Many members love the simplicity of touring with a trailer tent, pop-top, teardrop, or lightweight caravan. Most trailer tents and some pop-tops may be stored in a domestic garage, potentially saving on storage fees, while lightweight trailers also appeal to those who do not have the necessary licence to tow heavier outfits. This year’s Lightweight Leisure Trailer Awards attracted 37 entries, ranging from a no-frills trailer tent of just a couple of hundred kilos, right up to a comfortable family caravan tipping the scales at the maximum permitted 1,100kg. A team of experienced judges assessed every aspect of each vehicle, from technical specifications to comfort, payload and purchase price.

CLASS ONE - TRAILER TENTS WITHOUT KITCHEN

RUNNER-UP: CAMPLAIR S

You get an awful lot of trailer tent for your money with this little beauty. It leaves the factory with an MRO of 260kg, allowing for an amazingly generous payload before you hit the MTPLM of 495kg. Two double bedrooms offer storage below, but the setting-up process is quite involved.

JOINT THIRD PLACE: TRIGANO ODYSSEE STD

How does a payload of almost 300kg grab you? And there’s no need to max out the 650kg MTPLM if you don’t need to. The two double beds are “firm but okay” according to one judge, and both offer generous storage areas below.

JOINT THIRD PLACE: OZTRAIL QUEST 500

Innovation abounds in this funky two-berth. An insulated roof regulates the temperature while erection is via a simple ’pram hood’ system. The tent is removable so you can also use the Quest as a general-purpose trailer when you need to.

CLASS TWO - TRAILER TENTS WITH KITCHEN

RUNNER-UP: TRIGANO ODYSSEE PLUS GL

This superb trailer tent narrowly lost out to the Raclet, mainly because it does not have the fitted ’lounge area’ of its rival between the two double bedrooms. The skylight in the awning section floods the lounging and kitchen area with daylight, and the trailer assembly is cleverly designed so you can access your luggage en route without unpacking the tent.

THIRD PLACE: TRIGANO GALLEON GL

A stylish curved roof belies the budget price tag of this delightful unit, although it takes a little longer than some to pitch up. The resulting living area, an impressive 3m in width, makes for a lovely space to entertain friends, while cavernous under-bed storage areas can hide all manner of equipment.