Caravan versus Camper Trailer - Discuss!

Mamil · Senior Member

Caravan versus Camper Trailer - Discuss!

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Neither.
Motorhome/campervan with some dirt road capability.
Go more places and no set up time. Lower running costs.
Cheers,
Peter

Olive Oil · Senior Member

We've had an ''on road'' caravan for 8 years, the first & only caravan that we'll ever have.

We take it off the bitumen, bush camping a lot, with care. Probably more often than a lot of people with so called ''off road'' caravans do.

We also have an ''off road'' camper trailer that we use when going to more ''hard core'' destinations.

In our opinion there is no such thing as the perfect compromise rig, though some may think they have one.

The camper trailer takes longer to set up & after being away in it we enjoy the soft caravaning lifestyle.

We also have a 17ft+ half cabin boat & sleep in tents while we're on a fishing trip.

It's not much fun packing up wet canvas & drying it out later, that's why we didn't buy an expanda type caravan.

Some camper trailers these days take a long time to set up, so if you're constantly on the move it gets quite tiring.

Mamil · Senior Member

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Neither.
Motorhome/campervan with some dirt road capability.
Go more places and no set up time. Lower running costs.
Cheers,
Peter

Haha! Yes that's certainly an option Peter, and I'm not discounting anything at this stage. But I've had a fair bit of experience with campervans over the years so feel I have a good handle on the pros & cons, whereas I'm less familiar with caravans, and have no experience at all with camper trailers, so interested in other's views. Anyway, thanks for the input!

Knight · Senior Member

Returning from WA to SA we were overtaken by a ute towing a camper trailer, our speed 90 kmh actual speed, 4WD with caravan. Half an hour later we pulled into a roadhouse camping area and parked two spaces from the camper trailer.

Left the caravan chains attached but removed from hitch and levelled, attached electrical cable, placed bucket underneath water outlet, opened windows and hatch, deployed awning, table and chairs and settled down to relax.

Camper trailer still setting up.

Next morning camper trailer being prepared for travel, we prepared caravan for travel and were ready to depart. The camper trailer guy came over and remarked on his observations of how quickly we were set up and next morning ready to leave, and said that he and his wife were seriously considering trading the camper in on a caravan.

But for all the reasons given caravan or camper is a personal choice decision.

Mamil · Senior Member

Olive Oil wrote:
We've had an ''on road'' caravan for 8 years, the first & only caravan that we'll ever have.

We take it off the bitumen, bush camping a lot, with care. Probably more often than a lot of people with so called ''off road'' caravans do.

We also have an ''off road'' camper trailer that we use when going to more ''hard core'' destinations.

In our opinion there is no such thing as the perfect compromise rig, though some may think they have one.

The camper trailer takes longer to set up & after being away in it we enjoy the soft caravaning lifestyle.

We also have a 17ft+ half cabin boat & sleep in tents while we're on a fishing trip.

It's not much fun packing up wet canvas & drying it out later, that's why we didn't buy an expanda type caravan.

Some camper trailers these days take a long time to set up, so if you're constantly on the move it gets quite tiring.

Good points, thank you. Can I ask if you do long trips on corrugated gravel roads with your "on road" caravan - that's what I'm worried about? Some with the same model caravan as ours do it and reported no problems, whereas others complained of dust ingress, drawers coming off the rails, and cupboards falling off the walls! Part of it for me was it was a brand new caravan and I didn't want to wreck it, and maybe something a bit older I wouldn't be so worried about!

Apart from the set-up time with your camper trailer, how do you like living and sleeping in it? One of the reasons we got the caravan after many years with just a tent was that I just couldn't get a good night's sleep in the tent anymore with flapping canvas, noise from other campers, and the light coming in at dawn! I'm expecting a camper trailer to be the same!

-- Edited by Mamil on Saturday 24th of August 2019 01:54:36 PM

dabbler · Guru

We settled for an off-road teardrop. It's basically a hard shell camper trailer, bed, lots and lots of storage and a galley in the back.

I'ts been outfitted with an awning tent for longer stays, has a Joolca HWOD system and porta potti. When doing longer legs, we can just roll up and go to bed with no setup. Awning tent takes 2 people unrushed less than 10min and I can do it in about 15mins solo.

It adds about 35-40% to fuel consumption and will go more places than I am capable of getting in the Hilux.

Not cheap but Aussie made and great build quality.

-- Edited by dabbler on Saturday 24th of August 2019 03:02:19 PM

Mamil · Senior Member

dabbler wrote:
We settled for an off-road teardrop. It's basically a hard shell camper trailer, bed, lots and lots of storage and a galley in the back.
I'ts been outfitted with an awning tent for longer stays, has a Joolca HWOD system and porta potti. When doing longer legs, we can just roll up and go to bed with no setup. Awning tent takes 2 people unrushed less than 10min and I can do it in about 15mins solo.
It adds about 35-40% to fuel consumption and will go more places than I am capable of getting in the Hilux.

Not cheap but Aussie made and great build quality.

-- Edited by dabbler on Saturday 24th of August 2019 03:02:19 PM

Hi Dabbler, the wife has always been keen on a Teardrop, but I persuaded her a full size caravan was more practical. However, now that's gone I can see the benefit of a teardrop's hard case versus a camper trailer's flappy canvas! What make is yours?

dabbler · Guru

Riptide Tsunami. Made at Arundel, Gold Coast. David Ede will do pretty anything it it's possible. They now mix and match the onroads and off road models and features for people who want a lighter unit. There is a FB owners group if you use FB and want to ask owners about their own variations.

Mamil · Senior Member

dabbler wrote:
Riptide Tsunami. Made at Arundel, Gold Coast. David Ede will do pretty anything it it's possible. They now mix and match the onroads and off road models and features for people who want a lighter unit. There is a FB owners group if you use FB and want to ask owners about their own variations.

Thanks, will join the FB group and check it out! Any downsides to your teardrop? Having a place to eat, cook, relax out of the weather/insect life would be my first thought? Thanks.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

We had a c/van, a few before, this time, and as our new soft roader found it harder to pull our c/van plus expensive fuel wise, we sold the van a bought a soft floor, camper. It was great at first, and I converted the suspension over for offroad, and for the next 5 years, went everywhere with it. But wet weather, cold weather, and having our dogs along, it was tiresome packing up, even putting it up. So sold it and went back to an offroad c/van, and we have not looked back. For our serious offroad trips, on narrow tracks we take our tent, and enjoy doing both more then just having the camper trailer.

dabbler · Guru

Mamil wrote:
dabbler wrote:
Riptide Tsunami. Made at Arundel, Gold Coast. David Ede will do pretty anything it it's possible. They now mix and match the onroads and off road models and features for people who want a lighter unit. There is a FB owners group if you use FB and want to ask owners about their own variations.
Thanks, will join the FB group and check it out! Any downsides to your teardrop? Having a place to eat, cook, relax out of the weather/insect life would be my first thought? Thanks.

Downsides

Getting in and out isn't for everyone. We use a pair of workshop footstools from Bunnings, about $10. They are very strong and have a broad base for stability.

If the awning tent is set up then eating, dressing and generally being out if the elements isn't an issue. We carry a butane cooker that stays in the ute for those times we abandon the TD. My wife prefers to boil the billy in the tent in the am and we've prepared a meal using it during torrential rain.

We also have a Dune deluxe RV tent that first the galley but never use it. Some peoplel erect a gazebo over the whole thing

I'd move a few things like USB outlets, overhead light switches to the bedhead end. Right now most controls inside are convenient for reaching in from outside but not when your in bed

Latest one have mounted Sirocco fans that frees up shelf space. There is plenty inside but ours isn't as open.

The HWOD is simple but not worth setting up for a single use unless you really really need a shower and cleanup.

There's no doubt your space is restricted but I don't find it an issue and I'm not tiny.

Inland_Sailor · Veteran Member

Then you also have crossover/hybrid caravans to consider on one hand and forward fold campers on the other. It's where the 2 concepts converge! One comes with mainly solid walls with some form of pop top, but with the caravans weight disadvantage and fuel cost, and the other with caravan like convenience, with perhaps 50% canvas but far less weight and its fuel saving.

dogbox · Guru

good old Jayco have a new crossover thing that I just seen an advert for somewhere

Eaglemax · Guru

Like teardtops? Want to stand up in one? Like off yoad? How about tare around 500kg? Enter the t@b or Tabbert caravan in USA. Built in Germany in the 2000's they were well made. I owned one a yellow one. Google it. They had alko independent suspension, towball weight 75kg kitchen king size bed, raise the table for fitting 10 in a dining set up and wardrobe. The standard van was good for semi off road but there was a safari model said to be off road with higher ground clearance and other goodies like gerry holders. About 100 made it here with the door on the LHS a special batch. Hard to find a lady a few months back waited for one and it came up for sale for $13,000 and she snapped it up. Its the fastest caravan in the world being towed by a Porsche Cheyenne on youtube at 240 kph. Tony.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Son has soft floor camper . Yes it takes 20min to set up . The better campers with hard floors fold or hoist down much easier . They are easier to tow . Ok from say NSW and north in winter . Theres a big price difference between all these options . Fall time older people I would caravan or motorhome . Comfort becomes more value as you age ., Up north the campers are more suitable due to distance, Warner climate !!

JackoFJR · Senior Member

We have a Track Trailer Tvan camper , wet canvas never touches the bed , takes us about 8 minutes to deploy the tent and have the kettle on , you wouldn't tow even a small caravan some of the places we tow the Tvan , but it's still a camper trailer and new they are very expensive.

Olive Oil · Senior Member

Mamil wrote:
Olive Oil wrote:
We've had an ''on road'' caravan for 8 years, the first & only caravan that we'll ever have.

We take it off the bitumen, bush camping a lot, with care. Probably more often than a lot of people with so called ''off road'' caravans do.

We also have an ''off road'' camper trailer that we use when going to more ''hard core'' destinations.

In our opinion there is no such thing as the perfect compromise rig, though some may think they have one.

The camper trailer takes longer to set up & after being away in it we enjoy the soft caravaning lifestyle.

We also have a 17ft+ half cabin boat & sleep in tents while we're on a fishing trip.

It's not much fun packing up wet canvas & drying it out later, that's why we didn't buy an expanda type caravan.

Some camper trailers these days take a long time to set up, so if you're constantly on the move it gets quite tiring.

Good points, thank you. Can I ask if you do long trips on corrugated gravel roads with your "on road" caravan - that's what I'm worried about? Some with the same model caravan as ours do it and reported no problems, whereas others complained of dust ingress, drawers coming off the rails, and cupboards falling off the walls! Part of it for me was it was a brand new caravan and I didn't want to wreck it, and maybe something a bit older I wouldn't be so worried about!
Apart from the set-up time with your camper trailer, how do you like living and sleeping in it? One of the reasons we got the caravan after many years with just a tent was that I just couldn't get a good night's sleep in the tent anymore with flapping canvas, noise from other campers, and the light coming in at dawn! I'm expecting a camper trailer to be the same!

-- Edited by Mamil on Saturday 24th of August 2019 01:54:36 PM

We don't take our ''on road'' caravan on extended stretches of gravel road. Its OK for doing 10kms down a track to a bush camp next to a river etc.

We took it on a 50km stretch once & there were screws rolling around on the floor when we opened it up, a cupboard had popped open & a cutlery draw had fallen out onto the floor.

The extra thick foam mattress in our camper trailer is almost king size & is far more comfortable than the inner spring mattress in our caravan.

There is a lot of room in our camper trailer, particularly when we have the full annexe erected. We love it.

The annexe has large fly wire windows & in windy or wet weather we have thick plastic panels that velcro onto them all around which creates a lovely sun room instead of sitting in a dark gloomy room looking at four walls.

If you buy canvas make sure that its heavy duty good quality Australian canvas. There's a lot of imported rubbish around. Heavy canvas doesn't flap too much.

Setting up does take longer therefore we usually stay in a spot for 4-5 days rather than move on almost daily.

We love both our caravan & our camper trailer, horses for courses.

-- Edited by Olive Oil on Sunday 25th of August 2019 06:24:26 AM

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Mamil,
Do your homework carefully - visit caravan parks & talk to people who have caravan, campers, motor homes & find out pros & cons of all.

We graduated from tent(s) to a camper (tent) trailer, Jayco Outback Eagle & now an Outback pop-top. Each move has restricted (more) as to where we can go - due to width, weight, ability. Mr Jayco would have frowned on some of the roads the Eagle travelled on but we had negligible troubles.

Yes wet/frozen canvas/vinyl is difficult to handle when packing up but your bed can be kept dry with a sheet of plastic.

SWMBO loves the current toilet - it beats the sub zero runs to toilets in the "wee" hours of the morning in cold places. The shower is a luxury but it beats entertaining the campground with antics of folding shower tents!!

Weight is my problem - I'd like to be able to carry up to another 50kg on our single axle van - some camper trailers can carry 4-500kg legally but some have small fridges too!

What I don't like on most camper trailers these days is cooking out in the elements. Yes, it's great in fine weather (with the insects) but if there's a gale blowing, it's not nice. We had an interesting night just out of Flinders Chase (KI) when we had the CT. We were comfy but another couple who were restricted where they could cook, weren't.

All the best.

Eaglemax · Guru

This deserves investigating https://www.carsguide.com.au/adventure/avan-cruiseliner-adventure-plus-2018-review-71676

Mamil · Senior Member

Thanks everyone for your comments. Too many to reply to individually, but I am reading with interest so please keep them coming...