Introduction

Camping is on everyone’s lips. A new way to participate in this lifestyle is to travel with a camping trailer. This is not comparable to a caravan. It’s more like a rucksack for your vehicle. For this very reason, it is very interesting for new campers or experienced campers who have downsized their equipment. In this article, we show you the 10 points that speak in favor of a camping trailer.

The 10 reasons

Size

A camping trailer is generally rather small and compact compared to its towing vehicle. Due to its small size, it travels in the slipstream of the towing vehicle and therefore consumes significantly less fuel than a caravan. Small camping trailers often only have one axle and are therefore very maneuverable. Even when uncoupled from the vehicle, they can be moved comfortably by one person. This helps immensely in narrow lanes or when you have been parked.

Speed

Most camping trailers have a permissible speed of 100 km/h. This cruising speed is ideal for man and machine. So you can finally take in your surroundings on your journey. You flow with the traffic and are not a disruptive obstacle. If you are approaching an accident or the end of a traffic jam, you have enough time to react. At 100 km/h, most vehicles drive in a speed range in which fuel consumption is quite low. So you always arrive at your destination very relaxed and still on time.

Driving license

With a European class B driving license, you can move a camping trailer with a total mass of 750 kg. As soon as the total mass of the trailer is heavier than 750 kg, an additional driving license is required. The suffix B96 is usually sufficient for camping trailers and caravans. With this add-on, you can move a combination of towing vehicle and camping trailer with a total weight of 4250 kg. This means that the towing vehicle and trailer must not weigh more than 4250 kg in total. If your trailer is heavier than 4250 kg, you will need a BE driver’s license. However, this is not usually necessary for a camping trailer. Want to know which BOBO you would be allowed to drive? Check it out with the driver’s license test in the BOBO configurator.

Costs

The most common models cost between €8,000.00 and €35,000.00. We are therefore talking about significantly lower purchase costs than for a campervan or motorhome. If we assume that such a camping trailer is used for 2-6 weeks a year, the reduced capital tied up is a convincing point. The running costs are also significantly lower. For a model like our BOBO, for example, you pay around €37.00 in taxes and around €47.00 in insurance per year. All in all, you can say that a camping trailer is significantly cheaper than a campervan or motorhome.

Storage space

Depending on the model, they offer a lot of additional storage space. Additional storage space on a camping vacation is a long-awaited dream of every van driver. If you start your camping vacation with a fully packed vehicle, the stress often starts before you have even left your home region. As a rule, you always need the piece of luggage that has been stowed deep behind many others. Laundry or piles of suitcases at rest areas can be a thing of the past with the help of a camping trailer. In a camping trailer such as the BOBO, for example, there are sufficient heavy-duty pull-outs on which Euroboxes can be placed and secured. There is space for all the equipment for your own camp, water sports equipment for fun by the sea and all the supplies for your vacation.

Sleeping places

It not only serves as a rucksack for your towing vehicle, it also increases the number of possible sleeping places in your camp. Some models offer two additional berths in their interior. The disadvantage of this is that the additional storage space is lost. An alternative is to move the sleeping areas to the camping trailer with a roof tent. In a roof tent, you can sleep comfortably and safely at lofty heights, and the storage space is retained. Roof tents are available in different versions for 2, 3 or 4 people. That’s why we deliberately opted for a BOBO roof tent and are more than happy with it.

Flexibility

Another advantage of a camping trailer is its flexibility. I can attach the camping trailer to any vehicle that has a trailer coupling. You hitch the camping trailer to your heels and set off on your vacation. The trailer can be fully packed and waiting on its stand for use. This means you can set off much more spontaneously and don’t always have to load the vehicle with everything you need for your trip.

The base

The parked camping trailer is the perfect base for you and your fellow travelers. Once you have found a suitable spot, transform your trailer into your temporary home. Set up the bed, take out the kitchen, put a beer in the fridge and then put your feet up in the deckchair. If you want to explore the surrounding area or need to go to the supermarket, your camping trailer will stay put and wait for you until you get back to camp. You can enjoy the benefits of the trailer straight away without having to rebuild anything like in the campervan. Spontaneous day trips with the towing vehicle are becoming commonplace again.

Off-road capability

As a rule, most camping trailers in the middle and upper price segments are also suitable for off-road use. Thanks to their small size and maneuverability, they easily follow their towing vehicle wherever it goes. Thanks to its low weight, the trailer can be pulled over hill and dale and most vehicles have no problem with inclines. A robust construction ensures that the camping trailer stays in shape and everything inside stays in its place. Thanks to its design, an ordinary caravan would disintegrate into a thousand pieces off-road. A camping trailer follows you on and off the road.

Proximity to nature

The reasons mentioned above underline the last and most important point for us. Camping trailer users often choose destinations in the great outdoors. He brings all necessary and non-necessary items and options to the chosen destination. He doesn’t care where it goes.

However, it does not offer a retreat like a caravan. It does not take the domestic world to nowhere.

You cook and eat outdoors. You dress according to the weather. You sleep in a tent. Despite the comfort it offers, you are in the middle of nature and exposed to the elements. For outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, this is precisely the convincing argument.

Conclusion

A camping trailer is ideal for beginners as well as experienced campers. It is not as expensive as other camping vehicles and has very low running costs. Thanks to its size, it is maneuverable and follows you everywhere. Anyone who appreciates flexibility and being close to nature should opt for a camping trailer.

Our drive to develop a camping trailer

In the many years that we have been transforming panel vans into dream campers with our individual camper conversions, our customers have repeatedly presented us with a particular challenge. What do you do if there is no longer enough space in a customized campervan, for example due to the arrival of children? Selling your beloved campervan, buying a new vehicle and commissioning a customized interior fit-out again? Or would you rather switch to boring alternatives such as an off-the-peg motorhome or caravan and give up the special freedom of a campervan?

The options mentioned have often been implemented in one way or another. During and after work, however, the question of a better solution left us no peace. Until we designed the first BOBO prototype in our factory in Hamburg in early 2023 and finally built BOBO No. 1 in mid-2023.

The camping trailer with “certain advantages”

We knew the “sticking points” from our experience in construction and also from our trips with our own campervans. When on vacation in a campervan, the living space is located in the vehicle, just like in a motorhome. Day trips mean either leaving the deckchairs and barbecue open (with deliberate risks) or dismantling the whole base and putting it away. And we, like you probably do too, love our barbecue on our camping adventures.

To be honest, you can never have enough space. A day trip with all the camping equipment in the interior is possible, but probably requires constant rearranging, which makes it difficult to simply enjoy the trip.

These were just some of the arguments that gave us the idea: “How cool would it be if there was a rucksack for our campervan?”.

BOBO is of course not a backpack in the literal sense. BOBO is our self-sufficient camping trailer specially designed for camping adventures. It is your camper base. Your “Honey, take the van to the shops, I’ll have a barbecue and a cool beer from the cool box” camping trailer.

You don’t have a campervan? Crazy, we have packed a roof tent on BOBO. Then simply attach BOBO to your SUV or station wagon and off you go. BOBO has a modular design. All modules can be removed from the trailer with little effort. So nothing stands in the way of your next bulk purchase from the Swedes. A real all-rounder.

What makes our BOBO special

Our BOBO camping trailer is optionally built on a KT-EB2 or KT-EB2 Plus from TPV Prikolice d.o.o., as these provide an excellent basis for our extension. The main differences between the two basic models are their total weight (1000 kg for the KT-EB2 / 1300 kg for the KT-EB2 Plus), the size (internal box dimensions / overall dimensions) and the supports (push supports in the KT-EB2 and swivel crank supports in the KT-EB2 Plus). Both trailers are braked, have a 100 km/h approval, power connection via 13-pin plug, a walk-on mudguard and off-road tires on aluminium rims.

We build our Bobo L+ or BOBO XL+ on this basis, which you can configure with its modules (all included) and optional add-ons on our product page.

BOBO’s camper modules

The BOBO modules have been designed to give you maximum camping fun. Access to all modules is concealed behind lockable service flaps, so you don’t have to worry about your equipment if you leave BOBO unattended at the campsite.

Our Module 1, the Cooking Station, takes care of your physical well-being. Here you have a storage compartment for spices and cooking utensils, a pull-out drawer for crockery and kitchen utensils (all based on sturdy heavy-duty pull-outs) and a through-loading compartment close to the floor.

Module 2, our E module, supplies power and light. The integrated Eco Flow DELTA MAX 1600 power station with 1612 Wh (expandable to Eco Flow DELTA MAX 2000) is charged via the vehicle while driving. Solar modules with a maximum of 800 watts can be connected to the camping spot for charging (optionally available as an add-on). The E-module offers 4 AC outputs with priority switching, USB outputs and an LED gooseneck light.

We affectionately call BOBO’s Module 3 the “underground garage”. It is a storage space miracle, can be loaded with up to 220 kg on two lockable heavy-duty pull-outs and can be fully extended. Your load securing is simplified by the CNC-milled grid floor.

Module 4 accommodates fresh water canisters (2x 20 liters in the BOBO L+ and 3x 12 liters in the BOBO XL+) and additional storage space.

Module 5, or the right arm of the Cooking Station, is long enough for the cool box and grill.

All the components included in our BOBO camping trailer once again at a glance:

• Lots of storage space on heavy-duty pull-outs, in proven VanMe Manufaktur quality (German craftsmanship)
• ECO Flow DELTA MAX 1600 Powerstation with 1612 Wh
• Compressor cooler MaxiFreezer 50 with 9 liter cooling compartment and 41 liter freezer compartment
• 2x 20 liter or 3x 12 liter fresh water canisters

BOBO Add-Ons

Our BOBO camping trailer can be extended. Depending on the base model, popular add-ons are available.

The following add-ons are available for both BOBO base models:

• Maggiolina Small X-Long hard shell roof tent (sleeping area 1300 x 2300 mm) with window openings
• Shadow awning 2000 x 2500 mm including lighting
• Shower / toilet tent including holder
• Dry separation toilet
• Maxx Dome roof ventilator
• Solar bag with 200 W and Victron charge controller
• One folding outdoor kitchen, 1000 x 500 mm including folding sand tray holders, sink insert, folding sink, airline rails and lockable hand nuts
• Gas cylinder holder for 5 kg gas cylinders

The following add-ons are only available for the BOBO XL+:

• Bike carrier for the drawbar for two bikes (up to 40 kg per bike)
• Maggiolina Medium X-Long hard shell roof tent (sleeping area 1450 x 2300 mm) with window openings

How we tested BOBO

After completing the prototype, we tested BOBO extensively on almost 16,000 km of adventures in the same year of its invention. The focus was on noticeably increasing the flexibility and passability of the trailer.

The first trip was to Slovenia to the beautiful Soca Valley and then on through the mountains to the island of Krk in Croatia. We tested our BOBO extensively in both “off the road” and “on the road” areas during the entire trip. It doesn’t matter whether you set up your base camp with him at the campsite or whether you spend the night with him in the wilderness. Our BOBO is ready to serve you with everything you need for a good vacation.

The second tour started through the beautiful Elsas. Then on through the south of France to the Atlantic in picturesque San Sebastian. From San Sebastian we drove directly to Portugal via the Basque Country. In Portugal we let BOBO look cool on cliffs and he was allowed to howl at the moon from there. The extremely stable yet modular design is impressive in the field. The maneuverability of the lightweight trailer is a pleasure in cities like Portugal. If a turn with a normal caravan is unthinkable and the first locals make eye contact, you look in the rear-view mirror and are happy that it is only a rucksack. You get out, turn it by hand and pick up speed again.

On the way back to Hamburg, we visited the Pyrenees again with our BOBO. What really convinced us was the trailer’s suitability for driving on serpentines. On sharp bends with a steeper gradient, BOBO stays directly in your lane. It even follows you through the Mc Drive.

As my partner put it so well: “You don’t even feel that you have a trailer on the back!”.

We were on the road with BOBO and our VW T6 Multivan. In this combination, it not only looks good, but also rides well. At first we were a bit suspicious because of the 100 km/h limit. Looking back, we were able to appreciate the full beauty of the trip for the first time. At 100 kilometers per hour, you can make good progress, take in your surroundings and meet almost everyone again.

But the convincing argument was definitely the increased mobility on vacation. We left BOBO at the location of our choice and explored the surrounding area much more frequently. The radius of action has grown enormously. The clearing will be considerably less and everything will be ready when you get back to camp.

We had wonderful vacations with BOBO in 2023. He was an absolute asset to our camping vacation.

We came to the conclusion that everyone should have a BOBO.

Requirements for BOBO

A trailer coupling on the vehicle and the appropriate driving license are basic requirements for a camping trailer like BOBO. Which driving license category is required depends on your base vehicle. We don’t want to offer legal advice here, but we have provided you with a driving license calculator as a rough guide. Try it yourself:

Do you only need a B96 driver’s license? This should not be a problem. Many driving schools offer the B96 supplement for around €400 as a one-day weekend course. A practical training session of around 4 hours is then held with a trailer on the agreed date. The B96 driving license is then issued immediately.

The B96 extension is valid throughout Europe. This means that you can drive to any campsite in Europe. The German driver’s license is also valid in the following non-EU countries: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a backpack for your campervan or a camping trailer for your car, BOBO is the perfect choice for many scenarios. Are there any unanswered questions? Then please use our contact form or simply use the BOBO configurator to submit a non-binding quote request for your personal BOBO. We will then discuss everything else with you in detail.