Today’s review is of the Sniper X.9 by Offroad RV. This is a small camper that comes from Australia. It is targeted at the overlanding audience, the kind of people who value being able to bring a camper to places that might scare some drivers. But that’s part of the fun.
There are actually quite a few of these campers available in different configurations. But this one is more cleverly executed than many I’ve looked at. The reason I write this is that there is actually a place to go in here when the weather gets lousy. You have several places to stand up and change clothes or just get out of the weather, with the way they’ve done this.
How the Sniper X.9 works
Essentially, the Sniper X.9 turtles into a large metal box—as many of these do. From there the roof is hinged at the front of the camper and swings up to reveal a bed and some storage. Now you have a place to sleep—but it gets better.
The bed is also hinged at the front so it easily flips up against the wall and reveals two seats and a fold-down table. The process of converting from a bedroom to a dining room is remarkably fast, and you now have a place to get away from the elements. That’s not typical of trailers of this size.
In the process of flipping the roof up, there’s an extension that forms a patio over the entry way. There are side walls available, so now you can have a fully enclosed patio room that encompasses the entry way. It’s pretty slick.
More rooms in the Sniper X.9
The main interior and the patio room are but two spaces in this camper.
There is an outside kitchen that slides out of the side of the Sniper X.9. This includes a sink that direct drains to the ground, and also a propane stove stop. The way this works is that the main box slides out of the side of the camper and reveals the sink. The stove slides out of the back of this.
There is a huge awning that can be deployed to cover this space, so you’re cooking under the awning. But you can certainly use the kitchen without deploying the awning. A 12-volt cooler is also available or, of course, you can bring your own.
Another enclosure is the shower space on the road side of the camper. This also folds out of the side of the box and uses more sidewall canvas-type material to create a fully enclosed shower space. Like the sink, this is direct drain to the ground. So know what the rules are and what you’re using for soaps and such as you travel, if you choose to do this.
I had mentioned water twice already without noting that the Sniper X.9 trailer has two 22-gallon fresh water tanks, one ahead of the axle and one behind the axle. That’s a lot of fresh water storage in a trailer of this size.
Battery power
This trailer comes with a 100 amp-hour lithium battery system charged by 200 watts of solar on the roof. There is also an Anderson connector so you could attach things like the Go Power! solar panels I wrote about recently. The system is well-suited to spend time off grid with not a lot of things demanding power, but certainly a sufficient amount.
In summary
There’s a lot to like in this package, but the bed that flips into a dinette and how it accomplishes this are probably the highlights of the design. There’s also the outdoor spaces and all that fresh water, too.
I think those who seek adventure in places far from the “Road Ends” sign will appreciate how much usable interior space there is in this. It’s also built like a little tank—which helps when going places that aren’t on all the maps.
Further, this fits into a garage when folded and isn’t taller or wider than most of the vehicles that will be towing it, which is also a plus.
The canvas sides are a bit fiddly to put back down, but that’s not that big of a deal considering all the space you get. A neat alternative to the traditional travel trailer.
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Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
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These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
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##RVDT1910
Way too much money for what you’d get.
Just buy a pop-up off craigslist for 1/10 the cost.
My thoughts exactly, even if it needs some custom modifications for “rougher” usage.
Ditto.