Jage,
No, it didn't sound like criticism. It's good to hear your perspective. Regarding winter camping, I've already had numerous nights in the van up at the ski hill. The GTRV walls are not warmer, I'm guessing, just a single layer of canvas. I've had a few nights down to probably -15C (that's about 5F for you 'muricans
, not a particular cold winter up here) with no problems. I've been using Thermarest pads to line the walls, and the Espar kicks out a lot of heat. I am planning to make up some Reflectix panels like yours, but I'm thinking of wrapping them in material similar to my curtains. We also want them for the summer to keep out the sun's heat and early morning light.
Andrew,
Yes, the stowed height of the bunk I suspect is lower than in an SMB. It is behind our rear bench so is not a problem for us. Yes, I discussed upgrading the struts with Roy at Coast Outfitter, and he says we can do either (bigger struts or a second set). I'll cross that bridge when the time comes.
Brent