It is not a unique design or layout but it
appears to have been executed well in the
Raptor 13. The fold-out bed is, in particular, a
great idea.
I was particularly pleased with the storage
options available on this caravan. It includes a
small tunnel boot towards the front and an
excellent drawer system on the offside.
The nose of the van is fitted with dual hatches
to provide access to the van’s 12V nerve
centre. Here, you’ll find switches for all
electrical appliances that allow you to isolate
things like the lights and fridge. A 1000W
optional inverter was also fitted as part of the
Options Pack, which also includes three 100W
solar panels and a third 100Ah AGM battery.
The Options Pack at around $3000 appears to
be good value for money. As well as the
above, it includes features such as the
excellent McHitch offroad coupling, a hot
water service, and the versatile Ark XO 750
jockey wheel.
The Raptor 13 has been equipped with a
slide-out rear kitchen with hot and cold water,
and a couple of drawers. The sink is
permanently hooked to the van’s water
supply, so there’s no need to muck
around with hoses.
In terms of refrigeration, the van is limited to
an external portable unit on a forward slide-
out. Our van was fitted with an 85L
MyCoolman unit, but many options are
available in this department.
The van is equipped with independent coil
suspension with two shock absorbers per
wheel. The chassis is a galvanised box section
construction with 6in rails (150x50x3mm).
As we negotiated ruts and steep undulations,
the van didn’t bounce too aggressively and
nothing broke. I was interested to note how its
compact length aids its departure angle – a
rear cutaway isn’t necessary here. But I was
glad the rig had scrub rails as the Ranger
hauled it unnervingly close to outcrops
of rock and compacted gravel.