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Topic: Family of 4

greenhill

28/8/2013 at 6:55pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: None Entered

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How big a caravan do you need with 2 primary aged kids with enough space for a weekend without an awning? This would be our first caravan if we do decide to go for it and 85% kerbweight is 1330kg. I'm compiling a list of lightweight 5 and 6 berth 'vans. I know with tents 4 berths is not suitable for a family of 4, just wondering what people's experience with caravans is?

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

DaveCoaches

28/8/2013 at 7:19pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Coachman Pastiche

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A 4 berth is usually good for four people easily. A 5 berth can sometimes involve a fiddly bunk over a double that is a bit small for anything more than a toddler. Normally people are asking if they can squeeze an extra one in, not if the caravan is big enough for what it says.

The caravan has its own beds, so if it says 4 berth, it must have 4 beds, though it may be in the form of two doubles or one double and two bunks.

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AceMarauders

28/8/2013 at 7:20pm
Location: Northamptonshire
Outfit: 1983 ABI ACE MARAUDER

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hi this page might be of Use
to you.

Check which layout is best.
4 berth with vans can include bunk beds which might not be best for small children.

Hope site help

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She may be old, she may be rough around the edges but she is our home from home and we love it.

Grampian91

28/8/2013 at 7:27pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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A 10ft 4 berth van is plenty big enough. They sold thousands of them in the old days.

Not sure why a 4 berth tent is not suitable for 4 people? Someone of them could sleep a whole extended family with ease.

Our experience is that out 1st perfect van, Turned out not to be so perfect when you start spending 2 weeks living in it.
The layout just wasnt quite right.

But our current van is perfect, So perfect we have had it many years.

jamesA114

29/8/2013 at 2:29pm
Location: south staffordshire
Outfit: Sterling Eccles Amethyst + santa fe

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we had a small 4 berth when our kids were the same age and it was fine. However we now have a 7ft longer 5 berth and it is loads better. We have an L shape front and mid bathroom so the kids have there own bedroom at the end (and can be shut in at bedtime!).
Personaly I would go as big as possible as they will grow and my 13 and 11 yr old take up loads more room now!
Plus when they get older they start to bring friends etc. which is limited with a 4 berth.

JayEss

29/8/2013 at 2:57pm
Location: Cheshire
Outfit: Knaus s470 + Hilux

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We started out with a small lightweight four berth which coped very well until the kids reached about 5ft 7 and the bunks became too small. We had a side dinette model which gave us plenty of circulation space and a good sized washroom. Double dinette models work well for some families but the van is definitely divided into two sections and we needed more space to sit together as they got older.

We thought that we were buying a layout that would last at the time but were proved wrong

Looking back I think that your family needs will change every 3-5 years or so. There's those awkward years ahead when the kids still to come away with you but will take up the space of a full grown adult

greenhill

29/8/2013 at 3:05pm
Location: Norfolk
Outfit: None Entered

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Thanks, that's useful to hear other people's experience. We think we need to do a lot more looking round different layouts. We love the space in the 6 berth fixed bunk models but they are v long and this would be our first caravan. Our car's manual says it has a braked towing limit of 1800kg but yet it's kerbweight is only 1545 so we've ended up looking at lighter 'vans than we had initially thought. My current favourite is Sprite Musketeer td and we're going to look round one (and many other models) tomorrow its just a shame as its a new layout the prices are still at the top end of what we were looking to spend. We shall see....

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!

ellessi1

29/8/2013 at 3:50pm
Location: Station road Brampton Beccles Suffolk
Outfit: None Entered

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have you tried the German market the Hobby is well built roomy and light I have a Hobby prestige had it since 2006 it has fixed enclosed bedroom twin bunk and all the things you need fridge cooker shower loo microwave, they have to be seen to believe.

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We are now an independent site and Licenced to take 15 Vans and 8 Tents, I have just installed 8 extra hook-ups a Shower and looking to the near future to install 1or 2 6 berth Static vans, which will be open to holiday letting the washing up point is in and running

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