By Rachel Puryear

If you’re a large or tall person, you know how challenging it can be to literally try to fit into a world that isn’t always designed for those with your size gifts. RV’s, campers, and travel vehicles, though, tend to be – in a word – small spaces.

Everything in camping vehicles from the interior height, to the seats, the bed, the bathroom with the shower and toilet and so forth, and even shorter counter heights than in residential kitchens can therefore sometimes pose certain challenges for people of tall heights and large body sizes. Of course, if you’re someone who really needs this post, then I’m preaching to the choir.

But of course, tall and large people want to camp and travel, too! As we should. So, this is a little guide to what to look for while you’re shopping for your camping vehicle. Large and tall folks do need to shop more carefully for our travel vehicles, but there are lots of different vehicles out there, and some are more appropriate and comfortable for those in upper height and size ranges than others.

Note: This post is not intended to recommend particular models of camping vehicles, but rather is intended as a general guide to what to look for while you’re shopping – things that are easy to overlook until later on, while you’re excited and caught up in the moment, thinking about travel fantasies. We’ve all been there!

Fun fact: In the United States, the average woman stands at about 5’4 (1.6 meters), and weighs about 171 pounds (77.6 kilos); while the average man stands at about 5’10 (1.8 meters), and weighs about 200 pounds (91 kilos). This can help give an idea of what manufacturers consider in designing various travel vehicles.

People also naturally tend to design based upon their own experience, and that does vary from person to person. Although if you’re larger than average and identify as such, you likely already know that, because it’s something you have to think about more than others!

Up Front

For whichever driving vehicle you choose – whether you’re getting a self-contained RV or van, or a truck to tow a trailer with – you’ll of course want to make sure that the driver and passenger seats are all comfortable and spacious enough for you sit in – and, for long periods of time.

Test drive the driver’s seat, but if you’ll be traveling with others, have your fellow drivers also test drive, while you sit in other passenger seats in the vehicle that you might be riding in. If you have a tall or large teenager or other family member who will ride largely backseat, be sure to bring them for the test drive, too.

Make sure there’s enough head room, enough butt room, a comfortable amount of room between you and the steering wheel, and enough room in general. However, vehicles large enough for travel do tend to have more space than regular passenger cars, which is helpful.

Seat belts feel a little tight, or won’t quite click? Check out this company, More of Me to Love, that sells seat belt extenders online for many different types of vehicles, as well as many other useful everyday products that you might find helpful.

In the Kitchen

If you’re often frustrated by short counter heights in residential kitchens, unfortunately, those in travel vehicles tend to be even shorter. Therefore, that’s something important to check in the kitchen if you are taller. Stand or sit at the kitchen and sink (as you prefer), to see how it would be to prep your meals and do clean-up there.

Fun fact: did you know that residential kitchen counter heights are historically based upon average adult female heights? You may have noticed that in older houses. Today though, 36 inches or 91.5 cm is more typical, unless they’re custom.

However, if you tend to get the highest cabinet spaces to yourself because others cannot reach them, cabinet space that goes up high is a major plus.

If you are large, make sure you can comfortably access all kitchen spaces without undue difficulty, including when drawers, fridge and freezer doors, cabinets, and cutting boards and foldable counter extensions are pulled out/opened up/in place. While these features are definitely convenient, they can sometimes make a space tighter when they’re in use. Kitchen overall designs are important, and they do vary a lot.

Also, space in many fixed dinettes can be tight and uncomfortable, so freestanding tables and chairs can be a much better choice. Furniture that’s adjustable upwards can also be great for taller folks.

In the Bathroom

If you’re tall enough to have ever looked down upon your shower head in the shower, and folded yourself to duck underneath it and rinse, you already know to check for that. And for the ceiling height of the shower, which can be lower than elsewhere in the vehicle.

Although, some vehicles have a sort of skylight bubble in the shower ceiling, which can provide some much-needed extra ceiling height. On the plus side, most vehicles probably have a hand-held shower head, which can help things. Some models also have a lower shower pan (floor) that you step down into, giving additional height that can make all the difference.

If you’re large, step inside the shower and make sure you can move around comfortably, including twisting around and bending over just in case. Hopefully without knocking sensitive body parts into knobs and other fixtures. Shower designs and curtains that curve outward can be helpful by giving a little more space, while rectangle shapes can be uncomfortably narrow.

Check the counter height of the sink vanity, and make sure that that’s comfortable for you – and also that the mirror frames your lovely face well.

Don’t be shy about sitting down on the toilet, to make sure the height and width of the space works for you. Elongated seats are usually better than round for ample bottoms. Also, beware of “floating” toilet styles where you can wave your hand between the bottom of them and the floor – one that goes all the way down and then screws down into the ground will support higher weights much better, especially if you need to grab the counter to pull yourself up (for that matter, check for an actual sink vanity over a “floating” sink style, although that should be the case for most vehicles – these also offer more storage space, which is valuable).

In the Bedroom

One of the most important things in the bedroom(s) is making sure that the bed is adequate for you. Of course, many travel vehicles come with rather crappy mattresses, so you may want to swap that out after purchase anyway, regardless of your size. But make sure that the bed frame is both long enough for your height, and that the weight capacity is also adequate for you, even if you plan on upgrading the mattress later.

Also, make sure that you can sit up in bed without bumping your head! Some of these ceilings can be low. Don’t be shy about giving this a try when you’re considering the vehicle. Make sure you can also roll around on the bed and get in and out of it comfortably. If you’re a couple, trying laying on the bed together, to see how you fit in it together.

Note: Terms like “RV Queen” and “RV King” in reference to the mattress size aren’t the same size as the standard Queen and King mattresses used in residential bedrooms. They are typically 3-4 inches shorter than their residential bedroom counterparts, so beware of this when looking at the mattress size. Many models do offer space for a full Queen or a full King mattress, though. So make sure to check what the mattress size really is, and whether a residential mattress will fit onto the bed frame, or whether there’s enough room to extend the bed frame.

Of course, if you use a CPAP machine, make sure there’s a nearby platform to place it on, as well as a space to plug it in (though a jackery can also easily be used to power it).

Throughout the Vehicle

Interior height, doorway heights, as well as the width of walkthrough spaces, will be crucial. If you are tall, you will want to walk through the entire vehicle, and make sure that the interior height works for you.

If you are large, you will want to make sure that you fit comfortably through walk-through portions of the vehicle, as well as through all entrances and exits, and access all needed areas. Try sitting in all chairs and seating areas. You may need thicker and more durable cushions on chairs, so check those, too.

Check the weight capacity of beds, furniture, ladders and steps (including any that fold out to enter and exit the vehicle, and any ladders or steps leading to upstairs loft areas), and any other weight-bearing structures to make sure that they will sufficiently accommodate you, and to avoid potentially serious injuries.

A Few General Tips:

Here are some general guidelines for getting started in your search, to help you find what you need a bit more quickly:

• Fifth wheels tend to have higher vertical interior heights, and be a bit more spacious inside than many travel trailers and (especially older) RV’s. These are travel units that attach to a truck bed, and they tend to generally be more luxurious and easier to drive with than trailers. The only caveat is that the bedroom height might be shorter, as this tends to be where the floor is raised so it can fit into the truck bed.
• Newer Class A RV’s tend to be taller and more spacious inside than the older models.
• Trucks used to tow fifth wheels and trailers may be more comfortable for tall and large individuals to drive than many RV’s, especially the older RV models.
• If a particular vehicle is otherwise perfect but needs a relatively minor modification or a few to make it more comfortable, it’s also okay to do that – just make sure to consider that in budgeting for your vehicle.
• Relatively easy and inexpensive modifications include swapping out a dinette for freestanding furniture, brackets to increase hand-held shower height (so long as headroom is there), swapping a floating toilet or sink for a fixed toilet or vanity, and higher quality mattresses and chair cushions (again, so long as the frame and chair height/width are there).
• More expensive/challenging problems where you should probably pick something else include lack of ceiling or doorway height, walkways that aren’t wide enough, inadequate space for a bed frame, things that smack you in the head and cannot be moved out of the way readily.
• It’s not just about the overall size of the vehicle – the layout and design are also essential.

---

Thank you, dear readers, for reading, following, and sharing. Here’s to vehicles that fit you well. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” and subscribe, if you have not already.

Check out my other blog, too – World Class Hugs, at https://worldclasshugs.com.

Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support!

Remote Income Road Trips Uncategorized Van RV life Wealth adventure camping hiking rv travel