Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007 at 10:39
Scruffy,
We too are heading off on a year long trip around Oz with our
young baby and leaving in approx. 4 months. We have also been going through the same frustrating process as yourselves. I posted a similar question to this not long ago and got some good
feedback - refer to post 42940
Both options definately have pros and cons as you are aware.
1. Pop Top Caravan. - We have actually been looking a these as a compromise between a caravan and camper trailer and to date my thoughts are as follows:
Pros
-Similar in size and weight as a camper trailer (no real size drwback)
-High level of comfort if going on extended trip, especially with kids
-Reasonably priced (found a few xheaper than good off road camper trailers)
-Great as a base for extended stays
-All beds are up off the ground
-Table, chairs and kichen inbuilt ready to go
-Can handle 'mild' off road conditions (wouldnt take to GRR/
Cape York tho)
Cons
-Not true off road and still need tent for hard to get to
places (this means need to also have fridge etc in car to be self sufficient in vehicle whilst away from van - additional costs / more luggage
-Additional fuel costs and inconvenience of towing and wear on the vehicle
- Still only canvas over sleeping areas (not any better than CT or even tent)!~
- If canvas gets wet, when folded down will this make your bedding wet ?
- No insulation (similar to CT and Tent) ie cant have aircon or heating
- Need to back track to pick up van if you head off tenting (to do the GRR will need to do approx 20000 klm return trip to pick up van - not a cherap exercise) !
-as mentioned in earlier post, need to arrange to have van left somewhere when heading off via tent - once again extra costs
-Not built as strong as hardcore 'Off road camper trailer'
-No treg hitch
-Limited clearance height
- another vehicle to have problems and maintenance with !!!
Summary
Probably be good for longer stays due to comfort although structurally not sure how some brands would fair on a long trip, especially if taken off road. Still has canvas sides so really no benefit in the wet , especially packing up and setting up. Handy to have kitchen and sitting area up off the floor however van still needs to be set up ie bed ends pulled out, annexe set up etc.
Not sure about this option..
Off Road Camper Trailer
Pros
- Access to nearly all off road areas
- Stronger structurally and better designed for off road
- Good storage areas depending on models
- Can have reasonably quick set up times
- Beds can be left made
- some beds are off ground
- flexible living areas due to annexes etc depending on length of stay
- Good water/fuel storage options
-
Cons
- Associated fuel costs with towing
- Initial outlay could be expensive
- waiting times to have camper trailer made (in our case anyway)
- Wet canvas when setting up and packing away
- Not real good for kids in heat / rain
- Set up and pack down after few months may become bit of a chore
- Living area (if soft floor) is on ground - If hard floor option is chosen then this area is quite small and really only sleeps 2-3 people
Summary
Best option for off road however long term living may not be too good. The general reply we get is yep great for a couple of months but any longer than that get a caravan if you have kids.
Caravan
Not keen on this idea but definately has a couple of advantages.
pros
- Everything pretty much already set up
- Can air con and heat as has solid walls (subjec to power availability)
- Mini version of a house
- Can have
toilet and shower etc
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Heavy to tow and lot of drag
- Limited access, need to leave van somewhere before heading off to tent it
Tent
we have seriously looked at this option as it is cheap, can be quick and huge savings on initial outlay vs caravan or camper trailer. Also huge savings in fuel costs and you dont have to tow anything.
Drawbacks include possible set up times, limited kitchen setup, beds not off the ground, packing away wet canvas, limited space etc and storage limited to your vehicle
Pros include no towing required, full access to where ever your vehicle can go, savings on fuel and purchase price etc.
The money saved not buying a CT or van could be used to stay in cheap accomodation options when needed (if too hot, storm coming etc) for the duration of the trip. Considering a good CT or Van really starts at around $20,000 - this would be a lot of stays in accomodation given the options start at around $50 per night !!!
Anyways, keep us posted as to your final decision. Hopefully we make our decision soon also as it is sending me crazy !!!
Regards
Birdy
AnswerID:
228766
Follow Up By: scruffyDog - Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 00:13
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 at 00:13
I read your post 42940. Lots of very useful advice there.
For us, a lot of the decision probably comes down to how long we'll be away. We could do the year long thing - do
home schooling for kids and really take our time. We could also rent out the house if gone for that long. But it is a long time, and what if we all just drive each other mad? Or if the kids hate it?
So the other option is doing a number of shorter trips. Which means we'll see a lot less or have to do it a lot faster, which isn't my ideal.
Anyway, like someone else said, it's not a bad problem to have. :)
FollowupID:
489709