Hi. This is our first time in the Forum. Although we have been caravanning we find that our satisfaction is not being fullfilled. We currently have a 21ft van (2.5 tonne ATM) with shower/toilet etc towed with a Patrol 3lt diesel. It feels like we are pulling a block of flats! We are missing out on all the areas which we believe offer the answer to our dreams. We are considering selling the van and buying an off road unit, poptop or camper trailer? Our interest is to find out if other nomads have had this situation and what did they do? Which is best - poptop or camper trailer? Can we do without the shower and toilet on tap? From your knowledge and experience what van is suitable for a couple of grey nomads who are adventurous, risk adverse but love our country?
 

Hi guys and welcome to the forum.

It is a tough decision thats for sure. We have a Jayco Hawke Outback and have dragged it everywhere over the last couple of years. The things we don't like about it are putting it up and down each day if we are on the move and not being self suffecient.

We are selling her now and wishing to get into an off road model with shower, toilet and no wind up bits at all.

Both of us like the adventurous life as well but dry and comfy is our next priority in a van.

Hi. Yes we looked at the Jayco. Looking at a Golodsteam offroad Storm and Supreme Offroad poptop 17ft w/out the shower and toilet so would need outside shower and porta-potti with shower tent? Back to nature. Agree winding up and down can be hard to take. Thanks for the feed back.

-- Edited by Rod-Sharon on Monday 15th of November 2010 08:30:30 PM

I have a goldstream mini caravan.12ft...the Explorer is offroad with an ensuite and its 14ft

http://www.goldstreamrv.com.au/poptops.php


Dave

-- Edited by Smokeydk on Monday 15th of November 2010 08:38:11 PM

We had a camper-trailer, and it would literally go anywhere. But the downside is the set-up, and the pack-up, especially if the canvas is wet and heavy. As one gets older it gets a bit much. All depends on your dedication to the bush and your health and energy, always a personal decision. Everything is a compromise. We currently tow a pop-top, and have a separate shower tent... if all goes well we will use a little dome tent for overnighting away from the van should the need/opportunity arise. Good luck with your choice!

We use the tent like that Gerty, its brilliant. Left the van at a friends place in Darwin and took off for the Gibb River Road for two weeks. Works a treat mate.

Hi Rod and Sharon, welcome to the forum. We too had a wind-up camper trailer, we used it a couple of times and decided putting it up and down wasn't what we wanted to do. We have brought a poptop caravan - no toilet/shower inside, use a shower tent which is fine. Suits us and we have had many happy trips away in it.

We had an off road Regal 16ft caravan that went nearly all the places we wanted to go even many times really off road. It was equipped with an outside shower and I made a tent that attached to the van thus making the external shower into an en suite and this worked a treat. This van came in @ 1900kg loaded.
We now have an on road Jayco 18ft shower toilet pop top and find it oh so much more convenient however it will only be able to do gravel roads and then with care which we are doing. This van comes in @ 2040 fully loaded.
I respectfully suggest that your current van is a little heavy for your 3 ltr Patrol and I think that if you put the van when fully loaded over the weighbridge as I have with mine you may get a shock. So perhaps a slightly smaller van with weight loaded around the 2000kg mark would be better.

Just My thoughts with no malice intended.

Hi
Thanks for all the feed back
Yes we have had it over the bridge and that is the reason we are looking to change.
The van ATM is 2450 kg and yes looking for ATM of 2000 kg or less. Has all the comforts of home which brings me to the point of why go from home if not to enjoy something different. Has anybody had any feedback for a Supreme Territory Offroad Poptop? What toilet facilities did you have, Portapotti? We would also put up a portable shower tent.

Hi  We have taken the plunge and purchased an Offroad caravan. The van is a Coromal 534 Pioneer Princeton off Road. We look forward to many miles of enjoyment on the road. thanks for all the feedback. Rod

Congratulatios on your new van, may you make many happy memories in it!

Hi Rod-Sharon. We have just sold a Coromal pop top, shower toilet aircon,fully off road. We now need a full van and more comfort. The coromal was 17ft 6". We had it for 5 years and can honestly say, not one complaint with it. We took it across the "Plenty" h/way a couple of times and it went like a dream. We take delivery of a Traveller tomorrow. 21ft 6", and hoping not too heavy. See how we go anyway. Enjoy your travells. Cheers Dellie

Hi Dellie. Congrats on the new Traveller. Yes they are a heavy van and seem to be a well built unit.
What will you be towing the van with? Cheers Rod

I had a camper trailer for many years and covered many thousands of ks all over Australia with a young family, no shower or toilet, using caravan parks and bush camping. Digging a small pit toilet is no big deal ( just make sure it's well covered over when you're finished so that others don't get a slushy surprise) and a wash in the river is OK in the summer. In the winter, it's not absolutely necessary to shower EVERY day, if the facilities are not convenient. The current poptop is sans toilet or shower, but most van parks have these now. :)

hey there i travelled most of aussie all through every road in the middle, all from bottom ofcoast to top end, thru the gulf loads of places in a jayco pop top camper wind up one had two beds one each side popped out, had a shower that hooked up to the battery for pressure a warm bucket of water drop the showe into it ,as for toilets ,used ones that were at free camps or when outback the bush was enough for us . i wouldnt do it any other way i cant stand the thought of towing a huge caravan ,the wind up part doesnt bother me one bit takes minutes and is much better than towing a huge home behind you but then it depends every body is different ,we have a small jayco owl now and its only go the one bed pops out has a fridge sink cupboards and all we need a set of seats and table inside does us a treat kids have left home now so its all we need , im looking forward to a trip to inskip point this weekend coming with the subaru club. but at the end of the day its all up to the person realy.

Rod-Sharon, we picked up our "new" 5 yr old van ,and bought it home on Saturday. We towed it with our patrol. 3 ltr, turbo diesel. Went like a dream. We were advised to stay in 4th gear unless very easy road. Truely had no "drag", and I think I'm in love with it already.LOL. Cheers Dellie

Good advice DellieMay - don't tow in 5th gear unless it's a slight downhill long stretch. It's not a working gear, it's an overdrive.

Hi Dellie. Great to hear. we also have a 3 lt Diesel Patrol. Car is  auto so we turned off the overdrive and    never used cruise control. Averaged 15lt/100 when towing the 21'6" Island Star. Happy travels  Rod & Sharon

DellieMay. Curious to find out about your Patrol. What model/year and milage has it done? have you had any problems to date? We have 2002 ST 3lt auto and done 46000km from new.