Bushtracker 14ft Pop-top

WE LIKED:
>> Towable by mid-sized 4WD
>> General fit and finish
>> Light and airy despite compact layout

NOT SO MUCH:
>> Only one gas cylinder standard
>> Not a lot of room to move inside
>> Still pricey despite entry-level status

Bushtracker caravans are built for serious outback travel, and everyone knows it. Up until recently though, Bushtracker vans were pretty large and bulky and only available as full-size vans, with no pop-tops or ‘expander’ variants.

All that changed last year when a compact 4.27m (14ft) pop-top caravan emerged from Bushtracker’s Queensland factory.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

On first impression, the pop-top looks a lot like any other Bushtracker van, apart from the obvious difference in the roof line. The characteristic overhang above the front spare wheels and the water sealing flap for the entry door will be recognisable to anyone familiar with Bushtrackers.

Starting underneath the van, the pop-top has a standard 150 x 50mm (6 x 2in) hot-dipped galvanised chassis with integrated drawbar rails.

I encountered a little surprise with the van’s suspension – it has airbag suspension fitted, rather than the standard Bushtracker independent set-up.

I didn’t do too many kilometres with this rig but it was certainly a smooth tow, and I’m told by someone who has done some serious bush testing that airbags are definitely an asset.

Another surprise was the fresh water tank capacity – three 90 litre tanks (270 litres in total), all moulded polyethylene and bolted well up out of the way to prevent damage. It’s also a split system – so potable and non-potable water can be kept separate.

Up front, the drawbar is a very busy place. In addition to the essentials like the DO35 hitch, there’s a stone guard, two spare wheels, two jerry can holders, Eberspacher heater diesel tank and one 4.5kg gas cylinder.

However, given this van is designed for remote outback remote, and costs close to $100,000, I’d have thought a second gas cylinder was not an option.

The pop-top is built in the traditional Bushtracker style – the framework for the walls and roof is 2mm and 3mm sections of aluminium which is both welded and riveted.

As for insulation, 76mm polystyrene cooler board has been used for the roof and 25mm cooler board for the walls.

Covering all that is aluminium cladding, with an extra layer of aluminium checkerplate protection over the lower half. According to Bushtracker, it’s very functional for damage protection and not just there for decoration.

Completing the body structure are Seitz hopper windows, a Camec security door and Dometic awning. There’s no front boot but the tunnel storage area is more than adequate for a van this size.

A lot of the neatly-labelled electrics are located in the tunnel boot. The only problem with this might be quick access if the storage space was full, but it’s also possible to lift up the bed base from the inside to access the boot.

For those who enjoy outdoor cooking, a slide-out barbecue is fitted beside the tunnel and opening the hatch door above the wheel reveals power sockets – both 240V and 12V – suspension airbag controls and a Fusion radio.

RAISING THE ROOF

Setting up the pop-top van is pretty simple – there are the usual things to be done, of course, but in addition, the roof has to be unclipped and raised. This is quite easy to do because the roof is lifted by air fed from the compressor and holding tank system which is part of the airbag suspension.

An electronic lifter or manual lifter is used if the van has standard suspension.

Most pop-tops have a clip in each corner but this van has four clips on each side. Lifting the roof isn’t too bad, even with the weight of the air-conditioner, solar panel and TV antenna, but remember to set the awning to ‘open’, otherwise it makes for very heavy lifting.

Designing a usable layout for a 4.3m van is always going to be a challenge, especially with a shower and toilet on board. I suspect a full-height van of this length could feel a bit cramped but this van has a nice spacious feeling – not to mention a view out of the screened gusset windows – at head height, because of the pop-top.

So how does everything fit in? Up front is the east-west bed, along the offside is the dinette, and the shower/toilet is in the rear corner. The rest of the space is taken up by the split kitchen across the rear wall and down the nearside, with the entry door in between.

All the cabinetry is beautifully finished in Bushtracker’s customary Tasmanian oak, offset by white walls and ceiling. The cupboard doors have good-quality piano hinges and rollers and guides for the drawers.

For those who don’t particularly like confined spaces, this van has plenty of windows which create a decent amount of natural light and fresh air.

The 2.03m x 1.49m (6ft 8in x 4ft 11in) bed is well-placed to take advantage of that, and it sits just below window level and gets any prevailing breezes which flow through the windows.

Another benefit of the raised bed is three drawers underneath and the ply timber/alloy framed bed base can be lifted to get at the storage area underneath.

LED reading lights are fitted to the offside end of the bed and there’s a ceiling light as well.

Butted right up against the bed is the kitchen bench and if the 165 litre Waeco fridge door was hinged the other way, it would be possible to reach in and refill the wine glass without getting out of bed!

Given the bench length, that leaves just enough space for the Swift four-burner cooktop, grill and oven and a bit of storage – a large drawer and two floor lockers.

The remaining space below the bench is used for the hot water and space controls, along with a Fusion radio/iPod player.

The side of the fridge cabinet is used as a substantial mounting point for the flatscreen TV which can be swung out so it can be seen from either the dinette or the bed.

Across the rear of the van, the space not taken by the shower cubicle is filled by a stainless steel sink and drainer. The only downer of this arrangement is that there’s nowhere to stack dirty dishes but there are always going to be compromises in a van of this size and this is a relatively minor one.

Under the sink is a cupboard, two drawers and a floor locker.

The leather upholstered dinette looks deceptively simple but it’s quite comy and is kitted out with useful LED reading lights, 240V and 12V power sockets, and single pole-mounted table.

Foot space isn’t bad but part of it is taken by the wheel arch.

BATHROOM BUSINESS

Fitting a shower cubicle into a pop-top can be a design challenge but this one has been achieved without too much trouble. It has fixed walls, a hard door to external wall height and then a vinyl gusset with a zippered door.

Inside the cubicle are a Thetford cassette toilet and a variable height shower hose – although this is limited by the wall height and the wash basin.

The basin is built into a moulding with a locker below and one above to the side, as well as a wall mirror. It’s all very compact but, at the same time, perfectly functional.

A roof fan hatch and a screened window in the gusset create necessary ventilation and there’s also an outlet for the diesel fired heater for cold nights.

The electrics for this pop-top are quite sophisticated, as you might expect. As previously mentioned, energy efficient LED lights are used throughout and the two deep-cycle batteries are charged by either a 20A mains charger or two 135W solar panels.

VERDICT

I’ve met more than a few people who love the idea of off-road travel in relative comfort but they baulk at the idea of towing a lengthy tow vehicle/van combination. So it’s not hard see where the Bushtracker 14ft pop-top finds its place.

It comes with all the Bushtracker characteristics – sturdy build quality, clever design and thoughtful layout – while being an easily-towable caravan.

Compared to its bigger brothers, it’s quite a small and compact van inside and that should certainly be kept in mind. But given there’s been considerable growth in the hard shell camper trailer/small off-road van market recently, the Bushtracker pop-top should certainly attract more than a few buyers.

To see the airbag-suspended 14ft Bushtracker in action during testing, check out the video below...

BUSHTRACKER 14FT POP-TOP

Overall length: 6.1m (20ft) 
External length: 4.27m (14ft) 
External width: 2.17m (7ft 2in) 
External height: 2.55m (8ft 5in) 
Interior height: 1.97m (6ft 6in) 
Nameplate ATM: 2300kg 
Nameplate Tare : 1820kg
Ball weight: 180kg
Frame: Aluminium  
Chassis: Hot dipped galvanised 
Suspension: Independent with air bags  
Cooktop: Swift four burner, grill and oven 
Fridge: Waeco 165 litre 12V  
Microwave: n/a 
Shower: Flexible hose, variable height 
Toilet: Thetford cassette 
Lighting : 12V LED  
Gas supply: 1 x 4.5kg 
Hot water: Truma 14 litre 
Fresh water:  3 x 90 litres 
Price as tested: $98,934 (on road,  Qld)
Supplied by: Bushtracker, Kunda Park, Queensland