What's the difference?
Hybrid campers tread the line between caravan comfort and camper trailer-manoeuvrability and are touted as somewhat of a new thing; almost an evolution of comfort as more people look for a perfect camping experience.
But camper-trailers like the Cub Longreach LE prove that the concept has been around for decades.
It hasn't always been called the Longreach, but this high-walled, super-sized, off-road camper-trailer was one of the first to offer caravan-like comfort and space in a product that'll go anywhere off-road*. (* In terms of reasonable use and having obviously scrutinised your camper's warranty conditions before setting off to make sure you're covered for that sort of usage.)
The 2019 LE takes the comfort levels even further, so we grabbed one for a night to check it out.
Jeep's Renegade might be late to the mini-SUV party but it comes with a pretty impressive back catalogue to suggest that this is a SUV that can cash the cheques its name can write.
The top of the range Trailhawk can write even bigger cheques than the lower models, bringing with it a range of off-road tech toys to let you really get down and dirty.
This isn’t the camper for everyone – my guess is that plenty of people look at this and find it too sparse, too basic. I kinda get it.
But there are very few campers which offer the same amount of open, internal space, or that are as easy to set up.
That the Longreach, albeit with a few different names, has lasted so long on the Cub Campers' product roster is a testament to its versatility and ability to accommodate a small family on off-road camper trips.
It's arguably one of the forerunners of the hybrid camper scene, and it's now starting to evolve with campers' desires for more comfort.
Rugged, dependable and good off-road are the most obvious qualities of the Trailhawk. It stands out from the rest of the mini-SUVs by being able to do the S and the U with plenty of vigour.
It's just a shame that its on-road manners can't match that of its big brother, the Cherokee. Unless you're planning on proper off-roading, the Trailhawk might not be quite what you're looking for.