Trackabout Safari Outback Tourer: Review

When it comes to offroad adventure, finding the right camper trailer is essential. For many, the right model has the space you need for your outback travel kit with enough left over to provide the comfort you crave at the end of a day’s journey.

There’s a truism among camper trailer travellers that, on the space front, you get more bang for your buck from a softfloor rather than a hardfloor camper. Trackabout Off Road Campers might just have the proof to that proposition with its Safari Outback Tourer. Here’s a camper trailer with stoic traditional looks that provides enough living space to have Dr Who trading in the Tardis.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

First up, the Safari Outback Tourer has a tent with a healthy 7.8sqm of usable space and just over 13sqm when you include the awning. That’s plenty for a family with four kids, or four or five burly mates on a fishing weekend.

A closer look at the tent won’t disappoint with reinforced sewn hems around the edges of walls, doors and windows. All the zips are well protected from bad weather, set back from the edge of each opening and protected by trim.

INTERIOR

As for the bedroom, the one we tried comes complete with a queen-size, high-density foam mattress. That means plenty of room to spread out for a nap. What’s more, the camper tent is 3m high at the apex and 2.2m at the outer edge and, thanks to the straight walls and a high tent, it’s ideal for those for whom the very thought of tightly enclosed camping induces a claustrophobic cold sweat.

The generous bedroom and living room space combined with substantial headroom means that no matter how you use this camper, there’s still plenty of space for gear and the crew with whom you’re travelling.

If that sort of space isn’t quite enough and you’re still hungry for more, the camper comes with a well-designed 2.5m zip-on awning with a gable front and spreader bar kit to help stop water from pooling on the roof.

Having the right amount of tent space isn’t all about having enough room for your slippers or whether or not the kids’ bunks will fit in the tent. Storage is vital also. From the inside, a zippered cover allows access to the toolbox above the mudguard. There is ample kitchen storage, and the toolbox is easy to access. There are also a small number of little pockets for wallets, phones and the like. Perhaps a few more of these might not go astray, especially by the bed.

On the plus side, simple LED light strips made convenient, reliable, easily-assembled lighting systems which can be left in the camper when it’s packed up. That means once you’ve set them up the first time, they’re there for good.

EXTERIOR

Holding it together is a user-friendly tent frame. The whole kit and caboodle is simple to erect as Trackabout’s Dave Adams demonstrated in around 15 minutes flat, from the time he selected the campsite to when he broke out the camp chairs ready for a cool drink in the forest under the awning near Kenilworth. It was clear that, with a few simple tips, even a camper trailer novice could set up camp with the Safari Outback Tourer without a ladder to reach the higher parts.

The durable PVC floor of the camper can be unzipped to allow for more economical alterations, not to mention easy cleaning in the event you’re unfortunate enough to watch your mate spill slimy burley all over the interior in his haste to go fishing.

THE VERDICT

When you look at the specifications list for the tested camper, it’s hard not to love this Trackabout. Some might argue this camper is a little on the pricey side, given it tipped a little more $30K, as shown. But if you take a look at the quality, inclusions, the finish, and the space you get for your dollar, you’ll certainly be well equipped in your next adventure.

The Trackabout Safari Outback Tourer is set to go the distance and that’s exactly what you need in any camper. It’s really hard to point to something significant that needs to change with this camper. And that makes it a worthwhile package.

HITS & MISSES

Pros…

• Easy and light to tow on a 4WD track
• Stylish looks and quality build with a retro look
• Quick setup

Cons…

• Needs more in-tent storage pockets
• No reversing camera on the tailgate

Check out the full feature in issue #94 November 2015 of Camper Trailer Australia magazine. Subscribe today for all the latest camper trailer news, reviews and travel inspiration.