Jstone

We loved our Airstream, a Bambi 16. We’re outdoor-loving people, so most of our waking hours are spent outside. I just didn’t know Oliver trailers were a thing when we bought the Airstream. I just accepted filiform corrosion, leaking or missing rivets, and cold,clammy interior aluminum walls as the status quo. I knew that hail storms would be catastrophic, that floor rot from undiscovered leaks were something that some owners were all too aware of, but that’s what insurance is for. So, happily we went, adventuring in the Bambi. As we thought about the potential for a tire failure on the single axle Bambi, trips to our Airstream dealer became a thing….and a Globetrotter 23 twin caught our eye. So stylish, twin beds made the small size of the 23 seem so spacious, the safety aspect of double axles, it seemed to have it all. And it did have it all, including the same inherent concerns and problems of the Bambi, save double axles. So, we didn’t buy one. As we were we towing the Bambi to our camping destination, a white fiberglass camper was directly ahead of us….the 3rd. brake light read “Oliver”…a new-to-us name for a camper. As we followed behind, we noticed it seemed more narrow than the Bambi, with much higher clearance, and double axles. Those details alone caught our interest. Once we were home from that adventure, I checked out the Oliver web site…and, like they say, you don’t know what you don’t know, ignorance is bliss, all those trite sayings that sprung to mind. Trouble ensued in remaining satisfied with the Bambi’s shortcomings, for that matter, any Airstream’s shortcomings, for our purpose and needs. This past October, while pulling into Mt. Pisgah campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we saw an Elite II in the flesh and the owner graciously allowed us to tour his camper. After we saw it, we decided to sell the Airstream once we got home. I listed it for sale, and sold it the same day it was listed. We’re in the hurry up & wait mode for delivery of an Elite II twin after taking a factory tour in March. I know nothing is perfect. I know there is no one size fits all. At this time, with our current wants and needs, the Oliver will eliminate the concerns we had with Airstream durability and maintenance, while opening up opportunities to literally take trails to new destinations unreachable in an Airstream.

We recently sold our Airstream, not due to a lack of satisfaction or suitability, but due to discovering Oliver trailers. A walk thru of an owners LE II while we were camping in our Airstream sealed the deal. Once we were home from the camping trip, the Airstream was listed, and sold within 3 hours. We’re planning options, and looking forward to ownership of a LE II twin.

I have the Pavilion model by Clam. It is the largest they offer, with full fabric side walls that roll up for ventilation. It is fast and easy for 1 person to set up/take down, albeit a little heavy for this one at +/-50 pounds. The door opening is huge, and I’ve used our propane fire pit in it without any issues.

Greetings from coastal South Carolina. I’ve joined to gain more insight into ownership. My wife & I tent camped for about 30 years. We bought a Sylvan Sport Go, which was a great solution for transitioning from primitive camping. The Go was flooded during Hurricane Florence. We replaced it with an Airstream Bambi 16. It fills our current wants & needs, the wet bath is wonderful, especially compared to no bath tent camping! We are long-weekenders, to 4-5 days out at a time. Longer trips are planned, and we have a Honda 2200i converted to propane, a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 & a solar suitcase...so boondocking is a thing for us. A tandem axle camper will be in our future, and the Oliver seems to be a customizable 4 season trailer, we can have built to suit our needs. Thanks for having an active forum, and I appreciate the wealth of info I’ve found so far.