Heaslip Campers

When you start thinking about buying a camper trailer, you quickly come to realise that there is a unit to suit every taste and budget. At one show, I counted at least 20 different manufacturers.

What you buy will ultimately depend on your budget, but if you want a product that will handle the abuse of outback roads and tracks, you need an RV built for the job, not a glorified trailer with a canvas tent on top.

Heaslip has been building robust camper and traytop trailers for 10 years, and has an enviable reputation. You can choose between two uppers in the camper trailer.

The standard tent camper opens to a 6ft x 16ft (1.83m x 4.88m) tent area. The extended tent model is the same width but more than 22ft (6.71m) long. Both have the same trailer base.

Although the bigger model is ideal for a large family or group, it was the standard tent model we tested.

Tent walls are made of high-quality Bradmill SupaDux canvas with 280g material used on the walls and 340g for the roof. There are five large windows and a meshed door for ventilation.

All meshed areas have zippered canvas covers to keep out the elements and there are two removable clear PVC window covers to keep the rain out. The canvas forming the large end windows can be raised as an awning for shade.

A reinforced PVC tub floor keeps out all moisture and any insects, the seams are well sewn and heavy-duty YKK zips are used throughout.

There are a number of short and full length annexes to choose from as well as a complete version with roof, draught curtain and all its walls.

The trailer is a robust, zinc annealed steel unit and is fully welded. Its 1250kg-rated suspension is well supported by eight-leaf springs with rebound dampers.

I’m a great believer in shock absorbers, but only if they are mounted almost vertically. Owner Rob Heaslip swears by the rebound damper spring – he says its real advantage is its simplicity and the fact that it never fades.

Rob also assured me he has never had a problem with this setup, and it works better than a leaf-spring suspension trailer without any additional damping. It performed well over lightly corrugated dirt roads and tracked effortlessly.

The A-frame is reinforced and the heavy-duty axle is made from 45mm square steel. Standard wheels are 15in x 7in steel rims shod with 31 x 10.5 R15LT tyres, but optional matching wheels and rubber are also available.

Hydraulic override brakes help the 750kg dry weight trailer pull up. Depending on your loading total weight is around one tonne with ball weight between 90kg and 110kg.

There’s a Treg offroad coupling, spare wheel mounted on the front of the A-frame between the large gas bottle and the dual jerry can holders and a 12V deep-cycle battery in a lockable battery box.

All trailer doors are well-sealed and a heavy duty PVC double-sealed trailer cover protects from wind, rain and dust when travelling. It’s a little fiddly but worth the effort.

Erecting the camper is straightforward enough: remove the trailer cover and lift the self-supportive framework into position bringing the tent area over, ready to peg down the floor. It takes a few minutes to clip down the canvas and set the poles in place.

Once the camper is open you have immediate and easy access to the queen bed (foam 15cm thick) while the full-width tailgate opens to become a bench, a seat or a step up to the bed. There are also a couple of power sockets, two interior lights and storage. There’s a 50 litre poly water tank on the nearside, a rollout drawer system and 470 litre underbed storage area for bulky items.

The rollout kitchen at the front is accessed through a lockable door on the nearside. There is a heavy-duty cast iron two-burner stove and a large tray and food preparation area. It is easy to get to the kitchen, whether the camper is in travelling mode or set for a long stay.

Summing up

In 10 minutes or so we found we could easily set up the whole unit, granted without an annexe. Packing up took a little longer. What really impressed us was the high quality of the product, the attention to detail and its simplicity and toughness.

This unit is not cheap but will give years of faithful service and we’d say its resale value would be high.

Prices for Heaslip tent campers start at $20,500 and vary with model, features and options. As you’d expect there’s a few options available as well as the range of additional annexes referred to earlier: protective floor matting, extra auxiliary lighting, a two-bike carry rack, and for anglers, a removable boat rack that still allows overnight stop access to the tent and bed area.

Heaslip Campers (Rob and Judy), Port Wakefield Road, Burton, SA, (08) 8280 9488.

Manufacturer      Heaslip

Model         Standard

Advised Tare weight    750kg (dry)

Advised ATM     1250kg

Advised ball weight     90kg

Price (Dec 2004) From $20,500