Globe-Traveller Falcon 2XS high-top campervan

Globe-Traveller strikes back as the star of its range goes to war with rival Crafter-based campervans

Words and photos: Peter Vaughan

The Globe-Traveller Falcon 2XS

Globe-Traveller was a surprise arrival in the UK at the 2022 October NEC show but even more of a shock was that this premium campervan manufacturer from Poland immediately snatched the Campervan of the Year title (with its Voyager Z) from under the noses of well-known marques. 

Now, 15 years after the company began, it has added a new Volkswagen Crafter-based flagship to its portfolio to sit above the existing Fiat or Peugeot-based Explorer, Pathfinder and Voyager.

The new Falcon comes in two flavours: the long-wheelbase (6.84m) 2Z with a classic rear single bed layout and this rather more unusual 2XS version in the medium-wheelbase van. 

The appeal of the Crafter (or its MAN-badged sister) has not been lost on converters throughout Europe – and Volkswagen has its own Grand California – but most have played it safe with trusted rear bedroom floorplans (or a rear lounge in the UK). 

The big VW also gives manufacturers additional challenges as it can’t match the internal dimensions of a Fiat Ducato, so it’s perhaps no surprise that real innovation has been lacking.

However, that hasn’t stopped the firm from Krakow coming up with something different – and seemingly perfect for the British market. They’ve even built the right-hand drive version with UK handing, so the sliding door is on our nearside. 

The spec

A Crafter campervan is never going to be a budget option, so Globe-Traveller has gone all out with the spec to justify its £119k-plus price tag. Pretty much everything you see is included, although the chunky Tomahawk wheels and Yokohama Geolandar off-road tyres here were added by dealer, E S Hartley (silver 17in VW alloys are standard). 

You do get the metallic paint, electric folding mirrors, full LED headlights, front fog lamps, parking sensors all round ( front, rear and sides) and a reversing camera. 

There are also flush-fitting habitation windows, an electric step (no buzzer or automatic retraction, though) and a Fiamma roll-out awning (with remote- controlled dimmable LED strip light).

And, although the Falcon 2XS is nicely compact, at only 5.99m long, it is tall – Globe-Traveller adds an extra-high roof, taking the height to 2.93m.

The exterior

Externally, it is neatly styled with modest bronze graphics and matt black panels to mimic a larger glazed area.

That’s most obvious at the rear, where the lack of windows hints that you don’t enter the camper this way.

Instead, you access a generous amount of storage, despite this not being a fixed bed model. There are shelves and fabric pockets, plus a tall corner compartment (above the cupboard for the habitation electrics) that looks as if it would benefit from a hanging rail. 

The awning winding handle is neatly clipped in place in a corner and there’s an external shower fitting, too.

The cab

At the opposite end of the campervan, you sit in high-backed, part-leather captain’s chairs with tiltable squabs, height adjustment, electrically operated lumbar support and twin armrests. They’re heated, too, as is the steering wheel. 

The cab interior is generic VW, with a sturdy quality to the fittings and a premium feel. And, again, the spec impresses with the 8in Discover Media touchscreen including sat-nav, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and the reversing camera’s display. 

The Climatronic air-conditioning allows you to set the desired temperature, while you also benefit from stop/start and an array of modern safety systems – Dynamic Road Sign Display, Forward  Collision Warning, Front Assist, adaptive cruise control, Light Assist, Lane Assist, Side Assist and Rear Traffic Alert. 

Fortunately, the electronic nannying is not too intrusive and the VW remains a highly enjoyable drive, far  ahead of the cheaper Fiat/Peugeot vans. Here, you also have the front-wheel drive Crafter in its ultimate form, with 177hp motor and eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Suffice to say that it’s a smooth and effortless performer – and one almost totally devoid of rattles.

The layout

Inside, it’s the layout that you’ll notice first. Open the big sliding door and it’s no surprise to be faced by the back of part of the galley (here, there’s some external access into kitchen storage) but where you might anticipate seeing a half-dinette there’s a long side sofa that looks far better suited to relaxing.

You’ll spot the flat floor throughout the living area – achieved by incorporating a double floor – and the generous headroom of up to 2.03m ( feel the soft-touch headlining, too). Instantly, this pure two-berth feels more open and spacious than many of its rivals.

Of course, the cab chairs both rotate (easily and without opening the doors) and a cabinet between here and the sofa looks like it should be equipped with drinks and glasses (sadly, not included).

What it does feature is a 230V socket, two USBs and a wireless charging pad, while buried in the double floor is the table (in its own rattle-preventing bag).

The lounge

What a table this is! It can serve opposing diners (one in the reversed driver’s seat, one on the end of the settee), side-by-side dining in the cab seats, or as extra cheffing space above the sofa. 

It’s also unusually steady for a single-leg design, while I only felt the need to stow it away at bedtime or when driving.

Lighting is plentiful, with LED strips under the top cupboards and ambient lighting above, plus a dimmable floor-level light along the base of the kitchen. There are no directional reading lights but I didn’t seem to miss  them too much.

Daylight, meanwhile, comes from a good array of top-hinged side windows and a push-up Heki rooflight.

The front seats are as inviting on site as they are on the road but the settee – at over 6ft long with an inclined backrest – is, perhaps, better still. 

In fact, my only gripe with this lounge is the height of the telly, the 18.5in Vision Plus screen being mounted above the sliding door. Well, it makes a change from moaning about the height of an oven… 

Down at floor level, the double floor needs further mention because it’s one aspect of this campervan being fully winterised, with inboard fresh and waste tanks and even the grey water dump valve being inside.

Heating is by the powerful 6kW Truma Combi, using diesel or 230V power. 

The kitchen

You don’t need LPG for cooking, either. The Falcon 2XS comes in standard form (with a conventional gas hob) or the gas-free version tested here. 

That comes at a substantial (£6,400) price premium, but that cost is also accounted for by the extra electrical spec – two 200Ah lithium batteries instead of one, a second 160W solar panel on the roof, a Dometic 1,800W inverter and a Büttner charger and charging booster.

So, the cooker here is a two-ring induction hob, which works just like one at home and can be used off-grid with the inverter. Alongside is a sink that’s small but very deep and served by a bendy tap that almost feels like it’s made of Plasticine! 

Worktop might seem limited at first glance but there’s a very neat (and sturdy) surface that pops out from under the hob – ideal for serving up. 

Then another slide-out surface lower down makes a great drinks table for the settee’s occupant in the evening.

We’ve already mentioned one 230V socket but there’s another above the galley, while the set of three-pin power, USBs and wireless charging pad is repeated at the aft end of the sofa, adjacent to that oh-so-stylish wooden slatted wall.

Storage

Kitchen storage includes two drawers, a large pull-out with two waste bins and a chest-height 50-litre compressor fridge (a bit small but probably just enough for two people). Alongside that is a pull-out pantry unit for packet foods, while there are top lockers, too. 

More eye-level storage is provided along the full length of the offside, over the sofa, but these cupboards (two with and two without shelves) are shallower than you might expect due to the VW’s roof shape. Further space is found in an open shelf high above the cab, but it’s worth noting that there is no wardrobe in this Falcon.

The washroom

Slide back its door (which securely locks for travel) and you’ll find little storage in the washroom (perhaps that corner cupboard in the rear garage should be accessible here), but the interesting aspect is the loo.

In place of the ubiquitous cassette, the Falcon comes with a Clesana C1 toilet, said to be the world’s first mobile, water-free toilet with sanitary bag welding. 

It looks little different to a cassette until you open the lid and see the bag inside – preparing the loo for use you simply fit a set of foil liners under the seat, readying the Clesana for up to 36 uses.

When you’ve done your business, you close the lid and press the small flush button for liquids only or the bigger button for number twos; the toilet then hygienically seals everything in the bag (so there are no odours), which can simply be disposed of with your household rubbish. 

These bags drop into a compartment in the base of the toilet and the control panel tells you when this needs emptying, as well as how many uses you have left before replenishing the bags (which takes just a few seconds).

So, the Clesana doesn’t waste precious water or use any chemicals, and its maker says its CO2 footprint is 10% less than with chemical toilets.

The biggest advantage I see is greater independence from site facilities, staying off-grid for longer, plus never having to face the worst job of campervanning – the trip to the campsite’s chemical disposal point.

If the toilet saves water, it’s a pity that the backless design of the fold-down washbasin wastes it as H2O flows away while you wash. However, it’s a sturdy design assisted by gas struts and the circular, backlit mirror above is a stylish addition. 

Better still is the shower. With no curtain, there’s plenty of room to hose yourself down and the jet is powerful. 

When finished, the two-way fan in the roof vent quickly dries things out and shower tray’s single drain didn’t struggle as much as I feared. An Attwood Sahara bilge pump is also fitted to suck water into the grey tank. 

The bed

Obviously, with no fixed bed on offer, the settee becomes your sleeping space at night and the way it operates  in this unusual camper is slightly out of the ordinary. 

Simply pull on a strap on the front of the sofa and the  whole unit rises and then falls again to fill the aisle next to the kitchen. 

A vented panel drops down behind and the backrest and a slim infill cushion (stowed out of sight) fill out the mattress to complete a 1.89m by 1.24m flat double bed with no noticeable joins.

It’s a very comfy bed but, of course, it does obstruct several of the kitchen cupboards. You can still access the hob and the fridge but make sure you leave out cups for that morning brew! 

And, if it’s a lonesome cuppa while your partner snores on, then the cab seats are still usable, there’s plenty of floor space for getting dressed and the side door is still fully accessible. 

Even more importantly, perhaps, you can shuffle off the other end of the bed to get into the washroom. 

Under the settee are the fresh water tank and the Truma boiler but there’s still a deep void between the two that’s more than sufficient to store bedding for two people.

All the side windows have flyscreens and pleated blinds and Remis blinds are fitted around the cab.

Motorhome supplied by E S Hartley Ltd
01513 506870
eshartleygroup.co.uk

Insurance: £853.60
Tel: 0800 975 1307
shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk
For quote details: motorhome.ma/QuoteInfo

Where to buy

The brand only launched into the UK market at the October 2022 NEC show but already has a network of six retail outlets. 

These are Blackdown Leisure (Somerset), A&R Edwards Motorhomes (Worcestershire), GMC Motorhomes (Shrewsbury), ES Hartley (Ellesmere Port and Cumbria), and Stoneacre Motorhomes (Derbyshire).