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 Topic: campervan vs tent camping
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25/8/2023 at 10:42pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC
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Ex-tenter now with a custom panel van conversion in the form of a MWB VW Crafter with her own facilities. I knew I would need to switch unit back in 2015 and got my van in 2021 delayed by about a year due to Covid, and have never regretted it.
My tenting set up would typically take 5-6h to pitch, involving a 4-berth Dutch pyramid, and I needed a leisure trailer to carry my gears, as well as the boot of my car.
Nowadays, I arrive at a site, level up using the ramps which is probably the hardest job if needed, hook up the EHU, fetch some fresh water as I mostly use the water from the onboard tank for dish washing and flushing the toilet, put the Wastemaster out to make room in the van; and I am done.
If the weather is nice, I may set up the retractable awning, guy it with extra storm guys, and bring out the furniture as in tables and chairs.
If it is windy, I may put the windbreak up.
Much easier physically with the MH than a tent for certain, which was the main reason why I decided to change unit, as it took longer and longer for me to recover from pitching and striking down.
I don't want to have to make the bed every night and to put it away every morning. Hence I got a VW Crafter as I could have a drop down bed for ease of bed making.
Also, the van is long enough to have a proper kitchen and bathroom with a toilet and shower at the back.
Yes to no spare car to go out and about, and packing things away before taking the van out for excursions etc. is a bit of a pain. Hence I tend to go out and about towards the end of a trip with plans to eat out so that I can pack most of the kitchen stuff away.
I have PVC covers for my tables and can leave them out without having to worry about water damage. Chairs can be left out too, just need to remember to keep the chair cushion tucked up under the tables to avoid being rained on.
My van is just about narrow enough and short enough to squeeze into most normal parking spaces.
And I am happy to have chosen this van size, otherwise I would struggle with narrow single track lanes with passing places!!!
I just need to be careful with the height as she is nearly 2.5m high.
DK 
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* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
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26/8/2023 at 9:30am
Location: Wessex
Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675
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We went from trailer tent to motorhome, we've never looked back.
The trailer tent was great when it was up but putting it up we always came close to divorce many a time, it's no fun trying to hold up a heavy awning while trying to get your wife to put the pole in the hole, no not THAT pole, no not THAT hole (you get the picture)? Likewise, the days approaching the end of the holiday were filled with dread and trepidation as we knew we'd be following the same routine in reverse taking the thing down.
Then there was the dilemma of of getting the damn thing away dry, always an issue!
With the motorhome we turn up, plug-in the EHU if available, maybe put some water in, get the chairs out and crack open a beer. So much less stress.
If you have a smaller campervan you may need to put out an awning to give you the space which will add to your set-up time and effort, likewise if don't have an on-board toilet you may have to put up a loo tent which again increases the amount of effort you have to make. We've always had a motorhome which was big enough to not need to do that.
Does that answer your question?
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26/8/2023 at 11:56am
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail
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We went from a tent to a caravan many years ago when the kids came along. A tent was fine for the two of us when we were young.
Now, many years later, we have a caravan again as we don't tend to tour as much but just set up on a site and use the car for visiting places, shopping etc. There are now only two of us again.
Tents, caravans, camper-vans, and motorhomes, they all have their advantages and their disadvantages so it's really about personal choice. Tents and caravans tend to be much cheaper to buy than camper-vans or motorhomes and both are better, in my opinion, than either camper-vans or motorhomes, for staying on one site, but you can't beat the latter two for touring.
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Best Regards,
Colin
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26/8/2023 at 4:58pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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Can't be too specific on a campervan as I moved from a tent to a caravan, but campervans/MH and caravans have a lot in common.
I'd say with my caravan, all done on my own, I can be livable within 40-50 mins of arrival, and that's with all the inherent comforts of a caravan, not just bare subsistence set up, that includes fitting 3 security locks to wheels and hitch (not necessary with a campervan), levelling, corner steadies down (again not on a campervan), fill and connecting water butt and bleeding water system, connecting EHU, placing waste water tank and drain pipes in place etc. Depending on which awning I'm using, another 20-30min to set that up if I want it.
Allow maybe another hour for the finessing, such as getting the hot water heated, and fitting the TV to it's mounting bracket (I remove mine and stow well packaged for travel) and tuning to local stations etc., putting toiletries in the bathroom and hanging up towels etc., dish soap and cloths etc. in the kitchen. ..... and maybe making a brew or cracking a beer whilst in the process.
Breaking camp takes a little longer perhaps, as water system to drain down and toilet and greywater tanks to empty as well as reversing the set up tasks.
How quickly you can set up or break down is HUGELY dependant on how organised you are, and how you prepare stowing of fragile/breakable items like crockery and electronics etc. If you have a well proven routine and regular storage spots it can be quick, if you're improvising every time it can be MUCH slower.
You really do need to give some thought to stowing of heavy items (awning, fold up chairs etc.) that if they move about can do damage, and securely stashing crockery etc. for on the road. Many of the crockery racks that you find as standard fitment in cupboards are convenient for living but inadequate for on the road travel, resulting in damage if additional measures not taken. Pretty much everything that you have just lying around needs putting away in a cupboard otherwise it'll fly around on the road! The more organised and tidy you are, the less time in setting up and packing up.
I've arrived very late on site and in the dark, pitched on a temp pitch with intent to move in the morning to proper pitch, probable gone from still rolling to very basically pitched and relaxing in 20 mins, frozen pizza in the oven, beer on the go!
With a camper van, some tasks simply won't apply, and the more compact nature of the vehicle may exclude TV, toilet tanks etc. so potentially quicker. What applies to all types is that you have shelter from inclement weather from the moment you arrive, and many of the outside tasks can be delayed until the weather is more accommodating! I've pitched and broken camp with tents in bad weather more than I choose to remember, and the urgency to get shelter up and all your goods out of the rain before they become soaked is VERY pressurising! Almost any leisure vehicle relieves a lot of that pressure!
As to less work, generally very much yes, with the proviso of substituting new tasks for old, but also with the option of doing many more at your leisure than out of pure necessity that comes with living in a tent.
To qualify, a campervan or MH needs a different mindset to either a tent or caravan, as everytime you need a vehicle to go out in, you have to pack up to some degree, which can make 'just popping out' a much bigger exercise! After much consideration, I opted for the caravan over either a camper or MH when upgrading from a tent. Friends with campers and MHs tend to plan on basis of not having a convenient vehicle available to do minor journeys (trip to the shops etc.), and/or doing without whatever would cause them to travel, some make use of bikes or buses for local travel rather than use the vehicle.
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26/8/2023 at 8:03pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC
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Joined: 19/6/2009 Diamond Member
Forum Posts: 9596
Tent Reviews: 6
| Site Reviews Total: | 56 |
|
| Site Reviews 2024: | 9 |
| Site Reviews 2023: | 9 |
| Site Reviews 2022: | 8 |
| Site Reviews 2021: | 9 |
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| Site Nights 2024: | 45 |
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If I were to have a campervan like a T5/6 I would definitely opt for a space for the cassette toilet and have a driveaway awning either on the side or at the back, and set up the bed in there.
I would also have a pull out kitchen at the back.
However, I did not like the idea of carrying the bed and bedding, and the driveaway awning, and having to set them up and pack away etc., so I went down the PVC/MH route.
I would suggest you hire a campervan and a MH for a short trip each, and see which one you prefer more.
This year, I wised up, made some slight adjustments to my gears and routine, and managed to have some excursions towards the end of the trips without feeling the dread of packing/unpacking.
DK
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* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *
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via mobile 25/8/2023 at 6:45pm
