Outdoors

Rugged micro-trailer unboxes into two-story base camp with staircase

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The Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0 ducks a little lower than the original Xplorer trailer but lives equally large
Hardkorr Campers
The Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0 pops, slides and unfolds like a Swiss Army tool of outdoor living
Hardkorr Campers
The Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0 ducks a little lower than the original Xplorer trailer but lives equally large
Hardkorr Campers
While it packs some serious off-grid readiness, the Hardkorr "Shorty" compacts down to a boxy 198 cm high by 198 cm wide
Hardkorr Campers
A good look at the Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0's integrated front steps and 9-kg propane bottle holder
Hardkorr Campers
Hardkorr cushions the wheels with an independent dual-shock suspension system
Hardkorr Campers
The Xplorer 2.0 measures slightly longer than the original Xplorer at just over 4 m
Hardkorr Campers
The rooftop tent offers a double mattress and plenty of head and elbow room courtesy of a dual-lift roof
Hardkorr Campers
The Xplorer 2.0 loses the second spare tire included on the original Xplorer but adds a pair of 15-L jerry can holders in its place
Hardkorr Campers
Complete with 270-degree freestanding awning, the Xplorer 2.0 is designed to set up and break down in five minutes
Hardkorr Campers
One side is dedicated to the kitchen with a stove/sink slide, fridge slide, multiple worktops and a large pantry
Hardkorr Campers
The Xplorer 2.0 lives up to its name with a rugged off-road build meant to tow anywhere the vehicle can go
Hardkorr Campers
The Xplorer 2.0 Shorty carries two 20-L jerry cans up front
Hardkorr Campers
Designed for the urban-to-wild adventurer, the Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0 was developed specifically for storing in a garage, even an apartment garage
Hardkorr Campers
That's a garage full of adventure and fun
Hardkorr Campers
The Xplorer 2.0 starts at AU$35,990 in Oz and appears to be on its way to the US market
Hardkorr Campers
Hardkorr offers a variety of accessories, including a 170-W rooftop solar panel, inverter, Weber portable grill, and lithium battery upgrade
Hardkorr Campers
Into the wild
Hardkorr Campers
View gallery - 17 images

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.

That's a garage full of adventure and fun
Hardkorr Campers

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 Hardkorr Xplorer 2.0 pops, slides and unfolds like a Swiss Army tool of outdoor living
Hardkorr Campers

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.

The rooftop tent offers a double mattress and plenty of head and elbow room courtesy of a dual-lift roof
Hardkorr Campers

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.

The Xplorer 2.0 lives up to its name with a rugged off-road build meant to tow anywhere the vehicle can go
Hardkorr Campers

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

View gallery - 17 images
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1 comment
Ines
I like these campers. Tick a lot of boxes. Aus is a very windy country. Can we see a video of that tent in a gale?