Considering a Camper Type Van for Short Excursions (Seat Belts / Toilets?)

[Neuner]

For many various reasons, we've been taking a lot less long trips but shorter (day) excursions. We've really been enjoying our day trips to the beach.

While drooling over the Sticky Thread with pics of everyone's awesome rigs, I was wondering if it would suit my family of 5 including 3 very young children for our simple needs. At most of our destinations, toilets are rare and my wife would love a place to get out of the sun and wind to have lunch with her family.

The girls have become finicky about where they do their business. I tried searching this forum for answers but I guess I'm not good at finding what I'm looking for. I was wondering if some of the smaller simpler versions of the vans like the Ford Sportsmobile or 150, Chevy 1500 etc typically come with toilets? I grew up camping in campers and know what to expect if they do have one.

Looking at photos online and those for sale, I see that the majority of the seating includes bench style running parallel to travel. Do these include seat belts and if so, are these just lap belts?

Thanks for the help and sorry if I'm asking obvious or repeated questions.
Neuner

 

[njtacoma]

My research (been looking at vans for a year) is that many of the small campers only have lap belts, and seats perpendicular to the direction of travel. This is why I am looking at a regular passenger van with all the rows of seats, etc., and adding a chemical toilet (that will live in the garage most of the time) for long trips and the like. MY kids like/need to sit facing the front.

It seems like many of the small sportsmobile type campers have a simple chemical toilet. Although I haven't looked as closely for the toilet requirement.

 

[mgmetalworks]

You could do Sienna seats... integrated child seat LATCH system, integrated seat belts, reclining comfort, high quality leather... We love them in our van.
.





There's still room in the back for stuff too.

 

[Neuner]

My research (been looking at vans for a year) is that many of the small campers only have lap belts, and seats perpendicular to the direction of travel. This is why I am looking at a regular passenger van with all the rows of seats, etc., and adding a chemical toilet (that will live in the garage most of the time) for long trips and the like. MY kids like/need to sit facing the front.

It seems like many of the small sportsmobile type campers have a simple chemical toilet. Although I haven't looked as closely for the toilet requirement.

Thanks! That's what I was thinking about the seat orientation. I think if I was sitting back there I would grow tired and/or maybe sick myself. I'd have to test drive and see what the kiddos thought first but it's also hard to mimic or think through what would be a long ride.

You could do Sienna seats... integrated child seat LATCH system, integrated seat belts, reclining comfort, high quality leather... We love them in our van.
There's still room in the back for stuff too.

Thanks for the comment and thought but we are beyond the child seat stage. Only one left in a booster so was more or less just wondering if it was a lap belt system. We currently have a Toyota Sienna that we take trips in. We were interested in the added advantages of a mini-kitchen/toilet, etc.


Would want to buy and use as is and not have to build it up or modify it a lot to what our needs/wants are. Already spending too much time on the Jeep Renovation and general home repairs!

 

[Bbasso]

Most of the completed camper vans are usually setup to suit the owners/users. Finding one that fits your specific needs would be a task and depending on your budget it might be incredibly hard.
Best bet would to build to your requirements but since you can't how about buying a new one from some of the bigger name companies that work with you to? Again it falls on your budget.... they can get real pricey really quick.

 

[tgreening]

I would think for what you are looking to do, your best bet would be finding an older well maintained class C. No mods required, climb in and go. Place to eat out of the sun for the wife and place to take care of buisiness for the finiky kids. Since you stated trips are short, "perfect" passenger comfort shouldn't be a big deal.

No sense reinventing the wheel here, and dealing with all the hassles/expense that comes with.

 

[Herbie]

A couple of notes:

1) Regarding bench seating (perpendicular to travel) - I wouldn't make that choice for safety reasons. Seatbelts are really designed for and work best for the forward-facing scenario. Imagine a couple of kids sitting on a bench knocking heads in a front-end collision. Also, from a comfort standpoint, I can say that the #1 reason my sisters and I always fought for shotgun in our old Dolphin RV in the 80's was because riding sideways on the rear dinette seats absolutely sucked.

2) Regarding toilets: Look seriously at the offerings from Thetford. I have their smallest, (Thetford 135), and it is a gem for my wife and daughter. Small enough to fit comfortably between the front seats on my Astro. On my new interior design, I'm making a special low cabinet to store it, but simply strapping it down between the front seats has worked for a couple of years. I made a riser to elevate it when camping (for knee comfort), and it doubles as a "hold down" when strapping it down for traveling.

The smallish holding tank will just about get the three of us through a weekend of camping before it needs dumping (in any standard toilet, no need for RV dump station). This job is only mildly unpleasant and is completely offset by not having to dress and don shoes to take the toddler out of the van to pee in the middle of the night. The slightly larger Thetford models are even better, if you have the room.

 

[bdog1]

+1 on Theroford porta potty. Fought carrying one for a while but you really don't even know it's there when not in use. Easy to service and odor free.


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[Shocker]

You could try upfitting Sprinter seats. They have head rests and integrated seatbelts. I bought several benches for VanDOOM.

 

[arlon]

I have one of the little thetford porta potties in my van too. Would be perfect for the kids at the beach. The AWD Astro would be excellent on the beach with kids. Plenty of seating, room for the potty, romm for other stuff, seats big enough for kids to sleep on. Three could sit comfortably on the back seat with the middle seat removed, lot of possibilities. I also bolted on an awning to the luggage rack, perfect to get out of the sun. Poor mileage, no excess of power.. Better options available but in the bang for buck catagory, hard to beat.