Every now and again a new design emerges from a marginalised sector that initiates a total rethink. This is the case with Lume’s new Ranger caravan, a design that somehow fuses the best of retro design for the golden era of aluminium travel trailers with a modern sensibility in design, proportion, packaging and materials.
Lume Ranger
The Ranger is a compact caravan/RV/travel trailer (delete as per your preference). With a fixed rear double bed alongside an internal bathroom and WC, the Ranger crams a lot into a small 5.19m by 2.04m footprint. The missing interior element – the kitchen – is actually on the outside, contained within a slide out unit with integral worksurface, sink and two gas burners.
Lume Ranger
Lume makes a virtue of its Dutch designer roots, and the Ranger joins a line-up that includes the Adventure, the all-weather Nordic with its extra insulation for sojourns in Northern climes, and the flagship Expedition. The Ranger is the smallest and lightest of the lot (coming in at 1,150kg when unladen, especially helpful if you’re towing with an EV).
Lume Ranger
While the Expedition is designed for three (the front table converts), it also has a more comprehensive galley set-up at the rear, with the entire end of the caravan lifting up to provide a cover for cooking. In the Ranger, you’ll need an awning to prepare food in inclement weather, but the indoor amenities should make up for the discomfort.
Standard equipment includes a scattering of LED reading and spot lamps, wool felt on the walls and ceiling for a soft touch, high insulation finish, teak wood flooring throughout, a mattress from Dutch specialist Auping and power and USB sockets placed in practical points around the interior. Options are extensive, ranging from a Bluetooth speaker from Bang & Olufsen to tableware and pans to create a true turn-key solution.
The rear of the Ranger is given over to the fixed bed
Another important detail for more spacious stays is the standard pop-up roof. This increases the interior head height from 2.19m to 2.6m. The aluminium skin conceals a couple of storage areas, and an optional drawbar box at the front can be specified with a Thule bicycle rack. An awning is also available, as is an outside shower system.
The slide out kitchen saves on interior space
The Lume Ranger is laser-targeted at the design lover, from the Airstream-adjacent silvery skin to the well-crafted interior and quality of fixtures and fittings. Light in weight but heavy on style, it promises to be an excellent way to venture out into the scene.
Lume Ranger
Lume Ranger, from €49,950, LumeTraveler.com, @LumeTraveler