Reviews

From time-to-time, we get the chance to review a motorhome-related product. Sometimes this is something we have bought for ourselves to use and sometimes it is a product we have been given by a supplier or manufacturer to review.

All our reviews are genuine reviews of a product we have tried. We will always say whether we purchased an item or were given it to review.

• MOTORHOME LIGHTS & ELECTRICAL
• WINDOWS & VENTILATION
• KITCHEN & BATHROOM
• LEVELLING
• BASE VEHICLE ACCESSORIES
• MOTORHOME CARE PRODUCTS
• MOTORHOME CONVERSION BOOKS
• MOTORHOME TRAVEL BOOKS
• MAPS
• MOTORHOME TRAVEL STORIES & COOKBOOKS
• ELECTRONICS & PHOTOGRAPHY
• OUTDOOR CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR
• CAMPSITES
• CAMPERVANS & MOTORHOMES

MOTORHOME LIGHTS & ELECTRICAL REVIEWS

• Amperor ADP-90DC-12 12V Voltage Stabiliser
  The Amperor ADP-90DC-12 Voltage Stabiliser is designed to protect sensitive electrical equipment like TVs from fluctuations in your motorhome’s 12V power supply.
• Amperor Power Integrator
  The Amperor Power Integrator is an impressive new product that combines a battery to battery charger, solar charge controller and starter battery maintenance charger.
• Sterling Battery-to-Battery Charger, 12V 50A
  The Sterling Battery-to-Battery Charger is a powerful piece of equipment – does it suit your requirements?
• Victron Cyrix-i 12/24V 100A Battery Combiner
  Victron’s Cyrix-i battery combiner is a clever improvement on the traditional split-charge relay that has worked well in our campervan.
• 12v LED Lights
  LED lighting is becoming increasingly popular in motorhomes and caravans – but there are still some pitfalls to watch out for.

WINDOWS & VENTILATION REVIEWS

• Seitz
  Good quality windows are as important in a motorhome as they are in a house. Seitz S4 windows are the pick of the pack for self-builders – we explain why.

KITCHEN & BATHROOM REVIEWS

• GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist Cook Set
  The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist is a good quality, compact camping cookware kit. Does it make the grade for campervan use?
• Vango Stainless Steel & Non-Stick Cook Kits
  We test out two of Vango’s newest cook kits – one stainless steel kit and one non-stick kit.
• Thetford Aqua Kem Green vs. Elsan Organic Toilet Fluids
  We test the two leading green toilet fluids, Thetford Aqua Kem Green and Elsan Organic Toilet Fluid – and find a surprising difference.

LEVELLING REVIEWS

• Kampa Large Levelling Ramps
  We test Kampa’s large levelling ramps and find that they are just right for most situations.
• Milenco Quattro Levelling Ramps
  The Milenco Quattro levelling ramps are probably the longest and highest ever made – how are they in use?

BASE VEHICLE ACCESSORY REVIEWS

• Ring Xenon Max Headlight Bulbs
  Upgrading the headlight bulbs on older vans can provide a big improvement – how well do Ring’s Xenon Max bulbs work in our Transit?
• Folding Shovel
  A folding shovel is a basic necessity to help you stay mobile and self-sufficient in your motorhome, especially in winter conditions. We review The AA’s offering.
• Foot Pumps and 12V Air Compressors
  A brief look at some foot pumps and tyre compressors that are suitable for motorhome use.

MOTORHOME CARE PRODUCT REVIEWS

• Airglide Ultimate paint protection
  Does the Airglide paint protection system maintain a deep shine and reduce cleaning time as promised?
• Muc-Off Caravan & Motorhome Cleaner
  We put eco-friendly cleaning specialist Muc-Off’s first motorhome-specific product to the test, with pleasing results.
• Spautopia SP Wonderspray & PureX LSP
  Spautopia’s SP Wonderspray cleaner and PureX LSP spray polish were new to us, but performed impressively. Find out more in our review.
• Mantis Instant Shine
  A waterless wash car cleaning product that should be ideal for travel use – how well did it work for us?
• Onedrywash Waterless Motorhome Cleaning Kit
  A waterless wash solution is ideal for cleaning your motorhome when water’s not convenient – we review Onedrywash and are impressed.

MOTORHOME CONVERSION BOOK REVIEWS

• VW Camper – The Inside Story, by David Eccles (3rd edition, 2020)
  David Eccles’ VW Camper – The Inside Story is nothing short of a bible for anyone looking to research old VW camper conversions.
• Haynes Volkswagen Bay Transporter Restoration Manual, by Fletcher Gillett
  A great guide to the complete restoration of a classic VW ‘Bay’ campervan — have you got what it takes?
• One Girl’s Guide To Campervan Conversion, by Anna Pearce
  An interesting and different take on how to convert a VW van, well worth a look, especially for shorter people!
• Bedford Camper Vans and Motorhomes by Martin Watts
  Bedford Camper Vans and Motorhomes: The Inside Story, is another great reference book from classic camper expert Martin Watts.
• Classic Dormobile Camper Vans by Martin Watts
  We review Classic Dormobile Camper Vans: A Guide to the Camper Vans of Martin Walter and Dormobile, by Martin Watts. This is probably the definitive guide to Dormobile campers throughout the factory’s history.
• My Cool Campervan by Jane Field-Lewis & Chris Haddon
  My Cool Campervan unearths an amazing selection of vintage campervans that are all still on the road today.
• My Cool Caravan by Jane Field-Lewis & Chris Haddon
  My Cool Caravan is packed with photos and dedicated to retro caravans – although there are a few retro campers, too.
• Travel Vans
  A superb book that provides the reader with a detailed understanding of motorhome design and construction.
• Motorhomes – A Complete Guide
  This is a novel-sized hardback that provides a very readable and comprehensive introduction to motorhomes and motorhome travel.
• VW Camper Inspriational Interiors, by David Eccles
  This book takes a look at custom and bespoke interiors in VW Campers. It will provide inspiration for aspiring converters and pure viewing pleasure for VW enthusiasts!
• Haynes Motorcaravanning Handbook (For an updated review covering the 2012 2nd edition, click here)
  Motorcaravanning Handbook is a less technical but equally good alternative to The Motorcaravanning Manual – which one’s for you?
• Haynes The Motorcaravan Manual & Build Your Own Motorcaravan
  These two Haynes manuals provide a massive amount of information about motorhomes – we review them both.
• Camper Van Conversion by Colin Grace
  Camper Van Conversion details a flexible, family-friendly conversion of a Ford Transit minibus and is available in paperback, CDROM and downloadable formats.
• Convert A Van To A Motorcaravan Ebook
  This ebook explains the design choices and construction methods used by the authors to build their motorhome, a Fiat Ducato van conversion.
• How To Convert Volkswagen Bus or Van To Camper
  Lindsay Porter has published two illustrated guides to converting VW vans – one for T25s and T4s and a more recent book on converting T5s. We’ve taken a look at both of them.

MOTORHOME TRAVEL BOOK REVIEWS

• Brit Stops 2019
  This UK stopover guide contains more than 970 locations. Recommended.
• All the Aires France (2019 edition)
  The latest edition of this unique motorhome stopover guide is bigger, better and includes more than 500 new locations. We still love it.
• Camperstop Europe 2018
  We review the 12th edition of this popular motorhome stopover guide. This latest edition contains 10,500 camperstops in 27 European countries.
• All the Aires Spain and Portugal, 5th edition 2017
  The latest version of this excellent guide has 200 new aires in Spain and Portugal, taking the total listed to 636.
• Marco Polo USA & Canada maps, plus “Vancouver & The Canadian Rockies” guide.
  We review these excellent maps and book after our recent to the north-west states and to Vancouver.
• The Rough Guides to Canada and the USA
  We review these popular guides after a trip to the north-western USA and Canada’s Vancouver Island.
• OurTour Guide to Motorhome Morocco (2nd edition)
  We take a look at the much-expanded 2017 edition of Julie and Jason Buckleys’ excellent guide to motorhoming in Morocco.
• Marco Polo USA Southwest (pocket guide)
  Our newest guide from faves Marco Polo covers Las Vegas, Colorad, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah in one handy format.
• Go Dutch, a Road Trip Europe guide from Vicarious Books
  We check out the latest driving tour guide from Vicarious Books.
• The Rough Guide to New York City & the Marco Polo Travel Handbook New York
  We review these excellent but very different guides after a few days in New York.
• The Rough Guide to New England
  We review the sixth edition of this useful guide after our 2016 trip to New England.
• All the Aires Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (3rd edition/2016)
  The latest edition of this Vicarious Books guide includes a significant number of new locations and details of closures since the previous edition was published.
• Sea View Camping The West Country
  The latest coastal camping guide from Vicarious Books covers Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
• Rough Guide California / Rough Guide vs Marco Polo Las Vegas & San Francisco
  Reviews of the guide books used on our USA 2015 trip.
• Aree di Sosta 2015/16 (Italian aires)
  We review the latest edition of Camperlife’s guide to Italian motorhome aires, parking, service points and farm/vineyard-type sites. Available from Vicarious Books in the UK.
• Road Trip Europe: The Great War and More, from Vicarious Books
  This new driving tour guide from Vicarious Books takes in parts of France, Germany, Belgium and Holland and would make a great introduction to continental touring — or a convenient ‘instant’ holiday plan.
• Sea View Camping – Wales
  Another book from the Sea View Camping range from Vicarious Books – perfect for exploring the Welsh coastline.
• Sea View Camping – Scotland, Highlands and Islands
  The latest campsite guide from Vicarious Books is a true ‘Ronseal’ publication, and very good value!
• The Rough Guide To France
  We review the new 13th edition of Rough Guides 1,000-page guide to France.
• The Rough Guide to The Lake District
  We review Rough Guides companion to the Lake District and like it.
• UPDATED 2013 review: All the Aires France plus Go Motorhoming and Caravanning & All The Aires Mountains
  We review the latest edition of All the Aires France, probably Vicarious Books’ most popular and widely-used guide.
• The Rough Guide to Norway vs. Lonely Planet Norway
  We used The Rough Guide to Norway alongside Lonely Planet Norway for a month and decided that we like the Rough Guide best – find out why in our review.
• Reisemobil Bordatlas (German Stellplatz guide)
  The Reisemobil Bordatlas is the definitive guide to motorhome stopover locations in Germany.
• Michelin Escapades En Camping-Car Europe 2011
  We review Michelin’s Escapades En Camping-Car Europe 2011. This French guide contains 70 suggested European motorhome tours in 24 countries.
• Camping Cheque
  An introduction to Camping Cheques, which are accepted at more than 600 campsites in Europe.

MAP REVIEWS

• Marco Polo USA West and California, plus Michelin California Nevada
  Reviews of the Marco Polo and Michelin maps we used for our USA 2015 tour of California and neighbouring states.
• Scotland Campsites and Caravan Parks (3rd edition)
  A simple an effective solution to finding campsites in rural parts of Scotland.
• Michelin Norway (752) and Michelin Scandinavia & Finland (711) Road Maps
  These large scale folding maps proved useful for route planning and general navigation but are not a complete solution for touring.
• Freytag & Berndt Norway Supertouring 1:400,000 Road Atlas
  We used this road atlas extensively for a month but were somewhat disappointed with its lack of detail.
• AA Close-Up Trucker’s Atlas Britain
  The AA Close-Up Trucker’s Atlas Britain includes 1.5 miles to 1 inch mapping and details of thousands of low bridges, width and weight restrictions on Britain’s roads.

MOTORHOME TRAVEL STORIES & COOKBOOKS

• The Clever Camper Cookbook by Megan Winter-Barker and Simon Fielding
  Hone your small-space cooking skills with these simple tasty meals for van life.
• Some People Prefer Hotels – Motorhome Novices Tour Cornwall, by Nigel Rowland Hicks
  I challenge any motorhomer to read this without remembering some early experiences of their own!
• A Monkey Ate My Breakfast: Motorhome Adventures in Morocco
  We review Julie & Jay Buckley’s entertaining account of their month-long motorhome tour of Morocco.
• Campervan Crazy by David and Cee Eccles
  Campervan Crazy is dedicated to capturing the passion that drives people to travel in campervans – and it makes an excellent read.
• The Great Outdoors Cookbook by Phil Vickery
  TV chef Phil Vickery shares his passion for outdoor cooking in this cookbook, which includes sections on barbecues, gas stoves and open fires.
• 52 Weekends By The Sea by Brigid Benson & Craig Easton
  52 Weekends By The Sea is the perfect way to inspire countless long weekends away in your motorhome and discover parts of the UK you have never imagined.
• Uneasy Rider: Confessions of a Reluctant Traveller, by Allie Sommerville
  Allie Sommerville’s “Uneasy Rider: Confessions of a Reluctant Traveller” is a hilarious guide to the ups and downs of motorhome travel.
• Europe In A Motorhome By H.D. Jackson
  Hazel and Simon Jackson decided to sell up and take their youngest son, Jack, on a year-long motorhome tour of Europe. Europe In A Motorhome tells the tale of that trip.
• RV Vacations For Dummies & Frommer’s Exploring America By RV
  Fancy touring America in an RV? Either of these books will inspire you and give you some useful suggestions for routes.
• Caravan Cookbook by Monica Rivron
  We review Monica Rivron’s Caravan Cookbook and put one recipe to the test – does it deliver?
• The Camping Cookbook by Annie Bell
  Annie Bell’s Camping Cookbook is packed full of delicious recipes that are ideal for a long weekend away in your motorhome.
• The Camper Van Cookbook, Martin Dorey
  The Camper Van Cookbook is packed full of recipes and classic campervan advice.

ELECTRONICS & PHOTOGRAPHY REVIEWS

• Long Range USB Wi-Fi Antenna – Faculty-X NET-WL-USB-CPE2512bg
  A long range USB wireless antenna can be a good way to get affordable or free internet access while travelling abroad in a motorhome. We review our Faculty-X NET-WL-USB-CPE2512bg wi-fi antenna.
• Digital Camera Comparison: Superzoom vs. DSLR
  We compare a modern superzoom with a DSLR and see which comes out best for motorhome and travel use.
• Navigon 70 Premium Caravan & Truck Sat Nav
  The Navigon 70 Premium Caravan & Truck is Navigon’s top sat nav model and also has large vehicle routing. How does it measure up?

OUTDOOR CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR REVIEWS

• The North Face Jannu II GTX Walking Boots
  Was it love at first sight with the North Face Jannu II walking boots? Find out here.
• The North Face Women’s Resolve Waterproof Jacket
  The North Face’s Resolve waterproof jacket is a flexible performer that can be used in several different ways.
• The North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR
  The North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR trainers are designed for fast off-road hiking but they are good for the urban jungle, too.
• Merrell Micca Women’s Sandals
  Merrell’s Micca sandals are the ideal compromise for a lady wanting comfort, style and a small amount of walkability!
• Merrell Women’s Outbound Mid GORE-TEX Walking Boots
  Merrell’s Outbound walking boots offer a good combination of support, comfort and insulation.
• Merrell Siren Sport & Siren Sport Gore-tex Trainers
  You don’t buy two pairs of the same shoe without good reason – find out why in our review.
• Berghaus Women’s Activity Interactive Fleece Jacket
  This thick, comfortable fleece is ideal for winter use under a waterproof outer layer.
• Berghaus Women’s Spectrum Half Zip Micro Fleece
  These lightweight microfleeces are very flexible and comfortable – ideal for motorhome trips.

CAMPSITE REVIEWS

• Riverside Caravan Park, Pateley Bridge
  The Yorkshire Dales is one of our favourite areas of the UK and this campsite ticked most of the boxes for us.

CAMPERVAN & MOTORHOME REVIEWS

• Our DIY Motorhome Conversion Reviewed
  After 18 months, 13 weeks away and 25,000 miles, we review our own self-build motorhome conversion.