Caravan Review: Snowy River Caravans SRL216S

There is no shortage of options with the lineup of Snowy River Caravans. From a 13ft hybrid to a 22ft campervan, and everything in between and beyond, Snowy River has virtually all corners of the market covered. And that includes the market for people wanting a top-end, luxury touring model.

The Luxury range is known as the SRL – Snowy River Luxury. It starts at 20ft 6in and goes up to 23ft 6in. The 21ft 6in version reviewed here is known as the SRL216S – the S stands for slide-out. At the push of a button, the offside slide-out module opens to create a large floor-plan that looks very welcoming indeed.

There’s no denying that the Snowy Rivers are looking particularly good these days. With their fibreglass sandwich panel construction with XPS foam core providing structural and insulation properties, they have a particularly streamlined aesthetic not found on all caravans.

So let’s climb aboard the SRL216S to see what it offers. I think you’ll like it.

HUGE SLIDE-OUT

With the slide-out deployed, the layout is truly large and inviting. However, when it’s closed, quick access to the kitchen or front bedroom isn’t possible – you’ll need to engage the slide-out. Just something to be aware of. That said, the slide-out module is done nicely. It not only provides a large club-lounge dining space, it creates a second bed. A couple small points that I appreciated: first, the table is deliberately shaped to match the U shape of the seat cushions, so when it’s lowered to create a base for an infill cushion, the table fits the space perfectly. Second, the infill cushion is also perfectly shaped. And because all of the seat cushions are flat, the result is a flat bed you could actually sleep on.

I realise this sounds a little trivial but you’d be surprised how many dinette-to-bed conversions result in a poor night’s sleep thanks to cushions that don’t fit properly or are shaped for vertical back support rather than comfort when sleeping.

Snowy River Caravans has even given the dinette two slide-out footrests. There’s a tray (along with a drawer for general storage) either end of the lounge. Just pull them out, add the infill cushions, and you have two foot rests.

The only things I’d want to add are a 12V or USB point as well as a 240V point in the leg area. The dinette’s reading lights, however, do contain inbuilt USB points.

My second highlight of the interior might again seem like a small point, but the pantry is a winner. Rather than a full-height wire basket unit, Snowy River has given this van two separate drawers, one on top of the other, that sit between the dinette and the 224L Thetford fridge compressor fridge.

The kitchen contains a two-burner gas cooktop with one electric induction cooktop. No griller or oven is standard in this van. However, with the option of cooking on gas or an electric induction cooktop, you have some options in terms of power management when off-grid.

With its recessed sink, numerous storage options and massive amount of bench space, it’s a good-looking kitchen. I also liked the brushed-gold door catches and tapware, and appreciated that the convection microwave was positioned under the bench rather than in the overhead locker space. 

Speaking of overhead lockers, yet another small point: Snowy River Caravans has given the doors of the overheads a concave profile, which adds to the sense of interior space. It marginally reduces the storage space behind the locker doors, but there’s always a trade-off in caravan design. Personally, given the amount of space elsewhere for storage, I think it’s a trade-off worth making.

A queen-size bed sits in the nose of the van, complete with wardrobes either side and lockers above. Each wardrobe has a bedside table as well as a niche, so you won’t be short on places to put your things as you retire for the evening. Each niche has a 240V powerpoint but no 12V point which is something I would add. That said, both bedside tables do have an inbuilt wireless charging point. Finally, the wardrobes have been provided with a false motto – a piece of laminated ply that you can remove to access the niche area from above.

There’s yet more storage space beneath the mattress. Some of this space is occupied by the housing for the externally-accessible tunnel boot, though there’s still plenty of room for your things. Just lift the mattress base on its gas struts. The struts are mounted to separate pieces of raw timber rather than to the ply bed frame – even though you can only see the timber when the bed base is lifted, it would be a nicer finish if these timbers were laminated too. The fit and finish everywhere else inside the van is to a high standard though.

Let’s look at the bathroom. It contains a Dometic cassette toilet on the offside, a large linen cupboard, a central vanity and something a little different, a mirrored-door cabinet above the washbasin. Press the mirror and it will open to reveal few handy shelves! Not something you see often in a caravan. And I have to say, the shower in this van is particularly large, and there’s even a front-loader washing machine built into the vanity.

Overall, it’s a warm, welcoming interior with a very liveable, lovely layout. No one would complain about the slide-out, having all that kitchen bench space, or the small but thoughtful touches that I discovered throughout the van.

BUILDING THE SNOWY RIVER CARAVANS SRL216S

As mentioned, it’s built from fibreglass sandwich panels with an XPS foam core – Snowy River Caravans calls these panels Alopex. The corner and rear mouldings combine with the wall panels to create a visually appealing caravan that looks and feels robust.

The chassis has been Raptor-coated for protection, and the sides and front of the van get some too. That said, the SRL216S isn’t an offroad caravan per se. Think of it as a luxury touring van that would be quite happy in national parks and holiday parks, rather than the rough and tumble of Cape York. 

That said, it does ride on independent torsion bar suspension rated to 3500kg, in line with its 3500kg ATM, with one shock absorber per wheel. A couple of 95L water tanks are mounted underneath, protected by checkerplate. At the rear, I liked how the spare wheel was fitted in such a way that appeared recessed within the decorative moulding, rather than simply bolted to the bumper.

Back here, you’ll also find a wireless reversing camera, while a wireless side-view camera is mounted either side of the van, towards the front, giving the driver constant monitoring along the van’s sides. A point to make here, though, is that cameras aren’t a legal or practical substitute for mirrors – you still need to fit your extendable towing mirrors!

The SRL216S by Snowy River Caravans even comes with an electric awning! The switch is mounted just inside the door. Oh, the dual fold-out step is electric too.

Other comforts and conveniences include a waterproof Fusion speaker mounted to the nearside, a separate entertainment locker complete with TV mounting point and antenna and power connections, a picnic table made of the same fibreglass sandwich panel material as the walls, so it looks and feels like a more cohesive part of the van, rather than a screw-on accessory, and then there’s the front boot…

I can’t be sure but I think this might be the first van I’ve seen that uses concealed lift hinges for the door of the front boot. Essentially, the hinges work such that the door lifts out and then vertically upwards, in comparison to front boot lids that simply lift up and become horizontal.

Other external accessories include two 9kg gas cylinders on the drawbar, hidden and protected behind a plastic moulding kept in place by over-centre catches and a small bungy strap, there’s an external shower, a service hatch on the offside for access to the fridge, awning lights and more. 

The 12V system is comprised of two chassis-mounted lithium batteries and two 200W solar panels, with a Projecta PM400-BT power management system. Did I mention the SRL216S even comes with Lippert Sway Control?

GORV’S VERDICT

Overall, this is a comprehensive touring caravan – there’s very little missing or neglected here. You will, however, need a substantial tow vehicle. It weighs in at 2988kg Tare and has a payload capacity of 512kg, and an unladen ball weight of 221kg.

Out of the factory, this Snowy River Caravans rig is an appealing package at an equally appealing price. What you get is a lot of caravan built from fibreglass sandwich panels on a Raptor-coated chassis, with a lot of internal and external features and comforts. Loads of living space, a big slide-out, a big bathroom… if you’re hunting for a luxurious touring van, this is one to check out.

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH –

LAYOUT –

INNOVATION –

HITS & MISSES

COMPLETE SPECS