Do any of you guys camp in a "B"?

[marc515]

From what I've been reading about "B"'s, most folks them use them for travel.

While I would like to get a "B" for us to travel the US, we aslo like to go to campgrounds throughout the summer; usually we spend a week in the campground.

The main drawback I've seen with a "B" is a lack of screens to include the main door screen, which means you must keep the door closed or end up with bugs inside the camper. Now I see some of the larger and more expensive Sprinter platforms have screen doors, but what about the less expensive models built on the Chevy model.

So what do you guys do for screens, and screen doors?

Thank you

[goreds2]

Here is a 16 page topic with pictures of us camping.

Class B Campsite Photos - Let's See Them!

[BillMFl]

cloftus wrote:
Hahaha... I did the glamped up version of screens for my 2004 Sportsmobile using lace curtains. The side door ones are on a curtain rod, and across the back I tuck another curtain in using a plastic card. Keeps the bugs down (but some little ones get in) ... but all in all it works for me.


Side door in SMB

Back screen in SMB

Outside back view

Very cool! I have a very similar rig except my van is a fiberglass high top. I built a double bed plywood platform high enough for 22 gal plastic storage bins to slide under. And my passenger seat swivels like yours. Same grey interior. I have a nice little porta potty that also slides under the bed and it uses the same type of blue chemicals that my big rig uses and can last for a week without being dumped if I use rest stops, camp ground or fuel stop rest rooms some of the time. My rig is a "guy" rig. Yours looks way cuter. I am glad to see how some of you people have rigged screens. Thats gonna be my next project!

[Fastpaddler]

My wife who is an outstanding seamstress and sews dresses for poor children overseas agrees with NCWriter.SHe will use lace curtains which hang well and offer some degree of privacy/excess sunlight infiltration for our unit when she has time from making clothes. Beats me. I cook at home and in our B van!But i can do a mean job of ironing shirts!!
AL

[NCWriter]

Those lace curtains are the BEST! Do people stop by and ask if you have any Grey Poupon?

[cloftus]

Hahaha... I did the glamped up version of screens for my 2004 Sportsmobile using lace curtains. The side door ones are on a curtain rod, and across the back I tuck another curtain in using a plastic card. Keeps the bugs down (but some little ones get in) ... but all in all it works for me.


Side door in SMB

Back screen in SMB

Outside back view

[Fastpaddler]

We have a Velco srip around the inside ledge of our rear doors frame -opening on our 2006 Pleasure Plateau which accepts a corresponding size Velcroized screen--removable when not in use.As for the sliding side door screen: I agree it is a great feature but, if you ever get to Blue River, BC when the mosquitoes are on a rampage, you might as well stay inside--screen or no screen.They will eat you alive in the seconds it takes to get in or out of the vehicle. On Vancouver Island we seem to have few mosquitoes at the numerous RV parks we visit,especially by the ocean ones. We open the window screens provided and the backdoor occasionally and in Arizona, mosquitoes must be 'toast'--havent seen any.I guess we are blessed too much,eh?MY wife is going to make a set of overlapping fine mesh curtains hanging from a narrow curtain rod which she feels will discourage mosquitoes.When it is done I will post the product and report how many bites I get.As a former Winnipeger,the mosquito capital of Canada, I know from experience that my royal blood is preferred by the beasts!!

Al(smitten but not yet bitten)

[1775]

When I ordered my Roadtrek 190 Popular I included the full screen package option. I have a screen that zips into place over the entire rear cargo door opening. It is easy to put into place and take down if you want to. You can open the cargo doors with no concern for anything coming in. There is no screen for the full the side door but I know of some owners who have gotten screens for that door including the screen that is sold on TV that goes up with velcro and closes with magnets. There is now one Class B maker who has a sliding screen door on the side but this is on a Sprinter. And there are companies that make custom screens. I also have screens for all of the windows including the side door with the exception of the driver and passenger door windows.

There are many Class Bs used for camping as you describe and it is designed to go into places that a larger RV may not fit in while carrying all that you need on board to boondock or dry camp. You certainly can be comfortable in a Class B in a campground for a week.

The Class B has the advantage of small size that not everyone needs. A Class C or an A can be a lot more comfortable for more than two people camping or traveling.

[Davydd]

The Sprinter sliding door side screen has been a problem with the tall and wide door on a curvature. Great West Vans solved the problem with a built in permanent sliding snap back accordion screen door four years ago. Now Leisure Travel Vans with their Free Spirit SS has a similar door as does Advanced RV Ocean. I suspect this will (or should) push the other manufacturers to follow suit.

As for the rear doors most all the converters have optional solutions. I again liked the Great West because it was a two zipper roll down solution that stayed in place instead of having to be taken down and stored. If a converter doesn't have one I know there are plenty of OEM solutions with the Sprinter standard back door opening. At the time I bought my Great West, the back screen door was actually an OEM dealer solution because it was better than the take down center zipper solution that was prevalent from the converters. Great West has since adopted it. I think it would be possible to install a pull down accordion snap back rear door screen similar to the side sliding door screen. That would be a great solution.

The accordion screen with surrounding frame and latch keeps our cat safely inside. I would question if it would be good with a dog without a barrier device. On our previous older Sprinter we had a hanging homemade curtain screen on our side door. A hanging screen did not keep our cat inside.

[SwanInWA]

We're avid dry campers who love our B. Made a simple screen for the back doors by buying a roll of screen material from Home Depot. We cut it to the right shape and we just hold it in place with a handful of super strong disc magnets. Works well and cost us about $15. We may make one for the side door, eventually. The doors will shut without taking the screen down, so we don't have to move it every day. It looks pretty good, too.

[ryegatevt]

We camp in our rig - mostly late spring or in the fall when temperatures are cooler. We mostly tour and "driveway camp" with friends and relatives in the summer, where we can plug in and use the AC. We have the RT screen door but never use it, mainly because our dog and cat would sense the opportunity and head outside!

[BillMFl]

I have the best of both worlds. A E150 High Top that I converted to a "B" and have wondered the back roads and rustic camping areas all over the country. And a nice size Class A (had a large 5ver for years) that has all the creature comforts of home and is like a small condo on wheels. I love the spaciousness and conveniences of the "A", especially for extended trips, and the flexabilty of the "B". They both have significant advantages depending on what kind of trip we intend to take. We enjoy them both. The "A" is vastly more comfortable, spacious and liveable. The "B" is really great for boondocking in remote or primitive areas. A "B" is a big step up from tent camping, which we used to do a lot of in our younger days, but a "B" is much more confining space wise and I prefer to use the B for trips of only one or two weeks. I met a young couple in Santa Fe that lived full time in their Sprinter and both worked full time in their Sprinter (they both did Web Site design and other computer stuff). Lets face it, even in a Sprinter based B its really close quarters to live and work in full time. Hats off to those who can do it. I can't.

[Davydd]

Every RV "travels". What you misinterpret is most of us camp and we have more options as to where to camp than most other RVs. For instance the vast majority of National Forest campgrounds in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's UP are very primitive, but nice, and generally have a 22-24 foot limit. That basically limits you to Class Bs, very small Class Cs, truck campers, tent campers and very small trailer campers if they can park a trailer where a tent would go.

We have four different family members' houses where we can park our B and camp if we desire. You might have read about "stealth". That just gives you more options than most other RVs while traveling to camp in more unique places where one would not expect to see an RV. In a pinch it is not difficult to make a stop at a hotel if necessary. Parking is no different than parking a car. We haven't done that but 4 times in 7 years in over 100,000 miles of travel.

Travel means the ability to get up and go daily if desired since there is so little prep to park or go in a Class B. It also means going most anywhere like ducking into a small retail parking lot for a quick cup of coffee or a neighborhood restaurant.

As for screens, well here ya go...full screens in back and the 50" wide sliding side door.

[garmp]

We are Sportsmobile owners and our B is just super for staying at campgrounds, touring the cities, and on the back roads. We have screens the fit over the front doors, sort of like opening and envelope and slipping it down over the top of the door. With our back double doors open, our screen fit is held on with plastic clothes pins on the top drip rail and the rubber gaskets on the sides. I got pics somewhere. My wife is a seamstress and made this to my design. We will advance to a better system "one of these days". But it works for now. Skreenz is a great product, but costly.

[Islandman]

An inexpensive solutionn for the side door opening is to purchase several yards of mosquito netting (get the extra fine made for noseeums) and hang it across the opening using velcro and add some weights at the bottom (wheel balancing wights are good). Have a hem at the top so you can use a curtain rod or something similar to suspend this curtain and use magnets on the sides to keep it attached to the side of the door opening. Actually two curtains work better, one overlaps the other by a foot or so in order that you can enter the B just by spreaqding the two curtains apart, then thwy will overlap each other after you enter/leave the vehicle. For front door windows, just make a pillow case out of the netting and place it over the door, when windows are rolled down the netting prevents entry of mosquitos, gnats, etc. There have been many postings over the years on do-it-yourself measures, suggest you try to pull them up to see different solutions.

[mary_will]

we love are Adventurous Roadtrek we made a side door screen it work will for us ,we camp a lot in state Park and forest,some commercial campground but we like the State park best.