My wife and I went to the Caravan/Camper Show at the NEC today, in the main to look at ideas for our planned T6 conversion. We came back with some of our existing equipment choices changed, reconsidered or worth detailed review so we thought we'd share.
1. Side elevating roofs as fitted by Bilbos are much better than we thought they would be, provided great interior headroom but would be perfect if the panels zipped out or at least the clear windows opened.
2. The Wallas XC Duo is a bloomin fantastic device, silent operation, tiny fuel use, ready to cook on in 5 mins, allows you in the Chunnel, very safe as no gas is burned inside the vehicles BUT sits proud of the worktop. Wondered later if it can be inset flush with the worktop and the hot air vented through a step in the unit....
3. The CAN LC1701 'Foldy' sink and burner combo is a masterpiece of intelligent design, were it not for the XC Duo we'd have this fitted plus an eberspacher, the XC Duo wins in our minds however as it is safer.
4. We didn't realise it was possible to be excited about a fridge but turns out it is ! The new Dometic CRX 65 D pull out Fridge/Freezer is another object of cleverness and desire, £970 retail but £570 'show offer' & will likely be added to cart if it'll fit. It's nowhere on the internet yet as far as I can see but it is to campervan fridges what slideout sides are to American RV's.
5. The Vango Airway Cruz II and Kela IV are both really clever drive away awnings but I like the Hexaway the most.
6. USB and mains power sockets which rise on pillars out of worktops are cool as are subtle 'accent' LEDs.
7. Finally......based on what we saw, the roads are soon to be filled with the frail and elderly driving huge motorhomes. We joked about this with someone we knew working at the show in the industry and he shared the same view, a new influx of first time 'campers' in shiny do it all motorhomes with failing bodies & eyesight, getting stuck on singletrack roads in the Dales and under height barriers at Tesco............ now where did I put the Grecian 2000.
1. Side elevating roofs as fitted by Bilbos are much better than we thought they would be, provided great interior headroom but would be perfect if the panels zipped out or at least the clear windows opened.
2. The Wallas XC Duo is a bloomin fantastic device, silent operation, tiny fuel use, ready to cook on in 5 mins, allows you in the Chunnel, very safe as no gas is burned inside the vehicles BUT sits proud of the worktop. Wondered later if it can be inset flush with the worktop and the hot air vented through a step in the unit....
3. The CAN LC1701 'Foldy' sink and burner combo is a masterpiece of intelligent design, were it not for the XC Duo we'd have this fitted plus an eberspacher, the XC Duo wins in our minds however as it is safer.
4. We didn't realise it was possible to be excited about a fridge but turns out it is ! The new Dometic CRX 65 D pull out Fridge/Freezer is another object of cleverness and desire, £970 retail but £570 'show offer' & will likely be added to cart if it'll fit. It's nowhere on the internet yet as far as I can see but it is to campervan fridges what slideout sides are to American RV's.
5. The Vango Airway Cruz II and Kela IV are both really clever drive away awnings but I like the Hexaway the most.
6. USB and mains power sockets which rise on pillars out of worktops are cool as are subtle 'accent' LEDs.
7. Finally......based on what we saw, the roads are soon to be filled with the frail and elderly driving huge motorhomes. We joked about this with someone we knew working at the show in the industry and he shared the same view, a new influx of first time 'campers' in shiny do it all motorhomes with failing bodies & eyesight, getting stuck on singletrack roads in the Dales and under height barriers at Tesco............ now where did I put the Grecian 2000.
