They are a combination of a caravan and a tent. They consist of a folding frame over which a tent is stretched. The tent with the frame can be folded into a cart. It offers a lot of living space compared to a tent. It has comfortable beds and it fits behind any car. Thanks to the automatic erection systems, you no longer have to deal with awkward tent poles. This makes it ready for use just as quickly as a caravan. Anyone with a B driving license is allowed to drive with folding trailers up to 750 kilos.
Material:
The tents of trailer tents are available in different materials: acrylic, cotton, polyester and a combination of polyester and cotton. They are available with two to ten berths.
Different types of mounting systems:
There are three types of mounting systems:
- symmetrical folding trailers: these cars have a sleeping area on the left and right. The kitchen is usually in the awning. The wagons can be expanded with tents that can serve as a sleeping area for children or for storage of luggage.
- asymmetric folding trailers: these are wagons with a lid that can be opened either in length or width. The lid is then used as a living space or sleeping area. This model usually has a car body with a hard plastic lid. This type also includes the tent trailer. This is a trailer where the tent is mounted on a wooden platform.
- lifting roof folding trailers: These have a plastic lid that serves as a roof when you open the lid. Tent cloth is placed between the car body and the opened lid. These cars usually have a kitchen, table and benches. This makes them more like a caravan.
Why do you choose it?
They have great advantages compared to a caravan or a tent. In terms of space, they are in between. In addition, you can set them up very quickly, because they have an automatically controlled set-up system. This saves you a lot of time when setting up and storing. That's nice, isn't it, during the holidays? You do not need a trailer driving license for folding trailers under 750 kilos.
What are the advantages of folding trailers?
- Folding trailers usually offer more comfort than a tent. Think of the beds in it, and the space
- Compared to a caravan, it is much more compact and it drives much more pleasantly. This also gives you a much better view at the rear
- They fit behind almost any car
- You can buy a new folding trailer for a reasonable price. But it is also possible to purchase a second-hand folding trailer.
- You can store it easily and cheaply. Because it is so compact, you don't have to rent a large surface to store it. Perhaps it will fit in a corner of your own garden, driveway or shed.
- In a number of countries you can drive faster than with a caravan
- Because they are so lightweight, you have a lot lower fuel consumption
- Folding trailers have relatively low maintenance costs.
There is a huge range of trailer tent brands:
3Dog Campground: A car of this brand is very user-friendly, because you can set it up quickly. This brand has the following versions: the Scoutdog, the Traildog and the Top Dog car roof tent
Aart Kok Tent trailers: They are produced from pure cotton because it breathes, ventilates and insulates well. This offers a lot of coolness in warm temperatures and at the same time warmth in the cold. The specific lounge windows allow plenty of light to enter the tent.
Cottage: Due to their frame system, these folding trailers are quick and easy to set up and take down. They are made of high quality materials. As a result, they offer a lot of comfort and protection in all weather conditions.
Camp-let: This is a luxury brand among the trailer tent brands. It is available with a kitchen, quality beds, a large awning and plenty of luggage space. This brand has compact dimensions, which make it easy to maneuver the car and have a good view to the rear. It is easy and quick to set up. You will find this brand in the following types: 2Go, Classic and Premium. The folding trailers can be expanded with a large number of accessories such as bicycle racks, luggage covers and mattress toppers.
Campooz: This brand of folding trailers has the following versions: Fat Freddy (for two persons), Lazy Jack (for four persons) and Sleepy Lily (for two persons). Thanks to a unique construction, these tents can be quickly and easily detached from the trailer. The unique ventilation system and convertible roof make them ideal for a camping holiday in tropical temperatures.
Comanche: This brand is made in Spain. The manufacturer specializes in lightweight folding trailers. Characteristic of these cars is their sleek design.
Combi-Camp: This brand is known for its high quality, beautiful design and is always looking for innovations to improve. Specific features are the fixed floor and ease of installation. Three versions are available: Valley, Country and Flexi
Holtkamper Tent trailers: These trailers can be automatically unfolded and folded again at the touch of a button by means of air pressure.
Impact Camp: This is a small, lightweight car that can be coupled behind motorcycles, small and light cars, VW camper vans and motorhomes. You set it up in two minutes. It is possible to attach an awning, awning or luggage tent.
jamet: The big advantage of this brand is that most versions have a luggage space that you can reach without having to open the tent first. This car almost folds out and in by itself. That is ideal for rain. You no longer have a wet tent because you had to load your car in the rain.
Squeegee: This is a French brand. They are tents that are installed ready-made in a trailer. They are very easy to fold and unfold in a few steps.
Roadmaster: This brand exists since 1960. It really is a family camper with space for up to eight people. Cars of this brand are equipped with a permanently lockable lid. The tents themselves are made of an eco flame retardant tent cloth. There are beds in it that are 2.10 meters long.
Smitveld: Trailer tents of this brand are produced from 100% cotton tent cloth. They are very quick to set up because almost all poles are attached to each other. This brand distinguishes itself from other brands by the design and tent trailer.
trigano: This brand is known for its durability. The tent cloth is of very good quality and resistant to water, tearing and aging. These folding trailers offer a lot of storage space. They are available in the following models: Galleon, Odyssee, Olympe and Alpha.
Weekends: has a trailer with a weight of 102 kg and a tent with a unit of 63 kg, so it weighs a total of 165 kg. Its light weight makes it ideal for small, light cars or motorcycles. You set it up in five minutes.
What should you pay attention to when purchasing it?
When you start thinking about which car you want to buy, it is good to ask yourself the following things:
- Do you camp in one place for the entire holiday or do you regularly change places? It is then recommended to choose a brand that can be folded and unfolded quickly and easily.
- What is your holiday destination? This is important to know so that you can choose the right tent canvas material. If you mainly go on holiday to countries with a warm temperature, a cotton tent cloth is recommended. If you usually go on holiday to countries with varying temperatures, or if you usually spend your holiday in the Netherlands, it is better to opt for an all-season tent cloth. This material is the easiest to keep clean in rain and moisture.
- Are you going on holiday as a couple or with a family? This of course affects the size of the car you choose. But it is also good to take this into account when designing the car. The layout of the car is also determined by this. With children, a symmetrical folding trailer that has a sleeping area on both sides is the most convenient.
- What accessories do you think you need? Which of the folding trailer brands or which type of trailer you choose, you always have many options to expand it with accessories such as awnings, awning side walls, roof boxes, bicycle walls and so on.
A point of attention when choosing this is that you must keep an eye on the maximum permitted load capacity. If this threatens to be exceeded, for example by purchasing additional accessories, it is an option to purchase a roof box for the roof of your car.
Buying a used folding trailer:
If you don't have a big budget, or if you want to try camping first, but don't want to rent one, it is also very possible to buy one second-hand. Most trailer tent brands are now also offered for sale second-hand. You can buy one yourself from a private individual. In addition, there are also more and more companies that offer them for sale in addition to new cars.
Often, if you buy one through a private individual, they are even cheaper, but it also entails a great risk. The car may have hidden defects, which you can no longer claim from the previous owner afterwards.
If you buy a used car from a company, the price is often a bit higher than from a private individual, but it has been checked and you can assume that you are buying a good car. The seller has a company name to uphold, and is less likely to cheat you than a private individual, who simply wants to get rid of his trailer tent as quickly as possible.
If you have a decent technical understanding yourself, you can detect those possible defects yourself. If you don't know much about it yourself, it is therefore advisable to buy one through a trailer tent dealer.
You can also rent one
It is also possible to rent one from a large number of companies where you can purchase new and second-hand folding trailers. You can then get acquainted with spending your holiday in a folding trailer, setting up and breaking down the trailer, and so on. You do not have to invest thousands of euros in a car. You can do that later if you liked it, always. In addition, it is an advantage that you have no costs for maintenance, storage and insurance. These costs are all borne by the landlord.
How do you make the right choice?
As you can see, the range of folding trailers is very large. If you want to buy a folding trailer, it is good to have clear to yourself which criteria it must meet.
- For how many people are you looking for a car?
- What is your available budget?
If you have a clear answer to these questions for yourself, it will make the search a lot easier.
In addition, it is certainly recommended to ask for advice from a trailer tent specialist. Thanks to his knowledge and experience, he can think along with you like no other about which brand and type suits you best. He can explain all the differences between the trailer tent brands. This will give you a better idea of which brand suits you best.
It is also useful to inquire with other owners of trailer tents, who are therefore trailer tent specialists in practice, about their experiences with a certain brand.
If you just like to see what is for sale in the field of folding trailers and what the latest developments are, you can also visit a camping fair. Here you can view trailer tents of a large number of brands in real life and ask for advice from manufacturers and suppliers. You will also meet many other enthusiasts of trailer tents there and you can share your experiences and ideas with each other.
Also read my blog: Rent a folding trailer or buy it? - 28 tips.