Finally I've Given In

I never wanted to tow. I felt in would hold me back. My mobility would be compromised and I loved to get off the beaten track. Well. Due to the failed dream in my last post, I have gone to the next level in the camping hierarchy. The camper trailer. Now we have the ability to take more s#*t with us when we camp. As I get older, I appreciate a little more comfort and the ability to carry this gear has suffered greatly. When I started camping with the family as a kid, Dad had a trailer to carry the huge tent, all the gear, including a little 12v black and white TV for the cricket, and a little tinny. When I got old enough to go on my own, mum or dad dropped us off with a 2 man pup tent, a sleeping bag, a bottle of water, a handful of spaghetti and baked bean tins, and a box of matches. And the most important thing, the motorbike. Nowadays, I'm getting used to a little more comfort. A nice mattress and a shower is a given, along with a fridge. So not being quite old enough, or actually close enough to retirement, to justify the huge outlay for a caravan, we decided to look at camper trailers. Off to the Brisbane Caravan/Camping Expo we went. A showground full of toys. We settled on a Swag Camper. The Sprinta Ultralite. Not the cheapest, or the smallest, but one of the lightest. We've had it set up twice and we're pretty happy so far. It sets up as quick as anything else we've set up. As we get settled, it should get quicker. It has a great kitchen, storage and fridge. Heaps of ventilation and a very firm mattress, but with a topper fitted, we still get a good nights sleep. It tows really well and is light at 950kg tare and 1400kg gross. I've made 2 upgrades already though and maybe should have got it upspec'd before I picked it up. The standard lead acid battery being charged through an Anderson plug from the car was never going to be up to it. I struggled to get the battery charged with the voltage drop down the end of 8-10m of cable. So it's been swapped with a lithium battery and DCDC charger. I haven't had the chance to test it yet so it'll be interesting to see how it goes next trip. The fridge is a dual zone so it'll draw a bit of power. On a side note. I had the supplied (new?) battery tested and it tested at 47ah out of 100ah stated capacity. Waiting to hear about my warranty claim as this is written. I also changed the tyre sizes to match my car. Should have done this prior. Live and learn. I also had a 500k service done at Lister Motors. This requirement was mentioned but wasn't pressed as important. I was told I could probably do it myself. Anyway, the bearings, (unknown Chinese brand) were worn and grooved. Poor metal quality. After some back and forth, they were replaced with quality ones under warranty. So right now, I'm keen for the horrible hot and wet weather to subside and start getting some use out of it. There's two larger trips in planning as we speak, with a trip north around Mackay and Eungella this year, and one to Lorella Springs next year. Recon I'll be heading to Curtis Island pretty soon as well. Can't wait.