You Need To Ship Your Ontour Trailer From Germany, but at Under $19K, It May Be Worth It

Folks, if you’ve never heard of Hobby Caravan, it is time to open your eyes to how they do things over in Europe. This RV, travel trailer, and motorhome manufacturing crew has been active in the industry since 1967. With nearly 55 years of experience, you can imagine what sort of goodies can come off their assembly line.

Just to give you an idea of their level of activity, in 2017, Angela Merkel showed up at their factory to celebrate the “entrepreneurial spirit in northern Germany.” A couple of years later, in 2019, the crew celebrated their 600,000th caravan born by Hobby hands. I think you’re starting to get the idea. All that brings us to Ontour. As mentioned, this is Hobby’s entry-level travel trailer, but whatever “entry-level” may mean for you, I want you to forget it. Why? Time to find out.

One thing I can’t shed too much light on is the way Ontour is built: something about trade secrets and all. But fiberglass and other composites seem to be king by the looks of things. This is a crucial aspect to factor into your travel trailer purchase as most of us know composite materials are less prone to damage from the elements.

Ontour is available in three different floorplans, each designed around different needs, wants, and financial capabilities. You’ll have the possibility to house up to four adults, and the least amount of cash you’re being asked to drop depends on the dealership you use and the sort of features available. But, a quick search reveals units priced at around 16,500 EUR (18,122 USD at current exchange rates). If you’re to get one shipped to the U.S., you’ll need to add a few thousand more.

Since I can’t cover all three options, I’ll stick to the important features that set Ontour apart from other travel trailers of this piece. I already mentioned a bit about the exterior, but the shell can also be decked out with all kinds of gear that you may need on adventures. This means solar power, awnings, heating and AC units, and even a bike rack can be added. Yup, spare tire mounts too.

Overall, the largest floorplan, 470 KMF, features a GVWR of 1,350 kg (2,976 lbs) and comes in with a MIRO of 1,146 kg (2,526 lbs), meaning you can bring along 204 kg (450 lbs) of payload. Speaking of payload, it’s one of the reasons why I found Ontour to be so attractive; it has a place, cupboard, or storage bay for just about anything you may need to bring along. With an increase in loading capacity, this RV does allow for 341 kg (751 lbs) of gear.

Owners can add just about anything they need inside the habitat, even features not found in all travel trailers around this price. Sure, there’s a modular dinette and another double bed in the bedroom, But Hobby also throws in things like a three-burner top with sink combo in the kitchen and a complete wet bath with different options for toilets based on your needs.

Since this manufacturer is focused on the traveling family, guests can find things like a children’s bunk bed with an integrated playroom underneath, under-bed storage, and a skylight to keep little ones of all ages entertained. If stargazing isn’t your family’s thing, go for the entertainment center and satellite antennae hookup.

Now, there seems to be a catch to how Hobby does things. Scrolling through the manufacturer’s website, I noticed that a large portion of the images with Ontour features have been labeled “HobbyKomplett.” This refers to Hobby’s “All-Inclusive” package, which exploits the Ontour’s total capacity for style and comfort. This option is sure to cost you more than 18,000 USD.

At the end of the day, even if you may need to pay a little extra to get an Ontour shipped over to the U.S., you probably won’t feel bad about it, especially once you start seeing your friend’s reactions to how much you paid, and that’s something to consider.