Best 4wd campers for families

Sorry, I should have mentioned also, that we like things very easy! No messy or time consuming setups. The Troopy was awesome because we would literally only have to pull the annex out. Done!
haha. Lazy buggers

Its Tricky Bonniee , and congratulations !

We have gone right thru that phase and are within 12 months of them leaving the nest !

Thru that whole time we have got by with our Nissan Patrols(4 of), currently a GU 4800.

Currently (and for most of the last 20years) we have removed seats and linings from our Patrols
and made a flat floor which can just take a caravan size double bed (and can fold up).

Its proved highly effective and allowed us to go on all the most difficult stuff where tents,
roof top campers and other things have not been as able.

Secret is that it delivers a flat floor at a height of only 850mm even with a 3 inch lift and allows
you to get into bed in the same way as you do at home.
I.E. No clambering over things , no ladders etc etc.

Like on troppies the side opening rear barn doors allow for a simple cover to be placed over the
top to keep out rain.

With some care a fridge goes between the front seats leaving almost all of the rear space free for the inevitable.
And the big all coil sprung chassis delivers a better ride than many others in the real rough.
Note - Our arrangements preserve the seatbelt mount points when seats are removed.






But with a baby you go thru several different setups, and can't get by without a tent sometimes.


Its almost easier when they are under about a year , but between then and about 5 they are harder to cater for and by about 5 they get their own little tent and learn to put them up themselves so things become easier again.


The car configuration needs to be able to change to accomodate these various phases.
So you have to hand-make various bits and pieces to make it all fit in.

With 1 child its not so bad as you can refit one 2nd row seat and still leave most of the flat
floor for single small bed, indeed for some years child would sleep in the car, cozy and out of danger.
In this mode parents used a small dome tent just for sleeping.

There is enough room to cook meals etc from the back of the car with a single or double bed setup.

Setting up is a lot of fun and quite low cost but it does take time to get things just right.