Folding Campers vs Pop-Up Tent Trailers

Lightweight Camper Trailers in the US, UK, and AU

Mar 24, 2010
Thomas Alan Gray

Crusader Platinum Folding Camper, UK - Pennine Group

Whether called a folding camper or a pop-up tent trailer, the product has similarities on either side of the Atlantic. A look at three approaches to lightweight RVing.

Although the folding camper concept is common in both North America, Europe, and Australia, an examination of sample products in North America, Australia, and the UK (as seen on manufacturer web sites and photos of units in campgrounds) suggests that there are some distinct and recognizable regional differences in approach and design.

For starters, there is the name. "Folding Camper" is used world-wide. The UK Camping and Caravanning Club distinguishes between three types of towable tents:

Trailer Tents – Essentially a large tent contained in a box with wheels
Flip-top – The metal or wood top flips over to become the floor of the living space.
Folding Camper – "Have a base unit that looks like the bottom half of a caravan complete with cooker, sink, fridge and a washroom with toilet"; the beds flip or slide out, and all is covered with a tent.

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), an American group, calls them "Folding Camping Trailers", but "Tent Trailer" and "Pop-up Camper" or "Pop-up Trailer" and similar variations are frequent in North America.

This article has taken the Conway and Pennine product lines by The Pennine Group TthePennineGroup.co.uk), the Flagstaff by Forest River (ForestRiverInc.com) and the Cub Spacematic (CubCampers.com.au) as being representative of products and approaches in the U.K., the U.S.A. and Canada, and Australia respectively.

Similarities Between Folding Campers and Pop-Up Tent Trailers

Similarities in approach in the three areas include

The collapsed unit is carried on a wheeled trailer box with a tow hitch to attach to a vehicle.
Fold-out, flip-out, or slide-out "wings" provide extra sleeping and living space.
Awnings can be extended from the main unit to provide shelter from sun and rain.
The awnings may have walls that can be added to provide additional rooms.
A variety of floor plans is available, with clever arrangements to fold and store cupboards, etc.
A good range of interior comforts and facilities is provided.
Corner-steadies (corner jacks) level and stabilize the parked camper.
Various mechanisms assist in opening or extending the roof or wings.

Because of these similarities, a folding camper can be readily recognized as such wherever it may be made or camped.

Differences Between UK, Australian, and North American Folding Campers

Distinct differences can be observed. These differences include

Styling – There is a typical "Euro" look, a typical "Aussie" look, and a typical "American" look.
- American-made products stress size and luxury, according to the Camping and Caravanning Club, which characterizes them as "rugged...large and luxurious."
- UK and similar European products have stylish, well-made colorful tent-tops with ingenious mechanical extension supports
- Australian products stress "outback" features and rugged simplicity
Hard-tops are popular on North American and Australian units vs a tent trailer cover or travel cover for European models
Tent top cabins appear common in European and Australian "outback" units
Australian models tend to be flip-tops, which have a metal top cover that unfolds to become the floor of the living space. They are far from simple tent-in-a box units and come with slide-out kitchens, extensive storage, large awnings, etc.
NA models and AU appear to have faster and simpler set-up, based on manufacturer's videos. (See for example the extensive setup involved in the Pennine Crusader compared to a typical crank-up Flagstaff of similar size. Now picture both those setups in a pouring rain! However, the Australian flip-tops offer remarkably quick and easy setup.)

This comparison may be oversimplified, as there is a wide range of products within the various geographical regions, and because different legislation standards may govern some features and construction methods.