Adaptable tent camper mods from bedroom-on-wheels to family base camp

A very different take on premium Dutch trailer camping from the Lume Ranger we looked at last week, the new Campanero blends safari-style tent luxury with fast, simple setup and the ability to grow with your family and needs. From solo escapes to six-person group campouts, the Campanero trailer is built from the ground up to serve as a modular platform for comfortable overnighting. And no matter how many people it's holding, the trailer stays light enough to tow with a small electric car.

The base model of the Campanero modular camping system, the Pah-Pah caught our eye instantly with its compact dimensions and bivy-like wedge tent hovering over top its utility-box lower half. It's about as simple of a tent trailer construction as we've seen – no hard fold-out panels, no ensuite bathroom, no massive tent expansion taking up space all around, no cranks or electric actuators, no inflatables – just a simple tent atop a simpler trailer box.

It wasn't the humble mountaineering/survival bivouac or 2-person swag that directly inspired the Pah-Pah design so much as the rooftop tent (RTT), another piece of kit that often features a compact wedge-shaped design. The idea here was to merge the fast, lightweight simplicity of a rooftop tent with the cargo space and tow vehicle-freeing detachability of a compact trailer. The tent folds away on top of the cargo box below a weatherproof cover for the ride, and the trailer weighs in at just 705 lb (320 kg) before one starts filling up the 1,507 liters of storage space with boxes and supplies.

While it travels similarly to a roof tent mounted atop a cargo trailer, the Pah-Pah should prove well more comfortable at camp than the average RTT. In place of the thin, uncomfortable sleeping mat common in RTT design, Campanero takes advantage of the trailer integration to install a proper 7-in-thick (18-cm) European-made 63 x 79-in (160 x 200-cm) super-queen mattress featuring 440 pocket springs per square meter. Beyond adding cushion and support, the springs are also designed to let air circulate freely, delivering a cooler, more comfortable night of sleep. The mattress is topped with a microfiber cover for soft, smooth comfort.

The Pah-Pah tent is crafted from high-quality Tencate KA-10 poly-cotton fabric supported by a sturdy internal stainless-steel frame. Guy lines stand at the ready to stake it out and increase stability in windy conditions. To create a sheltered "front porch" of sorts, buyers can add the optional ground sheet and awning to set up what Campanero calls the "living area," in contrast to the "sleeper cabin" inside the trailer tent.

The Pah-Pah rides on a German-developed chassis approved for speeds up to 62 mph (100 km/h). It has 14-in black steel wheels below checker-plate fenders.

Honestly, we'd have covered the Pah-Pah even if that was the end of the story. Its partial-wedge shape gives it a unique look, and its high-end mattress design promises a more comfortable night of sleep than the average tent or trailer – probably more comfortable than the old, lumpy mattresses some of us are using at home while putting off inevitable replacement.

But the story continues onward from the Pah-Pah because Campanero has further developed that base model to function as the foundation of a modular camping system that grows with young families.

"Many people buy more than one camping trailer over the years," Campanero explains. "Small when there are two of you, bigger when the group grows, small again when things quiet down. Each time you sell, search and start over. And each time you lose money on the trade-in. With a modular tent trailer, you do it once: swap the living space, not the whole trailer. What you keep is a base that lasts for years and a setup that fits right now."

The Pah-Pah looks like a very nice tent trailer option, but it's strictly limited to two people, maybe two people and a small child. Once the family grows from there, the trailer doesn't have enough space to support them on its own. But instead of trading in the whole rig and starting from scratch, owners can step up with higher tier setups and accessories.

The first upgrade package is called the Eck-Oh, and buyers can either buy it from the start or upgrade a Pah-Pah to Eck-Oh size. The kit brings in a dedicated "living area" auxiliary tent that increases total sheltered space from the 40 sq ft (3.7 sq m) in he Pah-Pah's trailer-top tent to 91.5 total square feet (8.5 sq m). The add-on tent delivers extra sheltered space that can be used to house additional sleepers or simply as a covered dining area or bathroom/privacy tent.

The Eck-Oh also packages in a large 102-sq-ft (9.5-sq m) awning that stretches out to deliver a generous amount of shade and overhead weather protection. Suddenly what started as a tent-on-wheels for two people is a proper base camp for up to four people. And at an 815-lb (370-kg) base weight, it's still very lightweight and compatible with electric vehicles and small cars.

Should your family (or camping group) grow beyond four people, Campanero is currently preparing the Char-Lee kit to meet the needs of even larger groups. This package increases the size of the auxiliary living area tent for a total of 99 sq ft (9.2 sq m) of interior tent space. The package also includes a larger 124-sq ft (11.5-sq m) awning and an optional 40-sq ft (3.7-sq m) add-on sleeper tent to bring total sleeping capacity up to six people.

Each new expansion is designed to zip in to the Pah-Pah base trailer tent, allowing owners to grow their camp without having to start over with a new trailer. Then they can go back to a smaller setup when, for instance, the kids grow up and move out.

Campanero plans to reveal the full Char-Lee setup in October. It will retail for a base price of €18,950 (approx. US$21,475) when it launches, not including the optional spare bedroom tent. The Eck-Oh, meanwhile, starts at €16,950 ($19,200), the Pah-Pah €13,950 ($15,800).

Source: Campanero