Owner Awards 2025

Meet New Zealand's 2025 New Owner of the Year: Kim & Nathan from Soel Outdoors

The 2025 Camplify Owner Awards celebrate the people who make our community brilliant – and this year's New Owner of the Year for New Zealand has achieved something genuinely remarkable in just twelve months.

When Kim and Nathan hired a motorhome through Camplify in late 2023, they had no idea they were about to stumble into a business idea that would take over their lives. They'd been about to book with one of the big hire companies when they discovered Camplify – and the experience was so good, it planted a seed.

"We thought, because we saw how well Camplify worked, we could buy a caravan and hire it out ourselves," Kim explains. "As soon as we listed it, the interest was just insane."

That was October 2024. By Christmas, they owned three off-road caravans. Today? Seven of their own, plus a managed fleet of 25 vehicles. In one year.

On how it all snowballed...

Kim and Nathan didn't set out to build a caravan empire. They come from a background of serious off-roading – purpose-built vehicles that can access places most people never see.

"We started out thinking we could take a caravan to the same places," Nathan says. "And we can – we have a couple of caravans that will go right up the rivers, up to places like Coolie Hut."

But when that first listing went live, everything changed. The demand for their Australian off-road caravans – which you simply don't see for hire anywhere else in New Zealand – was immediate and overwhelming.

"We bought our second in November and our third in December," Kim recalls. "We went into our first Christmas with three off-road caravans."

The growth hasn't stopped. Hirers loved the experience so much that several went out and bought their own caravans – then asked Soel Outdoors to manage them. That's how the fleet grew to 25 vehicles in under a year.

On what makes their caravans special...

Soel Outdoors specialises in family caravans. Every single one has bunks – and Kim's personal touches make all the difference.

"I make the beds up with boy and girl themed bedding, with little plushies," she says. "When the kids go in and see all the beds made up in the bunks, or they get to choose where they sleep – it's just fantastic. The kids make it for me. I probably don't remember the adults as much, but I remember all of the kids."

Those plushies? They go home with Kim after each hire (though she admits the kids "begrudgingly" hand them back). It's a small touch, but it captures the Soel Outdoors approach: genuine care for the families they're sending on adventures.

Even winter couldn't slow them down. While most hire businesses quiet down in the cooler months, Soel Outdoors stayed busy with local families heading south into the snow.

"The families loved them because they were travelling with children – they weren't cold, they weren't wet," Kim explains. "We make sure bedding, towels, everything is included. And the diesel heaters kept them super warm. We had caravans deep in the snow and the families absolutely loved it."

Their top tips for new owners...

Kim's advice is practical and proven: "Make sure your listing is accurate and eye-catching. We like all of our listings to be uniform in how the photos are taken – it sets our listings apart."

But the real difference-maker? Being present.

"Be very quick with responding to enquiries. We keep in contact with people all the time – it gives them confidence that you're different from the big hire companies, that they're not just a number."

Nathan focuses on the handover, especially for first-time caravanners.

"A lot of our hirers are first-time caravan users, and towing can be a love-hate relationship," he says. "I just want to make sure they're not nervous. We run through the hook-up, the detaching, brake adjustments for where they're going, even check their vehicle's tyre pressures. Everyone's been happy when they've left – and they come back even happier."

Where they'd send you first...

Based in Christchurch (Rolleston), Soel Outdoors is perfectly positioned for South Island adventures in any direction.

Nathan votes south: "Geraldine, Fairlie, Lake Tekapo, Twizel – it's beautiful. All the way through there, especially in winter."

Kim prefers north: "I'd go to Kaikōura and do the coastal drive. North you get more coastal scenery, south you get more scenic mountain drives. Either way is really beautiful."

The Tasman Holiday Park also gets a mention for those wanting to stay closer to home.

On what surprised them most...

The interest – and the repeat bookings.

"Even through winter, the caravans were fantastic," Kim says. "And all the people who booked with us at the beginning of last year are coming back this year. We've got a lot of repeat customers now."

The community aspect has been equally rewarding. Several hirers enjoyed their trips so much they bought their own caravans – then came straight back to Soel Outdoors to manage them.

"They've seen how good Camplify is to hire with, how easy it is, how everything's covered and secure," Kim explains. "So they know their own van will be looked after the same way."

On what's next...

Soel Outdoors is heading into their first full summer with the complete fleet – and they're ready.

"It's a bit overwhelming to think about," Kim admits. "But we're building the team to help us through it. We've got really good support with the people around us."

They've set up a full yard with an office, created cleaning checklists so helpers can jump in without lengthy briefings, and have friends on standby for busy crossover days when multiple caravans need delivering and collecting.

"Onwards and upwards from here," Kim says. "We want to make people happy. A lot of our customers can't afford to buy what we provide – so if we can offer it for a fraction of the cost, that's gold to me. It's holidays and memories."

Ready for a South Island adventure?

Whether you're heading south into the mountains or north along the coast, Kim and Nathan will have you sorted with a family-ready, fully-equipped off-road caravan – bunks, bedding, plushies and all. Check out the Soel Outdoors fleet.

Meet all our 2025 Owner Award winners here.

Got an RV sitting in the driveway? See how Kim and Nathan turned one caravan into a thriving business in just twelve months. Learn how to list your van.