In May 2017, we were very fortunate to be able to look through Ultimate Campers’ factory in Moruya, NSW and witness firsthand the care, precision and workmanship that goes into this amazing off-road camper.
Pride
Ultimate Campers employ over 50 local professionals and skilled tradesmen (and women), all of whom demonstrated great pride in making each and every Ultimate Camper perfect for their new owner(s).
Made to order
These campers are made to order and Ultimate’s first task is to find out what sort of tow vehicle you will be using. In most cases they can match the tracking of your new camper to your car, an import feature when traversing difficult muddy or sandy tracks, as the camper will travel within the car’s tracks making for a much more efficient and pleasant trip.
100% Aussie made
Ultimate Campers are 100% Aussie made, an impressive operation. The entire manufacturing process occurs in the factory. Their famous Ultimate chassis are made from scratch, the fibreglass bodies are hand laid and all canvas and upholstery products sewn and assembled, onsite. Quality control is paramount, as Jason the Production Manager explained.
Design philosophy
Proven components are sourced locally and from leading Australia manufacturers like REDARC and Ironman 4×4. Michael, co-owner of Ultimate Campers (his wife Wendy is the other owner), explained that their campers have been designed and built for remote use, an idea that came to fold 25+ years ago while he was working along the Ningaloo Coast in WA. Their design methodology is to ‘keep things simple’. A very important feature when exploring remote areas of outback Australia.
The first thing we saw were the moulds (also made onsite) used to create the body of the Ultimate Camper. These are carefully cleaned and waxed before the gelcoat is sprayed into the mould. All materials are carefully weighed to ensure consistency in production and strength in body.
Made to last
We then saw the fibreglass matting being hand laid, a meticulous process but essential where added strength is required. The matting was then rolled to remove air bubbles and visually inspected to ensure the gel coat was evenly covered.
The fibreglass is also sprayed into moulds. The ‘spray-up’ is an amazing process where long strings of fiberglass are fed into the pneumatic spray gun which finely chops the glass strands and adds resin to hold everything together. Like the matting, this is also hand rolled to remove air bubbles.
The chassis
A quick look out the back of the factory to see an assembled chassis, freshly painted, drying in the sun. These are constructed onsite from galvanised rectangular sections and then sprayed with a thick protective coating. During the welding process the chassis is clamped to a jig positioned on a flat bench to ensure an absolute uniform build. Great attention to detail.
All components of the chassis are cut and welded on site. Of course they use premium off-road Ironman 4×4 foam cell shocks (Ironman 4×4’s principal is a long-time Ultimate Camper owner). Ultimate Campers even like to make their own jockey wheels, ensuring better quality and plenty of height adjustment.
2 year warranty
The Ultimate Campers come with a full 2 year warranty on the trailer chassis/ body and canvas and the manufacturer’s warranty on all other components used. There are limited things that could go wrong and we were assured that if you perform regular maintenance on your Ultimate Camper you will have years of worry free travel.
In fact the first Ultimate Camper made is still being thoroughly enjoyed, by its fifth owner — this is almost 24 years old and still providing pleasure to outback adventurers. Its resale value is also more than the original owner paid! Proof of just how popular these campers are in Australia.
Customise your camper
Each Ultimate Camper comes with a 110 litre water tank and you can have a gas hot water system fitted if required with outdoor shower. Of course you will get a pop up room for showering, just in case you don’t want to scare the kangaroos!
The components used in the kitchen are quite amazing. The cupboards and drawers are made from 10mm PVC Celuka, an extremely lightweight, water resistant material. The Celuka is cut to size using a computer controlled CNC machine, ensuring 100% accuracy. The cut boards slot and lock together to create an extremely strong, waterproof unit. The floor is covered with high grade marine carpet. No chance of water damaging these kitchens.
Bench top choice is up to the new owner. We saw a examples of white or coloured (galaxy) fibreglass benchtops. A very classy carbon fibre benchtop is also available and comes standard in Ultimate Campers’ top of the range Nexus model.
Quality control
The foam is delivered to the factory and cut to size for the bedding and seat upholstery. A mezzanine area above the factory floor holds the sewing room, the design of which resembles a sail-maker’s loft. Perfect for sewing the large canvas sections which form the roof and surrounds of the camper. You can choose from a range of materials for cushion covers, all cut and sewn onsite — premium leather, leatherette or cloth.
The canvas is Australian made and arrives cut ready for sewing. This explains the eye-catching appeal of an Ultimate Camper, setup in all its glory. They ALWAYS look amazing, tight canvas, perfectly fitting the internal foldout frame inspires strength and confidence.
5 minute set-up!
After the tour, Jason gave us a demonstration of setting up an Ultimate Camper. It took about 4 minutes and he even stopped to chat during the process. With fitted sheets and a doona you would be set-up and ready for a beer in under 5 minutes! One person, super quick and very easy. Quite impressive.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Ultimate Campers’ factory. Thanks to Steve for organising the tour and to Michael, John and Jason for their time and access to all areas. Proudly Australian designed and manufactured. Why not show off your best asset!
Ultimate Campers helping others explore the true wonders of outback Australia in comfort and style.
