Goldstream 1500 Remote 2019 Review

Any company that’s been in the RV manufacturing game for more than 25 years, should know a thing or two about what buyers want or, importantly, what they actually need.

Pakenham, Victoria manufacturer Goldstream RV is proof of that. The company started out in the 1990s focusing on Jayco-style wind-up camper trailers, before moving into hard-walled RVs and bigger models designed for comfortable off-road camping.

Having built more than 5000 camper trailers over the years, Goldstream is now meeting demand from fussier buyers wanting the best features of a caravan (interior comfort including cooking and washing facilities) with something that’s still light and tough enough to be dragged into rugged locations.

Goldstream’s latest 1500 Remote pop-top is a good example. Sitting in the middle of its pop-top range, which includes more basic 12ft models all the way to larger 17ft-18ft vans with bunk beds and bathrooms, the 15ft Remote pop-top is available with two main layouts.

Both include an indoor kitchen, dinette and combination shower/toilet, with either an east-west queen bed or a ‘walk-around’ north-south queen bed (or two single beds if you prefer).

Room to move

The 1500 Remote we’re looking at here has the north-south bed, which is a popular choice for many caravan buyers due to the convenience of space to access the bed on three sides.

The downside of this layout is a smaller lounge/dinette with squishy two-seat bench and adjustable table, compared to the more spacious three-to-four person café dinette that comes with the less desirable east-west double bed.

However, we reckon the smaller dinette is a small sacrifice for not having to climb over your partner at night to get to the toilet. And you can easily use the bed as a second ‘lounge’, with a few extra pillows in place, while still being able to view the swivel-arm TV.

Also, the table on the ‘QB’ layout is quite large, and has good adjustability, so it can be pushed right up against the seats when not in use to create more walking room through the centre of the van.

Relatively easy set-up

Like most pop-tops, setting up the 1500 Remote takes a little more effort than a fixed roof van. After releasing the four external roof clasps and roll-out awning, it’s a case of stepping inside and using the ceiling levers at either end to push up the roof.

While not overly strenuous, it took more effort than a smaller Avan pop-top we also set up recently, although the Avan didn't have the extra weight of solar panels on the roof.

Once up, there’s plenty of headroom for taller types inside and with the roof windows unzipped and the blinds down on the fixed windows on the side walls, you won’t be lacking for natural light or flow-through ventilation.

The 1500 Remote also has a decent array of interior LED lights on the ceiling and around the kitchen, as well as some dedicated reading lights around the bed (although not in the dinette area). There was also a Sirocco fan fitted for some extra relief on hot nights.

The inside kitchen comes equipped with a three gas burner cooktop and stainless sink with drainer and flick mixer tap – both with glass lids to create some benchspace as required. There’s also a rangehood and 93 litre fridge/freezer, but no microwave to allow more room for kitchen storage, which includes three drawers and a cupboard.

More interior storage can be found under the bed (although half the space is taken up by the air-conditioner), as well as a couple of overhead lockers and half-wardrobes and drawers around the bed.

Another thing Goldstream is pretty good at is combination shower/toilet units in pop-roof campers, with the vinyl roof sections on the 1500 Remote built into the shower area so there's no set up required apart from rolling down a small panel above the glass door prior to showering, to keep the water contained inside.

There's also a full height shower curtain inside that can be pulled across to help keep the cassette toilet and small sink area at the rear dry.

Ready to go remote

The ‘Remote’ label refers to the Goldstream’s suitability for off-the-beaten track touring, and to this end it comes well equipped with a Duragal 150 x 50mm A-frame and chassis, 12in electric brakes and 16in alloys with all-terrain rubber,

Our review pop-top was also fitted with the optional ‘Panther’ package which includes among other things Cruisemaster XT independent coil suspension and a DO35 coupling, rear jerry can holders (located between the two rear bar-mounted spare wheels), a gas bayonet, drop-down picnic table, some stoneguard protection including mud flaps, a water filter, and a rear view reversing camera.

Externally, the review van was also fitted with an optional grey water tank to go with the standard two 82L fresh water tanks, as well as an optional Dometic slide-out kitchen and front and rear spotlights.

External storage was optimized with the fitment of an optional gullwing toolbox on the extended A-frame, which had two compartments (one with a slide-out for a small fridge or generator) sitting alongside the two 9kg gas bottles.

There’s another side offside locker for smaller items, while more external storage space could be freed up if you didn’t tick the option box for the slide-out kitchen.

The 1500 Remote is also well set up power wise for free camping, with the two 80W roof solar panels feeding two 105Ah Lead Crystal batteries, complemented by a BMPro BatteryPlus 35 manager and Trek control panel.

Summing up

On first impressions there’s little to dislike about Goldstream’s optioned-up 1500 Remote pop-top van. I did manage to bang my head on the low-set overhead lockers above the bed – but then, that’s an occupational hazard when you top out at close to 190cm! I'd also like some internal 12V points inside to go with those outside, for more smart phone charging options when off the grid.

It’s also on the pricey side as reviewed, but then you can easily eliminate a few of the less essential options to keep the price down (the 1500 Remote starts at around $45,000).

GOLDSTREAM RV 1500 REMOTE QB PANTHER

Overall length: 7.2m
Internal body length: 4.65m
Body width: 2.43m (including awning)
Internal height: 2.1m
Travel height: 2.25m
Tare: 1874kg
ATM: 2474kg
Ball weight (Tare): 187kg
Body/frame: Aluminium composite wall, Meranti frame
Chassis: Duragal 150 x 50mm RHS
Wheels: 16x7in alloy/Trazano 265/75 AT tyres
Suspension: Cruisemaster XT independent trailing arm
Brakes: 12in electric drum
Stability control: Optional
Cooking: Thetford three gas cooktop, Finch rangehood, sink/drainer
Microwave: Not fitted
Fridge/freezer: Thetford 93 litre three-way
Shower/toilet: Combined
Air-con: Finch HB9000 ducted, reverse cycle
Hot Water: Truma 14 litre
Fresh water: 2 x 82L
Grey water: 1 x 82L
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Lighting: 12V LED
Batteries: 2 x 105Ah Lead Crystal and 30A charger
TV: Finch 24in LED
Radio: Finch CD with internal/external speakers
Solar: 2 x 80W roof-top panel and solar controller
Price: $74,990 (as reviewed drive-away, Vic)
Supplied by: Goldstream RV, Pakenham, Victoria