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Quote: Originally posted by Blue Sky Pennine on 22/6/2015

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Can tell you're a brand new member AdanClinton. you won't get better advice than on here.

OK. With a budget of £1,000, you can get something pretty decent. A couple of people, myself included, have asked if you want a folding camper or a trailer tent. This is because many who are new to the scene swear blind they want a trailer tent, mainly because they aren't aware of the difference, and, often, it turns out they are actually after a folding camper, so, if you don't mind, I'll take a look at both, to give you something to compare.

The man difference is that a trailer tent is, basically, a tent in a trailer. Mostly, the trailer part will contain one or two double beds, some storage space, and, maybe, a couple of bench style seats. The vast majority of the living / cooking etc is usually performed in the awning area. Because they are like 'normal' tents, they take a lot longer to set up, and have to be pegged out, in use. A folding camper is more like a caravan (sorry for swearing, but all in context. lol) with a canvas top, so a lot more equipment withing the trailer, can be used without the awning, and doesn't need pegging (unless using the awning. Where folding campers lose out is that they are, generally, heavier than trailer tents, due primarily to the extra equipment, which will, usually, include a kitchen, one or more settees, storage, and a couple of double beds.

If you are looking at starting out, and after something lighter, then your folding camper options are more restricted. The very lightest are the Pennine Aztec and Dandy Four (later known as the Dandy Dart). Both are under the 500kg mark, fully laden. Slightly larger models worth looking at include the Pennine Apollo and Fiesta and Trigano Randger 415, as well as the Conway Countryman and Challenger. All of these are a little heavier, though, and are more in the 500kg - 750kg range. Over that, and you're into the 6 berth models, which a lot of people do start out with, quite happily, but, as your original post says the most light weight ones, then these are going to be way off the mark.

On to trailer tents. As Miserly says; Camplets are an option well worth considering, as are the Combi-Camps. Both are quick pitch. Neither as quick as the blurb says, but the Combi-Camps can be up in a couple of minutes, 5 with pegging etc, plus awning time. Camplets tend to be that bit more expensive, and there are less around within your budget, than there are Combis, but they are still around, and, definitely, worth a look.

To be honest, most trailer tents are going to be under 500kg, so very easy to maneuver, both hitched and unhitched. You will normally find there is a trade off between size and speed. Larger, traditional style TTs will have loads of space, but take much longer to pitch. Smaller models, like those above, will, generally, be lighter and faster to set up / take down, but the space is considerably less than many traditional TTs.

Keeping weight as the main criteria here, then, combi-Camps and Camplets are the two main options, and most commonly available. Taking weight to it's ultimate conclusion though, there are a number of smaller models around, many of which are designed to be towed by a motor bike.

Camp master do a range of these, including the Campmaster 4 and Drenthe, both of which should be in budget.

Comanche also do / have done a number of motor cycle based TTs. The current models will be over budget, but the older models, like the Brisa, should be available for what you have to spend. Less common are another Spanish manufacturer; Inesca. these crop up reasonably regularly, and models like the Tirol are amongst the lightest available.

The main problem with these ultra light ones is, of course, that most don't feature their own kitchen, and hence the previous questions as to whether or not you have existing cooking facilities you could migrate from your current tent to a TT. Also, many of them are only 2 berth, so, if weight is your biggest issue, and you want a 4 berth with kitchen, then Camplet and Combi-Camp are your best options, though a combi-Camp with a kitchen is less likely to be within budget.


Post last edited on 22/06/2015 11:53:44

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