Last year, Vagabond Caravans released their flagship Teardrop Caravan, the Rogue. This completed their range, offering adventure seekers three quality travel companion options to choose from.
Vagabond’s range of Teardrop Caravans – Rogue, Drifter and Roamer – is sure to meet your needs in terms of space, affordability, comfort and security. EVOFibre (PTY) Ltd manufactures the teardrops caravans, and with over 50 years of combined caravan, outdoor and fibreglass manufacturing experience, they have established themselves as a favourite among young travellers, small families and retired adventurers.
Vagabond Caravans started their journey in 2009 when they decided to make South Africa’s first Fibreglass Teardrop Caravan. Director and owner Bryce Lund believes his company’s success can be attributed to understanding what customers need from their home away from home. When chatting with us about some tips when embarking on finding a caravan or trailer for your adventures, he said it could be difficult as the market is filled with some great options.
“First off, never buy a wooden caravan because when it is exposed to the elements, it will create a lot of issues, such as damp and rot. Fibreglass is much easier to replace if it does break,” he said and continued to warn consumers to find reputable dealers when purchasing a teardrop caravan.
“Make sure the place and people you purchase your teardrop caravan from are experts and have legal units for lightweight vehicles. Not having the correct unit can get you in a lot of trouble with the law or cost you your life!” Finally, he reminded us that the cheapest options are not always the best option for you, as they may be uncomfortable and not suit your needs. “The wrong caravan or trailer can completely put you off the wonderful adventures camping can offer. Rather take your time, do your research and save up so you can get the caravan or trailer that fits your needs, allowing you to camp and travel in comfort and luxury.”
All three options in the Vagabond range have a monocoque fibre-glass body protected with a powder-coated checker plate and insulated with polyurethane foam. This ensures that the caravan is completely waterproof and the lightest and strongest fibre-glass caravan.
The rogue one
The Vagabond Rogue Teardrop Caravan is the flagship model and the only option that is suited to venture off-road as it is built on a galvanized chassis with an axle rating of 1.4-ton and a 5-leaf spring suspension coupled with 15-inch wheels and steel rims. “There are many teardrop manufacturers, but no one offers an off-road option. I have a 4×4 background, so I wanted a unit that can go offroad,” explained Bryce.
The caravan has a user-friendly kitchen that comes standard with a microwave, two gas stove burners with a gas bottle on the side, a 50-litre SnoMaster fridge, table, grocery cupboards and an Ammo box locker. It also sports a basin with a tap, with water supplied from the 80-litre water tank with a submersible pump. The tank has a faucet for cleaning your hands and feet, filling buckets and anything else you might need it for.
Although the Rogue is light and compact, it offers a wealth of packing space. On the inside, there are three overhead lockers and two lockers above the headboard, while the headboards also slide up to give three additional big lockers. At the foot of the bed there are two large cupboards and the nose cone and roof rails provide even more storage space.
The queen size mattress ensures a good night’s rest, and all of the windows have mosquito and bug protection for those warm nights you want to keep them open. The door windows have roller blinds that you can roll down if you want a bit of privacy.
The two 12V Hella Plugs, LED lights, USB plugs and other charging ports and plugs are powered with a 12V/220V charging system charged with a 102 amp/h deep-cycle battery. It also comes with a standard spare tyre mounted on the side in an easy-to-reach spot. With a tare mass of 550 kg and a GVM of only 750 kg, as well as a width of 2 120 cm, the Vagabond Rogue Teardrop Caravan is super easy to tow. They also offer a 1 400 kg GVM option for longer trips, but this option requires an EB license.
Drift away on your adventures
The mid-range option – the Vagabond Drifter Teardrop Caravan – can be towed on gravel and on-road. However, taking this caravan off-road is not advised. Like the Rogue, it is built is on a galvanized chassis with an axle rating of 1.4-ton and a 5-leaf spring suspension coupled with 14-inch wheels.
Although not as well equipped as that of the Rogue, this unit’s kitchen is practical and efficient. It comes with a microwave, two gas stove burners with a gas bottle on the side, a 40-litre fridge, grocery cupboards, and a basin with a tap. The 80-litre water tank supplies water.
The inside compartment sports a double bed with plenty of storage space for clothes and other necessities, while the nose cone and roof rails provide additional storage space. The one 12V Hella plug, USB plug points, and LED lights are powered with a 12V/220V charging system charged with a 102 amp/h deep-cycle battery. With a tare mass of 550 kg and GVM of 750 kg, the Vagabond Drifter Teardrop Caravan can be towed without an EB license.
Roam wherever the road rake you
The Roamer Teardrop Caravan is the base unit of Vagabond’s range and is built on a chassis with a load-bearing capacity of 900 kg and a 3-leaf spring suspension coupled with 13-inch wheels. Suited for all on-road adventures, it has a very basic kitchen featuring a basin, cooler box and grocery lockers. This road warrior comes standard with a double bed and plenty of storing options, including the large nose cone. A 12V system powers the 220V plug points, USB point, 220V inlet, and LED lights. With a tare mass of 450 kg and GVM of 750 kg, the Vagabond Roamer Teardrop Caravan can be towed without an EB license.
The Vagabond range of caravans are available at Vagabond dealers country-wide and is priced as follows:
• Rogue: R179 000
• Drifter: R155 000
• Roamer: R125 000
Numerous additional accessories can be added to all three options, such as an entertainment system, awning brackets with a 270-degree awning, an en suite cubicle, solar panels and much more.
For more information on the Vagabond Teardrop Caravan options and to book a demo, visit www.vagabondsa.co.za or contact them on explore@vagabondsa.co.za | +27 74 601 0271