Is there a perfect inbetweener? Hard floor with space of a soft floor

[israel.mcgregor]

Hey all.

New here. Thanks in advance for any help!

We're looking for a camper trailer for a family with two young boys (2.5 and 3mths).

Last camp we hired a soft-floor. We loved the under cover space, but it's too much effort in set up and pack up.

Looking at hard floors, they seem to have a much smaller footprint. Especially the outdoor undercover area.

The best option seems to be a dual fold, but these look quite new to the market and likely out of our $$ range, even second hand  We want to spend not more than 15k really if at all possible.

I've even considered finding a hard floor and adding a second roof  to extend the kitchen area from 2.4 to 4.8m in depth. Anyone tried this before?

These are our considerations:
Off-road capable (we may want to trip around the country)
Reasonably quick setup and pack up
Able to be done by one person
We enjoy at least 5.5m in width.
More than 2.4m depth of outdoor living area (or perhaps if it wrapped right around the camper?)
Inbuilt kitchen (I don't want to cart a cooker around separate)
Plumbed with hot water to kitchen
At least 100l water tank
Quality canvas (some these days are almost see-thru and terrible for keeping the heat out)
As much pantry and fridge storage as possible (with fridge slide on same side of the camper as the kitchen)
Wife doesn't really like the dinettes it the hard floors. She thinks its a waste of space for longer stays.

Oops run out of typing space....

Any comments much appreciated!!

[db]

The modcon Quattro may suit you. With the rear entrance and it's awning you end up with a longer awning. Not sure if you can hit all your wants in your price range, unless you're going to do some work yourself. And yes, i have a Quattro.

[filcar]

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/items/details/2010-aussie-swag-campers-rover-lx/SSE-AD-6518362/?Cr=1

[GBC]

Our mdc cape York awning area is 6 x 2.5 m. Most rear folds are pretty similar dimensions. Yes I’ve seen extensions made up.
Our canvas is insulated where it is single layer in the awning and has a tropical roof over the bedroom.

[xcvator]

Have you had a look at Cub campers , something like this would probably suit you and there is a dedicated group on this forum for more information.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/items/details/2015-cub-space-van-drover/SSE-AD-6320619/?Cr=21

[nab]

What about a Jayco Hawk or similar?

[edz]

Got any basic fabrication skills or mates with some that work for beers n BBQ's  ..easy enough to mod an existing trailer ..
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=33410.msg530117#msg530117   or    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjx8lgIMCU ..

[tryagain]

Excluding a possible trip around OZ, what kind of use do you envisage using it for? Touring, or more of a go camping in the one spot?

[israel.mcgregor]

The modcon Quattro may suit you. With the rear entrance and it's awning you end up with a longer awning. Not sure if you can hit all your wants in your price range, unless you're going to do some work yourself. And yes, i have a Quattro.

Thanks!  Yea I have taken a quick look at the modcon.  Shame they are in QLD and I'm in NSW. I'll have to do some more YouTube research. They might work, but may not have enough coin to buy one. 

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[israel.mcgregor]

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/items/details/2010-aussie-swag-campers-rover-lx/SSE-AD-6518362/?Cr=1

Interesting. Awning on both sides? Only walls on one side and no wrap around?

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[israel.mcgregor]

Our mdc cape York awning area is 6 x 2.5 m. Most rear folds are pretty similar dimensions. Yes I’ve seen extensions made up.
Our canvas is insulated where it is single layer in the awning and has a tropical roof over the bedroom.

I'm really liking the MDC's. My eyes keep being drawn back to them. How did the extension work? Just add a zip to the end of the original awning and zip on a second one? I know it's pretty cheap for the Canvas work. I just need to find out about proper pole placement, storage of the extra gear and also making sure it doesn't turn into a sail/ pool on a windy or rainy day

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[israel.mcgregor]

Have you had a look at Cub campers , something like this would probably suit you and there is a dedicated group on this forum for more information.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/items/details/2015-cub-space-van-drover/SSE-AD-6320619/?Cr=21

I had initially been turned away from a hard floor rear fold like this. That floor space is usually really small (though this cub looks a lot more spacious).

Other than the price tag of this particular one, the classic issue I'm trying to solve is that outdoor undercover space. See pic below. Really only room for your kitchen and dining.  Then you need a gazebo and such outside which I'm not a fan of.

But I guess adding an extension is the only way to go?

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[israel.mcgregor]

What about a Jayco Hawk or similar?

Did my wife put you up to this??

If she had her way we'd be getting a Jayco. I have my reservations... 1: sleeping in the wings... Doesn't look particularly comfortable or solid; 2: how off-roadable are they?

Happy to be convinced about a Jayco tho... Happy wife and all!

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[israel.mcgregor]

Got any basic fabrication skills or mates with some that work for beers n BBQ's  ..easy enough to mod an existing trailer ..
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=33410.msg530117#msg530117   or    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjx8lgIMCU ..

Nice build!

Got plenty of mates who will work for beers n BBQ, but I wouldn't let any of them near a trailer that has to house my family! Myself included in that unfortunately.


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[israel.mcgregor]

Excluding a possible trip around OZ, what kind of use do you envisage using it for? Touring, or more of a go camping in the one spot?

You really hit the nail on the head here. We are still undecided, which is making this decision so much harder.

We have come from tent and tarp setup and 3 weeks away once a year. We usually bring everything including the kitchen sink (two sinks actually) as we base ourselves in a national Park with no power or water.

Set up was at least 8 hours with 2 to 3 people. With a young family it is just me and anyone I can rope in to help. Just too much effort these days.

So, with the move to caravan/camper we are re-visiting our holiday options. We will still do the one big stay in one spot each year, but I'd like to be able to hitch up for a couple nights every couple months. These probably aren't going to be massively off-road, but likely always to at least be either a national Park or a beach trip.

It seems soft floors are great for most single site long stays and the rest are good for overnighters. Hence the inbetweener I'm looking for.

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[Bigfish]

Mate has an older model jayco hawk. Has taken it on some rough roads with no issues.  The winglets are comfy to sleep in providing you get the mattress that suits you. Reasonably quick to set up. Couple of portable solar panels ( dont put them on the roof or else you will have to park in the sun!).
Run the fridge on gas once setup and with a pull out awning setup they are quite good.  You can upgrade the axles, tyres, springs etc  but if you buy the off road (outback) model this is all done for you.  Some also have a 300mm drawbar extension.  You will get a good one for around $15000...maybe a few good deals coming up..thanks to the corona virus (then again if people dont holiday overseas as much campers and vans could go up in price due to demand???).  Well under 2 tonnes mean they tow well.

[Alan Loy]

Have you considered a 2 part setup?
1  Choose your camper of preference. This gives a quick setup for the short stays and includes cooking and sleeping.  Personally I would choose a hard floor there are some great 2nd hand deals.

2 add an enclosed awning, quick tent for extra living space for longer stays.  The new hexagonal screen houses look good for extra living area particularly with the walls to keep out the rain and give some privacy. https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztent-screen-house-hex

I guess you could set up the lot on your own in well under an hour

[israel.mcgregor]

Have you considered a 2 part setup?
1  Choose your camper of preference. This gives a quick setup for the short stays and includes cooking and sleeping.  Personally I would choose a hard floor there are some great 2nd hand deals.

2 add an enclosed awning, quick tent for extra living space for longer stays.  The new hexagonal screen houses look good for extra living area particularly with the walls to keep out the rain and give some privacy. https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/oztent-screen-house-hex

I guess you could set up the lot on your own in well under an hour

Any experience with the hex screen house? We often get buffeted by 60+km winds, which is why I am not a fan of gazebos. I've seen too many rekt in a pile beside rubbish bins, or even in a tree!  Usually because people don't think to remove fabric and just leave the skeleton in place. But then anything under there gets wet/blown away.

Many of the soft floors have a second room (dare I use the word M.A.R.S). This would be ideal.

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, please keep them coming!

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[Alan Loy]

Any experience with the hex screen house? We often get buffeted by 60+km winds, which is why I am not a fan of gazebos. I've seen too many rekt in a pile beside rubbish bins, or even in a tree!  Usually because people don't think to remove fabric and just leave the skeleton in place. But then anything under there gets wet/blown away.

No experience but they have 12 peg points so they should be OK 

[Bird]

No experience but they have 12 peg points so they should be OK 

Before Campertrailer days, I borrowed dads gazebo years ago and headed to Frys Flat... set it up all pegged down (the ones that go through each foot), setup the tents, etc..
Came back and the gazebo was about 300mtrs down the campground with pegs still in the feet with the frame bent to Shit... Havent bothered with one since.. dad was over the moon...

[tryagain]

Go buy a good used softfloor for under 5K, it will suit your longer stay and be OK for long weekends, if in a couple of years you decide  you want to do a few more touring type trips then you can get a van or similar, the difference between a well thought out softfloor set up and a hardfloor really isn't all that much, it's the taking 2 kitchen sinks mentality that will add considerable time.

[israel.mcgregor]

Go buy a good used softfloor for under 5K, it will suit your longer stay and be OK for long weekends, if in a couple of years you decide  you want to do a few more touring type trips then you can get a van or similar, the difference between a well thought out softfloor set up and a hardfloor really isn't all that much, it's the taking 2 kitchen sinks mentality that will add considerable time.

I should clarify that I used the wrong terminology when I said hard floor. I actually mean dual fold or forward fold.  I realise now that there is a rear fold hard floor that I'm not really interested in.

I agree with you we may need to just stick with a soft floor and simplify. But it still took me 6 hours to pack up (full pack, not just closing up the camper) with a much small setup. Maybe I'm just super slow.

One of the first trips outside of the end of year mammoth event will be Fraser island. Wife doesn't like the idea of the kids sleeping on the ground.

For that matter wife doesn't like the idea of camping at all, which is why I pack the kitchen sink lol!

But with onboard hot water and sink and cookers etc this should cut down on a lot of extra work

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[Heavensent]

We have had similar thought.
Got an old soft floor that i built up on an old box trailer.
But with 3 kids set up for an overnighter isnt worth it.

We have decided on an old jayco poptop to upgrade to next.
Ill set it up with basic offroad tyres and suspension, though in all honesty it wont see alot of offroad work.
But something we can keep beds made up will be great.

But will organise an awning and annex for it.

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[tryagain]

But with onboard hot water and sink and cookers etc this should cut down on a lot of extra work

My softfloor has all of these, but if the wife is the one you need to appease to go camping, then get what she is happy to go away with.

[Bird]

  I realise now that there is a rear fold hard floor that I'm not really interested in.

Why is that?