Motorhome & Caravan reviews, articles and news
Winter camping has some additional challenges and cold start is one of them. The ambient temperature was -22.5 degrees Celsius (-8.5 Fahrenheit) when I tried to start up my Carado. I did not have an electric engine block heater or Webasto or Eber in use. The battery was so cold that it could barely run the start. You can hear how the engine is coughing and lights are blinking. The cold start was a success with a first try. I’m sure the battery could not have survived a second try.
This third photo collection shows caravans that are specifically designed for winter camping. Kabe, Polar, and Solifer are all producing caravans that can be used even when it gets really chilly outside. They are ideal holiday homes for skiing trips. All the layouts that were on display provided plenty of space. A lot of thought was used to design the kitchens. A large cooker with a stove was found from many models. The functionality of a kitchen is an important aspects especially on long journeys.
Dethleffs Globe 4 was a new low profile motorhome model, which implemented the hot new layout - bed over the seating area. L-shaped kitchen allowed more table space for the compact motorhome.
Nokia has started to provide Ovi Maps navigation and maps for free. Ovi Maps includes pedestrian and car navigation. All the maps are free, which is great news for all travellers. There’s no need to purchase maps for holiday destinations anymore to take use of the phone’s built-in GPS. Nokia smartphones will include the new version of Ovi Maps, pre-loaded local map, navigation and access to Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides starting from March.
Currently compatible devices are Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition, Nokia E52, Nokia E55, Nokia E72, Nokia 5230, Nokia 6710 Navigator, Nokia 6730 classic and Nokia X6. The list will be expanding in the near future.
You can download a new version of Ovi Maps immediately from www.nokia.com/maps.
Let’s continue with Bürstner a bit. All the integrated and low profiles were spacious and light colored upholstery emphasized the feeling even more. Double beds were placed in the middle at the back of some models. There were really large windows on both sides of the beds, which brought in a lot of natural light. (Well it was fluorescent light at the exhibition, but the large windows will be even more impressive when the RV is outside.)
Carthago had the luxury feel inside and out. Dark wood and bright white upholstery created a sharp contrast, which gave a strong definition to the interior. The back of the RV was framed with a wide plastic rise. Tail lights and rear bumber were smoothly integrated to the frame.
Laika is strongly getting back to Scandinavian market. There were Kreos 3009 and X-series 640 on display. Kreos was very stylish and all the details added to the quality feel that was present. X-series is the more affordable line-up than the Kreos. Still the same level of look and feel was present on the X-series although scaled on a different price point. The bed over the seating area was operated with electricity and there was enough free height (185 cm / 73″) to walk under the bed. The bed was well integrated to the roof and it was not easily recognizable when sitting around the table. This was the best execution of this layout on the show.
Caravan & Camping Show is the second largest annual exhibition in Finland. It was organized in Turku during the second weekend of this year. I was really busy due to other tasks, so my visit there was quite short. I still managed to capture the most important bits into a film.
There are three brands LMC, Elnagh, and Bürstner included into this first patch of photos. Elnagh was a positive surprise when it comes to look and spacious layouts. The low profile Duke 590 SL was a 4 berth motorhome, which provided a large shower room and a separate vertical storage for example snowboards or other wet equipment. The storage floor had a drain to prevent floods. This was a very clever solution. The Duke had also a conventional storage under the double bed.
Bürstner had the largest stand of the show and the new Ixeo Plus low profile hold the central stage. Ixeo showed the hot layout where the ceiling holds an additional bed over the seats. This is something that many brands are now offering as a novel solution. The bed made the indoor height so low that I could not stand straight under it and I’m only around 182 cm (approx. 6 feet). Some brands have managed to do this better. Ixeo looked stylish with metallic gray paint job and the inside was fresh.
NordicDetours organizes guided camping tours, which take place in Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, Germany, Spain and also in some other countries. Upcoming tours can be seen on their calendar. There are three tours booked at the moment: Sweden, Finland + Russia, and Baltic countries.
We wish A Happy New Year 2010 for all our readers! Let there be a lot of exciting travels ahead.
Christmas is getting really close and it’s time to get the presents for family and friends purchased. Here are some caravan related ideas that I picked up from our archive.
Arctic Battery Heater
Adds comfort to winter camping. List price 350 Euros.
Arctic battery heater
Fiamma Level Ups
Everyone needs these. Most people have two level ups, but a third one is sometimes really handy. Around 30 Euros.
Fiamma Level Up
Cobb grill
This is the best charcoal grill ever made. Around 180 Euros.
Cobb grill
There are several brands available. Always good to have on the go. Does not require batteries and costs only few Euros.
Foldable hair dryer
Requires little space and can be used even with an inverter. Around 10 Euros.
Cockpit cover
There are several brands available as well as models for winter and summer use. Around from 100 to 300 Euros.
Huhtalo cockpit cover
Telescopic snow brush
Everyone who travels where it snows will need this. Around 15 euros.
Ufo antenna
Adds comfort to setting up the TV. This antenna does not care about the precise direction. Around 150 Euros.
Triax Ufo
Adria has introduced their motorhome offering for 2010 season. All the body types are available: vans, semi-integrated, integrated, and overcabs. The Slovenian company has been successful in building their product offering and their motorhomes are generally regarded as a good value for the money. The company has especially invested into their luxury equipped models for 2010.
There are two familiar and very popular models: Twin and 4Twin. They both are built on Fiat Ducato base and body length is 5.99 meters. All three Ducato engines are available 100 hp, 120 hp, and 160 hp. The difference is in the layout. 4Twin has 4 berths and Twin provides 3 berths. There are 8 different exterior colors available, so the van does not have to be the casual white. The furniture finish style is new in 2010
The semi-integrated range includes Compact (4 layouts), Coral (4 layouts), Coral Supreme (4 layouts), Polaris (2 layouts), and Matrix (1 layout). The Compacts have a narrow body (212 cm) and they provide up to 3 berths. They are ideal for couples. The base is Fiat Ducato and there are four exterior colors available: White, Silver, Grey, and Red.
The Coral range is also tailored for couples, but they are larger than Compacts. The body width is 2.29 cm and the lengths go up to 7.29 meters. All models are 3 berths. Coral has polyester body and Ducato base just like the Compact. The body should be very damage resistant.
Coral Supreme has 4 layouts, which are different from Coral. Supreme models have high accessory level.
Polaris is a new luxury model, which is targeted to survive in winter conditions. The base is Mercedes-Benz with AL-KO and layouts are 3 berth. Alde floor heating comes as a standard. Waste water tank is heated and refrigerator provides generous 150 litres of room. Panoramic window is operated with electricity.
Matrix is a semi-integrated model, but it has a double bed on top of the seating area. The bed is lowered from the roof for a night. The seating area cannot be used in night mode, but there are 4 berths to use. This is a new concept in Adria line-up. Previously this type of a cross model combining semi-integrated and integrated features has been introduced by Frankia.
Coral is the only range that provides overcab family models. There are 4 layouts and up to 7 berths. Waste water tank is heated and a large 150 litre refrigerator suits well to family layouts.
Vision is the name of the integrated model and it uses a rare Renault Master base with 150 hp engine. The base has been equipped with AL-KO chassis. Air suspension should give a smooth ride. There are 3 layouts all providing 4 berths. Double floor and heated waste water tank gives good winter characteristics.
In Finnish, Caravanuutiset.com
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