A'vanners A'list

When we first looked into alternative layouts the importance of flexibility to us was paramount. After almost 2 years of owning the van we seldom fold our bed away except when we want to entertain friends. Most of our friends with A'vans do the same. When the bed is up the van obviously has lots more open space but putting the bed up and down will always be a big difficulty no matter what the internal layout. The biggest advantage about our particular design is that when the bed is down we have an open area under the bed which allows easy open access. Our double bed is very comfortable. For the partner sleeping against the back wall it can be a little cramped but sleeping under the wind-out window with that bracing fresh air has its compensations. The comfort of the double bed is the one most important aspect of the van so make sure you either have denser cushions or some additional foam overlay. We have both.

So what are the most vital components of an A'van - things we would always demand as part of the manufacture? 

Wind out windows and vents

We would advocate as many windows as possible and all windows should be able to be opened out. 3 at the top (unless you have an automatic two way blow air vent fan), two at the front and one big one at the back. The more openings the more air can flow through the better. It allows more light in too.

This is a must if you love camping in the wild away from the maddening crowd. It's amazing how valuable power is even if it is only 12 volts. The solar panels don't take much sun to charge and the higher capacity low maintenance battery from A'van are very high quality. They are worth every cent of the extra money. Apart from the lights it's amazing how many appliances you can get that run on 12volts such as TV and hair dryer.

The A'van comes with an external back hatch entry door but we have found that an additional under seat storage access is very useful particularly when the van is closed up.

Although this is a matter of choice we would recommend this simply because of the extra comfort this gives when the bed is made up of these cushions. And we all could do with extra padding couldn't we?

It did not take long before we realised that a weather covering over the doorway is vital if you are staying in the one place for a while. We continually use the top annex to stop the rain or sun on the door and have the luxury of the zip down sides and front when required. We wish though that the whole annex design was made simpler. The current annex design means that the door rubs the annex top and this is a real pain. Attaching the annex to the A'van roofline can be a little difficult too if you don't have strong arms or strong winds make life difficult.

Why mag wheels instead of the normal tyres? They look great and save weight (the spare wheel is also a mag). Besides it is easier to recognise your own van from the millions of others at A'van club meetings.

A higher A'van frame is something we would now get. The major advantage is that the additional hight means less scraping of the back of the A'van negotiating road bumps. The three mitigating consequences are the need to raise the height of your car towball, the additional weight may be unacceptable and the step up to the van may cause problems.

Knee activated water tap switch to allow both hands free at the sink.

Pull out drawers that come out all the way on rollers.

A carpet or mats for warmth on your bare feet that can also be shaken out and cleaned

Two extra spot lights over the bed and kitchen area

Extra twin 240v power points near the dining table

Extra 12 volt socket for charging mobile phones, computers or 12 volt TV or video

Inverter which converts your 12v power to 240v power (watch for an comparison test in the future on which ones are the best).

And last but not least for many people - a bike rack. This can be a real problem area as A'van do not build one as part of the A'van. See bike rack ideas elsewhere in this site.

A roll of shade cloth for the ground outside the door

Eight keyed alike locks available on cards from Lockwood at Bunnings etc.

A 2 bubbles T shaped spirit level attached to the drawbar to check back/front and left/right side level

A pair of wheel levellers for use when setting up for camping and 2 wheel chocks to stop the van from moving forward/back

Fresh water hose (special type) with 2 types of tap connectors and a joiner for travelling

Potty with lid for those precious moments - try to never knock it over!

Additional water container for use outside for general washing etc

Spare globes for inside and outside lights (see globe list elsewhere in this site)

2 buckets - one to catch drain water and one to carry water - don't get them mixed up

Brake limiter Tekonsha - Voyager or Hayes

Hayman Reece towing pack preferred due to ease of use

Fridge charged off the car whilst travelling

Ride levellers on towing hitch