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  Trailer tents and folding campers: the ultimate guide

Looking for advice on buying a trailer tent or folding camper?

Trailer tents and folding campers come in a range of styles, sizes and vintages, with a wide choice of makes and models available.

This might make it difficult to decide what is the best buy for your needs, but if you understand the basics you will be better placed make an informed buying decision and recognize a good buy when you see one.

Read our buying guide for all the information you need to help you choose a trailer tent or folding camper.

Word and pictures by Iain Duff, Editor of Camping magazine

Page contents

• Should I buy a trailer tent or a folding camper?
• Where can I buy a trailer tent or folding camper?
• Buying a new trailer tent or folding camper
• Buying a used trailer tent or folding camper
• What to look out for when buying second hand
• How much should I spend second hand?
• What about the extras?
• About our magazine

#Should I buy a trailer tent or a folding camper?

Without an awning, a folding camper is quicker to set up than a trailer tent and will usually have more mod cons and will certainly be more comfortable for spring and autumn trips.

On the other hand, a trailer tent will be much cheaper, and will usually have more living space, but won’t be as quick or easy to set up.

Which is best for you will also depend on your budget. You can pick up a used trailer tent for as little as £500, but even the cheapest second-hand folding campers cost a couple of thousand pounds and a new one could set you back as much as £20,000.

#Where can I buy a trailer tent or folding camper?

The best places to start are specialist camping shops and dealers where you’ll be able to see a full range erected to get an idea of the sort of space you’re likely to need, together with an indication of the sort of prices you can expect to pay.

Most trailer tent specialists will carry an extensive range of new stock and some specialists carry a good selection of used tents as well. It will cost a bit more to buy from a dealer than a private sale but it gives you a little more protection if something goes wrong.

There’s a ready supply of both new and used trailer tents and folding campers out there, so the decision to buy new or second hand usually comes down to price.

The internet is by far the biggest source of used trailer tents and folding campers, as well as the classified sections of the local paper where it’s still possible to pick up a real bargain.

But the same rules apply to them all. Know what you’re looking for and never bid without seeing the tent erected and the electrics working.

Whether you go for new or second-hand, it is worth familiarising yourself with the main brands that are available in the UK.

Various models from Trigano’s range of trailer tents are usually readily available via the small ads or internet auction sites. They’re well-built, easy to service and there’s a ready supply of replacement parts if something goes wrong.

Upmarket trailer tents from the prestigious manufacturers like Combi-Camp or Camplet go for big money on the used market and tend to be harder to find, so if you’re set on one of these, it’s likely to take longer to find a good one on the second-hand market and you’ll still pay a premium for it.

For those who are less brand-conscious, the choices open up. There’s a ready supply of five to 10-year-old continental product out there on the second-hand market and as long as you’re prepared to do your homework and put in a bit of legwork, you should be able to bag yourself a bargain.

#Buying a new trailer tent or folding camper

Buying new can be a more convenient option than going second-hand and takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the process.

Even if you do decide that trailer tenting isn’t for you, you should still get a significant proportion of your money back when you come to sell. But if money is tight, then a used model could be the better bet – especially if you’re buying your first trailer tent or folding camper.

When buying new, on some budget models, items like the corner steadies, spare wheel and kitchen unit are extras – so check with the dealer rather than assuming that they’re included.

Some dealers will throw in extras such as a full gas bottle to clinch the deal and you might want to haggle to get a camping grade extension lead to provide power if your trailer doesn’t have a hook-up point.

#Buying a used trailer tent or folding camper

By far the widest selection of used trailer tents is to be found online, where various auction websites like eBay, Schpock and Gumtree usually have dozens on offer – from barely serviceable scrappers for less than £100, right up to nearly new ex-demonstrator models which a dealer needs to sell quickly to make way for new stock.

When browsing online, it’s important to know what you’re looking at in terms of the make, model and any extras included. Don’t bid on anything you aren’t 100% certain about and ask to see the tent erected at the vendor’s home prior to bidding.

Make sure they still have the manual and instructions and, if possible, ask if they can connect it up to the car to check the lights.

Classified adverts are still a good source for used trailer tents and scouring your local newspapers’ small ads might yield a real bargain if you stumble across a barely used trailer tent which the owner is keen to offload.

#What to look out for when buying second hand

The volume of items for sale increases quite dramatically in April, when people traditionally dust off their old tent and work out whether they’re going to use it again this year or move it on.

By the middle of May, you can expect to find a choice of a couple of hundred trailer tents on the main auction sites – starting from just a few quid to several thousand pounds.

There’s nothing too technical to worry about on the average trailer tent, but check the bodywork for dents and dings, which could be an indication of an accident. Have a good look underneath for signs of damage to the chassis.

Many trailer tents are stored outside and while the vendor may insist it’s been stored in a nice, dry garage, uneven fading of the cover or tide marks where puddles have formed on the top are a bit of a giveaway.

As long as the tent has been properly dried before being laid up for winter, this isn’t necessarily a problem, but any damp patches in the tent will deteriorate quickly if stored outside over winter.

Check the wheels, tyres and hitch for any signs of damage or excessive wear. On older models, look for cracks in the tyres’ sidewalls, as these will often degrade before the tread wears out.

Make sure the poles are straight and any mechanisms operate smoothly without the need for excessive force.

Look closely at all the seams for unravelling threads or other signs of stress and also inspect any stains or fading. If you find any signs of damp, walk away.

The odd small rip in non-critical areas is easily repaired, but larger tears or cracks in the window plastic are a more complicated undertaking. Finally, check every zip carefully, as replacing these can be costly.

Be wary of any electrical or gas items and get them checked over by a properly accredited fitter.

#How much should I spend second-hand?

Second-hand trailers tents from manufacturers like Combi-Camp or Camp-Let still command hefty premiums on the used market and tend to be harder to find, so if you’re set on one of these, it’s likely to take longer to find a good one on the second-hand market and you’ll still pay a premium for it.

A good condition folding camper from brands like Pennine and Conway from the 1990s can be picked up for less than £1,000 and for a first-time buy, that might be perfect for your needs. But if you want something more up-to-date you might have to pay between £5,000 and £12,000 from a dealer.

You’ll pay a bit more for a used tent at a dealer than you would for a private sale, but you should get a warranty of sorts and if you do find anything wrong with it when you get home, the dealer will put it right.

#What about the extras?

When buying new, on some budget models, items like the corner steadies, spare wheel and kitchen unit are extras – so check with the dealer rather than assuming that they’re included.

Most family-orientated trailer tents will come with an awning to provide sufficient living space, but more compact models won’t always be supplied with one, so check what’s included in the deal.

Some dealers may throw in a full bottle of gas to clinch the deal and you might want to haggle to get a camping grade extension lead to provide power if your trailer doesn’t have a hook-up point. Don’t attempt to use an indoor extension lead for this purpose – there’s a serious risk of electrocution.

On the second-hand market, you could pick up a whole load of accessories as part of the package. Most vendors will include the gas bottle, pegs, chocks and a few other bits and pieces, but don’t pay over the odds for these – they’re probably included because the vendor no longer needs them.