Verdict
Come the end of the Practical Caravan Eriba Puck 230 GT review, we feel that this little tourer is a neat compromise, being small, light, well built, stylish and also practical.
Pros
The lounge is big, the kitchen is very usable for such a small van and the bed is huge
The equipment is modern and the van feels well-finished, with the lay-out maximising the space
It’s also aerodynamic and one of the lightest two-berths on the market.
Cons
Being German, the entrance door is on the offside
Headroom under the lounge lockers is a little restricted for those six foot or over
Underseat storage can’t be accessed via slats or front doors, and the spare wheel box infringes on legroom in the lounge.
Pitching & Setting-up
Based on a BPW chassis the Puck has a stabiliser, 13-pin electrics and a metal panel on the A-frame on which you can stand. Less impressive are the button handbrake and no alloys, although the van is lightweight without them.
The steadies come flush to the van so are easy to reach, but the waste water outlet is by the nearside rear corner. Being a Continental van, the entrance door is on the offside.
The spare wheel is easy to reach though, from the nearside locker. Other positives are high-level brake lights, two strong front locker gas struts and the easy pop-top roof. The latter erects in seconds, supported by sprung hinges.
Living
Considering the size of the van, the lounge is large. The sofas are huge, measuring 0.46m x 1.91m, so there’s room to spread out and two scatter cushions. Lighting is good with two spotlights at the kitchen end and a strip light at the front. There is no rooflight, but light streams in with the roof up.
Drop-in carpets are easy to remove and clean. The sofa backs have Velcro pads to keep them in place – a touch that shows a welcome attention to detail. The clip-on table also clips to the outside of the van.
There is one mains socket but no TV aerial point. Sitting up straight, headroom is limited under the lockers if you are six foot tall or over. The only other niggle is that the box housing the spare wheel intrudes on the aisle and is easy to trip on.
Kitchen
The Puck has an end kitchen, with a surprising amount of work surface between the circular sink and hob. It is easily large enough to prepare a meal for two. There is an extra flip-up section on the end of the work top, but it is supported by an insubstantial plastic arm. The sink has a washing-up bowl and infill to provide more work surface. The two-burner SMEV hob has a useful glass lid. The Dometic fridge has plenty of room for a couple’s food.
Lighting is good with two strip lights, and there is a mains socket to the right-hand side of the worktop. Storage is good, too, maximising the available space. Tucked into the corner are three shelves and there’s a cutlery drawer. There is even a cubby hole cut into the work surface for stashing dry foods, and a small rubbish bin on the door below the sink.
There is no hot water, oven or grill but the Puck is designed for caravanners who tend to prepare light, simple meals in the evening after a day out and about. The cold water, run from an in-board water tank, is operated by a microswitch system.
Washroom
A Porta Potti comes as part of the ‘diamond plus pack’. This pack is bundled into the price of the van, as Eriba UK only imports Pucks with the pack fitted. Stored in the awning, it’s a useful addition for late night toilet trips.
Beds
The assembled double bed is huge. It measures 1.92m x 1.72m and is a cinch to make. There are four wooden poles that run the width of the aisle and slot into notches spaced along the length of the bed. Drop these into place then fit the sofa cushions on top.
The poles stow in the sofa box, taking up very little room. At the head end the shelf made by the shape of the front of the van is handy for resting a book or morning brew. The spotlights, however, are at the end by the kitchen, which is no use for reading.
Storage
Seven overhead lockers are useful, and the two at the front of the van are very deep. The nearside bed box houses the battery, fuse box and spare wheel, but the offside one is free with a door in the end for extra access. You have to lift the bases to get into the bed boxes. There are no slats or gas struts and the cushions are hard-backed for the bed.
The full-length wardrobe has a rail running front to back, making the most of the space. It has a shelf above it, and cubby holes are built into the entrance door. Besides this are two coat hooks, completing the finished feel.
Technical Specifications
| Berth | 2 |
| MiRO | 692 kg |
| Payload | 98 kg |
| MTPLM | 790 kg |
| Shipping Length | 4.75 m |
| Width | 1.8 m |
