😍🤬 5 THINGS WE LOVE & HATE ABOUT OUR 2021 AIRSTREAM CARAVEL 16RB

After trading in our 2019 Globetrotter 27FB for a 2021 Caravel 16RB, we've discovered a handful of things that we particularly love and hate about our new Airstream. So here are five things e love and five things we hate about our 2021 Airstream Caravel 16RB. (And by "hate" we really just mean "find annoying.")
What are you most and least favorite things about your travel trailer? And do you have any tips or tricks to help us hate our "five things we hate" a little bit less? Let us know!
*Want a gorgeous wooden stove cover? Who doesn't! / knotperfectwoodworking
(Also, this video is not a paid ad for them. We just love our hand made stove cover so much!)
Video overview:
0:00 - 5 Things We Love & 5 Things We Hate
0:32 - Backing up our Airstream Caravel 16RB
1:50 - Under bed storage in the Airstream Caravel 16RB
2:35 - The bathroom in the Airstream Caravel 16RB
3:13 - The bright light switch in the Airstream Caravel 16RB
3:48 - Overhead storage in the Airstream Caravel 16RB
4:55 - Towing the Airstream Caravel 16RB
5:35 - The Airstream Caravel 16RB fits anywhere
6:13 - The layout of the Airstream Caravel 16RB
6:55 - The windows in the Airstream Caravel 16RB
7:57 - The Airstream Caravel 16RB is so cute!
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[@FreeandSimple]

What are you most and least favorite things about your Airstream or RV? And do you have any tips or tricks to help us hate our "five things we hate" a little bit less? Let us know!

[@jamespkuzman]

Love that you guys are enjoying the Caravel! The Globetrotter was a beautiful trailer and matched your needs for how you were camping at the time, but those needs change and you adapted. You’re still out there camping, and that’s what counts. Thanks for continuing to share your adventures with us. I always look forward to your content!

[@FreeandSimple]

Thank you! We’ll have a lot more coming this spring and summer!

[@graemeneale9311]

A lot of effort went into creating this content. Much appreciated.

[@ceciliapicinich1742]

We have a 26’ Airstream. We love our twin beds!! More storage under the beds and more floor space in bedroom. We had a u shaped dinette which we recently took out, it was so uncomfortable! Other than that, we love it!!

[@FreeandSimple]

Nice! Did you swap out for a different dinette? Or just leave it open and have a little more floor space?

[@moondancer5115]

Staying jolly! Good to see you guys! ❤✌

[@FreeandSimple]

☺☺☺

[@discoveringlockenest8420]

It looks awesome! You will grow accustom to all the “hates”! Glad to see you guys out and about! 🤙

[@FreeandSimple]

That's our plan! And really, we called them "things we hate" just to be a bit dramatic. They're just some of the unique quirks that come along for the ride!

[@michaelingrassia3184]

@Knotperfectwoodworking Thanks for mentioning us and glad you love the custom made stove top cutting board cover!!

[@FreeandSimple]

It is incredible! Pretty sure Airstream should just contract with you to make them standard in every Caravel.

[@michaelingrassia3184]

@@FreeandSimple oh, that would be a dream come true!!

[@brucefay5126]

Well, you asked, so here goes. We have an 2020 Airstream Flying Cloud 27 FBT (Front Bed Twin). It’s a machine, so we don’t tend to think about it in terms of “love” and “hate” so much as “like” and “dislike”, “convenient” vs “not convenient”, or “works (for use)” vs. “doesn’t work (for us).” We like good design, good materials, and good craftsmanship and our Airstream generally tics all of those boxes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but we certainly like the appearance of our TT. The Airstream TT is, after all, THE iconic RV. Because of the materials and construction method, we have a lot of trailer for the weight, so we also very much like that, and appreciate that it tows well with our Ford F-150 XLT CC/SB with Max Trailer Tow Package. The Propride 3P-1400 hitch is also amazing (as you know). At 27’11” overall, we can get into most campsites, which is not true of our other RV (more on that later). We also really like the FBT layout. Being retired people of a certain age, who tend to toss and turn at night, we find that we actually sleep better with the twin bed layout. As someone else already stated, we have a lot of storage under those two beds. It is not that difficult for us to access (but we are not tall/large people) and we have three outside storage compartments as a result. The center aisle also makes it easier to get in/out of bed and to make the beds. We like the kitchen layout with the “bump out” for the sink and we are glad we got the convection/microwave option instead of the gas oven. This opened up more pantry space and we never used the gas oven in our first RV because it just did not cook things very well. We also like the dual solar panel option. The 27 model is, of course, longer than that at 27’11”, but the actual pod is only about 25’. We looked at the FC 25, and the difference in storage (interior and exterior) was considerable. We were downsizing from a 40’ motorcoach conversion with full basement bays, but we found the transition to be surprisingly easy. We also like the awnings, which are easy to deploy and store. (Our bus conversion also has manual Zip Dee awnings, but they are 12’ off the ground.) We also like the external propane connecter for our little Airstream/Weber grill. There are a few things that we both like/dis-like but nothing that we just outright dislike. One is the seat cushions. They look nice, are easy to maintain, and allow the dinette and sofa to be made into beds fairly easily. But they are not particularly comfortable to sit on. Another one is the windows. We really like having all of them (18 in total) for the view and light. We also like the way they hinge open rather than slide. We do not like that they are single pane, which contributes to the TT already not being really suitable for cold weather camping. And we really do not like the seals. We have tried to follow the maintenance instructions, and advice from others, but they ALWAYS stick. It is the only thing on the trailer that I think is defective by design and that Airstream really should do something about. We like the refrigerator, and it seems to work quite well, but given a choice we would probably have opted for LFP batteries with more total capacity and a DC compressor fridge/freezer. We opted for the dual A-C/heat-pump, mostly to get the 50A electrical upgrade (which we like), but the A-C units are very noisy, so that is one of our dislikes, I guess. They are also ducted together, which should be a great feature, but the airflow from that system does not seem to be quite right. This has been discussed at some length on the AIRstream Forum, but in our specific TT we do not know if this a construction issue or if they just don’t work quite right by design. Along the same line, the propane furnace is very loud. We could have bought a Classic, of course, and gotten hot water heating rather than forced air but then, for the price of the Classic, we could have bought a second house. :-) As for the bus conversion (1991 Prevost H3-40vip / 1992 Royale Coach, Monaco) we like almost everything about it, including the extensive interior and systems remodeling we have done on it. Dislikes? Size (sometimes) and reliability, but we knew what we were getting (it was 18 years old when we bought it). We knew that it was not going to fit in most national and even state parks, but that was an acceptable tradeoff for the comfort and amount of storage. The reliability of the engine and brakes has been a disappointment (and a bit expensive). Our desire to go places the bus won’t fit, and do so more reliably, is why we now also have the TT.

[@FreeandSimple]

Ok, pretty sure you need to make a video just to show us all of this! Incredible! Seriously, you win all the points for best KZbin comment ever. And yes, "love" and "hate" were intentionally strong words. But in reality it's just "like" and "dislike" or even "subjective pros and cons." But that's pretty much life, isn't it?

[@brucefay5126]

I am a photographer, not a videographer, so only a consumer of vlogs. The interior remodel of our bus was documented in 12 consecutive issues of Bus Conversion Magazine. All told I have had just under 60 articles published in BCM since February 2013. A few of those were featured bus articles on other peoples’ coaches, but most of them had to do with projects on our bus or a couple of friends’ buses. BTW: I was thinking about your comments about backing up your new trailer. You correctly identified that the short wheel base (trailer axle to tow ball) was a factor in the quicker response. That fact that it is a single axle trailer is also a factor (which you probably mentioned but I don’t remember.) I do not recall you mentioning that you are also now using a traditional ball swivel hitch. The Propride 3P-1400 hitch you had on your Globetrotter projected the effective/apparent pivot point 52 inches forward of the ball coupler, placing it near the rear differential of your truck. So your effective trailer length has been reduced by that additional amount.

[@wanderingwanda9869]

Another wonderful vlog. Things I don’t like are modified, taking in WandA to have the table redone and the bed frame enlarged to accommodate the larger sleep number bed. So glad you got Jolly Jr. And are still out and about.

[@FreeandSimple]

And you’ll be making videos on these new upgrades in WandA, right?!

[@jamtronart]

Thx for the review!

[@JesusBonifacius]

Thanks for sharing, love this size of Airstreams.

[@FreeandSimple]

It is the absolute best! (Though we might be a bit biased.)

[@IMP3TIGO]

Agree that the rear panoramic window of the 16RB is the best feature. It's so bizarre to me that no other Caravel or Bambi has a rear bed with a panoramic window. The rear window makes the most sense since it's not subject to rock damage and is the end that is most likely going to be facing a view, unlike the front panoramic windows on most of those series models.

[@FreeandSimple]

We're really spoiled with the rear panoramic window after our first Airstream (a 27' Globetrotter). We couldn't imagine having an Airstream without it!

[@pattyk8594]

Great video guys!

[@FreeandSimple]

That you!!!

[@erikbarker9148]

Backing it up is super tricky but I have kinda come to enjoy it. Once you get the hang of it for me it is a bit of an internal competition to see how quickly I can do it without having to readjust! For overhead storage, I totally see where you are coming from. The Globetrotter had a mirror and a light that would come on when opening up...hmmm. I found motion lights at Lowes that I use under my cabinets at my house that you could maybe put at the top of the cabinets for the lights. Not sure about getting power to it though... Battery power might be an option? Just an idea I thought of when watching. Also... next video can we see baby Loren too?!? :) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

[@FreeandSimple]

Oh yes, Loren will be the star of some upcoming videos!

[@EastCoastStreamers]

Backing up a shorter trailer is harder for sure. I think most people don't know that. They assume shorter is easier! Totally with you Chelsea regarding the overhead storage. I have a tiny step stool that I store behind one of the twin beds in our 23FBT, but where would you store a step stool in the Caravel?! Airstream windows are amazing. Definitely creates openness. And - the cuteness factor!!

[@FreeandSimple]

I mean, maybe the step stool could go in the under bed storage? But that is obviously not ideal. Or maybe the closet! Yep, probably the closet -- one of those fold up flat ones. (Making a note of this for the spring...)

[@jane7820]

@@FreeandSimple put a mirror and a light at the back of the cupboard.

[@FreeandSimple]

Yeah, our Globetrotter had lights and mirrors to do exactly this. We’ve already added the lights. One step to go!

[@Mic9Lives]

❤️Thank you so much for the great video I was looking at this very model for solo human RVing (+2 medium dogs) it all sounds good to me except for the backing up 🙃

[@FreeandSimple]

Backing up just takes practice. You’ll get the hang of it!

[@terryinaz6695]

@@FreeandSimple Did you get the hang of it?

[@user-gh8sl7iu3y]

Enjoy our 25 a lot after downsizing from. 31’ then a 29’. Considering a 27 later but don’t know smaller than the 25 Airstream would work for us. Can’t explain but the smaller AS are not as easy to back up as the bigger ones were 🤷‍♀️

[@FreeandSimple]

Back when we were full time we really loved the extra couple of feet that the 27 gave us over the 25, if only for the larger pantry! As for backing up, we think we've figured out why it's harder. The distance from the hitch to to the Airstream tires is shorter, meaning it turns quicker than we were used to. By the end of our five trips this fall we think we _might_ have it figured out. Maybe...

[@user-gh8sl7iu3y]

@@FreeandSimple i think you are right. It’s an odd concept to wrap the mind around though. Safe travels.

[@Kristian_Saile]

Great video and greetings from the UP. We are about to pick up(weather permitting) a ‘20 Bambi 16’ in partial trade for a truck to a friend. Looks like the Caravelle has a few key differences, that rear bedroom window/screen looks amazing… Does that use a single black/grey tank? If so is it a pain to flush out when dumping or does the black water do good enough of a job that you don’t feel the need to put some extra water down through the toilet or shower? I have yet to see it in person yet but being 6’1” is sitting in the toilet feasible with the legroom? Not sure if we are going to keep it or sell it as we have three kids so unless I can make a good setup for one kid to sleep on the floor it probably isn’t going to jive. I like the idea though and perhaps behind our camper van could make long trips more enjoyable. It seems these have a pretty good amount of living space for the size though.

[@FreeandSimple]

Thank you! And the black/grey combo tank works good for us. We use the park bathhouse most of the time and always for showers. But everything always flushes just fine! And not sure how someone sleeping on the floor will go. But hey, if you can make it work, do it! We anticipate as our boys get older that they’ll get a big tent to themselves and mom and dad get the airstream at night!

[@chuckdalton1614]

We love our ‘21 Caravel. Hacks so far include battery stick on touch lights in storage spaces, teak shower floor, coat hooks, closet shelves and suction wall shelves. Looking for the perfect step for my 5’4” sweetness.

[@FreeandSimple]

Those sounds like some great upgrades. And good luck on finding the perfect step. Those overhead storage bins can be a bit of a reach!

[@jllcll]

I would love to hear more about your suction shelves!

[@2000talon]

I do love towing my 19ft globetrotter with my Chevy 1500, I don't feel it on the back. Lol .I don't back mine up yet. I will learn.😯

[@FreeandSimple]

A 19’ globetrotter?! Is this one of the originals?

[@2000talon]

@@FreeandSimple yes it's a 1962 Globetrotter I named him Globey. He's in the shop ATM getting a kitchen redo. I will film 🎥 his make over.

[@FreeandSimple]

Amazing. And can’t wait to see it’

[@gadgetgrrll]

Love your videos. We are waiting on a Bambi 16. Where did you get that awesome outdoor rug?

[@FreeandSimple]

Thank you! We love the 16’ size. And the rug is from Walmart! (Fancy, right?)

[@davidmatt904]

We have ours 16rb Bambi 2020 for a year now our first rv trailer totally happy we went for the best the first time no regrets. It would be fun too have a 16ft air streamers to gather up across this country gather for a good time and compare notes.

[@FreeandSimple]

LOVE this idea.

[@situated4]

Oh, yes. What an absolutely frustrating eye-opener backing-up the 16RB was on day one. Towing it from the dealer was fairly easy, of course, but trying to back that little thing up into a camp site pad outside of Columbus, OH in the Spring of 2019 was absolutely embarrassing and humiliating. I guess we put on quite a show for the first 20 minutes or so. Stressed, stressed, stressed. We had never towed or backed any trailer up before, and the little single-axel Bambi just wouldn't back up in a straight line even though it was perfectly aligned with the spot!! It would turn on its own almost immediately and attempt to jack-knife. Made absolutely no sense to us. We even took it back out to the empty Alum Creek State Park camp parking lot to practice, test our theories, snap at each other, and shake our heads - a lot. Who knew ... short wheel base, pushing on a hinge, basic physics?! But, guess who stopped at our site to help and teach us (i.e., small slow movements with the wheel, etc.), another long-time Airstream owner! (*Thank you again, Chad. We've never forgotten your patience and good heart to help us on our way to RV Airstream camping that evening.) Two years later, I can usually back it in most anywhere on the first or second try. #lifeskills

[@FreeandSimple]

So glad to hear we’re not the only ones. We’re getting ready for a bunch of trips this summer and are curious how much of our backing up skills we will have lost over the winter!

[@bruceclyne5254]

For those of us who are considering a Caravel 16 it would have been helpful to provide information about how high the bathroom ceiling is. Thanks for all you do.

[@FreeandSimple]

Great question. Our Caravel is in winter storage now so we can’t give you an exact measurement but we’d guess it’s about 6” or so, given the curve of the AS body. Jim fits but he has to duck a little.

[@herb7877]

every trailer has its + & - 's.... We've had numerous ones over the years. as life changes so did our RV. At the moment we have a 27'. We boondock a lot so it limits some places but we like the space. We use our bathroom; comfortably. we are out year round every month for 4-5 days at a time & a 6-8 week snowbird trip. I do not think we'd still be married if we downsized to a 16'.

[@FreeandSimple]

Sounds like the perfect fit for you both! And ironically, we went from a 27' to the 16'! But so far the longest we've done is 5 nights. We're planning a two week trip for this summer so we'll see how that goes!

[@driline]

Great editing and perfect music! Who is the video editor by the way?

[@FreeandSimple]

Thank you! Jim does all the editing! A lot of thought and time goes into every video. He even spends meticulous time parsing out the stems for the soundtrack so it all ebbs and flows just right (hopefully!).

[@driline]

@@FreeandSimple Well it looks fantastic! I especially like the additional graphic animations he adds as well. I spent 17 years as a broadcast TV engineer so I know quality work when I see it.

[@FreeandSimple]

Thank you!!!

[@carolyncoppola974]

Love the 16’ Caravel. What size truck do you pull it with?

[@FreeandSimple]

Our truck is a bit overkill for our 16’ Caravel. We have a Chevy Silverado 2500 with a Diesel engine. It was perfect back when we were towing a 27’ Globetrotter and living in it full time! We’re now planning on trading the truck in for a Chevy Tahoe.

[@pauldavey7229]

We put little squares of black electrical tape over all the dimmers, it drove us nuts at night.

[@FreeandSimple]

Glad to know we’re not the only ones. And great idea!

[@josepinchero]

honestly..i dont think the designers of these trailers have slept in them at night. at night there should be NO lights.

[@ssjdarren]

Hi awesome video! Do you know why this year it’s dry weight is 3500# vs the 2020 year which is 3200 pounds?

[@c11235]

Thank you for this video. I’m 6’10”. I’m interested in airstream beds. Can you comment on sleeping in the Caravel 16rb as a very tall person? Also, is it even possible in any way to sit on the toilet?

[@FreeandSimple]

Yes! Jim here, and the bed is snug but still very comfy. I tend to put my pillow up on the storage hump behind the mattress and am able to stretch so the way out. As for the bathroom, it takes some focus to maneuver in there, especially with the door closed. I often just sit down to put with the bathroom door open so my legs can hang out in the main space. Ask this to say, totally doable!

[@ishkabibble9939]

Where do you put your outdoor chairs, stroller and any other big stuff?

[@FreeandSimple]

We travel with it in the back of our Chevy Tahoe. (We’ve changed vehicles in the past year. Back when we had a huge truck we had all sorts of room.) And if we really need to we travel with some bigger things in the Airstream and set them up when we arrive.

[@felixceramics]

Curious what your reasoning for choosing Caravel over Bambi? Are the upgrades that significant? Was there something specific that sold you? Great videos. I’m in the market, so they are very informative!

[@FreeandSimple]

Caroline, sorry for such a delayed response. We went with the Caravel over the Bambi for a few specific reasons. One big one is that Jim can still stand up inside (ducted AC for the win!). We also love the wrap around windows in the back, the back bumper storage, the electric jack, the rock guards, and the better step. Basically, all the improvements are TOTALLY worth the cost. (Really, the windows alone are worth it!)

[@2WheelWeekendViking]

Great video! As a taller guy myself (6’3”) I was a little concerned but you have convinced me it’s doable! One question: what made you choose the Caravel over the Bambi? Cheers!

[@monicae67]

Hope this helps. Caroline Felix asked the same question and they responded.

[@garretthutson3658]

Hey thanks for the video. My wife and I are thinking of purchasing a Bambi but have not yet seen one in person. I’m 6’ 5” and it sounds like one you are even taller. What is it like to stand up in the camper? Would a 6’ 5” person like myself be able to stand up straight? Thanks

[@FreeandSimple]

With a Bambi you might need to duck under the AC as it hangs down from the ceiling. I’m the Caravel it’s a ducted AC so you have the full height to the ceiling. And the bathroom/shower had a slope of the roof so that’s always a tight fit for tall people!

[@ldd9672]

Globetrotter all the way 😉

[@FreeandSimple]

If only they made a 16’ Globetrotter. ;)

[@mikemurphyseemsliked]

25' Flying Cloud owner here. Hates: Making the rear bed... Ugh. And the dinette is so uncomfortable. We wish the dinette was a sofa. We eat outside. If its raining we can figure it out... The dinette is the worst

[@FreeandSimple]

Totally know that feeling. When we had our 27’ Globetrotter we were scheming to remove the dinette completely and put in a couch - like, a real couch - to have something more comfortable. It seems like the dinettes are more about function than comfort.

[@jesserevilla992]

Good stuff and congratulations on your baby 🌅 Well that tiny TT is an attention grabber thats for sure. But not practical for us now a 19 i can see that. Or if I want real small TT and that I can buy out-right would be Tab 400. We sold our Base Camp and purchased a Grand Design XLS 22 mle. I have camped 3 years now and been to over 150 camp sites and most TT's under 25 feet in most tight sights. We Eat Meat 🥩. So when are you getting the Electric ⚡️ truck. Noticed the Bird Killer windmills that has to be the worse energy producer and bad for wild life.

[@BuckleBunny]

Thank you hate backing the single axle up because you started off with the bigger axle. Had you never pulled anything and then had a single axle you would’ve loved it because it’s like having training wheels. If you just start of riding your bike with two wheels, you would hate training wheels.

[@FreeandSimple]

Totally makes sense. Luckily after a half dozen trips in the fall we’re getting the hang of it! After this summer we’ll be pros!

[@Stemalanify]

You need a bigger airstream

[@FreeandSimple]

Ha! We used to have one. Scroll back through our previous videos and you'll see the whole story of us moving into and trading in our 2019 Airstream Globetrotter 27FB. We intentionally went with this tiny size for our part time adventures all over Michigan and across the country!

[@narissabond6383]

Where does your baby sleep?

[@FreeandSimple]

We put a pack and play on the dinette/bed. You can see it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnmZk3tvf7ykbpo

[@alankessler96]

Do go up in size not down

[@FreeandSimple]

Not for us! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gajZlIJ-mpqchc0

[@chelseasmith7644]

We intentionally downsized! Bigger was not better for us.

[@richardcooper7047]

Whining are we?? Didn't you check the unit out before purchase?? Just asking