great, but the v10 triton is highly capable and soooooo much cheaper.
Thanks for letting me/us into your world. Good luck on the search for your new rig. Selling the B at this time was smart given the market! Especially w all the upgrades made. I will keep watching!
Famous last words "we don't need slide outs"; YES you do. Slide outs are where you pick up your width, without having to go too long to enjoy your ride. Good luck. We have a 19' (22' total), with a slide that we love. We boon dock and go off road, very off road, so we wanted to keep our TT short enough to enjoy the ride and get into the mountains. Good luck; don't go too big and take away from the enjoyment of traveling. Love your channel.
Mine.seems to fit your needs and we bought it for full time travel. Jayco redhawk 27n class c 30ft, no slides, 40 gallons of fresh room for a bigger tank, 40 gray like 20 black. I have 3 solar panels on the roof 570 watts no problem. I do have the leveling system if you need ground clearance skip that they hang low. Huge pass through storage in the rear lots of storage all over. Permanent bed dry bathroom seperate shower. I love the size of the b class for driving but was not willing to make a bed every day or deal with a drop down over the drivers area and a wet bath. I am 6ft 1 plenty of room for me the wife and German Shepherd Jayco puts on tank warmers for cold weather and internal water filter. Not top of the line but its fairly inexpensive and has served us well over the last year. 20k total weight, rv is under 11k you basically have 4k of weight you can put inside and tow 5k Chevy Express 6.0 Vortec which is LS based pretty bulllet proof and to me thr Chevy has more leg room than the Ford good for us taller people plenty of videos of it on my channel as well
I would recommend a Jeep for your lifestyle (outdoor, boondocking, 4x4, etc.). You can tow 4 down, which makes hookup and unhooking much quicker and less painful. We had a front wheel drive car and towed on a dolly. I sure got tired of crawling under the car in the dirt and grime to hook up the safety chains. 4 down means you don't have to worry about where to put the dolly or trailer while you are in camp. Just my personal experience. You guys rock!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! 6' tall Jim and I have a Coachmen Beyond 22RB. Some of the problems you talked about won't exist because we've been setting ourselves up. We can tow our jeep behind and we got a swing arm to go into either vehicle with a DeZee truck bed box that fits under our factory bike rack on the van so we have lots of extra storage space. The truck box will soon be on drawer slides so we can open the back doors easily and it will become a table top for our grill! We can even take our kayaks with us on top of the jeep if we want. The 22RB has 2 almost twin size beds in the middle of the van that are set up all the time. We can both sit comfortably as we each have our own couch and he uses the passenger seat if he wants. It makes the van seem huge when we are inside. We do take turns getting to the bathroom, but we figured that out years ago even at home. :) We added a 12 volt cooler that can be a freezer or fridge when we need it to expand our food storage. It sits in the open area of the van and we use it as a seat or low table. You are right about the tank sizes but we are going to use your ideas of using a cup and the great outdoors for liquids and I'm dreaming of ways to carry a compost toilet or put a bowl in the bowl and use a gamma ring bucket for that storage. It's nice that the wet bath is in the back and has a fold down sink. It just needs a longer shower hose to make the outdoors our shower garden when we need one. I love change, too, and can totally see how doing "something new" would be satisfying! We are super happy you have made all these videos for us to help us have the best experience ever in our van!!!
I truly understand. We travel 4 weeks at a time with our 76 lb dog in our Class B. We have our Mountain home to return to after each trip. I can't imagine living in a class as long as you did. Look forward to your next journey.
If you want to expand your options, you might think about an "interim" rig to get the wait time obstacles removed for the best RVs. We just sold our RV to a couple who are waiting. We sold because we expect delivery of our EKKO the first week in July. We bought it sight unseen first week in January because we had a list. It delivers on our top 10, regardless of the "cons" and new rig problems we know we'll have. I bet half the people who mentioned their rigs would provide a tour as a way to thank you for the value we all get. Provide your list, a schedule of where you'll be, and you'll have offers. If you film, you'll have several episodes we'd all like to watch. Good luck!
Congrats on the EKKO. I'd like to see one! That is a great idea for an interm rig. I have been keeping an eye out for a cheaper back up option that we could resell with much loss. The market is tough right now, but you're right, there are many people switching rigs, buying, selling and so on. Thanks!
Thank you for providing all the information on your class B. I will probably have to stick to my class b rv living in NYC due to limited parking but will still look at your videos for tips. Thank you.
More capacity for boondocking is a wonderful thing. We've had three truck campers and now that I'm retired we have a Arctic Fox 27-5L fifth wheel. Boondocking heaven and small enough to fit a lot of places plus great counter space and storage. 😎
Hello Chris & Aaron, I commented on your last video that I'm confident you will stay with an Airstream. Given that, here is my best guess for your next rig: 1) Ford / Chevy / Toyota 4X4 pickup....ground clearance, drop the trailer, go more places. 2) Room for the E Bikes in the pickup and possible a kayak or two, lots of storage. 3) Airstream Flying Cloud, 28RBQ, 37 Water; 34 Black; 34 Grey; Queen bed; big kitchen. 4) That should do it......greater opportunity to explore with a 4X4. Happy travels.
Currently, I have a Jayco Redhawk 22J. Small enough to fit next to house. Has plenty of storage for a cook, refrigerator and freezer great, Fixed dinette. Perfect for a couple and 4 big dogs. Can’t wait to see your top contenders!
Makes sense that you guys would want a little more space. We love all the windows in our 5th and at 31', we've had no issues boondocking or getting into state/national park campgrounds, plus she can be pulled with 3/4 ton. With that said, we plan to sell it after our summer travels to the Northshore, UP and northern WI. After 8 years of full-timing, we're ready to change things up ourselves.
Gotta say, I agree with all your wants! I'm so happy we have a bed that isn't our table now. And... LOVE the dry bath!! Currently have an Airstream 20' FB Caravel. When we can spend more time on the road we'd probably go to the 25. But who knows!
I don’t blame you guys at all! Small places full time/two people...would not work with myself and hubby...we would not be happy (we both need our own personal space)
I appreciate making the bed everyday issue, our first TT had the same situation. Our second one had a sideways bed, where one person had to crawl over the other to get in or out. That was a "no go" on the third one. Another priority, was easy access to clothing. Often we encounter a variety of cold and hot in a short period of time and our current TT makes it easy to get access to all of our clothes. Big kitchen was a priority for us as well. If you do go with a TT, one thing to consider is how much storage you could possible have in your tow rig. We have a crew cab pickup which has a flat floor in the back seat area that is huge, not to mention the bed. Everything is a compromise, hope you guys find the right combination of compromises!
Excited to see what you decide on. My only advice is to make sure that whatever you choose be comfortable driving/towing it. The adventure isn't fun if you're white knuckling it down the road. By the way, you guys are awesome.
I love all your reasons and they totally make sense. You have lots of research to do for your next one. That's exciting! One thing I would suggest is to avoid the 12v fridges and go for the 2 way. Some manufacturers on some models are really pushing the 12v because of size and supposedly efficiency, but what we're seeing through a number of FB groups we're part of is a lot of people having trouble keeping or getting them cold enough and not having enough solar and batteries to keep up with the power consumption. We gladly have the 2 way and have not had an issue with this one or any previous and we don't worry about our power usage. We do have 200ah Battleborns and 200w solar. Happy hunting!
If you haven't checked them out, I would recommend a Winnebago EKKO. Based on your wish list it sounds like a potential winner. The LTV is a solid option too.
Both of those are extremely nice, and yeah, would check off most of their boxes. I think they both have decent tow packages too, so they could probably tow a small travel trailer if they wanted more room, or a car/small truck if they wanted to get around easily after setting up camp.
What an exciting time for you both! I admire your spontaneity and your sense of adventure in selecting a new travel rig. As you said it is a terrible time to go shopping for something new with inventory low and prices high but sometimes things just work out the way they should. Be patient. You have a good idea of what your wish list is, that is half the battle! Good luck and bring us along for the hunt. 👍
You guys have learned such a great deal about yourself and each other I would not have been able to do that with another. Good luck with buying the new one.
Hey you two! Have you seen the Winnebago Ekko? Literally everything you want is built into this rig. It's literally built for Boondocking! And we ALL know that is your style. Only downside is the wait time for delivery! Anyhow looking forward to your upcoming videos!!! Can't wait to see what you shop for and get!!!
We ordered a 2022 Leisure Travel Van without seeing it. There just aren’t many at showrooms to see. Of course, we won’t get it for several months, but we’re okay with that. I hope y’all get to see a few to make your choice!
We watched the videos too and really liked the Leisure Travel Wonder on the Ford Transit chassis with the gas engine. I've been told it'll take 18 months or even up to two years to get one though as LTV has a huge backlog. What has your dealer told you? BTW, we're in the U.S, not Canada.
@@rogerz8051 we also live in the US, Central TX! But LTV has dealers in several locations. Yes, it will be many months before we get our 2022 Unity Rear Lounge. They are having problems just like everyone with supply demands because of the pandemic and shutdowns, also the Arctic blast that shut down oil refineries. This sure has been an year (plus some!) to remember! My husband doesn’t retire for awhile yet, so we’re fine with the delay, but we sure are itchin’ to get on the road!
@@wendywolfe8684 Sounds wonderful Wendy! I retired many years ago, so our time horizon is a bit shorter now. Enjoy that wonderful LTV! I know it'll be well worth the wait.
@@wendywolfe8684 The Rear Lounge has a murphy bed right? Love those big windows. That's my fave. Congrats! Are there any significant changes from the 2021 to the 2022?
@@FEARNoMore Yes, several changes are coming, but nothing huge. The solar panels will be rigid mounted instead of flex- glued down, they plan to have Alcoa aluminum alloy wheels if aluminum remains available, stopped making the Murphy bed floor plan on the Wonder- but you were correct that the Unity (and Wonder) Rear Lounge have a Murphy bed behind the sofa area, two new colors for the outside, ... You can watch Pagosa Adventures on UA-cam for the updates until it comes out from Leisure Travel Vans hopefully soon!
Oh man, leaving us hanging again! Can't wait to hear more about what rigs you're considering. I love the Leisure Travel Vans - would be cool to see you in one of those (I'm a fan of the front twin bed model). My bet though is you'll get into an airstream travel trailer ~25 feet. Hope you're able to find what you want in stock!
Hi guys! New sub but long time watcher of your vids here... I'll share my experience as a complete rv newbie 3 years ago. We tow a 5th wheel. I had never towed anything in my life before. So why not learn something new at age 58, right? Let me tell you, towing a 5er was easy! You just have to match truck to trailer properly. We had a Grand Design 220RK 5er and a Nissan Titan XD gas 5.6L. The 220RK is under 27 feet and weighs less than 7k lbs empty. The truck and 5er weighed about the same so towing was effortless. And finally your entry cost is quite reasonable. Trailer at $27k and Titan XD around $37k. Add $10k for solar, batteries, and other upgrades and your boondocking again for $75k... whatever you do, we'll be watching!
Thanks for sharing! As a weekend warrior and short trips we can put up with these types of issues in the class B, you guys made the best out of it for a long time while living in it! Change is good!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Love our Sprinter RV to the max. I recently did a cinematic tour of it in my channel. Hard to let go of this one. Thank you!
My bet is a airstream trailer...my guess is around 25 ft? I lived in a 60 inch bunk 100 inch bunk and finally 200. (I was young single and over the road long haul truck driver) We are looking and researching now as well....but we have bikes, motorcycle, and quad now....so we are going 5th wheel toy hauler. I have conquered the small space thing but now we want comfy....and we will be boondocking a lot too, so I'm really looking forward to comparing notes. Great job your doing ....keep up the great work...see ya next video!!
In looking at RVs know that weight is your enemy. the heavier an RV or rig is the more stresses are put on it...potentially creating more on road issues. So serviceability of any rig is of paramount importance. Also larger rigs can limit your travels unless you are towing or have a toad. I lean more towards a trailer and tow vehicle as I think it gives you more options and who can argue with Airstream style? Whatever you guys ultimately pick you'll be fine, because life is an adventure and there are no wrong choices.
We love our trailer. It gives us the freedom to travel and be tourists in the area without packing up every time. As far as interior space, the slide out makes all the difference! The one thing I would ask for is more counter space but, we have a dinette. So excited to see your new rig!
Good 4 u 2! I'm 75... Life IS Short! I'm "stuck" in Maui, which is OK, but... I'm a nomad! Less then a yr. n' I'll be back on the road in AZ n' NV. Shower and big fridge/ freezer a must... and a lift kit. U guys r doing it right! Aloha
All of our camping is boondocking to ride off road. Truck and trailer works great. A toyhauler type is open plan and intended to go in the dirt. Plus you cave drive the truck separately.
Go with class B+ or class C. I think that all your choices in your list answers to the types of rv you want. I don't like rv trailers, but it is your choice. Well, truck camper will be good for space, off-road and storage between a truck camper like (example) Lance 1172, Eagle Cap 1200 or Cirrus NuCamp 820 for you with your list. I'm 23 years old and good luck and can't wait for your new choice! I will want to have a rv too!
I'm one man in my Class B RV. My Buddy bought a new (well to him) class C RV, Winnebego Navion. My problem with my Class B is that It doesn't feel like home to me, whereas when I walk into his, it feels entirely homey. I'm now at a crossroad where I'm wanting a Class C now. Your right, making beds every night sucks!
Hi guys. Everyone has their own opinions so let me tell you mine. I have lived FULL TIME for 20 years next month in 40' motorhomes. This is my thoughts. I would NEVER get a pull behind or a fifth-wheel, why? they are too light, if you get in a BAD wind they can be blown over pretty easily. If I were you I would get a small class "C". You could pull a small car behind but the most important thing is the weight of the class "C". It can still blow over but the weight of the engine and the rest of the drive train is much heavier than a pull behind or a fifth-wheel. GOOD LUCH
Enjoy your videos and appreciate the honesty about your adventures. We should be receiving our Pleasure Way by Mid-May and while not new to RV lifestyle... (had two class C’s several years ago).... will be new to NO Towing, etc. Also decided to go with e-bikes for reasons you guys articulated. Decided on Class B due to moving /visiting for a few days, moving on, family all over the country, etc. Gave a lot of thought to Airstream Travel Trailers and would have gone that route if we were going to stay longer for weeks/months at a time. I’m betting your next RV is a shiny Airstream🧐👍🤠Good luck with your choice - and looking forward to more great videos. Also enjoyed your Latex Band training... still utilize my power blocks (also stored total gym in my class C) but now downsizing by combining Bands you guys featured with lighter dumbbells so I’m not carrying too much extra weight in the Van. Thanks again and be safe👍
This did a good job of explaining your situation & goals. You two can definitely make good & interesting content talking to the camera. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Paul, appreciate it! A bit of a different video than we normally do, but wanted to get it out there and keep it moving along. We'll hopefully be in something new in no time!
You guys should look at these two trailers...the Safari Condo Alto F2114 and the Intech Terra Oasis. We were thinking we wanted a class B+ for a long time, but decided we wanted to store the electric bikes we were going to purchase in the bed of a truck. Plus, we wanted a separate vehicle to be able to go deeper into the wild on occasion. As a result, we chose the Alto and are heading out this summer for our first trip. I think we would have gone with the Terra, but were just nervous about pulling something that long on our first go round. Yet, I can't get all that space in the Terra out of my head. I guess we will have to see how it goes this summer. We might just be ordering the Terra after we get back in October. Also, we are picking up our new Aventon Aventure, fat tire electric bikes today! Very similar to the Rad bikes you guys got, but with a few more upgrades. Can't wait to ride them home...as well as see what you guys end up deciding to purchase. Thanks for all your content. :)
So excited to see what you choose! We’re in a 24’4” No Boundaries 19.6 travel trailer towed by a Ford F-250 Super Duty. Lots to love about our NOBO. Some things we’re changing. It has a Murphy bed which is okay. We took out the RV toilet and are using a Thetford Porta Potti so we could combine our black and gray tanks into one 60 gallon gray. We dislike the set up and break down time. But having our truck to use is great. Even if we switch to a small class c or a class b we plan to tow a small car.
No doubt in our minds where you two were headed! Lots of Airstream tours was a clue! Best of luck! When you head to California in your new Class A, give us a shout!
If you can't find exactly what you want then maybe you should build your own. Get yourself a custom built covered cargo trailer and build it out yourself or take it someplace and have them custom build the interior as you would like. You can specify all the details that you want.
You’re definitely ready, change and growth is good. Hope you’ll consider a airstream rather than a class A. Those classes a’s are whole new dimension. And an airstream is built so solid and will last for many years.
Awesome reasons. We just downsized from a 35’ TT to a class B...why? The opposite reasons why you’re upsizing. Mostly weekend warriors with 3 - 6 month trips annually. After 4 years of lugging the beast around we learned we don’t live in the RV... we live outside hiking, biking, museum visiting, etc... we own a stick & brick and love the combination of both stationery lives and travel life. Sometimes we’ll just take the van out to the beach for the day. Looking forward to your next video!
Wow so excited for you guys. We just went through the shopping online thing, wishlist....we are not going to be full timers, I am 63 and waiting for hubby to retire in a few years so longest for us out would be, maybe a month. So with that in mind we started with the Class C, but didn’t like the kitchen space and where TV mounted, (hubby loves sports) also don’t like slide outs, jumped to small class A a Fleetwood at 29’, then discovered Leisure Vans and able to see the Unity rear lounge, and ordered that. Loved the 2 living areas, yes we need to wait about 1 1/2 years but that fits the time line and allows hubby a place to work remotely in the back or we can leave the bed down in back if we choose to. It is still small enough to maneuver around boondocking, in parking lots, cities and parks. Has decent kitchen area, pantry and fridge and dry bath, sorry former sailer and tent camper I am over wet bath and sponge baths. 😊. Enjoy the search. Have to say the airstream flying cloud seemed perfect for your lifestyle.
I am very sorry to here that you sold your van. I always looked forward to your adventures and how you loved your life in this space and how you made it work . I was thinking maybe you needed more space because you were expecting but when I heard you just needed more room it kind of made me feel like van life is not going to work for me and my husband. We are hopefully getting our van in the fall. I needed advice from van dwellers. People that made it work and were happy and comfortable in this small space. I will stay with watching my van you tubers and I will miss your videos. I wish you luck and be safe on the road.
Thanks, and we appreciate you watching. The past 2.5 years have been the best of our lives, but we are ready for a change. We hope you do get your van and have as much joy and excitement as we did. Safer travels to you as well!
Hello Chris and Aaron!!! Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on why you are doing a change. Ha....I was envisioning someone walked up to you two while watching the sunset out in the desert, they had $1000 bills hanging out of their pocket, and made an offer that you couldn't refuse hehehe. The features you are moving into are almost exactly what we wanted: a dedicated, walk around bed.......kitchen counter prep space that didn't rely on a stove cover or sink cover......a dry bathroom.....and a dedicated seating area separate from the bed in case one of us got up earlier than the other (read: I can sit somewhere while drinking my coffee if wife is sleeping). Some functionality while the slides are in was a consideration too. We ended up ordering an Outdoors RV travel trailer. It is a 22FQS. It is one of their smallest floor plans in their medium/3/4 ton sized trailers. What I liked about that is that we went to a 10k gvwr frame and it is 6400ish pounds empty. That gives us 3000+lbs to carry. The rig is about 26 ft long, so not terribly huge. It also comes with a 80gal fresh water tank! The downside for this rig is that it only has a dinette for seating; no couch or theater seats. And, it only has 1 main outside storage area. This is also a 4 season rated rig. Safe travels to you two! And enjoy the land based life for the month! We also ordered a gas f350. Whew....ordering is not as easy right now. It is about a 5 month for us, if it comes in as planned. 39 more days!!! We will also solar it. I think we will do 4 100ah batteries , 3kw inverter, and about 800w of panels.
I too am shopping for an RV to full-‘time in and I’m having a hard time deciding what type of RV to get. My needs/wants are about the same as yours, so I can’t wait to see what RV’s you are considering.
We are on our 12th RV ( I think?). RV swapping/upgrading is pretty common from what I have seen. People tend to always be looking for something different and/or fits their needs better because the grass always looks greener. You guys are still figuring out your exact needs but it is very difficult because its a ever evolving and moving target. We’ve had every type of RV made including 2 prior B vans. We keep coming back to the B’s because it just seems to be the best overall fit even with it’s inherent compromises. Wish you both the best of luck with your choice. Not gonna lie. I will miss seeing your AS interstate in action.
Very dissapointed...but it's your life! If you would not have chosen to live FULL time in a van...would you still have kept the Airstream? We are planning 4-5 trips per year each about 2-3 weeks...but STILL keep our home! Thoughts?
Sounds like Winnebago Ekko would be a good fit from what you are describing.. We got Thor Tellaro 20AT,pop-top and lithium to us best layout and price for a family of 4. We're not full time RVrs just lots of weekend trips and occasional 1-2 week trips.
So our Lance 975 truck camper hits a lot on your wish list with the dry bath and bigger kitchen. We do love boondocking with it. The Battle Born batteries make it way too luxurious lol. Just throwing that out there 😉. Good luck in your hunt for your next rig. I look forward to seeing your next home. 😊
Your channel popped up on our UA-cam viewing list and the title of your video caught our interest. We are new subscribers. For more than 4 years we have been saving to purchase a new RV. In fact, we rented our home out to speed up our savings and now living in our condo in Manila. We have looked at many Class B's and Class C's RV and have narrowed it down to two RV types. Either a custom Build van with a permanent bed and garage underneath, hopefully, with Advance RV or a Winnebago Navion 24D Class C. We will not RV full time. Our plan is to RV 7 months out of the year. Hope to learn more from your channel.
Hey Ken, thanks for watching! Sounds like a good plan you guys have and we wish the best! AR has some pretty awesome rigs they've built over the years! Hope you enjoy the big back log of videos we have and they will show you what its like to live in a class b! Thanks!!
@Ken Rice seriously you found the right channel. When I first subscribed I could not resist binging on the ones I missed & so glad I did. Channel is not a “tour” it’s a “how to” with 2 responsible smart people w/common sense. lol. Sure helped me make a lot of decisions. I’m marking time also & hopefully very soon out of here in a AI GT 24 Class B
We completely understand. We mostly use our AI as a daily driver and for 1-3 night concert outings. My wife, dog, and I get a bit claustrophobic after four days of boondocking so I can’t believe you guys did it for over 2 years. You guys must be really close, haha. As much as we love ours, if we were to full time it, I’d love to get a Super C with a towable garage; but I don’t think my wife would agree to go full time, lol. I will miss all your tips and repair videos on the AI, but I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys end up with. David
I would advise the following for these items. Just my thinking. Forget solar and go with a full lithium setup e.g. Volta, Lithionics that use a second engine alternator to recharge the batteries. Forget black tank with Laveo dry flush toilet. Better ground clearance usually means a shorter van that's 4x4. I'm taking delivery of an Embassy RV Traveler Sport high roof long body and am getting it jacked up with a Quigley 4X4 conversion. My unit does not have lithium. It has six AGM batteries, but everything is 12 volt including the air conditioner. So AGM works! Dry flush toilet with no black tank I had them join the fresh water and grey into one fresh water system. Looking forward to seeing your new candidates...
Hi, so excited on your next journey, I think and my guess is probably a class C RV, where you can have lots storage and option for a bigger Fridge, Tank Capacities, and permanent Bed.. looking forward to your next Video. Stay Safe.
How exciting! I'm anxious to see what you guys decide on. We are in a Class B and can totally relate to all the reasons you want to try something new. Thanks for taking us along! Happy hunting!
Class Bs are the only all in one solution (living quarters + transportation). Trailers, 5th wheels and truck campers obviously require a separate vehicle, and almost all class A and C owners use a toad. All RVs have design compromises, but there's a combination that I rarely see: a travel trailer pulled by a class B. It seems to me this would require the least amount of compromise. The convenance of a motorhome, the drivability of a car/pickup, and the space, affordability, and separation that towables create. And uniquely, redundancy in all systems (ie. electrical, plumbing, solar).
Hi, this is Pete We owned a Pleasure-Way Wide body (175,000 miles) and now own a 2017 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT (72,000 miles) This is our daily driver , we look at it as a Well equipped “ Mini-Van , If we planned to live Full time , we would tow Medium Travel Trailer , to drop off when camping , and have the Roadtrek to sight seeing, ... Have you considered that type of use ? 😎 Pete
High ground clearance large RVs aren't really a thing. Weldtec will lift class Cs, phoenix cruiser makes a variety of Cs they'll send to Quigley to 4x4 first. And there are transit based Cs like the Ekko and Wonder with AWD but the ground clearance sucks and the wait times are huge (considering the transit factory is shut down). Boutique rv makes like global ex and earthcruiser? It's a tough type of RV to find. Thor magnum?
Hubby and I have a 37' fifth wheel. We have full timed for almost 3 years. He is a truck driver so he drives. I don't like driving. I would prefer something smaller like a class c with a slideout. I cannot wait to see what you end up with!!!! Have fun and enjoy your search. Will be waiting!!
Thanks for sharing!! 5th wheels are great for space when parked and have one of the best "home" like layouts. But, can be stressful driving unless, your a pro like your hubby!
Ultimately you have got too choose what is best for you, and after an airstream I’ll assume quality is important to you. I think the Lance travel trailer would give you everything you are looking for while remaining 1/2 ton towable. 👍
Make sure you buy quality like your B! Don’t buy a Thor! We loved our Tiffin. Newells are good too from what I understand. Obviously Airstream if you’re going that way. Slideouts are a good thing. They give you a lot more room. If you’re going for a tow vehicle, our Fiat convertible is awesome! Fun to drive and it doesn’t register miles while you’re pulling it.
Fifth wheel. Have had all I now have a 2 slide class A. But fifth wheel gives you optimum storage. Love my Class A but a pain in the ass off road. But! Fifth wheels are not built the same. Going potty no problem, if you buy the right rig. Going bigger is great for room, but as you get bigger the boon docking is harder. Give me room as I live! A van is good when young! As you travel space is the answer! But the question is how big. As you get older space is a concern. Hopes this helps. Thanks Larry Miller San Diego Ca.
Change is good! I just sold my t@b and it is hard yet positive. I am converting my own van so I can try that out. I also love to cook, like Chris, and want more space. The t@b had no counter space, lol! I actually want it all so hoping to try every rig out eventually. Can’t wait to see what you choose!!
Hi i totally agree with you, sometime you can be fed up doing constant efforts to live with a minimum of comfort especially for full time, because you havent the choice to say well let come back home fr a while now. For all that i had to see walk throught class C with no slide and i found it really comfortable, there is storage under belly for all the power tech and so much tanks capacity plus more space on the roof for solar panels. Well i cant wait for your new choice, the only thing i wich you is to be happy. See you soon friends
Always enjoy your vids. Truly looking forward to seeing your decision on next RV. We are in a Class C, just bumped up our solar capacity and moved to LiFePO4 batteries and figuring a toad is in our near future. I see a Class C in your future.
Great video. Thanks for sharing and I'll be looking forward to your videos to see what new Rig you end up with. It's different watching your video with no van. Agree, change is good and allows one to try new things. In reality, I think Aaron really needs a new project since he got the van tricked out and there wasn't much else you could improve; great job with the van by the way! Your new Rig....I'm sticking with my original guess, it will be a 27-30 foot Flying Cloud. Enjoy and stay safe out there.
👉🚐👍We’ll all your reasons are right on, but that being said we are looking forward to getting back to a B, and this #2. My biggest concern with the C was the slide, was it going to go out OR come in. When you always have this on your mind it took away from in joying the trip. After we came to agreement on the trade they told us 4 out of 7 rollers were not working. We haven’t been out yet, waiting on the Lithium battery they are replacing. I took all my BB batteries & inverter out and will be putting in this coach. I have watched your battery up grade and have questions, is there a way to communicate or only through that video? Have a Blessed Weekend! Later
Thank you all for watching!!
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I have an 2005 Forest River Lexiton B+ with a slid out but no outdoor storage. It has the E450 V10 which is as reliable as a Swiss watch, gas, Diesel is available. Sliders are a big deal and Sprinters need to really add them on their rigs. Mine’s livable with slider in, when I and just resting at a rest stop or something. Most lack light coming in also, like mine. Best full time rig I ever saw was a semi tractor with a ramp on back to load a small car behind cab then a 40’ 5th wheel. I love that full window on back of them also, but 5th wheels break a lot when moved a lot. He set up for 1-3 months at a time though. This is so cool you guys get to get a new rig!
@Felipe Roberto You again & that stupid website? lol You always post a fake advertising comment for that site, then another fake account comment following pretending to be someone that visited it. haha
@Lennon Jad And here's the other fake account. lol Make them sound more believable like real people. And don't create the accounts one day apart from the second fake account. It looks too obvious. hehe
Host Everest truck camper with F550 4x4 Chassis extended cab (large payload number), with custom bed. All that will be less than your Airstream. Bigger refrig, tanks (65gal fresh, 40 grey and black), storage (even store stuff in the truck) and space (triple slide). You can tow still but you have the truck to go driving around. Outside storage has a sliding drawer. Plenty of room underneath to add batteries. Comes with big propane tanks and even bring more tanks in the truck bed. With the bigger tanks, you can stay out longer so dismounting the camper wouldnt be bad. plus if you get external black tank carrier and bring a collapsible water bladder, you could take care of that with your truck. Just my two cents. Good hunting
We went from a 38 foot diesel pusher with tow car to a Sprinter T1N (slightly smaller than yours) to a 2007 Class C Winnebago View Bunk bed model with over-cab storage. Yes, it was strange and small selling, but it has oodles of storage, a fixed dinette, dry shower that doubles as a closet, and (now being 60+) we don't bother each other rolling around on a bed that is too small at night. We both sleep like rock stars! A slightly larger fridge ON THE SHADY SIDE of the rig is a must. 4x4 be damned, we have visited plenty of BLM and NFS land, in addition to all 32 states in Mexico, plus Belize and Guatemala. Good luck in your pursuit.
Lance 2075 - Windows, space and huge opening sky lights. Rear outdoor kitchen built in with awning. Kitchen a bit small but great bathroom and epic bedroom. Not to big so a monster truck isn’t required. Find one and walk through. Better quality than Airstream. No slide so no maintenance and quicker set up. Can get the solar, inverter and lithium from factory. They have other models if you need a slide but the 2075 is a gem. Probably about $60K all in in today’s market. Oh yes, true all weather and dual pane windows.
We feel the same way on our current ORV 25rds titanium series 32' trailer. It feels like a mansion back in early 2018 when we full-time, now we are ready to move up to a 39' toy hauler for more space and carrying capacity. Enjoy the ORV trailer. Ours continue to serve us well and will miss it a little when we get our newer 5th wheel. Happy travels!
Travel trailers are nice, but you have to remember... the hook, the unhook, the hook, & the unhook. There is no just getting up and walking into the back.
Class A's are big and wonderful looking but you have to like driving a bus and remember that some places are hard to get it into.
A class c could be a happy medium. There are many lengths, and many interiors. I don't like pushing one manufacturer over another but remember, you get what you pay for.
No matter what you get, make sure you go over it more than one time because service nowadays is almost impossible because there isn't enough people to help. Good looking happy looking. Florida has a lot of good dealers and you can search until you find a good salesperson. Excited to see what your ideas are.
I can't wait to see what the future holds. Looking forward to seeing what you guys end up deciding on.
Thanks Daysha!
Once we decided to downsized from a small class c to a class b, we realized there were none around in dealerships. We wound up watching a lot of videos in order to narrow it down. And then, we implemented my wife's idea which turned to be the best way to see the potential campervan up close when no dealers had any in stock. We joined a facebook user group and in our case, we joined the Pleasure-way owners and wannabe owners group. Since we live in North Carolina, we asked if anyone had a PW Lexor TS, our top candidate, and would they mind showing it to us and giving us a tour. Our criteria included solar panels, LI batteries and made from 2018 on.
We received immediate responses from 2 people, both within 2 hours of where we live just outside of Asheville. We spent a couple of hours with each, both generous in their time and their willingness to share experiences. Susan and Mark couldn't have been more generous and it made a real difference to us since we felt very comfortable with the quality and features that we had selected. We even drove their vans on back roads, through small cities and on an interstate. We wound up placing an order with the same dealer, Carolina Coach, that both Mark and Susan used and are really happy with our decision. So facebook owners groups are one way to go.
The other technique we used was to rent from Outdoorsy, the potential candidates. The other van we seriously looked at was the Third Sequence. We took that van on a 5-day trip and confirmed our criteria. We decided against the Thor Sequence for lots of reasons but build quality and the bed were the biggest. This is how we eliminated some vans and focused on others.
Good luck with your hunt.
My wife and I have been fulltime Rvers with conventional remote jobs. You learned some lessons the hard way that's for sure! We have a 31ft class a gads Winnebago sightseer. We flat tow a small Honda and I think it's probably almost exactly what you're looking for. Walk around queen bed, big table, nice two way fridge that can run on propane, tons of outside storage. I would say don't discount the value of slides, and I would argue this would be a huge benefit for your daily quality of life. We can excercise inside, we have had 10 people inside at once and ate! The tow car is what makes it feel like living in a moving apartment rather than an RV. A few things I would advise you to consider: flat tow don't dolly. Pick your tow vehicle carefully. It is not cheap to set it up but it's 100% worth it. 50 amp service with two air conditioners. Very convenient, nice to have the backup and we have done 110 degree weeks with a plug and it wasn't bad. Two way appliances. Our ac has a heat pump, this has been our heating for 95% of the time. Our water heater can run off electricity as well. We have filled up propane only once! Diesel is awesome and if you have the money to afford one, great, but the v10 triton is highly capable and soooooo much cheaper.
Thanks for letting me/us into your world. Good luck on the search for your new rig. Selling the B at this time was smart given the market! Especially w all the upgrades made. I will keep watching!
Famous last words "we don't need slide outs"; YES you do. Slide outs are where you pick up your width, without having to go too long to enjoy your ride. Good luck. We have a 19' (22' total), with a slide that we love. We boon dock and go off road, very off road, so we wanted to keep our TT short enough to enjoy the ride and get into the mountains. Good luck; don't go too big and take away from the enjoyment of traveling. Love your channel.
Thanks for your thoughts! A slide out would feel great for the extra space!!!
Mine.seems to fit your needs and we bought it for full time travel. Jayco redhawk 27n class c 30ft, no slides, 40 gallons of fresh room for a bigger tank, 40 gray like 20 black. I have 3 solar panels on the roof 570 watts no problem. I do have the leveling system if you need ground clearance skip that they hang low. Huge pass through storage in the rear lots of storage all over. Permanent bed dry bathroom seperate shower. I love the size of the b class for driving but was not willing to make a bed every day or deal with a drop down over the drivers area and a wet bath. I am 6ft 1 plenty of room for me the wife and German Shepherd Jayco puts on tank warmers for cold weather and internal water filter. Not top of the line but its fairly inexpensive and has served us well over the last year. 20k total weight, rv is under 11k you basically have 4k of weight you can put inside and tow 5k Chevy Express 6.0 Vortec which is LS based pretty bulllet proof and to me thr Chevy has more leg room than the Ford good for us taller people plenty of videos of it on my channel as well
I would recommend a Jeep for your lifestyle (outdoor, boondocking, 4x4, etc.). You can tow 4 down, which makes hookup and unhooking much quicker and less painful. We had a front wheel drive car and towed on a dolly. I sure got tired of crawling under the car in the dirt and grime to hook up the safety chains. 4 down means you don't have to worry about where to put the dolly or trailer while you are in camp. Just my personal experience. You guys rock!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! 6' tall Jim and I have a Coachmen Beyond 22RB. Some of the problems you talked about won't exist because we've been setting ourselves up.
We can tow our jeep behind and we got a swing arm to go into either vehicle with a DeZee truck bed box that fits under our factory bike rack on the van so we have lots of extra storage space. The truck box will soon be on drawer slides so we can open the back doors easily and it will become a table top for our grill! We can even take our kayaks with us on top of the jeep if we want.
The 22RB has 2 almost twin size beds in the middle of the van that are set up all the time. We can both sit comfortably as we each have our own couch and he uses the passenger seat if he wants. It makes the van seem huge when we are inside. We do take turns getting to the bathroom, but we figured that out years ago even at home. :)
We added a 12 volt cooler that can be a freezer or fridge when we need it to expand our food storage. It sits in the open area of the van and we use it as a seat or low table.
You are right about the tank sizes but we are going to use your ideas of using a cup and the great outdoors for liquids and I'm dreaming of ways to carry a compost toilet or put a bowl in the bowl and use a gamma ring bucket for that storage. It's nice that the wet bath is in the back and has a fold down sink. It just needs a longer shower hose to make the outdoors our shower garden when we need one.
I love change, too, and can totally see how doing "something new" would be satisfying! We are super happy you have made all these videos for us to help us have the best experience ever in our van!!!
We just picked up our Coachmen Beyond 22D last week. We’re looking forward to getting out and about with it.
I truly understand. We travel 4 weeks at a time with our
76 lb dog in our Class B. We have our Mountain home to return to after each trip.
I can't imagine living in a class as long as you did. Look forward to your next journey.
If you want to expand your options, you might think about an "interim" rig to get the wait time obstacles removed for the best RVs. We just sold our RV to a couple who are waiting. We sold because we expect delivery of our EKKO the first week in July. We bought it sight unseen first week in January because we had a list. It delivers on our top 10, regardless of the "cons" and new rig problems we know we'll have. I bet half the people who mentioned their rigs would provide a tour as a way to thank you for the value we all get. Provide your list, a schedule of where you'll be, and you'll have offers. If you film, you'll have several episodes we'd all like to watch. Good luck!
Congrats on the EKKO. I'd like to see one! That is a great idea for an interm rig. I have been keeping an eye out for a cheaper back up option that we could resell with much loss. The market is tough right now, but you're right, there are many people switching rigs, buying, selling and so on. Thanks!
Airstream Classic 30’. It has everything you need. My treat.
Funny you said that. The tank sizes and refer size really lines up with a 30’ Classic.
Sounds like an Airstream to me!! Good luck ...cannot wait to see it.
Thanks Steve!
Thank you for providing all the information on your class B. I will probably have to stick to my class b rv living in NYC due to limited parking but will still look at your videos for tips. Thank you.
More capacity for boondocking is a wonderful thing. We've had three truck campers and now that I'm retired we have a Arctic Fox 27-5L fifth wheel. Boondocking heaven and small enough to fit a lot of places plus great counter space and storage. 😎
Those reasons were all why my wife and I never even looked at vans, we are really happy in our Class C!
Makes sense! B's are tight!
Hello Chris & Aaron,
I commented on your last video that I'm confident you will stay with an Airstream. Given that, here is my best guess for your next rig:
1) Ford / Chevy / Toyota 4X4 pickup....ground clearance, drop the trailer, go more places.
2) Room for the E Bikes in the pickup and possible a kayak or two, lots of storage.
3) Airstream Flying Cloud, 28RBQ, 37 Water; 34 Black; 34 Grey; Queen bed; big kitchen.
4) That should do it......greater opportunity to explore with a 4X4. Happy travels.
Thanks Phil! Appreciate the suggestions!
Currently, I have a Jayco Redhawk 22J. Small enough to fit next to house. Has plenty of storage for a cook, refrigerator and freezer great, Fixed dinette. Perfect for a couple and 4 big dogs. Can’t wait to see your top contenders!
Makes sense that you guys would want a little more space. We love all the windows in our 5th and at 31', we've had no issues boondocking or getting into state/national park campgrounds, plus she can be pulled with 3/4 ton. With that said, we plan to sell it after our summer travels to the Northshore, UP and northern WI. After 8 years of full-timing, we're ready to change things up ourselves.
Gotta say, I agree with all your wants! I'm so happy we have a bed that isn't our table now. And... LOVE the dry bath!! Currently have an Airstream 20' FB Caravel. When we can spend more time on the road we'd probably go to the 25. But who knows!
I don’t blame you guys at all! Small places full time/two people...would not work with myself and hubby...we would not be happy (we both need our own personal space)
I appreciate making the bed everyday issue, our first TT had the same situation. Our second one had a sideways bed, where one person had to crawl over the other to get in or out. That was a "no go" on the third one. Another priority, was easy access to clothing. Often we encounter a variety of cold and hot in a short period of time and our current TT makes it easy to get access to all of our clothes. Big kitchen was a priority for us as well. If you do go with a TT, one thing to consider is how much storage you could possible have in your tow rig. We have a crew cab pickup which has a flat floor in the back seat area that is huge, not to mention the bed. Everything is a compromise, hope you guys find the right combination of compromises!
Excited to see what you decide on. My only advice is to make sure that whatever you choose be comfortable driving/towing it. The adventure isn't fun if you're white knuckling it down the road. By the way, you guys are awesome.
Can’t wait to see the contenders!
Thanks Joyce!
I love all your reasons and they totally make sense. You have lots of research to do for your next one. That's exciting! One thing I would suggest is to avoid the 12v fridges and go for the 2 way. Some manufacturers on some models are really pushing the 12v because of size and supposedly efficiency, but what we're seeing through a number of FB groups we're part of is a lot of people having trouble keeping or getting them cold enough and not having enough solar and batteries to keep up with the power consumption. We gladly have the 2 way and have not had an issue with this one or any previous and we don't worry about our power usage. We do have 200ah Battleborns and 200w solar. Happy hunting!
If you haven't checked them out, I would recommend a Winnebago EKKO. Based on your wish list it sounds like a potential winner. The LTV is a solid option too.
Both of those are extremely nice, and yeah, would check off most of their boxes. I think they both have decent tow packages too, so they could probably tow a small travel trailer if they wanted more room, or a car/small truck if they wanted to get around easily after setting up camp.
What an exciting time for you both! I admire your spontaneity and your sense of adventure in selecting a new travel rig. As you said it is a terrible time to go shopping for something new with inventory low and prices high but sometimes things just work out the way they should. Be patient. You have a good idea of what your wish list is, that is half the battle! Good luck and bring us along for the hunt. 👍
Appreciate the encouragement , thanks!
You guys have learned such a great deal about yourself and each other I would not have been able to do that with another. Good luck with buying the new one.
Thank you!
Hey you two! Have you seen the Winnebago Ekko? Literally everything you want is built into this rig. It's literally built for Boondocking! And we ALL know that is your style. Only downside is the wait time for delivery! Anyhow looking forward to your upcoming videos!!! Can't wait to see what you shop for and get!!!
We ordered a 2022 Leisure Travel Van without seeing it. There just aren’t many at showrooms to see. Of course, we won’t get it for several months, but we’re okay with that. I hope y’all get to see a few to make your choice!
We watched the videos too and really liked the Leisure Travel Wonder on the Ford Transit chassis with the gas engine. I've been told it'll take 18 months or even up to two years to get one though as LTV has a huge backlog. What has your dealer told you? BTW, we're in the U.S, not Canada.
@@rogerz8051 we also live in the US, Central TX! But LTV has dealers in several locations. Yes, it will be many months before we get our 2022 Unity Rear Lounge. They are having problems just like everyone with supply demands because of the pandemic and shutdowns, also the Arctic blast that shut down oil refineries. This sure has been an year (plus some!) to remember! My husband doesn’t retire for awhile yet, so we’re fine with the delay, but we sure are itchin’ to get on the road!
@@wendywolfe8684 Sounds wonderful Wendy! I retired many years ago, so our time horizon is a bit shorter now. Enjoy that wonderful LTV! I know it'll be well worth the wait.
@@wendywolfe8684 The Rear Lounge has a murphy bed right? Love those big windows. That's my fave. Congrats! Are there any significant changes from the 2021 to the 2022?
@@FEARNoMore Yes, several changes are coming, but nothing huge. The solar panels will be rigid mounted instead of flex- glued down, they plan to have Alcoa aluminum alloy wheels if aluminum remains available, stopped making the Murphy bed floor plan on the Wonder- but you were correct that the Unity (and Wonder) Rear Lounge have a Murphy bed behind the sofa area, two new colors for the outside, ...
You can watch Pagosa Adventures on UA-cam for the updates until it comes out from Leisure Travel Vans hopefully soon!
Excited for you both. We sold our Class B yesterday and bought a small trailer…more space and ability to unhook and explore off-road. Can’t wait!
Oh man, leaving us hanging again! Can't wait to hear more about what rigs you're considering. I love the Leisure Travel Vans - would be cool to see you in one of those (I'm a fan of the front twin bed model). My bet though is you'll get into an airstream travel trailer ~25 feet. Hope you're able to find what you want in stock!
Have heard good things about the LTV's!
I love the 2021 LTV Wonder, rear lounge!
We went from a fifth wheel to a Lance 1172 truck camper and love it...
Hi guys! New sub but long time watcher of your vids here... I'll share my experience as a complete rv newbie 3 years ago. We tow a 5th wheel. I had never towed anything in my life before. So why not learn something new at age 58, right? Let me tell you, towing a 5er was easy! You just have to match truck to trailer properly. We had a Grand Design 220RK 5er and a Nissan Titan XD gas 5.6L. The 220RK is under 27 feet and weighs less than 7k lbs empty. The truck and 5er weighed about the same so towing was effortless. And finally your entry cost is quite reasonable. Trailer at $27k and Titan XD around $37k. Add $10k for solar, batteries, and other upgrades and your boondocking again for $75k... whatever you do, we'll be watching!
Thanks for sharing! As a weekend warrior and short trips we can put up with these types of issues in the class B, you guys made the best out of it for a long time while living in it! Change is good!
Thanks Michael! A class B does seem to fit part timing well! Such a versatile vehicle!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Love our Sprinter RV to the max. I recently did a cinematic tour of it in my channel. Hard to let go of this one. Thank you!
My bet is a airstream trailer...my guess is around 25 ft?
I lived in a 60 inch bunk 100 inch bunk and finally 200. (I was young single and over the road long haul truck driver)
We are looking and researching now as well....but we have bikes, motorcycle, and quad now....so we are going 5th wheel toy hauler. I have conquered the small space thing but now we want comfy....and we will be boondocking a lot too, so I'm really looking forward to comparing notes. Great job your doing ....keep up the great work...see ya next video!!
In looking at RVs know that weight is your enemy. the heavier an RV or rig is the more stresses are put on it...potentially creating more on road issues. So serviceability of any rig is of paramount importance. Also larger rigs can limit your travels unless you are towing or have a toad. I lean more towards a trailer and tow vehicle as I think it gives you more options and who can argue with Airstream style? Whatever you guys ultimately pick you'll be fine, because life is an adventure and there are no wrong choices.
We love our trailer. It gives us the freedom to travel and be tourists in the area without packing up every time. As far as interior space, the slide out makes all the difference! The one thing I would ask for is more counter space but, we have a dinette. So excited to see your new rig!
Good 4 u 2! I'm 75... Life IS Short!
I'm "stuck" in Maui, which is OK, but... I'm a nomad! Less then a yr. n' I'll be back on the road in AZ n' NV.
Shower and big fridge/ freezer a must... and a lift kit. U guys r doing it right! Aloha
All of our camping is boondocking to ride off road. Truck and trailer works great. A toyhauler type is open plan and intended to go in the dirt. Plus you cave drive the truck separately.
Go with class B+ or class C. I think that all your choices in your list answers to the types of rv you want.
I don't like rv trailers, but it is your choice.
Well, truck camper will be good for space, off-road and storage between a truck camper like (example) Lance 1172, Eagle Cap 1200 or Cirrus NuCamp 820 for you with your list.
I'm 23 years old and good luck and can't wait for your new choice! I will want to have a rv too!
I'm one man in my Class B RV. My Buddy bought a new (well to him) class C RV, Winnebego Navion. My problem with my Class B is that It doesn't feel like home to me, whereas when I walk into his, it feels entirely homey. I'm now at a crossroad where I'm wanting a Class C now. Your right, making beds every night sucks!
Not as popular nowadays but a truck camper ticks all the boxes. The Host Mammoth with boondocking upgrades.
Those are amazing, or even a little smaller one like the Cascade but for sure need a solid tow vehicle.
I am excited for you guys! Can't wait to see what you buy next!
You should check out Leisure Travel Vans island bed or rear lounge. Sounds like that would resolve most of your issues.
Hi guys. Everyone has their own opinions so let me tell you mine. I have lived FULL TIME for 20 years next month in 40' motorhomes. This is my thoughts. I would NEVER get a pull behind or a fifth-wheel, why? they are too light, if you get in a BAD wind they can be blown over pretty easily. If I were you I would get a small class "C". You could pull a small car behind but the most important thing is the weight of the class "C". It can still blow over but the weight of the engine and the rest of the drive train is much heavier than a pull behind or a fifth-wheel.
GOOD LUCH
Aaron doesn’t look like he mastered the patience thing…LOL
😂
Enjoy your videos and appreciate the honesty about your adventures. We should be receiving our Pleasure Way by Mid-May and while not new to RV lifestyle... (had two class C’s several years ago).... will be new to NO Towing, etc. Also decided to go with e-bikes for reasons you guys articulated. Decided on Class B due to moving /visiting for a few days, moving on, family all over the country, etc. Gave a lot of thought to Airstream Travel Trailers and would have gone that route if we were going to stay longer for weeks/months at a time. I’m betting your next RV is a shiny Airstream🧐👍🤠Good luck with your choice - and looking forward to more great videos. Also enjoyed your Latex Band training... still utilize my power blocks (also stored total gym in my class C) but now downsizing by combining Bands you guys featured with lighter dumbbells so I’m not carrying too much extra weight in the Van. Thanks again and be safe👍
This did a good job of explaining your situation & goals. You two can definitely make good & interesting content talking to the camera. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Paul, appreciate it! A bit of a different video than we normally do, but wanted to get it out there and keep it moving along. We'll hopefully be in something new in no time!
You guys should look at these two trailers...the Safari Condo Alto F2114 and the Intech Terra Oasis. We were thinking we wanted a class B+ for a long time, but decided we wanted to store the electric bikes we were going to purchase in the bed of a truck. Plus, we wanted a separate vehicle to be able to go deeper into the wild on occasion. As a result, we chose the Alto and are heading out this summer for our first trip. I think we would have gone with the Terra, but were just nervous about pulling something that long on our first go round. Yet, I can't get all that space in the Terra out of my head. I guess we will have to see how it goes this summer. We might just be ordering the Terra after we get back in October. Also, we are picking up our new Aventon Aventure, fat tire electric bikes today! Very similar to the Rad bikes you guys got, but with a few more upgrades. Can't wait to ride them home...as well as see what you guys end up deciding to purchase. Thanks for all your content. :)
So excited to see what you choose! We’re in a 24’4” No Boundaries 19.6 travel trailer towed by a Ford F-250 Super Duty. Lots to love about our NOBO. Some things we’re changing. It has a Murphy bed which is okay. We took out the RV toilet and are using a Thetford Porta Potti so we could combine our black and gray tanks into one 60 gallon gray. We dislike the set up and break down time. But having our truck to use is great. Even if we switch to a small class c or a class b we plan to tow a small car.
Well try to check out some Nobos. I've seen them around, but have never been in one. Your floor plan does look like a good one! Thanks guys!
No doubt in our minds where you two were headed! Lots of Airstream tours was a clue! Best of luck! When you head to California in your new Class A, give us a shout!
If you can't find exactly what you want then maybe you should build your own. Get yourself a custom built covered cargo trailer and build it out yourself or take it someplace and have them custom build the interior as you would like. You can specify all the details that you want.
You’re definitely ready, change and growth is good. Hope you’ll consider a airstream rather than a class A. Those classes a’s are whole new dimension. And an airstream is built so solid and will last for many years.
I can't really see us in a class A at this point in our lives, because still want to try and stay small!
Awesome reasons. We just downsized from a 35’ TT to a class B...why? The opposite reasons why you’re upsizing. Mostly weekend warriors with 3 - 6 month trips annually. After 4 years of lugging the beast around we learned we don’t live in the RV... we live outside hiking, biking, museum visiting, etc... we own a stick & brick and love the combination of both stationery lives and travel life. Sometimes we’ll just take the van out to the beach for the day. Looking forward to your next video!
Right on! A van and a house is an awesome combo! I can see us getting a 19ft 4x4 some day when we settle back to a house!
I'm just glad you didn't sell Irene.
great video for potential new van lifers to watch
Wow so excited for you guys. We just went through the shopping online thing, wishlist....we are not going to be full timers, I am 63 and waiting for hubby to retire in a few years so longest for us out would be, maybe a month. So with that in mind we started with the Class C, but didn’t like the kitchen space and where TV mounted, (hubby loves sports) also don’t like slide outs, jumped to small class A a Fleetwood at 29’, then discovered Leisure Vans and able to see the Unity rear lounge, and ordered that. Loved the 2 living areas, yes we need to wait about 1 1/2 years but that fits the time line and allows hubby a place to work remotely in the back or we can leave the bed down in back if we choose to. It is still small enough to maneuver around boondocking, in parking lots, cities and parks. Has decent kitchen area, pantry and fridge and dry bath, sorry former sailer and tent camper I am over wet bath and sponge baths. 😊. Enjoy the search. Have to say the airstream flying cloud seemed perfect for your lifestyle.
All very good reasons for a change of rigs. Looking forward to see what you get!
I am very sorry to here that you sold your van.
I always looked forward to your adventures and how you loved your life in this space and how you made it work .
I was thinking maybe you needed more space because you were expecting but when I heard you just needed more room it kind of made me feel like van life is not going to work for me and my husband.
We are hopefully getting our van in the fall. I needed advice from van dwellers.
People that made it work and were happy and comfortable in this small space.
I will stay with watching my van you tubers and I will miss your videos. I wish you luck and be safe on the road.
Thanks, and we appreciate you watching. The past 2.5 years have been the best of our lives, but we are ready for a change. We hope you do get your van and have as much joy and excitement as we did. Safer travels to you as well!
Hello Chris and Aaron!!! Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on why you are doing a change. Ha....I was envisioning someone walked up to you two while watching the sunset out in the desert, they had $1000 bills hanging out of their pocket, and made an offer that you couldn't refuse hehehe.
The features you are moving into are almost exactly what we wanted: a dedicated, walk around bed.......kitchen counter prep space that didn't rely on a stove cover or sink cover......a dry bathroom.....and a dedicated seating area separate from the bed in case one of us got up earlier than the other (read: I can sit somewhere while drinking my coffee if wife is sleeping). Some functionality while the slides are in was a consideration too.
We ended up ordering an Outdoors RV travel trailer. It is a 22FQS. It is one of their smallest floor plans in their medium/3/4 ton sized trailers. What I liked about that is that we went to a 10k gvwr frame and it is 6400ish pounds empty. That gives us 3000+lbs to carry. The rig is about 26 ft long, so not terribly huge. It also comes with a 80gal fresh water tank! The downside for this rig is that it only has a dinette for seating; no couch or theater seats. And, it only has 1 main outside storage area. This is also a 4 season rated rig.
Safe travels to you two! And enjoy the land based life for the month!
We also ordered a gas f350. Whew....ordering is not as easy right now. It is about a 5 month for us, if it comes in as planned. 39 more days!!!
We will also solar it. I think we will do 4 100ah batteries , 3kw inverter, and about 800w of panels.
I too am shopping for an RV to full-‘time in and I’m having a hard time deciding what type of RV to get. My needs/wants are about the same as yours, so I can’t wait to see what RV’s you are considering.
We are on our 12th RV ( I think?). RV swapping/upgrading is pretty common from what I have seen. People tend to always be looking for something different and/or fits their needs better because the grass always looks greener. You guys are still figuring out your exact needs but it is very difficult because its a ever evolving and moving target. We’ve had every type of RV made including 2 prior B vans. We keep coming back to the B’s because it just seems to be the best overall fit even with it’s inherent compromises. Wish you both the best of luck with your choice. Not gonna lie. I will miss seeing your AS interstate in action.
12! Woah! I totally get it though. We will always remember our first love!
Very dissapointed...but it's your life!
If you would not have chosen to live FULL time in a van...would you still have kept the Airstream?
We are planning 4-5 trips per year each about 2-3 weeks...but STILL keep our home!
Thoughts?
Sounds like Winnebago Ekko would be a good fit from what you are describing.. We got Thor Tellaro 20AT,pop-top and lithium to us best layout and price for a family of 4. We're not full time RVrs just lots of weekend trips and occasional 1-2 week trips.
So our Lance 975 truck camper hits a lot on your wish list with the dry bath and bigger kitchen. We do love boondocking with it. The Battle Born batteries make it way too luxurious lol. Just throwing that out there 😉. Good luck in your hunt for your next rig. I look forward to seeing your next home. 😊
Your channel popped up on our UA-cam viewing list and the title of your video caught our interest. We are new subscribers. For more than 4 years we have been saving to purchase a new RV. In fact, we rented our home out to speed up our savings and now living in our condo in Manila. We have looked at many Class B's and Class C's RV and have narrowed it down to two RV types. Either a custom Build van with a permanent bed and garage underneath, hopefully, with Advance RV or a Winnebago Navion 24D Class C. We will not RV full time. Our plan is to RV 7 months out of the year. Hope to learn more from your channel.
Hey Ken, thanks for watching! Sounds like a good plan you guys have and we wish the best! AR has some pretty awesome rigs they've built over the years! Hope you enjoy the big back log of videos we have and they will show you what its like to live in a class b! Thanks!!
@Ken Rice seriously you found the right channel. When I first subscribed I could not resist binging on the ones I missed & so glad I did. Channel is not a “tour” it’s a “how to” with 2 responsible smart people w/common sense. lol. Sure helped me make a lot of decisions. I’m marking time also & hopefully very soon out of here in a AI GT 24 Class B
We completely understand. We mostly use our AI as a daily driver and for 1-3 night concert outings. My wife, dog, and I get a bit claustrophobic after four days of boondocking so I can’t believe you guys did it for over 2 years. You guys must be really close, haha. As much as we love ours, if we were to full time it, I’d love to get a Super C with a towable garage; but I don’t think my wife would agree to go full time, lol. I will miss all your tips and repair videos on the AI, but I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys end up with. David
A van and a house is a awesome combo! Appreciate you guys watching!
I would advise the following for these items. Just my thinking. Forget solar and go with a full lithium setup e.g. Volta, Lithionics that use a second engine alternator to recharge the batteries. Forget black tank with Laveo dry flush toilet. Better ground clearance usually means a shorter van that's 4x4. I'm taking delivery of an Embassy RV Traveler Sport high roof long body and am getting it jacked up with a Quigley 4X4 conversion. My unit does not have lithium. It has six AGM batteries, but everything is 12 volt including the air conditioner. So AGM works! Dry flush toilet with no black tank I had them join the fresh water and grey into one fresh water system.
Looking forward to seeing your new candidates...
Appreciate your thoughts, thank you!
Hi, so excited on your next journey, I think and my guess is probably a class C RV, where you can have lots storage and option for a bigger Fridge, Tank Capacities, and permanent Bed.. looking forward to your next Video. Stay Safe.
Sounds like you guys are ready for a Freight Liner semi-truck!👍👍👍
How exciting! I'm anxious to see what you guys decide on. We are in a Class B and can totally relate to all the reasons you want to try something new. Thanks for taking us along! Happy hunting!
Class Bs are the only all in one solution (living quarters + transportation). Trailers, 5th wheels and truck campers obviously require a separate vehicle, and almost all class A and C owners use a toad. All RVs have design compromises, but there's a combination that I rarely see: a travel trailer pulled by a class B. It seems to me this would require the least amount of compromise. The convenance of a motorhome, the drivability of a car/pickup, and the space, affordability, and separation that towables create. And uniquely, redundancy in all systems (ie. electrical, plumbing, solar).
Good for you both keep growing and learning you guys are great.
Thanks so much, appreciate it!
Hi, this is Pete
We owned a Pleasure-Way Wide body (175,000 miles) and now own a 2017 Roadtrek Simplicity SRT
(72,000 miles)
This is our daily driver , we look at it as a Well equipped “ Mini-Van ,
If we planned to live Full time , we would tow Medium Travel Trailer , to drop off when camping , and have the Roadtrek to sight seeing, ...
Have you considered that type of use ?
😎 Pete
Sounds like an interesting set up! Makes sense!
High ground clearance large RVs aren't really a thing. Weldtec will lift class Cs, phoenix cruiser makes a variety of Cs they'll send to Quigley to 4x4 first. And there are transit based Cs like the Ekko and Wonder with AWD but the ground clearance sucks and the wait times are huge (considering the transit factory is shut down). Boutique rv makes like global ex and earthcruiser? It's a tough type of RV to find. Thor magnum?
Hubby and I have a 37' fifth wheel. We have full timed for almost 3 years. He is a truck driver so he drives. I don't like driving. I would prefer something smaller like a class c with a slideout. I cannot wait to see what you end up with!!!! Have fun and enjoy your search. Will be waiting!!
Thanks for sharing!! 5th wheels are great for space when parked and have one of the best "home" like layouts. But, can be stressful driving unless, your a pro like your hubby!
I’m sure there’s something out there for you guys. Im grabbing my popcorn for the next video…
How exciting!!!! Can’t wait to see what you choose 😊
Thank you!
so happy for u.... this is for YOU!!!! Enjoy and pick wisely for YOU.
sooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!
Good luck to you guys! I’m excited for you. Can’t wait to see what you end up with. Don’t keep us in suspense too long 😄
Thanks so much!!
We have a Rockwood minilite 2205s. We love it. I think it meets most of your requirements.
Ultimately you have got too choose what is best for you, and after an airstream I’ll assume quality is important to you. I think the Lance travel trailer would give you everything you are looking for while remaining 1/2 ton towable. 👍
Make sure you buy quality like your B! Don’t buy a Thor! We loved our Tiffin. Newells are good too from what I understand. Obviously Airstream if you’re going that way. Slideouts are a good thing. They give you a lot more room. If you’re going for a tow vehicle, our Fiat convertible is awesome! Fun to drive and it doesn’t register miles while you’re pulling it.
Fifth wheel. Have had all
I now have a 2 slide class A. But fifth wheel gives you optimum storage. Love my Class A but a pain in the ass off road. But! Fifth wheels are not built the same. Going potty no problem, if you buy the right rig. Going bigger is great for room, but as you get bigger the boon docking is harder. Give me room as I live! A van is good when young! As you travel space is the answer! But the question is how big. As you get older space is a concern. Hopes this helps. Thanks Larry Miller San Diego Ca.
Change is good! I just sold my t@b and it is hard yet positive. I am converting my own van so I can try that out. I also love to cook, like Chris, and want more space. The t@b had no counter space, lol! I actually want it all so hoping to try every rig out eventually. Can’t wait to see what you choose!!
Right on! Have fun with the build out!!
Hi i totally agree with you, sometime you can be fed up doing constant efforts to live with a minimum of comfort especially for full time, because you havent the choice to say well let come back home fr a while now. For all that i had to see walk throught class C with no slide and i found it really comfortable, there is storage under belly for all the power tech and so much tanks capacity plus more space on the roof for solar panels.
Well i cant wait for your new choice, the only thing i wich you is to be happy. See you soon friends
My future plan includes the Jayco Jayfeather Micro. Probably not best for your needs, but great for one person.
We had considered a Grand Design 5th wheel, the 345GK floor plan. It’s not too big but does have a built in desk and decent kitchen space and windows.
Always enjoy your vids. Truly looking forward to seeing your decision on next RV. We are in a Class C, just bumped up our solar capacity and moved to LiFePO4 batteries and figuring a toad is in our near future. I see a Class C in your future.
Great video. Thanks for sharing and I'll be looking forward to your videos to see what new Rig you end up with. It's different watching your video with no van. Agree, change is good and allows one to try new things. In reality, I think Aaron really needs a new project since he got the van tricked out and there wasn't much else you could improve; great job with the van by the way! Your new Rig....I'm sticking with my original guess, it will be a 27-30 foot Flying Cloud. Enjoy and stay safe out there.
👉🚐👍We’ll all your reasons are right on, but that being said we are looking forward to getting back to a B, and this #2. My biggest concern with the C was the slide, was it going to go out OR come in. When you always have this on your mind it took away from in joying the trip. After we came to agreement on the trade they told us 4 out of 7 rollers were not working. We haven’t been out yet, waiting on the Lithium battery they are replacing. I took all my BB batteries & inverter out and will be putting in this coach. I have watched your battery up grade and have questions, is there a way to communicate or only through that video? Have a Blessed Weekend! Later
Can’t wait to see what you guys decide on.
Thanks Sue!
Best of luck to you two!
Thanks!