RV tech goes UNDERCOVER to review 2023 Airstream RVs 

What you’re doing is invaluable. There are a lot of popular “RV review” channels out there but, in reality, they’re just sales tools for specific RV dealers so the ‘reviewers’ can’t be 100% honest. Keep up the good work!

Bit of a reality check on maintenance demand, etc.: The Airstream manual states, "We recommend washing your Airstream *about every four weeks* and waxing with Walbernize Super Seal, or high quality clear coat-safe wax, in the spring and fall. In coastal and industrial areas, cleaning and waxing should be done more frequently." It goes on to say that the seams *do* need to be inspected and re-sealed annually. I have four not-so-lovely memories in Airstreams in childhood: 1) Baseballs accidentally hitting one of the curved rear aluminum panels, especially, creating small dents, and your grandfather is ready to cry because lots of things do this that would not dent a typical RV and they are wildly expensive to get out; 2) Sub-freezing night in the Rockies after Grandma cooked a hot dinner. Even with ventilation going, aluminum transmits temperature worse than almost any other material and the main entry door would be frozen to its frame in the morning, requiring a hair dryer or shoulder fatigue to get it open; 3) On that same kind of morning, if temperatures got into the teens or lower (F), some of the interior rivets would form frost on them and, when melting later, would leave little tracks of water / staining trailing below them; 4) They're good glampers, not very good at camping away from hook-ups. The tank capacities were too small for us to be out-and-away anywhere for long, which is part of the light-payload design / ratings. I would personally never buy one at their typical prices. There's a big charge for aesthetics and brand name built in, neither of which are priorities for me.

There is a little bit of nuance with the front end separation issue. Around 2021-22 the factory began adding support brackets to stave off front end separation. Also, owners who install a receiver to the rear of the trailer to haul things like bicycles (nowadays usually heavy-ass e-bikes), scraping the rear end on inclines, or having too much weight distribution can all cause front end separation. It might be difficult to avoid the "front compartment models" because the front bed twin floorplan has become extremely popular, and besides, for reason I mentioned front end separation can occur on any model including the ones without the front compartment.

I looked at an Airstream Caravelle 22FB a couple years ago at an RV show. I was really impressed with the metal work on the exterior. I'm an aviation geek, and the Airstream had better welds and riveting than a few aircraft I've flown.

Not all Airstream Flying Clouds have the front cargo compartment (where almost all the frame issues occur), so discounting the entire line can be misleading.

This is interesting to see that Airstream fit and finish has really come up in quality. I was going to buy a 25 foot airstream in 2000 till I started looking at the fit and finish. The quality was not there for $35k Airstream. The sales person also told me it was a 4 seasons RV. I asked her how it was 4 seasons RV when the water connection line was a 6 inch exposed copper line?

Just want to say that I found these videos exceptional. I did want to comment on the review of the front storage units with the issue you brought up. Airstream changed the design in 2023 and placed reinforcements up front that solved the issue. A number of times, units built prior to the 2023 model year, Airstream on a case by case basis has been extending the warranty to repair the units that had issues with what is commonly known as front end separation. This repair can cost upwards of $1700 if there is no exterior panel replacement.

Thank you for the honest review we were thinking about getting the flying cloud and saw/read so many comments about the Frontend separation that we got second thoughts. the fact that you repair RV's gives me the confidence to continue looking until I find the right one.

I own a 2006 airstream 25FB. You’re right about the front storage problem. But many airstreams like mine don’t have that configuration. So, most airstreams are fine. Everyone I’ve talked to love their airstream and many of these people have had junk R.V. in the past. I give mine an A. Also mine has new wheels and tires and looks like a 2024 model. It’s timeless and tows beautifully.

My Grand Design had a water leak just outside the window!! Thank you for this video!!

I found the wiring in our Classic 30 to be an absolute rats nest. The wiring in our Leisure Travel Van is loomed and attached to walls. Much higher quality build.

This was a huge help to us as we are looking at the 20x base camp. That cargo capacity means if we change the bed out for something heavier and travel with water alot of stuff will have to go in our truck. =(

You mentioned the fit and finish of the Airstreams, on the surface they look good, but there is something you might not know. The ducting for the AC if the Airstream is ducted, has a poor seal at the duct. The duct vent does not pull the duct and the interior ceiling together, this allows the air to get in between the ceiling and the duct work, impacting the efficiency of the cooling, because it balloon between the ceiling and insulation. I hope I explained it well. Your videos are informative, please keep up the work.

Comment on Grand Design plumbing. They probably don’t see warranty claims because the dealer always claims they can’t find the leak, even when they’re repairing the damage caused by the leak. On our brand new RV, they had to replace bathroom cabinets because of a leak but claimed the couldn’t find the source. I showed them videos and they refused to fix the plumbing. Our shower faucet plumbing has flooded our bedroom, bathroom sink faucet leaks, water heater plumbing leaks. We’ve had to fix every single location where there’s pex and flex hoses.

With regards to Airstream being overpriced, go look for a used one. You won't find a bargain. Do some math on the total cost of ownership over your expected camping experience, and if you can swing the initial price, it's probably cheaper than a conventional travel trailer that plummets in value over that same period. Some are holding 90% of their value after three years.

All I know from my Airstream 23FB is that they cut corners to save money. My foot when through the floor one morning which revealed a bigger problem, I love cold weather camping, and assumed that any condensation would drain out, I thought of course Airstream would plan for that. Wrong. My unit (new units now use composite flooring) had plywood floor, which rotted out due to condensation from the windows causing mold and mildew. The tech told me that Airstream knew about this issue, but only installed mold/mildew resistant flooring at the entrance lip and shower lip, the most common warranty issues. What irked me was that the cost difference for kitchen bath mold/mildew resistant treated plywood was about $5 a sheet. I had a $25k repair, because Airstream decided to save about $50. Airstream KNEW some of their viewers would face major repairs, but only improved the entrance and shower areas to save $50. as those major repairs would occur AFFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED.

Thanks for the video. In trailers 2023 and forward Airstream resolved the front end separation issue by adding additional support two models with front cargo areas.

Just discovered your channel and subscribed! Your timing is perfect.

Greetings from Norway! Thanks for your testing and explanations. I am one of extremely rare Airstream owners in Europe. Mine is an International, 8.3 m from end to the towing glove. Reassuring to see alt the quality aspects you point out. In Europe, the suspension is changed to a german make with boggy right under the middle of the Airstream body, with torsion axles made of spring steel inside. To each wheel you will find an electric motor attached(4 in all), in this way you can do fine maneuvering in thight places with a remote control unit. In Europe electro mechanical or electro hydraulic brakes on trailers are not allowed, unfortunately, so trailers can only have surge brakes. The inside of the Airstream is somewhat different from the american versions, kind of more timeless where design is more emphasized than the practicality of the interior. It has an hydronic heating system from Alde, and this Airstream is 10 years old. The countertop is entirely made of corean, the hardest plastic substance available, from Dupont, one inch thick. Mine Airstream is a narrow body, even more rare, Airstream stopped the production of this line long time ago, solely meant for the European market. It tows extremely nice on the narrow winding steep roads of Norway with plenty of mountain passes. As a towing vehicle, I use a F150 ecoboost. This vehicle, believe or not, is a special import, not as rare as an Airstream, but still. In Europe you will not find vehicles which matches the full size pickups of USA. F150 is a nice towing vehicle with lots of power, where the engine yields the full torque at low rpm. I just wanted you to know that many europeans admire the camping trailers from USA, and not least the full size american pickup trucks.

Regarding the Airstream’s suspension it was implied that the suspension may not be high quality because the CCC is lower than comparable trailers. Is it possible that the empty vehicle weight is greater because of the construction materials (aluminum vs fiberglass) thereby cutting into your carrying capacity? I would like to hear your opinion of the actual suspension. Aside from that there is so little storage space on an Airstream it might be difficult to overload it anyway.

Good video. Always an air streamer here . On my 2nd one now (upgraded from 17ft Sport to a 22ft Bambi FB) and not had any issues with either (camp often) . The Airstreams definitely hold their resale value compared to ANY of the regular trailers .

I'll be buying your course tomorrow; wallet is in my truck and it's 2am I ain't going outside to get it right now. Even though I have 10 years of RVing experience, very handy and a smart shopper who dives deep into specs and quality. I've been researching our next camper for 5 years or more. Watched GD go downhill, walked through numerous Alliances a couple years ago that had horrible quality issues I just can't unsee, Brinkley's are ok but IMHO too many people buying into the hype and the shiny object there. We're pretty dead set on a Flagstaff 371RK, generally speaking an all-around pretty solid unit from what I can see online, in person, factory tours etc. Definitely interested in seeing if you have any other helpful information in the course on flagstaff or rockwood. Pretty smart idea and unique channel, good for you. Hope you crush it man!

I am interested in the Bambi model and this information was an eye opener. Thanks for this video.

Arthur is one heck of a guy. Thanks Arthur.

Thanks for the info, don't currently own an RV, but when I buy one I'll definitely get the app.

26’ airstream $100,000. 26’ fema trailer brand new, but sat for a year $9,000. Easy choice for me who camps a few times a year.

You mentioned in this video that you were going "undercover" to examine, in an upcoming video, a travel trailer that many consider similar to the Airstream, but at half the cost. Let me guess which brand you're referring to. I have been researching the Intech brand since summer 2022. I've watched every RU-vid walkthrough video multiple times, including two in-depth factory tour videos. I have reached out and spoken to factory reps in Nappanee, IN on several occasions but as yet have never actually been able to pull the drawers, open the cabinets, sit on the commode, stand in the shower stall, or crawl underneath, ya know, "kick the tires". I went to the Gulf Coast RV Show in Mobile, AL last week, there were no Intech's, in fact to my surprise, none of the six dealers at the show including, Great American, Dads, Blue Compass, and Williams Family, all claimed to have never heard of Intech Travel Trailers. I am sooo interested in them, that next week I am going to the RV Supershow in Tampa, FL because the Intech rep in Nappanee, IN, promised to have all of their "Rover" models there on display. I'd love to hear your comments on Intech trailers if you can find one to review.

The three things that keep me from buying an Airstream at this time are lack of storage, extremely tiny grey, black, and potable water tanks, and price. I'd accept the price being high if the other two were adequate, but they are laughable for anyone that dry camps. Side note: Having a toilet on a box pedestal is also very odd.

You have to pay for quality. It does not come cheap. The country is full of cheap rubber roofed campers that fall apart sitting in people's driveways. You will not see a stream do that.

We used to travel in a bus, so that’s what the airstream reminds me of. We like airstreams, but I just don’t fit our style of camping, We need more room.

Have you ever done one of these new inspections on a Northwood or Outdoor trailer? I'm curious how they stack up to an Airstream.

Thank you Artur! Great video.

Front separation issue has been corrected by extra reinforcing for 2024 models.

Thanks for the info. We had considered an Airstream but really wanted the slide outs.

The kitchen drawers in my airstream globetrotter got some water and swell and started to crumble

Wow, that's crazy about Grand design. We avoided Grand design because of other issues and the warranty only being a year. I'm glad they said what they said because now I'm never getting a grand design. Plumbing is big and you don't skimp on that.

I’ve been following several Airstream Facebook pages, RU-vid channels, and I’ve never heard of a frame issue with AS. This was a first for me.

Great video. I'm learning more every new video.

Please do a review on InTech trailers. Horizon, Dawn and Magnolia.

Was looking at Grand Design, not any longer... Thank you Arthur.

Glad to see that Airstream is using DEXTER running gear.

Great and Honest Information.

Great information! Thanks for putting this together.

Thanks Arthur

Look at the pause please I really like them and was interested in getting one.

KYD just did a video on front-body separation. It looks like a lot of work

My dad had 2 Airstreams both 31'. '78 and a '79. The '79 finally a repair shop in '95 I forgot for what... But a non Airstream dealer repaired the problem... Other than that... My dad needed to stay away from BBQ pits (use your imagination )... But like we say in bikes If it has breast or tires maintenance will happen!! I'll look out for your next video on the 1/2 price RV.

After watching your channel for a while now, I don't even think I want to buy a camper. It's so disappointing to learn how low the build quality is.

Is a used Flying Cloud a good option for full time living and traveling about 5-8k miles a year?

I've had conversations with friends and other campers with airstream, different model years. The feed back was overall positive, except for one, until we talk price/quality. None of them have felt that price was justified with value. The one guy had a model with a slide out, a model cancelled quickly by Airstream, who hated his. He said in winter the slide out was incredibly cold and couldn't keep unit warm.

If only I had the budget for a New Horizon RV like the 2024 36RK3S triple axle, which is just about 38 feet in length. Unfortunately, the price tag can be well over 300 K.

I own an Airstream. I would like to know if they have in fact redesigned the frame attachment method to rectify the known issue of the front storage model. I own a 2022 23 Foot Globetrotter 23FBT, they no longer make the 23 Foot version. It does have the front storage locker. The 23 and less Footers are what is know as a narrow body Airstream. 25 Foot and up are Wide Body.

Glad you’re back it’s been to long

We need more RV professional people like yourself to do more to get the industry to improve their quality.

Thank you for an honest review.

Would an aluminum skin cause more condensation in winter? Would it take more propane to keep warm? Would it be hotter in summer if not in a shaded area?

Appreciate your review. Would really like to see a review of DRV Mobil suites and Forest River Riverstone Legacy. What is your thought on the Moryde independent suspension system

Thank you Arthur great video.

Right before I watched your video I watched the video where Vinnie does a modification of the framework for a Flying Cloud. As the owner for a 27FBT Flying Cloud I a concerned.

We shopped Airstream but decided on an Oliver Legacy Elite II based on the quality of the manufacturing and customer service. I’d be interested to hear your take on Oliver Travel Trailers.

Please review the Heartland Big Country 3705fb 5th wheel. Thank you

I like Airstream but after having a Jayco with no slide, I found it too narrow for me. I went to my next "perceived" level and bought a pre-REV Lance. I would like to see a video on the differences between leaf springs and torsion axles - something I don't understand.. Keep up the good videos - I didn't know that my propane/electric fridge shouldn't be turned on at 25F (-3C). :)

Please review ATC RVs

They cost more than my truck. I don't think I can bring myself to spend that on one, though I love the Basecamp.

My grand design leaked after 1 week. I replaced all the hose to pex. I'm currently in progress to get something from them.

There's absolutely nothing about these trailers that justifies the asking price.

Including the cabinet material, ie plywood, what is your assessment of the wrap? I have plywood cabinets on a very high end and high rated RV, , however when wet, the wrap peeled off and totally ruined the cabinets

To bad greed took over the rv industry. Aluminum roofs should be the norm. It would not cost that much more to include in all trailers made. Airstream has a gold bar in it's butt -- thanks Thor ---

Have you ever done a hard review of a Casita, Scamp, Oliver or Eclipse?

good to know about the separation

Love these videos 👍🏻🍻

Please review and score a 2024 Bigfoot travel trailer.

I’ve been seeing some airstream owners complain about electrical issues, is this common?

Damp climate cold weather camping can generate condensation inside the aluminum skin…. Which can cause damage. T or F ?

good info -i like airstream quality

Wonder how very highly rated OLIVER fiberglass trailers compare overall to Airstreams ?

What do you like better? Avion or Airstream?

Please review a Rockwood MiniLite !

I love your videos but I have a question I have a 1997 fleetwood pace arrow I’m trying to find the windshields for it HElp with finding it

I like Airstream a lot. Sad to hear about that front trunk affecting trailer like that. Wonder what causes it

What is insulation they use??

Nice fair review.

I need to now did you evaluate the Rockwood line of travel trailers, they say they are the best But are they?

What airstream 25 ‘+ is the A grade ?? Glad I found this streamer. Cheers

Have u spent anytime on Riverstone RV?

Love this review! Thinking of off grid rv company and what brand to chose. Subscriber here. Can you please do In-Tech terra compared to airstream? Thank you!

Great Job !

I’m wondering about the extra braces added to the front of the models with the storage (front bed) regarding separation. There are all kinds of rumors that AS added support to the frame of the 2024 but of course we cant see if that true. We have the 2024 GT 27 fbq. Do you know the answer? That would drastically change the grade of the newer models and I pray it’s true

do you have a recommendation brand and model for a relatively smaller fifth wheel that can fit at least 7 people?

I would probably choose an Oliver.

What are your thoughts on the Isotherm 12 volt refrigerators.

For full timer what fifth wheel would you recommend, the best? Question quality.

elieve Airstream made a rig with a slide at one time?

So, would it be safe to assume that you would view other full size Airstreams (Flying Cloud, International, Globe Trotter) that DON’T have the front storage bay favorably?

What is your opinion of the manufacturer "Forest River" Rockwood?

I havnt even watched the video but I'll complain anyway.. Its a metal tube in the sun of a campground seems like a good idea. Also no slideouts, no tube for me please. Everyone at the campground hates them because when one pulls up next to you the wifi stops working. *edit dexter axel/suspensions are standard on many midrange models now its not even a thing

Great reviews!

Are Gulfstream Vista Cruiser's,good trailer's.

Since Thor now owns them, I would personally hesitate.

Keep up the great work!