Dub-Box Trailer Is the Versatile, Elegant Vacation Solution for When You’re Feeling Retro

The Dub-Box trailer is the soulmate of the Volkswagen Type 2 classic van, born decades later. It’s a very elegant and decidedly retro trailer, made to match your vehicle, whether that’s a Transformer / Kombi or a modern passenger car. It can be the perfect family vacation vehicle or the most unique vehicle for your mobile business venture, but whichever it is, you can bet it will stand out. And so will you.

There’s much to be said in terms of “beauty is more than skin deep,” but we all know that appearances do matter. When picking up a new car or a new trailer to go with it, we all want something particular as regards looks, and only those with enough skill to make modifications will compromise on this. The Dub-Box is for those who won’t compromise, who want a very particular design right out of the box.

Dub-Box is not new to the market. It was created in the early 2010s by couple Matt and Becky Clay from Herefordshire, in West Midlands, England. At the time, Matt already had more than a decade in converting and building trailers and, looking for his ideal family vacation vehicle, created the first Dub-Box unit. At first, all these trailers (caravans, as the Brits call them) were built by hand at the Herefordshire factory, but business has boomed to include offices and dealers in the U.S., Japan and Australia as well.

The offering has also diversified, with Matt and Becky lending an ear to what customers were saying as regards upgrades and improvements. As of the moment of press, Dub-Box is available as a Classic (the base model), the Shortie (the shortened version of the Classic), the Trekker (a mid-size option), the Tuck-Box (custom trailers for businesses), and fully custom projects. Names of models vary across different territories, but we’ll stick with the original version.

Described as “a go-anywhere, year-round mobile food and retail solution,” the Dub-Box was designed with efficiency and practicality in mind. The Classic model, which is a perfect fit for autoevolution’s Travel Month coverage, fits a family of four in comfort. The layout is typically caravan-ish, so you won’t find innovation here: you have a complete galley in the front part, a dinette that turns into a bedroom at the rear, and an additional bed in the pop-up tent.

It’s for style that the Dub-Box stands out, though. Each customer can choose from a variety of color paints, fabrics and fittings, so that every unit that leaves the factory, even if it’s a “standard” one will still be personalized. Not two Dub-Boxes are the same, and that’s the main point.

They do share common features, like the fiberglass body that makes it so lightweight as to be towed by a small passenger vehicle, and shock absorbers for a smooth ride. They all have insulation, which the makers describe as “the deepest insulation of any UK caravan manufacturer and the ceiling insulation was initially designed by NASA.” They also have two-ring gas burner, stainless steel sink, pump-action tap, fresh and gray water tank, retro-styled fridge, wardrobe and small pantry, smoke alarm, LED lighting, premium fixtures and fittings, outlets, and a battery to run the lights and CD player off on.

The pop-up tent is an extra, as is air-conditioning, larger battery or whatever else you have in mind to get your perfect vacation vehicle. A proper wet bath isn’t mentioned anywhere, so we’re guessing you still have to make do with (maybe) an exterior shower and a portable toilet.

The idea with the Dub-Box is that it’s a unique-looking trailer and that it can be made actually unique through personalization. “We offer a unique product,” Matt was saying in a 2013 interview. “If our customers wanted a standard touring model then they would buy one but they don’t want what the masses have, they want something cool and stylish. We build what our customers want, so if they ask for specific equipment, then they get it.”

You probably guessed where all this talk about uniqueness is heading: whenever you have a product marketed as such, it comes with a price to match. In this case, the Dub-Box starts at £16,000 including VAT for the Classic model without any custom options. Pricing is similar in the U.S., with the Adventure model with kitchenette, Dinky Dub II, starting at $20,690. Custom trailers and food trucks can go as high as upwards of $50,000, depending on options.