Ray will never get another pop top caravan. And I’ve been thinking about everything he said.
We were camping in our (brand spanking new, fresh from the showroom) Infinity Escape Pop Top Caravan at Neurum Creek on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and met Ray and his wife Susan. We got to talking and Ray told me all about his new hard top. He loved it. It was a well-designed caravan, a little heavy perhaps, but he was adamant he’d never go back to a pop top caravan. I asked him why and what he said made sense, for Ray. I keep thinking about Ray’s issues with pop tops. Ray, if you’re reading this, it was good to meet you mate!
All the things Ray hates about Pop Top Caravans
- Set up. This was his main complaint about his former van. Getting the top up was a pain in his… back. At 68, Ray felt he was too old for winding up the roof of his caravan after a long day’s drive.
- Leaks. Ray’s pop top had sprung quite a few leaks over the years of use so he and Susan had come to dread rainy days.
- Electrical problems. The pop top had constant issues with it’s solar set up. Ray was pleased to have a solar system that is “set and forget” on his new hard top.
- Condensation and heat. They said that their pop top always felt “damp”. Damp and hot. In summer, it was unbearable inside the van and they’d had issues with mould.
- Noise. They’d spent one too many nights in a crowded campground, set up next to a group of “lads” out for an alcohol fuelled good time.
- Parts. He felt that the van needed constant maintenance and the parts were never simple to come by.
- Outdoor Kitchen Woes. Their pop top had no wind and weather protection in the outdoor kitchen save for one flimsy awning.
- Dust. Ray and Susan did the Nullabor Drive in their pop top and spent several weeks at desert camp sites. The dust drove them batty.
- Storage Space. His pop top caravan didn’t leave any room for creature comforts. His new hard top had overhead cabinets that the couple had filled with the items that made life comfy. Including a rather fine coffee making set up, which we all appreciated. Still thinking of that brew Ray. Best coffee I’ve ever had.
- “Unhomely”. Ray and Susan felt that the pop top never felt like home. It never felt fully secure. It never felt fully private. It never felt fully like their “second home”.
So, he’s right. His Pop Top Caravan was awful
Here are all the things I didn’t say to Ray. I’m not “that guy”. That guy who tells everyone why their van sucks, is the worst guy to meet on the road. He didn’t have one of the newer JAWA pop tops like ours, the offending pop top was an older, budget model by a “fly by night” company no longer selling caravans in Australia. That was the real problem here. Right now, the Caravan industry is on notice for poor customer service and follow up support. We meet vanners like Ray all the time. Lured in by a “too good to be true” deal and then suffering for their choice out on the road. I can say that we have been so, so pleased with JAWA’s after sales service – not only they are happy to answer our questions, they promptly fixed the small issue we had with the awning after our first journey “shake down”.
What’s the difference between Ray’s Pop Top and more Modern, Reputable Brands?
When Ray told me about his woes, I couldn’t help but think that his problems weren’t with pop tops, but with his pop top.
Weather, Climate and Neighbours.
The right pop top caravan helps you keep them all at bay. Even the noisy neighbours. It sounds like Ray’s Pop Top cut a lot of corners in design (to keep costs down and make it easier to sell).
- The wrong sized aircon unit. Ray’s pop top likely lacked a sufficient air-conditioning system. Part of proper caravan engineering is to make sure that the ventilation and temperature control is optimal for the size of the van when “popped”. Modern pop tops come equipped with roof or underfloor mounted (depending on the model) systems that keep the van cool or warm and free from condensation. This should come as standard, it shouldn’t be an upgrade because it’s a safety issue.
- Cheap windows. Every caravan manufacturer is trying to keep the costs and weight down. It’s the ongoing struggle of caravan design. Cheaping out on windows means that heat and noise become problems. Our van comes with double glazing to minimise issues. Make sure that your new pop top caravan has double glazed windows and reflective, adjustable blinds. It’s such a small thing, so easily overlooked but makes a big difference on the road.
- No Insulation in Roof. Insulation is heavy and lightweight fibreglass and insulated honeycomb roofing is an expense that the customer never notices. So, it makes sense for cheap caravan sellers to ‘cut corners” here. Don’t. Insulated roofing doesn’t just cut down on temperature issues, it deadens outside noise too.
- Dust Reduction. It sounded like Ray’s van was relying purely on Scupper Vents for dust reduction. These may have been contributing to his moisture issues. Dust reduction systems are an expensive add on for most caravan manufacturers, so people don’t bother – and live to regret it on the road. While modern pop tops must now come with DRS systems as standard, the quality is not always there. Check to make sure you are not going to be relying on a cheap DRS that fails at the first outing.
Outdoor Kitchen Design.
Ray’s pop top didn’t have inside cooking. If you want a compact van, this is pretty normal. But it means that the outdoor kitchen needs to be very carefully designed.
- Sheltered Cooking. Ray talked about constant issues with wind blowing out the flame on the gas cooker. When you’re choosing your pop top, take a careful look at the cook top. Does it have wind guards? Is it sheltered appropriately? Is the outdoor kitchen equipped with, at a bare minimum, protective waterproof awnings? Nobody likes rough weather and it’s true, it’s impossible to create a completely weatherproof outdoor kitchen. Larger pop tops often come with basic indoor cooking options for the worst days.
- Outdoor Kitchen Layout and Storage. He spoke of the backbreaking work needed just to access the fridge. He hated the lack of storage in the outdoor kitchen – meaning that valuable space was taken up storing boxes utensils inside. Your outdoor kitchen should come with easy access to the fridge/freezer – large fridge/freezers and pantry boxes on sliding gear that are easy to use, provide great functionality and plenty of room to store your kitchen gear on the outside of the pop top.
- Water Access. Does the outdoor kitchen also come with a sink? Without an outdoor sink, you’ll be collecting buckets of water for cooking. Worst. Task. Ever. Especially if you’ve just done a big drive and need a good meal and a big sleep!
Electrical, gas and water problems
Alright, Ray has a point here. We have seen it firsthand. Those pop top caravans from fly by nighters, they have their electrical systems fitted in China to the quality standards that China is famous for.
- Poor Solar Reliability. Pop tops are more prone to solar problems if the van is designed poorly. The solar cells are heavy on the pop top so manufacturers cut back on their size and capacity. The batteries are heavy and expensive, so they opt for the cheaper lithium batteries (you know, the ones that cause fires), and
- Poor electrical and gas fitting. The whole solar cell system must be designed to “move” when the top is popped. This requires quality parts and clever engineering so that the movement doesn’t cause problems over time. While those things should come standard, they may not be evident everywhere. JAWA’s pop top vans have this work done at their Sunshine Coast Caravan Workshop. We like knowing that our Infinity van’s gas and electrical work was fitted to Australian Standards – it is just too important and too dangerous to have fitted overseas.
- Insufficient water tanks. Ray tells me that the tank was so small in his pop top that they had to carry a sealed bucket on board just in case they ran out. Susan’s job became “stealing water” from truck stops while he filled the petrol tank. Grey water, waste water and fresh water tanks are heavy and large, but not something you can skimp on. Make sure that your van is equipped with plenty, or you could find yourself stranded and dangerously low on water.
- Parts and Consumables. If there is a problem, you need to know that the part you need is available from the place you bought it. Ray faced constant frustration because as his pop top wore out (and it wore out much faster than it should have) he had nowhere to get replacement parts. Which meant expensive and “inefficient” substitutes. Similarly, Ray was sourcing consumable items, like filters, from no name brands – using dubiously credible websites to buy items from China. And he had nobody he could call for help.
- After Sales Support. JAWA has been operating in Australia for a generation. The Perry family run the six locations (Sunshine Coast, Brisbane North, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Townsville) and the staff are all expert Australian caravan fitters. They were there when we needed them and I am sure they’ll be there if you need help too. You can literally pick up the phone and call if you hit a snag.
Pop Top Problems
This is one of the most common complaints I’ve heard about pop top caravans. The “pop top” loses integrity over time, letting the outside in.
- Leaks. It’s true, compared to a hardtop, a pop top is more prone to wear and tear. The integrity of the pop top material makes a world of difference. Choose a pop top caravan that includes durable, quality, sun resistant materials – and most importantly, good after sale service if anything does go wrong.
- The hard pop. OK, this is it. The big one. The issue that everyone has with a cheap pop top caravan. The hard pop. Hard to access. Hard to push or wind. Hard on the back, the knees and the shoulders. Your pop top should come with gas strut assisted pop top at the bare minimum. It means that you can “pop up” at the touch of a button. It should be standard. It is not. In fact, it’s one of the highest marked up “extras” in a cheap van. All new JAWA pop top caravans come with push button electric actuators as standard.
Feels like home
Your caravan or camper shouldn’t just “feel like home” – it is home. If you’re doing the big lap, it’s your home for months, sometimes years. So, it must “be home”. Ray and Susan never felt at home in their pop top the way they do in their hard top. I feel for them. All those years they spent travelling and never feeling the joy of travelling at home.
- Security. You must feel safe in your van – even if it’s a pop top. JAWA vans come with security doors so you can feel completely at home and relaxed.
- Privacy. Ray and Susan felt “exposed” in their pop top because they felt like the elements, and the neighbours were too close. JAWA pop tops come with privacy blinds and double glazed windows (as well as optional private annexes and screening) so that you can put a little distance between your space and the caravan park.
- Storage. This is a big issue with a poorly designed pop top. The pop top means you lose those “overhead cupboards” so you end up limited by what you can take on the road. What feels like home is all the things that make your lifestyle your own. So, JAWA engineered their vans for maximum use of space without feeling “cluttered”. When you choose a pop top, note all the storage space, both inside the van and outside and where compromises have been made.
- Ease. All JAWA vans, pop top or hard top, are designed to be “easy”. Just like home. They’re designed for you to have everything you need to build the life you want. They’re designed to handle any road you want to take in comfort. Because that’s what home is. A place to do as you like, with ease, and comfort.
Pop Top Caravans have Evolved, Well Some of Them Have Anyway
What I didn’t say to Ray, was that his idea of a pop top caravan is old-school. He still considers them a “new” thing, and like all new things, fraught with teething problems. His notion of the pop top is outdated and tainted by a low quality experience. One of the beautiful things about spending so much time on the road is that I know I’ll bump into Ray and Susan again. Probably at some random camp site on the edge of Western Australia or in the Victorian forests. I won’t tell Ray what I’ve shared here because he loves his new hard top. He believes he’s made the best decision for them. But if you bump into Ray, and he tells you all about why pop top caravans are terrible, let him know your thoughts.
