Level ramps yes or no

[Yorkie]

I haven't picked up my Cali yet and as it's Black Friday have seen an offer for fiamma level up kits.

Should I wait and see if I need them or am I certain to want them eventually?

 

[T6 CFO]

Yes but make sure they are wide enough for the tyres your getting on your Cali.



Mike

 

[Yorkie]

Yes but make sure they are wide enough for the tyres your getting on your Cali.



Mike

The jumbo ones are 40mm narrower so that would have to do I think.

 

[2into1]

Some owners manage without them, others (inc me) think they are essential. Try putting a few books under a bed post tonight and decide in the morning if they are worth the £ and more importantly the space.

 

[T6 CFO]

Difficult to get to excited on ramps but I managed it
I got the Milenco Triple ones which are fairly substantial but stow in the space between the fridge and bench.
Dimensions: 12cm high on top level x 28cm wide x 60cm length. Come in a canvas bag. Not the cheapest but solid.


Mike

 

[T6 CFO]

But of Reading here:
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/levelling-ramps.13556/


Mike

 

[bigmac77]

I like to sleep on the level and it is amazing how many campsites have pitches that are not. For me they are essential.

 

[Meoncoast]

We do not use them

 

[Hotel California]

As my comment in the tread linked above by @T6 CFO , good job Mike saves me from doing it...

Did not carry them the first few trips , then eventually got a set but not use them much as we 9/10 only stay one night in the same place .
When i arrive at site i like to get out and do stuff , i park up open the sliding door and see where it rolls to....thats about it most of the times hiking shoes on and off we go...
When staying multiple days on a site they are more usefull.

 

[cundf]

They are essential. You might need them seldom but if you need them you are happy to have them with you.

 

[Kmann]

Would not go without, we use them on almost every sleepover - except if i can park so, that my wife will roll in my direction

 

[snowy55]

We don't own any and have never felt the need for them in over 160 nights of camping.

 

[zeratul]

Tried without them our first year. One campsite out of 25 was problematic, and I managed by searching for stones and driving on them. I will not order leveling ramps, because they take so much space and we are five in the cali so every cm3 counts.

But I may invest in Air suspension, with the auto leveling option.

 

[larrylamb]

We use Thule ramps,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FWL4O9A/?tag=eliteelect-21
Come in a handy bag, fits nicely next to the battery compartment in the rear with umbrella, extra folding chair/mini windbreak etc on top and alongside my assorted "Really Useful Storage Boxes". Never been short of space and use them nearly every time. My wife could fall asleep on a clothes line but I have to be as near level as can be to sleep well. Very pleased with these ramps, not too big and up to the job.

 

[Yorkie]

Hi
So many different thoughts on this topic.

Could it be to do with where you pitch?

Top quality site : don't need
Small or wild: essential

 

[snowy55]

Top quality site : don't need
Small or wild: essential

We use all types of sites and never felt the need for any ramps.

 

[GrannyJen]

Some owners manage without them, others (inc me) think they are essential. Try putting a few books under a bed post tonight and decide in the morning if they are worth the £ and more importantly the space.

I don't park on books

 

[GrannyJen]

Hi
So many different thoughts on this topic.

Could it be to do with where you pitch?

Top quality site : don't need
Small or wild: essential

I do about 50-50.

I sold my levelling ramps a few weeks ago, still in the original wrapping unused for three years.

 

[CaliCrazy]

Essential! Store in the space at the side of the rear bench. Owned a van for 9 years and have used them so much that I've just had to buy new ones as the last Ines started to crack! Even level pitches aren't always level. Suppose it comes down to whether you can sleep on a slope or not.

 

[bigmac77]

Could be to do with whether you use an electric hook up or not. Pitches with hook up tend to be primarily designed for touring caravans and are sometimes terraced if on a sloping field where as camping pitches for tents (I know tents also use EHU) are frequently on a bit of a slope. We rarely use hook ups so often pitch in the sloping part of the camping field away from other people and we regular use the ramps. In France this summer we used ramps almost every day for three weeks, nearly all the places we camped had some sort of slope.
I also do a fair bit of building work and have a keen eye for things that are / aren't level so personal perception may come into it.

 

[Roger Boeken]

Essential if no air suspension. Not only for sleeping horizontal but also essential when you cook and eat in the cali . Difficult to fry a steak in a pan that is not level .

 

[Alan]

If my frying pan doesn't slide of the hob when cooking then that's ok for me
Sleeping on level ground .....well that's a bonus!
I had ramps in my van for the first 3 years and never used them,so now stored in the garage with all the other bits that I bought and don't use

Alan

 

[Yorkie]

If my frying pan doesn't slide of the hob when cooking then that's ok for me
Sleeping on level ground .....well that's a bonus!
I had ramps in my van for the first 3 years and never used them,so now stored in the garage with all the other bits that I bought and don't use

Alan

To save me money Alan, what other items do you think I should avoid? I don't want to follow in your footsteps.

 

[Skylark2.0]

No.
Total waste of time.
Just buy a 50 p spirit level and make sure your head is at the top end.
If it's really steep just bend ze knees and brace yourself!
Oh, keep hold of your wine or it slides off.. Mind you the sink stops the glass sliding far!

 

[teeboy]

Purchased - used a few times at the start when I was keen, then just carried them around unused for 2 years. As others have stated just sleep with head at the high end.