GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #31 | Page 31

RV REVIEW COMPACT FEATHERTOP IN ACTION! CLASSY FITOUT Here’s a question: do you like caravans that are large and luxurious, or compact and comfortable? Both have their advantages and, similarly, their drawbacks. I fall into the latter category. I admire the big rigs on the road, but I view 17ft-20ft caravans as a more practical option. The Hilltop Feathertop range, which in 17t 6in size configuration, is available in three layout variations, is a case in point. It looks smart and stylish, it’s nicely put together, and while it’s small ‘footprint’ on the road requires some compromises, they are trade-offs that I would happily make in light of the benefits such a van offers. “ THIS VAN LOOKS SMART AND STYLISH.” The 17ft 6in Feathertop that we hitched up featured an L-shaped dinette, rear bathroom, offside kitchen and front bedroom. In the nose of the van, Hilltop has fitted a queen-size bed with overhead lockers, sizeable bedside wardrobes, and reading lights. The kitchen incorporates a four-burner cooktop and griller. The customer of our review van, however, opted for a large drawer beneath the griller instead of the standard oven. A number of lockers are fitted above the kitchen bench, with the forward-most locker containing the various switches and controls, as well as the 12V fuse block and regulator for the roof-mounted 160W solar panel. A 165L Thetford three-way fridge with microwave above is fitted between the kitchen and the bathroom, and let’s not forget the sound system mounted to the kitchen’s overhead cabinetry. / 31