Kimberley Dilema

lightweight · July 14, 2011, 09:06:28 AM

Hi,

I have a small dilemma... I have a late model Kimberley Kamper that isn't getting the use it should. My family has grown from Just my wife and I, into Wife and two kids pretty quickly, when I bought it i got the "kids" room, which is really just a very small storage area and hardly up to the task. I currently do not have any enclosed awnings, just the "KK Quick Awning" which is really only a sun shade at best. What I am trying to get an idea from any other KK owners out there is what they have done, or what setup do they have to sleep kids? Does anyone have the 'Bedowin" or other fully enclosed awning packs from KK? If so can they provide a pic of it setup? Something that is all weather as well, as I seem to attract vast amounts of wind and rain whenever i venture outdoors.... Any help appreciated as I don't want to have to sell it.

Thanks

darren · July 14, 2011, 09:13:43 AM

I have the older model Kimberley. We only ever use the small annex. There are 4 of us and we have never really had an issue. Everyone is different though.

lightweight · July 14, 2011, 09:19:46 AM

Does your annex have sides/walls? The one i have has no sides or walls, maybe OK for an adult to sleep under, but not for kids.

D4D · July 14, 2011, 09:21:20 AM

Darren, don't you sleep in your swag next to your Kimberley admiring it

Silvo · July 14, 2011, 09:24:00 AM

what about bunks on the inside of the main tent for the kids?

WilSurf · July 14, 2011, 09:57:24 AM

We have the 2010 model SportsRV with the Kwik Awning. no side walls.
The 2 kids are either sleeping in the CT on the hard floor or in their own little tent.
But my daughters are 8 and 5.

darren · July 14, 2011, 10:13:34 AM

Quote from: lightweight on July 14, 2011, 09:19:46 AM
Does your annex have sides/walls? The one i have has no sides or walls, maybe OK for an adult to sleep under, but not for kids.

If 4 of us are in the camper there is 2 in the bed and 2 on the hard floor. I do have walls for the larger annex but i keep them in the roof of the house and i have never got them out of their bag. I nearly almost always only use the small awning which is like the quick awning only with poles.
And yes. Most of the time i just sleep outside.
But as i said, were all different..

darren · July 14, 2011, 10:14:48 AM

Quote from: D4D on July 14, 2011, 09:21:20 AM
Darren, don't you sleep in your swag next to your Kimberley admiring it

I actually only bought my camper for the status... I prefer to sleep outside

BigJules · July 14, 2011, 02:26:20 PM

Why do you think the kids room is not up to the task may I ask? Is not big enough to take a set of bunks of stretchers or whatever you would like your kids to sleep on?

Kit_e_kat9 · July 14, 2011, 03:19:30 PM

If they are only Little People, they won't need much room. The Man's 17yo has slept on the floor of the camper through very wet weather, but usually sleeps in his own tent somewhere far, far away from the camper. Apparently teenagers like their privacy

Kit_e

P.S. Our Swag has optional canvas. We got 2 ends, a kitchen cover and draught flap for along the base. Haven't had to use it all as yet, but that draft flap alone is worth every dollar. There is another option for a complete front wall, but the pictured worked well through some pretty nasty weather (hail, thunderous downpour, and a gusty wind). Haven't used it in anything remotely cyclonic though, but nothing another tarp or two can't solve.

Rumpig · July 14, 2011, 07:16:21 PM

we have 2 kids (aged 8 and 3), on short weekend trips they sleep on the hard floor, longer stay in one place trips i put the extra bedroom on the back for them. personally i think there's heaps of room for the 2 of them, even when they are on the hard floor on weekends, but as some have said already, everyone has their own needs and wants for space.
cheers.

jaycamrie · July 14, 2011, 07:55:32 PM

kids room , i still can,t get the the kids out of bed with us ,we are looking at campers me thinks the kids will be in bed with mum and i will be in the swag outside

Tim - Stratford · July 16, 2011, 07:20:14 PM

In our older kamper (kids room sticking out side) our two were on bunks - enough room to get out of bed and get changed etc. If only a quick stop then the bunks went on the hard floor and I didn't worry about setting up the kids room.

Our new KK has the kids room at the end (longways) of the extended annex - Master L (15ys) wasn't going to stay inside, prefering his swag - but the last trip he put his swag in the kids room to take advantage of the heater!

Below photo is of the old kids room sticking out the side of our old kamper.

Tim

GGV8Cruza · July 16, 2011, 07:31:32 PM

Quote from: Tim - Stratford on July 16, 2011, 07:20:14 PM
In our older kamper (kids room sticking out side) our two were on bunks - enough room to get out of bed and get changed etc. If only a quick stop then the bunks went on the hard floor and I didn't worry about setting up the kids room.

Our new KK has the kids room at the end (longways) of the extended annex - Master L (15ys) wasn't going to stay inside, prefering his swag - but the last trip he put his swag in the kids room to take advantage of the heater!

Below photo is of the old kids room sticking out the side of our old kamper.

Tim

Which set up do you prefer, the one on the end of the tent looks good to me, how do you find it??

GG

Tim - Stratford · July 16, 2011, 07:39:05 PM

Quote from: GGPatrol on July 16, 2011, 07:31:32 PM
Which set up do you prefer,

GG,

I reckon the end one wins - easier to find a campsite as you don't have to worry about something 'sticking' out the side. It is also bigger - easily sleeps three across. The 'side bedroom' is taller though - can stand in same.

Tim

jaycamrie · July 17, 2011, 10:12:54 AM

Quote from: Tim - Stratford on July 16, 2011, 07:39:05 PM
GG,

I reckon the end one wins - easier to find a campsite as you don't have to worry about something 'sticking' out the side. It is also bigger - easily sleeps three across. The 'side bedroom' is taller though - can stand in same.

Tim

tim is that the tent style room on the end , we are looking at kk,s at the show the bloke there told us you could fold the tent up with the rest of the hard floor is this correct

Rumpig · July 17, 2011, 10:35:45 AM

Quote from: jaycamrie on July 17, 2011, 10:12:54 AM
tim is that the tent style room on the end , we are looking at kk,s at the show the bloke there told us you could fold the tent up with the rest of the hard floor is this correct

i've never done it myself with ours as we have the kids matresses on our bed and their sleeping bags also when we pack up, so the back room would be to much extra for us. i was told you can either leave the rear room on or leave the quick awning on but not both at the same time, we don't do either due to the extra stuff we already pack ontop of our bed when we close it up.
cheers
Mal

Tim - Stratford · July 17, 2011, 09:17:49 PM

Quote from: jaycamrie on July 17, 2011, 10:12:54 AM
tim is that the tent style room on the end , we are looking at kk,s at the show the bloke there told us you could fold the tent up with the rest of the hard floor is this correct

G'day Jaycamrie - we don't leave the kids room on or the awning on as per Rumpig's post. We use the bed to store other stuff so I haven't tried leaving anything else attached.

Tim

Jason B · July 18, 2011, 09:52:42 AM

Gronk

We are having the same conversations at the moment. My KK didn't come with the zips fitted for the side kids room (2005 model bought second hand). We are currently considering having the zip fitted which will cost about $1000 by the time the tent is removed by a KK dealer posted to KK and refitted. I like this option because it is all factory KK. However for the same money I can get a 3rd party to modify my KK (not extended tent) with a zip on the end instead of the side, and make a kids room similar to the factory KK one on the end.

I am reluctant to go this way (even though it is better value and will suit my needs better) because of resale etc.

We have two young kids 6 and 3 who currently sleep in the bed with mum and I sleep on the hard floor or outside (depending how many beers I have had) in my swag similar to Darren.

We do have the large annex and all of the walls as well as the 1.8m sun awning. If I am staying in one place for a while I use the 2.4m awning and add the walls if they are required. The missus loves the full set up. If I am only staying for a weekend I use the small awning. If over nighting I use nothing unless it is raining. Setting up the KK including the full awning, walls floor etc takes me and the missus 40 mins and I expect we will get this down a bit once we do it a few more times. It is great for the kids in bad wheather and there is heaps of room in it. The worst part is that it is a massive and heavy amount of canvas to carry around.

I have also seen a KK with one of those square looking 30 second tent things set up at the side door.

Regards

Jas

LC · July 18, 2011, 10:07:04 AM

We have a 2006 model that came with acres and acres of canvas. After using the 2.4m awning for a few months we then bought a kwik awning from KK as they had some deal going where I could have one plus the poles for $300. Since putting that on I have not taken it off and all the other canvass, including a side kids room, stays at home.

Our 7yo son sleeps on a camp bed on the hard floor and there is still plenty of space to get changed etc. If we had two kids we would probably get double bunks that would occupy the same amount of floor space.

Our solar panels travel on the bunk and the kamper gets folded up with the quick awning in place without any problems.

Jason B · July 18, 2011, 10:50:29 AM

Quote from: Lcandlc on July 18, 2011, 10:07:04 AM

"we then bought a kwik awning from KK"

I would buy the kwik awning also and would prefer one to my 1.8m sun awning however I don't think KK make one to suit the standard tent models (not extended tent).

Regards

Jas

LC · July 18, 2011, 02:05:34 PM

Quote from: Jason B on July 18, 2011, 10:50:29 AM
I would buy the kwik awning also and would prefer one to my 1.8m sun awning however I don't think KK make one to suit the standard tent models (not extended tent).

Regards

Jas

Have no idea - ours is the extended version!

Hewy54 · July 21, 2011, 06:34:46 PM

Looking at the price of add-on family room $1590, xtended bedroom $890. Our kids are now grown up and we are now looking towards taking the grandkids with us. When mine were younger (about age 8+) they could not wait to be in their own tent. We are looking at getting the oz tent for them. Can be carried on the rack, 30sec to put up, cheaper than the add-ons, we can throw it on the roof of the 4x4 if we are going where the KK will not.

peteandkyles · July 23, 2011, 08:15:34 AM

We also have the Quick Awning and 3 kids. Our girls are still little at 3, 6 & 8. I bought the annex that comes with the awning as well as the kids room, but we have only used the kids room once. The kids are sleeping on a self inflating matress on the hard floor (mind you the 3yo is in our bed before 1am anyway). They all have their own -10 rated sleeping bags so they are warmer than us usually. I am looking at getting bunk camping beds for them as when we use the shower, the moisture stays under the bed. The annex is quite good and we only put it up when it is windy and wet.

lightweight · July 26, 2011, 12:43:34 PM

Jas, in picture IMG_1956.jpg, what is the name of that awning and the size of it?

That is what i am after!

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Kimberley Dilema