Shower size, should I care

GaryMo

GaryMo

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After years of wanting we are finally in the position look at purchasing a campervan, it's a pity the world has gone made ;)

I think we have a good idea of what we want, a 6.36m van conversion, with longitudinal beds at the back, with storage underneath and with Auto transmission. We have had a look around and think Globalcar or Malibu can will be ideal. But I've got hung up on the size of the shower, I'm quite a big bloke and I find some of the showers are akin to vertical coffins, I can't move, no way can I bend and reach my feet. In my mind being able to wash my feet is a in a major positive.

So should I not worry about it? or can people recommend van conversion with larger then average showers (note very happy about combined toilet and shower areas, we don't want separate areas)

Thanks
 
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We have a 6 metre self build van conversion and decided from the start that the beds must be length ways and storage was a priority. Thus the toilet/shower would be less of a priority where space was concerned.

Our toilet swivels and we have a fitted corner sink and cupboard combo on the opposite corner. The sink tap doubles up as a shower head with a lever on it that you can either have continuous water flow or use it for shorter bursts of water. We bought a shower curtain that is the widest width and we fitted marine press studs all around the top of the shower wall and corresponding studs on the top of the shower curtain.

When we shower we keep the tambour shower door open to give more elbow room as the shower curtain covers the door opening as well as all of the shower room walls. We had this idea from the Canadian motor homes. When finished we hang the shower curtain on the awning and is dry in no time.

Please note that even though I have written this in the plural we definitely do not shower together😂
 
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We love our Campscout. It is our first moho and we bought in 2019. The shower is the compromise area for us. But it is good enough. Wiping everything down afterwards is the major pain but a karcher certainly helps. We use shower gel and scrunchies as we found soap was more clogging the drain. Our biggest problem is waste water. We are currently on a UK club site that has no drive over waste point so we're having to use site facilities to minimise water use, and it is much less convenient. Usually we carry a flexible trug to stand in while showering but didn't have room on this trip. If you have a Globecar available think very seriously about it they are very good. Oh and the separation into two areas was really important to us last week when one of us was ill.....
 
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We have a similar layout to the one you are considering, For us, the smaller size of the PVC and the comfy lounging are and bed, are more important than the shower size. So that is our compromise.
I am tall and have solved the showering issue by showering whilst using the loo as a seat. I can then easily reach my feet and wash my hair.

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Potty said:
Stopped using shower gel a couple of years ago. A bar of soap lasts a lot longer than a bottle of gel and no plastic bottles to dispose of.
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Soap for us too for the same reasons . Also soap bar for shampoo and conditioner . Also can’t imagine not showering every day on or off grid .
 
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I am in the mad camp for sure!! We checked out about 30/40 different vans before deciding on the one we purchased.

Standing 6'3 tall, the first thing I would do when considering a van is make sure I could stand upright without banging my head, then check I could stand up in the shower and turn around and finally, lie on the bed and not touch my feet and head on opposing walls at the same time!!

We ruled out many a van owing to the size of shower as we felt having comfort when full timing was important.

But each to their own!!
 
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Littlewheels said:
It’s like living in the Dark Ages on here! hasn't anyone heard of shower gel🤔😁
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Can't stand it, it can take ages to rinse off so I'll stick to my soap on a rope! :giggle:
 
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Shower size important for me too, I am 6ft 2ins and like to have a shower daily, so need enough space to swing the proverbial cat. We have a 2015 Benimar Mileo 201 which has a decent size shower/toilet pod, plus a permanant double bed, all in a 5.99m length. The compromise is in the dinette/lounge size which is small, but it suits us as we do not spend a lot of time in the van during the day.

Like others, we ruled out many vans due to the washroom size.
 
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hja said:
We have a Globecar Summit Prime 640. We dismissed the ones with shower across the corridor because it effectively trapped the other person either in bed or in living end, but couldn't even make a cup of tea! So ours has a swing wall, keeping loo dry, no curtains. We both manage, I'm 5ft 5 and quite large, & not very flexible, OH is just short of 6ft, bit thinner. Shower not quite as large as Autosleeper Broadway we had, but a compromise to get the rest that the Globecar offered - fixed rear single beds, garage.
When we first got a m/h we went from a 2 berth caravan that had a rear "dressing room", which we did, and still do, miss. Again all about priorities and compromises.
We really like our van, and use the shower even when on sites with showers. Obviously you need to stand in the shower in the van on the showroom floor, and shut the door etc, and see how much movement space you have.
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We have the smaller Summit Prime 540 also with swing shower , albeit a smaller space - however I’m 6ft and it still works well for me

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Never mind the shower, you'll be lucky to find a 'van with auto transmission unless you're buying new. Even then it's a few thousand extra and probably a longer wait to order. They're a bit like hen's teeth.
 
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Minxy Girl said:
Can't stand it, it can take ages to rinse off so I'll stick to my soap on a rope! :giggle:
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I take an age to get ready in a morning,lots of grooming with Beard Oil and Balm, Q10 anti ageing cream and the rest of it the older l’ve got the longer it takes Mrs Littlewheels thinks l mad but it’s something lve done all my life.
 
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Littlewheels said:
I take an age to get ready in a morning,lots of grooming with Beard Oil and Balm, Q10 anti ageing cream and the rest of it the older l’ve got the longer it takes Mrs Littlewheels thinks l mad but it’s something lve done all my life.
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Judging by your avatar it's not working! 😄
 
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To wash feet, sit on the loo and use the shower head over the shower floor.
You only need to close the screens whist you're "splashing it about".
 
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Fulham Dave said:
I am in the mad camp for sure!! We checked out about 30/40 different vans before deciding on the one we purchased.

Standing 6'3 tall, the first thing I would do when considering a van is make sure I could stand upright without banging my head, then check I could stand up in the shower and turn around and finally, lie on the bed and not touch my feet and head on opposing walls at the same time!!

We ruled out many a van owing to the size of shower as we felt having comfort when full timing was important.

But each to their own!!
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Hubby is touch over 6 foot 4 inches. The amount of vans we walked in and then quickly had to turn around was huge. Would of liked a smaller vehicle for our next one but unlikely to find one that suits him:giggle:
 
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GaryMo said:
Thanks for the reply, I think we would prefer not to have the shower across the corridor for the reasons you say. We haven't managed to see the Summit Prime, nowhere seems to have one on display, from the pictures I've seen they look nice.

I didn't realise the Globalcars had the swing wall, I've seen one is a Swift Adria, but it made the shower area too small for me.

This will be our first motorhome and in many respects now is not the time to buy, but I do have a chance of a Campscout elegance 640, but with the shower over the corridor, having originally wanting one of these I'm now not so sure
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Don’t know where you live, but ours came from SMC in Newark (I know not every one likes them, but they have been all right with us). Its an auto. We got it June this year, it was in stock. They only seem to get one at a time, so if they are not too far away it may be worth giving them a ring.
 
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We were on the point of buying a Malibu PVC as the roads in our village are very narrow but then someone showed us a Buerstner Travel Van. It's only a few cm longer (6.6m but I think there's a 5.9m version with transverse bed instead of twin singles), narrower (2.2m) than a normal coachbuilt (which is more critical when driving) but has a huge garage, enormous storage space, big water tank, decent payload and a proper bathroom with swing wall giving a pretty decent shower cubicle. And it was the same price as the Malibu! It's not perfect but a great compromise between a PVC and a coachbuilt. Originally we didn't anticipate using the shower very often (we always stay on sites) but with all the recent restrictions we've used it continuously and have been thankful we didn't go for something smaller. It's also reassuring to be able to lock our e-bikes, chairs etc in the garage when on site - we accidentally left some chairs out overnight in France and they'd gone by morning. I'd recommend anyone thinking about a PVC to look at one (or one of the other "compact" coachbuilts) before taking the plunge.

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If washing your feet is the issue take a washing up bowl, fill with hot water and your favourite soap, gel, oil, whatever. Sit outside in a chair, feet in the bowl, while you wait for the breakfast to be prepared.
 
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We started with a self-build 5.4m Ducato. The shower for that was 55cm square with the toilet sticking in the middle of it. But we lived out of it for 6 months when we mostly wild-camped across Europe.

We've recently moved to a 6m coachbuilt. The extra width (2.3m) means it's got a bathroom across the back. There's a toilet and basin on the back wall, a separate full sized cubical to the right and the main wardrobe to the left. So we use it like a changing room. Also have a massive lounge and a good sized kitchen. The downside is the bed is drop-down (but still full Euro-double in dimensions) and there's not a lot of outside storage.
 
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Our 2001 Hymer is 6metres long and the shower is 80 x 66cm with a 3 panel folding door and we have no problems with it.
Seems like a lot of newer vans have smaller showers

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Guigsy said:
We've found soap bars leave soap scum. So we've ended up cleaning the shower more often, meaning more chemicals.
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That’s odd. I clean my wash basin with soap and a microfibre cloth, no scum. Our showers (home and in the van) are wiped down after use, again bright and shiny with no scum. Possibly could be a problem in hard water areas, As somebody who who grew up at a time before detergents were commonly available, using soap is second nature.
 
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Yes, even some large vans have smallish showers, mainly so they can claim to be separate from the loo & wash Basin. Some are even more restricted at floor level as they are placed over the rear Wheel Arch, Carthago is one of the worst for that, even on their large vans.
I agree with G-RMPS ever since the mrs started going to her Chiropodist, she would come home, £35 lighter, with a big smile saying that now she had her feet manicured she felt like she was walking on air ! She even suggests I try it!:imoutahere:
But, Having listened to what occurs in those places, I have copied the technique, and I will now share it with you all, for mates rates.:giggle:
Get a wash basin, or an electric foot spa if at home.
Get some Tea Tree oil, get good stuff mind.
Or
Skin Truth Salon Pedicure, Peppermint/Tea Tree Foot Soak.
Plunge your feet in the bowl or foot spa with a nice cup of tea & a biscuit during the day, or a glass of wine or beer for 20 minutes at night.
Your feet are now so soft, You can then scrape or file all the hard dead skin from your heels, or anywhere else that has hardened, trim up nails as required....tip get hoover close to hand for afterwards
You have now hygienically cleaned & de-fungied your feet, and you will now sleep like a log, or would that because of the wine or beer?

Spoil yourself, at least once a week or more if needed, Your feet will love you in return for spoiling them, and your socks will last longer too.(y):giggle:
Best wishes.
LES
 
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Showers in vans are funny things.
You don’t spend long in them, but you need them (unless you don’t mind smelling) a shower with a bifold door that opens towards the loo is good altho once you‘ve opened the door you can’t use the shower head, but gives you plenty of drying room.
Some ‘swing’ wall type showers seem good but we looked at one and it was almost impossible to swing the wall and get in to use the shower with the loo door shut! So you would have to strip out in the van, swing the wall for your shower and after you’re dry reverse the procedure stepping out into the van either naked or with towel in place.
 
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Vanderek said:
Someone once wrote on here....you spend 8 minutes in the shower and 8 hours in bed....so consider your priorities (y)
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That is so true! Comfortable beds are a massive priority for us. My husband is a big bloke, yet he manages in a small shower space. You just get to know the best way.

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hja said:
Don’t know where you live, but ours came from SMC in Newark (I know not every one likes them, but they have been all right with us). Its an auto. We got it June this year, it was in stock. They only seem to get one at a time, so if they are not too far away it may be worth giving them a ring.
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Hi, the one we are looking at is at SMC Newark.

I so close to saying yes, but I think we are going to pass, my wife would rather not have the shower going into the corridor.

But I'm still very tempted
 
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