We wrote up our likes/dislikes about the new Solis 59PX over on our blog; see that here!!! www.thefitrv.com/rv-reviews/the-new-winnebago-solis-59px-the-reveal-and-complete-review/
I like this rig, probably the one I would most be interested. One thing I like about the pop top is once you get to a site, you can sleep up there and fill up the garage area, or use the area for extra storage and keep the living area sano. Ar certain sites on a warm evening it would be nice to sleep up there and listen to the ocean.
So this is a really awesome vehicle. The thing that really made us both shake our heads in this review was the whole discussion about the generator. You may think it isn't loud when you are in a city parking lot at a grocery store, but when you are camping, around anyone else, the sound of that generator is about the most annoying thing somebody could possibly hear. If I wanted to hear an engine running, I would camp on a freeway. The "quiet" generator is definitely not a selling point. What would be a selling point, would be to highlight the fact that you could survive through the use of solar both the included rooftop solar and an additional solar panel that you could connect through that rear port that you showed early on in the video. That, my friends, would be a win. And, those around you would love you for keeping the peace and quiet in the great outdoors.
So you will have to carry 50 square meters of solar panels and a 200 kg battery to go overnight. Or a pedal generator. Or do witout power. If you want the A/C, or simply the power supply in your vehicle, you need either the generator, either a power plug nearby (thanks to environmentalism, now the network power will be produced by burning coal). Make peace with it: solar simply does not solve the issue, because of plain technical limits.
It qualifies for the standard set by the NPS campgrounds of less than 60 decibels at 50 feet. Get yourself a Revel to get further from the masses, it doesnt take much.
Solar isn't practical for me so it's not a selling point. I'm in Minnesota so I don't even need the generator for AC at night. In fact I stay away from vehicles with it. Too many wires and batteries I can't use.
Nice little aside about the superiority of the front wheel drive in the wind. It's the first I've heard of that Promaster benefit and it makes perfect sense. Thanks for adding to my RV education.
Hi Stephen. I don't normally comment on CZcams, but I saw your comment. It's true that front wheel drive helps in the crosswinds, but the Promaster also has advantage because the high roof is lower than all the other high-roof competitors. Stock heights: High roof Promaster is 8'4"; high roof non 4x4 Sprinter is 9'; high roof Transit is 9'2".
This is so timely. I really like our Travato but THIS is perfect for me and my adult son. I hope the elements won't make being in the pop-top too challenging but we will do our best to steer clear of bad weather and below freezing temps.
We stayed in a poptop campervan in England last year, and when it was cold and rainy out, we stayed toasty inside even with it popped! That's when that one clear plastic window becomes a blessing; you still get light in the van even when it's pouring rain outside. :)
This is a terrific review. We are nearing retirement and considering an RV for trips and a class B seems to make good sense for just two people. I think we would be allowed to keep at home and park in the driveway vs having to pay for storage.
Awww thanks Ron! Stef here...I think like most couples, we kinda know what each one's thinking and will say or do so it flows easily. Well MOST of the time (ahem, generator scene, me stranded).
Oh I really like this, especially because it sleeps 4 adults and the gas mileage! Wish it had a small microwave or I could buy a tiny one, Must Have! Love the colors, I love Silver with the light interior. And all that storage space is ideal! I could bring my E bike or Huffy E Scooter! Got to check out the cost, this is truly Do a ble!! 👏😊❤️
Appreciate this overview. I am renting a van later this year that will likely be the Solis, and will also be working so good to hear your opinion. My nephew will absolutely want to spend a night in the pop-up 😁
Interesting. I am in the market and had written off the solis due to no a/c and was looking at the Travato instead but I really like the pop top as we had an RV with an over-cab loft and really enjoyed that feature, so the roof tent is definitely cool, but possibly noisy at busy campgrounds. Some of the places we boondocked were so mosquito infested that we didn't even go outside those nights.
Every time I see any bathroom in a camper van, I think of all that space for something you only do for a short time every day. Good choice to make it smaller. I'm waiting for someone to design cassette storage that slides out when you want to use the facilities.
Great coach , There's no vent in the bathroom , If someone's making a footie the whole Van's gonna know , Maybe some aftermarket companies will build a Box around the compressor to protect it from stuff bouncing up off the road and wiping it out , Great job guys thank you
The Solis is the perfect combination between amenities and tiny. The only concern I have is the cassette toilet. I personally have never dealt with one but back in June 2017 I saw a CZcams of a young couple that almost died emptying one. I wonder if that nice young couple ever made friends with a cassette toilet. I’m just kidding, we’re you able to make it work better for you this time? Thanks for the great reviews. After I left this, went to fit rv.com and got all my questions answers. I love that pop up from my old VW camper van days. Now I don’t think I could get up their to save my life It’s a nostalgia thing.
LOL! Totally understand the nostalgia thing; for us as well. As for that traumatized couple, we've had more experience with cassettes in the years since that first awful experience from that vid, and have since learned that as long as you add WAYYYY more chemicals than the manufacturer's directions, you can kill the smell. So! We're far from loving the things but we've called a truce with cassettes!
Thanks for the great review! This really helped us make out final decision. We made a down payment on a red one today and hope to get delivery by the end of the year! Just sub'd also - great channel!
I am most interested in reading between the lines, aka, the claustrophobic looking Ekko, and Jims obvious disappointment compared to Lance, . He worked SO hard doing modifications, I wonder if your experience didn't come into play in terms of Winnebago, "We don't really like the Ekko". I suspect its use is ideally for cold weather and noticed they have added a pop top. That would help. However you both seem so bubbly with this very nice requisition of space, its nice to see you breathing an inner sigh of relief (no?) In my pandemic year of comparisons , here is no question I would not get a van without !!!!!a pop top, I like being up high. Have a great time, and find some nice ocean water to chill in !
Great review-you guys are so good at this. Love the rig as well…except for the generator. For that money, I want to maximize the solar and energy storage.
Great review. I felt like I took the full test drive experience. But Winnebago sure do love multiple individual wall control for different units… Why not integrate them into one display unit?
Yep it's not a clean look, is it?! It would require all their component manufacturers to adhere to a common standard, and in this case the solar charge controller and the heater/water heater are built by different manufacturers.
I see there's no tvs at all. If you want to install one, is there any preparation for it? Not that I care, but being the father of 7 y-o twins has teached me to be prepared for anything. Thank you, guys. You're great!
Yes! Back by the bed, WGO has installed a roof port box along with various outlets so you can run an antenna up to the roof and plug in whatever you want! :)
This has the practicality of the revel with more space. I’d prefer lithium batteries and removing the pop top so you can have an air max fan and AC option. Def not an odd road camper with that kind of ground clearance but that’s okay.
Solis 59PX or Ekko? Since you've had both for a bit. The pop top is sweet and the Ram drives nice though not tge most comfortable seat or steering wheel ergonomics. But wondering if the Awd ford will be best for winter plus the extra insulation of ekko. Thoughts?
Hey James & Stefany, I watched this review before we purchased our Solis and want to say thanks! We just got back from our first "big trip" with it and I was wondering what camp chairs you had that you stored under the back seating area? Thanks! ~ Dave
You two always have great reviews but you really knocked this one out of the park...beautiful bed decorating but wondering if you found yourselves bumping heads on those openings? ps, Mel is a scene stealer, lol!
We didn't have any trouble at all bumping heads on the cabinets or anything in the bed area... but then don't forget we're coming from Lance's tiny bed that's pretty much up on the ceiling lol. The Solis bed is palatial compared to our current van bed!
Thank you for the great review. The Solis 59PX would be perfect for me (budget and space wise) but I plan to do some trips where 4x4 may be required. What are your thoughts on this? Is the Ekko the only way to go - it’s a lot more money. I need room for 3-4.
They took a page from the Thor Tellaro play book and put an A/C on the Solis. Now if they would take a page from the Sequence play book and put a floor plan out that the Sequence 20K has changing only the toilet to a cassette that would be great.
Great review and energy as always. Did I miss an outdoor plug pr propane quick connect for outdoor cooking? Also for city water do you have to keep the rear doors open? I missed that part. Thanks. Happy camping. Hi Mel.
Great review! Thanks so much. I worry about how far down that gennie hangs. I guarantee I would drag it off in no time. I like that it is so quiet though. Is the table top as wobbly as it looked? I'm not sure I like the offset leg for stability. Thanks again!
We didn't find it to be wobbly. The nice thing about the offset leg was the extra knee room; we kinda like it that way! In our Travato the leg is all the way out and it closes it off more that way. :)
My biggest concern is the cassette toilet, being full, and not having any sanitary options to empty it. Many campgrounds have made their bathhouses off-limits due to COVID.
Personally, I want more cassette toilets. Even better would be a urine separating cassette/composting toilet. I don't mind watering my yard with grey water.... but sometimes searching for a black-water dump station is a pain..
It's the grey tub you see under the bed! It's a toploading litter box, so doesn't look like a traditional litter box, easy to miss. We prefer toploading litter box in the RV since he tracks little to no litter out that way. We also use the big crystals kind of litter... the weight of the big pieces also helps keep it in the box! :)
About flippin time Cummins Onan did something about their noisy generators. With more RVers/vanlifers choosing lithium batteries and solar to power their rigs, CO finally figured out they better modernize their generators otherwise they're going to keep losing more market share.
Yep, this new quiet gennie takes care of the noise prob so that's good. But! There's still the pesky maintenance required as with all gennies. So lithium systems still get the win. Although to be fair if you're going by cost, the generator wins.
Great presentation! Y'all looked right at home in this outfitted Solis 59XL. It's certainly a nice RV for those who prefer a propane and generator fueled combo platform, with a more relaxed layout with additional storage. As far as the bathroom is concerned, is there adequate ventilation in there to move the air out of the RV? Also, what is the weight limit for the upper room?
We pretty much just kept the bathroom door cracked, so ventilation was never a thought or an issue for us. The bathroom door does have some passive vents on it so air does get through when the door's closed. I believe we were told the poptop weight limit was around 440lbs, but I'll try to confirm I've got that right and will let you know!
So with the changes and additions, where does that put the price tag, around $110k now? And STILL no lithium/inverter package. Instead they give us a generator that reduces the already meager ground clearance!
Hello! Great video, really cool about the larger solis. I love the pop top roof for a spot for our granddaughter. She would love it! I assume the fridge is compressor driven? With minimal solar and no lithium, is the fridge staying cold for you guys? Does this have the auto start feature like the travado? There is a lot to like here, but honestly I have been hooked on the travado NP since you introduced us to “Parky”.
I like this RV. It has some clever simple features. Winnebago seems to have addressed some concerns with this iteration. How durable is the build quality and if it will hold up with some heavy usage are my questions. Thanks James and Stef for a very thorough review!
Yes to group 31 batteries! No inverter, and yes batteries charge while driving (also from solar or being plugged in too)! Winnebago has more details over on their website: winnebago.com/models/product/motorhomes/solis
My immediate reaction was "what's up with tiny windows??"...some nice, they've-listened-to-users features, though! I do wish you'd shown it with the bed put away. And, I wish there was a way to remove the upper bed as I don't need it (as I could with my Eurovan T4). I'd rather have that space above my head since I'm taller than you guys. And, it's not really conditioned as that little hatch opening is odd, so it seems pointless for me. I'm totally with you on the awning front: don't want one. I was far too cheap to put a Fiamma or ARB on my Eurovan and found that my $100 10-foot pop-up tent was WAY more handy than I thought it'd be. I could set it up where I wanted it, I could shift it as the sun moved, and I could leave it up when I drove away to go do something. And lastly, I don't like the "thing hanging off my vehicle" look. :)
The upper bed in the poptop doesn't take away any ceiling height, it's actually added on top of the original van roof. And! You can see the bed up, with no bedding on it, and more bed detail in our original Solis review here in this link! czcams.com/video/YNnRaLQgjHY/video.html
@@Thefitrv Thanks very much for your reply. I think what I'm more trying to say is that I liked that I could pop the top in my Eurovan, remove the bed, and then have a really tall van that I could walk around in versus this with the submarine-like hatch. The pop-top, in other words, does nothing for ceiling height as you've said...I'd like it to add to it with a much larger space than the hatch. :)
@@Thefitrv You obviously have the respect and ear of Winnebago - would love for that to become a reality at some point if you wanted to mention that? :) And while I'm at it, I've never understood why they don't offer the "penthouse pop-tops" (that goes straight up horizontally versus the angled pop-up)? I used to find that space very confining in my Eurovan whereas my buddy's Westfalia had more room than mine. A penthouse top that I could remove the platform for the bed if not needed would give me elevated ceilings throughout the entire vehicle would be awesome! Enough from me - thx for entertaining my peanut-gallery comments.
Love it. The only minor concern is the size of the dining table...a bit too small if you have to eat a meal indoors. Oh, one question... can you use the pop top in a rain storm?
Pop tops are waterproof, so yep! That's also why one of the pop top windows is clear plastic. So if it's raining you'll have to zip shut the two screen windows but can leave open the clear plastic for light to get in! :)
Thinking seriously of trading our 2020.5 Travato 59G for a Solis PX. The things that we hate about the Travato are gone on Solis (no not the awning! We’re neutral and awnings). The stupid Jensen sound system that doesn’t work very well - terrible tuner. TV - that’s not what camping is about for us so it’s just in the way. That horrible Remi shade in the front window. It fell apart on our second trip and we almost couldn’t get it put down and it won’t let you start the engine if it’s not all the way down. Worse than worthless The Froli sleep system on a heavy particleboard Murphy bed it takes two people to push up and latch. I could go on and on. I think the only things that we would mess our a microwave, which can be added, and I powered vent. That’s a problem. We use our Max-air fan all the time. But the 59G is just not working out for either one of us.
Not at all... it's the same height as the Promaster, they didn't cut it down for the poptop; and as for the headliner above the cab area, it's a non-issue too. We have that same headliner in Lance and never had head bumping issues! 👍
Thank you for this great review. We are about to retire and this will be perfect for long week ends trips. Are these vans as reliable as the sprinter vans? What is the mpg like?
We've been going round and round about this! What we know: there's no perfect solution for an RV toilet. All 3 options: traditional, compost, and cassette all have pros and cons. The big pro with the cassette is that you don't need an RV dump station and can dump in regular toilet! Plus you don't have to do that separate-actions-thing you have to do with a compost toilet. But then the compost smaller liquids tank much easier to dump... and compost lasts weeks. I think if we were to buy a Solis, we'd probably give the cassette a good college try. And then we'd replace it if we find we're missing our compost toilet.
Some improvements, still some disappointments. Inverter quiet generator is good if a generator is needed. (rather have Lithium batteries), The lounge seats look good, the Travato 59G needs them, The storage garage is not big enough for a mountain bike (wide bars and such). They also should offer the dual pane acrylic windows and a toilet that is not a cassette toilet. Just my 2 cents.
Appreciate your thoughts! We do think mtn bikes will travel in there fine if they're mounted with turned handles. Other cycling vanlifers are doing that turned-handle mounting so it can work. And like you we prefer lithium setup over gennie... but then that takes the van to an even higher price point, too.
So glad the quiet generator is now avalible. But how was the noise in the van in association with the a/c? Also what are the dimensions? Wonder if i could swap out my Onan 2800.
I'm sorry, we didn't think to get the dimensions! The a/c on its low setting is about the level of a fan running, so it wasn't objectionable at all. High starts getting louder, but like James said in vid, he had no trouble working and being on conference calls even with it cranked up to high. We slept with it on high setting!
Very nice review! I'm not familiar with AC in RVs so do you have to run the generator to use the AC? Can the roof AC be used if you're driving (using the engine's alternator power)? (Do you even need to use the roof AC when you're driving or is the van's dash AC good enough?)
Yes you either need to run the generator to use the A/C or you need to be plugged in to shore power. To run the A/C while driving you'd need the generator going too. We never do that though because the Promaster's A/C is enough for us!
Great review. Have they improved the water hookups so that you can be hooked up to city water at a campground without having to have the back door open?
That's not changed. But it's common practice for the van community to never stay hooked up to city water... so that's not something we'd miss. Our own van is 5 now and I think we hooked up to city only once back in the beginning just to try it!
all these reviews are great but fail to mention talking about where the engine sits and how hot does the engine get when your sitting on top of it.... should manufacture rear mounted engines...
nice review! and you are allowing comments... neat! so 2 things: why put the solar panel connector inside? and I just don't get having a cassette toilet while also having a gray tank... you still gotta dump, right?
The solar panel connector is inside but you can shut the door on the cord! We actually did that while using it, no probs. It means one less hole on the outside of the van, too, so even though we questioned it too at first, we actually like it this way!
I would worry about the generator hitting a rock when boon docking and too bad the screen in the back will not go around the doors when open for a screened porch effect. I this 4 wheel drive? OK for Winter also? Brush teeth in kitchen sink I guess?
Great video review - thanks. I have a question about those L-Tracks in the rear and the bike mounts. I see an L-track that is at top of window height. Do you think it would be possible to put the bike mount on the L-track at that top-of-window height? If possible, this could maybe provide additional space in the center to access under the bed storage.
I think it might depend on the bike itself because the cabinets might get in the way of the handlebars. Although, if you turned the handlebars and modified the mount to allow for this, it's possible that could work? We're looking forward to seeing the creative ways the first owners will mount their bikes back there, I'm sure there's all sort of possibilities!
We wrote up our likes/dislikes about the new Solis 59PX over on our blog; see that here!!! www.thefitrv.com/rv-reviews/the-new-winnebago-solis-59px-the-reveal-and-complete-review/
I like this rig, probably the one I would most be interested. One thing I like about the pop top is once you get to a site, you can sleep up there and fill up the garage area, or use the area for extra storage and keep the living area sano. Ar certain sites on a warm evening it would be nice to sleep up there and listen to the ocean.
This was the video that sold me on the Solis. I just picked up a used 21 no pop top version. I freaking love it!
How much $? I am considering used because I cannot wrap my head around 85k.
Ive been looking all over CZcams to see if bikes could fit in the back. Your the only folks showing that they can fit. Thanks!
Amazing mix of all the good stuff! Thank you James and Steph and of course Winnebago!
Agree, loads of good stuff here! Glad you like it!!!
So this is a really awesome vehicle. The thing that really made us both shake our heads in this review was the whole discussion about the generator. You may think it isn't loud when you are in a city parking lot at a grocery store, but when you are camping, around anyone else, the sound of that generator is about the most annoying thing somebody could possibly hear. If I wanted to hear an engine running, I would camp on a freeway.
The "quiet" generator is definitely not a selling point.
What would be a selling point, would be to highlight the fact that you could survive through the use of solar both the included rooftop solar and an additional solar panel that you could connect through that rear port that you showed early on in the video. That, my friends, would be a win. And, those around you would love you for keeping the peace and quiet in the great outdoors.
So you will have to carry 50 square meters of solar panels and a 200 kg battery to go overnight.
Or a pedal generator.
Or do witout power.
If you want the A/C, or simply the power supply in your vehicle, you need either the generator, either a power plug nearby (thanks to environmentalism, now the network power will be produced by burning coal).
Make peace with it: solar simply does not solve the issue, because of plain technical limits.
It qualifies for the standard set by the NPS campgrounds of less than 60 decibels at 50 feet. Get yourself a Revel to get further from the masses, it doesnt take much.
Yeah, that generator is loud to me and I wouldn't want to hear it.
Solar isn't practical for me so it's not a selling point. I'm in Minnesota so I don't even need the generator for AC at night. In fact I stay away from vehicles with it. Too many wires and batteries I can't use.
Nice little aside about the superiority of the front wheel drive in the wind. It's the first I've heard of that Promaster benefit and it makes perfect sense. Thanks for adding to my RV education.
Hi Stephen. I don't normally comment on CZcams, but I saw your comment. It's true that front wheel drive helps in the crosswinds, but the Promaster also has advantage because the high roof is lower than all the other high-roof competitors. Stock heights: High roof Promaster is 8'4"; high roof non 4x4 Sprinter is 9'; high roof Transit is 9'2".
Awesome review, thanks! Great improvements for 2021. Interior bike storage is a must!
Right?!? That bike storage is EVERYTHING.
I really like this model. I’d LOVE it with a black tank and a Ford Transit chassis.
black tank for sure
This is so timely. I really like our Travato but THIS is perfect for me and my adult son. I hope the elements won't make being in the pop-top too challenging but we will do our best to steer clear of bad weather and below freezing temps.
never thought I'd be interested in a pop-top but this is a much better than going to a class C. I really like how the Promaster drives
We stayed in a poptop campervan in England last year, and when it was cold and rainy out, we stayed toasty inside even with it popped! That's when that one clear plastic window becomes a blessing; you still get light in the van even when it's pouring rain outside. :)
This is a terrific review. We are nearing retirement and considering an RV for trips and a class B seems to make good sense for just two people. I think we would be allowed to keep at home and park in the driveway vs having to pay for storage.
That's an important consideration for us, too... keeping it small so it easily fits at our house. We forgot to mention that one!
Thanks for the great Tour! You both are awesome!
Thanks Alma!
I really like the voice over technique
You two have such a great dynamic! I love watching how you two bounce off of each other!
Awww thanks Ron! Stef here...I think like most couples, we kinda know what each one's thinking and will say or do so it flows easily. Well MOST of the time (ahem, generator scene, me stranded).
Oh I really like this, especially because it sleeps 4 adults and the gas mileage! Wish it had a small microwave or I could buy a tiny one, Must Have! Love the colors, I love Silver with the light interior. And all that storage space is ideal! I could bring my E bike or Huffy E Scooter! Got to check out the cost, this is truly Do a ble!! 👏😊❤️
Great video to watch. U guys are so cute together. What a great relationship to witness.
Awesome review guys, hopefully ill get mine soon, that’s if they’re not all gone. Cause they are going fast before 2022.
Travato + Cargo Trailer = Perfect.
Great review!
Appreciate this overview. I am renting a van later this year that will likely be the Solis, and will also be working so good to hear your opinion. My nephew will absolutely want to spend a night in the pop-up 😁
You guys are awesome. Thank you - I can’t wait to test drive it.
What an excellent review. Thank you.
Our pleasure!
Thanks for the amazingly thorough review! Bike on!! 🚴♂️
Our pleasure!
Interesting. I am in the market and had written off the solis due to no a/c and was looking at the Travato instead but I really like the pop top as we had an RV with an over-cab loft and really enjoyed that feature, so the roof tent is definitely cool, but possibly noisy at busy campgrounds.
Some of the places we boondocked were so mosquito infested that we didn't even go outside those nights.
Every time I see any bathroom in a camper van, I think of all that space for something you only do for a short time every day. Good choice to make it smaller. I'm waiting for someone to design cassette storage that slides out when you want to use the facilities.
We put a 4 inch lift on ours
I always enjoy their videos. They also hate awnings like I do.
You're a fun couple; good chemistry. I'm glad that you're part of our lives.
If that was on a sprinter I’d be all over it! Nice vlog!
but it would be $200K!!
Great review - what a cool camper. I love the rooftop tent option.
You folks are awesome!
Great coach , There's no vent in the bathroom , If someone's making a footie the whole Van's gonna know , Maybe some aftermarket companies will build a Box around the compressor to protect it from stuff bouncing up off the road and wiping it out , Great job guys thank you
The Solis is the perfect combination between amenities and tiny. The only concern I have is the cassette toilet. I personally have never dealt with one but back in June 2017 I saw a CZcams of a young couple that almost died emptying one. I wonder if that nice young couple ever made friends with a cassette toilet.
I’m just kidding, we’re you able to make it work better for you this time?
Thanks for the great reviews.
After I left this, went to fit rv.com and got all my questions answers. I love that pop up from my old VW camper van days. Now I don’t think I could get up their to save my life It’s a nostalgia thing.
LOL! Totally understand the nostalgia thing; for us as well. As for that traumatized couple, we've had more experience with cassettes in the years since that first awful experience from that vid, and have since learned that as long as you add WAYYYY more chemicals than the manufacturer's directions, you can kill the smell. So! We're far from loving the things but we've called a truce with cassettes!
Thanks for the great review! This really helped us make out final decision. We made a down payment on a red one today and hope to get delivery by the end of the year! Just sub'd also - great channel!
Hey that’s awesome! Huge congrats on your new van! Hoping your adventures in it are INCREDIBLE!
I wish they talked about the engine power for traveling over mountains and passing tractor-trailers on the freeway.
Great review, thanks for the laughs, it's even funnier on double speed.
I am most interested in reading between the lines, aka, the claustrophobic looking Ekko, and Jims obvious disappointment compared to Lance, . He worked SO hard doing modifications, I wonder if your experience didn't come into play in terms of Winnebago, "We don't really like the Ekko". I suspect its use is ideally for cold weather and noticed they have added a pop top. That would help. However you both seem so bubbly with this very nice requisition of space, its nice to see you breathing an inner sigh of relief (no?) In my pandemic year of comparisons , here is no question I would not get a van without !!!!!a pop top, I like being up high. Have a great time, and find some nice ocean water to chill in !
Can't wait for one to hit our lot....
Great review-you guys are so good at this. Love the rig as well…except for the generator. For that money, I want to maximize the solar and energy storage.
The best Class B model.
Great review. I felt like I took the full test drive experience. But Winnebago sure do love multiple individual wall control for different units… Why not integrate them into one display unit?
Yep it's not a clean look, is it?! It would require all their component manufacturers to adhere to a common standard, and in this case the solar charge controller and the heater/water heater are built by different manufacturers.
Man, I wish Winnebago would make a Solis 59a. 20 foot van with the 36a interior. Instead of 10 inches of storage you would have almost 3ft.
I think the cat made for a better salesman than our two humans....lol, lol, lol
LOL! Yep we all know Mel's the real star of the FitRV show. ;)
I see there's no tvs at all. If you want to install one, is there any preparation for it? Not that I care, but being the father of 7 y-o twins has teached me to be prepared for anything. Thank you, guys. You're great!
Yes! Back by the bed, WGO has installed a roof port box along with various outlets so you can run an antenna up to the roof and plug in whatever you want! :)
This has the practicality of the revel with more space. I’d prefer lithium batteries and removing the pop top so you can have an air max fan and AC option. Def not an odd road camper with that kind of ground clearance but that’s okay.
It has ac
It looks great
Nice cat! Thank you for the video.
Yall are great. Please do a video on how to drive the thing in the mountains.
Love you guys. Made it to 1:48. Cassette toilet.
Solis 59PX or Ekko? Since you've had both for a bit. The pop top is sweet and the Ram drives nice though not tge most comfortable seat or steering wheel ergonomics. But wondering if the Awd ford will be best for winter plus the extra insulation of ekko. Thoughts?
Hey James & Stefany,
I watched this review before we purchased our Solis and want to say thanks! We just got back from our first "big trip" with it and I was wondering what camp chairs you had that you stored under the back seating area? Thanks!
~ Dave
You two always have great reviews but you really knocked this one out of the park...beautiful bed decorating but wondering if you found yourselves bumping heads on those openings? ps, Mel is a scene stealer, lol!
We didn't have any trouble at all bumping heads on the cabinets or anything in the bed area... but then don't forget we're coming from Lance's tiny bed that's pretty much up on the ceiling lol. The Solis bed is palatial compared to our current van bed!
like it :-).. love the popup top..
I was surprised your cat was so calm while the van was moving. My cats hate riding in the car.
Thank you for the great review. The Solis 59PX would be perfect for me (budget and space wise) but I plan to do some trips where 4x4 may be required. What are your thoughts on this? Is the Ekko the only way to go - it’s a lot more money. I need room for 3-4.
They took a page from the Thor Tellaro play book and put an A/C on the Solis. Now if they would take a page from the Sequence play book and put a floor plan out that the Sequence 20K has changing only the toilet to a cassette that would be great.
I like the ram travatos rear head
Great review and energy as always. Did I miss an outdoor plug pr propane quick connect for outdoor cooking? Also for city water do you have to keep the rear doors open? I missed that part. Thanks. Happy camping. Hi Mel.
Great review! Thanks so much. I worry about how far down that gennie hangs. I guarantee I would drag it off in no time. I like that it is so quiet though. Is the table top as wobbly as it looked? I'm not sure I like the offset leg for stability. Thanks again!
We didn't find it to be wobbly. The nice thing about the offset leg was the extra knee room; we kinda like it that way! In our Travato the leg is all the way out and it closes it off more that way. :)
@@Thefitrv Good to hear. Yeah, the extra knee room is nice! Thanks!
Love it...so one at the Adventure Van Expo...Im digging it! :) Thanks for sharing! :)
Keep sharing the T love, Kevin! :)
My biggest concern is the cassette toilet, being full, and not having any sanitary options to empty it. Many campgrounds have made their bathhouses off-limits due to COVID.
gloves.... open site sewer cap... pour
Personally, I want more cassette toilets. Even better would be a urine separating cassette/composting toilet. I don't mind watering my yard with grey water.... but sometimes searching for a black-water dump station is a pain..
Great review! We have a cat, also, so my question is: where is Mel's litter box?
It's the grey tub you see under the bed! It's a toploading litter box, so doesn't look like a traditional litter box, easy to miss. We prefer toploading litter box in the RV since he tracks little to no litter out that way. We also use the big crystals kind of litter... the weight of the big pieces also helps keep it in the box! :)
About flippin time Cummins Onan did something about their noisy generators. With more RVers/vanlifers choosing lithium batteries and solar to power their rigs, CO finally figured out they better modernize their generators otherwise they're going to keep losing more market share.
Yep, this new quiet gennie takes care of the noise prob so that's good. But! There's still the pesky maintenance required as with all gennies. So lithium systems still get the win. Although to be fair if you're going by cost, the generator wins.
@@Thefitrv true about the cost for now but lithium will get cheaper and very cheap soon but generators won't
You guys are great 👍! Always love your banter, 😆! How does the Solis compare to the Travato? Does the Solis take the place of the Travato series?
Great review!. Have you had any operational/ mechanical issues?
Great video. Does running the AC make it too noisy to sleep in the pop top?
Great presentation! Y'all looked right at home in this outfitted Solis 59XL. It's certainly a nice RV for those who prefer a propane and generator fueled combo platform, with a more relaxed layout with additional storage. As far as the bathroom is concerned, is there adequate ventilation in there to move the air out of the RV? Also, what is the weight limit for the upper room?
We pretty much just kept the bathroom door cracked, so ventilation was never a thought or an issue for us. The bathroom door does have some passive vents on it so air does get through when the door's closed. I believe we were told the poptop weight limit was around 440lbs, but I'll try to confirm I've got that right and will let you know!
@@Thefitrv Thank you!
That generator looks like it hangs pretty low under the vehicle.
I’m really enjoy you’re reviews...Thanks
How does the owner get to the generator for routine maintenance as in adding oil to the generator.?
So with the changes and additions, where does that put the price tag, around $110k now? And STILL no lithium/inverter package. Instead they give us a generator that reduces the already meager ground clearance!
Sounds like MSRP is somewhere around $119,500-ish. 👍
Hello!
Great video, really cool about the larger solis. I love the pop top roof for a spot for our granddaughter. She would love it!
I assume the fridge is compressor driven? With minimal solar and no lithium, is the fridge staying cold for you guys?
Does this have the auto start feature like the travado?
There is a lot to like here, but honestly I have been hooked on the travado NP since you introduced us to “Parky”.
We didn't have any problems with the fridge, and yep, it's compressor driven!
Could you please let me know the brand of the top entry litter box. Thanks and just love your RV reviews - so informative and humorous.
I like this RV. It has some clever simple features. Winnebago seems to have addressed some concerns with this iteration. How durable is the build quality and if it will hold up with some heavy usage are my questions. Thanks James and Stef for a very thorough review!
For build quality, there's lots of discussions about that over on the Solis Facebook group!
NICE 👍
Read your blog but still did not find out more about battery 2-100AmH ? inverter 2000w? Or whether batteries can be charged by driving. Thanks!
Yes to group 31 batteries! No inverter, and yes batteries charge while driving (also from solar or being plugged in too)! Winnebago has more details over on their website: winnebago.com/models/product/motorhomes/solis
I wish the Travato had a pop-top option :,)
My immediate reaction was "what's up with tiny windows??"...some nice, they've-listened-to-users features, though! I do wish you'd shown it with the bed put away. And, I wish there was a way to remove the upper bed as I don't need it (as I could with my Eurovan T4). I'd rather have that space above my head since I'm taller than you guys. And, it's not really conditioned as that little hatch opening is odd, so it seems pointless for me. I'm totally with you on the awning front: don't want one. I was far too cheap to put a Fiamma or ARB on my Eurovan and found that my $100 10-foot pop-up tent was WAY more handy than I thought it'd be. I could set it up where I wanted it, I could shift it as the sun moved, and I could leave it up when I drove away to go do something. And lastly, I don't like the "thing hanging off my vehicle" look. :)
The upper bed in the poptop doesn't take away any ceiling height, it's actually added on top of the original van roof. And! You can see the bed up, with no bedding on it, and more bed detail in our original Solis review here in this link! czcams.com/video/YNnRaLQgjHY/video.html
@@Thefitrv Thanks very much for your reply. I think what I'm more trying to say is that I liked that I could pop the top in my Eurovan, remove the bed, and then have a really tall van that I could walk around in versus this with the submarine-like hatch. The pop-top, in other words, does nothing for ceiling height as you've said...I'd like it to add to it with a much larger space than the hatch. :)
@@boorayin2773 Oh okay! Sorry, misunderstood that. Actually that would be cool!!!
@@Thefitrv You obviously have the respect and ear of Winnebago - would love for that to become a reality at some point if you wanted to mention that? :) And while I'm at it, I've never understood why they don't offer the "penthouse pop-tops" (that goes straight up horizontally versus the angled pop-up)? I used to find that space very confining in my Eurovan whereas my buddy's Westfalia had more room than mine. A penthouse top that I could remove the platform for the bed if not needed would give me elevated ceilings throughout the entire vehicle would be awesome! Enough from me - thx for entertaining my peanut-gallery comments.
Love it. The only minor concern is the size of the dining table...a bit too small if you have to eat a meal indoors. Oh, one question... can you use the pop top in a rain storm?
Pop tops are waterproof, so yep! That's also why one of the pop top windows is clear plastic. So if it's raining you'll have to zip shut the two screen windows but can leave open the clear plastic for light to get in! :)
@@Thefitrv Awesome! Thanks for the quick response! Enjoy!
Thankyou "I'm Sold"
Boldt with quiet Lithium, without dirty/ noisy gasoline/diesel generator for me.
Thinking seriously of trading our 2020.5 Travato 59G for a Solis PX. The things that we hate about the Travato are gone on Solis (no not the awning! We’re neutral and awnings). The stupid Jensen sound system that doesn’t work very well - terrible tuner. TV - that’s not what camping is about for us so it’s just in the way. That horrible Remi shade in the front window. It fell apart on our second trip and we almost couldn’t get it put down and it won’t let you start the engine if it’s not all the way down. Worse than worthless The Froli sleep system on a heavy particleboard Murphy bed it takes two people to push up and latch. I could go on and on. I think the only things that we would mess our a microwave, which can be added, and I powered vent. That’s a problem. We use our Max-air fan all the time. But the 59G is just not working out for either one of us.
What an awesome rig. Curious about how it is going from the cab to the rear. Did you bump your head?
Not at all... it's the same height as the Promaster, they didn't cut it down for the poptop; and as for the headliner above the cab area, it's a non-issue too. We have that same headliner in Lance and never had head bumping issues! 👍
Thank you for this great review. We are about to retire and this will be perfect for long week ends trips. Are these vans as reliable as the sprinter vans? What is the mpg like?
Did you like the cassette toilet better than the composting one you use? Do like the back storage on this unit.
We've been going round and round about this! What we know: there's no perfect solution for an RV toilet. All 3 options: traditional, compost, and cassette all have pros and cons. The big pro with the cassette is that you don't need an RV dump station and can dump in regular toilet! Plus you don't have to do that separate-actions-thing you have to do with a compost toilet. But then the compost smaller liquids tank much easier to dump... and compost lasts weeks. I think if we were to buy a Solis, we'd probably give the cassette a good college try. And then we'd replace it if we find we're missing our compost toilet.
You guys Crack me 😆
Some improvements, still some disappointments. Inverter quiet generator is good if a generator is needed. (rather have Lithium batteries), The lounge seats look good, the Travato 59G needs them, The storage garage is not big enough for a mountain bike (wide bars and such). They also should offer the dual pane acrylic windows and a toilet that is not a cassette toilet. Just my 2 cents.
Appreciate your thoughts! We do think mtn bikes will travel in there fine if they're mounted with turned handles. Other cycling vanlifers are doing that turned-handle mounting so it can work. And like you we prefer lithium setup over gennie... but then that takes the van to an even higher price point, too.
@@Thefitrv do you mean loosen the stem to turn the handlebars or just turn the handlebars and fork and it fits?
@@yipyipyip The latter. You'll have to get creative with the mount, though. Looking forward to the first owners and seeing how they figure it out!
Funny how they put the tank vent right next to a window
So glad the quiet generator is now avalible. But how was the noise in the van in association with the a/c? Also what are the dimensions? Wonder if i could swap out my Onan 2800.
I'm sorry, we didn't think to get the dimensions! The a/c on its low setting is about the level of a fan running, so it wasn't objectionable at all. High starts getting louder, but like James said in vid, he had no trouble working and being on conference calls even with it cranked up to high. We slept with it on high setting!
Put the bikes on an outside rack/hitch would save a lot of space...
Very nice review! I'm not familiar with AC in RVs so do you have to run the generator to use the AC? Can the roof AC be used if you're driving (using the engine's alternator power)? (Do you even need to use the roof AC when you're driving or is the van's dash AC good enough?)
Yes you either need to run the generator to use the A/C or you need to be plugged in to shore power. To run the A/C while driving you'd need the generator going too. We never do that though because the Promaster's A/C is enough for us!
I'm curious...Is it worth giving up the Maxx Fan for the pop top?
And why couldn't they engineer a fan into the pop top shell!??
Great review. Have they improved the water hookups so that you can be hooked up to city water at a campground without having to have the back door open?
That's not changed. But it's common practice for the van community to never stay hooked up to city water... so that's not something we'd miss. Our own van is 5 now and I think we hooked up to city only once back in the beginning just to try it!
all these reviews are great but fail to mention talking about where the engine sits and how hot does the engine get when your sitting on top of it.... should manufacture rear mounted engines...
How much gas do you use running the generator and AC?
Nice video guys.... What is the brand of the white bike seat ? Thank you
It's a Specialized Romin EVO... that's James' bike, he loves that saddle!
The Fit RV Thank you very much...
You two are so cute. ☺️ Did I miss it or did you not show dumping the toilet? How do you get internet?
nice review! and you are allowing comments... neat! so 2 things: why put the solar panel connector inside? and I just don't get having a cassette toilet while also having a gray tank... you still gotta dump, right?
The solar panel connector is inside but you can shut the door on the cord! We actually did that while using it, no probs. It means one less hole on the outside of the van, too, so even though we questioned it too at first, we actually like it this way!
Nice.
I would worry about the generator hitting a rock when boon docking and too bad the screen in the back will not go around the doors when open for a screened porch effect. I this 4 wheel drive? OK for Winter also? Brush teeth in kitchen sink I guess?
Great video review - thanks. I have a question about those L-Tracks in the rear and the bike mounts. I see an L-track that is at top of window height. Do you think it would be possible to put the bike mount on the L-track at that top-of-window height? If possible, this could maybe provide additional space in the center to access under the bed storage.
I think it might depend on the bike itself because the cabinets might get in the way of the handlebars. Although, if you turned the handlebars and modified the mount to allow for this, it's possible that could work? We're looking forward to seeing the creative ways the first owners will mount their bikes back there, I'm sure there's all sort of possibilities!