Compact Caravans

Since there is no clear-cut definition for a compact caravan, this article will categorise this type of caravan as a small, hard shelled caravan that is predominately towed by soft-road vehicles and even some 2WD sedans. These caravans, which in some cases are regarded as camper trailers, have a low centre of gravity with many of them sitting lower than the tow vehicle itself. This design gives less wind resistance and combined with the caravan being relatively light, provides better fuel efficiency. Another advantage of choosing a smaller caravan is that they are relatively inexpensive, therefore making them suitable for young families.

There are some compact caravans that can be parked and entered into straight away. Others that may need a few stabilising jacks pulled down before entry, and finally those that require some sort of action to extend sections out. Whatever the case is, they are designed to provide a quick setup which is usually in a matter of minutes.

These tiny caravans, commonly known as campers are very compact and shaped like a teardrop – hence its name. They are relatively light, weighing in at around 350kgs and are designed with a streamlined shape for easy towing. They can be towed by most vehicles, including small 4WDs, softroaders and 2WD sedans. There are even some teardrop campers that can be towed by a trike motorcycle.

Teardrop caravans were marketed here in Australia during the 1930's, 40's and 50's quite extensively and many original units are either being used actively or are under restoration. They are perfect for those who enjoy lazy camping in the outdoors with a bit of style and comfort, due to their light weight and ease of towing, their affordability and their beautiful retro looks.

These amazing foldable caravans are designed to be strong, yet light in weight and are suitable for those people who drive a small to medium sized tow vehicle and want a short overall towing length. The interior has been efficiently designed to maximise the living area and the simplicity of operation allows a quick and easy setup – usually within 30 seconds. Given that A’vans are designed and built with a solid construction and without canvas, they can easily be packed away in the wet. There are many different types of A’vans available with four models being suitable for this article.

Construction

A’vans use a construction technology called vacuum bonding. This construction method produces a very strong sandwich used for wall panels, which may consist of a fibreglass or aluminium exterior, 2 layer plywood interior and a Styrofoam insulation layer in-between. The chassis of the A’van is constructed using hot-dipped galvanised steel to protect from corrosive elements like rust. The interior furniture inside the A’van is constructed of solid timber.

This caravan was born out of a growing need for a van to be small, light and compact, easy and quick to set up, with tough off road capabilities and energy efficient devices and power solutions for sustainability. This caravan has a hard shell roof that is designed to rise to provide more head room. It also has a compartment that contains a queen sized bed that extends out to provide even more living space. Setting up is quite easy and can be achieved in well under two minutes, which is great for those quick camp stops. This caravan gives owners the best of both worlds - with a compact design, containing all the comfort and amenities of a top class caravan - with a price to match! Inside, this caravan is completely self-sufficient with a hot water system and ceramic cook top - both powered by diesel. The overall body length and height including the wheel tracking width is very similar to a Toyota Landcruiser, which together with it's solid chassis and independent suspension really puts it in the class of true Off Road Caravans.

The Little Robin Mini is a fantastic compact caravan which is more than ideal for small soft roaders, sedans and even front wheel drives. It weighs around 500kgs, has an external body length of 2.4m and all they have been road tested for maximum safety and durability. The Little Robin Mini is available as a standard caravan or a pop-top and an all terrain pop-top version has recently been released. This compact little caravan has five layout plans to choose from, including single beds on each of the side walls or a double bed towards the A-frame. There are plenty of features such as a 2 burner grill and range hood, a fire extinguisher, smoke detector and security door. The interior is well designed with ample storage solutions and the furnishings are colour-coordinated to your choice of upholstery and bench tops.

The caravans that are discussed in this article have the size, weight and features suited for this rather broad category of being 'compact'. There are however, a few other caravans that may also fall under this 'compact' category and they include the:

• Jayco range of pop-top campers such as the Jayco Penguin and the Jayco Finch.


• Roadstar Reo – which is a tiny hard shelled caravan designed like the retro looking teardrop campers.


• Tvan – This is a compact high-performance off road camper trailer that deploys a tent in around 3 minutes.