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 Topic: Swift Base camp
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23/1/2017 at 2:10pm
Location: Southport
Outfit: None Entered
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Got to agree with Cheryl, what a great spacious, light and airy little caravan.
We've been eyeing it up ever since launch in October and checking out the competition - Sprite Alpine variations (just a bit too big), Knauss Sport (bigger and a terrible bed), Freedom, and Lunar Ariva variants.
Because we'll be using it as a hill-walking all day base, if it doesn't have a tiny shower it's not competition in our book.
We're newbie caravanners coming from camping and B&Bs, and this is the first time we've seen a van we're taken with from the off.
So having viewed the Basecamp at Preston Caravans we went along to the Manchester show and were smitten by it's looks and clean lines. We are looking for some comfort, heating, cooking and shower - but not a home from home.
Anyway, we ordered the Basecamp at the show and glad we did as we seem to have taken one of the last 2 of the April manufacturing delivery. Very excited!
We opted for the Basecamp Plus pack (I can't imagine many who won't) and the awning. We might also go for a small porch awning like the Kampa Rally because the Basecamp awning is really like another room which we might only use occasionally (eg festivals for extra bods).
Now we have to do all the prep that most of you guys did years ago - hard standing in the back garden, equipment for the van, insurance, etc. Our only slight worry is that we have a shared driveway with a dog-leg into our back garden. I get a medium/large car in but it is a slight concern - we've done tests with a garden cane mock-up and it is OK. However, we might need a motor mover which seems ridiculous on such a small/light van!
Any advice most gratefully received, we'll let you know how we get on with it.
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24/1/2017 at 2:17pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: 2019 VW Arteon + 2002 Avondale Dart
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Fine if you happen to like it (and from reading the various replies it seems that I'm in a minority) but I really just don't get it. Here's why.
No doubt Swift will tell you that they spent years coming up with the concept from scratch, but you could be forgiven for thinking that they saw something called a 'Knaus Sport & Fun' which was launched last year, decided that they wanted a piece of that action and quickly cobbled this thing together. But with it being someone else's concept, Swift hasn't quite grasped it.
With the Knaus, which has a big 'garage space' at the front end, accessible from inside and outside the caravan and roomy enough for bikes or surfboards (not to mention muddy willies and wet coats), it does feel that its designers have put some thought into it. But the Basecamp, which has no storage space under the fold-down front seats and little canvas bags instead of proper cupbuards, is just going to get filthy very quickly.
And then Swift really shoot themselves in both feet by offering a 110kg payload. That air awning - and if you've ever tried to lift a box containing one, you'll know it weighs 300 tons - and a couple of bikes will eat up that capacity on their own - not sure where you're supposed to put pans, plates, food, clothes, your wife's toiletries etc etc.
And yet according to the Practical Caravan reviews, the Swift is nearly a grand more expensive.
So there. That's my review. Have I missed something?
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24/1/2017 at 3:44pm
Location: Southport
Outfit: None Entered
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Not at all Sam, you're welcome to your opinion.
We looked at the Knauss and here are our reasons for not buying it
- While being virtually the same width, the Knauss is about 20% longer than the Basecamp, in fact bigger than the Sprite Alpine as far as I can tell. I'm not sure I could fit the Knauss into my back garden via the dog leg in our driveway.
- The bed has a cut-out at the bottom of one side and poor headroom for the person sleeping against the front wall, even if lowered. Plus the person against the wall has to clamber over the other person to get out (eg to the loo in the middle of the night)
- Our concern about the large outside door garage is that the door is under the bed and could make it cold
- I don't need a separate sitting area, which ends up making the van bigger.
- Not sure about the muddy willies (!) or what the canvas bags have against them. I beg to differ, there is space under the fold down seats just not the garage available when the Knauss bed is winched up. At that height you couldn't sleep on the bed so it's only for travelling.
- However, I take your point about the bikes being accessible from the outside, but despite the urging of the Swift video (do they sell bikes or caravans?) we won't be using bikes. If it's rainy/muddy walking boots, they can be taken off in the awning (or Kampa Rally 200 as we will get that also), or rinsed off with the outside shower head and put on some newspaper under a sofa seat or shower to dry. I've had far worse in a tent, but it is a good point you make.
- If the awning weight is an issue it'll go in the car which has capacity in its own right and as part of the train. For other items, we'll have some walking gear and basic civvies to change into, possibly a small TV, 4 sets of melamine crockery, 4 sets of cutlery, 4 mugs, 4 wine glasses, 4 tumblers, chopping board, small kettle, 2 medium pans and a frying pan.
- It's British which would only usually sway me when all other factors are equal, but this is a better van also IMHO.
PS and unfortunately I found the Knauss quite dark inside at the show
Post last edited on 24/01/2017 17:21:52
Post last edited on 24/01/2017 17:22:14
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