New Hybrid Camper Joins Complete Campsite Range

Camper Trailer Australia Magazine Staff — 22 May 2015

Complete Campsite has expanded its range of campers to nine with the brand new Exodus 16 hybrid.

The Exodus 16 is actually no bigger, in terms of overall footprint or towed length, than the Exodus 14, but a reconfiguration of the 14 has led to extra internal living space in the 16. The chassis and suspension are the same, as are all other standard inclusions.

CTA managing editor Max Taylor towed the new Exodus 16 throughout the Flinders Ranges recently, and found the new camper a dream to travel with.

“Its offroad credibility aside, this rig is particularly notable for its cohesive design,” Max said. “Nothing appears to have been shunted into place, there’s storage where you need it, plenty of 12V juice, and a great cooking setup.”

MATTERS OF WEIGHT

Complete Campsite has used the space over the 100mm (4in) drawbar of the 16 in a rather elegant fashion, creating a sort of overhang that gives 650mm of additional living space over the Exodus 14.

But the increased size does not add weight of the camper, thanks to a concerted effort by Complete to save weight in other areas. The team has reverted to hand-laying the fibreglass over the body, rather than using a ‘chopper gun’, allowing greater control over the thickness of the finish.

They have also eschewed checkerplate stone protection in favour of a grey spray-on Rhino coating – which is said to be just as tough, but a lot lighter.

In terms of construction, the Exodus comes from a full fibreglass mould with a structural foam core sandwich panel finished with gel coat, built on a 75mm hot-dipped galvanised steel chassis (5mm-thick steel), with the whole lot riding on Cruisemaster independent suspension.

NEW INTERIOR DESIGN

Inside, the queen-size bed occupies the entire front of the van, and the dinette gets a removable table (custom-made of fibreglass since it’s lighter than timber) where four people can sit comfortably.

In the rear offside corner, the Exodus 16 is fitted with a bench for food prep, where you will find a sink and the optional induction cooker. Adjacent, in the nearside rear corner, is a toilet in a separate cubicle, complete with privacy curtain.

The rear ensuite tent works a treat. A fibreglass lid folds up to become a roof and the canvas walls and floor drop into place. Peg it down and you’re ready to use the hand-held shower fitted to the rear of the camper

Overall, it’s a well-presented interior that makes effective use of the space. And that extra 650mm of living space, which results in a larger dinette and two extra windows, is a welcome touch.

THE VERDICT

 “At the end of the day, camping is about enjoying the outdoors,” Max said. “And the Exodus 16, with its emphasis on outdoor living, should be a reliable partner on the road. It’s a capable, tough, self-contained tourer.”

Check out the full review of the Complete Campsite Exodus 16 in the July issue of Camper Trailer Australia (on sale June 18).

 

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