Ultimate camper trailer with kids

[hillbilly]

Again thanks to everyone for your replies, too many to individually address.

Like I have said earlier we are not yet decided on a ultimate yet, but are still deciding between an ultimate, camprite and kk. The aorc is not in the running purely due to the lack of access when packed up.

The biggest issue with the camprite is the lack of them on the east coast. And also the kitchen when swung out is very small!

Re the cameron concept camper. We love our cameron except the time it takes us to set up for an overnighter. Also the A frame dust cover is great, but it means setup is a two person operation, you physically cannot remove the dust cover with one person. We do also like the idea of being off the ground.

I'm sure most of the time we too would cook outside but being able to prepare in a fly free environment is a big plus. A portable gas cooker and probably a weber q would go with us most places.

Like has been said before everything is a compromise, but all this is great input Thanks again.

Mick

[marquis]

Off road caravan is another option, Saw heaps around while travelling last year. Most had an off road caravan, next pop were cheap camper trailers (soft floors), then KK's, very few ultimates (saw six in total travelling around Australia).

I have an ultimate camper.  Mostly cook outside using a webber 120 even in the wet, but we brought it due to the king size bed and up high off the ground, most others are doubles (camper trailers).

[Pebble]

When we were living in Nannup (SW WA) I did see a few Ultimates drive through and probably even a KK or two. I don't recall ever seeing a TVan though and couldn't tell you the different brands of caravans that might have passed through (which there would have been a few).

Webber, I keep hearing about the popularity of those, I'd have a job to convince my Husband as he doesn't seem to like them much.
It goes to show that everyone is different, for me the king size bed in the Ulti isn't really a selling point, Hubby would just complain that I'm even further away lol

[oldmate]

When we were living in Nannup (SW WA) I did see a few Ultimates drive through and probably even a KK or two. I don't recall ever seeing a TVan though and couldn't tell you the different brands of caravans that might have passed through (which there would have been a few).

Webber, I keep hearing about the popularity of those, I'd have a job to convince my Husband as he doesn't seem to like them much.
It goes to show that everyone is different, for me the king size bed in the Ulti isn't really a selling point, Hubby would just complain that I'm even further away lol

Hahaha yet the king size bed was the selling point for my wife. The further from my snoring he better she reckons. I don't think it will be long before she buys me a swag, so i can sleep outside. 

[oldmate]

Some more comment from ultimate forum


"Hi Guys,
We are a family of 6 (2 boys & 2 girls), but the older three are 18+ and the yongest is 12. Since owning the Xtrk have only ever had two of them with us at any one time. All have their own swags which they setup under the bed. If the weather doesn't look that crash hot and/or for longer stays, I have the rear awning and walls which I can set up as required.
On one ocassion in FNQ we were caught one night with a torrential downpour that soaked the two boys 22 and 11 at the time. For the next few nights (until we could get things dry) the 11 yo slept with us in the bed and the 22 yo on the couch.
I think it all depends on the age of the kids and how they go either sleeping under the bed or in the annex. Either way we're very happy with the Xtrx's flexibility.
Cheers,"

"Our kids (boy, girl, boy - ages 15, 13, 11) all sleep in their own swags. However on a recent trip to Bendethra there was a huge storm and their site got flooded. We dragged the younger two in with us - one in the bed, one on the lounge. The 15 yo slept through the whole thing and stayed in his swag.

You will have no trouble fitting very young ones in the camper."


"Hi

We're also a family of four. Pigeon pair 4 &7. We all sleep on the king size bed all the time. We have no issues. Get them to go to a shop and lie on a king size with kids in the middle. My kids and wife are small."

[GeoffA]

......
The aorc is not in the running purely due to the lack of access when packed up.
......

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on rear access. Ours doesn't have it either, and we haven't found it to be an issue.
We just don't put anything inside the camper that might be needed while it's packed up.

It'd be handy to have, but not a deal breaker......

[oldmate]

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on rear access. Ours doesn't have it either, and we haven't found it to be an issue.
We just don't put anything inside the camper that might be needed while it's packed up.

It'd be handy to have, but not a deal breaker......

I agree with that also. Same with the ultimate for on the rd cooking and fridge access. We have the car fridge itch drinks and daily lunch, so no need to open trailer for fridge, and have a butane burner to cook snags if wanted.

[sako]

You can crawl into the Ultimate while it is packed up to gain access to the fridge and cupboards.
I never set mine up to pack before a trip.

[GeoffA]

I agree with that also. Same with the ultimate for on the rd cooking and fridge access. We have the car fridge itch drinks and daily lunch, so no need to open trailer for fridge, and have a butane burner to cook snags if wanted.

Yep. There are ways around different issues. Comes down to how you want to do it.

[Paul Mac]

Another camper you may be interested in is the Pioneer Onyx camper trailer. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned already. The onyx model has a queen size bed and a zip on bedroom among the many other features. It also has external access when packed up and IMO a great kitchen set up however, it doesn't have an internal kitchen. The hard floor area is big enough for a bunk stretcher bed arrangement if you didn't want the additional bedroom. I certainly consider it comparable with the AORC and the KK and it's now manufactured in Melbourne having been acquired some time ago by a fabricating company in Dandenong.

Worth a look anyways.

Cheers.

[oldmate]

You can crawl into the Ultimate while it is packed up to gain access to the fridge and cupboards.
I never set mine up to pack before a trip.

X2

[kiva]

You can crawl into the Ultimate while it is packed up to gain access to the fridge and cupboards.
I never set mine up to pack before a trip.

X2

X3

We did the same with ours - no biggie. I'd often crawl in (or send one of the kids in) to get something from the fridge for roadside stops etc. That is also how I'd pack the fridge before leaving, by crawling in. We'd never open the camper up to pack it.

[KieranR]

We've got a camprite, bloody love it, two young kids, they have their own beds and our whole setup is off the ground and set up done in 5 mins,  can put bunks in the kids beds if we decide to have more kids, but the missus reckons two kids exactly like me is more than enough.

[Pebble]

Hahaha yet the king size bed was the selling point for my wife. The further from my snoring he better she reckons. I don't think it will be long before she buys me a swag, so i can sleep outside. 

Lol seems I'm the snorer in the family anyway

[BV007]

We have 3 kids, albeit in their teens now. We have had 2 KK's in the past and then moved to an Ultimate. Kids room underneath accommodates 3 easily. Other combinations inside using the lounge/bed with younger kids are also pretty easy.

For us, the Ulti is the most functional and comfortable, has the most storage space and is much easier to put up and down. KK was much more time consuming and labour intensive; that was our experience anyway. I normally cook meat outside on the Weber, everything else gets done inside. 5 of us can sit around the lounge when it's raining. The king size bed is brilliant.

As others have said, fridge access is no issue when closed. Even if you did want to use the kitchen on a roadside stop, it takes all of 1 minute to open it up and erect the tent half over the kitchen using 2 internal spreaders. Another 2 minutes to bring it down and fold. No dramas and very little effort required.

It will go anywhere my 4wd will and can handle anything you throw at it off road. The weight saving is a real bonus and results in much less fuel used.

We have had the Ultimate for 2 years now and we would never go back to a hard floor camper again.

Good luck with your decision.

Cheers
Baz

[hillbilly]

Thanks again everyone for their responses, great food for thought. There's plenty to think about but we have got plenty of time to work out which one we want. At least I know whichever way we go it will be quicker and easier then our big soft floor!!!

Mick

[Pebble]

We had a soft floor (Adventure and then All Terrain), setting it up I don't think takes that long really (all the other camping gear is what takes up time, probably more so when packing up...waiting to cook brekky, doing dishes etc). I guess the main thing with hardfloors and the Ultimate is that it would be easier when it's raining.
I love the fact that Ultimate don't have poles and ropes (well for the most part, I guess some extras that I haven't looked into might require that).