Swift ChallengerX 835 & 860 : 8ft Wide Caravans

[@kimarmstrong1814]

We have had the 835x for a year now and on the whole we love it. The space is fantastic and plenty of storage. The lounge is comfortable and has good storage . The kitchen is well planned and the flip up table is really useful. The small narrow cupboard has taken a time to fill but now happy with it. The pull out pantry is great. The bathroom is fabulous especially with the wardrobe where we keep coats and towels. There is lighting in the shower and it is ok in size. The bedroom is again quite spacious and does extend but we have not needed to do this. One thing we love is the separation from lounge to bedroom with the bathroom you cannot hear noises from either room. The downsides are all the storage cupboards have wires exposed which due to the cost of the van is not acceptable and does hamper what you can put in them. The doors do bang and we have put on door stops. The door in the bedroom coming into the bathroom is really tight and the door handle has had to be padded as it kept catching on going out of the room. The wardrobes are also good but the space at the bottom goes right back to the side of the van wall and it is difficult to get things out. We keep our van on site so cannot really say how it tows . Despite the small niggles we would recommend this van. It’s great for a couple who like plenty of space with quite a lot of comfort and the bathroom is huge .

[@HereWeTow]

Thank you for adding your owners review Kim, it is always helpful for others who are making a decision. Enjoy your caravan and thank you for watching 😊

[@andyr5029]

We have a Challenger X 835 and love it. It has quite a few more bells and whistles on it as it's the dealership special. Also, there's hidden LED lighting in the bathroom (including the shower) so it's not dark at all. I've installed some blue LED lighting in the shelf below the sink to keep on at night as the main lighting is too bright and intrusive if you turn it on in the middle of the night. The slim cupboard for the table has great storage for trays and placemats etc. It's also great for storing our Teppanyaki! Lastly, I'm 6ft and the bed is certainly big enough :)

[@HereWeTow]

Great to hear an owners thoughts and updates, thank you. A dealer special is always a good choice. We love our teppanyaki, it was a great buy. Have a great year touring😊 Karina

[@rubberdc]

I like the corner mirror and wasnt expecting to see a unit storage behind it , that is a nice touch .

[@HereWeTow]

Yes I like that use of space too😊

[@rubberdc]

IT looks solid too.the furnishings look good quality .

[@rubberdc]

Karina , you havent had your nail extensions done yet , you had them pre pandemic , are you going to have them done again ?

[@HereWeTow]

Hopefully but whilst the house renovations are ongoing they wouldn’t last very long..I keep breaking my own nails so they look awful 😣

[@rubberdc]

the bathroom , I agree on the size of the shower , i expected it to be slightly larger , my concern is the ring for a towel above the radiator , couldnt it possibly have been better to have a ladder rack or perhaps a couple of rails above the radiator ? a ring towel holder bunches the towels together .

[@HereWeTow]

I prefer a heated towel rail too 😊

[@rubberdc]

do you feel that there shouldve been a couple of doorstops to prevent the doors from damaging the parts of the shower and the fridge ?

[@HereWeTow]

I think they would have been sensible 😊

[@rubberdc]

I wonder sometimes why manufacturers put a section of socket bars with only one socket showing ? is it possible to add other sockets then?

[@HereWeTow]

You can add more, higher spec models will fit them so it looks like you’re getting more for your money. Thank you for watching and commenting as always 😊 Karina

[@andrewdixon7974]

Picking our 835 up in a couple of weeks :-)

[@HereWeTow]

Oh fantastic! Enjoy your new caravan 😊👍 Karina

[@Worldwarone853]

Thank you for another great review Karina. We own a Swift Challenge 850 and really love it, it is coming up to 11months old now and her name is Suzy…..lol. I would recommend the Challenger Xs but when you are pulling her you certainly know she is 8ft wide….lol, looking forward to our next trip mid May. Thank you Paul and Linda x Ps like you we also have a German Shepherd named Diesel and a Springer whom sleep either side of the bed in the caravan.

[@HereWeTow]

😊Sounds like you are really enjoying your 850, I love an 8ft wide caravan. Have a fantastic time in May and Fudge gives a big paw to your furry friends 🐾🐾 Karina

[@Worldwarone853]

@@HereWeTow Same back to your Fudge.

[@Worldwarone853]

@@HereWeTow Do you mind if l ask. Is that a GoPro that you are using? And what do you think of them as thinking of getting one myself. Thank you.

[@davidmbell]

Love the 835 layout with huge washroom for changing etc. Shame they haven’t moved onto and Elddis style stargazer roof to give it the edge.

[@HereWeTow]

Thank you David, I like the Elddis stargazer too..makes it much lighter too. Have a lovely bank holiday weekend 😊 Karina

[@davidlawton7845]

L shaped lounge is the way to go….good report , thank you.

[@HereWeTow]

Thank you for watching David, the L shape is a popular layout. Have a lovely Easter 😊

[@rubberdc]

I like the kitchen and the placement of the microwave is not above the cooker . I had to giggle at your point about not cooking , i dont either . but it made me laugh .

[@peteandmaggie8570]

That type of tap are not suppose to swivel but the one in the kitchen does now haha....Good review thou....thank you.

[@HereWeTow]

Thank you 😊 Karina

[@radarplotextractor3168]

I'm guessing the antiquated control panel might be due to the chip shortage that's happening worldwide.

[@HereWeTow]

Yes, I would imagine that is the case, thank you for watching, Karina

[@rubberdc]

I think the headboard is a bit naff, the fabric looks thin and I dont enjoy the padded panels surrounding the windows .

[@HereWeTow]

They are certainly marmite 😊

[@HereWeTow]

They are certainly marmite 😊

[@BitzandBobz-g8v]

⭐️

[@simonbaxter8001]

Apart from the twin axle and 6" extra width and bigger fridge, the X835 doesn't look any different, feature wise, from our 2021 Challenger 560 (the 860 is identical apart from width and L-lounge)... and that was £10K less! Don't like the reversion to the older command panels, but electronic shortages are a nightmare at the moment. We've never had any issues with Swift Command and I like the higher tech connectivity it offers. Very (no, extremely!) disappointed at Swifts 2022 offerings and massive price hikes for 2022, especially when you compare them with the new 2022 Bailey Unicorn 5 Series! Like the L shape lounge on the 860 though ... although I would go for the Elddis Crusader Boreolis before the Swift, it is much better styled and has nicer looks and layout at the middle and back.

[@HereWeTow]

Thank you for watching Simon, I understand that costs have risen for manufacturers but agree absolutely that the price hikes are absolutely unbelievable. Caravanning is becoming more expensive than luxury breaks and many will be priced out. If I were you I would stick with your current model too. Have a good weekend, Karina

[@paulefc1971]

Not sure you can compare a unicorn with a challenger though, surely the better comparison would be the elegance range?

[@simonbaxter8001]

@@paulefc1971 I was comparing what you get for a similar price. The Challenger range isn't the same level, the Elegance is more the same feature level (but still not as good and innovative as the Unicorn), but price wise the Unicorn is far better value. I.e £28k to £34k for the Unicorn range and Challenger £26k to £32k, Elegance £27k to £35k. Swift have just become stale in terms of innovation and the wow factor, yet Bailey have made some great changes during the same difficult period for manufacturers. We have a 2021 Swift Challenger 560 and had we waited another 6 months, it would have been a Bailey Unicorn Cabrera. Cheaper, better styling, integrated WiFi, nicer and more usable design features and yes it's competing more against the Elegance, but for the Elegance to get near the nicer features, you pay £4k-£5k more and it still falls short by offering the same old Swift styling that we've had for 10 or so years now! The only 2 times we've walked in a new caravan range and had that wow moment was the Elddis Crusader Boreolis (£32k) and the Bailey Unicorn 5 Series. Even though we like the layout and features of our Swift, they are becoming a bit of a "vanilla" and "safe" choice for most!

[@HitchUpAndTow]

it's scary when you realise these vans cost more than your first house I never realised I was that old

[@HereWeTow]

👍😂 Some of these vand now cost more than a house in the North West today.. have a great weekend, Karina

[@rubberdc]

Its not like you to just turn up Karina and not know anything , most unusual for you .lol

[@HereWeTow]

😂 I had filmed two proper reviews but couldn’t resist a nosey at these 😊