Choosing a van: why we love Revels
Considering a campervan? You have a ton of options. From DIY builds, to custom vans by upfitters, to prefab homes like the Winnebago Revel. Here are a few things to consider before you choose the van that will best meet your needs.
What are your requirements?
Yes, we mean your requirements. Will you be working from inside of your van full time? Or is it just a place to sleep? Do you plan to use it to follow temperate weather year-round or will you be chasing the best powder during the winter? Are you tall and need the extra head room? How comfortable are you just figuring it out?
These are just a few questions you should be asking yourself. Make a list of what’s important to you. What do you need to comfortably function? We’ve found that the Revel is a versatile and tried-and-true option that satisfies the needs of MANY different lifestyles. Here are a few of our favorite reasons why.
Community
When traveling, it can take a lot of effort to meet people and build community. Exploring is part of the fun, but it also means that you’ll rarely visit the same grocery store twice. And forget being a regular at the local coffee shop.
There are hundreds (thousands) of Revels on the road. The Revel community has an enormous and active online community of owners. This community isn’t just friendly and looking to make friends – post any questions or issues that you have and you’ll quickly get answers. Many suggestions are posted by people who have ‘been there, done that.’
Similar communities exist for DIY van builds where community is easy to find. However, diagnosing specific issues to your particular van may be tough in those groups because each campervan is different.
Availability of Information
Since Revels are built by Winnebago as ready-to-go homes on wheels, all Revels share most of their DNA. This is a great van to research because there is a ton of information available about how it’s built and how the systems work. Many upfitters like RoamRig are very familiar with Revels.
Talk to any RV owner and they’ll tell you: rigs are not turn-key. Just like a house, they come with weaknesses and will need maintenance. Even more fun: they can be upgraded. Revels are no different, they have their issues. However, they truly shine when compared to their peers due to the high volume of Revels on the road, consistency with their manufacturing (even if that consistency is quirky/has issues), and sheer volume of knowledge/expertise that exists for Revels. With build information so readily available, owning a Revel means that you have a jump-start on addressing any issues.
With a custom van, fixing problems can often mean having to completely reverse-engineer how it was built. This can be both slow and expensive. Sometimes custom builds are impossible to modify or fix without completely ripping out major parts of the living system. For example, to swap out a component like the A/C, it may require extensive disassembly of the ceiling to access the bezel, screws, wiring and more. Or, the cabinets might be attached in a way that makes disassembly nearly impossible.
What’s below the surface?
There are some spectacular builds. Other vans might have nicer “initial” quality impressions. Everything from shiny surfaces and fancy finishes to swanky lights and house stereos. However, that doesn’t always correlate with a well-built van. Dig below the surface to see how the van is built. Fancy initial quality does not mean long term reliability.
While Revels (or any factory built RV for that matter) will not win any awards for being built like a space shuttle, you’ll be hard pressed in the same price range to find anything that is. The quirks and faults of the Revel are all well documented with great community and aftermarket support. Revels are homes that people have lived/traveled out of, they have taken people to extreme environments, and many have traveled over 100k miles in just a few years.
What happens when you need help?
Think about who you’ll call when you have questions. Winnebago truly loves and appreciates the Revel community. They go to events, they interact with customers, and they want customers to succeed!
Winnebago makes interactive 3D diagrams, schematics, and other resources readily available. Beyond these resources, there is no other vehicle in this market with such a dedicated aftermarket network of experts.
Which Revel to Choose
Revels have been on the road since 2018, and over time Winnebago has made meaningful changes to the interior systems, power setup, and overall layout. That means there isn’t just one “Revel”—there are multiple Revel generations with different underlying builds. Because of that, the decision to buy new vs. used isn’t just about mileage or price—it’s about starting point.
Presented with the decision between buying a new or used Revel, our favorite option is to skip the markup of a brand new Revel and opt for a gently used 2nd or 3rd Generation van, leaving room in the budget to upgrade it to something better than new. Starting here allows you to invest in targeted upgrades rather than paying a premium for a fully bundled factory build that may not match how you actually plan to use the van.
This approach often results in a Revel that will meet your requirements better than a stock new van. With the right upgrades—especially around electrical capacity and charging—you can tailor the van to your needs while building on a proven platform.
Other Options
While we love Revels, we know it might not be the right choice for everyone. If you do go with a different van, please thoroughly check the van and ask lots of questions before purchasing it. The seller should have no problem answering all of your questions and teaching you how the systems work! If you don’t know what to look for, then hire someone who is an expert to check out the build first.