Campravan Raptor XC: compact 7m teardrop.

A teardrop caravan in an off-road version is nice, but does any comfort remain? The Campravan Raptor XC provides a clear answer to that with a slide-out of over two meters. A cool, tough off-road camping trailer that takes up little weight and space on the tow bar and in storage. At a campsite, preferably somewhere in the wilderness, however, you survive in a caravan of almost 7 meters with a bedroom, lounge, kitchen, and bathroom.

For the Turkish builder Campravan, the Raptor XC is a prestige project to show what is possible when you make a compact camping trailer a bit larger so that a substantial slide-out fits in. To appeal to the adventurous in people, a good splash of 4x4 sauce has been poured over it, resulting in a trailer that would not look out of place behind a military vehicle. This is not surprising, as Campravan also focuses on the military and civilian sectors.

Camping trailers for dragging into the outback have blown over from Australia. They fit perfectly in the outback where asphalt is an exception. But with a very different climate, you are mostly outside, and the trailer is for transporting your belongings during the day. In Europe, however, we are more of an indoor person. That gave Campravan the idea to design a somewhat larger camping trailer with more interior space. The first models based on this are the NTR 3X and NTR 4X. Compact yet with everything in it. A dinette, kitchenette, and toilet area. But although quite a lot of window surface has been used, these are still a lot of functions for the available floor space.

Spacious and Light

In the Campravan Raptor XC, you will not quickly feel claustrophobic. This teardrop actually looks incredibly spacious and light. Of course, with the extra space provided by the slide-out, but also due to a large number of skylights. The combination of light and space makes the interior of the Campravan Raptor XC a sleek yet homely designed place where you can easily spend a dreary day. The rugged black painted exterior suggests something completely different. Coming home in the Raptor is therefore all the more surprising.

The Raptor XC offers all the amenities found in a medium-sized touring caravan. But on the modest floor space of a teardrop. On the road, the Raptor XC is a mere 4.80 m long. At the campsite, you slide out the rear, creating a length of no less than 6.90 m. Sleeping accommodation is for three people. And with a weight of 1,260 kg, it's not too heavy for most cars.

Layout

The sleeping area is in the slide-out. It has an XXL mattress for two adults with enough storage space at the rear. With a small passage, the bedroom is separated from the rest of the interior. The living room, we are still talking about a teardrop, consists of a lounge annex dining area with an L-shaped sofa and a foldable table. You can lower this to make another single bed. The kitchen unit has a stainless steel countertop, matching sink, two-burner gas stove, and a very decent 72L refrigerator. Next to the pantry, there is a bathroom with a washbasin, toilet, and shower.

Off-Road

The Raptor XC stands on a steel AL-Co chassis with a body made of aluminum inside and out. Between the inner and outer wall, 2 to 4 cm of XPS insulation material has been applied to prevent thermal bridges. Because the Raptor feels most at home in off-road conditions, it has larger BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. A rigid axle is absent; the wheels are independently suspended with shock absorbers that can take a beating.

The Raptor XC is certainly not a bargain; the design is too ingenious and the execution too complete for that. Moreover, the price is highly dependent on what you order with it. Almost anything is possible, but not everything is necessary. For around 40 grand, you can park this outback trailer ready to go at your door. The nearest importer is located in Germany.

More information: https://hunter-nature.de/campravan-raptor-xc.html and https://www.campravan.com/en

Looking for a used teardrop caravan? Take a look at www.camperscaravans.nl or at www.caravanstekoop.nl