Roadtrek Zion Campervan Review After 2 Years

We review our experience with the Roadtrek Zion Campervan (2018 model) after two years.
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• Sony FDR-X3000
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• Cyberlink PowerDirector

[@rhsc6521]

Thanks for your comments. I also have a 2018 Zion. The first thing I did was paint the wood cabinets white. The second thing was that I replaced the pop up extension with a 30" white shelf that becomes a table when raised. Also, recently I added a lagun table for the rear as, like you I never used the table and, in fact, I removed the bases for the front and back along with the table top. You may want to look at Vanmade Gear in Oregon for window shades. They manufacture magnetic shades that also insulate. Also, there is a Facebook group dedicated to Roadtrek Zions and Simplicity & they have a number of great ideas on their posts. Thanks again for your ideas.

[@hikenrv]

We missed this somehow…sorry for the delay, appreciate the comments and advice!

[@maureentweedly]

I just re-subscribed. I don't know what happened but for some reason my notification and subscription just disappeared on your channel...must be those little tech demons. When I hadn't had any notifications I decided to look your channel up and reconnect and so glad I did. I am so sorry for your losses in the last few months...such a hard time for you both. I do hope this year will be much brighter for you and look forward to more of your adventures. I hope to get on the road myself in a few months and perhaps we shall meet up. Great information on your experiences.

[@hikenrv]

Maureen Tweedly thank you for your kind comments and welcome back! We are looking forward to some better weather and getting out soon...we actually tired to get out last week, but flooding closed two of the parks we considered. Hoping our paths cross at some point too!

[@imallierambles]

Thank you for your insight on the Roadtrek Zion. I'm in the market for a Class B and the Zion is top on my list. I also love to hike and be outdoors, it's where I find peace. I'm a single, empty nester now so I figured I'd take this time to travel and hike. I can work on the road as long as I have internet. Your video gave me much to think about and was very helpful!

[@hikenrv]

Glad it was helpful! Several good choices of class b’s, and looking is almost as much fun as owning! Our love of hiking similar to yours. Thanks for the comment!

[@michaelkirksey9041]

Wow, awesome video and informative. My wife and I purchased a 2006 Meridian in March, (2020) planning my retirement to all the parks we could manage throughout our great nation, and Canada. My retirement from school bus driver in SW Florida was planned for 3/3120. We were preparing the coach and ourselves when i was diagnosed with cancer. We put everything on hold to prepare for what we might expect.......until today. We, today traded our Meridian (my wife had concerns driving it because of the size, and no instruction by me at this time) for a brand new 2021 Roadtrek Zion. We realized that those things that we dream of are sometimes the things that bring us through the tough times. Thank you again for sharing your story and helping me to become more familiar with our new Zion.

[@hikenrv]

So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way! Enjoy the new Zion. It will take you to some amazing places!

[@josephmx72]

Excellent synopsis on what to expect living in a class B van like eating meals more outside and taking showers at the rest stops, instead of inside the van. Good to know it’s easy to park and empty the waste waters. Will look into seeing whether more insulation can be added to minimize the drafts. Thank you!

[@hikenrv]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@susanlindeboom3842]

I've really enjoyed your videos for some time. As a U.S. East Coaster I am so jealous of all the amazingly beautiful areas you have access to. Can't wait to get up your way!

[@hikenrv]

Appreciate the comments and let us know if ever any questions! We suspect you would enjoy all of the Pacific Northwest. Well, except during the almost constant rain of this last month....☔️🚐

[@johnleslie7788]

Hi Gordon and Miki, I'm actually watching this sitting in the back of my Zion SRT (which you guys helped inspire me to buy) on the coast north of Santa Barbara, CA. Enjoying it immensely. Also, sorry about Precious. My eight year old cat Plato is my travelling companion. Thanks for your input.

[@hikenrv]

Hi John...so glad to hear, it is a great van! We are envious as to your location, finally a day here without rain and we headed out to two different parks, but both were closed to due to road flooding. Please give Plato a pet or two from us! 🚐

[@russstamp5965]

Hey you two. Great video and like other Zion owners have mentioned, I concur with your observations. Ours is about a year old. This evening I replaced the slider curtains with insulated shades from Vanmade Gear. A month ago I replaced the rear door curtains with Vanmade Gear shades. So happy with this decision. The products are amazing. No light leakage, fit perfectly, insulate well, and actually help to make the interior of the van appear bigger. Another point you mentioned is clearance. We’re headed through Utah this summer and will have the creators of the lift kit you mentioned install it. I know the person you mentioned from Nanaimo and he is quite happy with his decision. I’m looking forward to going the extra 3” in the front. Keep up the great channel!

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and we think you may have sold us on the Vanmade products! What option worked for you? We had seen before, but with exchange rate they become a bit expensive, but your feedback helps! As for as the extra ground clearance that would certainly be nice, and something we may consider in the longer term. Let us know the difference. Don’t forget to change your ‘height sticker’...though as you know height not usually an issue out this way (except for the odd tree branch in a campsite) Safe travels and thanks for the tip! 🚐

[@russstamp5965]

@@hikenrv Hey guys, For the rear shade I went with the the khaki color and the horizontal fold lines. There were a couple of areas that guided this decision. We didn't want the shade to be too dark and make the area feel smaller. The khaki color is a great compromise for that. Doesn't jump out like the silver might with our cherry cabinetry, but is also light colored. While driving, I like to have my back windows completely visible. With the horizontal folds I am able to have complete visibility out the entire window. The shades can be rolled up or down or completely removed and placed elsewhere on either door. They are strong magnets and have not budged while moving. The outside default color is Olive Grey. You can pay more for a custom color, but that seems silly since the window is tinted. For the slider, we went with the "Center Cut." This allows us to raise the right side of the shade to open the slider window. This shade is great! It clears the kitchen counter with plenty of room to still open the right side and also presents no problem with clearing the van when opening the slider. What a joy it is to be able to easily open and close that shade. The stock curtain was a pain to open so we mostly left it closed. We chose the khaki option again to match the rear shades. This shade fits like a glove. Simon's skills are second to none! Yes, they are costly, but I have zero regrets in buying either. Our van seems roomier when inside, gives us more options for opening and closing the shades, gives us greater visibility when driving, and perhaps most importantly allowed us to remove the curtains that came stock with the Zion. Let me know if you have other questions or send a note to Simon (owner of Vanmade Gear). He is quick to respond and has great customer service skills. I can't think of any other product I own that I would endorse with more confidence.

[@russstamp5965]

Happy to send you some photos. Let me know if that would be of interest to you. Feel free to shoot me a message: russ at stampphotography dot com.

[@dougascoli310]

I really like your thoughts on the Roadtrek - great info; well done. We've had our Zion 1 1/2 years and concur with many of your insights. However, we do use the shower and bathroom a lot - mainly because we "generally" don't like using public bathrooms. We also love the Roadtrek and had about 12 outings the first year, including a 10 day New England fall foliage trip and a 3 day boon-dock in 90 degree hot summer weather. Voltstart worked and we had air conditioning!

[@hikenrv]

Doug Ascoli appreciate the comment! Like you we enjoy our Zion, though AC typically not something needed out here, but glad it works well. Safe travels! 🚐

[@GalletasLife]

Nice! I'm picking up my Pleasureway Tofino (new) with 200 watts solar and all the options on Thursday.. It's just me and Galleta my dog so that will be good for us.. The Van is small so (Promaster low roof 1500) so will be easy to heat with the great furnace and hot nights I'm good with a fan ( 16 years in Central America)and if need be the vehicle ac for 10 mins. just to cool the interior after sunset. Long time backpacker/paddler etc so this will be luxury for me!

[@hikenrv]

Congrats on the Tofino! We quite like it as well...sort of a modern day Westy! Like you we were mostly tenting and backpacking (hope to add a little of that this year too) and suspect if the PW Tofino was available we would have been very tempted. Just love the pop top! We spend very little time in the van, we cook inside if the weather is bad or cold, and sleep so we think that will work well for you. Heat, lights, a fridge and a bed off the ground...luxury! Safe travels!🚐

[@karenmonday6951]

Love your videos. Good to hear that you are still happy with your Zion. Ours is in underground storage for the winter and we are making reservations for the camping season. I hope we can keep the positive attitude that you have when things go wrong.

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and glad you enjoy the videos. We love sharing our trips. Any RV it seems has issues, we just wish they were always easy to fix. Key here is that nothing so far has stopped us from getting out (well the ABS module did, but an easy fix). We are planning for summer as well for our longer journeys , please let us know if you ever head our way. Appreciate the comment! 🚐

[@larryvincent2098]

Nice to see you back !! Enjoyed your knowledge of travelling in a van ! Great information !

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and glad it was helpful! 🚐

[@cleanerlakes]

Great shots of all the birds.

[@hikenrv]

The eagles were amazing...rare to see two together, and just above our van!

[@HaswellTravelled]

Great review. My wife and I just bought a used 2019 Zion, and we look forward to our first tryout. Thank you for your wonderful videos on it and look forward to more! 😊👍

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and congrats on your Zion! Hoping you will enjoy it and where it takes you! Safe travels!🚐

[@adrianhockey9334]

Great catchup and overview. Glad to see and hear things are OK with you both.No doubt some stunning trips are planned now that you are approaching better weather.😁🍺🍷

[@hikenrv]

Glad you enjoyed and thank you. We are seeing almost constant rain here now, so yes, keenly awaiting better weather and making plans. We will likely add a bit of backpacking into our trips this year as well. Appreciate the comments!

[@davewallner9731]

Good to see you two. I'm glad you're well!

[@hikenrv]

Thank you! Colds, and flu, but well on road to recovery! Now just the constant rain!

[@mjm3852]

From the east coast to the west coast and all places in between, Canada is a beautiful country. Thank you for sharing your adventures.

[@hikenrv]

Agree and thank you for your comment!

[@WelcometoRJOURNEY]

Wonderful video - once we go full time - Vancouver is a musts see for us!

[@hikenrv]

Welcome to RJOURNEY we will hold a spot for you! Actually the whole province is amazing; and don’t miss out on Vancouver Island! Safe travels!🚐

[@WelcometoRJOURNEY]

@@hikenrv Do you mind if I ask - are you Filipino? I only ask because Lani is and she left today for a month in the Philippines visiting family.

[@hikenrv]

Welcome to RJOURNEY Miki is actually Japanese. Safe travels to Lani!

[@Lilmiz2023]

Your videos finalized our decision to buy the Class B van (Roadtrek Play) We found your videos very informative and entertaining. Too bad we couldn't go to places you showed on videos (not yet at least, since we are from CA) We certainly couldn't wait to get our RV that we ordered! We put in deposit, however, we were told takes 5-6 months for production. Good news is we got the VIN number so I guess it's in production and will arrived on time hopefully. We look forward to seeing more of your videos! Have a Happy New Year!

[@hikenrv]

Great news on the new van and hopefully once ready the world will be a better place for travel! You have some wonderful areas near you and we look forward to visiting that way ourselves! Quite wet and rainy here, and combined with COVID travel guidelines tough for us to get out (for now), but hoping soon. Appreciate you watching and wishing you a wonderful 2021! 🚐

[@barclayej]

Thanks very much, really appreciate your comments.

[@hikenrv]

Hope it helps!

[@marcdsh6998]

A useful recap of your experience with your Zion, it pretty well mirrors my experience with the Simplicity. I hope you continue to post your future trips. I enjoy them very much and it make me miss BC all the more.

[@hikenrv]

Lots of room here if you decide to return! We could swap stories over a camp 🔥! Thanks for the comments!

[@kootenay1964]

One of the few places I haven’t travelled to in BC is the Whistler/Squamish area. Hope to get that crossed off the bucket list this year! Thanks for your videos from this area, it helps in planning! Porteau Cove looks beautiful. P.S. you folks camp in more luxury than us! We have a 1980 Okanagan truck camperette that goes anywhere....even made it to the Yukon and Alaska...! We call it “theTurtle” as we pack our home on our back lol! Wishing you a happy February and happy travels from a subscriber in the West Kootenay....cheers!

[@hikenrv]

We love “the Turtle”....sounds simple and it works! That means a lot. Safe travels as well and let us know if ever any questions. Thanks for the comment...looking forward to spending some time out your way again this year.

[@doctoehold]

Thank you for the helpful videos! We are going to purchase a Class B for birding adventures and Zion is at top of the list. We were a little concerned about clearance on dirt roads. One of our favorite birding destinations is Arizona and there are a lot of dirt roads, some decent, some not so great. We have been driving the roads in a Prius so do you think the Zion could go the same places?

[@hikenrv]

First, apologies, but your comment seemed to be lost until today...we saw this morning. This answer may be too late. Generally if we can drive in a small 2wd car we would drive our Zion there; with a few exceptions where pot holes are particularly bad, road is very steep or if tree branches are low (frequent where we live). We are always very cautious, and have seen where others have made some places fine. You can also purchase a lift kit for the promomaster chassis that adds about 3 inches of clearance that would make all the difference. Here in Canada that would cost around $3,500 installed.

[@rememberGOD1]

Hello i have an older roadtrek when I made new curtains i used the old plastic strips most of the clips were still in good shape. i used a beige colored canvas type material and i sewed on the window side of curtain a mylar blanket folded in half so that it was two ply. it has made a huge difference for temperature control. the beige curtains really brightened the entire look of my interior. I hope my inspiration will maybe help in brightening your road trek as well.

[@hikenrv]

That sounds like a wonderful idea! Both for comfort and aesthetics! Thank you! 🚐

[@mudpie8104]

Great Info! Thanks for sharing. The issues you mentioned are key for me as I look for another Class B. Will go back and listen to your earlier reviews.

[@hikenrv]

Glad it was helpful! Overall we have enjoyed our Zion, although are always considering something perhaps a little bigger.

[@Mr90dragonfly]

I have been following you since you got the van. The zion was my choice when it first came out. Well I have now purchased a 2020 Zion under the new roadtrek ownership. Enjoy your travels as I enjoy watching you.

[@hikenrv]

Mr90dragonfly congratulations 🎉🎊 and we are sure you will enjoy! Wishing you safe and exciting travels! Appreciate the comment!🚐

[@russstamp5965]

Hey guys. Really enjoyed your 2 year review. We’ve had ours a little over a year. One thing we replaced was the curtains on the back doors and on the slider. We purchased insulated shades from Vanmade Gear and love them. Easy to fold up or down and fit perfectly. We chose a lighter color so appears to give us more space. They’re not cheap, but oh so nice.

[@hikenrv]

Thank you! Yes, we have looked at those shades and good suggestion re:colors! We hope you folks are well. Appreciate the comment and safe travels!🚐

[@kellycorf9011]

I am considering a Roadtrek Zion but I am concerned with fridge being only 12 volt not gas or 120 any thought . After you talked about the lithium battery problems I am more concerned. Thanks Kelly

[@hikenrv]

A reasonable concern, but as far as a fridge we would likely never buy anything other than an 12 volt if we had the choice; it’s just so efficient compared to others. At Escape trailers as an example they were largely moving to all electric, all assuming you have sufficient battery capacity. That said, all likely work well enough. Our battery issues were a challenge, it never actually kept us from getting out there and they were largely resolved in year 3 once RT suggested we rewire the system to better match the battery specs. No idea why that wasn’t done when the van was made, but knowledge of the technology has certainly improved. Check out the FB page for Zion and Simplicity owners if you are interested in Zions…lots of information about any issues as well as some great advice!

[@freeetosaywhatilike7473]

So much has changed in the van today

[@hikenrv]

Appreciate you watching and wishing you a Happy New Year!

[@lvfreeAdventures]

Thanks for review. What other camper van would you consider to buy?

[@hikenrv]

Apologies for the delay in response did not see this until this morning. Sometimes comments don’t appear for months or longer! A great question; there are several vans we quite like and a few new ones since your question (although the market for RV’s is so high now, almost impossible to find!). We really like the design and floor plan of the Panoramic RV...and they note that they have added more insulation etc to keep it warmer and the Truma heating system as it is quiet. Not sure if sold in the US at this point however. There are several others that are somewhat similar from other manufacturers though. We would definitely prioritize more insulation! And while we like the promaster chassis a lot, but that also means the ground clearance is more limited. If we looked today we would also consider something based on either the Mercedes van (4x4) for clearance or the Ford AWD van for a bit better off road traction, although the clearance would still be challenging likely. For us, a little extra ground clearance would make us more comfortable on some rougher roads, but most of time has never been needed. We would like the ability to explore a bit more off road though, but for parks and most gravel roads our van works fine! We could do a whole video review of the alternatives; that would be fun to do!

[@oxanapodoliak6867]

I love your short video with nice guitar music. It was very poetic.

[@hikenrv]

Oxana Podoliak thank you and glad you enjoyed! Also relaxing we thought. Appreciate the comment!

[@ronwiejaczka8635]

Enjoyed your video. I have a Zion and had a few minor problems while traveling, Like you we bought it, because of the 6 year warranty. Safe travels.

[@hikenrv]

Thanks Ron...a few problems it seems with any RV, so if minor not too bad. Safe travels as well!

[@tumalo710]

Thanks again Gordon for your reply. So another quick question. Is there a good resource out there where to information like how to find like where the water pump is, AGM batteries, tech support. Search KZbin for those questions but nothing there. Any way thanks again.

[@hikenrv]

Best suggestion..join the Simplicity and Zion Facebook page. Lots of info in Files there plus a helpful community for tech questions and modifications you may want to make. If you ask a question make sure you mention year of Zion and whether you have AGM or lithium if relevant. Enjoy the new to you rig! 🚐

[@ourreallifeescape9794]

Awesome rig guys. We’ve been spoiled with bigger rigs and don’t know if we can go that small. Thanks for sharing.

[@duanemiles1558]

i love your adventures and the Zion is one of my two favorite class Bs. You have the fun of coustomizing your rig. I'm on my 3ed. Camper, tent trailer, and a hard wall trailer. Part of the fun of RVing. Happy Trails.

[@hikenrv]

Thank you...what is the other class B? Every RV has pros and cons, and sounds like you have experienced a few different ones! Safe travels! 🚐

[@duanemiles1558]

@@hikenrv Pleasurway Lesor FL. Like being able to sleep on twins. At our age, my wife and I get up a lot at night. And, they are both gas.

[@hikenrv]

Duane Miles the PW is wonderful...and great point about twin set up!

[@flyfish6473]

Good information. Would you still pick Li batts over AGM? I agree, the lagoon tables are nice. I like how PW has lagoon mounts front and rear in their Lexor FL. I agree with your take on the bathroom, tanks and the logistics of dumping. Looking forward to the new year of your vids.

[@hikenrv]

Glad it was helpful! As for lithium vs AGM, probably 60/40, both could work for us, but we do like the capacity that does come with the lithium. It often feels that the issue isn’t with the battery themselves, but rather with how they are set up and that not a lot of service techs are familiar with how to fix when needed. Still a bit leading edge perhaps. Appreciate the comment/questions. 🚐

[@metaxaanabeer]

Just Googled "lifted dodge promaster" and it looks like you can get 1.5" to 3" very easily. Just open that wallet, eh? Another way is larger diameter tires at replacement time. Maybe an inch? Just make sure the wheel/tire combo doesn't interfere with the wheel wells. We are leaving Vancouver Island mid August and heading up to the Northwest Territories for 4 weeks. My travel/life companion has never seen the Aurora, so hoping for clear nights...even one night! Looks like we will be on all of the all weather roads up there that do not require a portion of winter ice road to connect to...I am beyond looking forward to this trip and am working hard to not be like a kid before Christmas...way to excited months prior, you know?

[@hikenrv]

That sounds like an amazing trip! Makes us excited just hearing about it. Safe travels and enjoy! We saw a posting on the Zion /Simplicity Facebook page where someone in Nanaimo had the work done. Lift kit was approx $1,700 CDN if we recall correctly, and it cost almost as much to have installed, but did give them a few extra inches (2-3) Tires could add a bit more, but as you noted you would have to watch for rubbing. 2 inches would meet our needs.

[@metaxaanabeer]

@@hikenrv For stuff like a full 5 tire replacement or high dollar equipment install i generally wait til I'm south of the border. Then camp/travel on the gear for a long, windy way back...sort of like wearing two pair of new pants across, eh?

[@ScubaSteveCanada]

I had my Ford Transit lifted 2.5" ... made a huge difference. Important to note that if you install larger tires, it will throw off both the speedometer and odometer. I haven't changed the tires yet since the lift was done ... don't see a need.

[@Jimkate]

@@hikenrv Here is a link from 'travelling solo' . He installed SUMO spacers for ~ $200 U.S.. In the rear of his van. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4qyfIJ7qc-MeJI

[@michaelbecnel63]

Great video. My wife and I are currently researching class B rvs for retirement. I think we're down to the Pleasure Way Lexor and the Roadtrek Zion...............

[@hikenrv]

Both very similar and suspect you will find either a good choice! The PW fit and finish likely a bit nicer as is the bathroom. Used to be the Zion had more capacity in lithium batteries, but that may have changed. Enjoy the researching!

[@leejoycechung2162]

Nice review of your Roadtrek. I just subscribed to your channel. Aloha from Hawaii.

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and welcome! Aloha 🚐

[@user-vm3yd2rp7f]

Enjoyed your videos. Clearance has always been an issue with a lot of RV". Happy trails! s

[@hikenrv]

A good point! Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment!

[@wandawilloughby6052]

Always look forward to your videos and the gorgeous views you share with us. Have you considered rescuing a kitty and sharing your adventures with it?

[@hikenrv]

Thank you and we always appreciate your comments. We have certainly thought about another pet, but a bit too early for us right now.

[@susans7091]

Love your music. What is it? I am looking at an older 170 Popular, I think the smallest van. Hope some of this will still apply. 2 years is a good test. It has older technology, so I will have to make do, or pay to upgrade it.

[@hikenrv]

We think it was Timeless by Lauren Duski (from KZbin audio library). We quite like the older Roadtreks (more familiar though with the 190 and 210s), but one nice thing about the older technology…if needed almost anyone will be able to fix it! And now there are so many upgrade options, but suspect you may be fine. Good luck with your search!

[@brendaemanuele9864]

Great info! We live on Cape Breton Island and are looking at something similar!

[@hikenrv]

Glad you found helpful! We always enjoy looking! And what a beautiful area to live! 🚐

[@deborahlee53]

Our changes would be electric front seats. The manual ones the knobs to move anything are impossible for my small hands. Also a hydraulic leveling system would be awesome. Most time we manage without needing to level but the time we’ve had to is always difficult. We use the plastic Lego like blocks and so far have broken about half of them.

[@hikenrv]

We rarely have to level, but agree the times we have can be annoying. We have only broken 1 block (so far). We now have Go Treads, more to get out of mud or snow, but they can also be used to level...we haven’t tried so far.

[@bensavage6389]

Your desire for your next van sounds to be everything the solis 59px is. murphy bed with storage underneath, eating area in the front. better insulation (I think)

[@hikenrv]

There are a few models out there that are close...and you are right the Solis sounds like a close match...also not sure though of the insulation! Appreciate the comment!

[@Purpleroses]

Nice. But Expected More In The Build In 2018. Seems Some Of The Older Models Have More And Easier Items. As Easy As Pull Shades n Screens. Outside Spare, Two Tables, And Much More. Now Yours Is Beautiful.

[@hikenrv]

Thank you. Most folks do a lot more, but we aren’t too handy!

[@jcurtis54]

With the Zion you sleep east/west. Which means that one person has to climb over the other to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night. That always seemed like a bad set up to me. How has it worked out for you? Thanks for the great video.

[@hikenrv]

Actually you can sleep North/South if you want (you may need to if over 5’10.). You can choose a couple of choices that way. We actually prefer east/west but it is a pain to crawl over someone as you noted. Glad you enjoyed!

[@OnlineTherapistGroup]

I'd love more details on how you are insulating!

[@hikenrv]

We kept it simple; removed the panels on the van doors (side and back) and added thinsulate. This seems to help, there was really no insulation at all other than bit of light spray foam. On the back door if it’s cold we hang a rectangular sleeping bag. Almost a perfect fit so in addition to insulation it reduces drafts from the bottom. We sewed Velcro dots on the bag and glued some to the top of the back door mosquito screen. Easy to put the bag on or off. Last, if quite cold we will use a Velcro fixed shower curtain (or insulated curtain) between the cab and coach. Less room to heat. You can do something similar for the side door too if you wish. We still use some insulation in windows too if needed, but are looking to make some simple inserts using some of the left over Thinsulate we have rather than either reflectix or foam padding. It will look much nicer!

[@OnlineTherapistGroup]

@@hikenrv Thanks so much!! Super helpful!!

[@warrenbarnes9653]

I notice that the black tank is relatively small - 8.5 gallons. Has this ever been an issue for you? Thank you.

[@hikenrv]

We checked out our 2018 specs and the black tank shows as 9.5 USG. Suspect the 8.5 on the 2021 model may simply be a more accurate measurement of that unless they use a different tank now. To your question though, it hasn’t been an issue for us, but we do try to use park facilities etc as much as we can to avoid having to dump tanks too often. For us the gray tank is usually the one that fills first and needs to be emptied - if we needed more capacity this is where we would add it.

[@panazopolis]

Thank you for the great review! I am considering buying one soon. May I ask how much you paid for it and if you think it’s a fair price?

[@hikenrv]

At the time we purchased ours we for around 20% off the asking price (slightly less if we recall correctly) which seemed fair at the time. However since then the demand and asking prices for RT vans have increased by around 40%. Our best suggestion; try to buy off season and of course, with rising interest rates perhaps RV sales may slow down. Appreciate the comment and hope this helps!

[@tumalo710]

Love your Videos. Wonder if you could answer a question. I just bought a 2015 Zion. Wondering if you can turn off the fridge when you have the batteries connected.

[@hikenrv]

🙏We can turn ours off with a control knob that is in the fridge..simply move to off in our case. We do it on occasion if we want to thaw our freezer before we store.

[@tumalo710]

@@hikenrv thanks, yep I wasn’t turning the controller nob hard enough to the off position. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@Purpleroses]

Can You Paint The Inside Maybe White? The Raised Bed Idea Is Awesome

[@hikenrv]

We could and do think it would certainly make it brighter and seem bigger!

[@sarahcox2090]

Hi, I watched your videos because I am buying a 2018 Zion (hopefully). Very helpful. I have a question though. How do you travel with a cat? I would love to take mine but I am afraid he would try to get out all the time and I'd loose him.

[@hikenrv]

It is wise to be cautious ...our was older and so less adventurous, but we always kept a close eye on her regardless. She didn’t try to get out when the door mosquito screen was in place, but on occasion would climb out for a few minutes if we opened it for her. That was enough. We always kept her close and if she was in the van, if we were not seated near the screen door (which we usually were) we kept the side door closed. If we were to have another cat join us again, we would use a leash. One of our viewers noted that they have a tent that attaches to their awning that allows the cat to spend more time outside with them.

[@karollisa7022]

It looks like, based on the photo at your storage lot, that it gets around well in the snow?

[@hikenrv]

We have only had it in light snow a few times and it was fine, but we do have all weather tires (not all season, with snowflake) so that helps.

[@weiguojiang4388]

thank you for your great video and your zion coming with spare tire and i have 2021 Zion with no spare tire. i need buy one from factory?

[@hikenrv]

Glad it was helpful. Pretty certain that if you want a full sized spare tire any tire dealer can assist you. The theory we believe behind not having the spare was RT wanted you to call for assistance as a safety issue.

[@weiguojiang4388]

@@hikenrv thank you so much for your answer and really love your videos and learn a lot

[@kevinvassar7433]

Thanks for nice video :). Is your bed wider front to back or side to side? We are considering the same floorplan and researching online first. Thank you!

[@hikenrv]

Side to side is narrower (here is a link to specs - see bottom of page: roadtrek.com/models/zion/) Gordon is 5’10 and can sleep that way, but likely not if much taller. Front to back is the longest and somewhat dependent on how you configure the bed. If you add in the whole section you can have almost a king size bed, and less depending on how you configure it. Ours set up is more like a queen (a little smaller) largely to make access to storage under the bed easier. Many people add some form of topper as we showed in a recent video. We found simply lowering the rear sofa and using each side as a single the easiest though and did use that for years.

[@kevinvassar7433]

@@hikenrv Thank you so much for generous, helpful reply! :)

[@patrickrobertson7290]

Was thinking about getting a Roadtrek but I’m concerned now about the warranty. Glad you mentioned it because otherwise I would still be thinking they still honored and offered it. Thanks for a great vid.

[@hikenrv]

Their new warranty is now somewhat more aligned with industry standards at 2 years (certainly better than some), but we were certainly sad to lose the previous 5 year one! Glad you enjoyed and best wishes in your search...lots of choices, though likely tough to find a class b (or most RVs) right now!

[@margueritemcnair1784]

Thanks for the good review. I think I will buy a 4 season van

[@hikenrv]

Our pleasure! Good luck with your search for a 4-season van!

[@ModernMessiah]

This is a really good review 👍

[@hikenrv]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching! 🚐

[@ModernMessiah]

@@hikenrv Have fun on your travels.

[@paulao7022]

The Roadtrek van's are very nice. I think a Pleasure Way van, would be more compatible for me. I have to have neck surgery and I need one that I don't have to turn my head at a hurtful angle. I can't wait to purchase me one! I want to see America, before I get too old and decrepitated. ha.

[@hikenrv]

We quite like PW vans! Fit and finish seems very good and if we recall correctly they have one of the longest warranties. Hoping your surgery goes well and wishing you safe travels when you purchase your van! 🚐

[@paulao7022]

@@hikenrv I heard that someone bought PW out and no longer give that warranty. Let them put that in writing first...

[@hikenrv]

Hadn’t heard that...still shows on their website as a 5 year (or 60,000 miles), but as you note; ensure you confirm in writing.

[@lovematters7122]

Does it hold its value? Should I buy new or used? One dealer asking 117k for 2019 with 9 K miles. What do you think?

[@hikenrv]

We don’t think that in general RV’s (or cars or boats) hold their value (as some dealers say ‘you are buying memories’), though we believe that class B vans are much better than other types in that regard. We originally tried to buy used to try to save some $, but there were very few vans for sale and they sold in days so we purchased new, though at a good discount to the MRSP. The market has gotten even hotter now, and van prices, either new or used seem to have increased significantly in the last year or so. Expect some used vans may be selling at almost at ‘what they cost a few years ago’ as a result, but we don’t know your market. Check a few sites and private sales online and you may get a better idea of whether the price is fair. A lightly used 2019 van may have already addressed a few of the issues (e.g. coach electrical system rewired to meet new battery specs if lithium and the charge controller moved higher). One other suggestion: check the FB page for Zion and Simplicity owners and ask about prices for used Zions. They likely have a few members who have sold or recently purchased, especially in the US (you used miles). Hope this helps.

[@lovematters7122]

@@hikenrv Thank you for your reply. That's very helpful indeed. Happy camping to you and yours!

[@MattMorris481]

I was gonna say it was only about 10 degrees, I was going to say I don’t know where your from but where I’m from that’s cold.😂

[@hikenrv]

10 C…almost shorts and T shirt weather! Actually pleasant sitting next to a fire at night, but you still need some warmer clothes.

[@warrenbarnes9653]

I am the same height as Miki. I am wondering if she can find a comfortable driving position with the ProMaster. Thank you.

[@hikenrv]

She finds driving the van fine, though she doesn’t tend to drive for really long periods. If we were to guess it likely works well for anyone over 5’5” and under 6 ft. You do sit quite straight which we both like.

[@theresaboudreau2206]

What's your gas milage? Thanks.

[@hikenrv]

We average about 18mpg (imperial), but closer to 12 if going up a lot of hills and around 20 if touring in flat areas. Thanks for the question.

[@hermanbarfield2523]

Would like to know how fuel efficient is the Play?

[@hikenrv]

We were just chatting to someone with a Zion SRT and they averaged 21 MPG over last 5 years. This is Imperial gallons so roughly 20% larger than a US gallon if you are from there. With our van we get slightly less, probably closer to 18, but often a lot hills. Over 20 on relatively flat areas. Hope this helps! Also, the newer Promaster chassis has a 9 speed transmission, so that should improve fuel efficiency a bit as well.

[@Island-Detecting]

Have you had your lithium batteries rewired yet? Most of them were wired incorrectly by Hymer/Roadtrek. This is the reason for a lot of failures.

[@hikenrv]

Not that we know of...when we replaced one it may have been done. One challenge we have is that we don’t think our dealer is that familiar with the whole electrical side. We actually have question now into RT service along the lines of what you mentioned. Thanks for the advice!

[@Island-Detecting]

@@hikenrv Also, most of the Balmar charge controllers are programmed wrong and will overcharge the batteries. Same is true for the solar charge controller. There is an Ecotrek Facebook group with a lot of good information. Or check with Gordon at Edge Van Works in California.

[@hikenrv]

Island Detecting thanks for the info....hadn’t realized there was a separate Facebook page for the batteries. It may be worth a trip to California at Edge Van works if they could check and update.

[@jimrookphotos]

Gordon & Miki, It's funny how you keep touching on some of the concerns we have. I think you pretty much nailed it with your wish list of changes. One comment on the better and insulated curtains would be for you to check out a video from She & M, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJmylYeXbt-Dmq8 Great info on materials, use of velcro and magnets. Glad to hear that you are both feeling better. Thanks again and happy travels. Jim & Susan

[@hikenrv]

jimrookphotos it seems like most folks have similar points. Thanks for the video, we literally were looking yesterday at some home made options, so nice timing! There are some after market options that look great, but thought we might try a DIY first. Comment!

[@looneyfarm1]

Review very helpful

[@hikenrv]

Appreciate the comment!

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

My brother just bought a 2022 with 25 miles on it, wow does it have major issues. Electrical system components that don't work reliably are as follows: 1.) Air conditioner -firefly gauges 2.) 600 lithium battery bank is performing more like a 200 lithium battery bank. 3.) Wires to batteries under the coach were loose. 4.) 400 watt solar panels are not performing near the rating (especially comparing to other vans I've worked on). 4.) Inverter does not perform even close to the 3000 watt rating and has an extremely annoying alarm that will keep you up for hours. The electrical components are KS2 and are marginal at best and unreliable. We are moving towards litigation as there is definitely a case for false advertising. Update 2/15/2023: I stand corrected, we installed a shunt and ran the electrical components all night and the batteries did output almost 600 amp hours through the night. These KS2 batteries seem to be half as heavy as my Lifeblue lithium batteries yet output the same amount of amps though it is through a voltage of 12.8v. Roadtrek is legit, though there are still some inverter issues, but I think we can work them out. What a relief, I thought this was going to be an exhausting battle. My mistake 😞

[@hikenrv]

Sorry to hear of the challenges…hopefully they should all be covered under the warranty.

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

@@hikenrv thanks, so far La Mesa in Tucson has been worthless along with Roadtrek. They are in denial of the problems. KS2 became extremely angry when we told them another technician who has been great tested the batteries and they are draining extremely fast. We'll see how far we have to take it. We've had to cut four camping trips short due to these challenges and my brother is really stressed out. I feel terrible because I convinced him to get into the RV world.🤦

[@hikenrv]

@@functionalvanconversion4284 try reaching out on the Facebook page for Zion and Simplicity owners. A lot of good advice, lots of experience and also perhaps some ideas of local RV tech folks quite experienced in working with RTs. We had a few challenges initially, largely with our batteries and wiring, but we did resolve over time. RT worked directly with our dealer to correct (they can set up a call to discuss) but it did take a bit, though never really prevented us from camping.

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

@@hikenrv great idea, will do. Thanks for your time!

[@warrenbarnes9653]

Did you consider the slightly smaller Zion SRT? Thank you.

[@hikenrv]

We did, but the local dealer only had a Zion for us to view....so we ordered that version. After owning for a few years We believe the SRT would have fit our needs as well.

[@alanajacobs9202]

interested in hearing about the van......not your personal info

[@hikenrv]

A fair point for some…we covered technical points in previous reviews if more of interest for you.