Choosing a Vehicle

Paul & Elena travelled extensively in the past few decades. They’ve usually flown to an area, rented a vehicle, and explored a loop from the destination airport - and left the dog at home. They’ve been thinking about getting an RV for a few years and have researched the options.

 

The first big decision was a trailer or camper vehicle. They tend to not stay at any one location for a long time, so the camper vehicle seemed to fit the needs better. Then they had to figure out what size. With just two people and a dog we decided a camper van, also known as a Class B RV, was the right choice for us. It is smaller and more nimble than most RVs.

Next they compared all the available models using the time tested research mode described in Paul’s book The Joy of Efficiency. We looked at specs, reviews, reliability data, and more and narrowed in on the Winnebago Travato as a good choice for us. It didn’t stop there, as there are two different floor plans that we had to analyze – and then a decision on a lithium battery system or a traditional gas generator.

We made our decision based on the floor plans and then we visited a local dealer and climbed into both vehicles to make sure we were heading in the right direction. We decided on the Travato KL model with the lithium batteries instead of a generator. The battery bank allows us to be quietly off grid – and keep Bebop cool if Paul & Elena are out on a hike where dogs aren’t allowed.

One interesting side note - When I was young my Mom, sister and I travelled during the summers of 73, 74, and 75 in a Winnebago Indian D-22.

Our 2022 Winnebago Travato 59KL

 

 

 

 

 

Paul