Australia's TF1 Proves That Big Things Come in Small and Ultra-Affordable Packages

Folks, TOYTUF is an Australian camping gear manufacturer that may build one of the coolest, most equipped, and lightweight off-road machines I've run across in recent times. It's not clear when this crew began their manufacturing journey, but that doesn't even matter; the results of their work speak for themselves. But there's a catch.

TOYTUF doesn't manufacture any campers, so they shook hands with an already established travel trailer manufacturer dubbed Signature Camper Trailers. This relatively young crew has been around since 2017. Considering the tough competition we find in the Australian off-grid scene, they must be doing something right.

The one machine used as a base for the FT1 is Signature's Deluxe II camper, a machine selling for as little as $22,000 Australian. That's just $14,700 American! But, once TOYTUF is finished with it, the TF1 comes across with a baseline price of $33,000 Australian or $22,100 American. You got to love that exchange rate!

Now, I can sit here and list everything this machine has to offer, but I have a better idea. I want you to pretend that you own this bugger, and if you haven't done so yet, now's the time to take in the images in the gallery. Once you do so, return to the text to see what this camper is all about. Ready?

Imagine standing in your driveway on Saturday morning with your loved one beside you and the TF1 hitched up behind your truck. Climb in, place your vehicle in drive or first gear, and hit the road. As you drive along, whether on-road or off-road, a Lovells coil suspension with dual shocks and MT tires works its magic to ensure you make it through anything that appears in your path. A McHitch Uniglide or Cruisemaster DO35 coupling ensures this habitat sticks to you like glue.

After making it through riverbeds, rocky roads, and mud-ridden paths, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but the sound of wind rustling through the trees. After taking in the local sounds and smells, it's time to set up your temporary home, and this is where things get interesting.

The TF1's shell is for nothing but ensuring you get all your cargo to wherever you want and stands as the base for the eventual rooftop tent you'll be sleeping out of. Simply put, you'll be towing along a massive toolbox and sleeping under starry skies. Stabilize your unit, and let's start unpacking, sliding, and creating your campsite.

Because Australians have a thing for the outdoor lifestyle, everything you would typically find in an RV has been transposed to the outside world. Everything, including using the restroom and showering, is to be done in the eyes of all mighty God. I recommend grabbing a tent annex, and you know, hide your bits.

Personally, I am the kind of guy that only wears clothes because of social acceptance, but there's more to the TF1 than showering outside; you'll also be cooking outdoors, eating outdoors, and clearly drinking outdoors, and that's the beauty of such a travel trailer. It allows you to really get out there and live off the proverbial bush. Actually, it forces you to live this way!

But this doesn't mean that any of the features we need and look for in a camper are missing; on the contrary. As I ran through the features list, I was met by 111 l (29 gals) of freshwater tanks with a built-in pump, a galley slide-out with a two-burner top and sink, and a fridge/freezer storage bin. Cooking aside, you'll also be busy setting up your outdoor playground with the gear you packed into this thing. Heck, with that TOYTUF Top Cage, this thing has over 2,500 l (660 gals) of cargo room.

Now, there you are, with everything unfurled, in its place for the next few days, and a fire at your feet. Well, to ensure that your outdoor living can extend well into the night, among other things, the TF1 is loaded, and I mean it loaded to the brim, with everything you need to operate lights, a fridge, and anything else that requires electricity to function.

Overall, TOYTUF adds a complete Enerdrive setup with a 20 A charger, a 40 A DC2DC charger with Anderson plug for solar panels, a pure sine wave inverter, and two 100 Ah batteries. It may sound like a bummer that you have to buy your own solar panels, but let's not get greedy now. The truth is that the TF1 has plenty of the things we need to explore the outdoors in its wildest form.

After the fire dims down and eyelids become heavy, it's time to retire to your rooftop nest and get some well-deserved rest. Why? Because the next day, the real adventures begin. You'll be settled in and ready to hit the trails with e-bikes, the lake with kayaks, or some local boulders with nothing but your God-given hands and feet. All the while, your TF1 will be waiting for your return, with batteries charged from the mid-day sun and campsite at the ready.