Ultimate XTRK reviewed at Camper Trailer of the Year 2024

Overall Winner — Camper Trailer of the Year 2024

Ultimate Off-Road Campers celebrates its 30th year bringing its iconically shaped, lightweight, spacious camper to the market. It might look like a flipped-over tinnie but it’s this year’s winner with serious specs.

SCOTT HEIMAN — Heiman Habitat

The XTRK’s distinctive shape minimises drag and increases fuel economy as well as decreasing the likelihood of damage from deflected stones. Lightweight with its tiny 60kg ball weight, 900kg tare and with a 1600kg ATM, the Ultimate XTRK offers a 700kg payload to play with. It’s spacious too, because it’s somewhat of a ‘Tardis’ when fully deployed. For example, there’s a 1340L nose cone for storing your camping toys, and the galley/lounge area easily fitted the entire judging panel when it started raining cats and dogs during this year’s CTOTY event.

Intended purpose

The Ultimate XTRK is intended for buyers who’ve come from a history of camping in a swag or tent and who want to get off the ground. These are people who’ve chosen to buy a camper, but who already have a garage full of gear including a cooker, car fridge, pots, pans and so on. So, instead of being an upgrade to previous offerings from Ultimate, the XTRK offers an entry-level model that, happily, also comes with the many improvements and innovations that have become standard to Ultimate’s campers in recent years. For example, you’ll get the electronic opening mechanism that’s common across all Ultimate models. And while you won’t get a leather lounge, instead, you’ll get a camper with the known style, design and quality that characterises Ultimate Off-Road Campers, without having to pay for all the bells and whistles.

This is a ‘less is more’ style of camper that can grow with you as your needs dictate and your budget allows. Buy it now and add an upgrade next year (or later still) with ‘mix and match’ options available from a long list of available extras that will help personalise your XTRK over time. For example, while you may be a pair of DINKs (double income no kids) now, if your family unit expands in the future, your toddler will be able to use the lounge as a bed. Then, as your child grows, you’ll have the option to purchase the canvas/PVC combo spare room that simply attaches to the underside of the camper’s side-fold. No matter how your circumstances change, the Ultimate XTRK can adapt to your evolving needs-based requirements.

Innovation

One of the key features of the XTRK is the inclusion of the 360-degree awning that is permanently attached with a zip. Personally, I see this as a ‘preventive first aid’ awning: no matter in which direction you set up camp, you’re always going to have shade. And this is a biggie, particularly when desert touring or when you’re travelling in the northern half of our island continent. With a vented dual-skinned Safari middle section located directly over the main tent, the awning helps keep the tent cooler and minimises/eliminates condensation on the inside. Combined, these design features keep both the living areas (inside and out) cooler on hot days and dryer on wet ones. What’s more, the awning is entirely pegless! The fibreglass poles attach to the main body and the guy ropes aren’t required until the wind blows like the wolf from the Three Little Pigs. Even then, these ropes can be attached to the main body. To my eye, no pegs equals less to pack, and less to do when setting up. It also means there are fewer things to worry about if you find yourself camping on a site where there are more rocks than grass.

Quality and build

Normally the Ultimate range comes in white with highlights of black or grey for stone proofing. However, this XTRK features sandy-taupe gel, a beige tent and a sand-coloured galley top. These additions would normally cost $2500 but come standard with the Desert Pack package as shown. Just imagine how this colour configuration would look being towed behind a LandCruiser in the same sandy taupe?

While good looks are nice, it’s the finish and the build quality that are really important. Over the past few years, Ultimate has stepped up its rate of progressive transcendence by embracing new tech materials and advances in componentry. Ultimate is known for its high-quality inclusions such as REDARC Electronics, Bushman fridges, Xtreme coating, and so on. The brand also has a well-earned reputation for its focus on high-performance engineering and composite materials that give the camper its light weight, strength and payload. Added to this, with Ultimate you can be part of the quality assurance and quality control processes for your own camper. ‘How?’ do I hear you ask? Well, Ultimate offers clients a factory tour of its facilities where you can see every step of the manufacturing process as it’s occurring. You could do this before you order, or better still, inspect your own camper from its genesis and as it starts to take shape. Measures like these will give you peace of mind that your camper will be just as good as you expect it to be.

KATH HEIMAN— Heiman Habitat

Ultimate Off-Road Campers distinguishes itself as being fabulous, not fiddly. And this fact is clearly evident in the incremental advances the company has made over the years to improve the campers’ useability.

Ease of use

In just the past five and a half years, under the passionate guidance of owners David and Bronwyn Rodgers, we’ve seen the introduction of such useful features as the electronic opening system, gas strut-assisted rear step, improvements to the pole receivers, bungee tabs to make it easier to affix the tent canvas to the fibreglass body, and increased roof height to accommodate a growing adult population — to name a few. And all of these enhancements have been made to what was already an extremely cleverly designed camper that’s simple enough for one person to set up and put down. The 130L Bushman fridge can be accessed through the crawl space when the camper is closed, but the reality is that most owners will have a fridge in their tow vehicles to deal with on-the-road requirements for food and drink. It’s an inescapable feature of Ultimate campers that simply comes with the package.

Comfort

If you thought that glamping was reserved for accommodation at beachside resorts or safari parks, think again. With the Ultimate XTRK you can enjoy the same comforts anywhere your tow vehicle can take you. The Desert Pack edition presented will look at home by the beach just as much as in the outback. So, pick your prime location and enjoy the view from the comfort of the three-layer foam king bed mattress with two toppers, hunker down on the club lounge for a drink, or head outdoors and settle in under the protection of Ultimate’s 360-degree silver-mica coated awning which is as distinctive as it is excellent. Whether you’re a camper who enjoys remaining in one location for an extended period, or you prefer to be on the road daily, the amenity provided by the Ultimate XTRK promises a relaxed environment to do what you enjoy doing most.

If you thought that glamping was reserved for accommodation at beachside resorts or safari parks, think again. With the Ultimate XTRK you can enjoy the same comforts anywhere your tow vehicle can take you. The Desert Pack edition presented will look at home by the beach just as much as in the outback. So, pick your prime location and enjoy the view from the comfort of the three-layer foam king bed mattress with two toppers, hunker down on the club lounge for a drink, or head outdoors and settle in under the protection of Ultimate’s 360-degree silver-mica coated awning which is as distinctive as it is excellent. Whether you’re a camper who enjoys remaining in one location for an extended period, or you prefer to be on the road daily, the amenity provided by the Ultimate XTRK promises a relaxed environment to do what you enjoy doing most.

While the glamping analogy holds true, it’s equally fair to say that the Ultimate XTRK is designed for campers who enjoy spending time outdoors. Unlike other models in the range, the XTRK does not have an internal stove. Instead, you’ll be cooking outside on the detachable external kitchen preparation counter. And — common across the Ultimate range — there’s limited internal space to store your luggage, and many owners opt to acquire Ultimate’s custom collapsible storage shelves and door organisers to help keep everything where it needs to be. Compensating for this, however, is the massive 1320L nose cone that can accommodate most everything you might like to take away with you.

Value for money

The XTRK delivers the same production quality that’s lavished on every other model within the Ultimate range. The big difference here is the price tag. At $59,755 as judged, the XTRK is an entry-level option that is more than $60k cheaper than the $120,000 Xscape model we reviewed in 2023 and $10,000 cheaper than the GT360 we saw in 2020. While the XTRK doesn’t feature some of Ultimate’s higher-end electronic componentry, internal stove or a trail bike rack on the drawbar, it benefits from all the commitment to excellence that characterises Ultimate campers. And just because you don’t want — or can’t afford — the higher-end specs now, there’s nothing stopping you upgrading at a later time. Once you own the XTRK, the choice is yours. So, if you’re someone who’s had an eye on an Ultimate for a while but have been denied your forever camper because the cost seemed prohibitive, I reckon now is the time to get really excited.

TIM VAN DUYL — Camper Australia Creative Director

Having won CTOTY the past two years running, it was always going to be a hard effort to beat the Ultimate and with this year’s entry addressing one major concern of the last two winners, it was a big hill to climb.

The last two winners came in at more than $100,000. Both had every option (and some not listed) thrown at them which garnered each camper points in some criteria but held them back in the ‘Value for Money’ category. This year’s entry comes in under $60,000 but does that mean it forgoes essentials?

Self-sufficiency

The answer to that question is not really. You see, the XTRK as shown here still comes with 140L of water, an upgrade on years past. It has a BMS from REDARC, a pair of 135Ah lithium batteries and a quality 130L upright Bushman’s fridge. All up that should give you an easy week — maybe 10 days — outback. The one thing that might get you back to town sooner is the lack of hot water service or gas bottle to run one.

This camper is pared back. Cooking gear is BYO and washing up will have to be by kettle. I don’t mind either much. The cooker I have is the same (and excellent) seen here, the portable Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System which heats two litres in three minutes and for washing myself I prefer a swim, but I’ll take a bird bath if I have to.

If you want or need a gas HWS, you can option one. I’d option on the memory foam mattress first and see about a portable HWS and gas bottle holder when the want pressed hard enough.

Offroad and towing

The low weight of the XTRK is a detail often overlooked. Using a fibreglass body shaves a lot of weight out of a frame or structure and with its inherent strength, the chassis only has one main rail with spreaders. This matters off the beaten track when you need to put on some momentum fast (say leaving a beach) or when you are running down a long, steep wet track like we did. The less weight you are hauling, the easier it is to add speed and the less you’ll be pushed around by the trailer.

Some will ask about the durability of a fibreglass build but it’s reinforced and strong where it needs to be (leading edges and mounting points) and anyone who has repaired a fibreglass boat will know it’s very straightforward. Matching special paints and coatings is often the hardest part but with Toyota Sandy Taupe gel coat part of the Desert Pack, it’ll be a breeze here.

The design also allows for epic ground clearance. The XTRK sits almost comically high off of the ground. It has been a pain a few times when towing with standard vehicles and their low towball heights, but it comes into its own in rivers and cuttings.

Under the XTRK, like all Ultimate campers, is Cruisemaster’s XT coil suspension and it’s one of if not the best in the business. It is not overly engineered like the ATX, it’s lightweight but tough enough and feels really well suited to the weight of the XTRK.

X-Factor

The fact that the XTRK is a locally made, properly offroad camper with a 360-degree awning, king bed and the best views in town — all under $60,000 — is an X-Factor in itself. Yeah, you’ll need to BYO a few things, but you probably already own them and if not, you can fit them later.

The XTRK’s looks stand out from the pack too. The wedge shape works. It offers up a massive amount of front locker storage as well as the space for a genuine king-sized bed and lounge room for two to three people. For its compact travel size, the Ultimate XTRK is a real Tardis.

The wrap

This is a multi-award-winning camper that has delivered the goods for a third year running. This time not only on the back of the best foundational underpinnings and design but also on a budget. It is one of the best offroad performers and easily the top of the pile for interior comfort.

A deserving winner, the Ultimate has done it again. 

ULITIMATE OFF-ROAD CAMPERS XTRK SPECS

Weights and dimensions

Construction

Power, water and cooking

Ultimate XTRK price from $55,990

Options fitted

• Desert Pack (includes gel coat colour, benchtop colour, infinity flooring and beige tent)
• Ultimate 360-degree awning
• Second 135Ah lithium battery
• 10A AC charger
• Boot carpet
• Jerry can holder
• Toyota 79 Series GXL Wheels
• Stainless-steel Outrigger Legs

Ultimate XTRK price as shown $59,755

More information

Ultimate Off-Road Campers
P: 1300 570 389
E: sales@ultimatecampers.com.au

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