I'm looking at buying my first caravan. I'm looking at the Freedom micro lite and wanted to know whether people think it would be best to go for the 3 Berth layout over the 2 berth with bathroom. 3 berth means I could keep the bed up and have a seating area. Bathroom would be handy but how usable would the shower would be? I am of an age where a toilet would save a trek to the loo in the dark🙂 but a 3 berth would give me the option to invite a friend to join me.
It really depends where you are planning on going, although we do find a loo handy (useful when on the road too!).
In the UK you could find yourself quite some way form the facilities. Our experience on the continent is that there are usually more wash blocks per site and you will probably be closer to one.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
When I was a tenter, I found I had to walk quite a distance from my pitch to the facilities block at times, which was no fun in the middle of the night when it was raining cats and dogs outside.
Hence I bought a Kampa Khazi in case I needed it.
Having a toilet was a "must have" feature when I started to plan to get a van, and I now have my own onboard facilities in my custom-converted MWB VW Crafter.
Each to their own - only you can decide what suits you.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Welcome to UKCS. There are some great Certificated Locations (CAMC) without toilets, just 5 pitches with EHU, CDP & water. (The CCC equivalent Certificated Sites tend to have toilets, as there are more tent campers in that club.)
Getting half dressed to go out in the dark to the site facilities with a torch when it’s raining is a faff.
Emptying the toilet certainly isn’t one of life’s pleasures, but needs must. We have a “liquid only” rule as the toilet fairy is a bit squeamish.
Had out freedom for 10yrs now and find the toilet a bonus, but we live in the awning and leave the bed made up, plus we keep our tables and water and waste containers while on the road
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 18/5/2022
Emptying the toilet certainly isn’t one of life’s pleasures, but needs must. We have a “liquid only” rule as the toilet fairy is a bit squeamish.
Hence I do not envisage I would allow anyone else to use my toilet in the van, as it is bad enough emptying my own mess!
I don't mind emptying my own mess, however, I dread seeing the mess other people have left behind at the CDPs after having encountered some unpleasant sights in the past!!!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
I think a little freedom microlight will appear cramped with a toilet compartment. Maybe set up a toilet in an awning or toilet tent.
On board showers do work well but will require a water heater which takes up space under beds.
The 3 berth will have the kitchen in the middle where head room is better.
A toilet will probably mean kitchen at one end where roof is lower. OK if you're not too tall.
Purchasing any caravan is a compromise, and we all will compromise on different things to our own tastes. My van is much bigger than a Freedom, but the same questions arose before purchase.
An onboard loo/shower saves the trek to the toilet block (which can be quite a distance - seemingly MUCH further when desperate or weather foul!) in the dark/rain etc., which is a priority for me over whether or not I can leave a bed made up! It also opens up a host of Club CL/CS 5 pitch sites to you which often don't have loo/shower facilities, they are often lovely locations and very reasonable pitch fees, also you find them in areas often devoid of full blown campsites, so widens your horizons.
The loo/shower room is not big on a Freedom so visit a dealer and ensure that you can fit in it in a usable way, step in it, sit, wave arms around as if showering, don't just look in it!
I don't find making up my bed daily a great hardship, move a few cushions and chuck a sleeping bag and pillow down, takes a minute! If you want to go sheets, duvets, mattress toppers etc. then it become a bit of a faff! ... with your potential limited storage space, I doubt the elaborate bedding would be an option!
As to emptying the loo cassette, if you use the right chemicals, it's not the least bit 'smelly' (the chemicals STOP odours, not just bury them under strong perfumes!), and it's just a sterile (correct chems kill bacteria too) brown liquid that you empty, as 'solids' are broken down. Can't say it's pretty, but no where as grim as it could be! .... and many reserve onboard loo for No 1s only!
If you fit an awning, you can use a inner sleeping tent to accommodate guests, and an awning makes for quite a nice airy living space anyway.
My thoughts on a caravan grew as I researched what was available, in fact they changed quite a bit, I came to the conclusion (I looked at a lot from Micro Vans upwards) that if I was going to spend the money, and have the inconvenience of towing, storing and maintaining one, then it might as well be as all inclusive, comfortable and flexible as possible otherwise I'd just be swapping canvas tent walls for aluminium ones and would still be in effect camping at a basic level!
Toilet option every time. Shower very close behind it.(wouldnt personally buy a van without either). Especially if the other option is only for the off-chance someone comes with you.
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Topic: 3berth or bathroom?
via mobile 18/5/2022 at 9:53am
