Hi, just signed up to this great website. Just after some advice for our trip around Australia with our 4 kids (ages 8, 5, 3, 18mths). Planning on heading off Feb 16. House just sold and I've told my bosses at work to suck it up - the trip is happening! Anyway, we're stuck on whether we go for the 17ft pop top outback or the 18ft hardtop on-road.
- tow vehicle is 2002 pajero. Max towing 2500kg- with the kids we want the shower/toilet option- we want a free camping setup and envisage we will be utilising as many free camping options as we can without serious off-roading. - given our tow weight limit as well as shower/toilet option we have identified two options 1. The 17ft outback pop top 2. 18ft hardtop on road (the outback in the hardtop exceeds our towing limit).
Some of our quirees that would assist our decision are the following:-
- is the outback model nessercery for free camping option whilst touring the country I.e. Occasional Corrugated dirt roads, occasional dirt track, etc. With our four kids we won't be venturing too far off the beaten track however thought that any unsealed driving we do that having the outback suspension would mean less impact on the van?
- are the bunks in the hardtop longer than the pop top? (We've heard from a friend who owns the pop top model that their 8 year old has almost outgrown the bunks).
- would the benefits of the storage space of the onroad hardtop outweigh the benefits of the outback poptop which seems to have less storage?
Any thoughts/advice/recommendations would be greatly welcomed!
(Apologies if this quiree or similar is already canvassed in another thread somewhere)
Cheers
Cam
- tow vehicle is 2002 pajero. Max towing 2500kg- with the kids we want the shower/toilet option- we want a free camping setup and envisage we will be utilising as many free camping options as we can without serious off-roading. - given our tow weight limit as well as shower/toilet option we have identified two options 1. The 17ft outback pop top 2. 18ft hardtop on road (the outback in the hardtop exceeds our towing limit).
Some of our quirees that would assist our decision are the following:-
- is the outback model nessercery for free camping option whilst touring the country I.e. Occasional Corrugated dirt roads, occasional dirt track, etc. With our four kids we won't be venturing too far off the beaten track however thought that any unsealed driving we do that having the outback suspension would mean less impact on the van?
- are the bunks in the hardtop longer than the pop top? (We've heard from a friend who owns the pop top model that their 8 year old has almost outgrown the bunks).
- would the benefits of the storage space of the onroad hardtop outweigh the benefits of the outback poptop which seems to have less storage?
Any thoughts/advice/recommendations would be greatly welcomed!
(Apologies if this quiree or similar is already canvassed in another thread somewhere)
Cheers
Cam