[Closed] Caravanerists - good idea / bad idea?

Kept cold for two weeks on my last camping holiday. France, in August.

You kept bottles of milk, beer and wine cold in a coolbox in august for two weeks without any intervention? I am sceptical. Remember - I've used coolboxes, a lot, so I know how they work.

I feel like you are trying to compete somehow. There's really no need.

You and sasquatch won't win this argument. You can't claim a tent setup has more facilities than a caravan AND is quicker and simpler to put up AND is more comfortable.

You appear to be arguing against something I haven't said. I was merely responding to your rather odd suggestion that caravanning is better because you are able to keep milk cool, as though coolboxes don't exist.

Though well done on your little list - I expect you're so pleased that you're rubbing your polyester slacks.

You kept bottles of milk, beer and wine cold in a coolbox in august for two weeks without any intervention? I am sceptical. Remember - I've used coolboxes, a lot, so I know how they work.

Option 1. Plug coolbox into mains.
Option 2. Freeze icepacks in campsite freezer.
Sheesh, this stuff isn't difficult.

I feel like you are trying to compete somehow. There's really no need.

You're right. I should stop with the silly lists.

I think I could write a bot that passed the Turing test if the subject was caravanning. It could argue from either side and be convincing.

It's probably one of the stupidest arguments I've seen on here for a while, but molgrips is right. You can't say that the camping experience is comfier/warmer/more secure/drier or anything else over a caravan.

We bought our first caravan simply because tents are so shit.

Last time I camped in the UK was when I did the Trans Cambrian Way two years ago. Whole family drove out to Aberdovey, we stayed overnight, then we set off riding, the family had a day out and drove to the end. My wife didn't want to drive the caravan on the windy roads.

Kept cold for two weeks on my last camping holiday. France, in August.

Could you let me know which coolbox you use ransos? The coolbox I have that we use for camping, which is good quality, doesn't keep stuff that cold in hot weather when plugged into the mains. Milk will last 2 days max. Not plugged in with ice packs we'd be lucky if milk lasted a day in hot weather.

The fridge in the caravan on the other hand has very cold beer available whatever the weather, and ice for the g&t 🙂

Option 1. Plug coolbox into mains.

So you can only go to sites where you can freeze ice packs or have mains hook up, sounds a bit restrictive 🙂
Option 2. Freeze icepacks in campsite freezer.

Could you let me know which coolbox you use ransos? The coolbox I have that we use for camping, which is good quality, doesn't keep stuff that cold in hot weather when plugged into the mains. Milk will last 2 days max. Not plugged in with ice packs we'd be lucky if milk lasted a day in hot weather.

A bog standard Camping gaz box I've had for about ten years. If it's very hot, I supplement it with an ice pack or two. It's always been fine.

Option 1. Plug coolbox into mains.
Option 2. Freeze icepacks in campsite freezer.
Sheesh, this stuff isn't difficult.

No but it's less convenient, which has been my point all along. Also rather hard if you don't have mains or a campsite freezer 🙂

A bog standard Camping gaz box I've had for about ten years.

Same as mine, strange how they perform so differently 🙂

No but it's less convenient, which has been my point all along. Also rather hard if you don't have mains or a campsite freezer

No, that wasn't your point. You were complaining about the difficulty of keeping milk cold when camping. The point is, it isn't difficult.

Anyway, people caravanning for any decent length of time also plug into the mains, don't they?

Same as mine, strange how they perform so differently

I can only speak as I find. I haven't used any other coolboxes.

No, that wasn't your point. You were complaining about the difficulty of keeping milk cold when camping. The point is, it isn't difficult.

Well I found it difficult, but I don't go to sites with mains or camp freezers. But I can rephrase it if you like? It's more restrictive and less convenient.

Quick poll then:

Have the anti-caravanners ever carvanned?

and

Have the caravanners ever camped?

Well I found it difficult, but I don't go to sites with mains or camp freezers. But I can rephrase it if you like? It's more restrictive and less convenient.

Are there very many sites that accept caravans, yet don't have a freezer or mains electricity on site?

Have the caravanners ever camped?

Yes, a lot.

Are there very many sites that accept caravans, yet don't have a freezer or mains electricity on site?

Yes, 100's, they're called certificated sites. Basically a field with a water supply.

[i]Edit: 1600 camping and caravan club certificated sites in the UK.[/i]

Fridge in the caravan can run on gas, so cold stuff still available.

Yes, 100's, they're called certificated sites. Basically a field with a water supply.

Ah, ok. I've never stayed in one. I prefer sites with a few facilities when family camping.

No you wouldn't want to, your milk would go off and your beer would be warm 🙂

Thousands of CLs, in fact. These are the only ones I stay on. £6-10 a night, middle of the countryside, and hardly any other people cos they are limited to 5 caravans. Often on farms so the kids get to watch the animals, it's lovely. The nice owners let the kids interact with the animals too. I milked a cow when I was a kid, last one we were on my kids watched lambs being born.

Far better than busy sites.

No you wouldn't want to, your milk would go off and your beer would be warm

Sour milk and warm beer I can cope with, it's the thought of being near caravanners that really puts me off. 😉

Far better than busy sites.

I like busy sites. My kids are always able to find other kids their own age to make friends with, they can go to the playground, I can get fresh bread from the site shop, there's often a pool. Etc.

In answer to the poll:
I've camped and now caravan.
Caravan wins 😀

Caravanning being popular with families there are usually other kids on CLs too. I don't tend to use facilities cos we're usually out and about doing stuff for most of the day, we only come back for downtime and meals.

I've camped and now caravan

I bet yours has nice curtains.

Haha. It is old so has hideous decor. Curtains are all new and pretty. Not that digusting peach velour. 🙂

We have velour that used to be green I think. My wife has considered making new ones but I'm personally not sure it's worth bothering as everything's so faded and old anyway.

We have 're-decorated' the bathroom with that sticky film you can get in B&Q though, which is a huge improvement.

here's mine, well not actually mine but it looks the same.

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Fixed bed, eh? hmm.

Yeh, its great, there's only the two of us so no weans to bother about unless the youth decides to come with us.

Ah yes, for two it would be good. I'd still be tempted to consider a smaller 2 berth, but when our kids are out of the house we might end up having more storage so who knows.

Classifieds in the Caravan Club magazine (now the Caravan and Motorhome club) usually have some pearlers in them - look for the ones that have lightly used van with everything "illness forces sale"

EDIT: actually for those caravan gurus - any good tips on a van with rear bunks - there's 3 of us and we fancy a van, smallest family member would prefer a bunk, we're happy with a convertible bed in the front

Best thing you can do is have a wander around a large caravan dealers and take a look in the vans, then decide on the layout you want based on actually being in the van. What you think might work for you might not be so good once you're in the van. Once you decide on the layout pretty much all manufacturers do something similar.

You mean fixed bunk? They were not in fashion for a while, but in the last 5 years or so they have come back, so it depends on how much £ you have.

Why do they want a bunk, incidentally?

NZCol.

[url= http://www.caravanfinder.co.uk/caravan-layouts-4berth-bunkbed.html ]9 VANS HERE WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT BUDGETS[/url]

I've seen an Elddis 464 in the "flesh". It would do everything you describe.

I'll keep looking at my myriad of bookmarks, we're looking for the same thing as you.

A bunk is similar to "the naughty step", for adults. 😉

Those layouts though have rear bunks but no seat back there. Some have a little dinette as well as bunks.

I personally like the second seating area, but it's all preference of course.

Oh yeah you can also get ones with two beds down either side, they are sprung mattresses but you could leave one made up as a bed and one could be sat on still.

Like this, a bailey Pursuit 550-4 which is a new van but there are older ones available:

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

get one of them teardrop ones

Not read the whole thread, but just wanted to make the plea that you don't load the 'van with food before you go. While it's tempting and probably cheaper for you, it would mean that the whole holiday spend is done somewhere other than the island you are visiting.

Mine cost £500
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Not sure I understand that statement? You're saying he r shopping for food is an important part of the holiday so should be done when you get there?

He (I presume a he) is on about spending someo money at the destination. Don't ship in all you need. Give to the island economy

AA - Your caravan looks good. What type & weight is it?

Oh yes I see what he means. Well caravan cupboards aren't that big so we don't bring much food, plus most of our money is spent doing stuff out and about anyway.

My point was indeed that it would be good to support the island economy if you are able. I tottally get that you don't wan to spend your time shopping, but small islands rely heavily on tourists for their income.
Whatever you choose to do: enjoy the trip.

That little caravan is awesome!!

molgrips - Member

And why does Molgrips think you can't have fresh milk if you're a camperist?

I've extensively camped as well as caravanned. Milk tends not to keep that well without a fridge.

Get tent out and pitch in 30 seconds, or less.
Enjoy the extra 2 hours of holiday.
Watch caravanners get soaking wet while as they argue about who's going to put the legs down and put the awning up.

I think you are comparing efficient camping with inefficient caravanning. You may be able to pitch a tiny instant pitch tent in 30 seconds, but the two things are in no way comparable. Trust me, I do know this. Did you know that caravan awnings are not mandatory, and for shorts stays most people don't bother?

You can get packing up from camping down to a similar amount of time as packing up a caravan, but then you have to spend your holiday in a little tiny tent with no facilities and cook on the floor. Of course, you can bring a fridge, table kitchen, folding cupboards, folding beds etc etc, but that stuff isn't all going to be got out and packed away in 30 seconds, is it?

Plus, no caravanner is going to be standing around outside in the rain putting an awning up. We sit in our nice warm van until it stops, obviously. And why would caravanners be more likely to argue than a couple in a tent? I think you are talking arse.

Get a cold beer from the fridge.

Is this the fridge that magically unpacked itself in the 30 seconds your tent takes to erect? Or is it a carvanner's fridge which is already there and cold?

Caravan shit is expensive .

Spares can be, but they can also be cheap. I found it very useful that you can usually get replace,ent interior fittings for peanuts: hinges, door catches, new keys, rubber sealing strips, lights, plumbing etc etc. Yes, things like a new fridge from a breakers are much more than you expect, but then when you can buy a complete van for a grand it starts to look like good value.

Yep van is a good idea, but a £1k van isn't likely to be that nice a place to be, probably damp and a bit musty.

I wouldn't say 'probably'. There are crap vans for sale at that price but also good ones. They are definitely around. You can get decent old vans from dealers but they are three times the price.

Make sure you check the available payload in the 'van - some are pitifully small like less than a 100kg.

Modern vans it's usually about 130kg or so, not including a gas bottle usually. There's MIRO (mass in running order) and MTPLM (maximum technical permissible laden mass). Payload is MTPLM - MIRO, and MIRO includes a gas bottle (since 2011 anyay). Older vans though have much more generous allowance, perhaps for this reason. My 23 year old Bailey 4 berth 18ft van is 850kg MIRO and 1080kg MTPLM I think, which is pretty light and also gives a lot of payload.

Still - even 130kg is a lot of clothes and food.

I can do all that in my tent, which at 8m long, gives me way more space than a caravan. You save an hour on arrival because you don't have to pitch a tent, I save an hour driving there because I don't have to tow a caravan.

What I meant was, I can do it all immediately, without having to pitch a tent in the rain and unpack and setup all the furniture and cookers. It's already there.

As I said - I've done both, a lot, and caravanning is better in many circumstances. Except the driving. But on balance, caravanning is better for me.

It's also worth pointing out that the caravan can stay packed, which I find a little more convenient.

[b]I think there is a little animosity between campers and caravanners on this thread[/b]. Which is pretty stupid, isn't it?