The Hardkorr Xplorer was already one of the smallest, most feature-packed off-road micro-campers out there, and now Hardkorr has gone and made it smaller. More accurately, it's made it lower, dropping down the total ride height so that the trailer stores easily in the average garage. While that means a little less overall cargo volume, Hardkorr makes sure the Xplorer 2.0 "Shorty" doesn't skip a beat. In minutes, it expands like a tactical multitool, furnishing adventurers with a large off-grid kitchen, full electrical system, hot running water, and a rooftop living space complete with staircase entry.
The main brief behind the Xplorer 2.0 was to dip the trailer's total height comfortably below the average 210-cm-high (6.9-ft) Australian garage door, ensuring the trailer could store away out of the elements. Hardkorr wanted it low enough to store in even a small apartment garage but without diminishing the camper's ability to serve as a dependable towable base camp in parts unknown.
To help compensate for its lower 198-cm (6.5-ft) height, the Shorty stretches out an extra 27 cm (10.6 in) over the original Xplorer for a total length of 4.1 m (13.5 ft), still a very short, maneuverable box. This helps the trailer carry the same spec level while losing just 450 liters of overall storage capacity for a still-plenty total of 3,450 L.
The canopy-style Xplorer 2.0 features a pair of upswinging hatches on the left side, storing a complete kitchen area. The main kitchen slide-out up front gets a sink with light, collapsible basin sandwiched between an outer worktop and an inner Dometic dual-burner stove. Up above, a pantry area features several shelves and cubbies for plenty of organization of cookware and dry food.
The rear hatch houses a fridge slide large enough for a 96-L fridge/freezer, with a secondary slide-out that adds a whole separate worktop area. Next to the fridge under the same hatch, the command center delivers monitoring and control over the electrical system, which comes standard with dual 100-Ah AGM batteries, a 40-A DC-to-DC charger and a solar hookup. A 270-degree awning provides shade over the entire left-side kitchen area right around to the rear of the trailer.
The Xplorer 2.0's right side has two hatches of its own, carrying the batteries and saving loads of empty space for luggage and gear. This side of the trailer also houses the drop-down privacy tent for the outdoor shower hooked up to an instant water heater that's also piped to the kitchen sink. Hardkorr includes both 100-L and 70-L fresh water tanks mounted below the trailer's electro-coated aluminum body.
One of the original Xplorer's main highlights carries right over to the 2.0, and that's the front chassis-mounted steps up to the rooftop tent. The two large fixed steps are joined by a deployable lower set that hooks to the chassis to create an entry staircase that's easier to climb up and down than a ladder – a feature that's sure to be appreciated during each and every late-night bathroom trip. Hardkorr says it's applied for a patent for this unique staircase design.
A deployable fabric tropical roof serves as a separate awning over the entryway, providing weather protection on the way up to the tent. The tent itself features a spacious dual-lift design around a 140-cm-wide (55-in) double mattress.
The Xplorer 2.0 lives up to the "Hardkorr" name with a galvanized steel chassis, heavy-duty independent suspension with dual gas shocks at each wheel, and 16-in alloy wheels wrapped up in 265/75 R16 MT tires. It packs 50 cm (19.7 in) of ground clearance to the water tank, a 25.3-degree approach angle and a 59-degree breakover angle. Dry weight checks in at 1,300 kg (2,866 lb), leaving a 900-kg (1,984-lb) payload.
Hardkorr launched the Xplorer 2.0 last year and sells it for the same AU$35,990 (approx. US$23,400) base price as the original Xplorer, which remains available. So the only question is, do you need to fit your all-terrain adventure camper in a 2-m-tall garage or not?
Good news for American overlanders: Hardkorr brought both the Xplorer and Xplorer 2.0 Shorty to last year's SEMA Show, announcing its intentions of selling campers in the US. The company already has a presence on the market with various off-road lighting, camping and power products and accessories, and its trailers will definitely make an intriguing addition to the market, joining the likes of Track Trailers and Kimberley Kampers in making the leap from Australia to the US.
You can have a closer look at the Xplorer 2.0 Shorty's ins and outs in the clip below.
Source: Hardkorr Campers