What Is A Folding Caravan? Folding caravans are most likely the best option for those who want better stability, visibility and ease in driving.
A folding caravan is similar to a conventional caravan having solid sides that are foldable, as the name suggests. People often confuse folding caravans with folding campers and tent trailers, but they are more related to conventional caravans.
The biggest reason to buy a folding caravan for most people is the ease that comes with folding caravans. They are commonly smaller in size than regular caravans that result in better fuel consumption.
The biggest misconception found among folks is that there’s no difference between folding campers and folding caravans. In this post, we will discuss the basics of folding caravans as well as the critical differences between folding caravans and it’s counterparts.
What Is A Folding Caravan? Salient Features Of A Folding Caravan
For you, folding caravans might sound new, but actually, folding caravans got popular back in the 70s and 80s. Here are some extraordinary features of a folding caravan:
Rigid Roof & Sides
This is probably the most significant feature of the folding caravan that distinguishes it from tent trailers and folding campers. When you pack a folding caravan, the roof sits on the top of the folded sides.
Foldable Interior
Removing and then assembling caravan cupboards, kitchen units, and other interior elements like wardrobe is not a smart idea. Worry not because everything in a caravan is designed to fold as well.
This is the quality of the folding caravans that makes them compact. When you assemble the folding caravan, everything unfolds and fit’s into the position itself. Meaning that you won’t have to put extra effort to place the furniture after assembling.
2 In 1 Capability
On the road, usually, folding caravans are pretty similar to folding campers, dimensions and looks-wise. Once you assemble them, you will witness that they look and feel more similar to traditional caravans.
Compact Yet Full Of Options
This feature was the whole idea of manufacturing folding caravans. People were seeking something easy to handle with all the luxuries, and folding caravans was the answer.
As mentioned earlier, after packing a folding caravan, its height decreases significantly. On the other hand, after assembling, folding caravans can offer almost all the luxuries of a regular touring caravan.
Advantages Of Owning A Folding Caravan
If you are still confused between owning a traditional caravan and a folding caravan, these points might help:
Simple Storage
Caravans are fun when we are on the road, but they take a lot of space when parked in the garage. Traditional caravans or motorhomes are usually quite heightened to fit in garages. On the other hand, folding caravans can be easily placed anywhere and give you less headaches when it comes to storage.
Another benefit related to this point is that parking folding caravans in the open isn’t an issue as well. Unlike conventional caravans, they can be covered entirely to save from external elements.
Easy To Manoeuvre
Manoeuvring a conventional caravan is a nightmare for many beginners. It is mainly due to the height of the caravan. On the contrary, handling a folding caravan is much easier, even for beginners.
If you are new to caravanning and planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe, then nothing could be better than a folding caravan.
Relatively Cheaper
Despite the modern looks of folding caravans, they are mostly cheaper than conventional caravans with options. This means that you are getting the best of both worlds at a very affordable price.
Better Fuel Efficiency
Due to the height of conventional caravans, you experience a lot of drag force. To surpass this force, more fuel is consumed; hence the fuel average is decreased.
The height of a folding caravan is sometimes even less than the height of a typical car. Meaning that no additional drag force will be there. Reportedly, you can increase the fuel average by 40% simply by replacing a traditional caravan with a folding caravan.
Now, let’s talk about the difference between a folding caravan, a folding camper and a tent trailer.
Difference Between A Folding Caravan And Folding Camper
Upon asking, even some seasoned caravanners were not able to define the difference between folding caravans and folding campers. It’s not someone’s fault; these two look pretty similar, especially on the road.
In simple words, a solid roof is the most obvious difference between a folding camper and a folding caravan. In a folding camper, you have a tent over your head and in a folding caravan, you have a solid roof.
Apart from the difference in the roof, folding caravans and folding campers both offer almost the same amenities.
Difference Between Tent Trailers And Folding Caravans
Folding caravans and tent trailers might look similar on the road, but they are entirely different on the site. Folding caravans, as mentioned earlier, are quite closely related to conventional caravans. On the other hand, tent trailers can be categorized as highly advanced tents.
Although some tent trailers are equipped with kitchen units, they are still more related to tents than caravans. Moreover, with tent trailers, you will have to take all the precautions needed for traditional tents.
If you aren’t careful, the exterior and even the interior of the tent can get damaged.
Summary
In this post, we learned the basic functioning of folding caravans. Folding caravans are a very good option if you are looking for something compact and equally luxurious. It won’t be wrong to call folding caravans the best of both worlds.
There are various advantages to owning a folding caravan, especially when you are on the move. For beginners, they are a blessing because they are much easier to handle. People often buy it because of the enhanced visibility because conventional caravans totally block the rear-view.
The advantages do not end there; folding caravans are usually even lower than the roof of a standard sedan. This means that the impact of the drag will be less, and the fuel average will be better.
Parking them in your backyard or garage is also better than parking a giant caravan or motorhome.
We also discussed the factors that distinguish similar-looking folding caravans, folding campers and tent trailers.
