There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find it
Moderators: krp102, Coxy68, robcaz
There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find it
I'm hoping the knowledge base here will help me solve this conundrum.
Partner and I are upgrading from tent life to camper trailer (in theory) and preparing for the eventual year off 9-5 life to travel and chill.
We love national park camping, free and self sufficient camping, but I no longer love tent camping. (ages 45-55 bracket).
We are now at the stage of changing one of the soft off roaders to a 4x4 as the tow vehicle (hilux is winning here).
The camp trailer has us stumped.
Preference is an off roader, so that we can get into places others without 4x4 vehicles can't (but there's no desire to drag it to the top of Oz via a series of winchings and bog holes).
Think Ultimates are great, but don't want to have to make the bed every time we move.
The bed has to go north south not east west (have I got that right) as I have no intention to climb over partner in middle of night but we want the double bed not singles for thermal gains on cold nights.
I can't do beds with ladders due to Peripheral Neuropathy in feet. (that rules so many out its not funny).
Really liked the look of an MDC XT-10, (as close as I'd crossover to a caravan) until I realised that the fridge would be out in the rain and not in the large awning when it was up, also partner didn't like the lack of storage space for chainsaw etc. On a good note it was so nice and cool inside in the middle of the day when a lot of others we'd look at were hot.
I'm after a really quick set up, that doesn't involve guy ropes, and thrown hammers and reducing the canvas area for both security and also for wet pack ups.
Have done the caravan and camping show visits but still can't find what we need, (that isn't 70K.. did like the KK).
I've googled and googled and read and read, have a collection of magazines, but still can't find what we need.
Does anyone have suggestions (that don't include stay home and camp in my tent on my riverbank?).
thanks in advance
Fi
Partner and I are upgrading from tent life to camper trailer (in theory) and preparing for the eventual year off 9-5 life to travel and chill.
We love national park camping, free and self sufficient camping, but I no longer love tent camping. (ages 45-55 bracket).
We are now at the stage of changing one of the soft off roaders to a 4x4 as the tow vehicle (hilux is winning here).
The camp trailer has us stumped.
Preference is an off roader, so that we can get into places others without 4x4 vehicles can't (but there's no desire to drag it to the top of Oz via a series of winchings and bog holes).
Think Ultimates are great, but don't want to have to make the bed every time we move.
The bed has to go north south not east west (have I got that right) as I have no intention to climb over partner in middle of night but we want the double bed not singles for thermal gains on cold nights.
I can't do beds with ladders due to Peripheral Neuropathy in feet. (that rules so many out its not funny).
Really liked the look of an MDC XT-10, (as close as I'd crossover to a caravan) until I realised that the fridge would be out in the rain and not in the large awning when it was up, also partner didn't like the lack of storage space for chainsaw etc. On a good note it was so nice and cool inside in the middle of the day when a lot of others we'd look at were hot.
I'm after a really quick set up, that doesn't involve guy ropes, and thrown hammers and reducing the canvas area for both security and also for wet pack ups.
Have done the caravan and camping show visits but still can't find what we need, (that isn't 70K.. did like the KK).
I've googled and googled and read and read, have a collection of magazines, but still can't find what we need.
Does anyone have suggestions (that don't include stay home and camp in my tent on my riverbank?).
thanks in advance
Fi
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
Vista RV Crossover!
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
Hi Fi,
Sounds as if you are after a hybrid style camper. You will find a list of hybrid campers off the manufacturers page at http://www.campertrailers.org/hybrid_campers.htm
Hope that helps.
Sounds as if you are after a hybrid style camper. You will find a list of hybrid campers off the manufacturers page at http://www.campertrailers.org/hybrid_campers.htm
Hope that helps.
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
The MDC XT10 is a blatant Chinese clone/copy of the Lifestyle. Have a look at the Lifestyle website as they do a couple of versions http://www.lifestylecampertrailers.com.au
Most rear fold hard floors give you a north south bed.
A heavy duty camper with a north south bed that does things a bit differently is a Tvan http://tracktrailer.com.au They also make crossovers.
A walk up style soft floor will also give you a bed where you don't have to climb over each other. Plenty of manufacturers now making this style.
Good luck.
Most rear fold hard floors give you a north south bed.
A heavy duty camper with a north south bed that does things a bit differently is a Tvan http://tracktrailer.com.au They also make crossovers.
A walk up style soft floor will also give you a bed where you don't have to climb over each other. Plenty of manufacturers now making this style.
Good luck.
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- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:44 pm
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
At the end of last year we took delivery of our Echo Kavango from Echo 4x4 Australia and we are very happy with it. It is imported from South Africa but finished off with Australian compliant fittings.
http://www.echo4x4.com.au
http://www.echo4x4.com.au
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
Also there are the 'wind up' style of camper like the Jayco Penguin & Goldstream Crown which have no push out ends. Both are compact to tow with internal caravan layouts & comfort features.
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
thanks, great to get some fantastic feedback.
wow, the MDC / Lifestyle issue, glad that's come to light.
certainly got lots more researching to do now, am a bit of a "buy it right the first time" person.
can see some contenders on what's been suggested.
again thank you thank you thank you!
Fi
wow, the MDC / Lifestyle issue, glad that's come to light.
certainly got lots more researching to do now, am a bit of a "buy it right the first time" person.
can see some contenders on what's been suggested.
again thank you thank you thank you!
Fi
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
Amazing how your "shopping list" mirrored ours, as did the sorts of destinations you envisaged. We planned for 8-10 day camps away from everything.
We took a while, and looked at things like easy bed access (one of us has a tin knee), general durability, bolts instead of tek screws, number of greasable points, price (of course), setup ease, tropical roof, room for children/grandchildren when required, aftersales support, etc.
Settled on a Lifestyle Deluxe Gen 2. Totally pleased.
Towing with a ute is ideal - all the added luxuries that can go in there!
From our experience, with little left from tent-camping days, for a full setup to autonomy status (fridge/freezer, simple dunny, shower, extra batteries and power management, brake controller, storage units [homemade], adequate solar, solar charging for devices, lighting, cooking etc etc etc etc,) add at least $10K to the driveaway cost of a basic unit.
We took a while, and looked at things like easy bed access (one of us has a tin knee), general durability, bolts instead of tek screws, number of greasable points, price (of course), setup ease, tropical roof, room for children/grandchildren when required, aftersales support, etc.
Settled on a Lifestyle Deluxe Gen 2. Totally pleased.
Towing with a ute is ideal - all the added luxuries that can go in there!
From our experience, with little left from tent-camping days, for a full setup to autonomy status (fridge/freezer, simple dunny, shower, extra batteries and power management, brake controller, storage units [homemade], adequate solar, solar charging for devices, lighting, cooking etc etc etc etc,) add at least $10K to the driveaway cost of a basic unit.
- WomblingFree
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:07 am
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
Have you been to any of the 4WD Camping shows?
Dozens of different makes/models to check out.
Plenty of soft floors have the bed in nth sth plus a step up foot well at the beds end to climb up.
There are simply too many 'personal' requirements to tell you whats good. ie:
How/where do you want the kitchen?
Will the fridge be in the tent or under the awning.
Tent out the back or out the side.
Can teh tent be put up single handed and how long does it take?
Whats the real ball weight.
Can they supply it with the same wheels and axle width as your tug
What suspension.
Onboard battery capacity - electrics (chargers etc)
What gas bottle capacity.
What water capacity and so on....
You haven't mentioned your budget?
There's simply too much that you need to decide upon that makes recommendations rather useless.
We went through this and bought a 2nd hand crappy Chinese $7K trailer and took it out for a two week outback trip with some friends. That trip taught us just about everything as to what we wanted/hated in campers. Sold it on returning and hit the shows to see what we could find that fitted our requirements.
Strongly suggest you attend some 4x4 shows and make a shortlist of what you like & dislike, then come back again for advice on your shortlist.
Also, several manufacturers (Johnnos for instance) will hire you a camper so you can see what its really like before you commit to anything.
Dozens of different makes/models to check out.
Plenty of soft floors have the bed in nth sth plus a step up foot well at the beds end to climb up.
There are simply too many 'personal' requirements to tell you whats good. ie:
How/where do you want the kitchen?
Will the fridge be in the tent or under the awning.
Tent out the back or out the side.
Can teh tent be put up single handed and how long does it take?
Whats the real ball weight.
Can they supply it with the same wheels and axle width as your tug
What suspension.
Onboard battery capacity - electrics (chargers etc)
What gas bottle capacity.
What water capacity and so on....
You haven't mentioned your budget?
There's simply too much that you need to decide upon that makes recommendations rather useless.
We went through this and bought a 2nd hand crappy Chinese $7K trailer and took it out for a two week outback trip with some friends. That trip taught us just about everything as to what we wanted/hated in campers. Sold it on returning and hit the shows to see what we could find that fitted our requirements.
Strongly suggest you attend some 4x4 shows and make a shortlist of what you like & dislike, then come back again for advice on your shortlist.
Also, several manufacturers (Johnnos for instance) will hire you a camper so you can see what its really like before you commit to anything.
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- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:44 pm
Re: There must be a suitable camp trailer but I can't find i
As well as the advice above, if it's possible, try to attend one of the meets where you will be able to have a look at a range of different campers and chat to owners and find out the good and bad points from people not interested in selling you anything. You don't need a camper to attend. Check out the upcoming events page on the website.