Winnebago just dropped a host of upgrades to its most affordable campervan, the Solis Pocket, and the changes are eye-catching. Most notably, the Solis Pocket 36B now sports a wet bath that can double as a mud room — features the Solis Pocket was definitely lacking.
The bathroom area includes a shower fixture, a portable toilet, a sink, a wardrobe area, and internal water tanks. In this writer’s opinion, these modifications alone take the 36B up a notch, making it more useful as a long-term basecamp while maintaining its driveable size.
The new Solis Pocket 36B also offers an upgraded dinette that can reconfigure in nine different ways “to meet a broad range of traveling needs,” according to a company spokesperson.
Options include a two-seater dinette, a four-seater dinette, a day bed, a single or double bed, or L-shaped lounge. While in travel mode, the dinette offers automative-grade seating for two — it has seatbelts and meets crash-testing requirements.
Less sexy but no less important, Winnebago claims the LP tank on the Solis Pocket 36B is more easily reachable than it is in the Solis Pocket. Winnebago says it achieved this through the use of a hinged cradle design tucked away behind the toilet.
Power for Days: Courtesy of EcoFlow
Another major upgrade is the optional EcoFlow Power Kit Pro. The system pairs a 5kWh lithium-ion battery with a touchscreen 5-in-1 power management system (inverter, shore power converter, battery energy converter, solar energy converter, and alternator energy optimizer). The optional upgrade — the result of a Winnebago/EcoFlow partnership announced last year — is another way to give remote campsite chops to this vehicle.
EcoFlow and Winnebago claim the Power Kit Pro can “easily power multiple appliances at the same time,” and “reduces shore-power charging time by 50%, compared with the standard systems.”
The battery fits under the dinette seat — a crucial detail in a van this size — and Winnebago says it’s hardy enough to get you 3 days of off-grid living in “favorable weather conditions.”
“Winnebago’s partnership with EcoFlow is another example of our company’s continuous innovation and proven ability to deliver technology that enhances owners’ experiences on the road,” Winnebago president Huw Bower said in a press release.
“The new floor plan, combined with the optional power solution, makes the Solis Pocket more versatile, energy-efficient and easier to operate than ever before. It’s just one way Winnebago is giving owners freedom to explore the outdoors on their terms.”
Winnebago Solis Pocket 36B
All told, this thing seems like a nice middle ground between a fully off-grid adventure rig and a more traditional campsite-reliant RV. The MSRP is still under wraps, as are details about the vehicle’s exact specs — to get a rough idea, check out the specs for 36B’s sibling, the Pocket.
But, the Solis Pocket 36B should be available at Winnebago’s website and in dealerships in August of this year. It comes in ceramic gray, bright white, and deep cherry red.
