Calicamp kit turns VW camper into go-anywhere gourmet grilling machine

A Volkswagen California camper with a built-in charcoal grill—what could be more “summer” and “outdoorsy” than this? Maybe a VW California with two charcoal grills. Belgian company Calicamp has prepared an impressive add-on galley system especially for Volkswagen vans. Its modular kit fits inside the backsplash and folds out into an outdoor kitchen fit for a luxury home in the mountains. The metal and timber space contains multiple gas or charcoal cookers, plenty of prep space and organized storage to turn the most beautiful spot you can find into an unforgettable 5-star meal.

The versatile, modular design of the Calicamp kitchen products reminded us of Snow Peak’s Iron Grill Table, even though it slides out and folds away from the back of the camper. More specifically, Calicamp builds its storage and cooking systems around the Volkswagen T5, T6 and T6.1 Multivan and the California range. Full galleys are especially useful for models that don’t have their own standard kitchens, such as the Multivan and California Beach Tour, but can also provide more cooking space and an integrated grill option for full-fledged California campers equipped with indoor kitchens.

Every Calicamp kit starts with a slide-out storage drawer sized to fit under the truck bed. In the Multivan and California Beach, the large box takes up most of the van’s width and offers 280 liters of storage space. In the full California camper model, it slides between the passenger side wall and the rear wardrobe with 200 L of storage.

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A hinged wooden lid turns the Calicamp drawer into a storage box with a large work surface. Campers can always use their own portable stoves, cutting boards, and other cooking utensils on top without having to purchase a full expandable kitchen system.

Still, the kitchen system does look like it’s worth considering. The main frame sits neatly on top of the storage drawers, hinged at the sides. It folds out to the side when it arrives, supported by a set of adjustable legs. The skeleton includes an open center where campers can fill with mix-and-match modules, including up to three gas or charcoal cooking units. Buyers can also fill part of the space with a cutting board/countertop and storage bins, and add other options like a windshield.

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One of the available worktops can be fitted in the frame or attached to the folded end. The kitchen design also leaves the entire storage box lid as a single work area, making the kitchen more amenable to cooking for multiple people than a typical slide-out backsplash kitchen. It also includes a pair of bars for hanging dishes or towels.

It only takes a minute or two to set up the foldaway kitchen after it arrives. The Calicamp assembly does not require any permanent modifications to the vehicle and can be removed in minutes.

One key feature not shown in the photos or renderings of the Calicamp is the sink. However, the company did mention that it offers this option.

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Like so many RV products and accessories, Calicamp was born out of the road experience. During a family campervan trip through Italy, engineer and woodworker founder Sven Baumann found himself shopping for world-class ingredients at local markets. Back in their Volkswagen T6 California camper van, the family faced a dilemma: how to treat these fresh Italian ingredients with the love and respect they deserved while preparing them in a small kitchen inside the cramped van. Baumann imagined a better way and set out to create it.

It’s not hard to see how cooking with gas or charcoal in an expandable modular kitchen under a blue sky or emerging stars can guarantee an experience that matches the grade of ingredients you might be at the local market, foraging in the wild, or hauling in a van Get out of the lake or ocean when traveling. Even if they’re just basic groceries packed in an ice cube cooler, they’ll almost certainly smell and taste better when cooked on a Calicamp than in a van kitchen. Plus, it won’t leave any stains or residual odors inside the van.

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Rather than selling all of its components à la carte online or in stores, Calicamp works with customers to develop a custom setup around their needs. It encourages interested parties to contact it to discuss options. Prices will vary depending on the specifics of the building, but Calicamp lists prices starting in 2023 at €1,295 (about $1,450) for a slide-out storage drawer and €2,880 (about $3,200) for a storage drawer with a galley system. Dollar). The company hand-builds each unit for local installation in its Antwerp-based workshop, and plans to produce around 20 a year.

The video below shows how Calicamp can be opened and set up in a number of different configurations.

source: Calicon