Caravan & Camping show in Caulfield

[RR5L]

Took a trip down to the Caravan & Camping show in Caulfield yesterday. I was hoping it would confirm my selection in campers but I must say I walked away totally confused!

So many choices so many options, and such a variance in price. Im looking for a offroad camper trailer that is high quality good value for 2 adults and 2 kids.I almost automatically discount the ones where one has to crawl over the top of their partner to go to the loo at night.

Our mind was almost set on the adventure camper trailer with its great kitchen and low bed set up it looked like the one. But after looking at others we were not so sure.

We had always dismissed the hard floor type as they looked like they could only be big enough for two people. I think I was wrong, too a look at the Pioneer Camper Oynx with I think there is more than enough room with a bunk on the floor across the end or some swags for the kids. It seemed a bit wider than the Kimberly kamper which was a bonus I thought.

Took a look at the Tvan, very nice unit compact to tow looks like it will go everywhere the truck will, and once setup offers enough room for all of us.

Then we started looking at the suspension, independent Vs leaf springs, I think leaf wins should some thing breaks on a trip, can be fixed just about anywhere.

Ha I'm thinking about going back tomorrow to do some more research!!

Would love to see everyones set up and hear their pros and cons of the units they have purchased.

[hiline]

oh the joys of spending money :angel:

what to get what not to get :(

it goes around and around ;)


good luck mate with your choice

[Disco300Tdi]

You will be like a kid in a lolly shop Rob...:) :)

[RR5L]

ahhhh but what good fun it is. One thing that seems to make a lot of sense to me is the weight of these units, most of the hard floor models are around that 900kg mark dry, add water and gear I'm guessing up around 1100-1200 kg wouldn't be unreasonable. The soft floor campers are more around the 500 kg mark dry. From a towing point of view the soft floor one would be easier on the truck and the fuel bill.

Taking the day off....I'm going back in, told the wife its purely research:D

I guess if I really get hooked on one, I could hire it for a week and see if I really like it.

[hiline]

ahhhh but what good fun it is. One thing that seems to make a lot of sense to me is the weight of these units, most of the hard floor models are around that 900kg mark dry, add water and gear I'm guessing up around 1100-1200 kg wouldn't be unreasonable. The soft floor campers are more around the 500 kg mark dry. From a towing point of view the soft floor one would be easier on the truck and the fuel bill.

Taking the day off....I'm going back in, told the wife its purely research:D

I guess if I really get hooked on one, I could hire it for a week and see if I really like it.


welllllllllllllllllll what happened ???

what did you decide on

[weeds]

We had always dismissed the hard floor type as they looked like they could only be big enough for two people. I think I was wrong, too a look at the Pioneer Camper Oynx with I think there is more than enough room with a bunk on the floor across the end or some swags for the kids. It seemed a bit wider than the Kimberly kamper which was a bonus I thought.

i toured tassie with a CUB hard floor camper with two kids, it worked well with two swags for the boys

[Reads90]

well i have a basic cheap (compaired to Tivan and Kimberly) soft floor camper. Loads of room inside for me and the misses but could take two kids inside as well. We lived in it for 7 months with no problem. Putting up and down every night. It also had loads of room for all our stuff which was good because the 90 does not have much room in it at all. The triler also has all the mod cons, water tank , kitchen and very large awning with three sides which became out lounge :)
It is on Parabollic leaf springs and handle the main rough tracks (great central track, Tamini, Suvannah way, Gibb river road , And up to the cape, plus many others ) of aus well and did not lets us down once on the trip.

We went to the Brisbane 4x4 show Last weekend and saw the Tivan and others like it and me and the misses we just more than ever please with the choice that we made as ours was considerbly cheaper (which is nice to know you have not got 30,000 sat on the drive doing nothing for most of the year) , Had alot more room for us and storage than the Tivan and others.

[hiline]

we are all waiting Mr RR5L :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :D ;)

[RR5L]

your going to have to wait a little longer, but the front runner is the new unit from Camerons canvas in SA. the tent is so easy to put up my wife can do it. its only 500 kg dry which as said earlier is a good point, and the trailer is solidly built. Things I dislike about it is the kitchen tailgate arrangement, but over time I could change that. Still like the Pioneer Oynx for over all package but its a bit rich at 30K.

[hiline]

your going to have to wait a little longer, but the front runner is the new unit from Camerons canvas in SA. the tent is so easy to put up my wife can do it. its only 500 kg dry which as said earlier is a good point, and the trailer is solidly built. Things I dislike about it is the kitchen tailgate arrangement, but over time I could change that. Still like the Pioneer Oynx for over all package but its a bit rich at 30K.

a bit rich :eek2:

bloody expensive tent on wheels :angel:

[Ken]

30 big ones WOW

[RR5L]

a bit rich :eek2:

bloody expensive tent on wheels :angel:

I agree entirely, is why i'm not in any hurry to make my mind up on this. But most of the better units are up around this number.

This will give you an idea of what Ive looked at so far.....

http://www.trackabout.com.au/site/safari/cc-1/
http://www.adventurecampers.com.au/
http://www.outbackcampers.com.au/index.htm
http://www.tambocampers.com.au/Cooper.html
http://www.deluxecamper.com.au/off_road.html
http://www.cameroncanvas.com.au/campers.htm
http://www.tracktrailer.com/?gclid=CKu38-f4n4sCFQMNIgod9hvLfg
http://www.ahernmetal.com.au/
http://www.kimberleykampers.com/
http://www.australianoffroadcampers.com.au/index2.htm
http://www.campomatic.com.au/construction.html

[hiline]

wow man you have looked at a few

decision decisions :angel:

we looked them as well when we were buying our new van

we came to the decision that we didn't plan on going extreme off road
so we bought a coramal campervan instead

plus having 4 kids it made it alot easier to fit in;)
more stoirage place than a tent trailer
and all your needs are already in there everytime you go away

this is ours

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/374.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/04/430.jpg

very happy with our choice :D :D

[RR5L]

That is indeed a very nice unit Ray, much better built than the Jayco but also more expensive I think?

I never intend to take the camper extreme off road, but I do intend to eventually take it around Australia and the outback. I doubt a Jayco will last long term based on this scenario.

The thing I hate about the lower end of the market trailers is the fact the bed lies the wrong way in the tent. Perhaps I just need to get over it...or the missus :D.

[hiline]

That is indeed a very nice unit Ray, much better built than the Jayco but also more expensive I think?

I never intend to take the camper extreme off road, but I do intend to eventually take it around Australia and the outback. I doubt a Jayco will last long term based on this scenario.

The thing I hate about the lower end of the market trailers is the fact the bed lies the wrong way in the tent. Perhaps I just need to get over it...or the missus :D.

i think thats best placed in the mud pit :D

dont give up mate you'll find what your looking for ;)
it will just take longer than you first thought

i went to every campervan dealer in Melb to get ours
glad its over now

[Utemad]

The thing I hate about the lower end of the market trailers is the fact the bed lies the wrong way in the tent. Perhaps I just need to get over it...or the missus :D.

I have a camper with this bed configuration. I sleep on the drop off side and my wife sleeps on the 'safe' side. She is worried she will fall out. If she gets up during the night she would have to push me off the edge and kick me a few times to wake me up so it works well for us :)

Why not go to a cheaper camper manufacturer and ask them if they will do a one off rear folding tent? Would make accessing the trailer interesting though when set up.
I could never justify $30k for a tent on wheels but that's just my opinion.
My Disco and camper cost less than that combined. In fact less than $20k combined.

[DiscoDan]

The complete campsite does a side fold with a twist, you get in from the foot of the bed

http://www.completecampsite.com.au/nomad.html

A bit exxie think it is around 20k

I personally like the Kanga range

http://www.kangacampertrailers.com.au

also

http://lifestylecampertrailers.com.au/

better built and cheaper than trackabout. (IMHO however Trackabout might be tougher)

[RR5L]

Why not go to a cheaper camper manufacturer and ask them if they will do a one off rear folding tent? Would make accessing the trailer interesting though when set up.
I could never justify $30k for a tent on wheels but that's just my opinion.
My Disco and camper cost less than that combined. In fact less than $20k combined.

Its certainly an option, or take it another step, buy a good quality new off road trailer, buy the outback sturt canvas tent which folds off the end (if they would sell it separate), and fit off every thing else my self. Only thing I would have to do is talk to the trailer manufacturer to space the chassis in such a way to allow for the water tank underneath behind the axle and a 2 meter long draw bar. Could add a kitchen something similar to the ones found on www.drifta.com.au

Could be an option, probably worth investigating but would it work out any cheaper ? Any one recommend a good trailer manufacturer?


C'mon guys I'm happy to hear suggestion options etc!

[EchiDna]

http://tambocampers.com.au/

can't be beaten for the $$$ IMHO

[RR5L]

http://tambocampers.com.au/

can't be beaten for the $$$ IMHO

Certainly have looked at them, good value...they are an option still.

[Ken]

Of all the links to the sites you posted the tambo looks the goods at just under seven grand thats good value for the money

[Reads90]

I got mine from Castaway campers and i beat crap out of my trailer round Aus (40,000ks worth) and it just came back for more. I only paid $8000 for it and that with everything

This is at the cape

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/07/1326.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/58.jpg

[RR5L]

I got mine from Castaway campers and i beat crap out of my trailer round Aus (40,000ks worth) and it just came back for more. I only paid $8000 for it and that with everything


Hey Reed and anyone else , I notice the soft cover on the tent how are they attached / sealed to the trailer or tent base? Whats your experiences with ingress of dust or water from all your travels?

When I was talking to the sales guy at Camerons Canvas he claimed the soft covers act as a pump as they move around when traveling pulling in the dust. I cant imagine anything being totally dust proof but Its something obviously you would like to minimise.

[Reads90]

Hey Reed and anyone else , I notice the soft cover on the tent how are they attached / sealed to the trailer or tent base? Whats your experiences with ingress of dust or water from all your travels?

When I was talking to the sales guy at Camerons Canvas he claimed the soft covers act as a pump as they move around when traveling pulling in the dust. I cant imagine anything being totally dust proof but Its something obviously you would like to minimise.


I had no problems with dust. Ok a bit got in and put a nice colour on parts of the canvas. But non got inside the tent. As for water non of that got anywhere near our tent. But Castway now do dust prof cover, which i have fitted to my trailer now. I was not that fused about getting that on as i had never caused me a problem. But as it was free i thought it would be rude to say no :D
The floor of my soft floor camper is attc to the tent with strong Velcro , so you can take of and clean or replcae the floor easy , should you want to do it (not that i needed to yet).
The tent area is sealed all the way round to the top of the trailer on a ply sort of floor. Which is where the bed is.
I have had mine in alsorts of weather. I was very water proof and in very heavy rain. And fine in heavy winds. Even if i was worrig all night :) . I did not need to

[Utemad]

Hey Reed and anyone else , I notice the soft cover on the tent how are they attached / sealed to the trailer or tent base? Whats your experiences with ingress of dust or water from all your travels?

When I was talking to the sales guy at Camerons Canvas he claimed the soft covers act as a pump as they move around when traveling pulling in the dust. I cant imagine anything being totally dust proof but Its something obviously you would like to minimise.

I haven't driven down dirt roads for hundreds of kms with mine but from what I have done I haven't had any noticable dust getting in. Certainly no water.
My cover is attached to the front of the trailer with a sail channel and then down the sides it is pulled under the base with the elastic cord onto black round things like a ute tonneau cover. Then on the back with velcro and some sort of clips I've seen before but don't know where, maybe caravan annex window clips.