Totally confused

[bettyb]

Hello
We are new to the camper trailer market.
We have been researching for months now and still can't make a decision.
Can anyone help please?
We are a large family (2 A 5 C) but we don't mind squashing into a camper if it means it's going to be safe and get us back in one piece.
We need something that can handle the Gibb river rd.
I was originally looking into the Stoney Creek FF6 (http://www.stoneycreekcampers.com.au/pr ... r-sc-ff6-3) but then discovered so much info out there about chinese made campers. So many people are pro Aussie made. So then I re started my search.
What would people suggest.
I have looked into a Cub camper where we would have our 5 year old sleep with us and the 4 kids on bunk stretchers on the hard floor.
I don't really understand all the jargon either. Weight distribution, ball weights, and so many people say forward folds can't handle harsh Aussie environment but I don't understand why?
We drive a Prado 3Lr diesel.
Any other suggestions?
I am getting so confused......
TIA

[robcaz]

Hi bettyb,

No wonder you are so confused with the number of camper trailers on the market & the fact you do not know if they are all Australian built or manufactured off shore as the wording on some website can be very misleading. I must say the quality of the imported campers as a lot higher these days than what they were only a couple of years ago. Still you do hear some horror stories from those whose camper trailers have not lived up to their expectations through poor workmanship or low quality parts etc.

With five kids you will no doubt require a camper trailer tent that opens to twelve foot or more so you are using the whole tent area as a bedroom. Off the back you can set up a large awning with walls & flyscreening if you wish & use this area as the lounge, meals & kitchen. Don't make things too hard for yourself setting up. Here are our experiences travelling & camping with our kids http://www.campertrailers.org/camping_t ... h_kids.htm

It would be an advantage to you if you could attend one of the weekend get togethers or even for the day where you can have a look at a few different types & designs & more importantly chat with the owners. Details can be found at http://www.campertrailers.org/upcoming_events.htm

For a start you will find some useful information on the tech tips page under the buying a camper heading http://www.campertrailers.org/tech_tips.htm

You may find my article about ball weights & weight distribution easy to understand along with an explanation of the terms used http://www.campertrailers.org/balancing_act.htm

Do your homework Googling brand names. Please feel free to ask questions as you narrow your search.

[jw2170]

Also, these days, a number of the soft floor campers have a "family room" that attaches to the back of the tent.

[David Collins]

Hello Bettyb,
My strong advice to you is to hire a camper trailer before you buy. It doesn't really matter which type of camper trailer, it is more to see if you like the concept. However you can draw what you like and dislike from the hired camper. We only entered the camper trailer market 4 years ago and the market is flooded with second hand trailers that have barely been used and are significantly cheaper than brand new. In relation to the number of children you have, you may find some of the older ones would prefer to sleep in their own smaller tent.
Good luck....

[Ern_Reeders]

I'd endorse David's comment about trying first. Some retailers who hire will credit the cost towards purchase if you decide to.

You need a bit of experience and knowledge before you can start to ask the right questions and make a decision that will work for you. It's all about which trade-offs you can live with.

Rob's resources are well worth a study.

There are a heap of small and large manufacturers putting out a plethora of models. Crudely put they fall into soft and hard floor units and soft ones have more living space all up, more storage space in the trailer base, are lighter and are cheaper than hard. They will likely take longer to fully erect.

So, some folk have an aversion to the fold-out tent floor resting on the ground .... too close to the wet and to creepy crawlies. But anyone who's tented or done overnight bushwalks will have learned that they're no great threats.