Conway Crusader Deluxe – Price: £10,995

Conway now calls its upmarket folding campers ‘convertible caravans’. It’s an interesting way of describing these vehicles, suggesting parallels with the wind-in-the-hair appeal of an open-top sports car.

The lower profile of a folding camper on the road is certainly a little more racy than the typical touring caravan and they will also slot under even the lowest garage door, but need at least a double garage if the family car is going to remain under cover as well.

Fully laden, the Crusader Deluxe tips the scales at 1000kg, meaning it can comfortably be towed by all but the smallest towcars, yet it takes just 15 minutes and only a modicum of muscle to get it set up on site.
With the acrylic roof in place, the Crusader Deluxe offers beds for six, a kitchen that rivals that of a touring caravan, a washroom and toilet, electrics, lighting and a heater. The living space on offer rivals that of a large twin-axle tourer, but with the optional awning attached, this virtually doubles, although the set-up time also increases to around 45 minutes.

Conway Crusader – Price: £10,995

Luxury folding campers like this are about as close as you can get to a caravan and for summer use alone, offer some distinct practical advantages when it comes to towability and storage.

Identical to the Conway Crusader Deluxe model except for the lounge layout, the standard Crusader represents an interesting alternative to a full-blown tourer. In price terms, it’s more expensive than many basic lightweight tourers and you probably wouldn’t want to use it outside the spring and summer months. But it will sleep six, can be comfortably towed by a Ford Focus and can be stored in a standard garage over the winter months.

The longitudinal layout sees the main double beds located in distinct compartments at either end of the lounge, offering maximum separation and a degree of privacy to those on board.

The standard Crusader’s lounge set-up, isn’t quite as comfortable as the U-shaped seating layout in the Deluxe, but it’s probably more practical for dining around the free-standing table when the awning isn’t in place.

Our Choice… The Conway Crusader Deluxe

These are both top-end folding campers with a fair amount of luxury, but we think the Crusader Deluxe’s wrap-around U-shaped seating arrangement – rather than the standard Crusader’s opposing settees – offers a comfier seating solution for four people or more.

Insurance premiums for both models start from around £173*

* Folding camper insurance premiums based on 2010 Conway Crusader and Conway Crusader Deluxe both valued at £10,995. Fitted with a hitchlock and wheel clamp and kept in a locked garage at HX4 0BE. Trailer tent owners over 30 years old, camping for over 3 years claim free and members of a camping club. Premium includes 10% online discount where applicable and Insurance Premium Tax at 5%. Correct as of 18.08.10.

Raclet Solena – £3145 (2 berth as standard)

The Raclet Solena is a budget trailer tent that uses almost identical trailer and frame technology to its more expensive siblings in the Raclet range, albeit in a much more compact package.

This ‘no frills approach means it’s lightning quick to erect: simply unclip the trailer fasteners, open up the trailer, and pull the tent section up and over to form a simple bedroom and compact living area.

There are no mod cons such as a kitchen or toilet area, but for those who need more space, an awning can be attached to the living space to create more living space – enough to accommodate a family of four at a pinch – although this significantly increases the set-up time from under five minutes to something like half an hour. The awning costs an extra £575 while a bedroom extension adds a further £356 to the price.

Like most of the Raclet range, the Solena can be stored on its side in your garage on a special wheeled bracket (a £152 option) or even at the bottom of the garden and it’s simply a doddle to tow and manoeuvre on site.

The Solena’s greatest strength is its simplicity, making it ideal for couples who just want a bed for the night before moving on to explore pastures new in the morning.

Insurance cost from £59 without extra awnings, or £71 with awning and bedroom extension*.

SunnCamp Holiday 400S Acrylic – Price: £2445 (4 berth)

If square feet of space per pound of outlay is the prime consideration, this huge trailer tent from SunnCamp takes an awful lot of beating. The 400S is an updated version, featuring low-maintenance acrylic fabric instead of the more conventional cotton.

Unlike cotton, which will start to mould almost immediately if packed away damp, Acrylic dries more quickly and is significantly less prone to mould, so you can pack it away wet and dry it out later when you get home.

The Holiday 400 is a colossal, family-friendly tent, with a huge 26 m2 footprint and four elevated sleeping berths with the option of adding more, making it ideal for large families. There’s a well-ventilated, dedicated kitchen area and the porch configuration can be re-arranged, converting into a sun canopy if desired. It’s all very well ventilated, which is important in acrylic tents as they tend to retain heat, and has mesh screens at the windows to keep out the bugs.

While there’s no shortage of space, standard equipment is pretty basic, although a portable kitchen can be added for an additional £500. It’s also quite time-consuming to erect, taking two people around 45 minutes, but once it’s up, there’s ample room for the whole family to stretch out and relax – even if the weather outside is less than ideal.

Insurance premiums from £59 with or without the kitchen extension*.

Our Choice… The Raclet Solena

Both these trailer tents get top marks for affordability, but they offer quite different levels of accommodation. If size matters above everything else, then the SunnCamp is the best bet, but if flexibility and storability are more important considerations, we’d have to go for the Raclet, which can expand to meet the needs of a growing family.

* Trailer tent insurance premiums based on 2010 Raclet valued at £3145, awning valued at £575 and bedroom extension valued at £356; 2010 SunnCamp Holiday 400S valued at £2445 and kitchen extension valued at £500. Fitted with a hitchlock and wheel clamp and kept in a locked garage at HX4 0BE. Trailer tent owners over 30 years old, camping for over 3 years claim free and members of a camping club. Premium includes 10% online discount where applicable and Insurance Premium Tax at 5%. Correct as of 16.06.10.