Nomad Camper Plus

• PRICE FROM £43,950 (new) • Berths 4 • Travel seats 5

Nomad’s route into the VW campervan market is different to most others as it started in motorhome hire – via sister company Bunk Campers – then moved on to building campers for its own fleet, before offering full or part conversions on both new and used VW vans.

The experience it gained by having an endless stream of customers giving feedback on the campers they’d hired has allowed them to both build them with a level of durability that some other converters lack and also implement the most often requested features and placement of cupboards, etc.

Before taking this Nomad Camper Plus out on test, I had a look at some of the used vehicles the company had in stock; it always has a good selection as the hire fleet is constantly refreshed after spending a maximum of three years out on the road. One such vehicle looked like a new conversion but I was assured it had been on hire for three years and had only been valeted before being put up for sale. Surely that’s a good sign for the longevity of Nomad’s creations.

First impressions of the Camper Plus were that it didn’t actually look like a camper at all. The exterior colour scheme – a sort of deep metallic reddish-brown – with the blackout windows and alloy wheels, wouldn’t look out of place in any high street or parked outside a swanky hotel. It certainly feels a world away from its humble origins as a T5 panel van.

Nomad sources its base vehicle stock from various places. Some vehicles are brand new and unregistered when they get driven into the workshops, others are just a few months old, a few have already lived a life as the commercial runabouts that they were designed to be. Whichever it is, the conversion process is the same and the standard of work and the quality of the fitted furniture is high.

However, the number one consideration for me when looking at any compact campervan is, do I fit? Being long in the leg and wide around the girth, there are many conversions that I can admire from the outside only. Either the beds are too narrow or too short, or the driving position makes it impossible to pilot for any great distance. Happily, I had no such worries with the Nomad.

Although the fitted furniture does prevent the driver’s seat from being pushed back to its rearmost position, it isn’t so severely hampered that there is constant knee/dashboard contact. The adjustable VW steering wheel makes it easier and I just sat a little more upright than usual.

The only real criticism I have of the current T5 cab is that it is a bit overly fussy – it is not as idiot-proof as it could be and you really have to study all the switches and dials carefully before you understand it all.
In the back, Nomad installs the Reimo 333 seat/bed system and its associated floor rails. The entire unit can slide fore and aft to vary either the required legroom or the rear storage space. If you choose to slide it all the way forward you have enough storage in the back to rival any MPV, slide it all the way back and you still have enough room for bedding and other camping gear but plenty of space to stretch out in the ‘lounge’.

By leaving the rear bed section lowered it creates a very convenient split-level storage area that can separate indoor and outdoor gear, but when raised it really does give a fabulous storage space. Couple that with moving the seat as far forward as it will go and you’ve probably got room to carry a couple of standard pushbikes in the back. Just remember to lock the mechanism in place before driving as it can all move if you have to brake hard.
The various cupboards are all built using Vöhringer board. All based on a single exterior framework, there are various available cupboard options with varying fronts – either solid or tambour doors – and different sizes. Within reason the layout options are almost endless, giving the customer a good degree of options to put things exactly where they want them.

From a durability point of view this system is also unbeatable as each cupboard unit, door and drawer is supplied by Vöhringer ready to install. There is no need to trim boards to fit. This means the edging, catches and hinges are also pre-fitted from the factory, so will last a lot longer than something that’s been bodge-fitted afterwards to trimmed down boards of MDF.

When it comes to dinnertime the Nomad could just about seat four but it’s better if two of those are child-sized (remember you only have one front swivel seat) and the location of the fridge and main storage cupboards are such that you can easily access everywhere without constantly having to shuffle about or plan ahead before getting comfortable.

There is not much workspace to speak of, unless you fold down the sink cover or use the table. Luckily, though, the table is the kind that can swivel and move into pretty much any position you like. Only the storage of said table is a little awkward. It fits neatly under the rearmost section of the bed but it does mean it is a bit of a faff to extract if you are loaded to the gunwales and just need to get the table out for a quick lunch stop en route.
The sink/hob unit is a very simple, but tried and trusted, Smev unit that gives you a fold-down tap, sink unit and two gas rings. The gas is supplied from a single 2.75kg bottle securely stored in a locked steel cabinet in the back. Water is limited to a single 18-litre plastic jerrycan affair in one of the kitchen cupboards. While this is OK if you are travelling daily or just off for a weekend getaway, I’d probably advise you to go for the 45-litre water tank option. It does take up the space being used for foldable chairs in this campervan but it’d soon repay the inconvenience of having to refill the jerrycan so often.

The fridge is very small, at just 48 litres. That might sound respectable enough but the usable space is limited and I had to compromise on what food we carried. I’ve seen smaller fridges with better space. The freezer compartment seems disproportionately sized and you could probably do without it altogether unless you absolutely insist on ice cubes with your evening tipple.

Better is the very large cupboard next to the fridge that could accommodate pretty much all of your kitchen equipment as well as a generous supply of provisions (Nomad also assured me that it is possible to carry a portable toilet in there but I wouldn’t fancy storing it in the main kitchen cupboard). The neighbouring cupboard has some space alongside the jerrycan (another reason to go for the 45-litre tank), and is conveniently fronted by a tambour door but it is still difficult to access if you’re already sitting down to eat.

I really liked and appreciated the drawer under the hob. I always consider a drawer for cutlery and knick-knacks to be a vital feature and I’m amazed how many ’vans don’t have them.

All campervans need a bed but the bedding arrangements for a chap my size can often kill the whole concept before I even get started. However, I can report that I’d be happy with any one of the four berths available in the Nomad. The lower bed is simplicity itself to deploy, just lift up the seat base and drop the seat back down and there’s your instant bed! It’s a tad narrower than your double at home but certainly enough to accommodate two adults. The bed length is the impressive part. I’m used to feet dangling off the end but I had no such problem here.

Even the roof bed is built for adults (total weight limit is 180kg). With the roof raised, the upper deck actually gives a larger bed than downstairs. The only slight problem might be getting into it. Tall, slim people will have no issues at all but short, round people might need a helpful shove from below! It would also be tempting to use the driver’s seat armrest as a step but it might not last that long if you did.
With both side and front roof windows unzipped you’ve virtually got a viewing platform for stargazing or just relaxing while the world drifts by.

With the upper bed in place there is still room underneath to sit comfortably without worrying about headroom, although you couldn’t stand upright unless you’re very short. You have the same amount of headroom as you do in the ’van when driving along. Perfectly possible then to put the kids to bed and stay up a while longer to enjoy that tipple that you need the ice cubes for.

The bits you cannot see are just as important as the bits you can in a professional campervan conversion. This is where Nomad’s experience in the hire business comes to the fore again. It needs vehicles that can be utilised year-round, so that means good levels of insulation (10mm closed-cell foam all round), and a reliable heater (Webasto Airtop diesel unit).

The entirety of the wiring is supplied by Wurth and pretty well every other supplier Nomad uses is a well-trusted name in its respective field. All this indicates that no corners are cut and no unsuitable savings made that could detract from the comfort and longevity of the conversions. If only they could find a convenient place to carry a toilet…

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Superbly built camper conversion with long-term durability in mind, which means you should get plenty of enjoyment from it too. Only lack of toilet storage counts against it.