Author Topic: Best camper for family of 5  (Read 5515 times)

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Offline Sparkdog99

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Best camper for family of 5
« on: July 13, 2014, 07:28:25 AM »
First ct was a basic Customline with no kitchen( wife hated it and camping ). Moved on to a Jayco Dove outback which my wife likes and was fine for 2 small kids. Move forward and we now have 3 kids 10 ,7 and 0. Problem is we don't fit any more. Can't go a bigger jayco as the dove is the largest one that will fit in the garage.

So I have been looking at a Camel passage with stainless kitchen or the customline walk up. We do lots of touring so quick set up is important. Would a walk up soft floor be a better option then a 13 ft tent on standard ct? Any other options it should be looking at? I liked the modcon ecomate but can't see us fitting. Budget is $20k.
Cheers Sparkdog

Offline Garfish

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2014, 08:35:35 AM »
One that you all fit in and use.

We are a family of 5 and all fit in a lifestyle extenda with their standard 10ft tent when I was looking the Customline and camels were 9ft tents and we would of had to go too the longer tent.  I mocked up a space in the garage and set up beds etc to see what worked.  There is room inside to play board games in rain without having to move bedding.

Will your wife be happy going back to soft floor after dove, you said she didn't like the Customline or was that the lack of kitchen etc.   

Most of the walk ups are similar and are a bit like the (puts flame suit on) nissan v toyota v other 4x4 or Holden v ford discussions each to their own find the one you like and will use and go for it...

It may also be worth checking the  classifieds for a great 2nd hand unit.
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Offline D4D

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2014, 08:41:56 AM »
Rodsswag has a walk-up Customline for sale that is perfect for you, he built it and he has a tribe of kids.

Edit - looks like it might be sold http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=37013
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Offline Lori

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2014, 11:41:54 AM »
We are a family of 5 that own a Lifestyle walkthru with a 12ft tent. We fit in easily with plenty of room to spare.

The kids sleep on stretchers with 4WD mats on top, still very easy access to the walkway and door and room enough on the floor to sit and play a board game.

End of last year we went from Sydney up to Proserpine in three days, so we were driving long stretches before pulling into camp late at night. Alot of the free overnight stops simply werent suitable for soft floor campers. Setup time isnt an issue if you are only setting up the tent, no annex. We ate out for breakfast and dinner so no real need for the kitchen but had we needed it and the weather was no good then we would have had to spend an extra 20mins setting up the annex. For lunch we pulled over and made our own, we have a Drifta DPOR, so we just made sure that we had everything we needed to make lunch in the draw section and left the main area pack away. Fridge travels in walkway, fine for longer trips where we move it to sit under the annex but for touring we will need to invest in a fridge slide.

The camper works well for us, but after our QLD trip I decided that if we start touring regularly then our current camper would not meet our needs.

Parents have a forward fold, when we borrowed it for an overnighter found it cramped and uncomfortable the moment we had to change the lounge area into a bed, okay occasionally but wouldn't want to do it permanently.

Offline Sparkdog99

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2014, 01:15:38 PM »
Thanks for the comments, I can't really think of a perfect ct. I think any option will be a compromise. The jayco was good for touring except for the lack of storage space. Now it is also a lack do sleeping options.

Offline oldmate

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2014, 04:27:15 PM »
Can you get out to the myswag meet this weekend and have a look at some trailers? Even if you don't camp, bring the wife and kids out for the day, and have a talk to everyone. There will be plenty of families with all types of set ups, and it may even inspire your wife a little bit more.

 :cheers:
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Offline rodsswag

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2014, 06:46:08 PM »
Rodsswag has a walk-up Customline for sale that is perfect for you, he built it and he has a tribe of kids.

Edit - looks like it might be sold http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=37013


Yes, I have taken a deposit, so it looks like it is sold.

But the good news is a house is not to far away now.

 :cheers:

Rod..........
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Offline tweed prado

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2014, 06:54:49 PM »
we have 3 kids 2 older boys and the youngest is a girl and size was an issue. so we brought a camel with a plumbed kitchen with burners with a 9ft tent because if we have too we can fit onto tent/caravan sites at caravan parks. some of the larger tents will not fit on some of the sites and when traveling you do need to stay in caravan parks now and then. an example was the Big 4 at dubbo if we had a larger tent we would have struggled. we used a bunk bed for the 2 younger kids up til the age of 7 and 12. then moved the 2 older boys into swags and they loved it, even did the cape with this set up. now my daughter sleeps in a swag as well and loves it and with the 9ft tent its not to much to set up and is handy when wet. what i did was open a window awning at the end and side of the tent and put them up on poles, then set up the swags under the awning so they are protected from weather,still close to us and not taking up to much room.

Offline fuji

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2014, 07:44:52 PM »
Yes, I have taken a deposit, so it looks like it is sold.

But the good news is a house is not to far away now.

 :cheers:

Rod..........


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Offline Clouty

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Re: Best camper for family of 5
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2014, 08:05:21 PM »
Can you get out to the myswag meet this weekend and have a look at some trailers? Even if you don't camp, bring the wife and kids out for the day, and have a talk to everyone. There will be plenty of families with all types of set ups, and it may even inspire your wife a little bit more.

 :cheers:
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That's a great idea :cup: