Why We Said Goodbye to Our Airstream and Traded Up for a Brinkley

Hey everyone, it’s Lindsey and Dan, and we’re sharing why we traded in our used 2023 Airstream Caravel 20FB for a new 2026 Brinkley Model I-235. 

We absolutely loved our 2023 Airstream Caravel 20FB. It was the trailer that sparked our RV obsession and set us on the path toward full-time travel. But after just three months and a few thousand miles on the road, one thing became crystal clear: the needs of a “weekend warrior” rig are very different from what’s required for full-time living.

So, we made the leap — trading our iconic aluminum Airstream for a Brinkley Model I 235. This was more than just an upgrade; it was a lifestyle shift. Here’s the full story behind our decision, what we’ve learned, and why the Brinkley has been such a game changer for us.

The Fundamental Shift: From Weekend Trips to Full-Time Living

The biggest factor driving our switch was simple our lifestyle changed. We fell in love with RVing through our 20 foot airstream and wanted to do it all the time, not just on the weekends. But we felt it was not sustainable for comfortable full time living. 

When we first bought the Airstream, our goal was to escape on weekends, visit national parks, and enjoy the freedom of the open road. For that, the Caravel 20FB was perfect. It towed easily, looked stunning, and gave us a comfortable home base for shorter adventures.

But once we started living and working in it full-time, everything changed. What had once felt charming and cozy started to feel tight and limiting. The Airstream wasn’t built for two adults and two doodles to live, work, cook, and relax in every single day.

The main pain points became impossible to ignore:

• Sleeping: The bed was narrow and short, which meant we often woke up cramped and unrested. Climbing over each other at night just to get up became a regular frustration.

• Food Storage: The small fridge could only hold a few days’ worth of groceries — and to make things worse, the top shelf would sometimes freeze our food. That meant frequent grocery runs, which got old fast.

• Shower & Bathroom: Dan had to crouch just to fit in the shower, and cleaning up felt like doing gymnastics in a phone booth.

• Storage: Space was tight, and every time we hit the road, something would fall out of a cabinet or get disorganized. We found ourselves spending more time cleaning and re-stowing gear than actually relaxing.

• Work Setup: Working full-time in the Airstream was the biggest challenge. We’d sit face-to-face for hours at the dinette, both on laptops, and it started to feel claustrophobic.

The Caravel 20FB measures just 21 feet long and 8 feet wide. That might sound manageable, but when it’s your full-time home working remotely, those dimensions close in quickly.

We still love the Airstream brand, it’s iconic, timeless, and a huge part of our story. But once we made the leap into full-time RV life, we realized we needed something more livable, more functional, and better designed for the way we actually spend our days. The Brinkley Model I 235 gave us that breathing room — space to stretch out, work comfortably, cook real meals, and actually live on the road instead of just traveling through it.

The Airstream Quality Conundrum

Airstreams have an incredible legacy and a timeless design and we still have a lot of respect for what the brand represents. But in our case, the reality didn’t quite match what we were expecting with that reputation.

We actually bought our Airstream Caravel used, partly because so many owners suggest that’s the smarter route. The thinking is that buying used helps you avoid the “first-year shakeout” issues that new rigs often have and the price point is more favorable. Unfortunately, that wasn’t entirely our experience.

Even though our Caravel was only about a year old, we ran into a steady stream of quality and functionality issues over the first 3 months. Cabinet doors and hinges constantly came loose, screws would fall out after travel days, and a few cabinet panels even popped out completely. We also battled condensation buildup along the windows and walls, which meant keeping towels on hand just to wipe everything down and having multiple dehumidifiers. It started to feel like living in a soda taken out from the fridge and left out on a hot day. 

We also had a fair share of appliance problems:

• Our water heater frequently threw error codes and would shut off mid-use.

• The shower head eventually stopped working altogether, requiring a full replacement.

• And our A/C struggled to cool the small interior, often leaving us uncomfortably warm even on mild days.

We went into the Airstream experience expecting the premium build quality that justifies its high price and reputation but over time, it felt like we were spending more energy fixing and maintaining than actually enjoying our trips.

We know RV life means there’s always something to fix, that’s just part of the deal which we are all in for. But for a brand known as the gold standard in the industry, we didn’t expect to be dealing with so many repairs so soon.

By contrast, since our trade in the Brinkley has felt noticeably sturdier and more thoughtfully engineered from day one. It’s a newer brand (founded in 2022) created by veterans from Grand Design and has already won awards in 2023 and 2024 for build quality and innovation. Brinkley units are warrantied for full-time living, and the company recently extended its Exterior Seals Package warranty from one year to three years retroactively — which speaks volumes about their confidence. Brinkley is also renowned for being built specifically for full-time living. One of the company’s founders even mentioned that around 50% of Brinkley owners are full-timers, compared to only 5–10% with most other brands. That statistic alone says a lot about who they’re building for.

Brinkley’s Craft Sense Construction eliminates exposed nails and screws, and the 40% magnesium-infused metal siding adds extra strength and protection against hail and wear. Everything feels more solid, intentional, and truly built for the kind of full-time use we need.

The Brinkley Difference: Size, Space & Livability

The jump in livability between the two rigs was night and day.

In the Airstream, we were constantly doing the “RV shuffle” squeezing past each other down the narrow hallway, dodging dogs, laptops, and dinner prep. The space quickly felt cramped and messy.

The Brinkley changed all of that for us.

Here’s what stood out:

• Slide-Out & Width: The hydraulic slide adds major living space, and even when it’s retracted, the rig is “Cracker Barrel ready” — meaning we can still access the bed, fridge, and bathroom on travel days.

• Height & Length: The Brinkley adds 7 feet in length and higher ceilings (81” interior height). Dan can actually stand up straight in the shower — a first.

• Residential Feel: From the dovetail cabinetry to the overall layout, it feels more like a tiny home on wheels than a camper.

 Feature Upgrades That Made the Difference:

Switching from our 2023 Airstream Caravel 20FB to the Brinkley Model I 235 wasn’t just about getting something bigger  it was about getting something built for full-time life.
Here’s where we noticed the biggest day-to-day improvements.

🛏 Bed & Sleep Quality