Campooz LJ v Malawi 2.0

[bxl_lad]

Hello, sorry for this being in English (Brit living in Belgium...)!

We've just sold our VW California and looking to buy a trailer tent (we need more space and the independence of having the car available once pitched up).

We've basically narrowed our search to the Campooz Lazy Jack and Cabanon Malawi 2.0.
Price they're approx the same, but we find pro's and cons to both. I wonder if those of you with experience of these trailers could give some opinions that might help our decision?

I know everyone's taste is different so I will list here only the points where we have some indecision:

- "The 1 night stop-over" - we generally head south for holidays meaning we often stop 1 night en route. Looking for the easiest to mount the bare essentials for a one night stop (and perhaps under the circumstances of pouring rain). We like the idea of the LJ having the built-in ground sheet so that it remains dry when pulling out the main section - but have also seen some comments here that the removable groundsheet on the Malawi was the reason they chose it. From someone with no experience of trailer tents, could you explain the pro's/cons of this? To us it seems having it fixed would be the logical choice - 1 less step to do...

- Generally we like the look and feel of the LJ over the Malawi, but a few points of the LJ make us hesitate:
>The high bed and lower headroom in the bed
>The overall size of the packed trailer seems very bulky

One plus point of the LJ (and maybe the deal maker for us) seems to be the ability to mount 3 bikes on the drawbar (the sales guy suggested that the Malawi could only take 2 (we don't want to mount the bikes on top of the trailer as this would seem to us to be something else to have to remove when wanting to make a quick stopover). Anyone managed to get 3 bikes on the drawbar of the Malawi (and not had issues turning)?
LJ has much more storage capacity, though I think the Malawi would also have enough space for our needs.

For the Malawi, we liked the lower bed and more headroom in the main bed, and the overall more compact trailer when packed (our car is quite low, not an SUV, so this might be an advantage, but not a deal breaker for us).
Points we're not sure about for the Malawi:
>only able to carry 2 bikes on the drawbar
>Not sure if the additional kids room has to be unattached /re-attached each time?
>Having to attach /detach the groundsheet each time.

So, with these points being the main cause for our indecision, anyone got any advice?

Many thanks - feel free to reply in Dutch, I can use google translate ;-)

[FriedelP]

The campooz had in the past not so good reputation on quality. There were a lot of problems of leaking tents. Is possible solved in new models but it is something to keep in mind.


Bycicles on the drawbar means a lot wait there and so difficult to load the trailer in a way that it have the right ballance. For that reason I should prefer the bycicles on the roof of the car. Then you have not to remove them for a quick stop over and is easier to load the trailer in a good and save way. There exists lifts that can be used to mount hem easier on top of the car too.

[kimopo]

Very welcome on the forum where a zillion answers are bundled ☺️

I really instantly was in love with LJ on 1st sight around the end of 2022 but it was out of reach for us since it was a new model and therefore no occasions on the market yet.

We loved the high sleep idea and mostly, the vertical entrance of the bed.
Early spring the year after we found a complete differing model but I still love the sight of the LJ.

In the meantime however, I read a lot about the roof often leaking due to the zipper cover been blown away in hard winds causing rain to crawl under and leak through the zipper right onto the bed 👀

I really still like the LJ for its looks but am happy we choose different.
Maybe someday ever if they fix it and we'd be able to change our little Weekender we just might go for it 😉

[Ernst]

we have a LJ from 2024. We had 3 storms last summer. Yes a little bit rain in the fronttent, but then again 3 other tents were blown away from the area and 2 caravanfronttents were collapse. So what's a little bit water inside then. Also really a little bit @ the sleepcorner, but turns out i did something wrong there.
the storm even made a river under the tent. we had no trouble @ all there. (like i said a lot of others did) our neighbours had everything wet with their caravan.

It all depends on how you set the LJ. If you do it tight like a holtkamper you will get leaks. It is a tenttrailer that is set loose. It feels weird though.
We have had 3 bikes on it. 2 electric and a normal one. So that fits.

We love the LJ, the hight of the 2024 one is really nice. it's spacious. The higher bed is something you need to get used to. The small space between bed and roof was also something i was thikning about 2 first. But we have no troubles there. Just think about it. The small extra compartment is really awsom efor the kids. (the roof over that compartment is also something you got to learn how to set it up)

I have talked with the owner of campooz this summer and asked about the previous leaking. he aknowledge that they had some bad months of fabrication. And afaik he knows all faults were taken care off.

I had an issue with the bicycle thingy on the bar. They offered to help with my bicycles to get back home and that i could instant drive to their shop in Assen so they could asses it. It was not put on right by the dealer (so campooz had nnothing to do with it). Bu tthey swapped it for a new one just to be sure.  :D

i myself am very very very happy with the LJ and am very happy with the service.

[bxl_lad]

Thanks everyone, some interesting feedback

Does anyone know if those early issues with quality have been addressed in newer models of the LJ - if so, from which model year were they addressed?

Anyone able to give their experiences with the Malawi 2.0 for comparison? 

[Ernst]

Thanks everyone, some interesting feedback

Does anyone know if those early issues with quality have been addressed in newer models of the LJ - if so, from which model year were they addressed?

Anyone able to give their experiences with the Malawi 2.0 for comparison? 

from 2024 they did alot of things different. different fabric, higher tent and some more stuff

[Bucharestblues]

Thanks everyone, some interesting feedback

Does anyone know if those early issues with quality have been addressed in newer models of the LJ - if so, from which model year were they addressed?

Anyone able to give their experiences with the Malawi 2.0 for comparison? 

Went through this in 2020. See my earlier posts. 100% in love with the malawi still. Only thing we would do differently is buying the 'kids annex'. We hardly ever used it. Much simpler to have the kids in  the tent bit next to parental nest.

[Drikusniet]

A loose groundsheet is easier and flat to fold. When it is fully attached it becomes impossible to have this flat in the corners. I prefer to have it loose. (With the Malawi 1 it was even more easy with velcro for attaching it to the side of the wagon itself)
The door /entrance of the Malawi is much  higher, as also the roof. I could not walk straight.
The bottom below the bed is in the Malawi more flexible and open, not sure of the LJ.
We in the end replaced our Malawi with the Campwerk family.

[bxl_lad]

So we took the plunge! We've gone for a second-hand (2023) Campooz Fat Freddy (with Ugly Betty).
Of course yet to use it, but so far happy with what we have bought. Seems solidly built.
Has come with a 2 bike Thule 'fixed' bike rack, but will replace this with a 3 bike removeable (tow-ball mount) rack.
Anyway, thanks for your replies and comments!

Cheers 

[Thomas1984]

Congratulations! Wishing you loads of fun!