Adventure Kings MT2 2023 Review

Well-equipped off-road campers can typically attract some eye-watering prices, but Adventure Kings is taking a different tack with its new MT2.

Launched in 2022, the MT2 bush trailer follows in the wheel tracks of the larger MT1, and is the result of customer feedback gleaned following the MT1’s release, itself being the first camper trailer launched under the growing Adventure Kings brand.

Falling under the 4WD Supacentre umbrella, Adventure Kings has carved a sizeable slice of the Aussie camping and adventure market over the last decade; these days it seems every second or third 4x4 is fitted with an Adventure Kings awning or set of driving lights.

The MT2 is a bit smaller than the MT1, with a bit less storage space and a smaller 78 litre water tank (100L in the MT1). You could think of the MT1 as the choice for extended tours and the MT2 more for shorter trips but, with a 920kg Tare and an ATM of 1800kg on the MT2 as reviewed here, the MT2’s 880kg payload can still accommodate a heap of gear...

The Adventure Kings ethos is simple – functional gear with super-keen pricing – and that sentiment is clearly evident in the imported MT2.

Both the MT2 and the MT1 came about in response to what Adventure Kings perceived as the generally modest amount of storage space available in a typical forward-fold camper, as well as their often-hefty overall weight.

Like the MT1, the MT2 has been designed and engineered here in Australia, but the base trailer is made in China before Adventure Kings builds it up here in Oz.

Both the MT1 and MT2 share the same modular design concept, in that you can buy the bare-bones base trailer and then have Adventure Kings tailor it to your needs with a range of accessories packages, or you can simply pick and choose yourself from the extensive Adventure Kings catalogue (or opt for gear from just about any brand, for that matter).

“The idea is that you can graduate through your camping journey with your trailer – whether you’re a swag camper or a tent camper, this trailer suits you, and if you’re a rooftop tent camper you can bolt one of those on as well,” says Adventure Kings General Manager of Product, John Pounder.

Back-up is good with 22 4WD Supacentre outlets currently dotted across Australia in each state and territory and the Adventure Kings camper trailers, spanning the MT1 and MT2 plus the XOT4 and XOT5 models that were previously acquired from Black Series campers, are available through Adventure Kings camper trailer ‘hubs’. The trailers are customised on-site at these hubs, where you’ll also find units on display as well as dedicated camper trailer sales staff to help guide you through the process.

That modular design concept means you can begin your off-road camper journey for a very affordable price. The Adventure Kings MT2 base trailer starts at just $13,995 – or $11,995, as was the promotional pricing for the model at the time of this review. And if you can’t stump that up, Adventure Kings also offers a finance deal which could see the base trailer in your shed from just $67 per week.

The base trailer comes with just the bare necessities: the chassis, steel wheels with mud terrain tyres (and full-size spare), and off-road independent suspension, plus the Cruisemaster DO-35 hitch, AL-KO jockey wheel, twin jerry can and gas bottle holders, LED trailer lights and camp lights, the 78L water tank, the body with compression (and lockable) doors, and awning mounts.

Stepping up, the optional Accessory pack adds a small pantry plus pantry slide, a fridge slide with table, and three cross bars for the roof, while the Ultimate pack – as reviewed here – loads on a 270-degree King Wing awning, a Grand Tourer MkIII rooftop tent, and a solid package of power accessories including 160A fixed solar panel, 120Ah lithium battery, 40A DC to DC charger, and a 1500W inverter.

The MT2 with Ultimate pack can be yours from $91 per week, while current promotion pricing for the trailer in this trim is $17,995 (usual price $19,995).

Additionally, the review camper was fitted with a 75L Adventure Kings Stayzcool fridge/freezer ($849), along with the gas bottles and water/diesel jerries.

Adventure Kings reckons it takes 10 minutes to set up the MT2, and that’s pretty much on the money.

If you just wanted to pull up for the night and hop in the rooftop tent, you could be in there and drifting off in half that – simply undo two latches, let the roof go up on its hydraulic rams, chuck in your bedding and job done. You don’t even necessarily need to set up the telescopic ladder – it’s just as easy to climb onto the checkerplate platform over the drawbar and jump in over the spare wheel.

And accessing the pantry or main storage compartments is as quick and easy as popping the dual latches and raising the doors. We left the awning stowed for this review – the wind was blowing a gale at our mountain-top location – likewise the fly for the rooftop tent. I suspect erecting the awning would be the lengthiest part of the operation.

Practicality and functionality are the prime strengths of the Adventure Kings MT2. After the rapid set-up, everything is at your fingertips to make camping fun and fuss-free.

The door to the fridge slide folds forwards and the slide pulls out to reveal the sizeable 75L fridge/freezer. It’s large and we like how the lid for each compartment can open to face either side, so you don’t have to ever walk around the fridge unit to easily access its contents.

You do have to watch the lower latch on the door when opening it – it knocks into the nearside gas bottle holder before the door can be secured against the magnetic pad. Fold the latch flat against the door when securing it and there’s no issue.

At the end of the fridge slide, a stainless-steel table (with bottle-opener cutout) extends to give some extra bench space – there’s a similar table at the end of the pantry slide.

Our MT2 was fitted with a small pantry with drop-down table and a pantry slide just aft; in our case fitted with an accessory Adventure Kings 12V travel oven ($199). However, you can replace both with just one large side pantry if you wish, which gets back to that modular design concept.

The small pantry will still swallow a good amount of stuff and you can fit more inside the pantry slide. However, the pantry slide sides aren’t deep and while there's elasticated cord to keep things in place, this didn’t prevent some of our kitchen utensils bouncing out and into the main storage compartment while we were towing (not that it took long to find them again!).

At the back, the twin jerry cans are readily accessible and there are three compartments across the back of the trailer. The centre and offside compartments are ideal for tools or recovery gear, while the nearside one houses the 12V water pump (with an outlet for a hose or outdoor shower).

On the offside, the main storage compartment is massive – 1180mm long by 1705mm wide by 405mm high – and everything is super-easy to get to. Like on the pantry door, the door here is fitted with a 12V LED light on its underside. And you’ll also find the Adventure Kings 1500W inverter mounted to the leading wall.

Next door, just forward of the storage compartment, is the electrical nerve centre, with 40A DC to DC charger, 120Ah lithium battery, and the master switch as well as the switch for the inverter.

It’s all neatly done and there’s a fire extinguisher in here too, although if you need to grab it in a hurry, you’ll have to remove the telescopic ladder for the rooftop tent, which mounts right where it obstructs the door (although this can be accomplished in a flash, if need be).

The Adventure Kings MT2 is a breeze to tow; with its 3500kg towing capacity, our Isuzu D-MAX tow vehicle barely noticed it behind us. This is quite a compact trailer, at 1880mm wide, and even our standard mirrors posed no issues.

It’s also 3560mm long and 1839mm high with the rooftop tent (or 1874mm high if mounted on crossbars), so it’s low enough to tow into a multi-story car park and quite compact to store in your backyard, garage or shed.

The Cruisemaster DO-35 coupling is simple and effective and the MT2 also comes with a pretty heavy-duty AL-KO jockey wheel.

As for off-road performance, the independent suspension with twin OzTec Outback Series shockers looks sturdy and well up for some rough treatment, with 325mm of clearance under its trailing arms, and a healthy 33-degree departure angle at the rear of the trailer.

The MT2’s 1640mm wheel track is similar to that of most modern 4x4s and utes too, so it will follow along nicely in your tow tug’s wheel tracks.

We didn’t tackle anything too gnarly for this review but check out the MT2 clips on YouTube – they clearly show this trailer is well up for some challenging terrain.

So the Adventure Kings MT2 is well-equipped, highly functional, and really very affordable – but it’s only affordable if it holds together well over the long term. A quick review of a brand-new unit can’t investigate long-term durability, but we can say that – while built to a price – the MT2 appears sturdy and robust.

Yes, there’s the odd sharpish edge here and there but overall the MT2 looks hardy and fit for purpose, from its hot-dipped and galvanized 150mm x 50mm x 3.5mm straight-through steel chassis, to its coated steel body with chunky dust-sealed doors, to its 16-inch steel wheels.

Owner feedback and reviews will tell the story in years to come, but based on our inspection we’d say the MT2 looks like a solid prospect and decent value for money, and it’s all backed by a five-year structural warranty.

The Adventure Kings MT2 really is a neat solution for those who like to go bush but who don’t want to spend a fortune. The modular design concept means you can build it up over time, either with Adventure Kings accessories or those of other brands, and the base trailer provides a strong starting point for the journey.

At these prices, and with the strong backup of the 4WD Supacentre behind it, we’d say the Adventure Kings MT2 is certainly worthy of a close inspection for intrepid travellers looking for a smartly designed and wallet-friendly off-road camper.

Price: $17,995 drive-away (promotional price, as tested)
Travel length: 3560mm
Travel width: 1880mm
Travel height: 1575mm (1839mm with rooftop tent)
Tare: 920kg
ATM: 1800kg
Ball weight (Tare): 180kg
Payload: 880kg
Wheels/tyres: 16-inch steel wheels with 265/75R16 Goodride MT tyres
Brakes: Electric
Suspension: Independent coil spring with twin shocks
Fresh water: 78L
Battery: 1 x 120Ah lithium
Solar: Single 160W rooftop panel
Inverter: Kings 1500W
Charger: 40A DC to DC
Gas: 2 x 4.5kg
Fridge: 75L Kings Stayzcool fridge/freezer
Lighting: LED
Supplied by: Adventure Kings
More info: 4WD Supacentre