Hard floor campers

Whatever suits you and your budget !!

Aussie Swag are a good CT, as well as a KK, AORC, Pioneer, Campomatic etc....

I think the KK is best, because of the quality and features it's got....

But others think different, so only you can make up your mind !!

Have a look at the trader page here and also on www.campertrailers.org

For mine there are only two worth looking at for build,durability and general useability IMHO Australian Off Road Odyssey and the Aussie Swag. For two people they are both right up there with quality features. The Odyssey kitchen, hot water system and general fitout is great. The Cape York is solid but lacks the finer things that keep SWMBO happy

For me the KK was alway too expensive for what they provided. When travelling it was amazing how many KK owners admitted that either of the others would be a better buy.

For what it's worth

Kevin J

Hi Leanne,

We have had our Aussie Swag since 2000 and are very happy with it. Of course they are upgrading all the time and the later ones have many more features than ours. We bought the Classic because at that time we didn't dream that we would want to go off road. However we have taken it along the Gibb RR, up the Rd as far as King Edward River (when both roads were in poor condition) and many other places we thought we wouldn't be able to go. The only problem we had was that a knife in the plastic kitchen drawer insert drilled a small hole in it!

We opted for a long draw bar with a fridge and stone guard mounted on it.

There is a trade-off on the model you choose with any ct. We have less storage and a less robust construction but it is lighter and not as high as others so we can see right over the top when driving even on the rare occasions when something is being carried on top of it.

Leanne, can you order one with a longer draw bar? we settled on a T Van and they offer a longer draw bar as an option.
Regards
Krakka

We've been in a Campomatic for 5 years but had a real good look at all aspects of the Swag, the KK and others (we chose the Campo because we liked the kitchen arrangement better). We first started looking at the Swag when proprietors Noel and Julia were presenting at all the shows - always considered their product to be very well designed and made. We see quite a lot on the road. The proof of course is in the ownership, but I'd be surprised if I heard anything adverse.

I've had two Pioneer CTs in the past. I had the Argyle and sold that and went up to the Argyle SE to get the gullwing storage.

The first one was better quality than the second one, especially in the way the canvas was sewn. I think cost cutting caused a few short cuts to be made. Just my personal opinion tho.

Member Dave B ( BHQ NSW) has an Australian OffRoad Odyssey and I had a good look at Innaminka last Gathering. It is a beauty. I was very impressed by the attention to detail. No sharp metal edges. Canvas was good.

They appear second hand every now and then and that brand would be my choice (except I've gone up to caravans now lol !!).

cheers

Hi Leanne,

Have you looked at the Camprite? I have found them ideal for families as the kids beds are inside and all of you are off the ground. This is a pic from the Camprite website showing the setup including bunk beds (sleeps 6 this way).

The Camprite is like no other soft or hard floor camper. All the beds are off the ground and are left made up and it has a less than 5 minute set up. Plus you can carry kayaks and bikes which can be left on even when set up.
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The more you look at camper trailers the more you become confused!!! There are so many good models on the market its hard to work out whats best for your family. After having one for several years now and seeing them in action, my sister and sister-in-law have both bought one for their family friendly design.

Cheers

Captain

Hello LeanneW,

After deliberating for a long time and looking at the full range of hard floor campers, we purchased a new Aussie Swag in 2006 and have never regretted our decision. We've now travelled about 25,000 k'ms without any hassles including Tanami Road, Gibb River Road and the Old Ghan Railway.

Regards

nrb1748

Hi
I'll second the Captains comments as I have just ordered my second camprite and went through the same as you before our first. Go to the caravan and camping show depending when and where you are as you get to compare in one spot. Camprite was the best family camper for us ,2 adults 2 kids.
Stuart.

Hi LeaneW

There is such a range of hard floor campers out there. Just my bit. We purchased a Travelander just over a year ago now. Of course like others with other brands we love it. I just now had a look at the Aussie swag - as a had not seen it before. Lots of similarities. Our travelander unit fits on the tray of the ute but they sell the same one mounted on a trailer. Unlike the Aussie swag it opens out sideways. And unlike any others we had seen it has a remote button to open the unit and to close it. This really impressed both my wife and I. Instead of one 50litre waeco it has two x 40litre waecos so one can be set as a freezer for those longer trips.

It comes with all the usual - 120L water tank, pressure pump, hot water system, shower & full shower curtain, Inner spring queensize bed, lots of LED lighting, twin batteries with 3 stage charger, 3 burner gas stove & sink, lots of kitchen storage, drawers that open even when the unit is closed, full annexe as standard plus more. Just have a look on www.traverlander.com.au

Best part is the unit only weighs 680kg a lot less than the Aussie Swag. If you buy the trailer version it comes with a similar all singing trailer and extra storage on the draw bar.Mine loaded on the tray has wind down legs and comes off in about 15mins but if we only stop over for one night we just open it from the back of the ute in about 2 mins.

The main reason for getting a tray back unit was so I could tow the boat. Not a large boat but too big to roof mount. So far the roughest track I have been on is into Steep Point of Shark Bay. 120km that took 5 hours. Smashed the leaf springs on the boat so I had to order more to get brought in. Camper was fine.

Oh and the last thing - cheaper than the Aussie swag.

Bob

Interesting to hear of some negative stuff about the KK ??

Know a fair few people with them and haven't heard one bad comment..

Yes they are dear, but unfortunately you have to pay for quality.....

But if I had kid(s) , then the Camprite would be my choice......

Leanne,

You are right, it is tough to get the right one with so many options (and opinions) available.

I'll state my KK bias upfront, we had one for a couple of years and lived out of it (family of 4) for six months on our 'big loop'.

Some things I didn't like about the Kimberley?

Weight I suppose, but the trade off is, of course, strength. Ball weight is high. Many people point this out as a problem, without actually explaining why it is such an issue. Provided that your suspension set up is suited to the towing you will do, it is not a big issue (and reviewing/modifying your suspension to suit is something you should be doing, regardless of what you are towing). To me the real downside of high ball weight is moving the thing around off the car. I did watch people moving their Ultimates around into position with some envy. Our KK pretty much had to stay where you parked it. Overall build quality is great, but some of the finish let it down a little. Pop rivets vs. spot welding particularly. Ours was an early 2005 model, so not sure if this has improved. The Kimberleys also had some issues with funny tasting water if you weren't turning it over regularly. Again, may have been resolved now. Not sure about your comment on the electrical system, hard to see how it could be improved.

On the upside?

Reliability I think is key. From my perspective, we had six precious months to travel with the family (heaven knows when we will get another chance) and the last thing we needed was to be stuck somewhere for a couple of weeks waiting for repairs. We travelled over a fair range of conditions and the Kamper did not falter once. I had the wheel bearings repacked (precautionary measure) and othe than that, nothing needed to be done to it over the two years I had it. Price is an interesting issue and often (fair enough) a strike against the Kimberley. The only thing I would say to you is to think in terms of cost of ownership. Ours was bought (6 months old) for the purpose of doing our big trip then I was always going to sell it as it is a lot of money to have sitting at home (we now have a Tambo - great camper BTW). I had it for two years, did nothing other than routine maintenance, rego and insurance, then sold it (very quickly) for the same price I bought it for. So the total cost of ownership in my case was VERY low. I was not one of those owners (that Kevin has met) who thought others would be a better buy. My KK cost me virtually nothing, hard to beat that I suppose. I'm not saying this only applies to the Kimberley, but I would advise you to look at second hand models of the campers you are considering and watch how long they hang around, and what sort of money they go for.

You don't mention if you have (or are planning to have) kids. But obviously this will affect the style of camper you get. The flipover style offers you the floor space, and most come with a bedroom option as well. Alternatively, the Camprite also has good sleeping arrangements for kids. Do you want to cook inside or outside? Personally, I prefer not to cook in our sleeping space but your preferences here will also influence your choice.

The other thing to consider is what type of driving you reasonably intend to do. I am still looking for a definition of '4WD Camper' and it is a term that gets used liberally in the literature with most PR pictures showing the camper being towed over rocks, etc. The other line I love is 'it will go anywhere my car will go'. Yes, nearly any trailer will, but the question is how much less can your car do with the trailer in tow? To me it is not so much tricky terrain, but the ability to withstand constant pounding from potholes, corrugations, etc which defines an off-road trailer. Your driving plans also affect such things as entry/departure angles which are better catered for in the TVan and Ultimate, for example.

Final piece of advise, avoid the 'mine is the best' crowd when seeking advice. The reality is that their is no such thing as THE best camper, they each have their downside and their are probably four or five options that would suit you perfectly. Often, after careful analysis and weighing up options, you've just got to go with gut feel.

Have fun.

Matt.