Soft floor CT Blue Tongue v Skamper Kamper v Leisure Matters

[shep@DubVegas]

G'Day All,

Weighing up a few second hand soft floor CTs and starting to narrow the field down.  Was after opinions on a few of the models I'm looking at.  All are in the 5-7 year old range so all the caveats on wear and tear obviously apply, as do the various bells and whistles/mods (or lack thereof) they each have.  Some people seem to think Gumtree is like the old telegrams where you pay by the word - more info people!!      The ones I'm weighing up are:

2011 Leisure Matters  https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/gulgong/camper-trailers/2011-leisure-matters-camper/1205982691
2011 Skamper Kamper Ranger  https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-clair/camper-trailers/skamper-camper-camper-trailer/1202243655
2014 Blue Tongue  https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/hawkesbury-heights/camper-trailers/camper-trailer/1203998067

My main questions are around:

1.  Are they good at keeping you dry (fairly important!).  We won't be in the tropics; just need to survive a bit of drizzle and the odd downpour
2.  Do they have quick set up (main tent)?  Any big issues with erecting annex or other rooms aside from time?
3.  Do they have good airflow for the warmer parts of the world?

Hard to find a lot of info on layouts etc of the older CTs; the Net obviously has most of the more modern specs.  I realise you potentially inherit the odd problem with a 2nd hand CT (esp imported), but it seems if we cover off on good structural integrity on the trailer and no holes in the canvas we are a fair way there.

Any thoughts on the above options?

Cheers,

Shep

[Bird]

1.  Possibly - depends how its been treated... without looking at it, your guessing.

2.  Define quick.. some people 1 hour is acceptable.   Others 10 minutes is a deal killer. Annexes on nearly all trailers is a PITA - but again, define PITA. Some trailers are designed so you can permanently leave awnings on permanently. great idea except for the real quick overnighter  YMMV

3.  nearly all trailers are similar, most are fairly poor - thus the discussion recently on air conditioners and fans.

[ronmac]

Bird hit the nail on the head, I had the skamper kamper and just with the side annex about 15 min With the front main awning add another 45 min. Sold it to a younger mate. 

[Banjo16]

Agree with comments on set up times, I previously had a Leisure Matters hard floor and never got wet in some very heavy rain.

[shep@DubVegas]

1.  Possibly - depends how its been treated... without looking at it, your guessing.

2.  Define quick.. some people 1 hour is acceptable.   Others 10 minutes is a deal killer. Annexes on nearly all trailers is a PITA - but again, define PITA. Some trailers are designed so you can permanently leave awnings on permanently. great idea except for the real quick overnighter  YMMV

Cheers Bird.

Re 1:  I'll be going for a squiz to check them out - more of a general question on those brands
     2:  By set up, I just mean folding out the main tent and hopefully tightening a couple of extender arms.  Usually 10-15 mins unless using an annex, which as you rightly point out, is more of a PITA, especially for short stays.

[Bird]

     2:  By set up, I just mean folding out the main tent and hopefully tightening a couple of extender arms.  Usually 10-15 mins unless using an annex, which as you rightly point out, is more of a PITA, especially for short stays.

I'd say to setup the tent alone would nearly be = on 99.9% of soft floor trailers.. same for hard floor.

Softfloor - unzip travel cover - pull tent over, 2 uprights 2 extenders = you can sleep if need be
hard floor - undo locks, flop over floor, pull over the tent couple of poles etc done.

Caravan - pull up, dont even unhitch, sleep.

FWIW I'd never buy a new camper or caravan ever again.

[GeoffA]

hard floor - pull up, don't even unhitch, undo locks, flop over floor, adjust couple of poles, sleep

Fixed it for ya....Coota style....awning goes out only if wanted/needed.
Other rear-fold hard floors would be similar.

FWIW I'd never buy a new camper or caravan ever again

Agree with that, but we're looking at doing it anyway. It's the only way I can see us getting what we want.