Hard floor or soft floor

[Wooly]

Hi all, we are shopping around for a new camper and can't decide between hard floor flip over or soft floor type of set up. We have been using a Cavalier 96 off road model which we bought second hand a few years ago but is now a bit worse for wear so it is time to upgrade to something else. Something that is really quick to set up with an awning that can stay attached when folded up and not to long a draw bar. Budget is about 15 - 20k so a second hand Aussie Swag or Kimberly crossed our minds. We do not spend more than 1 or 2 nights in the same spot very often so are looking for a fast set up and pull down.
  Would like to hear from some experienced traveller/campers out there about what they prefer for ease of set up and pull down.

 Cheers, Wooly

[rodw]

I skipped the camper trailer stage when I saw my mates set up their soft floors and went with an Oztent instead.

I'd say hard floor all the way!

[reb1390]

We had a soft floor camper for 6 years and then changed to a Pioneer hard floor and wouldn't go back as it suits us and we like to be off the ground but you do lose  some living area. We can set  up in approx 2 mins if leaving attached to the car for an overnight stop.
We can't leave the awning attached and if we want to set up the awing it takes about another 15 - 20 minutes.

Regards
Steve

[morcon]

We have a soft floor - it suits us - 2 adults and 2 kids and typically stop in the one place for at least 2 nights at a time - it takes about 10 minutes for a quick set up and around 45 for a full set up. Having said that, if you typically only stay in the one place for 1 - 2 nights I'd be leaning towards a hard floor (or a caravan).

[Jason B]

Hi mate we have used both.

With a hard floor you are limited for space compared to a soft floor. However for all of the reasons you mentioned, especially the ease of set up, the hard floor wins hands down. We have a 2005 KK and the ease for overnight stops, was unbelievable compared to the soft floor. The awning can stay attached and the kitchen is set up ready to go all the time making road side lunch stops a cinch.

You will get a great KK within you budget and I highly recommend them. The difference between a KK and Aussie Swag is negligible from what I have read, they are both great campers and it comes down to personal preference in the end. I don't think you could go wrong with either of these.

Regards

Jas

[morgansmall]

When we were looking we had the same conversation, (though we couldn't find a top line hard floor camper under 5 years old for less than $25k).

We had a look at quite a few of each type, leaning to soft floors because they tended to be in our price range (same as yours), and realised you've got to compare apples with apples.  When someone says a camper takes 2 minutes to set up, you need to ask if that includes:

Manoeuvring the trailer to a flat spot & unhitching? (A short draw bar is harder to manoeuvre, how hard/easy is it to push?)

Levelling the trailer?

Laying out a tarp under the tent to protect the PVC?

Unclipping boat racks or taking anything off the trailer before you can start getting the tent up?

Taking off the canvas's protection? (Undoing straps, unzipping cover/unclipping hard floor etc)

Opening up the main tent? (Do you have to extend bows, wind it out, put 200 poles together etc)

Can you store your gear in the trailer or will you need to cart boxes of stuff/the fridge to the camper once it's set up?

How long does it take to get the kitchen set up, connect water, gas etc, get lights set up?

If your kitchen is outside and it's raining you're going to need the awning up, which means that 2 minute for main tent/45 minutes for awning is going to come up some time or another!  So we had a real look at all aspects of the canvas.

In the end we found a 2nd hand Complete Campsite Nomad in our price range, which we'd never thought we'd end up with. The stand out things for us are:

Nothing to take off the trailer before getting to the canvas;

Canvas cover is a simple Velcro & unzip jobbie;

Putting the main canvas up involves pushing the tent (which has ready extended bows) out and extending 2 internal vertical poles for the end wall.  That's it.  Add wind = add 2 to 4 pegs depending on how windy.

Awning is attached and is self supporting, though it probably takes 10 minutes to extend/fit the poles together & get the awning up.  We have only done it twice though!

Plenty of storage in the trailer (it's one of those with a walkway in front of the bed).

Pull out kitchen which does require a gas bottle to be taken of the side of the trailer, moved round and connected.  Water is already hooked up (I fitted an electric pump-DIYability was another criteria we looked for!)

Fridge is on a slide by the kitchen in the camper.

Everyone's got their own thoughts on what is too long to set up but this camper suits us.  The main point is that when you add up all the things you need to do, it's quicker than setting up a tent / cooker / blowing up a bed etc, and more comfortable.  The only thing 'er indoors would go for if we had the cash was one of those Travelander ute backs that set up with a remote control, but the CC will do until we get too old!

Good luck with your hunting!

[Jason B]

When we were looking we had the same conversation, (though we couldn't find a top line hard floor camper under 5 years old for less than $25k).

 When someone says a camper takes 2 minutes to set up, you need to ask if that includes:

Manoeuvring the trailer to a flat spot & unhitching? (A short draw bar is harder to manoeuvre, how hard/easy is it to push?)

Levelling the trailer?

Laying out a tarp under the tent to protect the PVC?

Unclipping boat racks or taking anything off the trailer before you can start getting the tent up?

Taking off the canvas's protection? (Undoing straps, unzipping cover/unclipping hard floor etc)

Opening up the main tent? (Do you have to extend bows, wind it out, put 200 poles together etc)

Can you store your gear in the trailer or will you need to cart boxes of stuff/the fridge to the camper once it's set up?

How long does it take to get the kitchen set up, connect water, gas etc, get lights set up?

With the KK the answer honestly to all of these questions is YES!

No need to unhitch for an overnight-er, no stabiliser legs, boat loader folds out of the way, undo six latches and fold it open done, the bed is made up and ready to sleep in. The kitchen, water, gas and all your other gear is permanently in there hooked up and ready to go.

Regards

Jas

[Kit_e_kat9]

When we were looking we had the same conversation, (though we couldn't find a top line hard floor camper under 5 years old for less than $25k).

Gotta agree there.  We couldn't find one UNDER 5 years of age for anything less than $25K (they all had mods, bits and bobs come with them that we didn't need), soooooo ... we bought new.  Seemed like a great idea at the time (still is) and since they have actually increased the new price (steel costs went up), we've had ours for a year and aren't losing out much at all.  With 2nd hand you also have to worry about how it's been treated through it's short life or the Home Modifier From Hell.

When someone says a camper takes 2 minutes to set up, you need to ask if that includes:

Manoeuvring the trailer to a flat spot & unhitching? 2 minutes although one time we've had to drive it in and spin it around which took a bit longer and (surprisingly ... due to the weight) wasn't too hard to do.

Levelling the trailer? covered in unhitching

Laying out a tarp under the tent to protect the PVC? We don't have to do this, but the door mat takes 5 seconds.

Unclipping boat racks or taking anything off the trailer before you can start getting the tent up? We don't have to do this, but we could if we wanted to as there is a storage rack up there (the floor stabilizer), but we have the ute tray to utilise.

Taking off the canvas's protection? (Undoing straps, unzipping cover/unclipping hard floor etc) 2 padlocks, 8 clips and flip it ... 1 minute.

Opening up the main tent? See above.

Can you store your gear in the trailer or will you need to cart boxes of stuff/the fridge to the camper once it's set up? We have storage boxes on the CT, fridge in the CT, pantry in the CT, bed in the CT (made up and ready to go) with storage underneath (pull out draw) and either side, kitchen in the CT, but we do take our OzPig on the ute tray.

How long does it take to get the kitchen set up, connect water, gas etc, get lights set up? Turn on the gas tap on the bottle and your done for gas, flick the main switch inside and you have water and lights (did this before we opened it though), swing out the kitchen and push onto fitting maybe 15 seconds.

If your kitchen is outside and it's raining you're going to need the awning up Yes that's true.  Timed it at 5 minutes ... 10 if you are stopping for or a bit longer for a domestic    ... 4 poles, 6 ropes for the actual awning (attached) 1 x 2 foot zip, then 2 short poles and ropes for the "over CT" awning or just ropes if you are feeling lazy.

Got a couple of end walls as well and it's just a matter of zipping them on ... 2 minutes.  This set up worked really well in a torential downpour with thunder, lightning and (can you believe it) hail.

Another 5 minutes to set up the table and chairs, get out alcohol, add ice to a glass, pour mixer, create a sanga or two ... So give us 15 - 20 minutes and we are completely settled, drinking under the awning with a sanga in hand ...

Never had a soft floor so can't comment there ... unless you classify TENT as soft floor?  

Kit_e

[Blinky Bill]

I've had both a soft floor & a hard floor. Comments on here about space (more in the soft floor) and speed of set-up (2 minutes for basic) are accurate.

Just returned from 3 months around Oz with a 2000 year Kimberley Kamper. Basic but solid outfit. Good kitcehn, cooker, comfortyable bed and good internal space. Even at 11 years old a well thought out design as is the Aussie Swag and Australian Outback Camper Trailer. All are quality kit.

Good sites for deals - MySwag has a good trader section So too Trading Post, Caravan Point and ExploreOz. $25,000 shoulkd get you a decent hardfloor.

I would have thought that now is a great time to buy.


Good luck -Wayne

[morgue]

There's not much out there in KK, Aussie swag, or AOR land for under 20K in good condition that is less than 6yo..people are charging 26k for a 10yo KK, riduclious.
There are the Pioneers, 2 yo to 4yo  Argles for about 25K+ depending on extras and such..if you find one for low 20's...grab it.
I have a soft floor and I have rigged it up for O/N stops, but Kayleen has a hard time setting it up on her own...I want a second hand hardfloor as well, have been searching for about 18 months.
Then about 2 months ago, I found one of these, 30K, bit out of the budget...well...what the fk, its' only money....
www.modcon.com.au/model_details.php?m=6


   

[dno]

If you haven't been already, www.campertrailers.org
Just 2 people and ease of setup, hard to go past a hard floor.
There's a few good buys over there at the moment.

[Blinky Bill]

Well you could always check out the 2005 Australian Off Road Camper (top shelf hard floor) on ExplorOz. Asking price is $22,500 but they may accept $20,000 cash. That's the kind of deal we did on our KK and both we are the seller were happy.

http://www.exploroz.com/Trader/Campers_Trailers.aspx

Bargains are out there. You just have to know where to look.

By the way right here on MySwag there's a couple of beauties. I certainly woulodn't be concerned about it being more than 10 years old as these CT's are near bullet proof.

[Crisp Image]

We have an off the back soft floor. If staying overnight and not wanting the awning setup and leaving it hitched it would take 5 min and 4 pegs to go to sleep.
Includes removing cover, placing mat down and setting tent.
Does not include connecting gas to the stove (about 1 min more)
We can do the fill annex unhitched and ready to sit down in 25min with 2 of us and only a few mins longer if I do it myself. (25mins longer if the kids help)
Regards
Crisp Image

[morgansmall]

Awning is attached and is self supporting,

My bad.  I meant self supporting once you put the poles up (it doesn't need guy ropes). Don't want to misrepresent!

[Sharpy]

Hi,
I have recently bought a hard floor camper with a built kitchen and fridge. Set up is easy = 5 min max. Only trouble is to access inside have to open camper by setting up floor. Have fixed with large front tool box. Will add doors soon. However once set up very water proof and great sitting area during rain etc.

Remember hard floors opens out behind and can fit in where you have driven soft floors are all in need of space beside. For free camping this can be an issue,

What is best for you is what you need to know.

Cheers and Beers
Tony

[Jason B]

There's not much out there in KK, Aussie swag, or AOR land for under 20K in good condition that is less than 6yo..people are charging 26k for a 10yo KK, riduclious.

Whilst I agree that the price seems high, it is indicative of what the market has deemed the KK, AS and AOR are worth. Don't forget how expensive these campers were when new, and the features that you get along with well proven build quality. I would not hesitate to buy a 10yo KK that was in good condition. In the case of the KK the chassis has not changed and they are fully upgradable if you feel the need.

Rather than the second had price being ridiculous, I would suggest it is why many consider the considerable out lay a good investment.


Regards


Jas

[cetacean]

We were also trying to decide between a hard floor and soft floor camper last year before settling on a second hand 2004 Adventure Daintree that had hardly been used off road and only done a few trips up the west coast. Was a steal for 13 k I reckon.They are almost a cross between the 2 styles in some ways
The only thing we didn;t like about it was that it took a while to set-up for overnight stops, We overcome the problem by getting a couple of lightweight ali' camp beds and thin mattresses,and now we just pull out the awning, and we're done and dusted in 10 mins to stay o/night,Longer stays we pul out the proper bed and tent and we're ready an around half an hour
You don't read alot about the Adventures on this web site,but they're a great bit of kit I reckon. A couple of their best features are their huge amount of storage space and the fact that I can leave the tinny in place on top of the camper when we set-up camp.
Looking forward to giving it a run around Oz in 2013

[Wooly]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts. I think a hard floor will win out in the end. There are a couple of Aussie Swags around at the moment near our price range so perhaps we will investigate these further. I am not so worried about buying 8 - 10 years old now. Should still get a few kms out of them.

Thanks again to all for responses.

Cheers, Tony and Andrea