A trailer or a motorhome?

Both campers and caravans have their ardent supporters. But when making a choice, it is best to take into account more than just personal preferences.

A camper is a house on wheels. There should be everything you need inside. You can go anywhere in the world with it, as long as... the camper fits there.

Unlike the living space in a camper, you can disconnect the trailer from the car, leave it at the campsite, and then explore the area by car, forgetting about the heavy ballast. However, if you intend to move often, frequent disconnection and connection of the trailer, as well as driving with a trailer, e.g. on narrow streets of tourist towns, may be a problem. So what to choose?

When is a better trailer?

It depends primarily on the form of recreation you prefer. If you're going to one specific campsite, a trailer will be more convenient. You can then set up the trailer on the camping site, and all you need to explore the area or shop is a passenger car. As one of the caravan supporters wrote on one forum, "it's hard to move to the supermarket with the whole house," and this could be necessary when traveling in a camper.

There are other advantages to this as well. To go to the store or to explore the area, you don't have to pack all your belongings or even clear the plates from the table. You can leave everything as it is without any unpleasant consequences. Since trips around the neighborhood are made in a passenger car, it also means lower fuel consumption. And, last but not least, it will be easier to park such a car.

It is also worth remembering the costs. Both the purchase of a trailer and its maintenance will most often be cheaper compared to a camper.

However, choosing a trailer is not without its disadvantages. Traveling with a trailer is slower and, in many situations, more difficult. Moreover, popular trailers are often much worse equipped than campers. Many lack tanks for water and sewage, not to mention such a luxury as a shower. Of course, it depends on the price range of the trailer you are interested in.

We write more about what types of camping trailers are available on the market in the ABC Caravanning section.

When is a better camper?

If you find it difficult to heat one place for a long time, choosing a camper van may be a better option. When you move from place to place, it would be a bit troublesome to set up the trailer every day and then connect it again the next day and go on your journey.

Driving a camper is usually easier and faster when you follow a convenient route. Moreover, you can easily spend the night almost anywhere - if necessary, you can easily sleep in a parking lot in front of a supermarket.

Another important advantage is the possibility of attaching an additional trailer to the camper, e.g. for a boat. This will not be possible when traveling with a caravan.

Problems will arise only when you want to drive on local roads and visit smaller towns. You can't go everywhere with a camper, and driving such a "delivery vehicle" around the city can sometimes be difficult.

This problem can be solved with a bicycle or scooter. Many campers have a special mini-garage where you can place such a vehicle. Then you can leave your car at the campsite and go for small purchases by bike. However, one scooter will not help you when you want to go to the city with your whole family...

Costs may also be an issue. Since purchasing a campervan is usually not cheap, and the costs of its maintenance involve not only operating fees, but also more expensive insurance, it is worth considering how many days a year the vehicle will be used.

While you will drive a passenger car every day after disconnecting it from the trailer, a camper will probably stay in the garage and wait only for special occasions. So maybe an alternative to buying a trailer should not be buying a camper, but, for example, renting one? It is worth considering different solutions.

There are several types of campers available on the market, and the exact structures are described in the ABC Caravanning section.