Camper – is it a good idea?

We can let the secret out – this year we are fulfilling one of our biggest dreams! And more than the destination itself, it is about the way we travel, because we will finally be able to get into a vehicle that will also be our home!

After all, it’s not the destination that matters, but the path to it. And that’s why, for as long as we can remember, we’ve wanted to hit the road in a powerful camper that would be our bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and dining room. We will be able to go as much as we want and where we want, with no plan, no overnight stays, stopping for the night wherever we feel like it. No unpacking, lugging backpacks or suitcases, after all, everything will go with us as we plan it. In addition, we can stop at any time, spread out a table and chairs and dine in nature with the best views.

Many times we passed other campers (usually on Dutch plates) on our routes, and somewhere deep down we always envied them this independence and communion with nature. Finally, we too will see what it’s like to travel thousands of kilometers in an RV.

For the time being, let the destination (or rather, the direction) of our trip remain a mystery, and let’s just focus on the issues of the RV trip itself, because although we are full of excitement and are even crossing our legs to finally fire up the RV, we can’t hide the fact that we had a few concerns before such a trip.

So we scoured the internets length and breadth, delving into various articles, reports and videos to prepare for the trip as best we could. We also sought advice from the source, i.e. the company 4kampery.pl, which specializes in renting RVs, plus it is from Zgierz, so almost next door :)

We invite you to read on, and we pledge to verify everything when we return, which is around June. So treat this post as a sneak peek of the coverage, which is coming quite soon!

What kind of camper to rent?

We will answer quite preemptively: it depends. Because what kind of camper you need depends on many factors: how many people are traveling, what equipment you need, what you take with you (such as bicycles), whether you plan to spend the night at campsites or in the wild, and what your requirements are for comfort and various gadgets, etc.

Probably the most important issue is how many people are traveling, and you need to be aware that even if the description states that the camper is for 6 people, this means no more or less than there are 6 places to sleep. However, this no longer always means that 6 people will sit at one table. It’s always a good idea to take a close look on the rental company’s website at what the RV looks like inside and think about how you envision traveling, eating, hygiene and sleeping.

The number of people is a good way to first screen. Next? Further you need to consider what layout and equipment will be most beneficial to you. Do you intend to actually spend a lot of time in the RV, or will you, however, put up an extra tent to sleep in, will you always cook for yourself, do you need more of a minimal annex to make breakfast, are you going to warm or cold regions…. questions we could ask endlessly, and they are not for the purpose of choosing one particular model. They are more to give you food for thought on what to look out for and what to ask at the rental company.

Do I need a special license to drive an RV?

Although campervans can be truly monstrous, all you need to get behind the wheel of one and legally drive on Europe’s roads is a European Cat. B. Most RVs have a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating of up to 3.5 tons, which is exactly what our standard driver’s license allows us to drive.

Keep in mind, however, that this is not an ordinary car, but a vehicle that is even more than 7 meters long and more than 3 meters high, which may not fit everywhere we or our navigator have planned.

Does it pay off?

We have been thinking about an RV for several years, but it has always been a big expense for us. We want to see how much an RV trip will actually cost us.

The costs to be incurred when deciding to rent an RV are not only the cost of the rental itself but also additional costs, the cost of campsites, gasoline, etc. The following prices are given as an example of the company from which we will have an RV:

• Rental of an RV – depending on the model, you have to reckon with a cost from PLN 399/day. Discounts are possible for longer rentals or when taking at least two campers (or trailers). Of course, the price goes up if we take a larger vehicle, newer and better equipped, or at least in the highest season, where prices quietly start from PLN 600 per day.
• Service charge – about PLN 350. This is a one-time fee in which we get a gas cylinder, water, connection cables, cleaning supplies and an overall cleaned, groomed camper. What’s more, of course, we get full instruction on how to operate the vehicle on the spot, so that you can fully enjoy your coveted vacation :)
• the cost of accommodation at a campground – here the cost is up to us – we can find campgrounds for 10 eur/day, and we can also find one for the price of a decent hotel. In some countries you can spend the night in the wild, and in some only in designated areas – it’s always worth checking.
• Fuel, or combustion, or more precisely, the difference between the combustion of a passenger car and an RV. It can be assumed that the camper will burn about 11-13 l/100 km.
• Vignettes, highways, ferries – here the same fees usually apply for an RV as for a passenger car. Of course, if we do not exceed the GVW of 3.5 tons, and our camper does not have twin wheels. Even the highways in Poland will be paid for like a passenger car.

You also have to expect to pay a refundable deposit for renting an RV, on average it can be as much as PLN 5,000.

Expensive? At first glance, even very much so, but we’re eager to see how much a 10-day European trip in a campervan will cost us, and whether it’s certainly more expensive than if we were traveling in a passenger car and staying overnight via Airbnb or in hotels. There will definitely be a separate post about the cost!

How to install a car seat?

If this isn’t the first post you’ve read from us, you know very well that we put safety first, and even more so when it comes to child safety. Here there is no concessionary fare.

One of the first questions that popped into our heads was about the installation of RWF car seats, which are the safest for children.

In campers, the situation is not clear-cut because we have a lot of places to sit, but not everywhere it is possible to install car seats. Of course, it depends a lot on the model, but the RVs we’re looking at have two couches in the back – one forward and one backward. Unfortunately, mounting a RWF on a forward-facing couch is impossible because there is nowhere to mount the retaining straps, but already with a smaller husk or FWF there should be no problem. The rear-facing couch is also out, because there is only a lap belt, so mounting a car seat will be impossible.

However, it is possible to mount the seat in the passenger seat by installing the retaining straps under the passenger seat. This requires a bit of acrobatics but is doable, though also not always…. Unfortunately, in our case, our seat doesn’t fit and obstructs a little too much of the view, so we’ll have to use another alternative this time. Be sure to check this in your manual and/or try it on before choosing a particular RV.

Summary

Despite the difficulties and a slight fear “will we make it” we are already confident that the trip will be successful and we will make it :) We are looking forward to it and you can expect extensive coverage not only of the places we will be, but also of the operation of this marvel :)

>> Also read our tips on how to rent a car for your vacation and our report from Iceland:)