Compass Camino 550 2021

Compass, the brand behind the Compass Camino 550, has been around for more than 40 years and although it is now ultimately American-owned, is still producing tourers in County Durham.

Compass has always had a loyal following, and the Camino is positioned at the upper end of the range. Changes for the 2021 season are in the ‘minor alterations’ realm.

The Camino 550, which we saw at Westfield Caravans in Blackpool, proves a popular layout with a rear island bed, central shower and washroom, side kitchen and front lounge, all on a single-axle tourer.

Pitch and set up

The Camino offers a really excellent spec, designed to make your caravanning so much more comfortable, no matter the season. Its Al-Ko chassis comes complete with ATC system and an AKS hitch stabiliser.

There’s a large front gas locker and the sunroof is complemented by a big skylight. The sides, a striking blue colour, are made from aluminium, while the front and rear moulded panels are in ABS. Alloy wheels are fitted, along with an underslung spare wheel and carrier.

You also get heavy-duty corner steadies, an exterior wet locker, and a gas barbecue point and exterior mains socket. An Al-Ko wheel lock is standard. The main services are on the offside, and there’s a glazed stable door. New graphics have been added for 2021.

Lounge

The Camino is 2.30m wide, which means the lounge feels spacious. There’s excellent seating for four people, and the central chest of drawers has a fold-out tabletop that’s detachable when you need extra spec.

There is a mains socket here, and LED lights – with four adjustable corner spots and integral overhead locker lighting – keep the area bright. This model has leather seating and scatter cushions, an option for £1350.

Ventilation in this comfortable lounge is good, too, with the large sunroof and an opening Heki roof vent.

Kitchen

The Camino’s kitchen, on the offside, comes with good features, such as a large sink and roomy locker storage. Another addition for 2021 is the latest Thetford oven, with an 800W electric hob and three gas-burners.

Spark ignition and a full oven and grill are part of the spec, as is a microwave. There’s a new splash back, two mains sockets, LED lights and a 110-litre Dometic fridge/freezer. An extractor fan and a small side window assist ventilation here.

Storage is good, with lots of drawers and a cupboard, while worktop is helped out by an extending flap. Across the aisle, additional work surface is available, although we think most people would be more likely to use this area to house the TV, if they have one.

Beds

In the front lounge, the settees can be made into a double bed by pulling out slats to bridge the gap between the seating. It’s an easy operation, but with only short parallel settees, this is the only sleeping option up front – no twin single beds can be made up here.

The very comfortable rear bedroom provides a fixed island bed with a deep, supportive mattress. The bed can also be retracted, to allow access around it.

Washroom

The washroom in the 550 straddles the middle of the caravan, forming a well-planned area that can be partitioned off from the rest of the interior.

The circular shower on the offside is a fully moulded unit, which comes with an LED light and an Eco showerhead.

The toilet and handbasin are across the way, located below a large roof vent. Although this is a reasonably well-lit area, we think that a small window wouldn’t go amiss.

Some space here is taken up by the wheel arch. There’s a chrome radiator, part of the Alde heating system.

The washroom is also provided with good storage in the sizeable cupboard beneath the handbasin, and there’s a large LED-lit mirror.

Storage

There’s great storage in this van, with deep overhead lockers and plenty of space below the fixed double bed. The bedroom has twin wardrobes with drawers in the bases, plus more overhead lockers, and there is also a corner dresser. The kitchen has ample storage, while by the door, the side dresser with shelves, offers more. The washroom has a roomy cupboard beneath the sink. Not forgetting that large front gas locker, the 550’s storage is well up to scratch.

Verdict

On the whole, the Camino 550 offers a lot of tourer for the cash, with plenty of appealing features, such as onboard water tanks and a tracker system. It’s well specified throughout and looks really luxurious.

For a couple on tour, this would be an excellent choice, but it would still be very comfortable for four.

Personally, we would go for the standard upholstery, rather than the leather that we saw in this model but this is, of course, an individual preference.

The bedroom is airy and spacious, offering plenty of storage. Overall, it’s a great tourer: definitely one to add to your shortlist when you’re on the lookout for a luxury caravan.

• Thumbs up: Excellent bedroom, large front gas locker, quality build and spec
• Thumbs down: No washroom window, no solar panel as standard  and no DAB radio

If you’re interested in a pre-owned model from the same brand, take a look at our guide to the Compass Omega 482.

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