Adventure Reviews

Marcus Craft road-tests the Jayco Swan Touring camper-trailer

The Ford Everest is one of the better examples of a ute-based 4WD wagon. It has consistently done a good job of satisfying driver desires for a family-friendly SUV with car-like ride and handling, while also being a very effective off-roader.

There was once an ad on telly where the guy asked, 'got any blacker?' It seems that was a premonition, with seemingly dozens of black edition vehicles available in recent times. This Nissan Navara ST Black Edition is the second such example of the ute - but now it's cheaper.

It seems to come with the territory, that forward-fold campers are heavier than they need to be – and there are a few reasons for that.Firstly, most are made in China and, to prevent any possible durability issues, they are made with thicker sections of steel. Secondly, it’s cheaper to build something heavy than it is to build it light. And, thirdly, impressive features, such as checker-plate front storage boxes and dual spare wheels, are heavy.So, it’s refreshing to see a forward-fold, like the Blue Tongue Overland XF Lite Series 2, come in about 200 to 300kg lighter than most other campers on the market, without being completely stripped of features (although, surely that name ads a few kilos, it’s so long!).

Brendan Batty off-road tests the Cub Campers Frontier camper-trailer

Brendan Batty road-tests and reviews a 2019 Jayco Penguin Touring camper-trailer.

Brendan Batty road-tests and reviews a 2019 Jayco Swift camper-trailer, an entry-level model for those wanting to kick-start their outdoor adventures.

The new Holden Colorado Z71 Xtreme takes the top-spec ute and adds a lot of hard-core extras. But does it transform the drive experience? And is it worth the cash? Let's find out.

For a hint at what a high country trip is like, Brindabella National Park offers fantastic scenery, plentiful wildlife and some real challenges for 4WDers.

The South Island of New Zealand, especially its tourism capital, Queenstown, is renowned for its myriad action and outdoor sports: bungy jumping, jet-boating, skiing, snowboarding, kite-skiing, tramping (hiking) and much more. There are also a stack of 4WD tracks – ranging in difficulty from suitable for a light-duty AWD through to hard-core trips that require a 4WD with an experienced driver, recovery gear, spares and preferably travelling with one or more other vehicles.Any getaway here can be as adrenalin-fuelled an experience as you want it to be.We opted for two day-trip loops out of Queenstown, a nice balance of light off-roading, local-area history and plenty of culture.