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| Counter space and a table-desk combo are among the things people said they want in an RV. (That's not me, by the way) |
They have a great sense of humor and their love for RVing really shows through in all they do. Plus, they have some awesome dogs!
If you haven't heard of them, check out their website and friend them on Facebook (Search: RVBuddiesOnline) and follow them on Twitter (also RVBuddiesOnline).
One of the many things they do on a regular basis is online polls, including most recently, when they asked people to rank their most popular items they look for when choosing an RV. The poll results are in and, surprise — everyone wants a large kitchen counter top. Second on the list is the desire for a large shower. Third is residential-sized beds.
Here are the rest of the results:
1. 25% large kitchen and counter top
2. 18% large shower
3. 16% residential-sized bed
4. 9% all-in-one bath
5. 7% table/computer desk combo
6. 5% free-standing dining table
7. 5% dinette
8. 4% slit bath
9. 4% bath-and-a-half
10. 3% sofa bed
11. 2% fireplace
12. 2% bunk beds
The results got me to thinking about my camper and what are some things I like, and don't like, about it.
First off, my camper is a 2000 Trail Lite Bantam C-21B. It's one of the first generation hybrids and I'd have to say that for a 10-year-old camper that has seen plenty of use, it's in not too bad of shape. There's a lot about it we like, but of course there's a few things we don't.
What we like:
- Tons of storage space
- Sleeping space for seven adults
- Lightweight so easily towed (we even towed it with our minivan for two summers)
- Having a real bathroom, especially after having tent-camped for years prior to owning an RV
What we don't like:
- Lack of interior floor space, especially when the dinettes are broken down into beds (no slideouts)
- No sink in the bathroom
- Refrigerator could be bigger
- Beds aren't the most comfortable, but it's better than the ground
- Beginning to show its age
1. We could use for more counter top area since we have zero to speak of. Our counter top is the makeshift 2-by-3 foot cutting board that rests atop the cooktop. No biggie, we just do most of our food prep either at home so it's ready to go when packed, or outside on the small table we bring if we have to prepare food at the campsite.
2. As for a larger shower, ours is so small I don't think I'd ever be able to take a real shower in it. It's one of those shower-toilet combos, and when I'm standing inside it my shoulders just about touch the walls. My wife and daughter have showered in there, but only if the campground facilities are either too busy or too dirty. A larger shower would be nice, but I'd still choose to use the campground facilities I would think.
3. I don't think I would want a residential-sized bed so much as a more comfortable bed. We're not a very tall family at all (I'm only 5-9, my wife is 5-0 and the kids still look up to us), so in this case size doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong; we get a decent night's rest. But even with the memory foam toppers, the solid foam mattresses just aren't as comfortable as inner spring mattresses.
4. We already have an all-in-one bath, unless you factor in our lack of a sink in the bathroom.
5. I don't really understand the table-desk combo. A table makes for a perfectly fine desk. Perhaps they mean a table with the appropriate connections (power outlet, phone jack, cable jack) nearby? Besides, we have a rule, when we're camping, electronics are not allowed.
6 & 7. We already have a free-standing dining table and a dinette, so we're good to go with that. I would definitely recommend everyone get one of those plastic folding tables like what we have; very handy.
8. What's a slit bath?
9. And as for a bath-and-a-half, I've seen a number of campers with these at the RV shows and I think they would be great. Especially if it's the half bath right off the bunk beds in a bunk house for the kids to use at night, and with its own exterior door for easy access from outside. The downfall would be the added weight from the extra gray and black tanks (although aren't necessarily adding more to the tanks than you normally would, are you?).
10. A sofa bed also would be nice, but not a necessity. The jacknife sofas look like they would be simple to use, but I wonder if they are as uncomfortable to sleep on as residential sofa beds. But, having a sofa bed would mean the camper would be much more comfortable on the inside, so those rainy days aren't so unbearable.
11. I think a fireplace in an RV is silly, but that's because I'm not interested in the type of RVs that features these. We use our camper for weekend trips and once or twice a year we'll go on a week-long camping trip. The campfire is our fireplace. But, for full-timers and semi-full-timers who aren't going to build a campfire each night, they might want the ambiance of a fake fireplace.
12. Bunk beds, for us, is a must whenever we decide to upgrade to a new camper. When we have the dinettes broken down into beds, the only interior floor space we have is the 3-by-8 foot "hallway" and the area right inside the door. Not much. Bunk beds would mean dinettes would stay dinettes.
Well, there you have it. A lengthy diatribe of my wants and desires compared to the RV Buddies' poll results.
For more on the poll results visit www.rvbuddies.net.
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