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My dream Born Free

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:22 am
by jeffcarp
We love our current Born Free model. It is perfect for our current use. My wife and I have been talking, just in general conversation, about what our "perfect" RV would be when we are emtpy-nesters and the kids are gone to College. From a size and floorplan perspective, I think we've found it. I hope that Born Free can come up with something like this some day.

It is a 25' permanent walk-around rear bed with a normal mattress (not a cut/curved end) with a full wall slide. It has been released by Nexus and on the surface seems like a very attractive option.

Maybe someday we'll see this in a Born Free model.

http://www.nexusrv.com/class-c-25p-floorplan.php

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:20 am
by Laker
I live close to Nexus and have toured their plant and they do make a quality product. Before you "jump" to this model, investigate how the bed works when the slide is closed. If you are boondocking in a parking lot for the night, and the slide is closed, can you use the bed? Can you get into the bathroom?

Claude is committed to posting a video to show more details on how the bed / bath are useable when the slide is closed.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 8:40 am
by jeffcarp
Sure, there are unanswered questions with an approach like this and I certainly am not implying that a Born Free and a Nexus are equal. I am just very intrigued with any floor plan approach that puts a permanent bed and a normal size mattress inside of a coach that is 25' or less. That is extremely appealing to me someday. The idea that I could say to a manufacturer, no don't put in your mattress, I am going to go buy the exact same mattress I have at home and put it in there, is a dream come true to me.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:00 am
by The Libals
That would definitely be nice. We are in our 30's, so climbing up into the cabover is no big deal and is where we have a ton of room. We have "enhanced" the super-hard cushions up there so it is actually quite comfy, but it would certainly be nice to have a full size mattress in the back. As it is, we have bunk beds in the back of our 24' and our boy sleeps there. He loves the bunks.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:04 am
by jeffcarp
The Libals, what have you done to enhance the comfort of the over cab sleeping surface? right now we are using self inflating sleeping pads with a sleeping bag over the top. It is OK but not great. I'm curious what your solution is.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:48 am
by David and Susan Bratt
I'm not sure that I would want my only option for seating to be at the table. And I sure do like my double sink.
Jalan, we used 2" memory foam over the cab over bed. I also replaced the foam in the part that can be flipped back with a softer foam.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 1:55 pm
by Jim Hofmann
this unit would not work for us at all. We have a 26'RB which provides us with two closets. I did not see even one closet in this unit. Other drawbacks: counter apace, lack of outside accessible storage, and as pointed out above, lack of independent seating for TV viewing and reading.

Jim

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:38 pm
by Cathy
It's nice, but the cabinets & woodwork don't look like the quality of Born Free. The slide is probably on 12v which goes out if boondocking.
I think I'm spoiled with the quality in Born Free, and I have a 99.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:54 pm
by The Libals
Jalan wrote:The Libals, what have you done to enhance the comfort of the over cab sleeping surface? right now we are using self inflating sleeping pads with a sleeping bag over the top. It is OK but not great. I'm curious what your solution is.
We also did the foam thing, but we have a 3" thick foam pad and a 2" memory foam pad with king size sheets and a blanket over that. Then we sleep under a huge comforter and always bring our own pillows. I prefer sleeping on the inside as well because I am 6'1 and like to stretch out a little where my wife is 5'2. And this all without a ladder! I need to get one...lol!

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:08 pm
by shezonit
Cathy wrote:It's nice, but the cabinets & woodwork don't look like the quality of Born Free.
I think I'm spoiled with the quality in Born Free, and I have a 99.
I agree. Even though I am new to Born Free and mine is "older", I am already spoiled. It seems like the inside of a nice yacht. Yes making the corner bed is a hassle.... But having a permanent bed AND a sofa AND 2 chairs and table and what seems like endless inside storage....... Priceless.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 9:10 pm
by jeffcarp
Yes, there is no question that a Nexus is not a Born Free. (It is also about 60% of the cost) My initial comments were strictly admiring the idea of a real bed in a 25' coach - not much more than that.

Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 11:06 pm
by shezonit
It IS fun to look at lots of floor plans and imagine living in/with them. I studied dozens of used rigs: small class As, Class Bs, Class Cs. I was very close to buying a Lazy Daze 27' mid bath because I liked the idea of "separate rooms". But the idea of having to either sleep up top OR make up one of the sofas every day stopped me. Soon after I saw this Born Free on a lot. The minute I walked in it, it felt like home. A bedroom AND a living room. With ambiance, even.
There is the argument about permanent beds taking up too much daytime floor space, and "it only takes 10 minutes to make the bed." I don't buy it. One of my fave things about driving a motorhome is the ability to stop and take a quick nap. Not to mention being able to stop for the night and sleep any time, without having to mess around with making a bed. Or put out a slide.......no stealth camping there.
Seems Born Free did have a 26 ft island bed at one time?? It had a cabover and a dinette. Not making that anymore... What does that tell us?
Even with the corner bed problems, the rear side bed seems most popular floor plan of ALL class Cs, not just BF. People want their bed ready and waiting.:-)

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:20 am
by stevek
To me, Another interesting option in the same price range as the BF is the
Itasca Reyo. A small Class A, based on a Sprinter chassis.
I saw one of these last week when we were camping with the full slide (25R).
Sure was a good looking rig.
Was going to talk to the owner, but they left before I was able to.

http://www.goitasca.com/products/2013/reyo/floorplans/

Anybody know anything about Reyo ?
Note that both the front seats swivel.
The twin bed option is nice (25T), With only a small side, you could leave in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et-KmVAoAsc

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:53 am
by Roger
I once had a travel trailer with a queen size island bed in the rear. It seemed
like a good idea when I bought it but, after having it for a couple years, I
changed my mind. My reasoning was that we didn't spend enough time in
the bedroom to justify using that much space. A friend had the same make
of trailer with the same size living room and kitchen. His had a bed to one
side with the bathroom on the other side very much like the rear bed BFs.
His trailer weighed less and was 5 ft shorter and, hence, more manuverable.
Granted the bed off to the side is more difficult to make and it was not as
large but, overall, I liked his trailer better.

Years later, when shopping for a motor home, a salesman was astonished
when I told him I didn't want one with a slideout! My reasons are: It adds
weight, adds cost, adds complexity, and is a big hole in the side which is
tough to weatherproof. But the biggest reason is I would be afraid of being
somewhere and have the damn thing jam in the open position preventing
you from moving.

Regards, Roger

Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:37 pm
by mockturtle
I'm with you, Roger! No slideouts, no permanent bed.