From passion project to Caravan of the Year 2026

Camping enthusiast

Maarten has been a camping enthusiast for as long as he can remember. “I’ve been camping ever since I was a child”, Maarten explains. It’s no surprise that he ended up with Kip Caravans in 2000, and later joined Thetford. It was during that time that Maarten started thinking about creating his own caravan. Purely for his own comfort. 
“I love to camp, ideally with a caravan, because I like to arrive somewhere and just start camping straight away. However, the driving experience with a caravan is not comfortable at all. It’s slow and bulky. I’ve camped with a trailer tent before as well. Although there is less comfort when camping with a trailer tent, driving is way more enjoyable. I wanted to create a caravan that combines the best of both worlds.”

Accidental sales

In 2020, Maarten’s first prototype was ready. It was created in the garage of his business partner, Dennis Tiethoff. They presented the TakeOff at ‘Camping & Caravan Jaarbeurs’ (the camping and caravan tradeshow). Before they knew it, they sold five caravans. “We had no plan, no material, not even a warehouse to produce. However, we figured we’d be able to deliver in about six months.” Soon, that promise seemed slightly too ambitious. Maarten: “It’s crazy to say, but Covid was our saviour. All of a sudden, people were fine with receiving their caravan a little later. That helped us to eventually deliver.”

Superior lightness

We’ve described the caravans, the TakeOff and GetAway, as revolutionary. But what makes them so innovative? “We’ve managed to create significantly lighter and more aerodynamic caravans. That was quite a challenge”, Maarten remembers. “We looked at every aspect and element of the caravan and looked for alternatives to reduce weight.” That’s where Euramax came in. “I knew Euramax from working at Kip Caravans and Thetford. So naturally, we called them for help.” 
Traditionally, aluminium panels in caravans have a 0.8 mm thickness. “Euramax advised us to choose StrongLite, enabling us to use 0.7 mm aluminium panels”, Maarten explains. StrongLite contains more magnesium, making it stronger and 15% lighter. “Using StrongLite saves us between 4 to 4.5 kilograms per caravan, which sounds insignificant, but it’s a massive difference. Especially since we used lighter materials everywhere. Instead of solid wood, we used foam panels. And instead of having to bring a spare tyre, we used ‘run-flat’ tyres.” The total weight of an Easy Caravanning caravan? “Between 500 and 650 kilograms.” In comparison, the average caravan weighs between 1,000 and 1,500 kg. 

Fit for EV driving

Easy Caravanning cleverly responds to the electrification of vehicles and the wish to still drive a caravan. “At first glance, electric vehicles seem perfect for towing a caravan, due to their towing capacity. However, when driving with a caravan, the range of an EV significantly drops”, Maarten explains.
With Easy Caravanning, towing a caravan with your EV becomes way more efficient. Maarten: “Because of the weight reduction, the influence of the caravan on the driving range is a lot smaller. Making it possible to drive further with your caravan. That’s why our slogan is: Easy Caravanning Takes You Further.”

Caravan of the Year 2026

The new generation of caravanning that Maarten and his team created, hasn’t gone unnoticed. The lightweight GetAway has been awarded Caravan of the Year 2026 by the ANWB. Maarten explains: “This achievement makes us incredibly proud. It’s been more than 20 years since a Dutch caravan brand won the prize, let alone a brand as small as ours.” Due to its reduced weight, aerodynamic design, and smart layout, the GetAway won. 
“To be able to compete in this industry, you have to be different. We could never be the cheapest, and we don’t want to be the most exclusive. We wanted to be the most comfortable and efficient at the same time. We always say ‘small on the outside, big on the inside’. The jury really noticed that. The caravan is not wider than a car, yet it contains a toilet, kitchen, storage, and a bed of at least 1.70 by 2.15 meters.” 

On Your Side to take you further

From an early stage, Euramax has been involved with Easy Caravanning, working together to create something truly different. Maarten: “It’s always a pleasure to work together. We genuinely feel that Euramax is indeed on our side. For example, our panels are made in Italy. Every now and then, we have too little aluminium in stock, and I get a panicked call from Italy. I have no clue how they fix it, but within days Euramax delivers new aluminium to Italy. That makes all the difference so our production is not put to a stop.” 

“We are convinced that Euramax’s support played an important role in us becoming Caravan of the Year 2026. We look forward to continuing our long and successful strategic partnership.”