Caravan review: Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX pop-top

Goldstream RV builds decent caravans and campers and has been doing so for more than 30 years. The team has stuck to what it knows works, building exclusively meranti frame vans. This is all about to change with the launch of an optional composite construction range.

In brief

• Composite construction offroad pop-top couples van
• Twin axle, 5.7m (18ft 7in) body length with a 3196kg ATM
• Proven layout and running gear for exploring Australia

In Goldstream RV’s infancy — more than 30 years ago — practically the entire caravan industry was building caravans with meranti frames and aluminium cladding. In the past decade or so a big chunk of the caravan industry has moved on to composite construction. Goldstream has been ultra-conservative, sticking with solely meranti construction until now.

I recently spent the day with Mitch Damyon from Goldstream to review its very first prototype composite construction van — the RV 1860 Panther CPX. Mitch tells me market demand has driven the change. However, Goldstream will continue to build meranti frames and offer composite vans for a premium of around $9000. It will be interesting to see if this is a transitional phase, as most caravan manufacturers tend to stick with one manufacturing method for operational efficiency. There are always exceptions with one local manufacturer offering three different construction methods.

This pop-top offroad couples van is Goldstream’s first foray into composite construction

What is composite?

Virtually all caravans have some form of composite material in their construction, but they are not all the same. Composite cladding from companies such as PROBOND and DIBOND are sheets about 3mm thick with a thin aluminium skin on both exterior surfaces with a polyethylene core. Caravans built with 3mm sheeting will all have some form of frame inside. Some still have meranti frames, many have moved to aluminium frames and some have frames cut from a big sheet of ply or a polymer material with a CNC machine.

All of these manufacturing methods are functional and proven. And it is within the capabilities of small to medium van manufacturers to create their own walls and roofs. Any van builder using composite sheet cladding over the top of a frame could technically claim they have composite walls, but I believe it is a bit of a stretch, particularly if you are talking about a timber frame.

What I would call a genuine composite construction is manufactured by sandwiching different materials together under pressure/heat to create a one-piece panel around 30mm thick. The most common composition is a thin fibreglass skin on both exterior surfaces and a substantial foam core. Often inserts are built into the process to add strength at strategic points. So, the 3mm stuff and the 30mm stuff are similar in some ways but the key difference is the latter is structural in its own right and the foam core has high-quality thermal and acoustic insulation properties. Large scale van manufacturers are capable of manufacturing their own composite panels in-house but most of the industry would source composite panels from external suppliers.

The composite construction saves around 120kg of weight compared to a meranti frame

What is CPX?

CPX is the model designation Goldstream uses for its vans manufactured with composite panels and a package of upgrades — a special body coating, honeycomb floor and a hot dip galvanised chassis. Mitch tells me they selected Creative Composites as their supplier due to its proven track record building composite panels for the RV industry. The panel is the real deal with a fibreglass skin on both sides and a foam core for a total thickness of 35mm. Goldstream has specified PVC inserts strategically placed inside the panel core to reinforce openings such as windows and doors. The PVC is also like a picture frame all the way around the outside edges to provide greater fastening strength. The 35mm panels are used for the walls and roof. Creative Composites also supplies 17mm honeycomb floor.

These materials enable Goldstream to use fairly conventional composite construction methods. The one-piece honeycomb floor is secured to the chassis predominantly with high-strength, flexible adhesive with a limited number of fasteners to hold the join until the adhesive has set. The walls are glued and bolted to a z-section channel on the chassis below the floor line. Following this, the walls are glued and screwed to the roof and then sealed with aluminium corner capping.

Mitch reports that Goldstream’s CPX van comes in 120kg lighter than the meranti construction equivalent. As a percentage of the total tare weight, it sounds relatively insignificant but as a percentage of available payload, it is a pretty big deal. Shedding 120kg could also make a difference to which tow vehicle you use.

Goldstream may have been late to the game to offer an alternative to meranti frame construction. However, the brand has arguably leapfrogged much of the smaller to medium builder competition that offers aluminium or CNC cut panel frames. An upside to taking its time is that it has given the industry suppliers plenty of time to iron out the bugs. When I was involved with a now-defunct brand many years ago, our first foray into composite wall vans was met with challenges. Fibreglass skins were prone to partial delamination from the foam cores creating visible bubble effects on the panels. Improved quality control of manufacturing processes has seen this become somewhat of a rarity now.

The underside of the Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX is protected for offroad travel

Where’s the checkerplate?

What sort of true-blue offroad Aussie van doesn’t have checkerplate down the sides? A Goldstream Panther with LINE-X coating is the answer. It’s a spray-on product that goes directly on the fibreglass skin. It looks similar to Raptor coating, but it has more of a hard feel than a rubbery feel. Mitch whipped out a Coke can coated in LINE-X and challenged me to crush it by standing on it sideways. I am not the heaviest guy in the world, but I didn’t make a dent. Mitch says LINE-X weighs about the same as checkerplate at around 1kg/m2. My back of an envelope guesstimate comes up with 13 square metres of coating on the body contributing around 13kg weight.

Instead of checkerplate, the Panther has a LINE-X coating for external protection

Regulation running gear plus airbag suspension

Production models often end up a little different than prototypes. The prototype review van has the LINE-X coating on the 150mm DuraGal chassis. However, Goldstream has decided to run with hot dip galvanising in production. The AL-KO chassis is all very conventional including a small reduction in floor supports (equals weight saving) made possible by the strong one-piece honeycomb floor. The ever-popular Cruisemaster DO35 coupling and XT suspension system make this running gear a safe bet. The airbag springs are a nice upgrade for adjusting ride height and levelling the van at camp.

Cruisemaster XT Level 3 airbag suspension

Is the pop-top roof easy to use?

When Mitch walked in the van the first thing he reached for was a button and valve to raise the pop-top roof. We see a few electric actuators, but this was an airbag-style lifter. It consists of flexible PVC pockets in each corner of the van plumbed into the compressed air system also used to manage the suspension. When air is directed to the pockets, they blow up like giant party poppers and push the roof up. This is not a new idea, just not something we see in too many caravans.

The compressor driving the system is a little noisy but that only lasts for a few seconds. If you have limited mobility or strength this system is gold. Roofs are getting heavier with the addition of more external solar panels and some vans also have air cons up there. I have heard extreme stories of people with other brands pushing roofs up with brooms or even resorting to lying on the queen bed on their backs and pushing the roof up with their feet in a leg press machine-type action.

Three-way fridge and under-bunk air con

The Panther has plenty of decent appliances outlined in our specs table. The one appliance you don’t see in too many new vans these days is a three-way fridge. Compressor fridges have become the king of the camp because they are capable of getting from ambient to operating temperature much faster than absorption fridges. Plus, compressor fridges can drop from ambient to operating while driving whereas absorption fridges are really only capable of holding temperature while driving. I personally would be looking to option a compressor fridge whereas Mitch told me he had run a three-way fridge for months on end on his Big Lap. Each to their own. You can learn more about the differences in our guide to RV fridges here.

Air conditioning placement on pop-top caravans is another perennial debate. Mounting the unit on the roof provides optimum efficiency because cold air falls down, but it adds a fair bit of weight to the roof. Goldstream has gone for a Finch under-bunk air con which keeps weight off the roof. This makes it easier to push the roof up and puts less stress on the roof when bouncing around on rugged roads.

All the necessities are covered in this pop-top van for an adventurous couple who wants to explore the great outdoorsThe compact but functional kitchen

Heading inside the Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX

Goldstream has revamped its furniture construction to work with the new composite walls. All the furniture is now interlocked and freestanding, meaning it no longer relies on the walls and floor to hold it together. The layout is a classic rear entry door with a compact and functional bathroom along the rear wall. The mid-section houses the kitchen and cafe dinette. Overhead storage resides on both mid-section walls and has the limitation of restricted height inherent in all pop-top vans — you can’t have storage attached to a pop-top collapsible wall. Up front is the bed with the usual storage above, beside and underneath it. I did note the absence of either rails or shelves in the bedside robes making the space not particularly useful. Mitch assures me you can have either. Maybe it’s a stretch to call the space under the bed ‘storage’ because it is pretty full of the air con and 12V power system. I guess it’s got to go somewhere.

The pop-top design does mean you lose some overhead storage space

There’s a full-width bathroom at the back of the caravan with a separate shower and toilet

Off-grid power

Our review van has been optioned up to improve its off-grid capability. The Projecta system packs a decent punch with a 3000W inverter, 30A DC–DC charger, 40A solar input and 180A input from 240V power. You get two 220W Arizon solar panels which is an average amount these days and the optional 300Ah Arizon lithium battery provides decent storage capacity.

Two of the more energy-hungry functions in a van are heating water and heating the living space. Diesel is used to power the AU Focus space heater. Gas is used to power the Girard Instantaneous hot water system. And while we are talking about gas, even though I would opt out of a three-way fridge, they do offer the benefit of running off an alternate energy source in addition to electricity. Basically, having diesel and gas at your disposal for certain jobs makes your electricity go further.

The underbed area houses the air con and 12V power system so you can enjoy some creature comforts

How did the Panther tow?

Pictured in this review is Mitch’s personal 2023 V8 Y62 Nissan Patrol used for his recent Big Lap towing a similar-sized Goldstream van. The Patrol has had a bit of work done to it with a throaty but not offensive aftermarket exhaust, a flash stainless steel snorkel and quality all terrain tyres. Mitch opted for a modest GVM upgrade which he said was mainly to stiffen up the soft rear end but the extra 150kg of payload was welcomed. The review van’s tiny 136kg ball weight takes up far less tow vehicle payload than most vans. The unladen ball weight to tare weight ratio came in at 5.3 per cent compared to the 10 per cent rule of thumb guide for towing stability. It is only a rule of thumb because there is nothing wrong with a light front end per se, it’s more a case of it can be an indicator of a heavy rear end. Too much weight at the back does cause towing stability problems. You can read all about it in our guide to caravan dynamics and sway here.

However, I don’t want to lead you up the garden path. The Panther is not carrying a huge amount of weight at the back and the van did not show any signs of pitching or yawing behind the Patrol. In fact, towing the empty (2551kg) van was a breeze and I suspect full (3196kg) would continue to be smooth sailing.

The Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX towed well during the tow test

Final thoughts on the Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX

Goldstream is finally moving with the times with the introduction of its composite construction CPX range. The manufacturer has selected industry experts Creative Composites as its supplier due to its deep RV industry experience. Goldstream has demonstrated its capability with a very well put together prototype. Composite is offered as an option to Goldstream’s traditional timber frame vans. It will be very interesting to see how demand pans out for the CPX range with what I believe is a fundamentally better construction method with a reported 120kg weight saving but a $9000 premium.

Measuring up

Pros

• Composite is a fundamentally superior construction method
• 120kg weight saving over timber frame construction
• A long-standing, well-regarded manufacturer

Cons

•  $9k premium to option up to CPX composite pack

GOLDSTREAM RV 1860 PANTHER CPX RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

A well-regarded builder with a price tag to match

TOWABILITY

I reckon it’s a nice-sized twin axle that’s not too heavy and tows nicely

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

The proven running gear is up to the task of travelling Australia both on and off the road and it's got what it needs for off-grid use

BUILD QUALITY

Goldstream has adopted proven composite construction methods, and the execution looks good

LIVEABILITY

It has everything you need and suits couples who prefer compact living

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The good 12V power supply backed up with gas and diesel power sources

CUSTOMER CARE

A one-year, non-transferrable warranty is below par

INNOVATION

Composite construction has been favoured by some very big volume and quite small niche players. It is still a big step for a medium-sized builder

X-FACTOR

At the risk of repetition, composite construction is a big deal for Goldstream

GOLDSTREAM RV 1860 PANTHER CPX SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

Cruisemaster XT Level 3 airbag

INTERNAL

Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX price from $79,900

OPTIONS FITTED

• CPX package
• Airbag suspension
• 3000W inverter with BMS upgrade to Compact 70 and 300A Victron lithium battery
• Diesel heater

Goldstream RV 1860 Panther CPX price as shown $125,990

MORE INFORMATION

Goldstream RV

75 Bald Hill Road

Pakenham Vic 3810

P: 03 5941 5571

E: info@goldstreamrv.com.au

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