Husband is 6'3. Don't need four seats up front. Just a comfortable bed. Swivel front chairs to a table and enough space to store a small grill and two outdoor chairs. I've searched here for tall, seen a few that could work. Anyone in our situation that's happy with your choice?
Ford's Transit high-roof would provide the most clearance for tall users, with 6'6 finished finished inside height. It's also probably the only unit that would accommodate 6'3 standing height in the shower, since the shower pan reduces clearance a couple inches or so.
Unfortunately the only two production Class B Transits, Winnebago Paseo and Coachman Crossfit, haven't bothered to include longer beds to match the increased standing height. So a custom Transit conversion might be your only route for both tall height and sleeping accommodations in a B.
Sportsmobile and Van Specialties both will build custom Transit Class B conversions with accommodations to match your needs. Advanced RV makes great high-end conversions but I don't think they currently convert Transits.
Unfortunately the only two production Class B Transits, Winnebago Paseo and Coachman Crossfit, haven't bothered to include longer beds to match the increased standing height. So a custom Transit conversion might be your only route for both tall height and sleeping accommodations in a B.
Sportsmobile and Van Specialties both will build custom Transit Class B conversions with accommodations to match your needs. Advanced RV makes great high-end conversions but I don't think they currently convert Transits.
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2013
- Posts
- 5,435
You can make up those couple of inches in the shower with a skylight. I am 6'3" and our GWV legend's bath gives me more than enough head room using this technique.
That's great news, thank you
If you are serious about Advanced RV, the regular Sprinter height inside is 6'-3" and should work. In the bathroom all have a bubble skylight that gives yet more height to stand under. They build custom beds to meet needs and in the extended body model it is easy for them to build what you want. Here is my double-glazed bubble skylight.
If you are serious about Advanced RV, the regular Sprinter height inside is 6'-3" and should work. In the bathroom all have a bubble skylight that gives yet more height to stand under. They build custom beds to meet needs and in the extended body model it is easy for them to build what you want. Here is my double-glazed bubble skylight.
I took a look at the rest of your photos, that's a beautiful RV.
I also looked at the GW and they are out of business? And had renamed as Sterling, is that a problem? They look beautiful too.
We're in Sonoma County and there's a large RV center up in Davis that we're going to go to to check out heights but it's good to know that the Sprinter's interior height is 6'3" (and who knows, he may have shrunk a bit in later years, I know I have
Advanced RV's owner of the company is 6'-3" and is well aware of height issues. He actually uses and travels in his product.
Great West Vans is history. Sterling bought them in 2012 and ran the company in the ground and I doubt it will ever recover. You can buy used ones and if you are in the used market it would be a good choice. Great West Van was a quality product when being built, better than Winnebago, Roadtrek and Airstream and about on par with Pleasure-way but with better design and more innovation.
Great West Vans is history. Sterling bought them in 2012 and ran the company in the ground and I doubt it will ever recover. You can buy used ones and if you are in the used market it would be a good choice. Great West Van was a quality product when being built, better than Winnebago, Roadtrek and Airstream and about on par with Pleasure-way but with better design and more innovation.
Scottbaldassari
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2015
- Posts
- 308
I'm 6'3" in a Travato G with no problems. Very happy. And the K model has an even longer bed..
I just looked at the Mercedes Sprinter web site and the Super High Roof is still available. It has to be a 170" WB model and you can't get it as a 4x4.
Attachments
Last edited:
Thank you,
The double bed might be a bit narrow, but the ERA on their website looks great
Here's a friendly warning: Although the interior of the Sprinter is 6'3", there's this thing called a plenum that hangs down from the ceiling about 3 inches, right smack dab in the center aisle. It's the air conditioner's distribution box. Some companies, like Airstream, put it right near the galley, and right in the perfect spot for a tall person to bang their head if they're not looking. I got a nasty bruise from one of those.
PleasureWay, Advanced RV and some others place it over the bed, in the rear of the coach. In that location, it's not in the way because you don't usually stand up in bed.
If you're tall and gifted at doing the limbo, this isn't an issue.
PleasureWay, Advanced RV and some others place it over the bed, in the rear of the coach. In that location, it's not in the way because you don't usually stand up in bed.
If you're tall and gifted at doing the limbo, this isn't an issue.
Attachments
If you're tall and gifted at doing the limbo, this isn't an issue.
Thanks for that!! He's used to ducking (a brit so small was the norm) but that would probably be a deal breaker.
Here's a diagram that shows the issue a little better. This is the Airstream Interstate Grand Tour from a couple of years ago. As of last month, the AC is still in the same place on the Airstream.
The plenum may not be exactly where the outside of the AC is located, but it's got to be within a few inches. As I said, Airstream is not the only one. Other manufacturers also put the AC in places that are a problem for tall folks.
The plenum may not be exactly where the outside of the AC is located, but it's got to be within a few inches. As I said, Airstream is not the only one. Other manufacturers also put the AC in places that are a problem for tall folks.
Attachments
I'm still saving my pennies for an RV, waiting to retire. My family's done car camping since I was four years old. I can be *extremely* picky when it comes to vehicles. I don't know anybody else who watched all of the crash test videos for every model in the class that I was interested in before deciding to buy a car. Unfortunately, that research proved not to be in vain. My car was totaled on the freeway by a distracted driver. I'm OK, so I'm glad and grateful that I did it.
Because I'm so picky, I've spent a long time looking at the ergonomics of RVs for a tall person and have walked through several. The more I've looked, the more I've learned. I've kept a database of RVs for a few years so that I can compare things that are important to me. Here's my list of the ergonomic things that I look at:
1. Effective inside height, if the AC is located above an area where people stand. (The plenum is usually around 3 inches, so it should be subtracted from any height specifications. During walk-throughs, look out for headbanger AC units. The ceiling should also have some sort of soft surface.)
2. The length of the bed and how easy it is to get in and out of the bed. (I need clearance for my legs and knees to swing around. The width of the aisle at the bed end of the coach and the location of the adjacent cabinetry also plays into this.)
3. Whether or not you have to climb over another person to get out of bed. (This is related to #2. It's easy for a small person to quietly slip in and out of bed in a small space, but no so easy for a tall person. The only way to test #2 and #3 this is to try them.)
4. Appliance location. (Some RVs have refrigerators or microwaves under the counter. For undercounter refrigerators, this essentially means that they're on the floor. To get a cold drink, a tall person has to get down on their hands and knees. An undercounter microwave means more bending. Try to get something at the back of either appliance to see what I mean.)
5. Freezer above or freezer below the refrigerator. (I get things out of the fridge more often than the freezer. The fridge should be at a level that doesn't require a lot of bending. Same test as #4.)
6. Obstructions over the bed. (Cabinets, etc., and their distance above the mattress. Subtracted from this distance should be things like bedding, foam pads, etc. Class Bs often have a wardrobe cabinet that sits over one corner of the bed. It should be high enough, and the bed low enough, so that my feet won't get caught underneath. Lay down on the bed and put your feet under the cabinet to test this.)
7. Knee and leg room in the bathroom. (I have to be able to sit comfortably. Try it.)
8. The position of cabinet doors when they're open. (Some aren't near the ceiling when open, posing another head banging hazard. Open one and try to walk by.)
9. No pop-tops. (Pop-tops give more headroom and during the summer, they're great. The problem is that I'd prefer not to have cold air coming through fabric around my head during the cooler or windier parts of the year. I like to camp along the windy, often foggy California coast.)
10. Quality build and good customer service. (To me, this is absolutely critical. Without these, a bargain purchase is no bargain.)
Based on what I've found so far, the vans from Advanced RV fit the bill the best for me, probably because the owner of the company is 6'3" and uses his products. I also like the PleasureWay Plateau models. Your mileage will absolutely vary, due your personal preferences and the length of your legs vs. your torso.
Because I'm so picky, I've spent a long time looking at the ergonomics of RVs for a tall person and have walked through several. The more I've looked, the more I've learned. I've kept a database of RVs for a few years so that I can compare things that are important to me. Here's my list of the ergonomic things that I look at:
1. Effective inside height, if the AC is located above an area where people stand. (The plenum is usually around 3 inches, so it should be subtracted from any height specifications. During walk-throughs, look out for headbanger AC units. The ceiling should also have some sort of soft surface.)
2. The length of the bed and how easy it is to get in and out of the bed. (I need clearance for my legs and knees to swing around. The width of the aisle at the bed end of the coach and the location of the adjacent cabinetry also plays into this.)
3. Whether or not you have to climb over another person to get out of bed. (This is related to #2. It's easy for a small person to quietly slip in and out of bed in a small space, but no so easy for a tall person. The only way to test #2 and #3 this is to try them.)
4. Appliance location. (Some RVs have refrigerators or microwaves under the counter. For undercounter refrigerators, this essentially means that they're on the floor. To get a cold drink, a tall person has to get down on their hands and knees. An undercounter microwave means more bending. Try to get something at the back of either appliance to see what I mean.)
5. Freezer above or freezer below the refrigerator. (I get things out of the fridge more often than the freezer. The fridge should be at a level that doesn't require a lot of bending. Same test as #4.)
6. Obstructions over the bed. (Cabinets, etc., and their distance above the mattress. Subtracted from this distance should be things like bedding, foam pads, etc. Class Bs often have a wardrobe cabinet that sits over one corner of the bed. It should be high enough, and the bed low enough, so that my feet won't get caught underneath. Lay down on the bed and put your feet under the cabinet to test this.)
7. Knee and leg room in the bathroom. (I have to be able to sit comfortably. Try it.)
8. The position of cabinet doors when they're open. (Some aren't near the ceiling when open, posing another head banging hazard. Open one and try to walk by.)
9. No pop-tops. (Pop-tops give more headroom and during the summer, they're great. The problem is that I'd prefer not to have cold air coming through fabric around my head during the cooler or windier parts of the year. I like to camp along the windy, often foggy California coast.)
10. Quality build and good customer service. (To me, this is absolutely critical. Without these, a bargain purchase is no bargain.)
Based on what I've found so far, the vans from Advanced RV fit the bill the best for me, probably because the owner of the company is 6'3" and uses his products. I also like the PleasureWay Plateau models. Your mileage will absolutely vary, due your personal preferences and the length of your legs vs. your torso.
Last edited:
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. Each point makes a lot of sense. We live in Sonoma so yes coastal camping is something we're looking forward to. In my previous life my ex and owned one of those old GMCs. Eleganza I think it was called. 26 feet, really easy to drive and really well engineered. I loved it. I realize that the Class Bs are going to be a lot more cramped than that, but like the flexibility it might provide.
I'm assuming you're in California? I've looked at a few of the rental sites, I was even thinking of heading south and renting one of the Advanced models they have available.
Have you rented any yet?
Similar threads
Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days
- Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
- Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
- Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
- and much more...
