$120K Ultimate wins best camper award

NSW's Ultimate Campers has picked up the major trophy at this year's Camper Trailer of the Year awards.

The $92,490 (base price) Ultimate Xscape camper trailer got the judges' votes ahead of another fancied Australian-built rival, Track Trailer's latest 'gas free' Tvan Lightning.

A total of eight campers were put through their paces in Victoria's High Country in early-February, including a number of imported hybrids that blur the line between a camper trailer and off-road caravan including the Bluewater XTraveller Hybrid, MDC AusRV XL15E MKII, Far Horizon Tuff Track Escape Hybrid, and Opus Hybrid OP13.

The campers were judged on various criteria including fit for intended purpose, innovation, self-sufficiency, off-road ability, ease of use and value for money.

Track Trailer with its optioned up $110,000 Lightning version of the iconic Tvan pod camper didn't go home empty handed, picking up the 'Best Build Quality' gong, while the Chinese-built Bluewater XTraveller pop-top won 'Hybrid of the Year' and 'Best Value for Money' awards.

"The Tvan is probably not the first camper you'd buy, but it could easily be the last, it's so well built," Camper Australia Creative Director Tim Van Duyl said.

The recently updated, fibreglass body Ultimate Xscape off-road tent camper also picked up the 'Most Innovative' and 'Compact of the Year' trophies at the annual CTOTY event, after Ultimate Campers won the Camper Trailer of the Year award with a similar camper at the 2021 event.

The 1300kg Tare, 1990kg ATM Ultimate Xscape fold-out canvas camper was loaded up with the latest technology including a monster 24V 14.3kWh lithium battery system with three 200W solar blankets to power on-board appliances including an induction cook-top and Truma Saphir air conditioner.

Blending premium finishes including carbon-fibre benchtops and full leather upholstery, with top-shelf underpinnings including electric-hydraulic disc brakes and Cruisemaster's ATX airbag suspension, Van Duyl summed up the Ultimate dream camper as a "near-perfect finish, inclusions list second to none and a design that to this day is still unique, practical and importantly light".

The range-topping Ultimate Xscape is listed from $92,490 on the Ultimate Campers website but the 'as tested' price of the optioned up winning camper came in at $120,000.

Since taking over the reins of the NSW camper manufacturer in 2018, Eagle Outdoors boss David Rodgers has taken the Ultimate Campers brand further upmarket as well as making numerous changes designed to improve on an already highly regarded 25-year old plus design.

This year's Camper Trailer of the Year was sponsored by Redarc, with each of the eight participants paying an entry fee to take part in the judging process.

For a full rundown of the winner check out the video below, or read this...