Downsizing from a caravan to a trailer tent....
Discussion
Hi all,
After 6 years we're thinking about selling our caravan. We've enjoyed some fabulous holidays, but don't feel that it actually works very well for the holidays we enjoy the most. Let me explain!
Currently have a 6 berth twin axle caravan, with large double bed formed at the front (eating/sitting area) and 2 permanent bunks to the side, with a further 2 bunks if required which are formed from the side dinette (we have never used these bunks).
In a perfect world, we'd have a caravan with a fixed double bed, 2 fixed bunks and a permanent eating/sitting area. They don't exist.
Therefore, when we holiday in the UK, we generally have to make our bed every night and dismantle to form the seating area in the morning. Having just done this for 2 weeks I can assure that I'm fed up with it. We mainly have to do this because the weather is changeable and not always warm enough or nice enough to persuade wife and children to sit outside or in the awning for breakfast!
I also seem to get a bad back after a few days which I think is caused by sleeping on sofa cushions rather than a slatted bed/mattress.
When we holiday abroad (our preferred option) the double bed stays made up for the duration as we tend to cook/eat/sit/etc. outside and then just flop into bed at midnight half cut!
We've basically decided that we don't particularly enjoy caravanning in the UK enough for it to be our main yearly holiday, and in future will always go for France/Germany/Italy for our summer camping holidays (which we had done for 4 years prior to this year).
Therefore - we are seriously considering selling the caravan and getting a trailer tent.
The way I see it is that a trailer tent is a lot easier to live with day to day and has good pros:
-cheaper to buy
-minimal servicing costs
-can live in the garage (easy to pack/unpack, secure, etc)
-can be towed by anything (better MPG)
-cheaper ferries/tunnel
-more spacious inside than a caravan when set up
-proper slatted beds with memory foam mattresses
Cons that I can think of (based on a main foreign holiday):
Storage space for camping equipment (tables, chairs, Cadac, etc.)
Waking up to a very light tent at 5am rather than a nice dark caravan at 8am
Need to dry it out if put away wet
Setting up if it's raining
Now I think I can live with most of these cons, and have been looking at some of the more premium options.
First choice would be a Holtkamper Kyte XL but with the horrendous £/€ at the moment they would be hellishly expensive (also don't have a UK dealer anymore)
Second choice at the moment would be an Isabella Camplet Premium with additional side annexes and awning.
Does anyone have experience with either of the above or would you recommend any other makes?
TL/DR: Selling caravan and thinking of a trailer tent. Does anyone have any info/advice?
Thanks in advance!
After 6 years we're thinking about selling our caravan. We've enjoyed some fabulous holidays, but don't feel that it actually works very well for the holidays we enjoy the most. Let me explain!
Currently have a 6 berth twin axle caravan, with large double bed formed at the front (eating/sitting area) and 2 permanent bunks to the side, with a further 2 bunks if required which are formed from the side dinette (we have never used these bunks).
In a perfect world, we'd have a caravan with a fixed double bed, 2 fixed bunks and a permanent eating/sitting area. They don't exist.
Therefore, when we holiday in the UK, we generally have to make our bed every night and dismantle to form the seating area in the morning. Having just done this for 2 weeks I can assure that I'm fed up with it. We mainly have to do this because the weather is changeable and not always warm enough or nice enough to persuade wife and children to sit outside or in the awning for breakfast!
I also seem to get a bad back after a few days which I think is caused by sleeping on sofa cushions rather than a slatted bed/mattress.
When we holiday abroad (our preferred option) the double bed stays made up for the duration as we tend to cook/eat/sit/etc. outside and then just flop into bed at midnight half cut!
We've basically decided that we don't particularly enjoy caravanning in the UK enough for it to be our main yearly holiday, and in future will always go for France/Germany/Italy for our summer camping holidays (which we had done for 4 years prior to this year).
Therefore - we are seriously considering selling the caravan and getting a trailer tent.
The way I see it is that a trailer tent is a lot easier to live with day to day and has good pros:
-cheaper to buy
-minimal servicing costs
-can live in the garage (easy to pack/unpack, secure, etc)
-can be towed by anything (better MPG)
-cheaper ferries/tunnel
-more spacious inside than a caravan when set up
-proper slatted beds with memory foam mattresses
Cons that I can think of (based on a main foreign holiday):
Storage space for camping equipment (tables, chairs, Cadac, etc.)
Waking up to a very light tent at 5am rather than a nice dark caravan at 8am
Need to dry it out if put away wet
Setting up if it's raining
Now I think I can live with most of these cons, and have been looking at some of the more premium options.
First choice would be a Holtkamper Kyte XL but with the horrendous £/€ at the moment they would be hellishly expensive (also don't have a UK dealer anymore)
Second choice at the moment would be an Isabella Camplet Premium with additional side annexes and awning.
Does anyone have experience with either of the above or would you recommend any other makes?
TL/DR: Selling caravan and thinking of a trailer tent. Does anyone have any info/advice?
Thanks in advance!
We've seen quite a few in France. They're certainly more popular there than they are here (again - due to the weather I'd imagine).
We're talking this sort of thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHpuHnBTyA
Yes you have to tow, yes you have to set up. But at least you have a decent bed, off the floor. And they're a lot cheaper than replacing the caravan!
Not worried about heating, we're basically saying that it'll be used abroad in the summer. No more damp and dreary UK weekends away playing monopoly!
We're talking this sort of thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHpuHnBTyA
Yes you have to tow, yes you have to set up. But at least you have a decent bed, off the floor. And they're a lot cheaper than replacing the caravan!
Not worried about heating, we're basically saying that it'll be used abroad in the summer. No more damp and dreary UK weekends away playing monopoly!
OK, thanks for all of the replies!
So yes, I had a look last night and it seems some of the new 8' wide caravans can offer what we thought was unavailable. Especially the new Sprites:
https://www.swiftgroup.co.uk/caravans/swift-sprite...
However, I feel that some of you may be missing our main points for getting rid of a caravan:
- We don't need the comfort of a caravan as we're only going to use it abroad and literally fall into bed at the end of the day! We don't sit/cook or eat in it.
- We don't plan on using it in the UK or if it's cold, so things like heating are irrelevant
- All of the sites in Europe that we have visited have had fantastic facilities - I rarely use our shower/bathroom anyway
- Regardless of layout, caravans still come with the hassle and expense of cleaning/storage/servicing etc.
I think we've decided to go to the camping/caravanning show in October and have a look at what is available - both caravans and trailer tents.
This, for me, looks very good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ASC573vD3k
Loads of space, slatted memory foam bed, easy to tow, can keep it in the garage (on its side!), etc.
Will keep you posted!
So yes, I had a look last night and it seems some of the new 8' wide caravans can offer what we thought was unavailable. Especially the new Sprites:
https://www.swiftgroup.co.uk/caravans/swift-sprite...
However, I feel that some of you may be missing our main points for getting rid of a caravan:
- We don't need the comfort of a caravan as we're only going to use it abroad and literally fall into bed at the end of the day! We don't sit/cook or eat in it.
- We don't plan on using it in the UK or if it's cold, so things like heating are irrelevant
- All of the sites in Europe that we have visited have had fantastic facilities - I rarely use our shower/bathroom anyway
- Regardless of layout, caravans still come with the hassle and expense of cleaning/storage/servicing etc.
I think we've decided to go to the camping/caravanning show in October and have a look at what is available - both caravans and trailer tents.
This, for me, looks very good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ASC573vD3k
Loads of space, slatted memory foam bed, easy to tow, can keep it in the garage (on its side!), etc.
Will keep you posted!
Tyre Smoke said:
Best of luck. Whatever you decide, think carefully. You don't want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire.
Most posters here have said a trailer tent is a poor move from a caravan.
If you only plan to sleep in it, why not keep what you have and leave the bed made up? Or at least try that, because that's what you say you will do with a trailer tent.
Or ditch the whole thing and just go to somewhere that has those pod things?
Leaving the bed made up is what we do!Most posters here have said a trailer tent is a poor move from a caravan.
If you only plan to sleep in it, why not keep what you have and leave the bed made up? Or at least try that, because that's what you say you will do with a trailer tent.
Or ditch the whole thing and just go to somewhere that has those pod things?
But it's a sodding great big caravan to keep/service/tow/clean just to sleep in at night, that's the whole point!
Thanks again, will give it some serious thought and have a look at what's available at the NEC in October.
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