03/07/2026
VAGABOND ROGUE — FIELD TEST: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
We took our new Vagabond Rogue out on a shakedown camp close to home before committing to a longer trip. Here's the honest first impression — the good, and the bits I'd change.
TOWING
It's light, and it tows like a dream. Gravel — no complaints. Highway at 120km/h with trucks passing — zero sway. First time in my towing life I've experienced that. I love that it's braked even though, at this weight, it doesn't really need to be — it just adds peace of mind and makes the whole experience more relaxed. Coming off a heavy caravan, the fuel saving is real, and at current fuel prices that matters. The low profile — same height as my tow vehicle — is a game changer under low branches. If the bakkie clears it, the caravan clears it. Only gripe: the spare wheel position on the side sits right in my rearview mirror, where I actually want to see traffic behind me. Taking some getting used to.
SETTING UP
We fitted drop-down stabiliser legs, purely because the handbrake doesn't hold in reverse, and sometimes you're forced to stop nose-down on a slope. The awning goes up in a breeze, but I'd say the support poles are a must every time, not just in wind. We swapped the stock guide ropes for Maxcon ropes with drill-in pegs — much easier to set, and the orange ropes actually look sharp against the grey and charcoal. Small thing I missed: a spirit level fixed to the A-frame. Retro-fitting one for sure. Power cable is good quality, nice and thick, but too short for my liking — most camp sites need at least 20m, preferably 25m. Swapping it out. And yes, it's light — which makes a real difference when you're positioning it on a stand by hand. Did it solo, no problem. The side panels that skirt the caravan and connect to the awning are brilliant — pulls the whole unit together nicely.
Once it's set up, it's just kitchen open, door open — except the nose cone door needs a rethink. It's too small to fit the bag with the side panels in, and there's no gas strut or similar to hold it open. I'm also not a fan of the fire extinguisher being stored in there — the storage space itself is excellent, by the way, ample room — but I bought a small extinguisher for about R100 and keep it in the kitchen instead. That's where the fire risk actually is, working with gas in the wind. Cheap insurance for real peace of mind.
LAYOUT
The bed is brilliant. I'm 2 metres tall and fit with room to spare. Sitting inside, there's no claustrophobia at all. The entry door's canvas-and-mesh setup makes it hard to find the light switches once it's rolled up. The door-mounted magazine holders need a rethink — the openings are too big, so small items like a torch or pocket knife just fall out, and that's exactly what I want quick access to in a caravan door. Storage overall genuinely surprised me — we've got empty shelves. The cupboard lighting is a great idea; the roof light is way too bright.
KITCHEN
Layout is brilliant, but there's no drawer for cutlery, which is a strange miss. I laser-cut some EVA foam to fit the metal tray under the built-in cutting board and use that — but it means the built-in board can't really be used as a cutting board anymore since you need access underneath. Ended up just using a separate loose board and treating the built-in one as a lid. Not elegant, but it works. The supplied table is a great concept but sits loose in its slot — I cut a piece of wood to stabilise it. Slightly disappointed the tabletop is plastic rather than a light aluminium — would've liked to put a hot lid down without worrying — but as a workspace it's excellent.
Electrics get bonus points — fused 12V lines and trip switches for 220V. Spare fuses in the box would've been a nice touch, though. The Victron charger with app monitoring is a big win. We've added a Victron DC-DC charger for charging on the move and a Victron MPPT for solar. The caravan just isn't power hungry, so the stock battery is more than enough. Really like the Hella plugs over cigarette-lighter plugs — far more stable connection. USB points are proper fast-charge, which you'd expect in 2026 but often don't get. One thing that would be a nice addition: an external 220V caravan-style plug point (or another Hella point) for running an extra fridge on longer trips. At night, I prefer to close the kitchen up.
THE BUILD
This is where it earns its keep. The mono fibreglass shell is the best-kept secret in the caravan industry — no wood rot, no leaks, no ongoing sealing maintenance, and it'll outlast a conventional build by decades. The leaf springs are close to zero-maintenance and a design that's proven itself over time. I'm fully confident taking this off-road — bush camps, coastal sand, wherever.
VERDICT
9 out of 10. Everything I've flagged is a minor fix or comes down to personal preference — nothing that changes how good this caravan actually is.
