Pacific Aluminium TrailersManufacturers of aluminium camper trailers since 2003
Not everybody chooses aluminium as a material for their camper trailers but the proprietor of Pacific Aluminium Trailers, Danny Hoskins, is definitely a fan. “I reckon that used correctly, aluminium is the material of choice, with its light weight, strength and corrosion resistance,” Danny told CTA. “That’s why I use it for all my camper trailers including my latest design, a soft top version of my hard shell Vision camper.” Not surprisingly, like all the Pacific trailers, the Vision Soft Top has both an aluminium body and chassis. EXTERNAL FEATURES Vehicle Components’ off-road leaf spring suspension is bolted to the chassis and the trailer rides on 15in wheels. Upfront, the drawbar has an AT35 hitch and a centre mounted jockey wheel. One of the features, both practical and decorative, is the alloy pipework that is welded to all the lower edges, including along the drawbar. It acts like an all- round bumper bar but also looks quite impressive. External storage bins are definitely a Left: Innovative use of aluminium makes Pacific stand apart. Below: The slide-out kitchen (left) leaves the tailgate free to act as steps up to the bed (right). Left: Innovative use of aluminium makes Pacific stand apart. Below: The slide-out kitchen (left) leaves the tailgate free to act as steps up to the bed (right).
PacificVision soft top PacificVision soft top feature of the Vision Soft Top, with the main one being the aerodynamic looking nose cone bin on the drawbar. It does contain the spare wheel and the Truma 14L water heater, but there’s still room for other gear as well. In addition, there are two small bins above both wheels, a slide- out kitchen at the front nearside and a gas bin (one 4.5kg cylinder fitted but room for two) at the front offside. All the bin doors have pinch weld rubber sealing.
Made of aluminium, of course, the slide- out kitchen box has a two-burner cooktop built-in and a storage area underneath. It also has an extension shelf that doubles the benchtop area. A mains pressure tap is fitted to the end of the box and that fills a simple washing-up bowl that sits on the bench extension. It’s not readily observable, but there is a storage shelf built into the trailer above the slide-out kitchen – another of those clever little features that you’ll find in a Pacific trailer. STEPPING UP Unusually for a soft top camper (but perhaps not for Pacific), it’s a rear-fold design, not a side-fold. The main bed sits above the trailer, and is accessible from a large platform at the Clockwise from top: The fridge sits next to the queen-size bed; welcome to the first soft-floor camper with an inside shower; this soft-floor is a rear-fold; the toolbox has plenty of room for a spare wheel and lots more; the kitchen provides bench space and a handy pantry drawer.
There’s room on this platform for a fridge and a large drawer. Because of the way the Vision Soft Top has been designed, the tailgate hinges down rather than sideways and has two steps built into it. Setting up the tent area is a matter of removing the PVC cover, dragging the tent over the trailer and extending the internal framework. The awning covering all the nearside area of the trailer is set up in a similar fashion. There are two screened windows fitted to the bed area (not the usual three) plus another two, along with a door, in the main tent area. Undoubtedly, the standout feature is the internal shower. It’s fitted to the rear offside corner of the trailer, has an aluminium base mounted off the floor plus a full-height frame for the shower curtain. It’s not something seen in every camper trailer and is an interesting display of lateral thinking.
If there’s one thing to be said about the Pacific Aluminium Trailers team, it’s that they don’t follow the herd. This Vision Soft Top (price as reviewed $22,000, drive away) is an adaption of the original hard top model and has a few different and, in some cases, original features built into it. If you’re seeking an aluminium trailer, Danny Hoskins is the man to talk to. Pacific Campers, 12 Centenary Place, Logan Village, Qld 4207, (07) 5547 0087. For more information, visit www.pacificaluminiumtrailers.com.au
This nifTy uniT from Pacific aluminium Trailers is in a class of iTs own. windows on either side make it look like a caravan, though the mostly enclosed front drawbar with large storage box, single 4.5kg gas cylinder, AT35 hitch and snap-up jockey wheel are most un-caravan-like.
Designed to fit quite a few items, the large storage bin at the front has racks, including one for a shovel, as well as enough space for a fridge, awning and walls, spare wheel and generator.
n a rapidly developing RV market, items often come along that don’t quite fit one thing or the other. Take Pacific Aluminium Trailers’ Vision, for instance. It’s marketed as a camper trailer, but having a full hard shell, minimal canvas and a number of caravan fittings, it could almost be a caravan as well.
Using his experience in alloy welding and manufacture, Danny Hoskins, proprietor of Pacific Aluminium Trailers, has built the Vision with an aluminium chassis and body. That keeps the trailer strong while keeping the weight down. Additionally, the Vision rides on the crème de la crème of suspension systems – airbags, in this case Cruisemaster units built to a specific design for the camper trailer. We here at CTA magazine have watched the Vision camper go through various stages of design. This latest version has been developed with the same specification list for the trailer itself but with a lower list of inclusions, thus keeping the price down a bit. Danny told us he built this particular Vision to take his family camping. We must have looked a little surprised, as we added two and two together and didn’t quite make four (in the case of beds), but Danny assured us, “I redesigned the front storage area so that I could fit a small tent in, as well as the kids’ surfboards. That way the kids get to sleep in their own space and the adults get a bit of peace and quiet as well.” With a grin he added, “We’ve found it a concept that works well all round.”
Setting up the Vision camper for the night requires nothing more than lifting up the tailgate and lowering the walls. For a quick stop, even the latter doesn’t have to be done. The tailgate walls keep the open rear weatherproofed, and for a more permanent camp, an awning can be added along the full side of the trailer. In an interesting use of space, the tailgate also has an external storage bin. The top half has a narrow compartment that’s large enough to take essentials like camping chairs and a table – often difficult to stash somewhere easily. The slide-out kitchen bench at the front of the camper is built like everything else: from aluminium. The bench consists of a storage compartment plus a large cutlery and glasses drawer. An extension piece Top to bottom: Having a hard roof doesn’t mean you can’t have windows next to the bed; Danny designed this trailer with enough storage for all the kids’ stuff too. can be fitted at right angles to the slide-out bench, thus forming a neat little kitchen area. There is a space for a free-standing two-burner camping stove and a washing- up bowl. At his local hardware shop, Danny discovered a plastic bowl that came with two handles and a drainage hole in the base – very simple, inexpensive and practical. Occupying most of the inside of the Vision camper is the double bed. It is built on an aluminium bed base that lifts up (assisted by gas struts) to get to the large storage drawer underneath. There is also shelf space, and on the nearside is where the deep-cycle battery is fitted. Above the bed are overhead lockers on either side and there is also a small storage bin at the front. All the interior area is lined out with marine carpet.
If you want to camper trailer in comfort – and we know that there are many people who wouldn’t have it any other way – then the Vision is certainly a good way to