| The evaluation below is based on the following facts:
- Car / car-trailer-combination is built for 2 travelers
- Duration of travel is several years
- Travel area is worldwide (cold and warm climates)
- Used to travel alone in the far outback
- Range approx. 1500 km
- Self sufficient >= 7 days, + 4 days contingency
- Very good and complete set of gear to help yourself
out of possible troubles
Combination of an off-road capable caravan
towed by a fully equipped off-road vehicle of the 3.5
t class (as per 2003)
The idea behind such a setup is to drive wherever possible
with the towed caravan. Then the caravan will be left
behind (state- or caravan-park, private area, ...) and
trips to rougher areas (up to 4 days) or trips into
cities are done with the towing vehicle only.
What we would buy:
Pros:
- Very comfortable while living in the caravan
- Lots of storage area
- Suitable for all climates
- Best off-road capability of all setups, since the
towing vehicle only carries the items used for relatively
short trips (4 days + 4 days contingency)
- Good security over night (humans and animals) and
good protection from environmental hazards
- No special drivers license required
Cons:
- Remote places on difficult tracks are not suitable
for caravans
- The caravan has to be left back for several days (theft-risk)
when accessing difficult tracks
- Long trips on difficult tracks are only possible if
the caravan can be picked up later on via a less difficult
route. Due to this fact this setup is not suitable for
certain areas (Africa, South America)
- Expensive (high initial costs)
- High running costs for overnight stay, shipment and
maintenance
- Combination is very bulky in suburban areas and
off-road
- The whole setup is very heavy (caravan > 2000
kg)
Combination of an off-road camper trailer
(tent) towed by a fully equipped off-road vehicle of
the 3.5 t class (as per 2003)
The idea behind such a setup is to drive wherever possible
with the towed camper-trailer. Then the trailer is left
behind (state- or caravan-park, private area ...;) and
trips to real rough areas (up to 4 days) or trips into
cities are done with the towing vehicle only.
What we would buy:
Pros:
- Very good off-road capabilities without the trailer,
since certain items are stored in the trailer, which
reduces some weight of the towing vehicle. Not as good
as with a towed caravan
- The whole setup performs better off-road than a towing
vehicle / caravan combination (smaller, much lighter)
- Good value for price
- Low maintenance costs for the setup
- No special drivers license required
Cons:
- Little comfort in bad-weather situations
- Not suited for cold climates
- Trailer has to be left back for several days (theft-risk)
when accessing very difficult tracks
- No security at night (humans and animals) and limited
protection from environmental hazards
- Long trips on very difficult tracks are only possible
if the trailer can be picked up later on via a less
difficult track. Due to this fact this setup is not
suitable for certain areas (Africa, South America)
- Higher running costs for overnight stay, shipment
and maintenance as for a single car
- Bulky in suburban areas
- Camping outside official campsites in suburban areas
is nearly impossible
A vehicle of the 3.5 t category where
you sleep in a roof tent or a popup-roof (as per 2003)
The idea behind such a setup is to live outside the
vehicle, sleep in a roof-tent or regular tent and the
vehicle is mainly used to transport the travelers and
to carry diesel, water and all the gear required. It
must be possible to occasionally sleep inside the car
(in cities or in very bad weather).
Cars of this category built as Campers we don't see
as a solution for journeys to remote places while travelling
alone, as the storage-space problem get even worse
What we would buy:
Pros:
- AUS: A car of the 3.5+ t category is sufficient
but will be packed up close to its limit
- Small in size and overall not too heavy; very handy
- Low costs
- Low running costs for overnight stay, shipment, maintenance
...
- Doesn't look posh
Cons:
- CH: A car of the 3.5 tons category will most likely
be packed up to its limit (or even beyond)
- Too little comfort if used for continuous travelling
- Too little load-capacity always resulting in to
too many compromises regarding security (Center of
gravity, water resources, recovery gear, ...)
- Very uncomfortable in bad- and cold-weather periods
- Low security with regards to robberies and hold-up's
near towns, thunderstorms and other environmental situations
- Camping problematic in cities
Campers built on a truck of the 7.5 t
class (as per 2003)
The idea behind such a setup is to live outside as
long as the weather permits, otherwise inside. The sleeping
berth is inside the car at all times.
What we buy and where we let it build:
Pros:
- Enough comfort even if travelling for several years
- Suited for all climates, all track conditions and
all countries
- Enough storage space
- Enough load capacity for serious infrastructure
(solar-panels, water-filters, pumps, fire-extinguisher,
spare-parts, recovery-gear, ...)
- Much better security with regards to robberies and
hold-up's near towns, superb protection from thunderstorms
and other environmental situations (if camper section
built in ALU)
- Camping in and near towns easy possible
Cons:
- Needs to be based on a truck of the 7.5.t class (OKA,
Unimog ....)
- Needs LR driver license in Australia, C1 license in
Switzerland
- Expensive in all respects
- Less handy off-road and much more weight on the 4
wheels then with a car of the 3.5 t class
- More difficult to get it repaired out-bush
- More difficult to recover when bogged (No High-Lift
Jacks available for this weight, hydraulic jacks have
too little extraction)
- Bulky in suburban areas
- Some limitations may apply when driving into cities
- Does not fit into any container
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