Anvil

The Anvil is a squaredrop camper trailer for a couple who want to take a light trailer onto rough tracks. At 850kg tare a mid-size SUV can tow it, and Smidge has tested it on Blue Rag Range in the Victorian High Country.

Smidge publishes an 850kg tare and a 1,200kg maximum loaded mass, which it labels GVM (gross vehicle mass). That leaves about 350kg of payload. Smidge says most mid-size SUVs and all four-wheel drives rated to tow 1,200kg or more can pull it.

The squared roofline adds headroom throughout compared with the Breeze teardrop. Two adults sleep in a queen-size bed, 1830mm by 2020mm, on a high-density foam mattress, with wardrobe cabinets at the foot. It carries no toilet or shower.

The rear hatch opens onto a galley for cooking in the open air. It holds a two-burner gas stove with grill, a stainless steel sink with hand-pump tap, a laminate bench, a pantry cupboard and a cutlery drawer. The 55 litre 12V fridge-freezer sits in the front toolbox rather than the galley.

Power comes from a 120Ah AGM battery, a 130W roof solar panel and DC-DC charging from the tow car. Fresh water runs to 80 litres. Options include a grey water tank, a second water tank, a 2000W inverter, a lithium battery upgrade, air conditioning, a rooftop tent and side windows. Benchtop and timber finishes come in five choices each at no extra cost.

The body is composite panels over an aluminium frame, with fibreglass exterior panels and a one-piece fibreglass roof. The floor is marine plywood with a waterproofing membrane. It rides on a fully welded painted steel chassis with leaf spring suspension, 265/75 R16 off-road tyres, mechanical disc brakes and a full-articulation off-road coupling. Electric brakes are an option.

Every Anvil carries a three-year warranty and meets Australian Design Rules. Smidge finishes and quality-checks it at its Thornleigh facility in Sydney's north, and sells it from the showroom there.