Is it just me, or is everyone upgrading to vans?

[SEADOO]

I've noticed everybody and the market is leaning towards vans and hybrids these days?

I'm 4 years from celebrating half a century on my score board and I'm leaning towards a van too.

Are the soft floor campers history now?

[Bird]

Are the soft floor campers history now?

try selling your soft floor and answer your own question 

[SEADOO]

Yep, I can't sell. I'd be lucky to get $5k for it now (insured for $25k).

[Spada]

It's a market transition that has been going on for a few years now. https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/details/aussie-campers-hit-hard-times-58408/

Caravans have always been around, I spent the first 4 years of my life in one, but camping has been through a massive transition over the last decade. Evolving market demand has bought about a whole heap of product changes in a hell of a hurry. Seems that just 10-15 years ago everybody had tents, tarps, ice filled eskies, and gas lanterns - and only the enthusiasts went camping. Camper trailers really opened up the camping market a little over a decade ago to a whole new demographic so a lot of people who had never before been campers were drawn into the market. Now all of those camper-trailer customers have grown up (as has their disposable income) and are now seeking a little less canvas, hence the massive influx of hybrid type trailers on the market now.

Just my take on things. My personal camping style has evolved from tent, to rear fold, to hybrid, and now I'm thinking about the next evolution 

[macca]

Think thats a pretty good take on the situation Spada,  I was going to say everyone's just getting soft, myself included, but your pretty close to the mark.

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[Jeepers Creepers]

I've noticed everybody and the market is leaning towards vans and hybrids these days?

I'm 4 years from celebrating half a century on my score board and I'm leaning towards a van too.

Are the soft floor campers history now?

You reckoned you wanted a van back in Jan this year when I was selling mine.
You said you were going to watch it closely and I never heard a word ever again.
You also wanted to swap a soft floor for a van at one point as well, if I remember it correctly.

[SEADOO]

I did, but unfortunately I am unable to upgrade to a van till I off load mine.

Yes, I was watching with interest, but like a lot of second hand vans, people still ask new prices for them.

[Jeepers Creepers]

It sold in 3 weeks, so you might need to rethink, how much you consider things are worth.

[SEADOO]

I do, but what people are asking for their second hand vans, it's worth paying a little more and buy new.

Besides, this thread isn't about you and me.

[Poita]

I still think there is a market for soft floor campers. We just bought our first after borrowing a mates for a few years whenever we needed it.
Reasons why I chose a soft floor over a van:
1. I feel like I'm closer to nature rather than locked up inside a house on wheels.
2. More room, especially with 2 kids and 3rd on the way.
3. A whole 7x4 trailer of storage which is brilliant with kids.
4. It will go anywhere my 4wd can drag it.
5. Price was a huge factor. A reasonable quality van is about double the price.
6. Much more pleasant to tow.
7. I can get it up my steep driveway and under my low carport (unique criteria, but an influence for me)

I think the industry took a huge hit with the plethora of cheap campers from China which knocked the stuffing out of the second hand market.
Hybrids seem to be on the rise though, but still quite expensive so out of reach of many families.

[Beachman]

I think it all depends on what type of camping your intending on doing. For me personally I'm 50 and not ready for caravan park camping just yet as still prefer remote beach camping. So the Camper Trailer is perfect as you just can't get Vans into some of the places we visit.

So for me I'm going to keep the Camper Trailer for as long as I can (which is still in perfect condition) and then when I do start slowing down I have  a feeling my kids (especially my Son) will start using it.

At one stage I did think about  a forward fold/hybrid, but being a tight ar$e I couldn't justify the extra thousands of dollars to save an extra 30 minutes set up/pack down time. Plus the extra weight of these trailers just make it that much harder getting into some of the beach camping spots.

So would prefer to just keep it instead of basically giving it away.

[Coolblue80]

I did on Saturday morning.  I purchased an 18ft dual Jayco Discovery of a work  mate. Needs a good scrub and some tlc but i got it cheap cheap. It will come up a treat.  Now to get rid of the soft floor.
Cheers,  Mike.

[Jeepers Creepers]

I do, but what people are asking for their second hand vans, it's worth paying a little more and buy new.

Besides, this thread isn't about you and me.

Never thought it was about you and me... just an observation on my part.

[tryagain]

There is certainly a shift up the swag to caravan progression taking place, just have to look at the manufacturers to see that's what is happening. I think a couple of the things that play into this are the baby boomers are getting older/softer and they are hitting retirement age so happy to spend the larger amounts required for a caravan from their retirement nest egg, to buy something to fulfil lifelong dreams of travelling, also with modern manufacturing techniques, the price of luxury caravans are within reach of a lot more.   

I think some factors that make it seem bigger than it actually is though, the vast majority of camper trailer users wouldn't think about going on a forum about them, it's more "enthusiasts"  on here, and they are more likely to spend the money to upgrade as getting away/traveling is more what they are into, also, as you get older, so do people you know so it increases the likelihood of people you know moving to van's.

There is a definite shift but how much of that is due to the ageing population and the typical preference for comfort that comes with it, and how much of that has to do with a general shift in the market is hard to quantify.

[austastar]

Hi,
    Yep, I've been camping in the Tas Highlands with the kids on the June LWE for the past 20 years.
Last weekend the youngest turned up with a van instead of a tent.
Next thing will be a diesel heater I suppose.
Cheers

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[KeithB]

I am upgrading from a hard floor camper to a hybrid van. At age 69 I need a bit more comfort plus a shower and toilet. The added plusses are:

1. Being able to pack up wet.
2. Ability to have a rest stop with a convenient kitchen.
3. Much more pleasant in windy cold weather.
4. Works as a guest room.

[Bunyip]

I'm a lazy bugger so we have sold our hard floor camper and will almost certainly get a hybrid for our next purchase. Laziness and the fact that the kids have grown up so it is only LB and me.

Not quite ready for a full van.

[edz]

Being big and solid  but Young and Stupid for to many years doing Heavy labour work,  then older and  silly thinking your still 18  showing the young Bucks how its done, Only to end up living in a wrecked body ..
Couple that with a wife that is being slowly  crippled by ill health
Yep its a Small Hybrid camper and its comforts for us .. It'll go to where I need it too to get away from people ...

[woolgoolgaoffroad]

i did - my back has caught up with me and after numerous quartazone injections in my back i have had enough of hard slog

[raider]

We will too at some stage. We are doing a 5 week whirlwind 1/2 lap in about 11 weeks time and have hired a Jayco Starcraft 16 footer with shower , toilet and the ability to free camp. This will give us a taste of things to come. We used the camper trailer on the long weekend in the rain at Mt Beauty which doesn't worry me too much but the wife is looking for more comfort these days. Natural progression I think- from cabins ,tents, swags and camper particularly when the kids were young.
Raider

[Steffo1]

we went from a custom soft floor to a 2nd hand Goldstream Wing1. The main reason being that the soft floor was just too big for the two of us. We didn't need a setup with a double bed and with room for four more beds in the tent plus a full length annex, hence the Goldie.
We were lucky though as a young nephew, who has two young kiddies, was more than happy to take the soft floor of our hands at a good price for both parties. His missus and kids love it so, he's a happy man.

[chester ver2.0]

Australian camper trailer manufactuers only have themselves to blame

Why on earth would i pay up to $47k for a brand new hard floor camper from 2 reputable Australian brands when for another 10K more i am in new off-road caravan territory

[chester ver2.0]

Australian camper trailer manufactuers only have themselves to blame

Why on earth would i pay up to $47k for a brand new hard floor camper from 2 reputable Australian brands when for another 10K more i am in new off-road caravan territory

To me it is not anything other than simple maths

[BBull]

Australian camper trailer manufactuers only have themselves to blame

Why on earth would i pay up to $47k for a brand new hard floor camper from 2 reputable Australian brands when for another 10K more i am in new off-road caravan territory
[/quote
Fair enough. All depends if you want a quality camper or a cheap van I guess. At this stage I will still go with the quality camper.

[Pete79]

Is it just me, or is everyone upgrading to vans?

Nope.
You must be just hanging around with a lot of old people these days.....

Seriously though...
There's obviously a massive market for caravans, driving between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast you go past the 5 or so caravan shops with literally 1000s of vans parked out front in the 1km stretch of highway makes that pretty clear.

I don't begrudge people getting old and wanting a few comforts when they travel.
Just as I don't expect everyone to love the bush as much as I do and can accept that some people actually like staying at caravan parks.

It would be nice if the above people realized that the rest of the world is not retired or on holidays and stopped choking our highways with their monstrosities so we can get on with our normal lives.

There's still heaps of us left that have no interest in dragging around a rolling road block. We still love going places that even the best "off road" caravan has absolutely no chance of getting into.