Outdoors

Barefoot Caravans sleep you in a rolling egg

Barefoot Caravans sleep you in a rolling egg
Retro gets modern in the Barefoot Caravan
Retro gets modern in the Barefoot Caravan
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The Barefoot Caravan weighs just over 2,000 pounds
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The Barefoot Caravan weighs just over 2,000 pounds
The Barefoot Caravan is available in the UK now
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The Barefoot Caravan is available in the UK now
The Roberts Radio Revival Mini DAB radio is available in various colors
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The Roberts Radio Revival Mini DAB radio is available in various colors
Barefoot close-up
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Barefoot close-up
The Barefoot measures 16.7 feet in length, including towing equipment
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The Barefoot measures 16.7 feet in length, including towing equipment
Retro gets modern in the Barefoot Caravan
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Retro gets modern in the Barefoot Caravan
Barefoot Caravan
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Barefoot Caravan
The kitchen unit has a two-burner stove and sink under its glass top
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The kitchen unit has a two-burner stove and sink under its glass top
The kitchen also has a compressor fridge
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The kitchen also has a compressor fridge
Inside the bathroom
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Inside the bathroom
Buyers can choose their seat upholstery option
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Buyers can choose their seat upholstery option
Inside the Barefoot Caravan
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Inside the Barefoot Caravan
Roberts radio
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Roberts radio
Buyers can select from Barefoot's curtains or bring their own material for Barefoot to make curtains out of
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Buyers can select from Barefoot's curtains or bring their own material for Barefoot to make curtains out of
Inside the Barefoot Caravan
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Inside the Barefoot Caravan
Both the kitchen and wall cabinet include solid oak tops
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Both the kitchen and wall cabinet include solid oak tops
The Barefoot team experimented with some other styles before selecting the one that made it to production
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The Barefoot team experimented with some other styles before selecting the one that made it to production
Barefoot sketch
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Barefoot sketch
The bathroom took some work, but stylishly combines interior curves with all the equipment a bathroom needs
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The bathroom took some work, but stylishly combines interior curves with all the equipment a bathroom needs
Go Barefoot's Cathy Chamberlain and Mike Williams with the caravan mold
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Go Barefoot's Cathy Chamberlain and Mike Williams with the caravan mold
View gallery - 20 images

Think "rounded caravan" and you probably think of the teardrop trailer. But a new British outfit has a different shape in mind for the towable living module. Go Barefoot molds the camping trailer into a more three-dimensional, egg-like shape in its Barefoot caravan. The immediately cool, indisputably classic trailer packs an interior that's cozy enough for a baby chick.

The Go Barefoot team originally set out to create a design with classic retro appeal that would be at the same time chic and distinct. We'd say they nailed it – a quick glance mistakes it for a traditional teardrop, but the second look reveals a more oval shape and rounded, sculpted sides. It combines the dramatic roof arch of a flat-sided teardrop with the 3-D pop of a rounded box trailer, like the Boler or Scamp or the newer Nest and Happier Camper HC1 caravans. It comes off more egg-like than the EggCamper itself, though maybe not quite so much as the Ecocapsule.

The Barefoot Caravan weighs just over 2,000 pounds
The Barefoot Caravan weighs just over 2,000 pounds

The Barefoot's distinctive fiberglass shell is a single piece (roof and sides) laminated to the wood floor with more fiberglass. Go Barefoot uses a gel coat to finish the body in the buyer's choice of color.

Turning that curvy body shell into a functional interior wasn't an easy task, and the team spent a total of four years on the design. "Now we understand why most caravans are square," Go Barefoot declares on its website.

Go Barefoot's managing director Cathy Chamberlain tells us that the company was keen to keep the interior curves. Those curves, of course, cut in on headroom, particularly in the already small bathroom, so working around them took some extra configuration work, including dropping the shower tray down below the floor to give shower users enough height. In the end, Go Barefoot succeeded in creating a floor plan that it believes offers an optimal amount of living and storage space, calling the design a "tardis".

The bathroom took some work, but stylishly combines interior curves with all the equipment a bathroom needs
The bathroom took some work, but stylishly combines interior curves with all the equipment a bathroom needs

Speaking of, the Barefoot packs a full suite of living amenities: bathroom, kitchen,convertible sofa-bed and plenty of cupboard space. It sleeps two (or three very close friends) on the 6 x 6-foot (1.8 x 1.8-m) bed that converts from the L-shaped seating. The kitchen unit includes a two-burner Thetford gas cooktop and sink below a glass top and a 65L Isotherm marine-style compressor fridge. The oak-top wall cabinet across from the kitchen provides some counter space. While small and curvy, the bathroom includes all the fixins: Dometic cassette toilet, sink, shower, cupboard and mirror.

The Barefoot also offers the utilities needed to keep things comfortable inside. Its Truma Combi 4E heating and hot water system (30 L fresh water tank) keeps the temperature up and works on either gas or electric. The 110 Ah battery powers the interior lighting; 12 V socket; heater; toilet flush; and refrigerator. There's also a Roberts Revival digital radio, which comes in the buyer's choice of color.

The Barefoot's body shell measures 12.5 x 6.2 x 7.9 feet (3.8 x 1.9 x 2.4-m, L x W x H), and the caravan stretches 16.7 feet (5.1 m) when including the tongue. It weighs 2,006 lb (910 kg) and has a user payload of 308 lb (140 kg). It rides on galvanized steel chassis and 13-in alloy wheels.

Go Barefoot launched its caravan last month, and is now selling it in the UK for a base price of £21,950, which includes VAT (approx. US$33,600). It's fitted by motorhome manufacturer Auto-Sleepers and comes with a two-year manufacturer's warranty. The buyer picks out options like exterior and interior colors, upholstery and curtains. Go Barefoot plans to expand to mainland Europe and the US next year.

Source: Barefoot Caravans

View gallery - 20 images
3 comments
3 comments
Bob
$33,600 and no air??? With 20 photos I still don't know what the inside really looks like. From what I saw it lacks storage even for its small size. Unfortunately, it weighs 2,000 pounds which exceeds the towing weight of most automobiles(including the car in the photo) which are limited to class I 1,500lbs if they are rated to tow at all. If you have a larger tow vehicle, then a 19 foot travel trailer is about the smallest comfortable size and costs about half as much.
Tom Lee Mullins
While I think that is really nice, it seems heavier than I hope and costs more than I think it should.
jeffrey
The very graceful exterior shape is spoiled by the rather clunky towing tongue and storage box.