A smart evolution of the camper-in-a-box system, the Austrian-designed Campboks brings a few extra sliders to vehicular base camp. Instead of just the usual kitchen and bed, it also packs an outdoor dining set, two interior sofa lounges, a workstation, and even an available bathroom setup that fits the kit like a glove. Campboks squeezes that fully equipped camper van setup into a box that easily installs and removes from a variety of midsize vans, providing comfortable getaways without requiring a dedicated vehicle.
As camper box kits have evolved over the years, we've seen a few with indoor dining areas that convert over to bed platforms at night. But the proven formula of slide-out kitchen below flat, fold-out interior sleeper platform has persisted as the preferred path for quickly turning a basic van, SUV or wagon into a temporary camper, then back to a passenger vehicle.
Campboks doesn't completely rewrite that tried-and-true formula, starting with a familiar pair of kitchen slide-outs below a folding sleeper platform of its own. It does add some new ingredients and twists, however, with the most notable addition being a pair of sliding benches below the main left and right slide-outs. Those benches are complemented by a slide-out central table top that creates a classic picnic table-style dining area for two to four people.
The large driver-side slide-out, meanwhile, serves as the main kitchen area, carrying a flip-up sink basin with faucet on its outermost end, a small worktop, a single-burner Primus gas camping stove, and a 15-L refrigerator box – all the kitchen essentials in one place. A shower attachment turns the faucet into an outdoor shower.
Beyond that, the kitchen slide includes lower cubbies with retention straps for storing small items like gas cartridges, cookware and accessories. Bulk storage is located over on the passenger-side slide-out, which is sized to hold three Euroboxes for storing pots, pans, dry food, dishes and more.
Buyers can top each Eurobox with an available flat lid so that the set doubles as a work surface or storage table. Of course, between the picnic table and the worktop on the main kitchen slide, camp cooks may not even need the extra space.
Campboks also offers Boxio products for use with its Eurobox slide. Boxio builds complete toilet and sink systems into standard Eurobox-size crates, which can easily take the place of a storage box or two on the Campboks slide. Given the slide's 440-lb (200-kg) weight capacity, campers can even sit on the Boxio toilet without removing it, perhaps with some kind of privacy curtain hung from the tailgate. Then again, that might run uncomfortably close to shitting where you eat, so campers can also just pull the Boxio off and use it somewhere else.
Campers who do replace one or two of the Euroboxes with Boxio products don't have to worry too much about losing storage because the center of the Campboks houses another three-Eurobox slide, albeit one that opens forward inside the van. By fitting those boxes width-wise on the slide, Camboks saves room in the front of the center tunnel for the two 12-L fresh water canisters.
Another element that separates the Campboks from similar systems is its folding bed design. Instead of stacking away atop a narrow box like many other designs do, the Campboks bed contracts into an A-frame, creating interior and tailgate-area love seats atop the deep base. The interior seats don't meet regulations for road travel but can be used as a camp lounge. Campboks also offers a side-mounted swivel table to turn that interior sofa into a workstation or additional dining area.
When it's time to sleep, the front sofa section pulls out, flattening the A-frame into a level bed in a matter of seconds. The cushions line up automatically, and the bed is ready with even less effort than the average camper-in-a-box bed.
The Camboks kit's extra equipment does create some added weight, and at 309 lb (140 kg), it's heavier than other in-vehicle camping systems. It's designed to work with a variety of European-market midsize vans, including the VW Transporter, Mercedes-Benz V-Class/Vito, and Renault Trafic.
Campboks launched its system last year, showing it at major RV shows like Adventure and Allwheel and the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. Base prices range between €6,590 and €7,990 (approx. US$7,100 to $8,600), and options like the Boxio dry separating toilet, Eurobox lids and side table are sold as separate add-ons.
Source: Campboks