Australia’s RV industry has really grabbed hold of the all-American art of teardropping and fired it off to new levels of Outback-prepped dominance. The all-new 2026 Escape Pod that Goldfields Campers & Caravans introduced this month is just the latest piece of evidence, bringing together a virtually indestructible off-road build with a fully loaded living space that multiplies its footprint upon parking, mellowing razory, unwelcoming terrain from “slow, torturous death in the desert” to “unforgettable holiday in the warm, rejuvenating sun.”
Based in Victoria, Goldfields builds the entire spectrum of ruggedized campers specced carefully for exploring the roughest, remotest parts of Australia’s wraparound coast and arid interior, from family-size caravans to low-folding camper trailers. While the Escape Pod is taller on the road than the fold-out soft-sided trailers, it’s the smallest in the entire Goldfields’ lot based on an overall length of 5.1 m (16.7 ft) and a tare weight of 1,330 kg (2,932 lb). It’s one of two squaredrop models in Goldfields “Pod” lineup, joining the Nomad.
The Escape Pod is not an entirely new model but a complete reimagining of an existing model that previously wore a different look. The outgoing model had a six-sided body and showed up to the party dressed like this:
Goldfields
Truth be told, we kind of prefer the angular shape of the outgoing Escape Pod, but while angular sides make for a flashy design, they cut into usable space in comparison to simple straight walls. So Goldfields has redesigned the Escape Pod for 2026 with its eye firmly on improved livability and a generous standard features allotment.
The company simplifies the Escape shape into a basic squaredrop style we’ve seen before, with a vertical wall for a back-end and the only slope on the body connecting the roof and the front-end. That front slope holds the 150-W solar panel in place.
Goldfields
The vertical rear wall opens space for a taller galley below a large, flat lift-gate for shade and coverage. The galley features a similar slide-out dual-burner stove/sink as the outgoing Escape but adds more storage space with a row of narrow horizontal cabinets above the tall cabinets in the center. There’s also a row of drawers between the center cabinets and cooktop slide-out and a power and utility command center in the lower right corner.
Many teardrop galleys include a long countertop inside the trailer, but Goldfields’ full storage stack leaves no room for such a surface. The sink does have a cutting board lid, but for real work space, Goldfields includes a drop-down worktop on the swing-out spare tire holder, creating a sort of L-shaped kitchen with plenty of space for prep, cleaning and cooking. The spare tire itself can be topped with an optional half-moon fire pit, perfect for use in camping areas that don’t allow fires on the ground.
Goldfields
Moving around to the front-end, Goldfields tacks on an oversized storage box specced to hold a 100-L fridge/freezer on a left-side slide. The right side of the box features a storage area of its own, while the top lifts up via a rear hinge to reveal a shallow full-width toolbox made for storing an outdoor table and chair set.
Buyers can even top that box with an optional dual-bike rack or leave it empty and take advantage of the perimeter railing for tying down camping boxes, firewood or other cargo. The trailer also squeezes a pair of 20-L jerry cans and a diesel tank between that multi-box and the stone guard sitting out in front on the hot dipped galvanized drawbar.
Goldfields
The Escape Pod’s interior is accessed by left and right side doors, each with a locking doubled-up design with individual screen door and solid window door. Also integrated into each door is a roll-down shade.
The cabin space invites campers in not solely by the restful promise of its near-queen-size 198 x 148-cm (78 x 58-in) double bed or the warmth of its diesel heating system, but also by the full entertainment center on the rear wall. It features a 21-in smart TV, Bluetooth radio and stereo speakers. The TV can also be removed and used outside via the integrated mounting bracket on the left sidewall.
Goldfields
The hard-bodied cabin space is limited in any teardrop trailer, but Goldfields extends the overall sheltered living space with a deployable Darche privacy tent for use with the outdoor shower. The sprayer hooks up to the water heater on the spare tire swing-out, fed by the dual-tank 200-L underbody fresh water system. Goldfields does not mention availability of a portable toilet, but with all that storage space, it would be easy enough to carry one and use it in the tent.
The Escape Pod also comes with a 180-degree Darche awning. Goldfields can upgrade that to an optional 270-degree awning, but that almost feels unnecessary when you couple the shade from the tailgate with the standard 180 awning.
Goldfields
Goldfields doesn’t shy away from electrical power, outfitting the Escape Pod with a full hardware suite stored in the rear right-side cabinet. The system includes a 300-Ah lithium battery, Renogy 2,000-W inverter/charger, 50-A DC-DC charger, Renogy power management core and shore power hookup. A full switch panel is located just inside the cabin entry door, making it easy to turn different electrical components on and off. Buyers can also upgrade total battery capacity as high as 600 Ah.
That comfortably overloaded camper package won’t be of much value if it gets shredded to bits on the trail, so Goldfields equips the Escape Pod just as robustly down under. A set of dual-shock independent trailing arms connect the burly square-tube chassis with the all-terrain tire-ringed alloy wheels. The articulating Cruisemaster DO35 hitch, meanwhile, ensures the trailer can maneuver comfortably and better track behind the tow vehicle on rough routes. Electric brakes boost stopping capability.
While it isn’t cheap, the Escape Pod is priced lower than we expected given all that text above. It’s currently on offer for a sale price of AU$38,900 (approx. US$27,700), a $5,000 discount off the AU$42,900 (US$30,550) retail price.
Source: Goldfields
