Patriot Campers' ST5 Finke Edition Is the Pinnacle of Off-Road Camping Adventures

Compact and lightweight campers that can be towed behind a regular car or SUV seem to be among the most popular choices for people passionate about outdoor exploration. Models built in Australia are some of the toughest and most capable campers for wilderness adventures, and the latest to come to our attention is the Supertourer ST5 Finke Edition, a special edition off-road camping trailer designed and built by Patriot Campers.

Since Australia's exquisitely beautiful outback is also incredibly harsh and often inhospitable, many local RV manufacturers are focusing on building rugged and reliable camping rigs for off-road and off-grid adventures. This is also the case for Patriot Campers, a Queensland-based company specializing in luxury camper trailers built with innovative manufacturing techniques, quality components, and industry-leading materials for long-lasting durability.

Inspired by Australia's iconic Finke Desert Race, the all-new Supertourer ST5 Finke Edition is designed to push the limits of off-road adventure and conquer even the most challenging terrains with confidence. The founders of Patriot Campers have been involved in Australia's toughest off-road racing event for over a decade, and the development of this new product is backed by their extensive off-road racing and touring expertise.

The Supertourer ST5 Finke Edition is a tow-anywhere pop-up camper aimed at adventurous individuals who don't shy away from exploring the paths less traveled and combines rugged performance with cutting-edge engineering and premium comfort.

Designed as a premium version of the standard Supertourer ST5 travel trailer, the new Finke edition is touted by its maker as "the most advanced camper trailer in the world." Let's have a look at its specs and see if the claim stands.

This new off-road-ready tagalong is just 5.2 meters (17 feet) long but is packed with everything you need for comfortable adventures in the wild. It boasts a low, aerodynamic stance designed with weight distribution and a low center of gravity as main pillars.

The folks behind this rig know all too well that weight is the enemy of “no limits” offroading, so they kept this in mind when it comes to the construction of the Supertourer ST5 Finke. The composite/structural aluminum body panels gives it a rugged appearance but ensure a lightweight design. The exterior is wrapped in a Patriot Racing-inspired green and white livery that pays homage to the company's racing heritage and the original Patriot Camper.

The camper is built on a Rigilite hot-dipped galvanized steel chassis and boasts a revolutionary, offroad racing-inspired Trinamic suspension system that has been developed in collaboration with Fox Racing. It has adjustable, remote reservoir shock absorbers fine-tuned for ultimate control and smooth handling on rugged terrain, as well as custom valving to improve ride and towability. The bronze-colored Method wheels are wrapped in 35-in mud tires and benefit from the company’s patented Bead Grip technology to allow for lower tire pressures when offroading. The braking system has also been improved with Wilwood Engineering components, such as 285mm brake rotors and black calipers for increased stopping power.

At the rear of the trailer, a vertically opening hatch reveals a door leading inside. As for the living quarters, the ST5 Finke boasts a five-star interior with a sports car-inspired aesthetic that stands out with black Alcantara and green upholstery, setting the stage for adventures in pure luxury. The interior layout includes a dinette, a huge rear bed with 100mm pocket-spring mattress, and an optional fold-away bunk. There is also an internal shower room with a patented double-floor conversion that folds over the composting toilet and creates a water-tight shower floor. It also includes a ceramic above-counter sink with elegant tapware.

A black canvas pop-out roof ensures there is plenty of headroom inside, and a two-touch automation system makes it easy to set up. Moreover, in keeping with the weight reduction goal, the designers added a carbon fiber dining table and benchtops throughout the interior.

For adventurers’ cooking needs, the Supertourer ST5 Finke Edition features an external, pull-out kitchen with an L-shaped design and plenty of functionality. A large kitchen hatch offers a scratch-resistant stainless steel meal prep area and reveals a well-organized storage compartment with cabinets and drawers. In terms of appliances, this kitchen offers a dual induction cooker, a 95L dual-zone, chest fridge, and a sink with cold and hot water. A 110L twin-slide pantry ensures you have enough storage space for dry food.

Speaking of storage, the special edition ST5 features more than 1,500 liters of storage, with a massive lockable box on the front end of the trailer offering a 645-liter capacity for storing all your camping gear. There are also seven other storage compartments throughout the camper trailer to ensure you have enough space for everything you need for both weekend getaways and long-term adventures. In addition, exoracks mounted on the rear and the roof are meant to store your recovery gear and other offroading essentials.

Now, you’re probably curious to know what powers this camper during off-grid adventures. The ST5 comes standard with a 800-watt solar system that feeds a 460Ah lithium battery bank and a 50 amp Redarc Manager Alpha to enable charging from an Anderson Plug on your tow vehicle.

Patriot Campers has launched the special edition Supertourer ST5 Finke camper trailer at the recent 2024 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The company sells its campers both in Australia and in the US. The ST5 Finke is available starting from AUD $163,990 in its home country, and US $136,150 for American customers.