Author: Anthony Kilner
Crusader Caravans has taken its Musketeer range to eight with the addition of the Camelot. It’s a kitted-out, modified version of the Warrior, one of the most popular Musketeers in the Crusader range. However, based on customer feedback, the Camelot comes with a cafe dinette and some new styling characteristics.
The Camelot can also be optioned with the ‘All Terrain’ pack. This allows a maximum ATM of 3000kg, giving the van a whopping 985kg payload capacity, one of the largest payloads available on a single axle-caravan. The All Terrain pack consists of a stone protector, recovery points, a DO35 coupling, specially rated 16in alloy rims with offroad tyres, an upgrade to 200Ah of lithium, an upgrade to the suspension, Uni Hub bearings that don’t require servicing for five years, a toolbox with twin slide-outs, twin jerry can holders and more. This option alone would see this van go almost anywhere in considerable comfort.
CRUSADER MUSKETEER CAMELOT HAS THE LOT
Let’s start this review of the Crusader Musketeer Camelot DC13135 on the inside. Crusader was thrilled to announce its new Designer Series colour scheme, of which five styles are available. Our Coastal Luxe Driftwood scheme included greys and whites, with timber-look doors and trim that looked smart, easy to clean and classy.
The styling on the Crusader Musketeer Camelot was based on client feedback, which also included a rear door for a bit more bedroom privacy in the front bedroom. Also, there is the addition of a more comfortable café dinette lounge system. The dinette is opposite the kitchen and creates its own space in the centre of the van.
With the bedroom up front, the kitchen and dinette in the middle, the ensuite can be found across the back of the van. It’s a neat and practical layout for two people on the road.
A queen-size bed is nestled island-style with a moat, if you will, of walkaround space. Wardrobes and cupboards surround the bed and feature powerpoints and USB charging ports in the storage space beside the bedhead. There is plenty of lighting and a Sirocco fan on each wardrobe wall above the pillows.
The café dinette is trimmed in Silver Fox grey, while the overhead cupboards are trimmed in a Mata Oak timber-look finish, creating a natural atmosphere inside. The tri-fold table creates room for a cuppa or a plate of nibbles, and there’s some storage in the cabinet under the table and the seats.
The kitchen is compact and will take very little time to clean. It’s filled with cupboards above and below the bench for storage. Crusader has included a Dometic fan-forced Hawk cooktop, oven and grill, a rangehood and an NCE microwave so that you can cook up a feast after a day on the road or exploring your destination. The large Dometic fridge-freezer is an ideal size for a van such as this.
We all understand the necessity of small bench space in a small van. I think this Crusader Musketeer Camelot could benefit from a lift-up piece off the kitchen wall, or an extension piece at the leading edge of the kitchen bench. Having said that, the dinette table also provides space for meal preparation.
The ensuite in the Crusader Musketeer Camelot includes a good-sized shower on the nearside, while the ceramic sink and huge mirror, located across the rear wall, will make washing and shaving easy. The swivel toilet is a Dometic cassette unit with a ceramic bowl, and Crusader has even fitted an Aussie Traveller AT-3200 top-loading washing machine. To hide any messy dirty clothes, there’s an abundance of cupboards and drawers included too.
Other goodies include LED lighting, a Haughton Belair reverse-cycle air-conditioner mounted to the roof, extra pockets of storage, a large pantry near the door on the ensuite wall, a BMPRO battery management system, and an 105Ah AGM battery. The entertainment system includes a 24in smart TV, a CD player, and speakers inside and out. The Boultic Grey lino will also handle the rigours of dirty boots and spurs for a lifetime. All in all, this interior offers the goods and the look.
THE SHINING ARMOUR
Like most castles, the body of this Crusader Musketeer Camelot is built tough. It is manufactured from EcoLite fibreglass sandwich panels featuring three layers: fibreglass on the inside and outside, and XPS closed-cell structural foam in between, creating a frameless body sealed against the elements.
Like any good castle, it has to resist hail, noise and other elements while being well-insulated and lighter than traditional builds, and it is! It’s rock solid and looks neat – I liked the grey, black and white decals.
Around the armoured body are many windows for airflow, light and to let the view in. There’s a pressure hatch in the roof, hatches for the ensuite and above the bed area. A 170W solar panel and a Dometic digital antenna are also up top.
Features for making travel easier include a picnic table, an entertainment hatch and a tunnel boot to store things like fishing rods and camp chairs. A reversing camera, a Global Heritage manual roll-out awning, LED lights and more are included. It’s a solid bit of kit! I also noticed that the gas bayonet was mounted neatly into the body of the van, near the tunnel boot – this design is a massive improvement over those chassis-mounted bayonet couplings.
Of course, a castle on wheels such as this needs a sturdy undercarriage. This starts with a SuperGal 6in A-frame and chassis rails. On the A-frame are a standard 50mm ball coupling, an 8in jockey wheel, two 9kg gas cylinders, a tap, the handbrake and the breakaway brakes module.
Mechanicals include leaf-spring suspension, an axle rated to 2600kg, and Primal Rush machined black alloy rims shod with 145/75 R16 AT tyres. Twelve-inch electric brakes provide the stopping power.
GORV’S VERDICT
Crusader Caravans has clearly put the work in to build a van that addresses the needs and feedback of customers. It’s a practical, light, airy and well-built van.
As you can see from the images, we went a wee bit offroad with the Crusader Musketeer Camelot and it handled the mud and slushy conditions with aplomb. It’s worth a gander for anyone wanting a classy, comfy and cosy castle.
THE SCORE
FIT AND FINISH – 
LAYOUT –
INNOVATION –
Original article posted on GoRV.com.au on 27 July 2023: https://www.gorv.com.au/review-crusader-musketeer-camelot/
