This post will look at some of the criteria we used for our camper van rental and comparison.
Prior to renting we looked very closely at several camper vans over a period of months. I began my latest round of research earlier, in 2007. The vans in the current round of comparisons were approximately 17 feet, 19 feet, 21 feet, 23 feet and 25 feet in length. These were by several manufacturers and on several different van chassis. We went farther afield and looked at other alternatives. After looking and re-looking at various dealerships we decided that any camper less than 19 feet in length was too small for our intended use, and "21 feet" was the maximum acceptable length.We understood that in the range of 19 to 21 feet there would be compromises.
One of the primary requirements for the vehicle was the ability for both myself and my spouse to be comfortable in the drivers seat. Another was the ability to drive on normal roads just about anywhere, including crowded National Parks. Cost was a factor. We were undecided if we would rent each year, or own. One of the questions we asked of each van we looked at was "Would I want to own this, and could it satisfy our requirements?" Renting was intended to provide a "hands on" experience.
One of the issues we discovered while doing research was finding suitable camper vans for rent. We wanted a camper van which could accommodate two adults for 5 days or more of continuous use during three seasons. 3-1/2 seasons would be better, with minimum useable temperature of 20F. Normal temperature range would be 25 to 95 F and below that we accepted the fact that we would have to give up some of the plumbing amenities. However, the majority of use would be above 32F.
It was my perspective that a camper van would be comfortable under a specific set of circumstances. I also realized that different vehicles could "stretch" those circumstances and provide comfort at the extremes. For example, a smaller vehicle could be very comfortable for 2-3 days and a larger one for 3-5 days. An uninsulated vehicle could be comfortable in the temperature range 40-90F while a better insulated one could be comfortable over 30-90F. We considered heat to be more important than air conditioning.
Impact of Camper Van Features and Trade-offs
Van coach features would have an impact. We wanted the ability to stand upright without a pop-top. We also wanted as wide an aisle as possible, and appliances which didn't require one to get on their knees to access. An all electric vehicle with solar would be a different experience from one with propane heat and a generator, particularly if "off the grid." Of course, solar is "free" and available in limited quantities based on battery capacity while propane is a fuel that must be replenished with a cost. In other words, there would be trade-offs. Increasing aisle width resulted in a wider vehicle. Adding larger appliances, or more appliances and a generator increased the weight. And so on.
Compromise would be necessary. One of the compromises could be limiting the usefulness or duration or treks. One can always check into a motel, or stay at an RV resort and plug-in and use the showers. These are reasonable options when the weather turns against one, or camping is no longer fun. I've done ground camping at extremes of -25F and 110F. This was achieved while backpacking in the wild, and canoeing and portaging 90 miles in Quetico. That was not the experience we were striving for with the camper van. Nor were we going to take a camper van into the wild and in places where a 4x4 is the only safe means of travel. If that was the goal, we should have been evaluating extreme vehicles, such as a GXV. One of the trade-offs was that we would be limited to where we could go, and if "off the grid" we would have a finite and limited amount of fresh water, energy and food with us.
Idealistically we wanted a vehicle that would be fun and useable in sunshine, rain and intermittent snow with the greatest temperature range. We were looking for a vehicle or vehicles which could be used for a range of treks covering the U.S. and Canada, with round trip journeys of 1000 to 2000 miles, or more. Typical duration would be 5 to 15 days with stops at RV resorts or parks, motels and so on. A larger, better equipped vehicle would provide the opportunity for the longer treks of greater duration. A larger vehicle should reduce the need for supplemental motels, etc.
We wanted the ability to sleep in reasonable comfort with heat when necessary and assisted ventilation. If on "shore power" air conditioning should be available. We wanted the ability to carry refrigerated, fresh food as opposed to freeze dried meals, granola bars and PBJ sandwiches. We wanted fresh running water daily and we also required a bath area in which the door could be closed for privacy when in use. We wanted the bath to include marine toilet and shower; ideally it would also include a sink.
Sprinter
We were interested in the Sprinter based vans, which are currently in vogue but expensive. I was curious about the bluetec (tm) diesel and we both realized the straight sides and high roof provided an optimized interior as compared to exterior dimensions. However, we also wanted to try competitive camper vans. We decided to use and evaluate two camper vans on two different treks about 60 days apart. We found this approach to be fun and enlightening. It also provided a true 3-1/2 season experience in camper vans.
We decided to include Roadtrek in our comparison because we were impressed by the "fit and finish" and the many good things we had heard about them. We also decided to use a vehicle converted by a smaller company.
All-Electric versus Propane and Generator
We decided to compare a vehicle with all-electric coach to one which included propane and a generator. This would be somewhat reminiscent of my days as a sailor. My 25 foot sailboat used wind power as it's primary motive force and was inexpensive to operate. A solar-powered camper van appeared similar. However, my sailboat used a very small gasoline powered outboard to maneuver in harbor or under zero wind conditions. The solar electric van used a diesel engine as it's primary motive force. The solar was primarily for charging batteries and there were definite trade-offs and power rationing if "off the grid" as electricity was required for the stovetop, hot water heater, space heater, vent fan and air conditioner. The batteries could be recharged by running the diesel automotive engine, but that was spoiling the fun. In our experience this type of vehicle performed best when on "shore power."
Real World Comparison
We used and compared two very different vehicles. One was "19 feet" in length and the other "21 feet" in length. These approximate dimensions were within what we considered a useful range. We considered the 19 footer to be the smallest usable footprint; it could be driven every day and parked anywhere, but was too tall for a normal garage. The 21 footer was a larger footprint and could be driven everywhere we wanted to go, but was at the limit of parking dimensions and we considered it to be too large for daily use. However, after driving the 21 footer, I have decided if the "continental" tire kit is removed and the spare stored inside that this van could be used more extensively.
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