Jayco Penguin vs Jayco Swan

What's the difference?

The days of very short caravans are over – almost no one would consider buying even a 14-foot caravan in today's age – but despite that, Jayco's simplest camper-trailer almost mimics the layout of a regular-sized vintage caravan.

At just 14-foot long, the Penguin encloses its bed, dinette and kitchen without any extensions, and does it quite smartly, too.

For off-road adventurers, having the flexibility to be able to tow your camper-trailer off the beaten track, out bush and along a beach, opens up a whole new realm of fun and possibility – and that's why Jayco's Outback versions of the company's mainstream camper range have a growing legion of fans.

But the question for camper buyers is: should they upsize? Bigger is often better, but does that hold true in the camper-trailer world? Is a big camper actually worth the extra cash? And is it more difficult to tow?

We take the Jayco Swan Outback (from $30,490), the biggest camper in the Outback range, on a trip into the bush to answer these questions and plenty more.