There are literally hundreds of folding campers out there, all with their own pros and cons. To answer the question of which folding camper is the best, I looked at all these folding campers, compared them, and picked the best 4 and 6 berth units.
Here are the best folding campers:
- 4 Berth Folding Campers:
- Pennine Fiesta
- 6 Berth Folding Campers:
- Pennine Pathfinder
- Air Opus
The folding campers mentioned above are the best 4 berth and 6 berth campers available, but why? Let’s take a closer look at what makes these folding campers so good.
The Best 4 Berth Folding Campers
There are several popular 4 berth folding campers out there and it’s easy to see why some models are so popular. The Pennine Fiesta is one of the folding campers that pops up time and time again in conversations about the best 4 berth folding campers. Let’s take a closer look at the Fiesta to try and determine why it’s so popular.
Pennine Fiesta
The Fiesta is an ever-popular 4 berth folding camper manufactured by Pennine Outdoor Leisure. There’s a reason, or several, that this continues to be one of the most popular folding campers after over 25 years. Let’s take a closer look at the Fiesta and see what makes this model so popular.
The Fiesta is known for its good kitchen, which is at the front of the unit. While the kitchen used to be bigger before the introduction of the toilet compartment, it’s still a sizeable kitchen as far as folding camper kitchens go. The hob and sink have glass covers that give you worktop space as required, but this is an excellent kitchen to have within the folding camper itself.
Later versions of the Fiesta (2014 onwards) have a toilet compartment built-in. This is a handy feature that isn’t found in a lot of folding campers. No one likes the trek to the on-site facilities at 3am, so the added comfort of having a toilet built into the folding camper is ideal.
All Pennine Fiestas have a fixed double bed. I would say the Pennine Fiesta is the ideal folding camper for a couple because of this, because there’s no need to make a bed up every night. If you want to lounge throughout the day, it’s ideal to have a fixed bed available whenever.
The Fiesta is very lightweight, weighing just 620kg ex works. The Fiesta can be towed by the vast majority of cars and by all UK licences. It’s also incredibly easy to tow, even if you don’t have any towing experience or you’re reluctant to tow a trailer.
There’s plenty of storage in the Fiesta. As well as a foot locker, there’s a cupboard under the grill and as well as a cupboard and two drawer unit towards the back of the Fiesta near the door. There’s more than enough storage here for 4 people.
The biggest drawback of the Fiesta is the small toilet compartment. The toilet compartment is very small, as you can probably tell from the photograph above. When Pennine introduced the toilet compartment to the Fiesta range, there was some debate about whether this addition was a detriment or a benefit. I personally think having a toilet built in to the Fiesta is beneficial, but how big a difference does it really make? And would it be better if you had the bigger kitchen instead? All things considered, you have a smaller kitchen and an even smaller toilet compartment. So this is the biggest drawback of the Fiestas 2014 onwards.
6 Berth Folding Campers
There are loads of popular 6 berth folding campers out there. However, there are a few that stick out as really being the best. The Pennine Pathfiner and Air Opus are perhaps the best 6 berth folding campers available. They’re both very popular and it’s easy to see why. Let’s take a look at both a little closer and see why they’re the best folding campers that money can buy.
Pennine Pathfinder
The Pennine Pathfinder, Pennine Outdoor Leisure’s flagship model, is one of the finest folding campers ever created. Since 1998, the Pathfinder has been Pennine’s flagship and biggest seller; it’s easy to see why when you take a closer look at this 6 berth unit.
The first thing you notice when you walk into the Pathfinder is how much bigger it is than some of the other popular 6 berth folding campers. The Pathfinder is 198cm wide internally and 355cm long. In comparison, the 4 berth Fiesta has an internal width of just 173cm.
The Pathfinder has one of the best kitchens that you’ll find in a folding camper. The Pathfinder kitchen is arguably on par with one you’d find in a small caravan, which is impressive considering folding campers are typically aimed at those looking to upgrade slightly from traditional camping. Many don’t realise that the Pathfinder is actually the first folding camper to include a full oven as standard. The kitchen also includes a 3-burner hob, three-way fridge, grill, and a sink.
Something that really frustrates me about folding campers and some caravans is having to make up beds when it comes to bedtime. If you’re putting children to bed, this can be such a massive hassle. The Pennine Pathfinder helps you avoid this problem, as it has two permanently made-up beds. There’s a king size bed as well as a double bed that are always made up.
There are other notable benefits of the Pathfinder, such as the inclusion of a toilet compartment and all the storage. But are there any cons to be aware of?
For six, the Pathfinder’s seating area seems small. The dining table simply doesn’t suffice either. Perhaps manufacturer Pennine anticipate most owners to expand their space using the awning, creating an additional dining area. However, it would be beneficial to have a larger lounge area in the main body of the Pathfinder.
Considering everything, it’s easy to see why the Pennine Pathfinder is one of the greatest 6 berth folding campers that money can buy. Priced at around £17,000 brand new, it’s much cheaper than most entry-level caravans too.
Air Opus
The innovative Air Opus, the upgraded version of the original Opus, is an excellent camper and easily one of the best that money can buy. It’s distinguishing feature, the self-erecting tent, elevates the Air Opus to its position as arguably the greatest folding camper there is. But that’s obviously not all that makes the Air Opus the best.
The self-inflating tent is the most impressive feature here. To begin the process of putting up the Air Opus, you fold out the beds. After securing the panels, the Opus does the rest. The Air Opus uses the air beams to inflate the tent automatically – no messing around trying to put up the canvas correctly. The Air Opus is erected in mere minutes; you simply have to assemble the inside of the unit once done, which takes around 10 to 15 minutes. No other folding camper, to my knowledge, is self-inflating. So this feature alone sets the Air Opus apart from the competition.
The Air Opus features a large, U-shaped seating area. This seating area is certainly large enough for 6, primarily because the sofa is U-shaped. The lounge is also very comfortable. Surprisingly, the same cannot be said for a lot of folding campers! It’s also worth mentioning that the dinette table is demountable, making even more room for everyone.
There are a massive number of windows in the Air Opus, so it’s well-lit throughout the day. At night, there is LED lighting that keeps the Opus feeling light and spacious. Some folding campers suffer from a problem of having too few windows or lights, so this is a notable pro here.
The biggest disadvantage of the Air Opus is the (possible) price tag. The most basic model, The Standard, costs approximately £15,995. This includes only a couple of extras and doesn’t feel very luxurious. Want the best version of the Air Opus? The Full Monty currently costs around £19,000, so this is potentially a very expensive purchase. After all, you can purchase some mid-range caravans for that price tag.
Which Folding Camper’s Your Favourite?
Which folding camper is your favourite? I’d say the Air Opus is the best folding camper altogether because of its innovative self-erecting functionality. However, it really depends on what your priorities are when choosing between folding campers.
Let me know in the comments below which folding camper you own and why you think it’s good!