REVIEW: TRAKMASTER EXPLORER POP-TOP

The Trakmaster

The first Trakmaster van was built in 1995 by the professional outback touring duo Russell Seebach and Craig Miles. They saw firsthand how many vans just weren’t up to outback conditions and set about designing something that could go the distance. This design intent has continued through to today. The brand has now joined TRACK, another iconic outback touring specialist. The name similarities are a bit confusing, but what is not confusing is the pedigree of iconic RVs such as Tvan, Track 4 and Trakmaster all being built under the one roof at the TRACK factory in Bayswater, Victoria.

I have had the opportunity to visit the factory in the past, and it is a well-run operation where product development improvements can be shared across the various products in the stable. The subject of our review is the latest release pop-top version of the Explorer series. It shares the same platform as its sister hardtop model that debuted in 2023.

MINIMALIST INTENT

If you want to be fair dinkum about accessing out-of-the-way places, you need a lightweight and nimble van, and the Explorer Pop Top excels at this. The headline numbers include a 2.01m width, 2.23m travel height and 2070kg tare. As a reference point, your average full-size caravan is typically around 2.4m wide, and many pop top hybrids are around 2.2m wide and over 2.5m high. Many other hybrids could be hundreds of kilos heavier.

These dimensions call for a compact interior and will suit couples who know how to pack efficiently and appreciate streamlined internal living gives them the advantage of pursuing more of the outdoors.

COMPREHENSIVE CONSTRUCTION

Many Australian caravan manufacturers rely on a handful of chassis specialist suppliers to provide the backbone of their builds. TRACK buck the trend, building their chassis in-house for more control of the build process. Of course, it’s made from Australian steel, and hot-dip galvanising is one of the few outsourced processes. Even the beefy Trak-Two suspension trailing arms are fabricated in-house. The air bag system to raise and lower the suspension is supplied by industry expert, Airbag Man.

Continuing the theme, TRACK are one of the few making their own composite panels in-house. Powder-coated aluminium panels are bonded over closed-cell foam and reinforced by an external skeletal frame. The aluminium panels feature folded edges for dust and water ingress protection and are secured with thousands of rivets. 

The Cruisemaster DO35 hitch coupling is a safe bet, being the number one selling off-road coupling by a country mile. Further peace of mind comes with the optional Bosch sway control fitted. Incorporating ABS and asymmetrical braking, I believe it is the best system currently available on the market. The safety system works in conjunction with Cruisemaster 12in electric brakes. Custom alloy wheels and highly regarded Wildpeak 265/70/17 all-terrain tyres complete the running gear. Various wheel configurations are available to match the tow vehicle.

RIVETING INTERIOR

If you are expecting an apartment-like feel as per some of the bigger touring vans you might be disappointed. If you are looking for a robust, pragmatic interior, you are probably going to fall in love with the Explorer PT. The furniture structure and drawers are engineered from aluminium sheet metal. You see exposed rivets throughout, securing the structure together. It speaks to the function-first and rugged good looks second approach. 

The drawers and doors are opened and closed with a modicum of grunt rather than finesse. They feel like they will stand the test of time on corrugated outback roads. The travel locks to stop drawers opening while bouncing down the track are equally utilitarian, with robust knobs and a “locked arrow” laser cut into the aluminium panel. And the clever thing is the knob acts as central locking for the stack of drawers so you don’t have to lock each drawer individually.

In terms of layout, there’s a queen-sized bed up front with storage bins along each side and compact compartments with drop-down doors at the head of the bed. At the foot of the bed, there’s generously sized single seating on each side wall. The dining table swivels out of the way over the bed in transit and easily relocates for sleeping and meals. However, the table does make it a bit cramped for getting in and out of bed. 

Two of the drawers reside next to the driver’s side seat and incorporate some important bench space in this compact design. The rear wall contains the corner combination shower/toilet and neat little kitchenette. The bathroom has extendable hard walls that slide up to the ceiling when the roof is opened, rather than soft walls you see on virtually all pop-tops. This prevents the “sucking in” effect you tend to get with soft walls when running a hot shower.

The kitchenette gets the job done in bad weather with a little sink, a Sphere 25L microwave, an Isotherm 16L drawer fridge and three regular drawers. Continuing the utilitarian nature, a vertical kitchen panel is home to the water control valves. I like the no-nonsense style, but the lowest valve could be vulnerable to an awkward bloke in size 12 boots delivering an accidental kick.

Cabin comfort is well taken care of with the Webasto 2.8kW air conditioning and the Webasto diesel space heater which also provides hot water.

To achieve the low 2.23m travel height (pop top roof closed), the hard wall section is low, and when opened, the soft wall section is high. The low hard walls don’t have enough space for overhead lockers, so Trakmaster overcome this by installing the lockers to the ceiling instead. This adds extra weight to the roof structure. It’s no problem to lift thanks to the push-button-controlled actuators.

The low hard wall section means that the door and door frame are designed to hinge up to make them tall enough when the pop top is open. Again, the latching mechanisms feel rugged and reliable.

POWERHOUSE KITCHEN AND MORE

The powerhouse external kitchen used across the TRAK range trumps the modest internal kitchenette. Upfront is an EvaKool 95L dual-zone chest fridge/freezer on a slider. Next is the Swiss Army knife kitchen that has compartments sliding out everywhere. The stainless steel bench work surface houses a Thetford Argent three-burner hob. A clever wind shield for the cooker slides up from the front of the bench. From underneath the work surface slides a kitchen sink, and from the sink slides a utensil drawer. Two more general-purpose drawers pop out the front and side of the work surface.

Above the kitchen is the obligatory external pantry capable of holding a decent amount of dry goods. Unlike some other designs on the market, it does not have internal access. Forward of the kitchen is a spacious compartment for the breakaway device, air compressor and air bag suspension controls. You could stow light cargo in front of this equipment, but it would be wise to devise a method of securing it to prevent any transit damage. The driver’s side has a similar compartment to house 2x 4kg gas bottles.

Directly above the A-frame resides a neat slide-out with an integrated front panel. Above that is a hinged door boot complete with struts to hold it up. The A-frame has a handy standing plate to allow easy access to the boot.

You won’t find a spare wheel on the back wall as it is underslung to the chassis. Instead, there is a firewood box, one jerry can holder and a diesel fuel tank. The rear wall has a mounting plate to carry up to four Maxtrax recovery boards.

REMOTE FRIENDLY 12V

While we are seeing a steady shift to 24V and 48V based battery systems, TRAK have stuck with a tried and tested 12V platform, making for more user-friendly troubleshooting and repairs in remote locations. 

The 12V system still packs plenty of punch with the expanded capacity 750A/h (up to 1500A/h) Revolution lithium battery bank and Projecta Monocrystalline 1000W solar array. Combined with the top-shelf Redarc 2000W inverter and TVMS - Manager Alpha 50 power management system, there is a lot to like. You can keep an eye on power going in and out thanks to the Redarc Red Vision display and gain even more visibility through the phone app. The core of the electrical system lives under the passenger’s side seat and the batteries are chassis mounted.

The 250L fresh water total comprises a 150L front-mount tank and 100L mid-mount tank. The 50L grey water tank is also located close to the axle for optimum weight distribution.

NIMBLE TOWING

We ventured into some beautiful, heavily wooded landscape carpeted with ferns. The Explorer felt right at home in the narrow, windy roads. The narrow profile meant that the occasional oncoming car did not make the situation too squeezy, and we were able to negotiate around some obstacles with ease.

At one stage I was in the camera car in front of the Hilux/Trakmaster combination. I wanted to get a bit further ahead to set up for a photo, so I gave my car a bit more right foot to pull away. However, when I looked in the mirror, the rig was just about keeping pace with me. The lightweight van (unladen, to be fair) meant that the Hilux was not overly burdened. The 2850kg ATM makes it a genuinely sensible size for all these mid-sized utes with theoretical 3500kg towing capacities. On the open road, the low profile will be a winner with wind drag/fuel efficiency.

THE WRAP 

TRAK has remained true to the Trackmaster heritage with the new Explorer PT. It’s a highly engineered unit with considerably more in-house fabrication than most Australian-built vans. The narrow, low-profile body and light weight and serious off-road equipment make for a highly specialised off-road hybrid to tackle tough territory. If you feel comfortable with a compact interior and appreciate the generous outdoor kitchen, this could be just the ticket.

In Brief:

A serious off-road hybrid with a standout external kitchen and practical dimensions for nimble travel. The interior is compact and functional and has plenty of substance where it counts.

PROS

• Compact 2.01m width and low pop-top travel profile

• Purpose-built chassis, suspension and panel construction

• Exceptional external kitchen and serious as-tested off-grid capacity

CONS

• Getting up there in price

• Too compact interior for some

Ratings

VALUE FOR MONEY 7/10

“Premium pricing, but the engineering and execution support it.”

TOWABILITY 8/10

“Compact, low and light enough to make tight tracks more fun.”

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING 9 /10

“A very good fit for couples who genuinely intend to tour well beyond the bitumen.”

BUILD QUALITY 8 /10

“The riveted, metal-intensive construction looks built for long-term hard use.”

LIVEABILITY  8/10

“Compact inside, but well suited to an outdoor-focused touring routine.”

SELF SUFFICIENCY 8/10

“The as-reviewed 750Ah battery/1000W solar package and 250L of water fit the bill.”

CUSTOMER CARE 8/10

“Factory-backed support from an established specialist operation.”

INNOVATION 8/10

“The hard-sided ensuite walls and hinged entry door are clever answers to the usual compromises of a low-profile pop-top.”

X-FACTOR 9/10 

“The exposed rivets, low roofline and serious external kitchen give it a character all of its own.”

TRAKMASTER EXPLORER PT (POP-TOP)

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Overall length: 6.35m (20ft 10in)

External body length: 5.26m (17ft 3in)

Internal body length: 4.29m (14ft 1in)

Width: 2.01m (6ft 7in)

Travel height: 2.23m (7ft 4in) with air-conditioner; 2.10m (6ft 11in) without

Internal height: 2.00m (6ft 7in)

Tare: 2070kg

ATM: 2850kg

Payload: 780kg (calculated)

Ball weight at tare: 190kg

Ball to tare ratio: 9.2%

EXTERNAL

Frame: Nil

Cladding: Custom-designed bonded aluminium composite panels, secured with high-strength adhesive and rivets

Chassis: Hot-dip galvanised Australian steel

Suspension: Trakmaster TK2 independent suspension

Coupling: Cruisemaster DO35 hitch

Brakes: Cruisemaster 12in electric brakes

Wheels: Custom alloy wheels and Wildpeak 265/70/17 all-terrain tyres

Water: 250L fresh (150L front-mounted, 100L mid-mounted); 50L grey (rear-mounted)

Battery: 750Ah Revolution lithium (as fitted)

Inverter: Redarc 2000W pure sine wave

Solar: 1000W Projecta monocrystalline (as fitted)

Air-conditioner: Webasto 2.8kW

Gas: 2 x 4kg bottles

Sway control: AL-KO ABS

Cooking: Thetford Argent three-burner hob

Fridge: EvaKool 95L dual-zone fridge/freezer combination

INTERNAL

Microwave: Sphere 25L, black mirror finish

Fridge: Isotherm 16L drawer fridge 

Bathroom: Ensuite with combined toilet/shower

Washing machine: Not fitted

Hot water: Webasto EVO5HYD 5kW instantaneous system

PRICE FROM: $144,900

OPTIONS FITTED

• Air Suspension

• Air Con

• 1000W Solar

• 750Ah batteries

• 75amp charger

• 2000W Inverter

• ABS/Sway

• New drawer fridge

• Layout - Modular 2 drawers with benchtop, magazine rack and power outlets (replaces 1 x seat)

PRICE AS SHOWN: $156,836

MORE INFORMATION

To enquire about this caravan, visit tracktrailer.com.au