This year, we took the plunge and converted our family Volkswagen Kombi in preparation for a three-day trip to the Rock Oyster Music Festival in Cornwall.
Initially, we hesitated to make the conversion due to the need to keep close access to our three children in the back of the van. However, we found that our Taylored Voyager conversion (VO) layout would alleviate these concerns.
Our van, a twin slider, was chosen specifically for its dual-side access, making it easier to strap in the kids. Having a twin slider, we didn't want to install a full-sided Kitchen Unit as we wouldn't require this throughout the week as we use it as our family vehicle.
After some thoughtful discussion, we also decided to forego a sink since we’d mostly be staying at campsites with washing facilities. Instead, we opted for an external induction hob and a plug-in fridge, both powered by the Clayton Power system, offering us seamless off-grid capabilities.
We also decided against installing a pod in the van to allow both front seats to swivel around, creating a cosy dining space inside the camper.
Here’s our conversion plan:
- Westdubs Pop-top Roof & Roof Bed: Extra head room and space for our two older children to sleep up top.
- 150 Isofix RIB Bed: Perfect for our enormous kids' car seats during daily use and providing a spacious bed for us at night.
- Clayton Power: Ensuring effortless off-grid living.
- External Fridge: Removable, depending on our plans.
- External Induction Hob: Removable, lightweight and easily plugged into the back power socket for convenience.
- LOC8 Table: Fits into the sliding door, providing both internal and external table options.
- Solar Panel: For sustainable energy. We chose 280 MIPV
- Wind-Out Awning: Offers great shelter while we relax outside.
- Cab Bed : A safe, cozy spot for our youngest, ensuring she can sleep undisturbed.
- For our colour scheme, we chose sage green units with complementary stone carpet, creating a stylish and comfortable interior.
We tested our setup with a night at Dipple Farm Campsite, which proved how easy it was to set up. We did realise that a mattress topper would make the RIB Seat more comfortable for longer stays.
Our stay at Dipple Farm was fantastic! The kids loved exploring the grounds, searching for bugs, playing in the stream, feeding the goats, and toasting marshmallows. The onsite shop was a hit, offering freshly made bread, local crafts, firewood, ice creams, meat, and play items.
After our test stay, we decided to purchase a windbreak for added shelter and privacy ready for the festival.
The Rock Oyster Festival was amazing! It was our first year attending, and it exceeded our expectations with its cleanliness, organization, and thoughtful layout. The kids enjoyed a wide variety of food vendors and endless activities in the kids' field. We highly recommend it for anyone looking for a family-friendly festival.
Our camper demonstrated impressive performance during our trip too! We used the induction hob for cooking up some eggs, the kettle for hot drinks, hair straighteners, small toaster and the internal sockets to charge our phones, all in one morning, and the Clayton only dropped to 30%. By the time we came back for dinner around 4 or 5 pm, it had already recharged to 100%. We were amazed at how effective the Clayton Charging system was for us. Our next challenge is optimising storage options for when we ditch the car seats. We are considering using a pop-up tent to store bulky items when we’re set up at a site.
If you’re considering a practical, family-friendly campervan setup, feel free to get in touch. We offer a variety of conversion layouts, and sometimes a chat can help you figure out what you really need for your campervan adventures.