I am planning my first trip away probably 2-3 months from qld. to WA and was uncertain about what to get to travel in. Motorhomes were investigated but as we want to go off road a lot seem to be settling on a Guardian SUV air-con off road camper trailer which should go anywhere. Any advice for first timers heading off regarding camper trailer (or not) and anything else would be helpful?
BUT.
Anything realistically small enough to Practically "go anywhere".
Ain't much bigger that a 7 x 5 trailer.
Plus those things can get very exxy for what they are. Mainly tiny, and fancy.
What most experienced Of Roaders use if wanting to take home with them.
Is a small true offroad caravan 12 to 16 ft for desert\Track work and such.
Or mid range, O\R again, full van or pop top.
and have a rooftop tent Roll out etc. set up on their tug.
Go to desired area in comfort and room to stretch.
then park van up.
Explore the area you wanting. Go back to van and off again.
Believe me. unless you young and flexible or only doing it for a short while
and NO long lengths of "inclement" weather.
That small area with it's setting up\down daily.
Will soon rub of it's attraction.
Trails, Tracks, desert. Yes you can tow them, but also do it with small "real" van.
NEITHER can go true offroad, believe me.
Tents and Swags are it.
OR the big dirt bikes. That's a good experience.
I've been doing it. Including winching my van out of places I shouldn't have gone.
for over 50 yrs.
Camper trlrs may seem alright. But. when you get down to it.
ALL of them are a complex mix of smallness. expanding to a bit more. At a huge cost.
For what they are.
Even the 70\80k ones. I've been inside of and watched them
are only a glorified trailer with a lid and huge price bracket.
ALSO.
What you use as a tug makes a huge difference too.
Will make or break WHERE you can actually get to.
SUV won't cut it.
4WD utes, worked on. and the big two (Patrol\Troopie), Later Disco. Land Rover ( the honest best)
plus (maybe ), one of those Landcruisers.
The rest are mainly Make believe if you going bush. (Worked on Pajero maybe)
Whatever you get. enjoy. and lotsa photo's.
Missus, outside rig makes great memories, with Phone on video.
Have a Good (Sandisk\Samsung Evo) 64 gig chip in phone, and decent camera.
Nowadays. we go Overseas mainly.
ALL my video is done with decent Phone Camera on video.
Samsung J1. has good video speed and rendition.
For my old eyes anyway. Passable on 55in Samsung Teev.
The video ain't so fussy with definition and clarity. 5 or 8 camera chip will do fine in ph.
then the quality , definition shots done with decent lens in Camera.
Had the camper trailer first and it's downside is when the weather turns wet and nasty, If you pack it up while the canvas is wet everything inside seems to get wet too so you either have to sit out the wet weather and then wait for everything to dry before packing up or put up with wet inside.
You need far more time for the trip that you are planning. If you do it in the time that you mentioned you'll be seeing a lot of white lines & not a lot of anything else.
There's a lot to see slightly off the black top on your route without going onto unmade roads. OFF ROAD!
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Cheers Keith & Judy
Don't take life too seriously, it never ends well.
Trip Reports posted on feathersandphotos.com.au Go to Forums then Trip Reports.
My advice would be go for the SUV and camping trailer. This is your first trip venturing into the unknown .
For many of us this is exactly where we started .
The camper trailer will be light to tow, you will enjoy it,planning is half the fun.
Also consider a eperp or Sat phone plus a good first aid kit .
Dhutime
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Keep your eyes open so you can see where you are heading
regardless of what you decide to live in.
if going on more that bitumin and some dirt/gravel roads.
don't get an suv.
99% sure you'll damage it, or get stuck somewhere.
buy something capable.
very FEW women will/DO enjoy setting up any sort of camper every or most nights.
and a week of wet/bad. you'll be single. Specially if middle or more, aged.
Specially if you thinking of one of those 7x5 trlrs with fold out tent on top.
we've watched them while sitting in van eating dinner with teev on,
AFTER arriving later than them.
forget the boyhood "dream" think of missus comfort.
and have a happy wife. which means you too.
Thanks to everyone who replied and I will take all info on board. Just trying to sort out insurance now and it is so expensive for a camper trailer from the enquiries I have made from suncorp, RACQ and CIL. Robyn
