E-bikes are allowing cyclists to carry far greater loads, so it should really come as no surprise that they have brought about a new dimension in bikepacking. The Scout is a fold-out camper space you can tow.
It’s not the sleekest looking thing – there’s a faint 70s/80s caravanning vibe about its appearance – but the Scout does pack a lot in.
German manufacturer, CreaCon, pitch it as a place where you can sit for a drink in the evening before posting yourself in lengthways to go to sleep for the night. (They word it slightly differently.)
The whole thing is said to unfold (or fold back again) in three minutes flat.
New Atlas reports that the mid-size Centre model measures 144cm long, by 95cm wide, by 99cm high when packed up on the trailer and ready to tow. There’s also a Compact model and an upcoming Comfort model that will sleep two people.
In towing mode the storage space is separated into three levels. There’s space below the bed for smaller items, the main storage area between the bed and the top and then another compartment that you can access from outside.
The camper contraption and trailer together weigh 47kg. The latter – branded the Tough – can also be used on its own to transport other stuff.
In camping mode, the head end of the Scout stands 180cm tall, which will be welcome news for any users other than Dracula (and who knows, perhaps even for him) with a bed in the mid-size model of 190cm x 90cm.
We’ve watched a few videos and it does indeed seem to be pretty quick to put up, as CreaCon claims.
Here’s another video of a couple putting one up before having a brew.
You can also use the side panels as a kind of awning thing.
The firm suggests a host of other potential uses for the Scout, other than camping. These include going fishing, as a market stall and as a feed station at a sporting event.
Our favourite option is however put forward with the impressively specific leading question: “Do you need a small advisory office for the upcoming street festival?”
The Scout Compact starts from €5,980 with the Tough trailer included, while the Centre model with trailer costs €6,580.
