CAMPER TRAILER OF THE YEAR 2022: COMPLETE CAMPSITE EXODUS 16

After a challenging last few years, Complete Campsite is back with new owners and a new vision for the iconic Aussie brand, starting with the flagship Exodus 16. A technical masterpiece, the Exodus came within a point of sharing the top spot at Camper Trailer of the Year 2022.

GLENN MARSHALL (CAMPER AUSTRALIA EDITOR AT LARGE)

It was a good news story meeting Scott and Lynette Gould, who teamed up with others to purchase Complete Campsite when the company sadly went into liquidation. Scott was the Production Manager and Lynette the Marketing Manager and so knew a bit about what was needed to get the business back up and running, successfully. With the focus on producing the Exodus camper range, it was great to see them at CTOTY 2022.

The Exodus 16 we judged is owned by a family who was gracious enough to allow Scott and Lynette to bring it to CTOTY. With three kids, the owner purchased the Exodus 16 with outback travel in mind. Three bunks made this arrangement simple, especially as the top bunk could fold down from the wall to become part of the three-seater lounge. The huge external ensuite with access to the shower point and room for the composting toilet helped too.

The addition of an ISI Advanced dual bike carrier mounted on the drawbar and a Shingleback 5 bike carrier mounted on the rear bar, the family can explore their destinations using leg power very easily.

A large swing-out kitchen with plenty of bench space plus a large fridge capacity means meals can be prepared quickly and easily. Add to that a large pantry area and slide-out pantry, there is a place for everything and to keep everything in its place.

The shell of the Exodus 16 is made using techniques and materials also used to make fibreglass boats. The monocoque fibreglass construction provides a lightweight and durable camper that is ready to follow you wherever you want to go.

The Exodus also had a lift pump as standard which means you can draw water from a watercourse or jerry can and keep it separate from your drinking water tanks while still enjoying hot showers and washing dishes. There is also a single breather hose for the two water tanks.

Finally, the dustproof positive pressure fan turns on with the parker lights on the tow vehicle. The inlet is high on the passenger side wall and uses a Donaldson truck filter that can be easily replaced.

KATH HEIMAN (CTOTY 2022 JUDGE)

Looking at the impressive dimensions of the Exodus 16 (6700mm length, 2350m height, 1950mm width), ‘offroad’ is not the word that springs immediately to mind. But there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to assessing off-road performance. Naturally, it mostly boils down to a vehicle’s ability to traverse rough terrain, and how easily it can do it. And from a build quality perspective, the Exodus has got the goods.

With a locally made chassis, ATX Cruisemaster suspension and Level-3 airbags, the undercarriage is built to meet the toughest challenges. And the gel coated single mould fibreglass monocoque construction provides the durability to deal with the most punishing road conditions.

Complete Campsite is also fastidious about weight distribution and have ensured the wheel track of the Exodus is the same as the likely tow-tug. So, when the going gets rough, the Exodus promises to remain a willing travel companion. But it’s hard to ignore the camper’s sheer size. While it sports a reasonable departure angle, about one-third of its massive length sits rearward of the wheel hubs, with easily the length of a Mini Cooper between the axle and the tow ball. So, you’d want to think seriously before exploring the tighter tracks of Australia’s backcountry.

In terms of comforts and ease, the Exodus 16 is genuinely configured to support a family, of up to five, to live comfortably for an extended period. Inside, there’s a full queen bed and three kids' bunks, all serviced by lights, USB ports and decent storage compartments. A roof-mounted sail track makes it possible to partition the sleeping areas so that little humans aren’t disturbed when parents enter the rig late at night. While these features are great, it’s outside that the Exodus really struts its stuff in terms of amenities and easy-to-use features. The external flip-up ensuite provides a small shower room with internal light and a handheld shower rose; a perfect place to send the kids after a day on the beach before they venture into the impressive galley space or indoors.

All parts of the kitchen are fully accessible when the slides and 3 burner Smev stove are deployed. This includes a remarkable amount of pantry storage and useable work surfaces. All in all, it’s probably fair to say; that with a camper like this, the family may never want to go home.

DAN EVERETT (CTOTY 2022 JUDGE)

Using the Exodus 16 is about as easy as it gets. As few clasps and clamps as possible are used and it has an interior that’s good to go at the push of a button.

Although the Exodus is easily the most expensive camper trailer here, I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s also one of the best value-for-money offerings on the market. Don’t get me wrong, it’s crazy money, I couldn’t afford one in a million years. But it’s the only camper here that can adapt and change and grow or shrink depending on your needs. If you’re a young adventurous couple it’ll go anywhere with a huge interior space, carry your mountain bikes and any other kit. When kids come onto the scene the lounge folds up into bunk beds. You can throw an extra mattress on top of the internal kitchen when kids' friends come along too. Then as you’re nearing retirement you can swap it back, ditch the canvas ensuite and use it as storage and park in an ensuite spot at the local caravan park. It’s backed by a lifetime structural warranty too so it could legitimately be the last camper trailer you ever buy.

The X-Factor here is through the roof as well. The thing looks like a spaceship just parked. Throughout the showcase it had a constant crowd climbing over it all day wanting to see all the clever features and just get a better idea of what they were looking at, it’s unlike anything else you’ll park next to for sure. The only reason it didn’t score higher is it is a well-known design by now and could do with some stylistic updates.

TIM VAN DUYL (CAMPER AUSTRALIA CREATIVE DIRECTOR)

The team at Camper have reviewed the Exodus 16 a few times over the last half dozen years but this is my first look at the edgy-looking hybrid. Walking up to it, it looks like nothing else on the market and once you get into the detail, you’ll learn there really is nothing like it.

The design is clever. Using molded fibreglass for the shell gives a few great benefits. It is tough, it is exceptionally well sealed and it is repairable. It is not always the lightest build method, that depends on the way the ‘glass has been laid up and peeking into a cavity or two, it looks like it is hand laid, not chop-strand.

Hand laying fibreglass is time-consuming but it also puts more emphasis on the builder to ensure even coverage. It is lighter than chop-strand that is typically blasted with a mix of resin out of a gun meaning the operator is often keen to just pump more in for strength and coverage but at the expense of weight. This has led to an Impressive 2100kg tare for a 16-foot hybrid.

In terms of quality, there are few as well made as the Exodus too. Inside are a few touch points that could be better finished. These are hangovers due to the construction method but underneath, where it really matters, is as good as it gets. With only the airlines for the suspension obvious, it is one of the cleanest and best-protected undersides I’ve seen.

In terms of fit-out, no two Exodus 16s are the same. This one has forgone a rooftop-mounted AC unit for extra solar (720W total) that feeds power into an Enerdrive BMS system and onto up to 405A of lithium battery and 2000W Inverter. The combo has the power to run an AC set up, if you added one, or every appliance fitted indefinitely.

Water capacity is good at 270L fresh and 80L grey but it has an ace up its sleeve. The plumbing allows for drawing water from rivers and streams and bypassing the tanks to run the diesel-heated shower almost endlessly. This is something you only see on high-end campers and demonstrates its credentials as a camper for a long lap of the land.

COMPLETE CAMPSITE EXODUS 16 Judges Rating

COMPLETE CAMPSITE EXODUS 16 SPECIFICATIONS

Weights and Measures

Accessories & Inclusions

COMPLETE CAMPSITE EXODUS 16 price $129,500 (as tested)

Supplied by COMPLETE CAMPSITE

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