Whether you’re going on an expedition across Australia or just camping for the weekend, there is so many different styles and methods to choose from. The four main approaches of camping are number one camping straight out of your vehicle, number two using a camper trailer, number three towing a caravan and then number four using an RV or motorhome. In this article I’ll list the pros and cons of each method, highlighting the reasons for choosing one over the other and overall helping you make a choice of which method will best suit you.

Number one bare basic camping straight out of your vehicle. Camping straight out of your four wheel drive can be achieved in a variety of ways. However, whether you’re rocking a swag, roof top tent or a traditional tent the general principal is the same. That principal being, all your camping gear from your place to sleep i.e. swag, your shelter i.e. awning or gazebo and all your additional gear can be packed up to fit in your vehicle. Creating a fully self contained four wheel drive touring rig. The benefits of camping straight from your four wheel drive touring rig is freedom. Touring bare basic gives you the ability to travel nearly anywhere, your only limitation being your four wheel drives capabilities and I suppose also your driving skills. Although camping solo using your four wheel drive gives you freedom it also has its inherit limitations. One of those limitations being the amount of gear you can bring. So, although the bare bones camping may allow you to reach remote locations the amount of gear you can physically fit in your vehicle may render this point mute. However, if you pack smart and efficient its certainly possible. Plus, it helps if you make good use of roof cages and or racks. Even if you do pack smart and efficient bare basic camping is just that, bare basic. So, in order to do a large trip you certainly can’t bring all your creature comfort, camping accessories with you.

A way to both reach the remote parts of Australia and bring the creature comforts along with you is a camper trailer. One of the great things about camper trailers is that they come in all shapes and sizes and styles. This allows you to find a model that best suits your needs for the trip you plan on taking. However, if you’re planning on taking multiple trips with different styles and locations then I would recommend getting a camper trailer that is customizable.

Not only that but I would also recommend an offroad camper trailer. The benefit of a model of camper trailer that is modular means you can not only customize it to suit your general liking and preferences but you can also modify it to the specific needs of each trip you take.
An offroad camper trailer is fitted with full unbody suspension, ground clearance and heavy duty chassis that is built to handle the punishment of the toughest four wheel drive tracks. The true benefit of a camper trailer is that its kind of the best of both worlds. Similar to bare basic camping an offroad camper trailer will allow you to reach locations only limited by your driving skills and the capabilities of your specific four wheel drive. That’s because although a camper trailer is significantly more weight than just your vehicle, they’re also still small and nimble enough to fit those tight tracks. Not to mention they also have a low height profile so those low hanging branches or bridges won’t be an issue.

However, on the other hand a small but nimble camper trailer will allow you to bring stacks of gear. So, you can pack all those camping creature comforts that are truly a godsent on long expeditions. Not only that but quality camper trailers come with creature comforts built in. Some of these features include a built-in water tank. The water tanks on some camper trailer models are plumbed into a working slide out kitchen sink and tap. Another nifty design feature is a food pantry, making stopping for lunch so much easier than rifling through your storage boxes in the back of your vehicle. So, a camper trailer has the inherit benefit of being basic enough to reach any location your heart desires whilst still featuring the creature comforts that make life on the road feel a little more at home.  

You may be thinking is an offroad caravan not the same as a camper trailer but with even more creature comforts. You’re half right, the age-old debate over caravans and camper trailers is a long one. A caravan certainly does feature more creature comforts than a camper trailer but with these creature comforts comes a larger size and significantly more weight. So, although offroad caravans are getting better and better and can now easily manage off road tracks. Due to the sheer size and weight of a caravan compared to a camper trailer they will never have the ability to truly explore that road less traveled. This added size and weight also drastically increases your fuel bill when on the road, and if you’re planning a long expedition this is a serious factor to consider.  A camper trailer is also vastly more streamline this makes for not only safer towing but again reduces fuel consumption.

Lastly is RV or motorhome camping, to be honest I’m not sure you can call it camping. So, if you truly want to travel in luxury then this is the method for you. The top of the line models will cost you an arm and a leg but they are packed full of more creature comforts then your own home. But of course the major down fall of RV’s and motorhomes is there travel limitations. These big beautiful beasts are certainly not designed for the rough and tumble of the road less traveled. But maybe that’s not your thing, if your comfortable sticking to the pavement in order to keep your luxuries then a RV or motorhome is for you.

As you can see there are so many different pros and cons to camping straight out of your vehicle, towing a camper trailer or caravan or driving a RV or motorhome. In my opinion a camper trailer is certainly a perfect middle ground of both luxuries to enjoy and freedom to go anywhere.  But it’s all down to personal preference, so use this guide to help you decide what’s right for you.