LFGSS Camper Van owners?

I read the stereo/battery remark in a t6 review as well so I wouldn’t bet on it. Plus, a bluetooth boombox makes much better noise...

Why do you feel the need for the extra space?

Do you park on a resi street? Can you guarantee that you'll not be blocking light into people's front room or gardens?

Do you exclusively stay in campsites? If not have you considered that a LWB van takes the parking space of three cars which carry 5x more people? And that local roads in popular locations generally just aren't designed for massive vans

Without wanting to be too blunt, I really hate the way influencers have persuaded everyone they need big fuck off vans now. Especially in the outdoors community which I would like to think is conscious of their consumption and outdoor access in general.

A van to me should be closer to camping than driving a studio flat to the lake district for the weekend, and the more people that do the latter are the ones who risk spoiling access in general. Big van owners IME are often more akin to 'love the outdoors' youtubers who spend the weekends walking one mile and then flying a fucking drone over the fells.

Apols to anyone offended! (Except the drone folk)

Live opposite this?

Jokes aside, yes understand and mostly agree.

(^ that is a total blight on that street, painted like that or not)

But the owners LOVE NATURE and they need to SHOW IT so we ALL KNOW ABOUT IT

Kinda surprised nobody has torched it to be honest. It's that bad.

im desparate for a full sprinter/crafter xlwb high top etc but in reality the classic panel van size is the best IMO.

plus;
the cost
parking
faff in rural country lanes
cost to run
the extra space is nice, but a £200 tent awning also does this

Without wanting to be too blunt

Curious to see blunt you.

On your rant I read a great (actually quite shit) reddit thread where someone relayed an anecdote about seeing a couple in a blinged out #vanlife staging photos at a beauty spot, cooking up an amazing set of steaks and assortment of salad, staging more pics only to bin it all then drive off.

I think my deep loathing of Instagram, Pinterest, etc. is that it is democratisation of marketing. Which instead of being positive just results in an expansion and normalization of the sort of the vacuous shit that used to be confined to TV and print media - which everyone understood to be a fake version of life.

😬

Thinking of fitting hot water. Pretty bored of washing up with cold.

Anyone got a inline water heater they like?

loving your style, ignore the haters ;)

I live in the countryside but you're right, I could no longer park my van on the street as i do have neighbours to consider. I've recently gone from travelling on my own or as part of a couple (mostly wild or municipal aires on the continent) to being a family of four including 2 young kids. No bathroom / shower makes that tricky. Because kids, most of my trips in the next couple of years will be to campsites, but the real reason I want a bigger van is for longer trips to south western Europe and beyond. I spent a month in Morrocco a few years back and can see myself overwintering there more regularly. But you're right, it's a different proposition.

IDGAF about influencers but I certainly don't want to be taken as being one.

You make really good points about practicalities and big vans being so dominant that they spoil access. One of the things about my current van is that it's incredibly stealthy, I hadn't really considered that I was giving that up.

Shit. Maybe I need a caravan :o

I agree with this 100%.

Theyre hard to find but my favourite is the t5/t6 with a medium height roof or the L1H2 Transit Custom. That extra few inches means you can stand in them (just) and the swb ones are only as long as an estate car. They also remain nice and stealthy

2 Attachments

did you miss that I've had one of those for 11 years already? I mean, a T5/56 variant? In my case with an electric-hydraulic pop up roof rather than a high-top

I didn't! It was a more general response to angelofthenorth regarding big vans.

With 2 children and trips to Morocco, a larger van sounds brilliant :)

Dreamy.

1 Attachment

I am currently constructing a bed from aluminium extrusion, I'll post some pics when done.

Has anyone made their own cushions/mattress for a rock'n'roll type bed? How did you go about it? Buy a memory foam mattress and cut it into cushion sections and cover?

Ah, nice! Very keen to see how it goes. Are you doing something a bit more complicated than just a frame? I keep putting this off. Need to get on it.

No, just a frame. I have a centre section and two other sections that will slide out from either end.

The red and green sections slide out.

Nice! Really keen to hear about how it goes. Have you bought the materials?

It is almost done, I need to chop the legs down a bit though. I put it together in the van last night and it is too tall, my head hits the roof when I use it as a seat!!

Dragged 'rusty' out of hibernation. New Mexico import. Promptly followed by my kids demanding we stayed out in it.

First time out camping in my “camper” van. Nissan NV200 Evalia, home made fold out bed, Coleman tent awning. Sleeps two and has enough space for us to take our bikes out for a couple of days.

1 Attachment

Liking the beer keg fire pit(?)

Great little set up

Very nice. Does the awning just sit over the whole vehicle? Might be a good idea for our Renault Trafic if it's high enough

It is almost done, I need to chop the legs down a bit though. I put it together in the van last night and it is too tall, my head hits the roof when I use it as a seat!!

Isn't that just how camper vans work? ;)

Get the legs sorted? Post pics!