Basic questions about Class B's

[Gjac]

I notice most class B's have small FW tanks and very little storage. For those that dry camp how do you carry extra water? Also are there any class B's made with a slide and some kind of basement storage?

[DownTheAvenue]

Gjac wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
MY Class B has 34 gallons fresh water!

What make and model Class B do you have? I don't see it in your profile.

2012 Airstream Avenue Suite

[mumkin]

JimBollman wrote:
We discover "Dude Wipes" last Summer, I assume they are similar to adult wipes, they were great. Much better than the baby wipes, more expensive but you use fewer.

If you click on my link, this option is much cheaper, I expect.

[JimBollman]

mumkin wrote:

pasusan wrote:
Another thing we do to save water is to use baby wipes for washing up - can even take a sponge bath with a couple of those. You really can learn to live with less water and not feel like you are suffering.

An even better option is the adult bath wipes like they use in nursing homes. Like these:
Bath Wipes

We discover "Dude Wipes" last Summer, I assume they are similar to adult wipes, they were great. Much better than the baby wipes, more expensive but you use fewer.

[mumkin]

pasusan wrote:
Another thing we do to save water is to use baby wipes for washing up - can even take a sponge bath with a couple of those. You really can learn to live with less water and not feel like you are suffering.

An even better option is the adult bath wipes like they use in nursing homes. Like these:
Bath Wipes

[Gjac]

I am slowly coming to the conclusion that a Class B may be the right conclusion for a simpler way to travel as we get older. I enjoyed my class A for 15 years and 100k miles of travel. My wife never felt comfortable driving out west with such a big vehicle and finding a shop that will want to work on Class A's when breakdowns occur away from home, so started looking at downsizing. First looked at a truck camper but soon came to the conclusion that in order to get enough space and water storage you needed a DRW truck which I did not want to have as a second vehicle. Then started exploring a small TT pulled by a 1/2 ton truck which would make a good second vehicle and provide enough storage in the bed of the truck and enough FW storage but over looked the details of hooking up, unhooking and leveling not to mention sway and wind buffeting issues. Looked at some of the vehicles some have suggested here. I think small class C's would be cheaper than most B's but would require a tow car. B plus's may not.We basically are more travelers not staying in one spot for more than 5 days. I am also thinking if longer stays are required that a small utility trailer could be towed for extra water and storage. Overall have I come to the right conclusions? Started looking at the Wonder leisure Van with the Ford Transit 350 HD Cab w/ 3.5 L Eco-Boost V6 Gas 310HP/350ft-lb w/ 10-speed Automatic. It has a large storage pass thru in the rear and 30 gals of FW and more CCC than the Mercedes chassis. $119 list price. The Cross teck 20 XG also has a large rear storage pass thru on the same chassis. Have any of you looked at these or own one?

[bsinmich]

My Road trek '95D 190V has a 30 gal fresh water, 20 gal grey, and 12 gal black water. That beats what I had on my'75 GMC 26 footer. Add 15-17 mpg and it serves me great.

[pasusan]

^ Wow - smaller FW tank than ours!!! I thought ours was the smallest with 14 gallons...

We use those same tea containers - they are so practical and easy to handle.

Another thing we do to save water is to use baby wipes for washing up - can even take a sponge bath with a couple of those. You really can learn to live with less water and not feel like you are suffering.

[JimBollman]

We are like most B owners, we are travelers and usually have plenty of nights that we can refill our water supply which is good since I don't think fresh water tanks come much smaller, ours is 3.5 gallons. We don't have a shower and use a porta potty that has it's own water tank. Most trips we use Arizona Tea jugs for extra water. They are very heavy plastic and narrow so they fit in spaces in the camper that don't get used for much else. You would pay as much or more for an equivalent jug at a camp store and it comes with tea to drink first. After you drink the tea fill with water and a cap of bleach and sit it in the sun for a day to get the tea taste out or you first 4 or 5 fillings will have a slight tea taste. The one yearly place we go for an event without water available that we stay for most of a week we have two blue 5 gallon jugs we take for extra water and they are just in the way till we get there, then they sit outside.

[Gjac]

Trekkar wrote:

Gjac wrote:

Trekkar wrote:

pasusan wrote:

Gjac wrote:
I notice most class B's have small FW tanks and very little storage. For those that dry camp how do you carry extra water? Also are there any class B's made with a slide and some kind of basement storage?

It can actually be fun to figure out how to camp with limited water/storage....

We bring a few gallon jugs of water stored under the bed for cooking and possible emergencies. We don't bring lots of unnecessary stuff to set up camp - no pink flamingos, etc...

X2 Most of our camping is boondocking, and we can normally go about a week. We go to enjoy what's out there, not set up house. The 'B' has been perfect for us.

Do you carry extra water with you? I see the 190 has 31 gals of FW. Do you use wood block to level your 190?

We normally carry a couple of gallon jugs of water with us. I have a set leveling blocks, but I've only need them a couple of times. Another perk of a small 'B' is you can move around in the site until you're level.

That is a good point which I did not consider. When we were much younger we had a Hi top van that we camped in, traveled, and used as a second vehicle. It just had a tri fold bed and no refer to worry about being level.

[magicbus]

Trekkar wrote:
Another perk of a small 'B' is you can move around in the site until you're level.

I often forget about that perk but you are absolutely right! Over time my blocks have migrated further from the rear doors :).

Dave

[Trekkar]

Gjac wrote:

Trekkar wrote:

pasusan wrote:

Gjac wrote:
I notice most class B's have small FW tanks and very little storage. For those that dry camp how do you carry extra water? Also are there any class B's made with a slide and some kind of basement storage?

It can actually be fun to figure out how to camp with limited water/storage....

We bring a few gallon jugs of water stored under the bed for cooking and possible emergencies. We don't bring lots of unnecessary stuff to set up camp - no pink flamingos, etc...

X2 Most of our camping is boondocking, and we can normally go about a week. We go to enjoy what's out there, not set up house. The 'B' has been perfect for us.

Do you carry extra water with you? I see the 190 has 31 gals of FW. Do you use wood block to level your 190?

We normally carry a couple of gallon jugs of water with us. I have a set leveling blocks, but I've only need them a couple of times. Another perk of a small 'B' is you can move around in the site until you're level.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

patperry2766 wrote:
Jayco

I think you might be able to expand your options in a small class C. Really not much bigger than a class B but you'd be able to get a slide

I sure hope the "60 x 70" inch queen bed size is a typo - I'm not spending 100k+ and have Ed's feet hanging off the bed about a foot! LOL! Otherwise - nice floorplan!

[Pawz4me]

If you're on Facebook you might consider joining the Travato Owners and Wannabees group (it's a private group). The overwhelming majority of those people pride themselves on their ability to boondock for extended periods of time. Some carry extra water, others don't. DH and I aren't into roughing it or depriving ourselves by constantly fretting over water usage, but we have no problem boondocking for a couple of nights in a row.

[Gjac]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
MY Class B has 34 gallons fresh water!

What make and model Class B do you have? I don't see it in your profile.

[DownTheAvenue]

MY Class B has 34 gallons fresh water!