Cub Supamatic Camper Off-road

When you are looking at one, if it has any internal cupboards/kitchen etc give them a good shake. The flimsiness of this put me off as they seem to me as if they will fall apart at the first good bump.

Hi Brwright,

Don't know that I can be of much help because we have not long had our cub and have not had a chance to get it off road. However I'll give you our first impressions.

We've spent one night in it while at Bathurst for the weekend.

We purchased what Cub call their offroad Drover in the supamatic configeration. We opted for the outside kitchen with no cupboards inside because that suits our style of camping. The cook is more than happy with the kitchen. Consequently we did not get the outside B-B-Q. We opted for the double bed with inner spring mattress lengthways down the trailer rather than accross the trailer. My toes hang out a little at the end of the bed (doesn't worry me) but you need to make sure the bed is not too short for you. The mattress is nothing to write home about but it will do us.

We have a 60 litre 3 way fridge which works very well on gas as is the case with most 3 way fridges. Seems to work okay on 240V but 12V is a dead loss(Again as is the case with 3 way fridges.)

We opted for the full add-a-room, ie., awning with walls. i must say the awning is an absolute pain to erect. Very fidly. It's probably a matter of getting used to it. i'm sure that other manufacturers do it better.

Suspension is 7 leaf eye to eye with shock absorbers. Because we haven't had it off road i don't know how it handles offroad but ordinary highway travel seems okay. We also opted for electric brakes which i'm still getting used to.

We originally looked at buying a offroad caravan but decided that they wouldn't stand up to the amount of offroad travel we wanted to do over the next 10 years. Like everybody we had a budget to work to which did not extend to something like an Ultima so we settled for the Cub. Generally speaking we are pretty happy - I don't believe there is such a thing as a perfect trailer.

I believe that with camper trailers it is as much about how you drive and where you take it that determines how well it lasts and whether it's been a good buy.

Think that's about it. Don't know where you are but if you are in Sydney give me a yell. You are more than welcome to come and have a look and have a yarn.

Hello Robyn
We are on our 2nd Cub Supamatic off road. The first, a 1996 model was damaged in 1998 in Darwin by a driver not giving way, badly repaired and later written off. After the trip - 3 months up centre & down west coast with 10 & 12 yr olds - we looked around again and couldn't find better value for money so bought another.

We do take it off road regularly and until last month towed it with a 3L V6 Pajero. Now use a 3.2L DiD auto - both great cars no trouble towing fully laden up steep and rugged hills - had to watch down hills as had no trailer brakes.

Thye Cub is not perfect but the basic design, layout and frame geometry is very good. The later models have far more flimsy inner storage than earlier models. Our first was an inside kitchen which folded up for use and down for travel excellent on a cold night/day but not so good on a hot one. The second is an outside kitchen - great in moderate weather but needs fly screens in summer for insects and wall in winter for winds. Just like most campers.

The real advantages are the hard top/floor and being off ground. Ease of setup - we leave the fly to the annexe permanently attached and can use it or leave it flipped back on top out of the way use small elasticised straps to secure against winds. When its only a short stay and good weather we rarely use the full annexe but can erect it all in 15-20minutes. You get better with practice.

The Cub really tracks well offroad. Its wheels go where your vehicle's rear wheels go. We've had it in sand, water crossings up to about 650mm, and across rough terrain. Its fairly dust proof and copes with rocks and boulders well. Recently on a club trip other vehicles were very surprised that we didn't slow them down and could still surmount the obstacles without problems. Possibly the nut behind the wheel or good vehicle knowledge and experience. We don't go boulder hopping or extreme 4WDing with the trailer but do everything else. It's also stood up to golfball size hail stones without damage while the car needed a new roof, bonnet, front quarter panels and windscreen. Other campers had ripped tents!

Oh yes one major reason for purchase is use of space well. I'm 6' tall and can sleep across it comfortably. We added a sculptured foam mattress overlay for comfort. The design gives extra internal floorspace.

If you want more info email me directly.

Sorry about the delay in reply but I've been bush and am just catching up . I bought one about 6 months ago, great to tow (2.8 td hilux extra cab) it tracks well and rides well , easy to put up and down the slide out kitchen makes for a very comfy camp.Good storage under bed (we found large plastic boxes with lids which fit in pefectly , 4 of them). Now,,,, as for dust sealing it is good around the top but i suggest you go right around the floor area asspecialy(spelling) wheel arches inside and out with silastic .
The water tank also takes in dust and you end up with brown dirty tasting water I had to drop the water tank and flush it and found the overflow/breather had nothing in it so ran a vent up to top of camper and put a small filter on, also I susspect dust to get in through the filler other models have a screw on cap. It also leaked water before we even used it around aluminium edgeing on roof/floor while sitting in the drive , again seal completely with silastic. The slide for kitchen is only riveted into timber floor and they break (common apparantly) and need to be replaced with bolts. I meen its a good unit but to label it "OFF ROAD" when it leaks so much dust !!!!!. I have seen their rep at a camping show and he wrote down all of these problems but no reply so fixed myself, at least I know its done, its just disapointing when you buy something that is new and expect it it to at least dust proof ( see"OFFROAD") and the company dosn't seem to care . I guess you get what you pay for.
Athol.