Prime Edge Caravans is an emerging brand with an interesting back story. The Aussie manufacturer is making a name for itself with high-end build quality and distinctive styling. So, we took a look at one of the brand’s top sellers that strikes a balance between performance and value, the 19ft 6in Adventurer offroad van.
In brief
- Quality built 5.94m (19ft 6in) couples van
- 3.5T ATM with a light nose weight to accommodate utilising expansive A-frame storage
- Spec level designed to find an ideal balance between performance and value for most users
The company
The Prime Edge story as told by company owner Vlad Suplinovski is a fascinating one. The beginning of the story is familiar in that Vlad and his brother Nick worked for other van manufacturers before starting their own business in 2016.
The venture started with humble beginnings building benchtops for the caravan industry. Vlad explained: “We started with nothing working out of a garage. We used all the savings we had from building benchtops and put all of it into building our very first caravan. We backed ourselves because we knew we could build quality caravans. Originally, we built caravans for other companies because we did not have any brand reputation or access to a dealership network. Over the years we scaled up to building up to 400 vans per year for other brands. This gave us the opportunity to develop the resources to completely run our own show. Now we proudly build under our own brand, Prime Edge Caravans. These days we have scaled production down a bit to focus on quality and work very closely with our dealership network. We believe this enables us to provide a great owner experience as we are very focused on sharing our product knowledge and ensuring after-sales service is delivered to the standards we expect.”
To find out more about Prime Edge Caravans, check out its business profile here.
The Prime Edge Caravans Adventurer is an offroad couples van
The Prime Edge range
Prime Edge offer five ranges, four of them running on dual axle platforms and one as a nimble single axle. It starts with the TourX on-road range, running on leaf springs and 15in wheels. Next is the Adventurer (the van on review) which is classified as offroad with Cruisemaster XT offroad independent suspension and 16in wheels. The single axle Xplorer steps up to the Cruisemaster high end offroad ATX suspension on 16in wheels. The Odyssey is the twin axle Cruisemaster ATX suspension variant and also runs on 16in wheels. The Odyssey ATX is at the top of the tree and is described as a luxury full offroad van with the highest option spec of Cruisemaster airbag suspension, 17in wheels and disc brakes.
Cruisemaster XT offroad independent suspension
How are Prime Edge caravans built?
The Prime Edge body construction method aligns with the approach now adopted by many premium offroad van manufacturers. We are talking about an aluminium frame clad with composite aluminium sheets, a one-piece honeycomb floor and a fibreglass skin roof. The body sits on an ARV chassis constructed of RHS steel. ARV have had a decent share of locally built vans for some time, but of late I am seeing a lot more ARV chassis’ appearing under premium offroad vans.
The Adventurer has an aluminium frame
Attached to the chassis is Cruisemaster XT trailing arm independent suspension. The XT sits one down from Cruisemaster’s top-of-the-range ATX suspension. The XT system is a smart choice for many people as it is more cost-effective, and it also saves some weight. I have used XT suspension on some big outback trips and would have no hesitation running with it again.
External features
I think many will like the look of the Adventurer. The sandy taupe-coloured panels inspired by the iconic Toyota LandCruiser, matching gold rims, contrasting black trim and striking decals work together very well. Collectively, the Caravan World team has had a good look at a few Prime Edge models now and the consensus is they are smart-looking vans.
Moving on to functionality. Many caravan A-frames feature a toolbox for some useful storage. The massive storage box on the Adventurer is next level. Supplied by Melbourne company Wolf Fabrications, the design is reminiscent of gullwing canopies found on ute trays. It has a clever mix of compartments and open space to create versatile storage. In the front upper section, there is a parcel shelf that spans the full width of the caravan which is very useful for long items. Underneath that is a single deep drawer accessed from the awning side, again spanning the full width of the caravan. The drawer has a number of moveable dividers which make it easy to customise the space to suit your needs. Below the drawer are two ‘half-width’ sliders with one accessible from each side of the van. At the rear of the box is a full-height open compartment, again spanning the full width of the caravan. It’s great for tall things or long things. Some owners would benefit from some anchor points to stop objects from moving around while in transit.
The impressive toolbox with full-width drawers and sliders
The innovation continues with the Wolf Fabrications storage compartment in front of the toolbox. At the base, it has space for two 9kg bottles. Above that is a little open box that could be used for firewood or similar. On either side are wing doors which kind of double as stoneguards. The space behind the doors could be used for storing hoses and other bits of gear. It would be a good idea to keep these wing doors closed while at camp otherwise they would be prone to flapping in the breeze. The storage compartment does take up real estate on the A-frame, just as a regular stoneguard does. We had no issues using it with the Nissan Navara ute. However, you may find there is not enough room to open a wagon door with a spare wheel mounted on it for example.
The rest of the exterior functionality is pretty conventional. In addition to the above-mentioned storage there is a regulation tunnel boot. A manual roll-out awning, fold-out picnic table and external speakers are all part of the package we would expect to see.
Twelve-volt hardware is becoming more sophisticated, takes up a fair bit of space and in some vans can be quite difficult to access when required. Access to all the fancy stuff is made very simple in the Adventurer thanks to a big external compartment located on the right side of the van. Similarly, the batteries are mounted externally. freeing up internal space.
What's the liveability like?
Remember, Vlad and Nick started out making furniture for other van manufacturers. So, it’s not surprising that they pay particular attention to their interiors. The build quality of the CNC cut furniture (interlocking) is top-notch. Clean lines are created with a combination of concealed and low-profile cabinet fittings. Of course, they offer plenty of interior colour palettes, but I thought this one was particularly nice.
From the bed you have a view out all four windows
The layout is classic and something we see in many vans, and that’s because it works. We are talking about rear door, front bed, mid-kitchen and bathroom across the back. I will let the photos and the layout schematic do most of the talking. Check out the photo above that looks across the bed towards the galley. Looking through the camera lens it really caught my eye that I had a great view through all four windows at once. This is thanks to the contoured cutouts of the kitchen/dining room walls being perfectly shaped and positioned to see through to the seating and kitchen windows. I don’t know if it was by design or good luck, but I liked it.
Quality appliances will make off-grid living a breeze
What appliances are onboard?
The Adventurer has all the usual good stuff to make for convenient and comfortable caravanning. A Swift full oven with three gas and one electric burner plus a NCE 24L microwave make the cooking magic happen. A Dometic 224L compressor fridge allows for an abundance of fresh food. The Dometic FreshJet Plus 3.4kW reverse cycle air conditioner is a top performer, and the Swift 24L hot water service gas/electric gives you the joy of hot showers. An Aussie Traveller 3.3kg top load washing machine completes the appliance package.
We've put together some handy guides to help you understand RV appliances better:
- A guide to RV fridges and understanding how they work
A guide to RV heating and cooling options and how they work
- A guide to RV washing machine and dryer options
Classic layout with quality appliances
Is it off-grid ready?
Victron is one of the premium RV electrical systems available on the market and the Adventurer is packed with some of Victron’s best 12V stuff. It comes with a 2000W inverter, a 30A DC/DC charger, and two 30A solar regulators. In addition, there are three 220W solar panels and an iTechworld 240Ah lithium battery. An optional second battery box was fitted on this van, making it easy to double your storage.
External battery boxes meet current regulations
Fresh and grey water tank storage is good with 190L and 95L capacities, respectively. You are not going to run out of gas in a hurry with two 9kg bottles and the cassette toilet capacity is good for a couple of days or up to a week depending on how you use it.
The tow test
Unladen, the Adventurer has a very light towball load of 161kg which is only 6 per cent of the tare weight (2685kg). Towball loadings of less than 10 per cent have increased potential for swaying but don’t think for a minute this is bad design. In fact, it is the opposite. Prime Edge has taken into account that its massive storage areas up front can carry a stack of stuff/weight without exceeding most vehicle towball download limits. It would be best practice when towing empty to throw some ballast in the front storage compartments to bring the nose weight up a bit.
The tow test of the Adventurer went smoothly
We are singing a familiar tune, but so-called 3.5T utes like the Nissan Navara pictured are not suitable for towing 3.5T vans. While the combo is legal if both the van and car are fairly empty, it is not going to work in the real world. You will not be able to get close to fully loading the tow car and the van and stay within the tow vehicle’s allowable gross combined mass.
What did we think of the Prime Edge Adventurer?
I suspect this van sits in the sweet spot for what many people are looking for in a decent quality van without going to very high price tags. Aluminium frame construction with composite sheet cladding have become the industry benchmark for offroad vans. A traditional box section steel chassis is dependable and saves some cost over fancier truss style chassis used to lift van bodies very high off the ground. The XT coil spring trailing arm suspension sits in the middle of the industry-dominating Cruisemaster range and will exceed the performance requirements of the vast majority of users. The Victron electric 12V power system is a well-regarded brand and again will meet the needs of most users without going to the extra expense and weight of large 48V battery bank systems. Plus, there are some cool features like the innovative A-frame storage that make it stand out from the crowd.
The Adventurer is stylish, comfortable and admirably equipped making it worthy of a close look.
An external compartment houses the Victron 12V electrics
Measuring up
Pros
- The specification level is the sweet spot for most Aussie caravanners
- The huge, well thought out A-frame storage is a winner
- The sandy taupe-coloured panels, gold rims and striking decals stand out from the crowd
Cons
- It would be best practice to tow with a bit of weight in the storage boxes to offset the low nose weight
PRIME EDGE CARAVANS ADVENTURER RATINGS
VALUE FOR MONEY
Strikes a nice balance on specification level for a good value proposition
TOWABILITY
Light nose weight and massive A-frame storage capacity means this has been designed to tow with a decent load upfront
SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING
Hook up. Head off. You’ve got everything you need
BUILD QUALITY
Prime Edge was highly regarded by our 2024 Caravan of the Year judges and this van is no exception
LIVEABILITY
A proven layout, good appliances and clever external storage make this van highly liveable
SELF-SUFFICIENCY
A great 12V system, two 9kg gas bottles and the decent water supply will keep you happy off-grid
CUSTOMER CARE
Five-year structural and two-year general warranty
INNOVATION
You may have noticed, I really like the A-frame storage
X-FACTOR
Striking appearance
PRIME EDGE CARAVANS ADVENTURER SPECS
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
| Body length | 5.94m (19ft 6in) |
| Overall length | 8.4m (27ft 7in) |
| Width | 2.45m (8ft 1in) |
| Height | 3.15m (10ft 4in) |
| Tare | 2685kg |
| ATM | 3500kg |
| Payload | 815kg (calculated) |
| Ball weight at tare | 161kg |
| Ball to tare ratio | 6% (calculated) |
EXTERNAL
| Frame | Aluminium |
| Cladding | PROBOND Composite sheeting |
| Chassis | ARV steel box section, 150mm painted |
| Suspension | Cruisemaster XT offroad coil spring trailing arm independent |
| Coupling | Cruisemaster DO35 |
| Brakes | 12in drum |
| Wheels | 16in rims with 265/75R16 mud terrain tyres |
| Water | 2 x 95L freshwater, 1 x 95L grey water |
| Battery | 1 x 240Ah iTechworld lithium |
| Inverter | 2000W Victron |
| Solar | 3 x 220W Victron |
| Air-conditioner | Dometic FreshJet Plus 3.4kW |
| Gas | 2 x 9kg |
| Sway control | Tuson asymmetric |
INTERNAL
| Cooking | Swift full oven, three gas and one electric cooktop |
| Microwave | NCE 24L |
| Fridge | Dometic 224L compressor |
| Bathroom | Separate shower and cassette toilet |
| Washing machine | Aussie Traveller 3.3kg top loader |
| Hot water | Swift gas/electric 24L |
Prime Edge Caravans Adventurer price from $117,150
OPTIONS FITTED
- Premium toolbox
- Premium caravan trim
- Extra battery box
Prime Edge Caravans Adventurer price as shown $122,975
MORE INFORMATION
18 Constance Court
Epping Vic 3076
P: 03 8349 9516
THE NEXT STEP
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