GT Camper Off-Road
Not satisfied with existing camper units, off-road journalist Glenn Torrens decided to design and build his own
WE LIKED
• Super-quick set-up
• compact when erected
• unique design
NOT SO MUCH
• water staining of plywood kitchen
• thin mattress
• limited application for families
When Newcastle-based Glenn Torrens set about designing his new camper range he decided to base the concept around Australia’s top-selling 4WD vehicle, the HiLux, using that vehicle’s ‘ute-tub’ aft section.
That allowed him to design a module that could be fitted to a cab/chassis, making it a rigid-vehicle camper or, alternatively, be mounted on a trailer chassis, making it a camper trailer.
The GT HiLux consists of a modified and camper-equipped tub and separate storage/fridge bin section that can be mounted on a current-shape HiLux short-cab/chassis.
A smaller Camper, without the bin, can be fitted to a dual-cab HiLux. The GT Camper Trailer uses a HiLux tub and storage/fridge bin mounted on a galvanised, leaf-spring chassis.
The GT HiLux and Camper modules both feature a strong, vacuum-formed composite hard-deck, on top of which is a compact, fold-over tent, fitted with a double bed.
Beneath the hard deck and accessed through the tub tailgate is a removable, roll-out, plywood Drifta kitchen, with two-burner LPG stove, LED lighting, sink and pump-action fresh water tap.
In the case of the GT Camper Trailer and short-cab ute GT HiLux, there’s a powder-coated lockable fridge cabinet in front of the tub, with slide, 12V power sockets, storage shelf and tie downs.
On either side are lockable pannier boxes and underneath is a roto-moulded 80-litre water tank. The dual-cab GT HiLux comes with the hard deck, tent, kitchen and water tank, but no fridge module.
GT Camper Trailers come as on or off-road models and additional items on the off-road model include a Hyland articulating coupling that mates to a standard 50mm towball, increased ride height, one-tonne-rated seven-leaf heavy duty springs with rebound leaves, 16x7 white-spoke steel wheels and 205R16 all-terrain tyres.
GT HiLux modules can be installed on 2005-2011 HiLux short-cab or dual-cab chassis and colour-matched to the vehicle cab.
GT Camper Trailers come standard in white finish, but can be colour coded to match the towing vehicle if desired.
The GT HiLux camping modules installed on your cab/chassis have a RRP$13,990 for short-cabs and $7990 for dual cabs. The GT Camper Trailer starts at $18,500 (on the road, NSW). Colour coding is extra.
EASY TO TOW
We’ve been playing with the GT range since the concept days and some of our comments have influenced design changes.
The base model GT Camper Trailer is easy to tow on moderately rough trails, but for serious off-road work there’s a severe-terrain off-road version, fitted with mining-company-specification springs and rebound leaves. That’s the prototype unit we chose for our extended bush test.
At the end of more than 10,000 bush kilometres the GT Camper looked as good as new on the outside, other than for a patina of dust. As with all soft-top campers that dust layer coated the tent cover, meaning that opening and closing the cover was a dusty operation.
Our test team loved the way the GT Camper Trailer towed on- and off-road and its low profile and frontal area contributed to brilliant overall economy of 10.5L/100km.
The test couple lived with the unit for five weeks and found that the tent was quick and easy to set up and pack away and that the ‘bat wing’ awning provided some shade and limited rain protection.
The crew liked the kitchen layout and the front storage bin’s capacity and dust-proofing.
However, they felt that although the standard tent was fine for weekend trips it was too small for extended camping trips, having no standing or dressing room and limited rain protection.
Also they found that the standard foam mattress was too thin. GT Campers is in the process of evaluating a larger tent/mattress combination.
The tub lid lifts to allow access under the tent floor, but our test crew reckoned they could do without that feature and have a roll-out drawer instead.
The Drifta kitchen worked well, but water spillage is inevitable in a camper that’s traversing Outback roads and tracks. Plywood doesn’t like fresh water very much and the test unit suffered from some water staining.
Dust found its way into the ute tub, but GT Campers told us they’re aware of that issue and have a cure in hand.
VERDICT
Other than the issues we found with this prototype off-road model GT Camper Trailer, the GT HiLux camping modules work well, with quick tent and bed erection and very little site footprint needed, in contrast to most campers.
We reckon a family with a couple of small kids could be well catered for by having a GT HiLux dual cab ute, hauling a GT Camper Trailer: kids in one tent; grown-ups in the other!
GT CAMPER OFF-ROAD
Overall length: 4.0m
Width: 1.72m
Height (to top of deck): 1.33m
Tare: 680kg
GTM: 1000kg
Chassis: 100x50mm galvanised steel
Brakes: override drums with handbrake
Suspension: seven-leaf heavy duty springs with rebound leaves
Fresh water: 80 litres
Kitchen: Drifta tub and hand-pump tap
Price: $19,990
More info: GT Campers
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