During our visit to the last Düsseldorf trade fair, we were very impressed by Mink Campers’ Icelandic Tear Drop, the Mink 2.0. With winter caravanning season upon us, now is the perfect time to take another look at this mini caravan from the cold north, designed for four-season camping.
The Mink 2.0 first captivates with its aesthetics. It must be said that with its yellow and grey bodywork with elegant curves, its rounded porthole-like doors and alloy wheels, this little Icelandic vehicle looks great. But that’s not its only unique feature: the Mink 2.0 was born in the land of volcanoes. Mounted on a galvanised Al-Ko chassis that ensures stability on the road thanks to its very low centre of gravity, the caravan weighs 520 kg with a gross vehicle weight rating of 750 kg. This means it can be towed by most cars. And its height of 1.83 metres means it easily passes under the 2-metre barrier at toll booths, qualifying it for the Category 1 toll rate. The monocoque interior appears solid and built to last.
In addition to the two large side windows, the roof of the Mink features a large panoramic glass window. This provides the Mink with a very bright interior and the pleasure of observing the starry sky at night. Like the two side windows, this glass window can be covered with blinds.
Small but cosy
The interior of the caravan obviously does not have a living room or kitchen. Just a double bed. However, the faux leather headboard allows you to lean back and sit up. LED mood lighting extends along both sides of the Mink, and there is a power socket in the middle of the rear wall. There are also four USB ports for charging your phones and tablets.
The memory foam mattress is large and comfortable (140×200 cm). Above the bed, a 1.40 m x 0.55 m bunk bed has been designed to accommodate a small child. Let’s be honest: it’s hard to imagine a holiday for three, even with a young child, in the Mink. One night now and then, sure, but not a real holiday. This bunk will probably be more useful as extra storage space than as a third bed. And that’s no bad thing. The Mink is limited when it comes to storage. You will need to keep some of your luggage in the boot of the car, even though the kitchen has a few drawers. The kitchen is hidden in a box outside the caravan. The workspace has a built-in cool box and a mini gas hob. Several electrical connections complete the kitchen’s equipment. Although the kitchen is open-air, the boot door can be used as a shelter in case of bad weather. However, while it does the job if there are only a few drops of rain, it’s still not very pleasant to cook in heavy rain.
A four-season caravan
In addition to its attractive design, which sets it apart from other mini caravans on the market, the Mink also stands out for its four-season capability. This caravan from the cold north is designed to be used even in winter. The walls of the caravan are 30 mm thick and insulated with 19 mm of Armaflex, a highly thermally insulating material. Combined with a good duvet, the insulating properties of these walls will keep you warm during cool spring or summer nights. However, they will not be sufficient for camping in winter. The Mink is therefore sold with an optional heater (£1,490). Combined with the heater, the Mink’s dual-direction ventilation system sends 70% of the warm air into the cabin and 30% under the bed, preventing condensation and keeping you warm at night. This ventilation allows air to flow over the caravan when it is in motion, while when stationary, air circulates freely inside. A filtration system prevents pollen and dust from entering. The heating controls are integrated into the headboard.
Plenty of options
In addition to heating, the Mink caravan offers a wide range of options, starting with its solar panel (€868). Installed on the roof of the caravan, this should be sufficient to cover the vehicle’s electricity consumption. However, this option will be of little use if you are staying at a campsite during your holiday. On the other hand, if you are camping during the summer, you will probably not be able to do without the mosquito nets, which are not available in the standard model (€85). You can also add a platform to the front of the vehicle for storing equipment (€406) or add a Bose speaker to the interior (€224).
Features of the Mink mini caravan
GVW: 750 kg
Weight: 520 kg
Overall length: 4116 mm
Cab length: 2811 mm
Overall height: 1829 mm
Overall width: 2080 mm
Cab width: 1511 mm
Price without options: €16,460
Where to buy it
Not yet distributed in France, Mink is however available in Belgium and Switzerland. You can find retailer addresses on the
Author: We Love Camping
C'est parce que nous aimons le camping traditionnel que nous avons pensé à ce site. Parce que nous regrettons parfois que le mobile-home occupe désormais tant de place sur les campings, nous avons voulu mettre en avant les terrains où les tentes, les caravanes et les camping-cars restent majoritaire. Et offrir à tout ceux qui partagent notre amour de la vie en plein air, un site avec des idées de voyages, des conseils techniques et surtout un choix de campings où il fait bon venir poser sa caravane ou planter sa tente.
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