Out of all the Eriba models, it was the 1958 Eriba Puck that caught my attention. The unusual shape, pop top, retro feel and all-round cuteness definitely got my creativity flowing when researching caravans for our Van Go designs. No longer manufactured, the Puck has become an instantly recognisable classic, and one that will always be close to my own heart. I mean, seriously, how cute is it!

History of Eriba Caravans

Erwin Hymer and Erich Bachem were a great team. Erwin learnt his craft in his father’s repair shop in Bad Waldsee, Germany, and Erich was an aeronautical engineer. In 1957, they joined forces to design and build their first caravan and form their distribution company Hymer AG. The following year they began production of the Eriba-Touring range which included the Eriba Puck. It was an aerodynamic, lightweight and compact, yet strong caravan that could be towed by small cars, such as the Goggomobil and the VW Beetle.

The Puck is the model that most people associate with Eriba, and is the most compact and space efficient of the Touring range. It was in this caravan that German holiday makers first began to travel around Germany and cross borders to their south. A 2-person caravan, the Eriba Puck may be small on the outside, but is surprisingly spacious and well-designed on the inside. Over the years, there have been many different models, but they all contain a bed, cupboards, stove and sink. Some Pucks even have a fridge and/or heating.

The Eriba Touring models started a new era in caravans and soon gained cult status, forming the base of what would become one of the most popular and successful brands for caravan enthusiasts all over the world. The Tourings are recognisable in that they all follow the same design philosophy with a tubular, load bearing steel frame and a glass reinforced polyester resin roof and pop-top. The steel frame, although more expensive than the wood framing used by other manufacturers, means that the Eriba caravan doesn’t creak or leak, and looks like new for years and years.

Between the many Touring models of the early days to the luxurious Nova ranges of the present day (and more in between!), it’s the consistent innovation, stylish interiors, superior fittings, comfort and quality that have shaped a whole industry for the past 6 decades.

Now that vintage and retro are back with a vengeance, it’s not just the design, it’s also the lifestyle of the past that people want to recreate. That’s exactly what the Eriba caravans manage to combine and is the reason they remain so popular today.

For more info on Eriba caravans, you can click on these links below –

If you're interested, you can follow the journeys of these Eriba Puck fans featured above on Instagram - @iam_mychan@daan_waarvandaan and @koolclassics 😀

For more information on Eriba caravans, you can click on these links below –

https://www.eriba.com/en/models/caravans/eriba-touring/cult-caravan-eriba-touring.html

https://www.bugpuck.be/en/eriba-caravans/eriba-puck.htm