OTHER BRITISH MANUFACTURERS
1 Atlas Tourers
Atlas Tourers is the new name for what used to be Tripbuddy. Produced by Towed Industries, these bright little monocoque caravans are available as single-axle or twin-axle models, and come in a huge variety of eye-catching colours.
Both have a marine-style interior and a standard front-lounge layout. According to the spec level you choose, there can also be a shower and washroom area, which folds away when not in use to create more space, and a clamshell-style door that comes with its own awning, which includes a two-person pup tent.
Whichever spec you go for, the MIRO shouldn’t be more than 850kg, and the MTPLM no more than 1150kg, so you should be able to tow these clever compact vans with relatively lightweight cars. › www.towedindustries.com
2 Barefoot
A new Barefoot model, designed specifically for the North American market, was due to go on display at America’s Largest RV Show, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in September.
This Gloucestershire-based manufacturer of small monocoque caravans also plans to export models to South Korea, and is looking for a business partner in mainland Europe, because it says that it is receiving many enquiries from there.
British customers, meanwhile, can look forward to a smart new exterior colour option: ice green has been added to the existing choice of cream, duck egg blue, pale grey and dusky pink. › www.go-barefoot.co.uk
3 Camperlands
This Manchester-based trailer tent and camping accessories supplier now also produces the Campmaster, a minicaravan that is designed to be towed by relatively small vehicles: it comes in three spec levels, but even the highest-spec LC3 version has an unladen weight of just 424kg. Inside, there is a double bed, the bottom section of which can be folded up to create a table surface, plus (in the LC3) a radio. But there is also a section at the back with a lift-up hood that in the LC3, includes a kitchen with a single-burner hob. And whichever spec level you choose, you also get an awning to go with the caravan, which in the LC3 model includes a toilet tent, too. And all this comes for less than £10,000. › wwww.camperlands.co.uk
4 Go-pods
Go-pod micro-tourers, with their distinctly aerodynamic shape, have been produced in Portugal since 1964 and continuously imported into the UK since 2004, so they are well established here.
They weigh less than 750kg unladen and come in four spec levels: Standard, Plus, Platinum and Venus.
On everything above the Standard spec level, you get an awning and a front gas bottle locker included. With Venus, you even get alloy wheels, and you can choose your exterior colour, too.
Although the interior is of necessity fairly basic, you will still find the lounge converts into a bed that is 6ft 5in long, and there’s a two-burner hob/sink and a fridge; while in Platinum spec, you also get a microwave and a TV/DVD player.