Where Do You Put Your Stuff in a Class B ??

[DaveInVancouver]

Looking to purchase a Class B but we're concerned about lack of storage space. Bedding, duvet, pillows ... will it really fit in the overhead cupboard? Where do I hide the fold up chairs, table, etc to sit outside? What about bikes when the spare tire is attached to the rear doors?

We'd like to do some long cross country trips. Appreciate on hearing how everyone copes.

We like the look & size of the Pleasure Way Plateau FL.

Thanks

[mkguitar]

so lots of options- the key is knowing what you really need.

some roadtrek models have a spare tire which turns into a tabletop ( and/or grill with optional gas attachment)


our pleasureway has a fair amount of storage just inside the rear doors- at present I have leveling blocks, string hammock and couple of folding chairs, the crank and support for the awning and some other stuff.
we each have an overhead into which we stack our clothes ( no bags or "system").
we have found a place for everything and figured out stuff we don;t need.

we have a large compartment down below which has a bag of tools, sewer, water and electric stuff and mud boots.

under the hood I have a spot for a couple of quarts of oil.

most B's have a hitch, mine came with a carrier rack, I also have a carrier for a honda trail 90

some B owners get a front carrier for bikes

you figure out what you want to take, what you don;t need

the advantages of a B can be negated with trailer, racks, carriers etc...not just traffic and parking, but also MPG or paying by the foot on a ferry

B and a each type/model of B is a big pile of compromises, you figure what your priorities are and shop from there.

our biggest requirement was the bed- we are tall and that ruled out all the sideways sleepers...

mike

[Heapie]

Hi Folks,

Here is what we do with our 2002 Roadtrek 190V.
1. Bed permently made up in the rear.
2. Storage area above bed, one side mine, other side hers. All clothes in Ebags.
3. We are going to leave the spare tire home. Extends storage under bed to include wife's scooter and chairs and tools.
4. Under bed in cabin, will use two milk cartons plus plastic bins.
5. No stuff will have to be moved in order to use one place to another.
6. Hanging closet has a plastic three drawer storage area. Still room to hang two coats.

We expect that we may start to stink between showers. We are senior citizens and this is expected.

Heapie.

[Heapie]

Hi Folks,

Here is what we do with our 2002 Roadtrek 190V.
1. Bed permently made up in the rear.
2. Storage area above bed, one side mine, other side hers. All clothes in Ebags.
3. We are going to leave the spare tire home. Extends storage under bed to include wife's scooter and chairs and tools.
4. Under bed in cabin, will use two milk cartons plus plastic bins.
5. No stuff will have to be moved in order to use one place to another.
6. Hanging closet has a plastic three drawer storage area. Still room to hang two coats.

We expect that we may start to stink between showers. We are senior citizens and this is expected.

Heapie.

[DaveInVancouver]

Many thanks for all the great responses. Great ideas & you've introduced me to some new products I'd never heard of before. Bottom line... I'm convinced a B Class will meet our needs - just have to think small & keep it well organized. Cheers Dave

[reppans]

Part of the fun of owning the B is finding all the neat toys that will fit it. For example, my RT 170 will take:

Two 16" wheeler folding bikes under the rear seat, or 1 20" wheeler.

Also have the Thule Revolver(?) that can take 3-4 full sized bike off the hitch with a rear tire mounted outside (but I prefer interior storage for theft/weather reasons).

Two Pico director chairs under our 3rd seat, along with a tripod for the RTs standard interior marine post/table for use as an outdoor table.


And a 10lb packraft that fits anywhere (shown with the 20").

[hobbssb]

We rented 3 different sizes of RV's before we settled on a Sprinter. Our goal was to find the smallest one we could manage and still enjoy. The Sprinter was easy to drive, but still had room for enough of our stuff, so we settled on it. Very happy with our decision!

[401nailhead]

Here are several items:
After driving in a Montreal market district with the 19-foot B, I know I am a diehard fan of the Class B movement. I never want to travel somewhere fun, and say, "I'd like to do x, but can't get the C in there". If I had the money, I would own a B, and also a 24' C with a slide. But for one vehicle, for us it is a B. I've been to other places in a car that I think we can do with the B, but not a C. To travel long cross country, I know some folks want more space, but for me, I would rather travel lighter and leaner to be on the move.

We have the advantage of an older B with very large overhead storage in front. But assuming you want to buy new, that is not available any longer.

We are still working on several ideas, we like the rear door loading into an aisle (ours is a '96 Coachmen, but new Travatos and Zions have this. We figure, while driving don't worry too much about items in the aisle, but get them outside quickly at a campsite, and if you boondock in a populated area, you may not be able to get everything outside (like chairs, grills, tables, canopies.

We are think modular big items. Bring a few at a time, but not all: canopy, grill, dog items, bikes, kayak, tent for others, fishing gear, beach gear, etc. A few at a time, but not ALL at once.

We are not looking too closely yet at the back rack, platform, or container, but for mobility, attached at the hitch would be better than a travel on average, but some trip may call for a small trailer and that would be ok once in a while.

Good luck!

[GailS]

Dave, we traveled 100,000 miles in the ten years we owned our Class B Sprinter. It had the same floorplan as the PW you are considering.

We used a Travasak (same system as the Superbag)for sleeping on the queen bed/couch. We just rolled it up and stored it under the couch. Our pillows were stored in one of the overhead cabinets.

As NCWriter mentioned there are bike racks made for vehicles that have the tire carrier. We also have the same type of folding chairs she mentioned. They easily fit in the storage area behind the couch along with a small folding table, hoses, tools, etc.

Lots of advantages to traveling in a B. Our longest trip was 14,000 miles over a three month period. Absolutely no regrets with purchasing our B.

The 2016 PW Plateau FL looks very nice.

[AsheGuy]

We have the LTV Free Spirit that is very similar to the Pleasure-Way Plateau. One difference between the two that sold us on the LTV was the "basement" storage. This is a large bin beneath the floor in the rear of the van where the spare tire normally resides in that model Sprinter.

With our LTV, we have always had a place for everything we wanted to take along. Our pillows are easily stored behind the sofa back when it is in the sofa configuration rather than folded down into the bed.

We carry a couple of GCI Outdoor PICO Arm Chairs that fold into a very small size and fit easily under our sofa in the rear.

We also have two trailer hitch bike racks (one for two bikes, one for four) and either works on our LTV that has the spare tire on the rear.

For us, pulling a trailer has never been needed and we would not want to tow one because that negates the maneuverability of a class B that is one of its most desirable features.

With all that said, I think it takes a critical review of what one would like to take rather than what one really needs to take to successfully and happily travel in a class B. We have taken quite a few multi-week trips up to 6-weeks in length and been quite happy in our Class B (see blog in signature).

[garmp]

hobbssb: X2
I agree with most all of your post, except the regret part. Although we have never spent more than 3 weeks on the road. A hint is to find things you need that are multi purposed. If an item has more than one use it's hard to leave behind. We love our B and are constantly finding new ways to improve our experiences.

[SEWRIGHT33]

Spent 2 months - 2 years in a row in a roadtrek through mexico. No trailer. The chairs we just set in the back under the table. Don't really need to carry a lot as always a store close by. I had a gmc after the roadtrek than a 32' daymond n now back to my favorite my roadtrek as goes anywhere, good gas mileage, parks any where,etc etc good luck ann

[jim1632]

We had a 21-foot B+ at one time. We needed to store a couple of cooking supply boxes in the the dining area when moving. Ultimately my wife tired of the squeeze and insisted on our presnet 25 foot Class C. While making up your mind, take a look at some Class C models. I think the PW is approx 23 feet with limited storage and a 24-25 foot C is a step up in storage with little change in driving.

Alternatively, I discovered too late that Swivel-Wheel makes a trailer attachment that follows the RV as you turn and reverse so there is never a jsckknife possibility. This would avoid dealing with trailer towing problems.

[hobbssb]

You usually don't get it all, at least in this world, so you must decide on your priorities and go from there. With our LTV Free Spirit we valued driveablity and manuverability over large storage spaces. We like staying in scenic campgrounds over commercial RV parks that resemble parking lots, and so for us, less is more in terms of size. Our chairs are stored behind the driver's seat, standing upright and anchored to the wall with elastic cord. We leave our bed half made and just sit on the 2 side seats in back when we want an indoor table. We know another couple who leave their bed in back totally made and only sit up front (which wouldn't work for us - the front table is too small). Our BBQ is a mini which is fine for 2 people. My one wish is for a larger fridge. Our fridge is 4.3 cf, but you can get a larger fridge in the TS (not the FL). We've had our rig for 3 years and have few regrets about its limited size.

[cameronpatentla]

We like the maneuverability and convenience of our ERA 70x, but there are trade offs. We have the extra large plastic vacuum bags to hold our foam topper and pillows and that seems to help when the seal holds. Of course, these cheap bags don't last long, so right now, all the bedding is piled up on the back couch. Although we have toyed with the idea of a small trailer, I agree with the earlier commenter that a trailer sort of kills the idea of having a small, parkable, RV. If you really need space and you plan to use your RV for more than a long weekend at a time, go with a class b+ or small class c.