BRS Offroad Pursuit Platinum 2019 Review

A few months ago we reviewed one of the more impressive RV releases of 2018: the NSW-built BRS Sherpa.

Aimed at hard-core off-road campers who like to travel in both style and comfort, the compact, lightweight Sherpa impressed on a number of levels, including its unique design, solid construction and overall workmanship.

Just recently we got the chance to check out the Sherpa’s bigger brother: the 13ft (body length) Pursuit, another hard-shell hybrid camper that’s been on the market a couple years now but recently benefited from some updates.

Like the Sherpa, the Pursuit is built from high quality materials and with painstaking attention-to-detail, and priced accordingly: from $80,990 for the entry-level Pursuit, to $95,690 for the Pursuit Platinum Edition.

For the additional $14,690, Platinum buyers get 15 extra features in total, including airbag suspension, microwave, lithium battery system, gas air heater, ducted air-con, two additional fridges, innerspring mattress, off-the-ground shower/toilet, grey water tank and a mobile signal boosting antenna.

More features, similar construction

Like the Sherpa, the Pursuit is built at BRS Offroad's Redwood, NSW factory, with many of its components fabricated in-house.

It benefits from similar high quality construction, including a bespoke 150mm x 100mm x 3mm RHS hot dipped galvanised chassis, and fully insulated body made from a 32mm thick fibreglass/honeycomb composite ‘top cone’, and a 3mm marine grade fully welded aluminium skirt.

While the Pursuit’s off-road ability is no match for the rock hopping Sherpa’s, there’s enough clearance, underbody armour and all-round protection (including aluminium stone guard and extensive use of Raptor coating) on the Pursuit for serious off-road excursions.

Add in a Cruisemaster DO35 coupling and XT independent airbag suspension, and it should go as far off-road as any of its rivals, which include Track Trailer’s Topaz, not to mention the auto-levelling benefits of the twin airbag underpinnings when setting up on uneven ground.

Big payload for remote travellers

Also worth noting is the big 960kg payload for the Pursuit Platinum – important for those spending extended time away from civilisation. Remote campers will appreciate the combined 287 litres water carrying capacity (127 litre and 85 litres fresh water plus 70 litres grey water storage).

External storage is also pretty good, with the highlight a large, motorhome-style storage ‘bin’ on the offside, which will swallow a decent amount of bulky or heavy gear like a generator, camp chairs and table, as well as a tub for larger cooking items like pots and pans that won’t fit inside. The supplied portable toilet is also kept here when travelling.

There’s also a large ‘toolbox’ on the front drawbar that houses two 9kg gas bottles, as well as the extra canvas walls and skirts for the awning (all protected in neat carry bags). While located behind is another smaller, storage bin, with tie-down points and a mesh cover so you could strap on some firewood collected en-route.

Other external storage options include a front tunnel-style locker suitable for longer items like brooms, and a smaller ‘tube’ locker for poles and winders. There's also a couple of shelves with tie-downs on both sides of the front toolbox, for jerry cans or other ‘wet’ gear.

Powered up

Many of the electrical components are also housed neatly within the large offside locker, including the 200Ah Enerdrive lithium battery system with smartphone management. In addition, there's a 1600W inverter/60A charger to run the microwave or a plug-in coffee machine when mains power isn't available, and a 40A DC-DC charger/solar regulator for the 320W roof-mounted solar panels.

Like its Sherpa brother, the Pursuit has a unique remote-controlled powered entry door that in the case of the Pursuit, lifts up at the press of a button like an auto tailgate on a modern SUV. The curved fibreglass door includes a built-in air filter-like gas vent and lifts quite high on its two struts, so you shouldn't bang your head.

It also closes with a solid, car-like thud, promising good sealing on dusty roads, and is complemented by a set of powered entry steps. The only drawback for some buyers will be the tent trailer-style, canvas mesh screen that fills the gap when the door is open, to keep the bugs out. It’s a good compromise but not as convenient as a more conventional (but heavier) caravan security door.

Cooking options hard to beat

Catering to the modern RV trend to offer both indoor and outdoor cooking options on the one rig, camp chefs will have little to complain about the Pursuit Platinum's fit-out.

Our review camper came with the stylish new fibreglass slide-out kitchen (in lieu of the smaller, standard slide-out kitchen with BBQ and fold-over table).

The new kitchen slide-out includes a large stainless benchtop with recessed sink, and separate shelf for the Sizzler marine-style BBQ. There’s also a built-in two-burner gas cooker, that cleverly slides out from the side in what looks like a cutlery drawer.

Located alongside is another slide for the standard Waeco dual-zone 95 litre fridge/freezer, with a large fold-out panel at the front that could be used as another food prep bench or a picnic table.

For longer stays you can set up the 2.5m wide awning to provide shade and rain protection over the outdoor kitchen area, with extra canvas side walls and a draft skirt also supplied for extra cover.

When the weather turns really nasty, the inside kitchen running along the entire back wall of the Pursuit Platinum version is better equipped than some large caravans, including a sink with filtered water tap, microwave, four burner (three gas/one electric) cooktop with glass lid and a rangehood.

There are also a couple of under-seat 30 litre drawer fridges, to bring fridge/freeze capacity to 155 litres in total.

Below the kitchen bench are nine separate drawers and cupboards, most of which are reasonably deep and should hold a lot of food and kitchen gear, as long as they’re not too bulky.

As an added touch, fans of quality timber finishes will appreciate the beautifully crafted hardwood benchtops inside (and matching timber cover for the outdoor sink); a special touch provided by BRS owner Ben Souter, who's a carpenter by trade.

Protected by a thick clearcoat finish, they should prove almost as durable as the epoxy industrial coatings used for the interior flooring.

Cosy indoor living

Given its 13ft body length, there’s not a lot of spare floorspace inside, but caravan-style hopper windows on each side, together with a large star-gazing roof window above the bed, light décor and plenty of headroom around the kitchen bench, makes it feel less cosy than it is.

To maximize interior space while delivering a desirable internal ensuite, BRS has come up with a clever ‘hybrid’ solution. Directly opposite the entry door, on the offside wall, another top-hinged door opens up together with slide-out floor and wall section, to provide a convenient off-the-ground hot water shower facility.

The only catch is that for privacy and to keep water from splashing inside, you need to attach the supplied vinyl curtain on all four sides, which will add a few minutes to the set-up time.

The solid shower base features draining holes, directing the grey water to the underbody tank, and the portable toilet can be stored inside the shower at night, for added convenience.

Perhap's the biggest compromise due to the Pursuit’s compact dimensions, is the tiny sitting and eating area at the base of the bed. There’s just enough room for a couple of leatherette-lined single lounge seats, with a shelf in between that pulls out from under the bed.

Given the height of the 21in TV mounted above the kitchen bench, viewers are more likely to kick back on the comfy queen size coil spring mattress for watching the latest Netflix movies (Pursuit models get a Cel-fi go data antenna to boost internet reception in the bush).

Hidden storage options

Otherwise, BRS has made excellent use of any remaining areas inside the Pursuit for  storage, from the deep, pull-out clothes drawer that slides out from under the bed, to the hidden bedside storage bins and wall-mounted key hooks.

Spare wall space high up in the kitchen is used to house a number of displays including the water gauge and Truma space heater monitor, along with the Fusion stereo and two internal speakers (there are another two speakers outside).

With internal vents for the gas heater and separate air-conditioner, a standard 12V fan and fully insulated body, maintaining a comfortable environment inside the Pursuit shouldn’t be a problem, regardless of outside temperature.

The Pursuit Platinum also comes with a good array of 240/12V/USB sockets and LED lighting, both inside and out. In fact, with things like twin external gas bayonets, wired-up reversing camera and choice of kitchen splashbacks all part of the Platinum package, only the fussiest buyers will be wanting for more.

That said, there is the option for a dinette that converts to a single bed, to accommodate an extra person. BRS also offers purpose-built carriers for off-road recovery planks and bikes at the rear, near the spare wheel carrier.

Summing up

It’s taken only a short time for BRS to gain a reputation as one of the elite Australian builders of luxury hard-shell, off-road hybrid campers.

The range is limited and they’re not for everyone with the premium pricing, but you’ll struggle to find much better for the money if you’re in the market for an easy-towing, solidly-built and well-equipped hardcore camper.

Specs: BRS Offroad Pursuit Platinum 2019

Overall length: 5700mm
Body length: 3900mm
External width: 2100mm
Travel height: 2700mm
Tare: 1540kg
ATM: 2500kg
Ball weight (Tare): 140kg
Chassis: 150x50x3mm hot-dipped galvanised steel
Body: 32mm fibreglass composite and marine grade aluminium
Suspension: Cruisemaster 2500kg rated XT Air (Level 3)
Hitch: Cruisemaster DO35
Wheels/tyres: CSA 17x8in, Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx 265/70R17
Brakes: 12in electric
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Air-conditioner: Truma Saphir
Heater (water): Subarban 22L gas/electric
Heater (air): Dometic E2400 gas
Fridge: 95L portable fridge/freezer, plus 2 x 30L drawer fridges
Microwave: 900W
TV: 21in LED
Battery: 200Ah lithium
Solar: 320W roof-mounted
Freshwater: 127L and 85L
Grey water: 70L
Shower: Separate
Toilet: Porta-Potti Quebe 165
Price: $95,690 plus on-road costs
Supplied by: The Dirt OffRoad Campers, Mt Barker, South Australia
More info: BRS OffRoad