Verdict
A pleasure to live in, with an end-lounge layout that demonstrates the best of British ergonomic common sense.
Pros
Well-judged and appealing colour scheme; very good equipment for the price.
Cons
Running gear and small water tanks not suitable for year-round, long-range use away from sites.
Living
The lounge dominates this layout, but thanks to a large mirror facing the door when you come in, a small overcab rooflight and a none-too-narrow kitchen corridor, there’s an open feel to the living space. Explorer provides some of the best British soft furnishings: traditionally cosy, with pelmets and curtains but with contemporary colour schemes. The privacy windows are unique to this firm, as far as we’re aware, and they do make it difficult for others to peer in. However, a downside, we found, was that at dusk, you lose a lot of the colour of sunsets compared with the light streaming in through the large, clear Heki rooflight.
The seats were supportive and wide enough for lounging or sitting up to dinner. The folding table, which is stored in an upright locker at the front of the kitchen, is easy to use, unlike the bulkier, often fixed tables used in many Continental end lounges.
Kitchen
Despite its short length, the Elddis’s kitchen beats many of those found in much larger ’vans. There’s a clip-on plastic drainer, a basin and a chopping board which live within the sink and a massive area of worktop which is ideal for lining up your plates en route to serving up at the table.
The inclusion of a microwave as standard is extremely practical when there are limited options for shopping. Even on sites with 10A hook-up, we had no problems with the amperage draw, though we did make sure we turned off the 2000W electric Truma heater. The 77-litre fridge/freezer is no match for the larger units which are becoming more prevalent, but it will be adequate for most customers’ needs.
Washroom
The shower cubicle, with adjustable shower head, is as big as you could want, but with only a 45-litre capacity tank, you really need to fill up before you use it. This explains why our test ’van was supplied with an Aquaroll (a portable water container used by touring caravanners) and an impeller pump, which brings water on board from the Aquaroll, powered by an electrical contact fitted to the exterior. There’s a small rooflight, though the main window is clear, rather than frosted, while loo space is a little cramped.
Beds
The lounge bed makes up in around 20 seconds: just pull out the central slats, slide them over the rubber stays and bring the seats into the centre, dropping the back rests in behind them. The cushions are very supportive thanks to high-quality foam filling, with no awkward bumps or ridges. Seitz pleated blinds provide good insulation and the opportunity to let in a little bit of light in the morning.
Storage
The nearside under-seat locker is great for pitching kit, and with the wardrobe and seven lounge lockers there’s lots of room for clothes. The overcab space has three useful lockers and two side-bins. With the exception of the shower space, however, there’s nowhere to put folding chairs (although an optional roof rack is available).
Technical Specifications
| Payload | 424 kg |
| MTPLM | 3300 kg |
| Shipping Length | 6.37 m |
| Width | 2.35 m |
