Special Offer: Pathfinder Caravans Rugged Trek 18ft 6in

In 2024, Atlantic Caravans quietly closed its doors for the final time. It wasn’t a scandal – all customers received their vans and staff weren’t left in the lurch. But Atlantic’s Peter Kuzmanoski still had some fire in his belly. He wasn’t done with building caravans just yet. And so, Pathfinder Caravans was born. 

Last year, we checked out the first model out of Pathfinder’s factory, the Terrain Trekker – it was Pathfinder’s top-end model. This time, we’re turning out attention to the mid-size Rugged Trek. This 18ft 6in van is built from fibreglass sandwich panels on top of a truss chassis – and Pathfinder Caravans has a special offer for GoRV readers. In fact, by mentioning GoRV when you talk to Pathfinder about this rig, you’ll get 10 per cent off the retail price. The retail price of this van is $124,500, but GoRV readers will only pay $112,050.

I arrived at Pathfinder Caravans, a factory in Campbellfield, Vic, to find the van standing proudly in the driveway, ready to be hitched to my MU-X. It was going to be a great day…

TOWING THE PATHFINDER CARAVANS RUGGED TREK

The van sat nicely on my vehicle’s towbar. Weighing 2565kg Tare, it was a pleasant van to tow at 100km/h in reasonable weather conditions. It can be loaded up to 3000kg and has a 210kg unladen ball weight. The payload capacity – the difference between ATM and Tare – is set at 435kg.

It sits quite high on its Silvershine Raptor-coated truss chassis. It rides on independent coil suspension with Pedders shock absorbers. This offroad van also comes with a DO35 coupling and a large tool box on the A-frame. This toolbox is where you’ll find two 9kg gas cylinders. There are slide-out trays either side too. 

The nearside contains a recessed picnic table that contains a small pantry module, a wind-out awning, a couple of speakers, awning lights, tunnel storage and more. Across the rear of the van is a substantial bar that contains a lockable jerry can holder, storage either end and in the middle, and a firewood carrier. It’s a decent-looking unit. The rear is also home to a LED light bar and a rear-view camera. A larger LED light bar lives up front.

Let’s touch on the Rugged Trek’s 12V system. Our van had been optioned up with a little extra juice – it had two 300Ah lithium batteries along with 840W of solar. However, in standard format, it comes with a single 300Ah battery and 500W of solar. However, a 3000W inverter and a 50A DC-DC charger are standard. The crucial electrical equipment is kept in an offside locker with filtered ventilation, freeing up space inside the van. The batteries, however, are mounted to the chassis rail behind black checkerplate.

Further, every van that Pathfinder Caravans makes is pressure tested before leaving the factory. It uses a company called RV Leaks. The idea is to create positive pressure inside the van before spraying soapy water on all joins and seals in search of bubbles that would indicate a leak.

There are two 95L water tanks, each protected by galvanised sheeting, underneath the van, along with a 100L grey water tank – enough for a few days off-grid with careful water management if you use the shower too.

With its sandwich panel construction, high waist of Raptor coating for protection from road debris, high stance on the road and attractive styling, I reckon the 18ft 6in Rugged Trek by Pathfinder Caravans offers a lot of external appeal.

INTERIOR DESIGN

The first thing I noticed when I stepped inside was, surprisingly, the design of the bedside wardrobes. As you’ll see in the pictures, the top half of each wardrobe is separated from the lower half, creating a table area that comes with built-in wireless charging pads. There’s also USB charging points and 240 points here. I really liked the ambient LED lighting that’s been integrated within the wardrobes too.

Obviously, the bed base lifts up on gas struts for access to the storage space beneath. Now, the housing for the tunnel boot as well as a cable tray run through here, but there’s enough space left over for things like a portable solar panel and camp chairs. 

The nearside kitchen comes with a four-burner gas cooktop (with one electrical element), a griller and an oven. These are recessed into the bench, with a hinged section of benchtop above, allowing you to maximise your work space. There are enough pantry/storage options in the kitchen and filtered drinking water is available at the white sink. A Bushman compressor fridge with a microwave above sit between the dinette and the bathroom. That dinette, by the way, is upholstered in faux leather with acoustic panelling against the rear wall. It’s a nice aesthetic touch – this panelling is quite popular right now.

There’s a Fusion sound system built into the dinette’s overheads, and incidentally, the van comes with an RV Wi-Fi system and a couple of 12V fans in the bedroom.

Check out the bathroom. With an oval mirror set against acoustic panelling, it is a classy space. There’s linen storage, a cassette toilet and of course a one-piece, moulded-fibreglass shower. And what would a van such as this be without a washing machine? A top-loader has been hidden beneath the bathroom vanity.

Other features include a reverse-cycle air-conditioner, a 12V dust reduction system (again, using positive pressure but this time to keep dust from entering the van), and quite a bit more. It adds up to a welcoming, liveable interior loaded with visual sophistication. Whoever designed the colour palette of this rig deserves a raise.

SUMMING UP

Built from fibreglass sandwich panels with a structural foam core with excellent insulating properties, the 18ft 6in Pathfinder Rugged Trek does deserve your attention. In standard format, you’d be off-grid for days or a week at a time, but there’s scope there to really add some more power. 

The fit and finish throughout is to a high standard, and overall the van conveys a certain strength of purpose. I realise some people might find the payload capacity on the low side if they’re intending to cart everything including the chandelier with them, but I believe with sensible packing (which we should all be striving for anyway – if you haven’t used it in six months, get rid of it), there’s enough for your water, the gas in the cylinders and your gear. I certainly wouldn’t mind making it my permanent home away from home!

PATHFINDER CARAVANS RUGGED TREK 18FT 6IN SPECS