Author Topic: Kings new camper trailer.  (Read 15768 times)

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Offline tryagain

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Kings new camper trailer.
« on: October 01, 2020, 07:37:00 AM »
Kings are entering the camper trailer market, looks like it's aimed at being an affordable Patriot alternative.

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/products/camper-trailers.html

First video on it.

https://youtu.be/8ASIPpag3xc
« Last Edit: October 01, 2020, 07:47:42 AM by tryagain »

Offline doc evil

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2020, 09:25:08 AM »
Must be built to a budget............no stabilizer legs.

Suppose, a positive, there will be lots of spares on the side of tracks (as long as the bit that is broken on yours hasn't broken on theirs)  ;D
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Offline Bird

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2020, 09:39:04 AM »
Must be built to a budget............no stabilizer legs.

Suppose, a positive, there will be lots of spares on the side of tracks (as long as the bit that is broken on yours hasn't broken on theirs)  ;D
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Offline tryagain

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2020, 10:07:30 AM »
Must be built to a budget............no stabilizer legs.

You can see there are brackets up under it for them in this pic, not sure why they aren't on though.


It will be definitely be made to a budget, most things are. I am guessing you are looking at about 20K once you option it all up, which in one sense isn't "cheap" so hopefully, it lives up to some of their marketing. My experience with Kings, is they offer up some cheap and nasty products, they also have some not that cheap but pretty reasonable products. Looks to me like they are aiming for the second with this one.

Compared to the Patriot X1 which seems to start around 50K, I think it might sell alright.

Offline rossm

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2020, 10:10:02 AM »
If nothing else kings are good at marketing.
Every second rooftop tent or awning I see seems to be their’s.
It’s one thing to be happy with a cheap awning that may not last (just go buy another cheap one).
Probably sell like hot cakes.

Offline NZMarkb

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2020, 11:58:43 AM »
Pay now.    Get it......................
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Offline wakychapmans

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2020, 12:20:05 PM »
Lot of people pointing out that by the time it's speced up... it's almost $20k

I just don't understand the thinking on some people... You can pay nearly $20k for this.

Or similar money for a 2nd hand Cub, Kimberly, Pioneer, Track Trailer, AOR etc etc etc

« Last Edit: October 01, 2020, 12:22:05 PM by wakychapmans »
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Offline rossm

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2020, 12:38:14 PM »
Lot of people pointing out that by the time it's speced up... it's almost $20k

I just don't understand the thinking on some people... You can pay nearly $20k for this.

Or similar money for a 2nd hand Cub, Kimberly, Pioneer, Track Trailer, AOR etc etc etc

I actually kinda like the concept of a "camping" trailer rather than "camper" trailer.
I have no interest in sleeping 2m off the ground in a roof top tent and as a mostly solo traveller my preference is a swag on a stretcher  under an awning rather than a Cub, Kimberly, Pioneer, Track Trailer, AOR etc etc etc
Even tents don't hit the mark for me as it needs to be largish to accommodate a 2m long stretcher.
But there are times when I wish I didn't have to carry so much stuff in and on the car ... kitchen gear, food, extra water, a lot of which has to be unpacked for an overnight stop.
I guess its about finding the right compromise between wants and needs with budget a major factor.
The perfect set-up will probably elude me until I am too old to camp.


 

Offline Bird

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2020, 01:07:55 PM »
Quote from: wakychapmans
Lot of people pointing out that by the time it's speced up... it's almost $20k

I just don't understand the thinking on some people... You can pay nearly $20k for this.

Or similar money for a 2nd hand Cub, Kimberly, Pioneer, Track Trailer, AOR etc etc etc
agree.
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Offline nab

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2020, 01:37:30 PM »
I reckon its a great trailer and idea. If you had to buy the wheels, tyres, lights, water tank/pump/plumbing, steel, paint, latches, hitch etc etc it would set you back $5k in parts, then you gotta design/make it. Or you pay $12k and this is all done for you. Yeah you gotta fit it out internally but everyone has different tastes and needs so the hard bit is done and you just finish it to your needs.

Sure it may/may not handle corrugations (even expensive trailers have trouble with those buggers) but for 99.9% of people it would do the job fine. Just go over it well, check bushes/bolts/hinges etc and replace bearings with good quality ones and it will go most places you want it to.

I wouldn't compare these to Cubs etc as they are actually camper trailers and decked out as such. If you think of this one as a camping/storage trailer it's hard to beat the price/concept. Also looks like the towball weight when loaded won't be 200kg+ like those campers with 5436541 storage boxes on the drawbar.

I reckon they will sell like hotcakes!
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Offline doc evil

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2020, 01:53:03 PM »


I reckon they will sell like hotcakes!

They might, but once the great unwashed can fly to Bali, I recon you'll pick one up for a coupla grand..........and spend 10k fixing  the busted bits........
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Offline tryagain

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2020, 02:48:01 PM »
Just had a look at the rest of their vid's, even after allowing for marketing hyperbole, I think it actually looks alright, some further thoughts are.

I like the concept, especially if you are a regular camper, you can just buy the base model reasonably cheaply, and then add the upgrades later as needed and funds allow.

The build quality isn't likely to be amazing, but looks like enough R&D has gone into it to make it good enough, I think calls of it easily falling apart are probably quite premature though, this isn't your typical reselling whatever the Chinese factory is producing, it has actually been designed and engineered here, they don't lool like they have cheaped out on things like bushes, shocks, bearings etc, so it should be good to go out of the box.

I think these are a different market to you typical older Aussie built campers, that have largely gone out of popularity due to setup times, I think this would be more suited to couples looking at touring type trips, I think the older Aussie built ones are more appealing to families looking to stay put/base camp.

I have thought before that there is a gap in the market for a budget (made with Chinese labour rates) Patriot alternative, most other styles have both an Australian made and cheaper imported alternative, but none seem to have had much sucess in the imported Patriot style. I think that is about to change.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see these start showing up on building sites, use it for work during the week, even has a fridge for drinks and your lunch, then take it camping on the weekend.

Given this is just the first version, I would think it will only get better with time, the advantage of it being modular too is that they could sell new bit's as upgrades to existing owners as well.

Offline rossm

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2020, 03:00:58 PM »


I think these are a different market to you typical older Aussie built campers, that have largely gone out of popularity due to setup times, I think this would be more suited to couples looking at touring type trips, I think the older Aussie built ones are more appealing to families looking to stay put/base camp.



This is my thinking as outlined earlier.

Patriot's starter model now has no tent. One powerball and I might be interested. 
« Last Edit: October 01, 2020, 03:03:06 PM by rossm »

Offline Bird

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2020, 03:53:14 PM »
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Offline rags

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2020, 06:29:02 PM »
https://qualitycustomtrailer.com.au/custom-off-road-trailers-sydney-australia/

still dont see 20k in it.

I have that same trailer from that manufacturer. Good box trailer for the money, but the only Australian part of the trailer manufacturing was that the factory was located in Campbelltown NSW. The workers would have been on 4#7 visas and they ate curry for lunch. I’m sure the steel was sourced from China.

Offline Frawls

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2020, 07:13:02 PM »
You get what you pay for, that’s all I got to say.
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Offline NZMarkb

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2020, 03:46:53 AM »
I wouldn't be keen on spending that much money to sleep in a cheap roof top tent, with a 75mm foam mattress
As others have already said you are better off buying a 2nd hand reputable brand
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Offline tryagain

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #17 on: October 02, 2020, 09:13:33 AM »
I wouldn't be keen on spending that much money to sleep in a cheap roof top tent, with a 75mm foam mattress
As others have already said you are better off buying a 2nd hand reputable brand

You could put whatever rooftop tent on it that you wanted, you could spec it out from kings but choose but then choose whatever rooftop tent brand you like and you would likely still end up under 20K, but that is beside the point. I wouldn't buy it as it wouldn't suit me, the same reason as I wouldn't by a Patriot though. Those two along with the Drifta DOT when it was being made are really different market segments to what's available second hand for a similar price. It would kind of like saying to someone looking at a forward fold that they would be better off buying a caravan.

https://qualitycustomtrailer.com.au/custom-off-road-trailers-sydney-australia/

still dont see 20k in it.

I don't see 50k+ for a Patriot and the Drifta Dot either, but others do, and it's more comparable to them than an offroad box trailer.

You get what you pay for, that’s all I got to say.

This is true, but sometimes you are paying quite a bit for a name, expensive marketing campaigns, a big profit margin, and great workmanship (as opposed to just functional). Some people are happy to trade some of that off to save some $$$, others only want the best, neither is wrong or right, each to their own.

They might, but once the great unwashed can fly to Bali, I recon you'll pick one up for a coupla grand..........and spend 10k fixing  the busted bits........

Have you had a closer look at the pictures, it looks VERY well-engineered, and looks like they haven't cheaped out on the bits people have typically had to replace on their imports.


It might sound like I am trying to spruik it, I really don't know if it is going to be any good or not, but just actually trying to base assumptions actually on the information at hand. The real unknown at the moment is how the quality will be when it rolls off the production line, the pre-production one looks reasonable from what you can see in the pictures but the production version may well be different in the flesh.

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Offline Bird

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #18 on: October 02, 2020, 10:35:05 AM »
Quote from: tryagain
Have you had a closer look at the pictures, it looks VERY well-engineered, and looks like they haven't cheaped out on the bits people have typically had to replace on their imports.
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Offline below sea level

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #19 on: October 02, 2020, 12:06:21 PM »
Hmmm. Looks like they copied my home built one.

Offline tryagain

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2020, 07:49:22 AM »



I did say "looks like" and I'll stand by that, time will tell if looks are deceiving or not though.  ;)

Offline geopaj

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2020, 09:50:07 AM »
I wouldn’t buy one but I reckon they will be popular.

I wonder how they will go weight wise? The advised tare is 870kg with no accessories (and no bed or roof top tent) but it’s max payload is 630kg. The water tank filled will add 100kg. How much will the fridge, fridge slide, roof top tent, roof racks, and all the other accessories add up to?
« Last Edit: October 03, 2020, 09:59:04 AM by geopaj »
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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2020, 10:18:12 AM »


I did say "looks like" and I'll stand by that, time will tell if looks are deceiving or not though.  ;)
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Offline loanrangie

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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2020, 03:25:10 PM »
Its still just an RTT on an overpriced trailer even if it is on the low end of the market.
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Re: Kings new camper trailer.
« Reply #24 on: October 08, 2020, 09:09:09 PM »
I had a look at one at the new Brendale store the day.  Not impressed.  The trailer without out any options is just an overpriced trailer with lots of gimmicky single purpose features.  If you want to sleep on it, that's an option, want a kitchen ( a useless one at that), that's an option etc etc.
That said, I'm just not a fan of the camping trailer concept - especially the over the top bling trailers of Patriot - all form, no function.
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