With six months of testing and countless kilometres under its belt, Borgy shares his thoughts feedback on the Goldstream Wing

When it comes to buying a new camper trailer there are plenty of different options out there to choose from. Some are big, others are small. There are good quality models, and some leave plenty to the imagination. The thing is, it’s often hard to tell how good a camper trailer actually is by simply looking at it on a showroom floor. It takes time to learn what a particular design is all about and to determine what works and what doesn’t. To be blatantly honest, only a handful of manufacturers would dare to give anybody the opportunity to really test their camper trailer out over a good length of time. However, you may recall back in October we gave you a sneak peak of our new long-term test trailer, the Wing 3 ST Premium from Goldstream RV. Well, after six months’ worth of adventures, it’s time to share our thoughts.

Hitting the Road 

To be perfectly honest, I’m not one for big, massive camper trailers. They’re generally just too heavy and cumbersome to tow over long distances. But despite this camper trailer looking quite substantial, it only weighs in at around 1350kg which is surprisingly impressive. In fact, it felt effortless to tow behind our Ford Ranger tow tug, despite tackling numerous mountain ranges that could have been challenging with a heavier camper in tow. Plus, there’s a remarkable amount of ground clearance available, which inspired plenty of confidence in the units’ off-road capability whilst poking down unknown tracks in search of those “secret” campsites. Despite sitting up fairly high off the ground, the camper felt stable overall. I mean, it’s not a glued to the road like a go-kart, but any movement is very predictable and manageable.

Setting up Camp 

For the nomad style of camping that I like to do, having a quick and easy set-up is a fairly high priority. So, when it comes to getting the Wing 3 into camping mode, I found it was comparable in time to a standard front fold camper trailer design, however when you walk inside you get a heck of a lot more space! The actual set-up process wasn’t too labour intensive either. It’s a basic wind-up design for the main roof, which was quite easy to operate. Then the beds slide out nice and smoothly on runners, with nothing more than two support poles each side to pop into place on the outside. On the inside, a simple tent pole is used as the backbone to keep the canvas in place, and it doesn’t require any stretching like a gymnast to assemble either.

I did find the way the door frame needs to be positioned to be a little fiddly for my liking, but when it’s all assembled the overall design seems to seal up and work well. Overall, the design is a genuine one-person set-up which is achievable without raising a sweat.

Inside Layout

On the road, the Wing 3 was quite easy to live out of. Internal space is at a premium, but it’s things like the modern, higher than standard bench top height and the extra cupboard space it allows that impressed me. Having a well-appointed 4-burner gas stove living inside was a nice luxury to have, and something that’s not very common in most other designs. It meant we had a place of refuge that we could cook at on the nights the bugs were overwhelming, or the weather was atrocious.

Our test camper had an internal toilet and shower, which is extremely convenient. Impressively, the cubical didn’t feel like it was imposing in any internal space. It’s kind of tucked away in the corner for when you need it, but easily forgotten about when you don’t.

Slumber Time 

With a queen size bed along with a double size bed on board, sleeping arrangements are top class. They’re both easy enough to access and roll out of the night after a few too many camp beverages, and the mattress was more than adequate to have me snoring like a champion. But what I like the most was just how much ventilation was available. The entirety of the canvas is basically a compilation of big, massive windows, which allowed for a decent breeze on a few of those summer nights in the New South Wales outback. The expansive views they offer is practically unrivalled too, and they allow plenty of light in so there’s less pressure on your lighting and electrical system in the long run.

Final Thoughts 

For family adventures, the Wing 3 hits the nail on the head. It’s easy to tow and comfortable to live out of. It’s the sort of camper trailer you would tow to a great location, spend half an hour to set it all up perfectly and then enjoy what could be considered the ideal base camp!