Campervans Members may use..................

Hi Kevmac,

Hmm, one would normally upgrade rather than "downgrade" to something smaller.
Well, maybe not.
We have just upgraded from a Campomatic Camper trailer to a Goldestream RV Vacationer Campervan. Boy is it big inside when set up. Because the beds slide out, all the area inside is Living space. We chose not to have an on-board toilet and shower, preferring the additional living and storage space over the convenience of a "dunny on demand".
We already have a pop-up toilet/shower tent, a Porta Potti and a Coleman Hot Water on Demand system we can use for showering, etc. It is no big deal for us to exit the Camper and walk around to where the pop-up tent is located.
We find we don't need a shower every day either and when one is bush camping, water is a premium for other uses than used for a daily shower.

The main reasons for choosing the "wind up camper" over a pop top or full height caravan, is the lower profile when towing and fitting it under our standard height carport at home, meant no additional cost in lifting the roof, or setting up another area out front to store it.

It takes 30 minutes or so to set it up but that is no time at all when you are on holiday:-)
The awning is additional time of course, but that is the same for any van so can be discounted.
After dropping the stabilizer legs, it is a matter of winding up the roof to its required height, pulling out the beds at each end and securing them, erecting the tropical roof over each bed, (a couple of poles and ropes) dropping down the top part of the door and securing it to the bottom section and that is about it.
While I set the Camper up, herself has erected the collapsible camp table and chairs (we like "living" outdoors when possible) and life is good.

I'm sure everybody has a different set of priorities when camping but we like our current choice and the extra flexibility it provides.

Best of all, our Camper has a breakfast bar where a large section of the left side can be rolled up, thus allowing the outside in.

We used our Camper for the first time during the Christmas break and now plan to travel the Great Ocean Road in a fortnight's time, over a couple of weeks, to give it a second, serious shakedown. This will be a combination of Caravan Park and Coastal Bush camping and we can hardly wait to get on the road again.

Sorry if I've prattled on a bit!

Hi, without knowing how & where you want to travel making any recommendations is hard. However that said I am responding to let you know our thinking behind our recent ‘downgrading’ from a 7 metre bus based motorhome (which we owned for 12 years & used for an 18 month trip as well as numerous shorter holidays) to a 4wd & Tvan.
We wanted a rig which would take us to places the bus couldn’t go, & to be able to stay away from ‘civilisation’ for as long as possible. To that end we have solar which will run our separate fridge & freezer indefinitely & between Tvan & vehicle can carry up to 300 litres of water. Important (for us) was a comfy bed & the ability to be able to set up with minimum fuss. Every extra minute of setup time can become a chore. We have a queensize inner spring mattress in the Tvan, permanently set up, under a hard roof. Being fairly new to us we have only set up a couple few times & expect set uptimes to improve with practice. We have the flexibility of 3 set up modes.
Quick set up overnight stops take us under 1 minute. With the tent section set up 5 minutes - which gives us a large ‘indoor’ living area with ‘breakfast bar’ looking out of a large window, plenty of room inside for table & chairs & still room to move around, or with a full awning - about 20 minutes. We also have a large zip on en-suite for shower or port potti, but haven’t put it up yet. There is a fast erect smaller shade awning accesory option which we may get. Pressurised hot & cold water in the tow vehicle & 240v inverter power. Getting in & out of bed is ‘different’ to what we have been used to, better & worse. We no longer have to climb over each other, but do have to adapt to bending our heads to step down into the hard floored tent section.
The two biggest differences to life in the bus is that we now have a much more ‘outdoor lifestyle’ The kitchen is outside & we can no longer just pull up & walk back into the living area to access the kitchen or have a lay down on the bed - it is obvious to others & thus not appropriate in some places. In the bus there was many a time after a longish drive that we would be parked in a main street somewhere & I would lay down for a snooze whilst my wife shopped. We can no longer do that. However the fact that we can now go more ‘remote’ as well as access that nicer camp spot a kilometre down river from the crowds I believe make our choice worthwhile. Hope that helps a bit

This thread may interest you.

Kevmac

Seems to me that you are actually asking about Motorhomes rather than camper trailers.

I have slowly progressed from a backpack to large tents to camper trailer to caravan over a life time.

We find a shower and toilet necessary for health requirements. Can always just pull up and use the toilet if caught short. The shovel has long passed its use by date for us.

I've never had a motorhome but I imagine you would start by asking what roads you want to travel on etc. I can always unhitch the van and take the vehicle but some roads/tracks will prevent motorhome access but you may easily acknowledge that and have probably done a lot of roads anyway.

As we age (approaching 70) we are slowing down (shorter travel days - but not stopping our travels) and getting to see in depth the areas we used to just pass by in our restricted timetable.

Hope you find the answer to your needs and enjoy the great country we have

Alan