by Holly Tribe
During the course of routine cyber wanderings, we recently came across a unique breed of caravans that are relatively unknown on British shores. With the pitched roof of a tent and the chassis and frame of a caravan, you could be forgiven for thinking these rigs are suffering from a bit of an identity crisis.
Watch a video of the Aliner in action
But these peculiar looking vehicles are not all they seem. Aliner campers are actually folding trailers with a pop up A-frame. Hailing from the Unites States, their relatively lightweight design makes them ideal for caravanners seeking a more manoeuvrable outfit with a shorter towing length.
The original design was conceived by Pennsylvanian-born Ralph Tait over thirty years ago and the concept has proved so successful, it has barely changed in that time.
Thinking outside the box
The A-frame design enables the sides and roof of the caravan to be assembled at lighting speed. The side walls and sloping roof architecture can be erected and collapsed in less than thirty seconds, making setting up and packing down a doddle.
Like their British folding caravan equivalents, Aliners are considerably easier to park and store than conventional caravans, and their lighter weights make them considerably more fuel efficient.
The steep roof line means there’s a surprising amount more headroom inside then you might expect. The seating and sleeping areas tend to be towards the front and rear ends where headroom is most restricted by the sloping ceiling, and standing activities such as washing up and cooking are concentrated in the middle of the cabin where the kitchen is situated.
A green machine
Campers intent on keeping their impact on the environment to a minimum can utilise the expansive surface area on both sides of the triangular roof to set up solar panels – angle the caravan towards the sun and you’ve got yourself a seriously efficient energy harvesting station to top up those leisure batteries.
Models range from the Alite – a super-compact version which its makers claim can be towed behind a motorbike – up to the Expedition model which comes with an outside shower, microwave and electric brakes. The design has been franchised in Australia by sister company A’van, but for now, these rigs aren’t available in the UK, but you can take a look around these distinctive folding campers in the video below.
