Few countries put out seriously rugged off-road rigs like South Africa. It’s no surprise when you consider that they usually have to be purpose-built to survive harsh desert conditions with lots of wind, dust, sand storms, and wild critters. That’s exactly what BERG Off-Road’s latest CX3 off-road trailer is designed for.
Get the down-low on BERG Off-Road’s new CX3 off-road travel trailer
The new CX3 adds to the CX6 as the second model in BERG Off-Road’s line-up of off-road trailers. Despite its ever-so-slightly larger footprint, it’s actually designed for a couple (or optionally, three people) versus the CX6’s family-oriented, four-person capacity. That means a little more room per person to “spread out,” at least by overlapping standards, and a boatload of amenities to share with your significant other.
The ultra-boxy design packs down tight and streamlined for easy trail travel. When you’re ready to make camp, it pops up, out, and open in every direction with a surprising amount of living space, inside and out. There’s a queen mattress wrapped by either canvas walls (standard) or optional hard-sided walls that provide the feeling of more privacy and security. The design is clever enough to incorporate open space on one side and at the foot so sleepers can climb in or out of bed without disturbing their partner — a rarity in compact travel trailers.
The entire driver side of the CX3 off-road trailer opens to reveal an impressive, full-featured kitchen. There’s room for a combo fridge/freezer, a sink, a portable camp stove, tons of storage space, a wine cellar (!), and a microwave oven or air fryer — your call.
BERG Off-Road even includes a set of pots and pans, plus six place settings of dishes, flatware, and cooking tools. A massive 150-liter onboard tank provides plenty of fresh water for cooking and washing dishes. It also feeds the surprisingly spacious indoor wet bath, which includes a shower, sink, and a full-sized cassette camp toilet.
Among the long list of comfort features are a gas/electric water heater, a retractable garden hose (for washing off dirty clothes, pets, or even showering), and a 180-degree batwing awning to cover the kitchen and outdoor dining area. The entire rig is powered by one or two 108 mAh lithium batteries, kept topped up via a 220-volt shore power hookup or onboard solar. A 1,200-watt Victron inverter comes standard to provide adequate charging capability for all your required tech gadgets.
True to its rugged South African desert roots, the roughly 1-ton CX3 rides on the same go-anywhere setup as its CX6 sibling. That includes a galvanized steel ladder frame, a 2.5-ton braked axle, and a body that combines stainless steel, aluminum, and fiberglass for the perfect mix of rigidity, flex, and weight savings. A leaf spring suspension and 17-inch wheels clad in 255/70R17 BF Goodrich all-terrain rubber means its ready to take you almost literally anywhere.
Build your own BERG Off-Road CX3 travel trailer
The bad news is that BERG currently only sells in South Africa. Base price for the CX3 is ZAR 549,950 (approximately US $31,000 at the time of this writing). That’s, of course, before you start ticking the boxes for all the optional required gear (things like an air conditioner, upgraded solar array, and an even more tricked-out kitchen) you’re most certainly going to want above the stock model. The good news is that the company is working on widening its distribution into the U.S.
