POPULAR CAMPER OVERHAULED
A couple of years ago, EzyTrail made waves
with the release of its Parkes 15, an offroad
hybrid pop-top with a rear fold-out bed.
And after months of research and
development, including thousands of
kilometres of offroad testing in the Red
Centre, the company has just launched the
next-generation of this well-regarded van.
We were offered the exclusive first look at the
Parkes 15 MkII and wasted no time hitching it
up and taking it for a test tow in the bush.
RAISING THE BAR
The original EzyTrail Parkes 15 was a good
van; however, the company has raised the bar
with this second iteration. The fit and finish
throughout is much more refined, the
suspension has been upgraded, and the
layout includes more sensible features.
The Parkes 15 MkII rides on a 4in galvanised
RHS chassis, with a 6in drawbar. Up front, it
sports an offroad ball coupling, an Ark XO
jockey wheel, and a large storage box.
The upgraded suspension is a key change for
the new Parkes 15. Engineered in conjunction
with a well-known Australian suspension
manufacturer, the ‘Ezy-Rider’™ independent
coil system found on this van incorporates
two shock absorbers per wheel mounted
vertically, rather than at an angle. The system
performed admirably as I hauled this van over
various undulations.
In fact, the van towed almost flawlessly
behind my MU-X. Minimal pitching, no
sideways movement or body roll.
The rear slide-out stainless steel kitchen has
also received a key upgrade: it is now
permanently plumbed to the van’s water