What makes people jump to a caravan?

[Blinky Bill]

Hi all - Well here I sit in my castle on a hill looking down the valley at the flood water that prevents me from even getting to my neighbours for a sanity break and a bit a yack over coffee. It's kind of like a bad case of 'home alone'. Just the dog & Moi here. If it wasn't for the internet I think I'd go nuts. Mmm better make that 'nuttier'!

So I reflect on what I saw last time I was able to actually drive the road & highway and recalled seeing quite a number of camper trailers. Clearly each had their own idea of either heading to Paradise or escaping the weather. Some were heading South, some North & some were heading West. Now there's where I long to go.

But I digress, outside on my concrete slab is one Kimberley Kamper that I erected a week ago to show visitors. Despite the good lady suggesting that I pack it up, I thought I knew better and just wanted it open for one more day to ensure that the canvas was bone dry before packing it.

What a tosser! It's now out there getting absolutely pelted by these storms and I just know that once the lady of the house gets through the floods & home again that she'll have something to say on the score.

So looking out the kitchen window the thought of changing to a caravan came to mind. I was constructing a kind of mental Balance Sheet of + and - thoughts on caravan versus camper. The caravan I have in mind is the Kimberley Karavan or the Matrix from AORC. Both tough & both comfortable.

Camper trailer
+ easy to tow : save fuel & go places caravans wouldn't dare
+ cheap : I all ready have it & I owe nothing on it
+ CT feels like you're camping
- not all that secure : it's hard to lock a zipper
- not at all good in cold or wet conditions

Caravan
+ highest level of comfort once at camp : bed, shower, toilet & internal kitchen
+ open the door and walk on in : less hassle with mozzies, midgies & flies with a fly screen door
+ good for hot, wet & cold conditions
- expensive : say sayonarra to around $80,000 (that's a lot of holidays right there)
- not as easy to tow or park or stow : in fact I nearly freaked out last time I had one on the back
- blocks rear vision and is effected by wind
- increases fuel consumption

Anyone here thinking of making the change from Camper Trailer to Caravan?

Care to give your thoughts on the plus & minus of both units?

Cheers & tears - Wayne

[BigJules]

I don't think there is all that much difference between a camper and a caravan in wet conditions; inside is inside.

It is the perception of comfort that pushes folks into caravans.

[cancan]

We have a similar dilemma....I am sitting in my castle on a hill looking down at the suburb and thinking if I get to see flood water its goodbye Brisbane.
also a coincidence is that we are going through the CT v Caravan debut (ongoing for a while now).

I like the CT,  for the same reasons you have mentioned but also:

+ easy to tow :  can also be towed by nearly anything.
+ easy to store : smaller footprint on our limited front yard
+ easy to modify/personalise : can be modded easily ishhh
- wet weather : limited options when camping in the wet and also if we pack up in the wet we cannot open the CT out to dry, have to use my neighbours back yard
- not at all good in hot conditions : the wife being born and bred in queensland hates the heat and there is only so much a fan can do under canvas

Caravan
+ highest level of comfort once at camp : Air con; more options to keep kids dry in the rain
+ open the door and walk on in : set up/pack up times a lot better along with more storage options
+ good for hot, wet & cold conditions
- weight : in our case depending on what size caravan we may have to update tow car.
- not as easy to stow : can only just fit a 16ft expanda in our yard and chances are I would need to buy an old ride on mower to use as a parking tractor otherwise I would have to push it in place (don't think so Jan)

Our options are all on hold for the time being but when we come back to the topic, and as much as I love the idea of an extenda camper trailer, most of our usage is at caravan parks and trying to convert a CT to work as a caravan is pointless when for a few thousand more we can purchase a Jayco expanda which would also work in the limited non caravan park trips that we do.
As for its not really camping, we only sleep in the CT and live in the annex, this can also be achieved with a caravan its just when the weather gets a bit more extreme you have the option to get out of it with a bit of luxury.

Now back to being serenaded by the dogs snoring and watching the rain fall

[austastar]

Hi,
   when camping with friends with a mixture of caravans and camper trailers I am aware of the difference of 'outdoor living space' provided by the awnings of the campers.
With caravans (and my own slide-on) the 'outside' and 'inside' living spaces don't merge as comfortably. To change areas usually involves steps and a door, which in fine weather seems wrong some how.
So to reverse and paraphrase your question: would I jump to a camper trailer?
Not for the wet cold weather short stay trips we presently do, but for longer term, warmer weather one would be ideal. In-fact for our summer trips, a camper trailer would be brilliant.
cheers

[Campa]

We've thought about it, however most people we see camping that have caravan's set up then drag everything outside just like you would a camper trailer. And the stuff they dont drag out there constanly in & out

[JCOJ]

I really like the look of the Ozzie Off Road Gunyah caravan and also theNorth Coast Campers XLT Topender, but at the end of the day I keep thinking is a camper trailer is more agile for tight tracks, will use less petrol towing it, and I don't want to hide away inside which is what I amy be more inclined to do with a caravan.

Plus the price of them is alot - they want $85,000 for the Matrix - that is alot compared to the top end camper trailers!

I'm happy with my Aussie Swag. 

[Blinky Bill]

Well there's some interesting & thought provoking comments.

BigJules - "It is the perception of comfort that pushes folks into caravans". Perception maybe but having recently done a lap of the block that included crisp to tropical, I am fairly confident that those other folk sharing the free camp sites with us but in caravans, were looking considerably more comfortable than we were when we all got up in the morning. Of course it could have all been an act. 

I thought our advantages were ease of negotiating tracks & ability travel with less fuel consumption.

cancan - We seem to share many thoughts on the CT v the C'van.
Interesting that you mention Jayco. There was a time when I wouldn't touched them with a 10' barge pole. But then I met up with a chap that I exchanged ideas with on another forum and he showed me his new Jayco. Well my Missus had eyes like saucers. The caravan had a lot of good kit. Shower, toilet, washing machine, queen size bed with inner spring, good seating for 4, heating & a/c.

I can't vouch for the quality & it certainly would not have been any good on some of the roads we travelled such as Gibb River, Cape Levique and perhaps not even the Bungle Bungles or other wonderful National Parks. But let's be honest there reaches a point where you have 'been there & done that' and your tastes change. Age usually ensures that.

Cheers - Wayne

[Blinky Bill]

Hi,
   when camping with friends with a mixture of caravans and camper trailers I am aware of the difference of 'outdoor living space' provided by the awnings of the campers.
With caravans (and my own slide-on) the 'outside' and 'inside' living spaces don't merge as comfortably. To change areas usually involves steps and a door, which in fine weather seems wrong some how.
So to reverse and paraphrase your question: would I jump to a camper trailer?
Not for the wet cold weather short stay trips we presently do, but for longer term, warmer weather one would be ideal. In-fact for our summer trips, a camper trailer would be brilliant.
cheers

I'm beginning to thing BigJules may be onto something with his Perception ideas. You see my spin on longer term, warmer weather is that caravans have it all over camper trailers. At least all over mine. 
Point in case was last year I was camping at Mullumbimby at a very nice spot right alongside the river (Tweed I believe). I was visited by a mate from Brisbane who drove down for the day & I decided 'let's have a coffee and enjoy the view'. Well it was so damn hot under canvas that we decided 'bugger it let's head up to town and go to a cafe'. Since then I've been thinking a decent fly may be the solution. 
Having said all of that, camper trailers do have brilliant air flow from all 4 sides. And if you get a modern CT such as JKohn's very nice Aussie Swag, you also get a roof vent to release the hot air. 

Take care - Wayne

[TOPNDR]

Mrs T & I have an AORC Quantum, having got here via a box trailer and more recently a Kimberley Kamper.

Overall we couldn't be happier with the Quantum, it does every thing we want, with no compromise.  I miss the more elegant lines of the KK behind the 4wd, but that's a minor aesthetic.  We have a shower, dunny, heater, oodles of storage, outside cooking, a pull out awning (numero uno on Mrs T's must have list) and it'll go where ever we want.  Admittedly, there might be some very small percentage of tracks that are too winding or with too low an overhang to get the Q through compared to a KK, but we haven't found any yet.

We're also having the what type of caravan will we eventually get conversation/s.  We've decided that if we're dedicated nomads, with no need to stop anywhere for extended periods to work, the Quantum will do indefinitely.  If however, we decide to live the mobile life whilst still working, we'd probably want the additional comfort that an offroad (Spinifex is front runner) caravan will offer.

[POD]

I'd like to make a confession, Father: I own a caravan.

Here's my little story on it:

We owned a Jayco Eagle OB. It was tops. Would tow well, was comfortable, mostly did what we asked of it. Anyways, we went away for a weekend to Lake Towerinning in WA. The weather was OK when we set off but a storm blew in the next morning and I decided to start the pack up before the wind had a chance to do any damage. The wind got stronger as we were packing up and a MINOR amount of damage was done, mainly to the awning and flies. Nothing too sever though.

That got me thinking: if we were in an expanda, would we have had the same problem? Whilst we would have been somewhat more secure, I think that the ends would still have left us somewhat "exposed" to the forces of nature, certainly not as bad as the Eagle but still, IN MY OPINION, an issue. So what about a pop-top?

Well, that's where we're at now. We own a Jayco Discovery 17.55.3 Outback. Has awning, aircon, toilet/shower. And, well, not to put too fine a point on it, WE ABSOLUTELY FREAKING LOVE IT!

Our "positives":

Can pull over and get in it to make lunch (wit the top still down), easy to sit down, prepare lunch, eat it, away from too much heat (or cold or rain or snow or. . . . ) away from the flies.

We pull up at a van park and we're set up in about 10 mins. If that.

We can stop on the side of the road for an overnighter with ease. Could even stop in the middle of a town without drawing attention to the fact that you're sleeping in it - leaving the top down.

It has aircon for the really hot nights. Big plus in my books.

The bed is always made up and doesn't require the mucking around that the Eagle and Expandas does or would.

In gale force winds we can leave the top down and be snug as a bug in a rug.

It's a LOT more secure than the Eagle if you're concerned about where you are sleeping or if you want to leave it for the day and lock it up.

When it gets wet it dries very quickly.

On the negative side, yes it does knock the fuel economy around but you just need to sensible about it - we sit on about 90 -95 and find it about right.

It won't go where a KK or other camper will, but we didn't really do any of that stuff or see that we would be.  If we want to go somewhere the van can't go then we just take a tent.


To be honest, they're not for everyone, and they're a compromise, as is everything though. We realise and accept those compromises and we have NO regrets at all.

[outback jack]

I've had ct's for 20+ years. soft and hard floors, I'm leaning towards a off-road van at the moment (supreme getaway)

a mate of mine has one and he has no problems in the bush with it, (no hard core stuff though)

i reckon the biggest pita with a ct is packing it up when the canvas is wet

its probably evolution, start off with a swag then progress to a c/van after x amount of years

[JethroT]

We moved from a soft floor Camper Trailer to a Camper Van for the ease of set up.  And I imagine when it comes to retirement age we will buy a Caravan for that same reason.

We live outside under our awning and never use the inside kitchen, preferring the Camp Oven, so we weren't swayed by the inside setup of the camper van, however an airconditioner and bathroom in a caravan has some appeal.

Regards

[Robertsons]

Its interesting reading this. We have converted to a Base Station from the camper. Reason's for doing so
Sick of packing up in the rain
Spent a couple of expensive nights in motels because it was too wet to set up
More time spent on checking out the area we are in
Earlier take off times when on longer trips (what we have mainly done over the last year)
Still have camping gear that can fit in the van should we want to join friends on a off road adventure (roof rack works there)
Approx 700kg of extra stuff can be loaded in, Motor bikes too.

We not long ago came back home and found with the van we used the fold up table that we lugged around in the camper for years and hardly utilised.

Towing and storage are our only issues. More fuel, have to remember no low bridges, wider turning circle so on. Johns a truck driver so is use to that anyhow.

Another point we considered was the organisation of our holidays. Taking a van we need to do a lot more day trips to areas that are not caravan friendly due to narrow roads, tight bridges and the like.

Either way the camper or van sure beats the hell out of motels and resorts.

[crackacoldie]

We jumped from a caravan to a camper trailer.  Reasons being:

Caravan no longer suited our lifestyle. (we went up to a 24ft Way to big to take out for weekends).
Campertrailer suited some of our trips we had planned - Googs Track, High Country, Cape York.

Will we go back to a caravan - Yes.  Why?

Ease of set up.  ease to access when parked in driveway.  Comfort levels, including Air Con when away in the heat.

As for backing a caravan, same as backing a camper and it does not matter if you pack up in the wet.

Overall it is horses for courses really and ideally I would like to keep the camper and get another caravan when finances permit.

  Cracka

[austastar]

Either way the camper or van sure beats the hell out of motels and resorts.

Yep, even a hollow log can do that.

cheers

[Blinky Bill]

TOPNDR - Sound like you are perfectly happy with your Quantum then. It sure seems like a nice way to see the place.

Would your Quantum provide comfortable accommodation in the Victorian High Country during the cool & quite cold times? In other words is it well insulated to retain the heat? I'm dead keen on places like (Bright and others). But fear that the CT would not be the best option in early Spring, late Autumn or Winter.

I reckon others have hit the nail on the head with when to move from one form of camping to another. Of course our circumstances change. Young campers often love swags & then tents. Then along come the kids and sometimes a rethink is needed. We might get the adventure bug & consider off road campers. Then after a while we're ready for a more sedate & comfortable set-up.

Cheers all - Wayne

[TOPNDR]

Would your Quantum provide comfortable accommodation in the Victorian High Country during the cool & quite cold times? In other words is it well insulated to retain the heat? I'm dead keen on places like (Bright and others). But fear that the CT would not be the best option in early Spring, late Autumn or Winter.

G'day Blinky,

Too right it's good in the cold.  Well insulated AND we optioned the diesel heater.  It's a Dometic jobbie, has a 10 litre fuel tank which lasts for ages, and even on the first graduation, will keep the camper snugly warm.  Usually we turn it off when going to be and on in the morning but have occasionally left it running all night.  It's thermostatically controlled and we wouldn't be with out it.   

We're visiting family at Parrabel Park, just west of Kempsey March 2nd & 3rd, planning to drive in from Armidale way.  You're welcome to come for a sticky-beak if you'd like, or we can meet on the road if that's easier.

[Kit_e_kat9]

I'll jump into this conversation if that's okay?

CT by a long shot. 

Reasons for me are varied.  CT's are simple.  I can't take the whole house with me.  I feel as if I'm part of where I am rather than blocking it behind walls and shutting a door.  I don't need a tele, air-con, a microwave, an oven (I'm using a camp oven on an open fire), I don't have to run a gennie or plug into a powerpoint.  And I will be living outdoors anyways because the CT really is where you sleep and it carries your wares ... you don't have to "live" in it because you are having too much fun seeing someplace or being somewhere. 

I guess it does just depends on your idea of comfort.

Kit_e

P.S.  When we bought our AS our percentage of opening it and getting annoying rain, thunder, lightning, hail, torrential downpour was 80% so we learned to live with it.

[briann532]

Hope not to cause offence to anyone here............
Just my humble opinion and that of SWMBO.

We have a Jayco Hawk and I toyed with the idea of an expanda. In laws have a Jayco Sterling.
We found the "caravans"just too enclosed. It didn't feel like you were out camping.
They tend to not have a lot of window space as walls are used for storage, cupboards or just as walls...........
The Hawk had 360 views (OK I'll admit a thin strip of canvas here and there, but you can see all around.

My only beef was the wet weather issue.
This was solved by having some lightwieght zip on walls made for the annex. Also had some made out of midgie mesh so we can eat outside when the biters are out.
As far as wind goes, I peg down the corners of the bed flys with 2 guys and the awning corners with 2 each and 1 in the middle.
A few "hurricane"nights at blowering dam and other places along the great ocean road that had the patrol rocking.............Yes seriously it gets windy in the bight...........and the camper held up no probs.
Woke up in the morning to tarps ripped all over the place and branches everywhere, but our awning stood fine.

I guess ultimately one day I'll head towards a quantum style van or similar, but for now we really do enjoy the "roominess"of the jayco and that true outdoor feel.
I also find with the flys out I can pack the jayco up in the pouring rain and the only thing that gets wet is anything to do with ropes or poles for the annexe.
Annexe and flys roll up wet, but can be dried out later. Everything else packs up and sets up again in the rain, no problems.
I use a drizabone for myself and the car for the boss..................

Cheers
Brian

[Willow Girl]

I personally hate caravans
When inside them I feel caustophobic cause most vans have small windows.   The internal space of a camper trailer is great!
Also, who wouldnt want it to rain when camping... love the sould of the rain on canvas... nothin beats that sound! All the more reason to .. umm... snuggle. 
As for packing up in the rain... just go down to bunnings and get a $2 poncho. problem solved. (unless hubby cleanes out the tool box and didnt replace them like on our last trip)

[Blinky Bill]

"We're visiting family at Parrabel Park, just west of Kempsey March 2nd & 3rd, planning to drive in from Armidale way.  You're welcome to come for a sticky-beak if you'd like, or we can meet on the road if that's easier."

That's very kind of you TOPNDR - I shall put it to the good lady when she eventually makes it home after the water level drops and resumes control of the ship. As you would expect the floods will require us to alter plans and I may well be in Brisbane on those dates.

It would be good to see your set-up. I'll PM you when I know more, if that's okay.

Thanks again - Wayne

[TOPNDR]

PM when ready.

We'll be driving Sunshine Coast, thru Brisbane, then via Armidale on March 2, so if you're in Brisvegas that morning, it could work there too.

[oldblade]

Well lots here on why and why not but it comes down to what suits you

For use we were in a tent and loved camping we did tassie for a month but found that we hated packing away went canvas


Camping is about sitting outside by a fire by yourself in the bush with no one else to be seen around only the sounds of nature To keep you company


so we bought a new jayco swan and lost camping
Went to caravan parks sat inside lots and I still had to deal with wet canvas

3 years later sold the jayco and

This time we bought a Tracktrailer Topaz
It's to small to sit inside so we are back outside
Its very capable offroad so we haven't been near a caravan park
No canvas we even got hailed on and we just jumped inside till it stopped them went back,out to the fire
It is heavy to tow 1500kg but we find it worthwhile

[yandiferal]

and don't forget the most important thing
OLD AGE
 

[oldblade]

and don't forget the most important thing
OLD AGE
 

Hey I'm only 38