Nice review. Complete and detailed.. what I enjoyed more is your calm and soothing voice! And different (smart) to carefully not show who you are! (Not important really!).
Thanks for the excellent overview of the Recon Envy. We just ordered ours last month and hope to pick it up in WI mid-summer and drive back to Reno, NV. We really benefited from seeing your videos before deciding on the purchase. Wonder if you could do a more detailed presentation on the electronics in the Envy. Specifically, we're deciding whether we need some of the options - solar panels (we already have a fold up solar panel), inverter, shore power charger, and blue-tooth monitoring. I'm particularly interested in the built-in solar panel hookup at the rear of the van to understand how easy/difficult it would be to connect our existing solar panel. Any insights you could provide we be amazing. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experiences with the Recon Envy. Happy RVing to you!
Congratulation on your new vehicule. I am sure you will have great adventures. I had to make my own in Canada. No company is transforming that model. If you had wind deflector on your windows, you will be able to open them just a bit and nobody will notice. If I may ask, does the front doors screens seem to have small individual magnets or one continuous magnet? Is the inside of the nylon (still the mosquito screen) padded with something or is it just de magnets inside the de black nylon? I had to make my own and actually they look quite a bit like yours. They are quite usefull here in Quebec, Canada. A lot of mosquitos. Thank you for the videos. If you would like to show me a video of the screen while manipulating them or installing them.
Best to check with Recon Campers regarding price. www.reconcampers.com/envy They plan to sell these through Nissan Dealerships. But you can order one directly from them. There is a wait...
thank you. i was waiting for the company to post a new detail on the 2020 model. Does the pop top have the quilted insulation that they talked about on a earlier build? I couldnt tell from them or your vid. Thanks
Thanks for visiting. The sides of the pop top on my van do NOT have quilted insulation. Not sure if this is an additional accessory one can purchase. It did not come standard. Hope this helps!
See my latest video, I address this. I haven't had the poptop up in the rain. The fabric is waterproof, as is the floor of the poptop. So water shouldn't come inside. That said, the fabric will stay wet on the outside, so one would have to open the poptop to dry things off.
Recon includes a windshield screen. It's nice, but it is not insulated like the other custom magnetized window coverings. It is reflective and good to keep the sun from heating the car, but it won't insulate. One could get creative with placing custom-sized fabric in between the sun screen and the window in order to insulate things. There is no mattress pad for the popup. See my latest video, with the beach thumbnail. I review the storage space for an air pad. I recommend a few of Klymit's child-size air pads instead of an adult size air pad. They are more flexible in the space. They fit better on the bench seat / bed down below.
The visibility is great. The mirrors and the windows offer great visibility while driving and changing lanes. The windshield offers a nice wide view. Because this is a van, the windows don't offer visibility on anything low. You'll need to rely on the mirrors for this. Regarding the noise level, it is louder than my Prius. The poptop gets a bit of a air drag and makes that windy noise. I got used to it. Though the noise made me nervous at first, thinking I didn't secure the pop top correctly.
@@CaliforniaCampervan My Recon has the previous version pop top which is a few inches higher and never have problem with wind noise coming from the poptop, most likely the wind noise you hear is coming from the solar fan that is open while you are driving and making a whistling noise. It happened to me a few times when I forgot to close the fan, I would pull over and close it and noise would stop.
Yes. I use Klymit's Static V Short air pad. It's perfect for me. It's not too long in the space, is quick to set up, and easy to not put away if I just want to lean it sideways when up. Plus it packs down really small. It is very comfortable. My lower legs don't need the padding on the lower bed. I have two of these, and they also fit well side by side on the lower bed.
Yes. It cost me $1.6K to ship the van to California. Recon recommended Fisher Shipping Company. They did a great job. I weighed the option of flying to Michigan to pick up the van. For me, the cost for a plane ticket, a hotel for when in Michigan, the gas, mileage, and potentially more hotel stays for the drive back, plus the TIME to arrange and do all this was greater than the shipping cost. It was also February. Freezing weather x distance - gear + dogs = shipping. :)
I am single, older (72) and very seriously thinking about buying a Recon camper. What I can not figure out is financing and insurance. Where did you go for financing and insurance?
I financed the van and paid for the build. The build payment was made in three installments: Smallish deposit, 50% of the remaining amount down at the start of the build, final 50% upon completion. Recon works with Rosen Nissan in Milwaukee, I financed the van through them. They delivered the van to the build site in Michigan. Shipping the camper van to California from Michigan was pricey. ($1.6K!) It's cheaper to fly and drive it home. (The dogs precluded flying.) Registering the van in California was an adventure. More on that in a future video. That said, I know Recon Campers plans to sell the vans through Nissan dealerships. And buying your campervan from a Nissan dealership should allow you to finance most of it through Nissan Finance. I know that Glendale Nissan is representing Recon Campers in California. I know that in February 2020 they were sourcing and sending 9 vans to Recon Campers for customizing. But these vans were already sold to customers wanting the build. So best is to contact Recon Campers to find out if they are being represented by a Nissan dealer in your state. Then see about financing a camper van through that dealership. My build was entirely based on trust. Recon Campers is completely trustworthy.
@@CaliforniaCampervan thanks! Mine is on its way right now. I can’t figure out how to register it, Rosen did a sort of pseudo registration in WI and I have a letter but no card or plates. I am not sure what I’ll need for CA! I hope it’s not too difficult I’m trying to minimize time spent at DMV and I don’t think AAA can do it as it’s a more complex transaction!
@@armandovillarreal3614 Sorry about my late reply. Work. Holidays... Lockdown. So, registering the van in California was a challenge. I believe the issue was that the DMV people thought I was also out of state when I bought the van. Their understanding was that the van should have been registered already in the state where it was bought. I went round and round on this issue. Try to communicate that you were in California and bought it at a dealer near the custom company that did the camper build. That the van has never been driven or registered in another state. That it was bought new to bring here after the custom build. There was something about getting staff to understand this that made the difference. ALSO, another issue I had was the SMOG CHECK! As is, your van will not pass a smog check. The new smog check system is designed so that your car/van needs to show it has been driven, started and stopped, etc. What I remember I did was to drive it when there was little traffic so I could cruise at 55-60mph for approx an hour(?) or for 60 miles(?). Best to look this up or ask at a smog check station. To achieve this, one evening I drove from Los Angeles to Simi Valley and back. In Simi Valley I exited the freeway and did a few stops and starts. Stopped. Parked. Turned off the engine. Did the same back in L.A. I was told I needed 10 maybe 15 stops and starts on my van, plus the distanced cruising in order to pass the smog test. I passed after this dance. Hope this helps!
The red "master switch" turns on the battery, not the inverter. I got it wrong in the video. There is an inverter inside the pantry, seemingly opposite the switch. I associated the two. Hope that helps!
I find it very easy, it is spring assisted to raise but not so hard that you can't close it easily. The straps are large and easy to grip, and there is a nice elastic band that keeps everything tucked inside as it closes.
I like that the seats turns into a bed. Nice simple st up. Thanks for sharing.
I wonder what van Recon will move to in 2022? Not gonna lie, I’m a little excited .
AMAZING MADE IN USA .. EVERYTHING IS MADE FOR ITS PURPOSE .. ALWAYS THE BEST AND ALWAYS HI-TECH
Nice review. Complete and detailed.. what I enjoyed more is your calm and soothing voice! And different (smart) to carefully not show who you are! (Not important really!).
Thanks for your kind words.
Great tour
Excellent video! You covered everything (toilet in separate video). Thanks!
Thank you kindly...goodstuff looking into a reasonable priced camper.
I wish this wasn't discontinued. ☹
So beautiful
Look good thank-you for showing us your van
Well thought out...in such a 'small' Van!....love the Pop Up Roof!!
Wow that’s awesome now I want to sell my Nissan Titan and Coleman camper for one of these.
Thanks for the excellent overview of the Recon Envy. We just ordered ours last month and hope to pick it up in WI mid-summer and drive back to Reno, NV. We really benefited from seeing your videos before deciding on the purchase. Wonder if you could do a more detailed presentation on the electronics in the Envy. Specifically, we're deciding whether we need some of the options - solar panels (we already have a fold up solar panel), inverter, shore power charger, and blue-tooth monitoring. I'm particularly interested in the built-in solar panel hookup at the rear of the van to understand how easy/difficult it would be to connect our existing solar panel. Any insights you could provide we be amazing.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experiences with the Recon Envy. Happy RVing to you!
My kind of pantry. Shelf paper and a 5lb bag of single-origin medium-dark roast.
Ha. Ha. Yes, priorities. !
Thanks for the review
Great video!!
Could you give us information on who the builder is?
Congratulation on your new vehicule. I am sure you will have great adventures. I had to make my own in Canada. No company is transforming that model. If you had wind deflector on your windows, you will be able to open them just a bit and nobody will notice. If I may ask, does the front doors screens seem to have small individual magnets or one continuous magnet? Is the inside of the nylon (still the mosquito screen) padded with something or is it just de magnets inside the de black nylon? I had to make my own and actually they look quite a bit like yours. They are quite usefull here in Quebec, Canada. A lot of mosquitos. Thank you for the videos. If you would like to show me a video of the screen while manipulating them or installing them.
Very nice 👍
What year is the van? Thank you.
Awesome van!!!! Where did you get those screens and window covers?! They look like they fit like a glove!
These came with the build. Actually they cost extra, but were designed by Recon Campers. I highly recommend them!
www.reconcampers.com/
Hi, how are you handling any repairs on the recon part of the van? How is the fit and finish is it holding up as expected? Thanks🌻
What is the starting price?
I wonder if they build one without windows for use as a stealth urban camper van.
Hi,great video!! I've done a self-build nv 200,what awning/bike rack did you use? Please.
This is probably the best compact build I've seen. What is cost for this and is it produced more than just this one? Super awesome.
Best to check with Recon Campers regarding price. www.reconcampers.com/envy
They plan to sell these through Nissan Dealerships. But you can order one directly from them. There is a wait...
How in the heck did you get that seat that converts to a bed??
Great review. How much does something like this cost, and do they finance?
They start at 21,500 but their Envy conversion is almost 40,000 dollars.
Where did you buy the back screen?
Nice. Are you using a composting toilet
They should have option for 2000W inverter and at least 200AH lithium and install a permanent induction cooktop.
thank you. i was waiting for the company to post a new detail on the 2020 model. Does the pop top have the quilted insulation that they talked about on a earlier build? I couldnt tell from them or your vid.
Thanks
Thanks for visiting. The sides of the pop top on my van do NOT have quilted insulation. Not sure if this is an additional accessory one can purchase. It did not come standard. Hope this helps!
This is a confirmed option for 2021 and pricing is forthcoming.
I want want want one😭.
Taking the pop top down when it is wet or raining: Where does the water on the canvas go?
See my latest video, I address this. I haven't had the poptop up in the rain. The fabric is waterproof, as is the floor of the poptop. So water shouldn't come inside. That said, the fabric will stay wet on the outside, so one would have to open the poptop to dry things off.
Yeah but how much did it cost?
Does Recon include an insulated window cover for the front windshield? Is a mattress pad included for the pop up? Thanks.
Recon includes a windshield screen. It's nice, but it is not insulated like the other custom magnetized window coverings. It is reflective and good to keep the sun from heating the car, but it won't insulate. One could get creative with placing custom-sized fabric in between the sun screen and the window in order to insulate things. There is no mattress pad for the popup. See my latest video, with the beach thumbnail. I review the storage space for an air pad. I recommend a few of Klymit's child-size air pads instead of an adult size air pad. They are more flexible in the space. They fit better on the bench seat / bed down below.
Thanks for these videos. Keep ‘em coming! Very helpful with my research and subsequent purchase.
As an owner now, could you comment on the noise level in the van when driving and visibility when changing lanes? Thank you.
The visibility is great. The mirrors and the windows offer great visibility while driving and changing lanes. The windshield offers a nice wide view. Because this is a van, the windows don't offer visibility on anything low. You'll need to rely on the mirrors for this. Regarding the noise level, it is louder than my Prius. The poptop gets a bit of a air drag and makes that windy noise. I got used to it. Though the noise made me nervous at first, thinking I didn't secure the pop top correctly.
@@CaliforniaCampervan My Recon has the previous version pop top which is a few inches higher and never have problem with wind noise coming from the poptop, most likely the wind noise you hear is coming from the solar fan that is open while you are driving and making a whistling noise. It happened to me a few times when I forgot to close the fan, I would pull over and close it and noise would stop.
Do you feel a camping pad is necessary when sleeping on the lower bed? Do you use one, and if so, which one?
Yes. I use Klymit's Static V Short air pad. It's perfect for me. It's not too long in the space, is quick to set up, and easy to not put away if I just want to lean it sideways when up. Plus it packs down really small. It is very comfortable. My lower legs don't need the padding on the lower bed. I have two of these, and they also fit well side by side on the lower bed.
So you can fly there and pick up the van vs get it ship to Washington, where I live? What are the shipping options they give you? Thanks
Yes. It cost me $1.6K to ship the van to California. Recon recommended Fisher Shipping Company. They did a great job. I weighed the option of flying to Michigan to pick up the van. For me, the cost for a plane ticket, a hotel for when in Michigan, the gas, mileage, and potentially more hotel stays for the drive back, plus the TIME to arrange and do all this was greater than the shipping cost. It was also February. Freezing weather x distance - gear + dogs = shipping. :)
I am single, older (72) and very seriously thinking about buying a Recon camper. What I can not figure out is financing and insurance. Where did you go for financing and insurance?
I financed the van and paid for the build. The build payment was made in three installments: Smallish deposit, 50% of the remaining amount down at the start of the build, final 50% upon completion. Recon works with Rosen Nissan in Milwaukee, I financed the van through them. They delivered the van to the build site in Michigan. Shipping the camper van to California from Michigan was pricey. ($1.6K!) It's cheaper to fly and drive it home. (The dogs precluded flying.) Registering the van in California was an adventure. More on that in a future video. That said, I know Recon Campers plans to sell the vans through Nissan dealerships. And buying your campervan from a Nissan dealership should allow you to finance most of it through Nissan Finance. I know that Glendale Nissan is representing Recon Campers in California. I know that in February 2020 they were sourcing and sending 9 vans to Recon Campers for customizing. But these vans were already sold to customers wanting the build. So best is to contact Recon Campers to find out if they are being represented by a Nissan dealer in your state. Then see about financing a camper van through that dealership. My build was entirely based on trust. Recon Campers is completely trustworthy.
@@CaliforniaCampervan Hi there thanks for the video. Mine just completed and I’m excitedly awaiting shipment to CA. Did you use Fisher Shipping ?
@@armandovillarreal3614 Yes. I used Fisher Shipping. They were easy to work with and did a great job.
@@CaliforniaCampervan thanks! Mine is on its way right now. I can’t figure out how to register it, Rosen did a sort of pseudo registration in WI and I have a letter but no card or plates. I am not sure what I’ll need for CA! I hope it’s not too difficult I’m trying to minimize time spent at DMV and I don’t think AAA can do it as it’s a more complex transaction!
@@armandovillarreal3614 Sorry about my late reply. Work. Holidays... Lockdown. So, registering the van in California was a challenge. I believe the issue was that the DMV people thought I was also out of state when I bought the van. Their understanding was that the van should have been registered already in the state where it was bought. I went round and round on this issue. Try to communicate that you were in California and bought it at a dealer near the custom company that did the camper build. That the van has never been driven or registered in another state. That it was bought new to bring here after the custom build. There was something about getting staff to understand this that made the difference.
ALSO, another issue I had was the SMOG CHECK! As is, your van will not pass a smog check. The new smog check system is designed so that your car/van needs to show it has been driven, started and stopped, etc. What I remember I did was to drive it when there was little traffic so I could cruise at 55-60mph for approx an hour(?) or for 60 miles(?). Best to look this up or ask at a smog check station. To achieve this, one evening I drove from Los Angeles to Simi Valley and back. In Simi Valley I exited the freeway and did a few stops and starts. Stopped. Parked. Turned off the engine. Did the same back in L.A. I was told I needed 10 maybe 15 stops and starts on my van, plus the distanced cruising in order to pass the smog test. I passed after this dance. Hope this helps!
Enough hot water for two to shower?
It depends on how long the showers are. The water tank is only 10 gallons.
What model is the base car and how much did you pay for the base?thank you
The van is a 2019 Nissan Envy. Check Nissan dealerships for the price of this van, since they vary. Thanks.
Why do you have to turn on the inverter to run the refrigerator? On the Recon website, it is listed as a DC fridge.
The red "master switch" turns on the battery, not the inverter. I got it wrong in the video. There is an inverter inside the pantry, seemingly opposite the switch. I associated the two. Hope that helps!
Hello
How long is the bed?
Thanks
72" long x 41" wide. Hope that helps.
@@CaliforniaCampervan Thanks
👍great
I didn’t see where you had the toilet..is that close bye
No toilet. You can buy a portable on Amazon.
where do i get one. need weapons storage
Joli !
Price? Thanks :)
Best to check with Recon Campers regarding price. www.reconcampers.com/envy
How easy to close the pop-top?
I find it very easy, it is spring assisted to raise but not so hard that you can't close it easily. The straps are large and easy to grip, and there is a nice elastic band that keeps everything tucked inside as it closes.
How much?
Best to check with Recon Campers regarding price. www.reconcampers.com/envy
NAEZZZZ ..
Shame about the gas stove
This is glamping. Never need all this equipment in the UK. We just chuck a box in the back that converts into a bed, settee, cooker and table.
your missing 1 important thing as a camper .....
Not worth 50,000.00 dollars