Looking at retirement. Interested in RV Life

[Haldor]

Like the title says. I am single male living in Phoenix, 2 years from retirement, and thinking about putting my toe in the RV world.

I have a Ford E-350 Diesel that I am in the process of converting into a one man RV, but I am thinking about getting a mid sized (20's) RV for a relocatable home base. I have a class V hitch on my 1-ton van. Is this a reasonable tow vehicle for that size RV?

I also know absolutely nothing about RV brands, concerns etc. so I am looking for some guidance, user feedback. Research is often the most fun stage of doing something new.

What can I offer? I am an electrical engineer and very interested in off-grid power. So perhaps there is something there I can give back?

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by Haldor

Like the title says. I am single male living in Phoenix, 2 years from retirement, and thinking about putting my toe in the RV world.

I have a Ford E-350 Diesel that I am in the process of converting into a one man RV, but I am thinking about getting a mid sized (20's) RV for a relocatable home base. I have a class V hitch on my 1-ton van. Is this a reasonable tow vehicle for that size RV?

https://www.youtube.com/@VANCITYVANLIFE/videos

[thrifty bill]

On the one hand, molded FG trailers are VERY durable, it's why you see 1970s units still out there. On the other hand, they are expensive compared to traditional units. They are also small, not only short in length (there are exceptions) and narrow.

And they are extremely hard to find used. And used will not save you much $$.

Many of us transitioned from "stick built" trailers (POS) to molded FG and value the quality.

Depending what you put into your van build, you might just want a kitchen and bed in the trailer. In that case, a small one like a Scamp 13 could suffice.

[Haldor]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

On the one hand, molded FG trailers are VERY durable, it's why you see 1970s units still out there. On the other hand, they are expensive compared to traditional units. They are also small, not only short in length (there are exceptions) and narrow.

And they are extremely hard to find used. And used will not save you much $$.

Many of us transitioned from "stick built" trailers (POS) to molded FG and value the quality.

Depending what you put into your van build, you might just want a kitchen and bed in the trailer. In that case, a small one like a Scamp 13 could suffice.

Thanks. I am thinking something about 21' for ease of use. It will just be me so that should be big enough. Looks like $60 to $80K for something new. Is that a reasonable price range? I want to be able to do the Camp Host thing at least part of the year.

[Haldor]

Thanks.

[Jon in AZ]

For a home base, I’d be looking at Bigfoot for their high build quality, 4-season capability, and dry baths. Their 21’ model has been around a while, so you can opt for new or used across a fairly wide budget range. With some searching, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a decent used one under $30K. Or go brand new in the range you mentioned. There are two floorplans.

They’re heavier than some other brands, so you’ll have to determine how much trailer you can tow after building out your van.

[Haldor]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

For a home base, I’d be looking at Bigfoot for their high build quality, 4-season capability, and dry baths. Their 21’ model has been around a while, so you can opt for new or used across a fairly wide budget range. With some searching, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a decent used one under $30K. Or go brand new in the range you mentioned. There are two floorplans.

They’re heavier than some other brands, so you’ll have to determine how much trailer you can tow after building out your van.

That is the exact model I am thinking about. The rear bed version. Looks like solid construction and my E-350 should have no problem towing it. My van GVW is 9500 lb, with 1000 lb bumper weight and 10,000 overall weight, Class V frame mounted hitch.

[Mike Magee]

Bigfoot is the best insulated of the molded fiberglass trailers, and it's a 4-season unit. Escape 21' is another to consider; it's a 3-season trailer. Both are good, solid trailers. I have a 19' Escape with the extra insulation & thermal windows (optional then, standard now), and with lows in the mid 30s my little cube heater can keep the interior at 75 degrees while idling on a low setting. By comparison, I once owned a 23' Rockwood with slide and in similar weather a cube heater would run flat out just to keep the interior at 45-50 degrees.

[Haldor]

Definitely going to look at Bigfoot. There is a dealer on the west side of town.

How does something like a Bigfoot compare with a AirStream? Those look better, and have a great reputation. I am more interested in trouble free quality.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Haldor

Definitely going to look at Bigfoot. There is a dealer on the west side of town.

How does something like a Bigfoot compare with a AirStream? Those look better, and have a great reputation. I am more interested in trouble free quality.

Our Bigfoot is our 17th camper over the years. No more stickies for us! We've owned a 2003 and now a 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ, a 2018 Escape 5.0 for four years, and well over 500 nights, and an Airstream 16' for a short time. We have been traveling the past five winters with friends who own a 2015 Airstream 23RB with 300 watts of solar on their roof. Our friends, as well as us, rarely stay in a campground with electricity, much less water or sewer hookups.

Concerning camping in cold weather, an Airstream is a three season camper, like our Escape 5.0. Whereas our Bigfoots are true four season campers.

Most Airstreams have single pane windows that have cold wash off them in cold weather. I understand Airstream now offers double pane windows like Escape uses on some models. Our friends use bubble wrap and curtains in their 23RB to improve the cold problems. In cold weather though, it's like entering a cave. Escape has thin double pane windows that work much better. Bigfoot uses legitimate double pane windows, similar to those in your home, that are constucted for -20F weather.

Airstreams don't have insulated grey, black or fresh water tanks. Escape offers tanks covered with foam for better insulation. Bigfoot has enclosed tanks and dump valves that are heated by ducting some of the heat to the tank area, so, again, Bigfoot is good to -20F.

Fit and finish was/is excellent in Airstream, Escape, and Bigfoot. While all three have better fit/finish than any sticky camper, all are built by humans and mistakes can be made. Airstreams have a very modern look. but rivited aluminum has it's issues, and needs constant rivet/leak inspection. Like owning a BMW, for example, our friends and other Airstream owners will agree it's not the original price that's expensive, but can you afford the upkeep. An Airstream is NOT trouble free because of their aluminum skin. And then there's the hail issue!

We had no problems going into BLM areas with either Bigfoot or the Escape 5.0. because of the rigid fiberglass body and more than adequate ground clearance (our 5.0 was lifted 4"). Airstream's rivets don't like constant flexing so our friends won't go very far on BLM roads, and Airstream's ground clearance just plain sucks.

Our friends get around 10 mpg pulling their Airstream 23RB with their Toyota Tundra. We got over 13.6 mpg pulling our Escape 5.0, and so far 11.3 mpg pulling our Bigfoot, both with 2015 and now 2019 Ford F150's with the Eco Boost engine and Max Tow packages. I use the paper/pencil method to figure gas mileage, that's put in a spreadsheet for an actual average, not the Lie-O-Meter that all the tow vehicles offer, based on a couple of tanks/drives/trips.

Remember, insulation is just as important in summer heat as it is in the winter cold.

I could go on and on, but . . . . .

Food for thought,

Perry

[Alex in LA]

I was looking for a bigger trailer to update our beloved 16' Casita we are growing out of, and I was really interested in a Bigfoot. I am sorry to say that Bigfoot interior looks very dated. It is probably better quality and insulation and all these things but if design is of any importance to you at all, I would consider other brands. Frankly, with all the FB prices jumping up the way they did in the last couple of years, an Airstream does not seem as expensive anymore. If you are paying so much money, you might consider something that looks good as well as being a good quality. Once again I am not claiming that Airstream quality is superior, but if you are paying so much for a trailer, you might as well consider aesthetics. Just my 2 cents.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Alex in LA

I was looking for a bigger trailer to update our beloved 16' Casita we are growing out of, and I was really interested in a Bigfoot. I am sorry to say that Bigfoot interior looks very dated. It is probably better quality and insulation and all these things but if design is of any importance to you at all, I would consider other brands. Frankly, with all the FB prices jumping up the way they did in the last couple of years, an Airstream does not seem as expensive anymore. If you are paying so much money, you might consider something that looks good as well as being a good quality. Once again I am not claiming that Airstream quality is superior, but if you are paying so much for a trailer, you might as well consider aesthetics. Just my 2 cents.

If you want function over form, buy a Bigfoot.

If you want form over function, buy an Airstream.

If you camp in out of the way places buy a Bigfoot.

If you only camp in established campgrounds buy an Airstream, because you know about their clearance and rivet problems.

Our 2016 Bigfoot has better form than our 2003 Bigfoot and Oldwave's 2023 Bigfoot has better form than our 2016. We want a warm interior, not the stark white that is so popular today. We're all different.

I've also watched the prices of Airstreams over the years and they've had similar price increases, so that's moot. For example, our friends 2015 23RB started at $60,000, today it starts at $94,000.

As I've stated before, this is our 17th camper. Where we go, and how we camp, forget stickies and Airstreams. We want a camper that lasts, with minimal upkeep and that's why so many fiberglass campers are still popular. We also go to camp, hike, and bike, not to sit around and brag about what a piece of artwork our camper is to us.

There is no perfect camper, but our Bigfoot 25RQ is the only camper/model that we've purchased a second time. There's a reason so many who camp in snow buy Bigfoots. I and many others here do not consider Airstream a "quality" camper. Read Airforums long enough and you'l find why they appeal to the owners and why people here don't want Airstreams. Please show me a non-dated fiberglass camper that functions as well for us as the Bigfoot. Hint: it's certainly not an Oliver.

All figerglass campers here have their followings, and for good reasons. It sounds like a Bigfoot is not for you though. That's OK.

TETO!

Perry

[Alex in LA]

Definitely a lot of good points by Perry. However...

OP did not specify what kind of camping he is planning to do. So for him, Airstream might actually be a better fit. Good idea to check out Airforums and see what folks there have to say if you are seriously cross-shopping the two. Safe to assume that people there would be biased towards Airstreams just like people here are biased towards FB trailers. BOTH have good reasons, IMHO.

PS There are quite a few there who take their Airstreams boondocking, in fact, 3 inch lift seems to be one of the most popular mods to an Airstream that seems to solve a lot of issues.

PSS I don't think price point is moot. When Airstreams were $50K and FBs were $15K they appealed to vastly different audiences and were rarely cross-shopped. When Bigfoot and Airstream prices are within 10-20% from each other, you SHOULD cross-shop and pick one that works for YOU.

[Alex in LA]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

Where we go, and how we camp, forget stickies and Airstreams.

Perry

I strongly suggest checking out posts by "Neanderthal" on Airforums. He seems to know a thing or two about boondocking in a very remote places for extended periods of time (hint: see his alias). Plus his writing quality is amazing and just plain HILAROIUS.

[Jon in AZ]

Bigfoot vs. Airstream...

Towability: Airstream
Build quality: Bigfoot
Style: Airstream
Layout options: Airstream
Long-term durability: Bigfoot
Cold and hot weather comfort: Bigfoot
Resale: Airstream, maybe?

For a modern aesthetic in molded fiberglass and better boondocking capability, there is also Oliver. The 23' Elite 2 is a bit longer then the Bigfoot 21' but narrower, so actual living space is comparable. It's also 4-season but not as well insulated as Bigfoot. Downside is a wet bath.

Of the three, for your intended use as a base camp and extended stints as a CG host, it's Bigfoot hands-down because of the dry bath, thermal windows and thicker insulation.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Alex in LA

I strongly suggest checking out posts by "Neanderthal" on Airforums. He seems to know a thing or two about boondocking in a very remote places for extended periods of time (hint: see his alias). Plus his writing quality is amazing and just plain HILAROIUS.

So he corrected the poor ground clearance and has figured out how to keep the rivets in place when the camper twists? Yes, we see Airstreams when the BLM roads are good, but have yet to see one in the places we camp, and if I did, would not want to buy it used.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Bigfoot vs. Airstream...

Towability: Airstream
Build quality: Bigfoot
Style: Airstream
Layout options: Airstream
Long-term durability: Bigfoot
Cold and hot weather comfort: Bigfoot
Resale: Airstream, maybe?

For a modern aesthetic in molded fiberglass and better boondocking capability, there is also Oliver. The 23' Elite 2 is a bit longer then the Bigfoot 21' but narrower, so actual living space is comparable. It's also 4-season but not as well insulated as Bigfoot. Downside is a wet bath.

Of the three, for your intended use as a base camp and extended stints as a CG host, it's Bigfoot hands-down because of the dry bath, thermal windows and thicker insulation.

We looked at buying a used Oliver for a very nice price, but the small fridge, small twin beds, small sink, and other compromises kept us with either Escape or Bigfoot that both met those needs.

While I agree with your other opinions, I question the better towability of Airstream. The owners I talk to don't exactly brag about their MPG, and I've been talking to them for over 20 years. Our Casita towed better than our 16' Bambi and got better gas mileage with the same 2015 F150.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

…While I agree with your other opinions, I question the better towability of Airstream. The owners I talk to don't exactly brag about their MPG, and I've been talking to them for over 20 years. Our Casita towed better than our 16' Bambi and got better gas mileage with the same 2015 F150.

Enjoy,

Perry

The comparison was Airstream and Bigfoot, and for trailers of similar length I give the towability advantage to Airstream, with Bigfoot coming in taller, boxier and heavier. I

Casita, Scamp… different story.

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

The comparison was Airstream and Bigfoot, and for trailers of similar length I give the towability advantage to Airstream, with Bigfoot coming in taller, boxier and heavier. I

Casita, Scamp… different story.

I went to Airstreams and Bigfoot’s web pages to compare an Airstream 25FB with a Bigfoot 25RQ. I had made comparisons of those two models previously, so I already knew the differences.

Taller? No. Airstream 9’ 9” tall vs Bigfoot at 9’3” and our AC perhaps brings it to 9'9", so essentially no difference.
.
Heavier: No again. Airstream 5,700#’s vs Bigfoot’s 4,863, so a definite advantage to Bigfoot. Our 2003 Bigfoot 25RQ weighed slightly over 6,100 pounds when loaded. I doubt Bigfoots optional AC, awning, and other options weigh 900#'s. I haven’t been to a CAT scale to weigh our 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ yet. Our friend's Airstream 23FB, with all their camping gear, weighed in at 5,800 and it’s 6” narrower and 2’ shorter. I do know it was heavier than they expected. Airstreams are not light!

Boxier: Airstream is more rounded at the corners vs Bigfoot that are angled to the top. Plus, Airstreams LP tanks are in a square box pushing air vs Bigfoots LP tank in a smooth, angled nose cone. Both have all kinds of items on their roof to push air. Moot point.

Even Airstreams base hitch weight is heavier at 850#’s vs Bigfoot at 610#’s. Both will be heavier once gear is loaded. Ours came in at 975#’s.

I also have looked at what’s hanging underneath the two campers. Airstream has exposed dump valves to create turbulence vs Bigfoot's 100% enclosed bottom.

Again, I’ve talked to many, many Airstream owners and they don’t talk about their great gas mileage and most agree that's just a myth.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Jane P.]

Check out Fiberglassrv4sale.com link below. They have an ‘08 BF25 for sale for $34000. The trailer is located in Washington.

http://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/f...rand-coulee-wa

BF21’s have been scarce the past few years. But this is the time of year trailers come up for sale, so be patient.

As a solo traveler, I prefer the BF21 over the ‘25. I have the rear bunk model. But if I had to do it over again, I’d seriously consider the forward bunk.

My first trailer was a ‘93 BF ‘19, which was a perfect size for one person, under 6’. BF had a factory fire in the late 1990’s and the mold for the ‘19 was destroyed. So they only produced a handful of these trailers. If you see one of these trailers for sale, you should check it out.

I got a Bigfoot because I needed a 3-season trailer which would keep me comfortable for trips lasting several weeks.

There are lighter and smaller trailers such as 17’ & 16’ Casitas & Scamps which are designed for relatively moderate temperatures. These would be fairly comfortable for one person, and easily towable. They have a huge following, and may be perfect for you.

I recommend you go to Fiberglass rallies and to get familiar with the various types of trailers out there. Most Manufacturers have referral programs where people who have bought their trailers show them to potential buyers like you.

If something does come up, you should know exactly what you want so that you can evaluate it & move quickly if it meets your criteria. These trailers do not remain on the market for long.

Good luck.