Carry-Van Slide-on 2005 Review

By Tom Oltoff

If the Sydney Caravan Show in April was anything to go by, the number of makes and models of slide-on campers is certainly on the increase.

Among the many different tray-top slide-ons available is an innovative unit called the Carry-Van. Apart from a high quality fibreglass body, it has a slide-out section at the rear that provides a useful increase in the available interior space.

These days there are a large number of tray-top or utility-type vehicles that are ideally suited to carry this style of camper. The advantage of a slide-on unit is that there is nothing to tow: like a campervan, it becomes a self-contained recreational vehicle. However, where a slide-on wins out is that it can be removed and the vehicle used for other purposes.

Make it personal

Carry-Van’s Steven Johnston refers to their slide-on as “the motel room on wheels”.

While there are points of difference, in terms of space, the Carry-Van offers such standard comforts as a large double bed; shower and toilet; lounge/dinette; kitchen with refrigerator, cooker and sink; plus a surprising amount of storage space. And with the slide-out lounge extended, there is plenty of room for two.

Steven has spent the last five years converting buses into motorhomes.

This led to constructing custom-built slide-ons for owners of vehicles with a tray, with one particular design that would suit a number of applications. The result is a Carry-Van that matches up nicely with the likes of Holden, Ford, Nissan and Toyota single cab tray-top utilities.

Standard features of the composite fibreglass and fully insulated Carry-Van are numerous: in addition to the above are double-glazed windows with flyscreens and blinds; electric flush swivel cassette toilet; easy-to-clean moulded fibreglass cupboards, removable swivelling dining table, faux leather roof lining, stainless steel sink with glass lid, two-burner cooker and a 60 litre two-way 240/12V fridge. There is also a 100 litre in-floor fresh water tank as well as a 50 litre grey water tank.

On the 12V electrical side, there is a deep-cycle battery, multi-stage battery charger, vehicle charging system, four double fluorescent lights, 12V water pump and a 12V power outlet. There is also a 240V power inlet with overload and earth leakage protection, internal and external 240V powerpoints, a switchboard with fuses to protect each circuit and a smoke detector.

To complete the picture, the Carry-Van unit has a skylight, ceiling vent in the bathroom, outside storage compartments, boarding ladder, manual wind-up jacks and four built-in anchorage points to make sure the slide-on stays put, with all these features as standard.

If that is not enough, customers can choose from several optional extras to personalise their Carry-Van. These include an electrical package offering concealed electric legs, roof-mounted air-conditioner, inverter, flat screen LCD TV with built-in DVD player, TV antenna and rangehood.

Different-sized fridges can also be fitted. A Gas Package offers two 4kg LPG cylinders, gas hot water heater, four-burner stove and a gas connection to the fridge.

It is also possible to have solid timber doors and mouldings and timber wall panelling inside, as well as a three-metre rollout awning on the outside. The Carry-Van can be supplied without the pull-out lounge at the rear, but it is most likely that anyone who has seen the increase in floor space provided will still want it.

Don’t get mad, get even

The Carry-Van which CW sampled was a demonstration model and fitted with most of the desirable options.

At the other end of the scale, it is possible to save weight by starting with the base model – this comes minus the slide-out lounge, operates without gas so the fridge operates on 12V or 240V electrical power, and has a two-burner, alcohol-fuelled stove – unfortunately, doing without the gas means no water heater.

Our test slide-on had electric legs or jacks that could be operated from a control module, which plugged into a socket just inside the door. The alternative is to opt for jacks that have to be raised and lowered manually. As the Carry-Van is self-contained, removing it from the vehicle was quite simple.

Once at the chosen campsite, we disconnected the electrical connection between the vehicle and slide-on, undid the hold-down clamps, lowered the legs, drove away the vehicle and lowered the Carry-Van to the ground. As it is possible to adjust each leg individually, coping with uneven ground was not a problem.

Like most slide-ons, the ‘attic-style’ double bed over the cab offers a lot of sleeping space, but standing up is definitely out of the question.

The flat screen television can be viewed while reclining in bed or it can be swung around and seen from the lounge. Storage space is more than ample and includes a linen press, wardrobe, overhead cupboards, pantry and several smaller storage spaces.

The bottom line

Steven and the team have produced a data sheet that shows the gross vehicle mass (GVM) of different vehicles, as well as allowances that have to be made for tray, passenger or water weight. Potential buyers can then see how much luggage capacity is left, depending on the vehicle and the Carry-Van model.

With the availability of a large number of capable single cab utilities, it is clear that the sale of slide-on campers will only increase. The Carry-Van is well placed to take advantage of this.

A well made unit, it provides many customising options to suit individual needs, and the slide-out rear lounge offers the advantage of increased internal space without encroaching on overall length.

For more details of the Carry-Van contact 1300 735 211 or visit the website, www.carry-van.com

We liked:
• Stylish full-scale bathroom
• Quality of the finish and the fittings
• Slide-out lounge significantly increased internal space

We would have liked:
• Fitment of a lower external fridge vent to improve air circulation, rather than a small hole in the floor
• Different gearing on the electric legs so they could be raised and lowered quickly