How rough is too tough?

We all love a little adventure in our lives. I mean, it’s the main reason we hitch up the camper and hit the road, right?

But adventure is a funny thing. It can mean two completely different things to two different people, especially when it comes to camper trailer enthusiasts. For some, setting up their camper at a nice and accessible campground, then exploring the area by foot is enough excitement to get them through the work week ahead. For others, it’s all about pushing the limits of absolutely everything in a bid to quench the thirst for that exploration trip of a lifetime. That usually means pointing your 4WD and camper down some, let’s say, debatable obstacles.

So it raises the question: how far will you go to find that ultimate campsite? Would you persist through the rougher tracks if you thought there was a chance of finding something new and ultimately special at the end? Or do you think those who risk scratching or damaging their campers are just plain mad?

I’m not going to lie, I’ve been known to have the odd brain-fart and point my entire setup towards some dead-set silly obstacles; just ask some of the photographers I’ve had the privilege of scaring the pants off in the process! The truth is, as I’m dropping a wheel over a metre-high rock step with the old camper in tow, there’s a voice in my head that says: “Borgy, you’ve lost the plot!” Yet on the other hand, there’s an urge that comes from deep within which compels me to see just how far I can go.

If I had a dollar for every time someone said camper trailers aren’t made to tackle low-range tracks, I’d be as rich as Richard Branson and Donald Trump’s love child! So here’s my two-bob’s worth on how far a camper trailer should go offroad: I reckon you can go as far as you’re prepared to accept the risks involved. That’s how I decide whether or not to roll the dice and keep going or cash out early and back ’er up! I’ll weigh up things like the capability of the camper trailer, along with what’s likely to go wrong and how much it’s going to cost me.

Each to their own, I suppose. But I’ll tell you what, ask this question around a campfire with a couple of coldies and you could start WWIII...

Check out the full editorial in issue #112 of Camper Trailer Australia magazine. Subscribe today for all the latest camper trailer news, reviews and travel inspiration.