Recreational
Vehicle
Defi nitions
Camper Trailer Tent Trailer
The camper trailer is a low profi le
caravan with a wind-up roof and
extendable bed sections at either
end of the trailer. Camper trailers
are easy to tow and are often
suitable for smaller tow vehicles. Tent trailers are compact and
popular for off-road use with
their light mass and low wind
resistance. Tent trailers are easy
to tow and are often suitable for
smaller tow vehicles.
Caravan
Modern caravans are usually
built using either a timber,
aluminium frame, or sandwich
panel, can vary in length from 3
to over 10 metres and can be up
to 2.5 metres wide (including any
fi ttings). They require very little
time to set up on site but can
have a higher wind resistance
when towing than a pop-top
caravan or a camper trailer.
5th Wheel Caravan Motorhome
Fifth-wheelers are towed by a truck
or pick-up via a hitch similar to that
in a semi-trailer – the “fi fth wheel” –
fi tted to the bed of the tow vehicle.
Usually large and luxurious, they
normally feature a raised master
suite above the hitch. A motorhome is a self-powered,
self-contained unit driven from a
cabin that allows easy access to
the rest of the vehicle.
Slide-On Camper
Slide-on campers are designed
to sit on the back of a ute, pick-
up or light truck and can have
features similar to a caravan or
camper trailer. They allow for
towing a separate trailer and can
be parked on built-in jacks to
enable separate use of the ute.
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Pop-Top Caravan Campervan
Pop-tops are similar to fully
equipped caravans, sometimes even
with en suite, but with a pop-up roof
providing up to half a metre of the
headroom. Their low profi le reduces
wind resistance when towing and
facilitates storage in a garage or
carport. Campervans have a compact
fi t-out in a high roof or pop-top
van. They can be driven on a car
licence and used as a passenger
vehicle. Equipment usually
includes kitchen, eating and
sleeping, with en suites in larger
models.