Off road Caravan - advice please :-)

Hi You could have look at a Goldstream. Done some km's with mine on dirt tracks
standing up to iy ok. You can also get a porta potti and use it in a shower tent.
Brian

Hi Nicola

It certainly depends on where you plan to go. Do you want something that you can toddle through the bush with, or do you want one that will stand up to thousands of kilometres of relentless corrugations of our inland roads without falling to pieces? Check the fine print - some badged off road models by conventional manufacturers are only suitable for bitumen, with the ability to go down a short track to a campground or waterfall on the dirt, but to take on rough, stony or corrugated road invalidates warranty. Do a search here on off road caravans, and also on Caravanners Forum. Your question is often asked on both forums.

When you get into the dedicated off roaders, yes they are heavy, and a suitable tow vehicle for the weight is an issue that needs to be considered.

I thoroughly recommend purchasing second hand rather than new. To get the van you want, be prepared to go east, and often the price difference will virtually pay for your drive across.

Motherhen

We got the company to build the caravan to our specifications. I guess it is what you would call a "true offroad" - but we baby it as it is our home, too. As motherhen said, they are heavy as a "true offroad" van ...

Most of the companies that we talked to two years gao that were mid-range and above offered to design the caravan yourself - the standard designs were more for the showroom and to have something to show people rather than something to limit yourself to.

Have a look at the vans made by AORC


http://www.australianoffroadcampers.com.au

Hi Nicola,

Have a look at the ultimatecamper.
True off roader
dust proof.
quick to set up pack up.
tough as hell.
built in galley kitchen with fridge.
table.
Lot of storage .
And your Prado wont have any trouble towing it.
proven track record in the bush and heaps more.
We have had one for 6 years and we have been to some of the remotes hard to get to spots in oz including off the road all together.

one of the smaller Trakmasters or a Royal Flair Tuff Roader etc there's plenty of vans that will do the job these days and I don't mean Coromal or Jayco "offroaders"

Free Spirit on the Sunshine Coast do a extremly lightweight true off road caravan - good reviews on them as well.

http://www.freespiritcaravans.com.au/

they claim they can be towed with small 6's.....

Hi Nicola,

We have the Quantum by AORC and have included the kids beds so we can sleep 4 in it. Its a true off-roader, capable of going anywhere you can tow it. But it is also relatively small and fitting 4 people inside is on the tight side.

But if you want "real" off-road capability, then any dual axle van is simply too big and heavy. The Quantum weighs in at 1650kg empty and up to 2200kg when loaded (280kg is water!) and is only 1950mm wide (marginally narrower than my 200 at 1970mm). Its sized so that you can actually use it off-road and not just on gravel roads, it allows you take it anywhere you would tow a camper trailer but still have the luxuries like a hot shower and flushing toilet at the end of the day.

Cheers

Captain