Hi all, new to forum and thinking of getting into camping, narrowed my options to either a trailer tent or folding camper. The F/C seems easier to use on short weekend breaks which is my preferred use.
There seems to be 2 main brands.
Pennine/Conway and Opus.
I would prefer to buy British if I could and having researched pennine/Conway they seem to be made in Lancashire but the opus is less clear.
It states British built but looking online it says for the Aussie version made in China but assembled in that country?
The British version looks the same so wondered if anyone could shed some light on this before I consider the pros and cons of each model?
I think you need to take a breath and hold fire, it doesn't look like there's any rush.
I suggest you take time to go all the dealers who stock your preferred option and have a look.
Personally we fell in love n love with Pennine Fiesta and haven't looked back.
Just a personal opinion.
You might prefer a trailer tent.
We had a Combi Camp Venezia for several years and loved it! The main cabin goes up in a few minutes and then you can add the awning if you want more space. We used it without the awning for short breaks and one night stopovers and then put up the awning for more space when we were staying on site for a longer break.
This is still my favourite unit that we have ever had for going abroad in. It seems to create the perfect climate for warm sunny days and I still really miss it when we go to France every year. We sold it and bought a caravan in order to be able to tour all year round in the UK, which you obviously can’t do in a trailer tent unless you are a lot more hardy than me!
They are Danish made and we bought ours when the exchange rate was very favourable for us and then sold it several years later for pretty much what we bought it for because of the exchange rate at the time! I imagine they will be very expensive today because of the current exchange rate but they are a super unit.
Having had both I think the folding campers are better and easier to use, the downside is they are bigger when folded and our Conway Countryman only just fitted in the garage. I think Opus is available from Homestead Caravans I think they assemble them there too
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
Thanks for replies so far, just to clarify, I have already decided I want a folding camper, and want to buy new, due to size, looking at 6 berth, so pennine pathfinder, or opus air.
Thing I am trying to confirm is where the product is actually made, I am a.massive buy British supporter, hence I would like to buy a genuinely British made product. I am just confused by the opus British built logo, when the almost identical aussie opus appears to be chinese made, but just assembled there? Is this the same situation for the uk opus? Made in China, but just assembled here?
Hope someone can clarify this?
We have had a Trigano folding camper for 10 years now & have enjoyed many holidays in it from touring France for up to 9 weeks to short breaks at home. It’s very similar to the pathfinder, both having a cassette toilet: the Opus does not appear to have a washroom which would be important to us
Fiona
It is easier and more flexible than the Penine and certainly than the Opus.
Because of its construction it has a kerb weight of 250kg compared with the Opus 800kg and the Penine 840kg. However it always comes with a fully braked Alco trailer so the payload can exceed the 750kg limit.
We had the Cocoon's predecessor the Astro for many years and travelled all over Europe. From April in snowdrifts in the Pyrenees to heatwaves in Spain.
Always snug and dry and easy to store in a garage.
They may be pricier than the others but hardly depreciate in value. After 10 years we managed to sell ours for more than our purchase price, thanks to a fortuitous exchange rate shift.
They are Dutch, not British. However I noticed that you posted via a mobile phone which is probably not British.
Buy a Pathfinder, had one for a few years and loved it.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
We (my daughters and I, hubby and son are not into it) started with a Countryman and then PX'ed for a Pathfinder. WE LOVE IT!!! it's palatial and very, very comfortable.
the only reason I'm posting is to make the point about the indoor toilet which the Opus doesn't have. Indoor toilets (we like to refer to ours as the King Bed On-suite), isn't just a loo, it's a bathroom as well. If you have girls, consider the Pathfinder. You'll be the hero.
Opus's are gorgeous, no doubt about it, but if any of your family unit has the slightest issue with tent toileting......you'll have made a mistake.
Think carefully about this aspect of luxury.
Vivien xxxx
We have just picked up our brand new pathfinder having just upgraded from a trailer tent. We bought direct from Pennine having seen them at the CC&C show back in feb and we liked the fact they were british too. We picked it up from their Accrington base where they are made and Nick and Julie have been very helpful and service has been great particularly considering the current circumstances. We are very much looking forward to taking her away properly once restrictions are lifted, but for now we are camping on the driveway and learning how she works! Putting it up and down is dead simple after a couple of goes and even the awning is actually really straightforward once you work out where the poles all go and only takes a short while to put up. We looked at the Opus, but there were 2 things that put us off....one was the lack of a toilet (we've done our fair share of trekking to the toilet block in the middle of the night an don't want to anymore!!) and two, the leatherette that the opus seating is finished with will be ok in this country but we take ours abroad and we felt that leatherette would be a bit hot and sticky for the weather, plus if we are lucky enough to have a good summer, that might be the case here too. It was also quite a bit more expensive and we couldn't see what you would get for the extra £££.
Go for a Pathfinder. I was drawn to folding campers by the cool looks of the Opus, but the more I looked the more I realised the Pennines were superior in most ways, not to mention a little cheaper. Proper toilet, better equipped kitchen, better layout, better storage, bigger awning, ability to add awning annexes and other accessories such as the Isabella G19 canopy, alternative quick air awning.
Don't get me wrong, if I lived in Sydney and camped in the Australian outback I'd get an Opus... but I don't - I live in the suburbs, tow on the motorway and camp on nicely kept campsites, so I got a Pennnine (well, Conway, same thing). It's the grown up choice.
There are Opus campers sold in the USA, Australia, South Africa and the UK/Europe and models vary depending on the market. Road Going versions available in all markets and beefed up Off Road Versions also available in Autralia/USA. There is an Off Road version available in the uK but it's a bit of a hybrid as not many campers in the UK want to do a 4 week trip through the mountains/desert
The main body is made in China and the chassis is from Alko/BPW in Germany but always assembled locally. In the UK you used to buy them direct from the factory in Suffolk but now there sold through dealers
There's a very good Facebook Group in the UK, have a look at it and ask any questions you want, you'll get honest answers
We have found that the shower unit is something else that makes the Pathfinder more favourable. It come in useful when the shower block is some distance from the pitch.
For completeness have a look at the Riva Dandy range. Very definitely British built and built like a tank.
Covering is insulated PVC which is quite heavy, can be packed away wet and left wet. Is warm in winter and very cool in summer. some have a PVC awning which will stand up to anything, some newer ones have a zip on acrylic awning.
Less well equipped than modern FCs and not so cool looking designer wise but supremely practical.
Stopped making them in 2008 but still going for service and spares etc. Ian was the foreman who bought the company and still runs it. He usually has quite a few for sale. Look for a Toilet Destiny model.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Folding camper v trailer tent?
via mobile 24/5/2020 at 2:31pm
