My husband and I flew from San Jose to rent Robert's Revel due to higher rental pricing in the Bay Area. We originally chose this van as part of our exploration of various camper vans, but we decided to purchase a Dodge Ram with a semi-custom build - outdoor shower, cassette toilet - after scheduling this trip. Unfortunately, we missed the cancellation window, so we kept this rental.Robert went over all the features of the van and was very responsive to a few initial questions we had on the road. Since we couldn't bring all of our camping gear, Robert provided two folding camp chairs, but one was missing a few screws - it worked but we had to make sure one leg was attached before sitting down. We brought our own towels, a packable Rumple blanket, and solar lights. Robert provided pots, pans, plates, cups, utensils, pillows, comfy flannel bottom and top sheets, and a very heavy quilt, which we didn't use. We did use the provided bug screens, which snap in place, but the center zip on door screen was a little inconvenient to use (I think the newer Revel model has a magnetic screen closure).We spent 11 days touring Zion, Bryce and Capital Reef. Since we only had reservations in Capital Reef, at Fruita campgroud - highly recommend - We had planned to boondock, but found campsites in all of the above, and two smaller campgrounds, White Bridge and Deer Creek. The scenery was fantastic, exceeded our expectations, much more forested than we expected, especially in Bryce.Our only problem on the road was the heater and hot water. White Bridge was at a higher elevation and cold in the morning, so we turned on the heater; stinky grey smoke blew out the side of the van, into a tent campsite. We contacted Robert; he responded quickly and said maybe the filter needed cleaning. Fortunately, in the other locations we didn't encounter cold temps and didn't need the heater. Also the hot water never got hot enough, maybe tied into the diesel heater?Recommend running the heater and hot water before leaving Robert's house to make sure they work.Ont the plus side, the Revel never ran out of power, was easy to drive. The large water tank provided plenty of water and was easy to fill. The gray water was easy to dump. The toilet, which sat at a very comfortable height, was very easy to dump - becomes a wheeled suitcase, ingenious!A few negatives regarding the Revel design:1. Lack of storage for clothing. We lived out of our suitcases. It would have been nice to have some bins, or another large chest like the one Robert has on side of the garage. That chest stored a super long hose and some other gear. When the bed is in the raised position, the garage provided a place to sit and put on shoes and get dressed, but was too low for us to stand up fully.2. Shower was very tight for my 6' tall husband. I'm 5'6", so not as bad, but we only used the shower once. We showered in Bryce in their roomy showers.3. The "bedroom" felt claustraphobic (see photo). The side walls provide a separation from the living area, but they also felt confining for sleeping, and it was a challenge to get in and out of the bed. We're tall, but still still had to launch ourselves into the bed. If you're short, you might need a stool!4. Overall design felt very tight. We had to dance around each other, especially if someone was in the bathroorm.
9 Photo inviate da Avril C.
