Mini camper: cheap alternative to the motorhome

Do you dream of conveniently parking your camper in front of your city apartment? Being able to visit southern European cities with small, narrow streets in a relaxed way while traveling? To be able to reach the most remote spots for wild camping? Really limit yourself to the absolute essentials on the road? Don’t you want to invest the price of a luxury sedan in a camper? Do you want your camper to be suitable not only as a camper, but also as an everyday car? Then a mini camper could be the right travel vehicle for you.

Mini campers are the smallest of the small camping vehicles. Mini campers can be high-roof station wagons (e.g. VW Caddy, Citroën Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Renault Kangoo, etc.), but also mini buses such as the Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet or Mitsubishi L300. Of course, many other vehicles can be more or less comfortably converted into a camper. A classic for off-road fans is the Landrover Defender, for which there are now also many suppliers of camping equipment.

There are various models and suppliers that score with increasingly intelligent solutions in a small space and serve the growing target group of occasional campers or campers away from the classic motorhomes. In this three-part series, I’ll introduce you to models, upgrades, and even DIY solutions for your mini camper. In this first part, you will first get a rough overview of these exciting camping vehicles.

Mini camper – suppliers and models at a glance

There are some manufacturers who offer mini camper fully developed already from the factory. This means that you do not have to find the basic vehicle yourself, but can pick up your camper ready and set off on your camping vacation.

With the VW Caddy California a small alternative to the classic VW Bulli. The Camping Caddy features a pull-out mini-kitchen, fold-out bed, drawers and much more, turning the little VW into a full-fledged camper.

Alpine Camper offers conversions for various vehicles and transforms them very tastefully into mini campervans. However, the Bavarian company also offers some ready-made mini campers. In the offer are for example a completely removed Citroën Berlingo or a VW Caddy. Individual conversions are offered for the Dacia Dokker, Opel Combo and various other vehicles.

Reimo offers a VW Caddy ready converted into a camper, the VW Caddy Maxi Camp. This has a furniture line and even a seating area with a table inside, as well as a single or double bed. At Reimo you can also buy individual modules for your Caddy or other high roof station wagons and camping buses. So you can assemble your mini camper according to individual needs.

The Vanderer company is building an urban camper based on the Citroën Berlingo. The chic minivan is suitable for everyday use, but also easily accompanies you on all small and large outdoor adventures. Thanks to the pop-up roof, a pull-out kitchen and a furniture module, the Vanderer can be transformed into a mini camper in no time at all.

Interior from mini camper Vanderer Urban Camper

Photos: © Vanderer Ltd.

Mini camper – expansion options at a glance

Manufacturers of individual camping modules are now several on the market. This allows you to design your vehicle exactly according to your wishes and individual requirements.

The easiest way to turn a car into a (part-time) camper are the so-called camping boxes. For this I have already written a detailed article in which I give you some manufacturers of camping boxes and their solutions.

If you want to go one step further, however, there are a number of suppliers who offer a comprehensive range of products for almost every type of vehicle, from complete conversions to individual expansion modules, as an alternative to smart boxes. I will introduce you to some of them below:

Landy expansion

Converting a Landrover Defender into a comfortable camper is not even that easy. With the modules from Landy Ausbau, however, this is accomplished quite well. In the complete expansion version you have enough storage space, a sink with fresh and waste water tank as well as a seating option in the interior. It gets really comfortable when you equip your Defender with an elevating roof to achieve standing height in the car.

C-Tech camping van

C-Tech Campingvan has camping extensions for various high roof station wagons in the program. The company builds interior systems for VW Caddys, Peugeot Partner, Peugeot Rifter and many others. A sleeping area for one to two people, an in-car dining area, and storage space transform your vehicle into a camper in minutes.

Smart Camper

A compact sleeping and cooking module is built by the manufacturer Smart Camper. With kitchen pull-out, spacious drawers, gas cartridge stove, water tank as well as a bed area, you can transform your Dacia Dokker, Landrover Discovery, Mercedes G-Class or other vehicles into a camper.

attention

Smart Camper seems to be having problems at the moment and is no longer delivering. Status 08.12.2023

Highcamper

The modules from the company Highcamper are suitable for high-roof station wagons and consist of a couch for one or two people and a universal cabinet with sink. As additional modules there are tables for outside and inside. The furniture is suitable for VW Caddy and VW Caddy Maxi.

Photos: © Highcamper

Flex Camper

At the company Flex Camper you can have your vehicle customized. There is a choice of a complete module with kitchen, sleeping area and table, as well as two different single modules. With the bed and the kitchen module, camping beginners get their money’s worth. The extensions are suitable for example for the Dacia Dokker or the Fiat Doblo.

Sleeping in mini camper Flexcamper Dokker

Advantages and disadvantages of mini campers

You may have noticed by reading this – I’m a fan of mini campers. I’m particularly excited about the manageable size of the vehicle, which offers much more flexibility than larger motorhomes when traveling but also in everyday life, for example when parking in the city. I find just the exploration of deserted beaches and the possibility to spend the night inconspicuously in the vehicle very appealing. Many parking lots in tourist regions are now not even passable for larger vehicles due to height restrictions. A big plus is also the lower acquisition cost compared to the big mobiles. Especially for the younger generation of campers, a mini camper can be a great introduction to camping life, perhaps by temporarily converting an everyday vehicle into a motorhome. For me, a very appealing aspect of camping is also traveling really light and limiting myself to the essentials. With the mini-campers, you won’t be tempted to pack a lot of unnecessary things that will end up unused in your cupboards at home. In the process, I’ve noticed again and again how liberating this can be and how few things I actually really need. Plus, you’ll be outdoors even more with a small camper. This can sometimes be inconvenient when the weather is not cooperating at all. As a rule, however, you will be rewarded with the most amazing moments in the open air that you might not have experienced if you had retreated to the comfort of a large motorhome.

Of course, I do not want to neglect the disadvantages of the small campers. They offer a manageable amount of space and can provide you with a sleeping area, storage space and, depending on the model or extension, a kitchen solution and possibly a small seating area inside. You must have a certain amount of willingness to compromise and not expect the comfort of a large camper. In some cases there is room for an emergency toilet (usually a Porta Potti), but you will look in vain for a wet cell in these models. The volumes of water tanks you can carry are limited. You are therefore dependent on an external infrastructure at certain intervals. But I hope I don’t have to mention how beautiful a bath in a lake, fjord or the sea can be.

Interior from mini camper Landrover Defender

In the next part of the series, I’ll introduce you to some mini campers in more detail and give you an overview of which model might suit you and your needs. Until then, I wish you lots of fun dreaming about your next camping adventures.

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Mini camper - cheap alternative to the motorhome

Mini camper – suppliers and models at a glance