Carpento 310: a grand little one

The Carpento 310 caravan was recently introduced in the Netherlands. Part of a trio of models, its sloping roofline is particularly striking. The smallest, at 310cm long, seems to be little more than a bed on wheels. But appearances are quite deceiving. With a short drive and stay at recreation park de Oude Maas, the Carpento shows and demonstrates that it is a fully-fledged holiday accommodation, while its featherlight weight is barely noticeable on your towbar.

The Carpento may be new to the Netherlands, but the model has been in production for 7 years. This takes place in Turkey by a factory that has existed for 30 years. So new, but not a newcomer. You notice that in the build quality and the extremely clever layout.

The Exterior

It's impossible to inconspicuously take a spot at a campsite with a Carpento. Its design is too distinctive for that. The kink in the roof, a double panoramic window, and a taupe color scheme that didn't exist before make it an appearance that arouses curiosity. The construction consists of smooth polyester plating. Both inside and out with a layer of insulation foam in between. The demo models have a sticker design that you either love or hate. But without or in other colors is also possible. In addition to being hail-resistant, polyester has another advantage: the gelcoat with which it is finished can also be supplied in various colors. Up to black, but whether that's a good idea for a caravan in the sun is debatable. The caravan comes with a 2-year factory warranty and a 7-year warranty on watertightness.

The chassis, coupling and axle are from Al-Ko, so driving the Carpento offers no surprises, unless it's the fuel bill which is lower due to a better CW value. The two larger models also have an anti-snaking coupling. For the small 310, this is really not necessary. At the front, two panoramic windows are placed in window rubbers. These cannot be opened, but the hatches in the roof can. The window at the rear can also be opened for extra ventilation. Just like the door with a built-in waste bin, neatly equipped with a mosquito net and blackout.

Furthermore, you see quite a few hatches and connections that actually already indicate that the Carpento has a full interior. For example, there is a cupboard with two gas bottles for heating, hot water and the cooker. A filler cap for clean water, a connection for an outdoor shower, a plug to connect the electricity, drainage for the waste water tank and a hatch to remove the toilet cassette. Finished with black accents, it is a complete picture that looks nice and appealing.

The interior

The Carpento's dowry is its interior, and especially its layout. Everything is included, which you wouldn't expect in this compact size. The kitchen is located at the rear. Its compactness is quite manageable. The sink is extra deep and equipped with a mixer tap. Next to it is a 1-burner stove, where a two-burner was actually planned, but it was temporarily unavailable. The advantage of that single burner is its size, one that is almost a wok burner instead of two small ones where patience is a virtue. Next to the hob is workspace, enough to accommodate a large cutting board. A cutlery drawer, lower and upper cabinets mean you can easily store all your cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery. A holiday chef can really indulge themselves here.

Next to the kitchen, the compact Carpento houses a bathroom that would not look out of place in a twin-axle caravan. A Thetford cassette toilet, washbasin with hand shower, medicine cabinet and a mirror. A shower tray is integrated into the floor and there is nothing to complain about regarding headroom. A roof hatch with a fixed mosquito net provides light and air. You open and close the hatch with a rotary knob. Pressing a button starts a fan. We cannot find anything missing here.

Adjacent is a deep wardrobe with a spacious 90L refrigerator with a freezer compartment underneath. The seating area is located at the front. You could also call it an ultimate lounge area because the panoramic windows really make it special. You also sleep here. Converting the seating area for this is a piece of cake. The table has no leg but a fixed support that is only used for the bed function. By releasing two latches, the table, including an extension piece, lowers. Cushions on top and you're done. You sleep widthwise on a length of 190cm.

Part of the technology is placed under the benches, but there is still a lot of storage space left. Usually there is a loose flap on top, but in the Carpento this has been made accessible with a clever hinge on the side. You pull it open with a loop, after which the hatch also stays open on a spring. This way you can easily look something up or unpack it. Even more storage space is offered by the cabinets above the seating/sleeping area and in the dresser. This grand little one also provides for that, including a special space to place bottles without rattling.

The atmosphere inside is cozy and it smells nice. This is due to the use of waterproof poplar plywood. You will search in vain for MDF or chipboard. Indirect LED mood lighting is also installed almost everywhere. There is no shortage of sockets, USB chargers and a 12V connection. The walls and ceiling are upholstered with soft velour so that the polyester of the superstructure is nowhere visible. Another function of this is to prevent condensation. Finally, the floor has a PVC coating for easy cleaning.

Nothing to complain about at all? No, not really. There are a few flaws in the finish, but although the design is not new, that applies to this version with everything in it. Moss Boten & Caravans, the importer, has, after thorough market research, chosen to put an extremely complete and super luxurious version of the three Carpento's in the showroom. The fact that there should be a cap on that screw head here and there or that a hinge could be adjusted better is not serious criticism. The pricing is also correct. At € 14,000 for the Carpento 310, it is not the cheapest compact caravan, but if you consider what you get for it and how it is arranged, the price/quality ratio is simply excellent.

Specifications Carpento 310

Weight: 540 kg
Body length: 310 cm
Width: 195 cm
Height: 235 cm
Headroom: 185 cm
Bed size: 190 x 130 cm

More information:

Moss Boten & Caravans
Middeldijk 56 A 16
2992 SJ Barendrecht
+31 6 11 076 124
www.mossboten.nl
info@mossboten.nl