Supreme Base Camp

WE LIKED
>> Extensive use of energy-efficient LEDs
>> Purposeful stance on the road
>> Neat wiring to electric brakes

NOT SO MUCH
>> Limited bench space in the kitchen
>> Rear corner stabiliser should fold inwards, since in its current position the rear entry step prevents the stabiliser from folding all the way up

With summer well and truly here, it was time to get away from the office for a few days. What better way than to hitch up Supreme Caravans’ latest innovation, the Base Camp, to a 200 Series LandCruiser and hit the bitumen.

Our destination: the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.

HIGH ROLLER

The Base Camp has a very purposeful stance on the road, and be warned: you’ll be fielding questions from admirers at each and every caravan park at which you stop. Comments such as “that’s the van for the round-Australia trip” and “who do I speak to about buying one?” were the norm.

Despite its high centre of gravity and sheer length, the Base Camp is a fine thing to tow. Behind our 200 Series LandCruiser (a vehicle that proves weight and wheelbase go a long way towards making a stable towing platform), it performed best with the water tanks (forward of the axles) full, adding extra weight to the nose.

But with the water dumped, it remained a commendable performer.

Because it sits so high, thanks to the underslung axles and a 10in raiser, the front entry step is around 600mm from the ground, while it’s about 850mm to the garage ledge. Therefore, Supreme supplies a double fold-out step for both entry points.

Al-Ko quick-drop corner stabilisers are fitted, but due to the step for the garage, the rear nearside stabiliser doesn’t fold up all the way, though I suppose its position behind the step affords it some protection. A solution would be to have the stabiliser(s) fold inwards.

The gal-lined front boot is equipped with the house battery, Baintech three-stage battery charger, 12V fuses, and break-away brake system. Importantly, the tap on the 6in A-frame was fitted with a checkerplate stoneguard.

There are no surprises beneath the van – but it was nice to see neat wiring to the electric brakes (no dangling terminal block just waiting to be shattered by a flying stone, for example).

Other external features include alloy rims, a fold-out picnic table, and Dometic awning with two LED lights.

TOY SHOP

The rear ‘garage’ is the Base Camp’s biggest design feature. The garage measures around 2300 x 1440mm, and the floor is lined with checkerplate, which also comes up the wall by about 300mm.

So if your family is into the excitement of motorcycling and dirtbiking, etc., this is the van for you.

A large fibreglass door opens on gas struts, with a couple of ramps provided. Each corner of the garage is fitted with a tie-down point.

A sliding door closes the garage off from the main cabin, and there’s a 12V fan hatch to take care of any smells (oil or petrol, perhaps).

A word about weights: the bike we used for our photoshoot, a Triumph Daytona, weighed slightly north of 200kg. A dirt bike might weigh half that, and an ATV might weigh upwards of 220kg.

Add the van’s onboard water carrying capacity of 160kg (2x80 litre tanks), 18kg of gas (2 x 9kg cylinders), etc., it might pay to visit a weighbridge once you’re loaded up, taking into account the Base Camp’s 600kg payload.

According to Supreme, though, the ATM can be up-rated if required, since the van has a group axle rating of 3500kg.

Considering the Base Camp is also a family caravan, and families inevitably carry a lot of gear (I know from experience), the garage would be a good solution to the question of general storage, if motorbiking wasn’t your thing. There are even five slimline overhead lockers and a few shelves back there.

INNER LIVING

Step into the main living area and the Base Camp has a forward bed with a bedhead of two overhead lockers and wardrobes (with about 940mm of hanging space), and a drawer and cupboard either side of the bed.

Space is limited in the cupboard on the offside, however, as it’s home to the 23 litre Suburban hot water service.

The innerspring mattress measures 1800 x 1530mm, but there’s plenty of room to negotiate your way around the bed.

A Camec hatch is fitted above the bed, so natural light in this part of the van is plentiful.There are also two energy-efficient LED reading lights at the bed.

There’s a small cupboard fitted to the offside at the foot of the bed, with a 12V socket and TV antenna point, as well as a 240V powerpoint (the third for the bedroom – there are also two either side of the bed).

A Winegard antenna is also fitted.

WHAT’S COOKING?

The kitchen has all the gear needed for extended trips away. The only thing ‘lacking’ is bench space – meal preparation is limited to the dinette table.

But what you do get is very good indeed: a Swift 500 Series stainless steel cooktop with griller and oven, stainless steel rangehood with LED downlight, and an excellent amount of storage.

A 186 litre Dometic three-way fridge-freezer sits rear of the stove, with a Sanyo microwave above. There’s a handy little bench above the fridge, below the microwave.

The water lines beneath the sink (and the gas line beneath the oven) are neatly sealed with silicone at cabin entry points.

The L-shaped dinette features three overhead lockers, but only one has a divider to stop your gear from sliding about.

A fourth locker door is there to conceal the gas hot water switch, DVD player/sound system, DC voltmeter, and the switch to activate the 12V system. I like Supreme’s thinking on this front: hiding these items makes for a much neater presentation.

The dinette itself is a comfy space, with room for two adults and two young children. My wife and I, as well as our young son, ate here – the boy under strict instructions to keep his sauce-stained hands away from the fabric!

The two LED reading lights at the dinette create a pleasant ambience, and the exclusive use of LED lighting throughout is a thoughtful touch.

When you’re away from mains for a couple of days, they can make all the difference, giving you a day or two longer on site than you’d have if you were burning halogens.

All modern vans have storage under their dinettes. The question, therefore, comes down to accessing that storage.

Supreme has opted to fit a hatch at the base of the “L” rather than a drawer (my usual preference), since a drawer would connect with the adjacent kitchen unit each time you pulled it out.

Along the offside, between the dinette and rear garage, is a triple-stack of bunk beds, each with their own LED reading light. There’s nothing like a bunk bed to excite the kids, and my boy was no different, quickly claiming the middle one for the night.

Each bunk measures 1800 x 700mm – roomy enough for most adults, so kids will be comfortable indeed. Since the windows at this end of the van are quite small, a Camec hatch has been fitted.

The bathroom, fitted rear of the fridge, is a fully moulded affair with flexible-hose shower, Thetford bench-style cassette toilet, 12V fan hatch, and small corner washbasin.

It’s an entirely workable setup, but make sure the kids, whose bunks are directly opposite, are facing the other way – you’ll need to open the door to find a towel.

VERDICT

With its height, length and overall presence, the Base Camp looks like it means business. But it isn’t an all terrain or ‘offroad’ caravan, with a sticker in the Base Camp’s front boot that says “it is suitable for traversing graded roads and mild corrugations only”.

As a general note, remember that using your van for a purpose for which it hasn’t been designed may void your warranty (and insurance, for that matter).

Overall, this is a van that has the lot and then some. And if touring with ‘toys’ such as dirt bikes doesn’t appeal, think of the garage as the kind of bonus storage a family needs for an extended holiday.

SUPREME BASE CAMP (LAYOUT 2)

Overall length: 9.81m
External cabin length: 7.95m
External width: 2.42m
Internal height: 1.935m
Tare: 2494kg
ATM: 3094kg
Unladen ball weight: 135kg
Group axle capacity: 3500kg
Suspension: Al-Ko Roller-Rocker
Chassis: 6in PermaGal with 6in A-frame
Cooktop: Swift 500 Series with griller and oven
Fridge: Dometic three-way 186 litre
Frame: Meranti
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Battery: 97Ah deep-cycle
Hot water: Suburban 23 litre (gas and electric)
Fresh water: 2 x 80 litre
Price $72,500 (RRP)
Website:
Supreme Caravans