Are you looking for a pair of towing mirrors for your next trip out with the caravan?
They’re an essential purchase for most caravan owners. According to Australian law, if your trailer is wider than your vehicle’s standard mirrors, you must use towing mirrors. However, there are several styles on the market.
Not every mirror is the same. It depends on your vehicle’s specifications and your budget. With this in mind, let’s look at some different types to find the best caravan mirrors for you.
| MSA Towing Mirrors | Milenco Aero 4 Extra Wide Convex Towing Mirrors | Camec Heavy-Duty Door Mirror Ratchet Strap Type | Dometic SMF102 Flat Towing Mirror |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Our pick  |  | Best Value  |  | |
Tailored to individual vehicles | 410 mm | 330 mm - 470 mm | N/A | |
Convex | Convex | Convex | Flat | |
Depends on the mirror | 177 x 129 mm | 229 x 155 mm | 435 x 123 mm | |
Clear view (replacement mirrors) | Mirror mounted | Door mounted | Mirror mounted | |
Lifetime | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year |
Best Caravan Towing Mirrors Australia
MSA Towing Mirrors
Our Pick
MSA Towing Mirrors are the creme de la creme.
Some people will look at the price point and scoff. But the reality is that they are the best product on the market. Of course, not everybody is going to want to pay eight to nine hundred dollars for a pair of caravan mirrors.
But if you do, you’re getting the best towing mirrors out there.
These mirrors are tailored to the specifics of individual vehicle models. Whether you have a Ford, a Toyota or a Holden, MSA will have a mirror for you. This gives them an advantage over standard universal mirrors.
MSA uses slightly curved convex mirrors for increased vision without distraction. Meanwhile, they’re very easy to fit. Simply remove the original mirrors and slide the towing mirrors securely into the slot.
The best part is that their unique pivot design allows you to slide them back to their normal vehicle dimensions when you’re not towing a vehicle. Just extend them when you hitch your caravan onto the back. They also have indicators for increased safety.
The main problem with MSA Towing Mirrors is the cost.
As well as the expensive purchase fee you’ll have to consider the lifespan of your vehicle. It’s probably not a good idea to spend $800 on a pair of mirrors for your Jeep Cherokee if you’re going to trade it in for a Nissan next year.
On the bright side, all MSA products come with a lifetime guarantee.
Milenco Aero 4 Extra Wide Convex Towing Mirrors
Runner Up
These caravan towing mirrors are popular for several reasons.
As they are mirror-mounted, they are easy to fit. Simply clamp them onto your vehicle’s standard mirrors and you’re ready to go. They have a universal fit so they will work on any car or SUV.
The Milenco Aero 4 has an extra-wide extension of 410mm. Their predecessor, the Aero 3, had a range of just 310mm.
However, the dimensions of the mirror head are smaller than some competitors. At 177mm (w) x 129mm (h), they’re clearly not as big as some other options. Some drivers may prefer larger towing mirrors for enhanced visibility.
At $149, they’re not prohibitively expensive. These caravan mirrors also come with a one-year warranty.
Camec Heavy-Duty Door Mirror Ratchet Strap Type
Best Value
Door-mounted mirrors are becoming more popular these days.
The Camec Heavy-Duty Door Mirrors are top-of-the-range for this category. They are easy to install and guarantee an extra-secure fit. They will fit most types of vehicles.
They have a broader mirror head than the Milenco Aero 4. With dimensions of 229mm (w) x 155mm (h), they provide excellent visibility. They also have the ability to extend out up to 470mm.
Camec designs their towing mirrors with rubber mounting pads so that they won’t mark your doors. As the name suggests, they’re very sturdy and won’t break easily.
Furthermore, the Camec mirrors are $10 cheaper than the Milencos but come with the same one-year warranty.
If you have the patience to install them, they’re the best caravan mirrors at this price point.
Dometic SMF102 Flat Towing Mirror
Honourable Mention
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative, Dometic has you covered. At just $75, these caravan mirrors are very affordable.
These are on the other end of the price scale from the MSA Towing Mirrors but will attract a lot of people. Unlike the other products in this article, Dometic uses flat mirrors. These have a much smaller field of view and increase the blind spot.
That’s probably why their mirror head is so broad. With a width of 435mm, they’re wider than their competitors. Swivel these caravan towing mirrors in their place to achieve the view you want.
Meanwhile, they also have a universal fit and come with a one-year warranty. Realistically, most customers prefer convex glass. They’re not the best caravan mirrors on this list, but they will certainly get the job done.
Points to Consider When Buying Caravan Towing Mirrors
When you buy towing mirrors there are several points to think about to avoid picking up a set of dud mirrors that don’t work for you and your setup. Let’s look at these now.
Flat vs Convex
The first point to decide is whether you want a flat mirror or a convex mirror.
Convex mirrors are more popular for caravan users because they offer extra field of view. They’re slightly curved to enhance the driver’s view and eliminate blind spots. That’s why they’re standard on trucks and SUVs.
The downside of convex mirrors is that they show a distorted image. In short, they make objects appear farther away than they actually are. Some people find this stressful and confusing.
In contrast, flat mirrors reflect accurate distances over a narrower field of view. While this means that you are less likely to think an adjacent car is farther away than it really is, this creates a wider blind spot area which is problematic when you tow a trailer.
Flat mirrors are much cheaper to buy because they’re easier to make.
Attachment Method
As well as thinking about the glass, consider the type of attachment.
Door-mounted mirrors, like Camec’s offering above, are very secure. Usually, they cost more but that’s not always the case. They’re also extremely stable and reduce the effects of turbulence while driving.
The downside is that it takes a little longer to install them, and they don’t look quite as stylish as other options, due to the strap that wraps around the driver and passenger doors.
Mirror-mounted mirrors (that’s a mouthful!) are traditionally the most popular. They clamp, clip, or strap onto your vehicle’s original mirrors in a matter of seconds. The quality and security vary depending on the manufacturer.
Finally, Clearview mirrors like MSA’s products replace your vehicle’s original mirrors on a permanent basis. Extend them when you are towing and retract them when you’re not. If you tow a trailer on a regular basis, they’re a great option.
But they are expensive so they won’t be for everybody.
Durability
It’s easy to accidentally knock your towing mirrors when you’re driving in a confined space. Or if the attachment fails it could fall onto the ground while you’re driving.
Durability is important because you don’t want them to break easily. Camec’s products and MSA towing mirrors are designed to last. The former is particularly strong for their price point.
Meanwhile, the latter comes with a lifetime warranty. Even if they do break, MSA will replace them without any problems.
Stability
Turbulence will affect how well your caravan towing mirrors work. If your mirrors aren’t stably fixed to your car, they will vibrate while you drive, making it almost impossible to see anything with them.
This won’t be an issue if you use clearview mirrors but other types are more vulnerable. That’s especially true of mirror-mounted mirrors.
If you want peace of mind while towing, it may be worth investing in door-mounted mirrors or a more premium option. Yes, they will cost more, but you can be sure that you’ll have complete vision while on the road.
Speed will also reduce stability. If you’re driving on a highway, this is definitely something to consider. Space the clamps far apart to provide more stable visibility when you’re travelling fast.
Other Features
Indicators
MSA towing mirrors have indicators because they replace the original vehicle mirrors. This is a great feature for everyday use and can make your driving experience safer.
Storage bag
Many caravan mirrors, like the Dometic SMF102, come with a storage bag. It’s not essential but it will keep them safe when you stow them away. Remember that you can’t leave towing mirrors attached if you aren’t towing anything.
Australian Law
You need to keep the law in mind when you’re using towing mirrors.
The police will give you a ticket if you don’t have the required field of rearward vision. That’s going to spoil the mood on your holiday for sure. If your caravan is wider than your vehicle’s standard mirrors, you will need towing mirrors.
But what about when your caravan is unhitched?
It may be tempting to leave your towing mirrors in place when you drive off for the day. But this isn’t a good idea. A caravan and vehicle combination is considered ‘one vehicle.’ However, this isn’t the case when they are separated.
If you don’t take your mirrors off you’re probably violating over-dimensional laws. This means your caravan mirrors can't extend more than 150mm from the side of the vehicle. Either retract them or remove them so you don’t have a nasty encounter with the law.
For more info, read this guide on whether you actually need towing mirrors or not or check out the relevant legislation.
Final Thoughts
We recommend convex towing mirrors because they are safer for towing vehicles. From there, it comes down to the type of attachment you prefer.
MSA creates the best specialised towing mirrors out there. But the reality is that at about $800, they’re out of reach for many of us. They’re probably not worth it if you’re not regularly towing a trailer.
With this in mind, we recommend the Camec towing mirrors. Compared to the other options they’re more durable and secure. Sure, they take longer to fit but it will only take a few more minutes. They’re also reasonably priced.
Remember to keep your vehicle’s specifications and the rules of the road in mind when you use towing mirrors.
If you have any questions about caravan towing mirrors please leave a comment below.
PS. If you're interested in improving safety while reversing your van, consider getting a caravan reversing camera!
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Note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page, there may sometimes be errors. Check all specifications with the manufacturer before purchasing any product.
Hi Louis, the mirrors that fit on car mirrors can be a real problem. My car is a Holden Colorado. My experience is that because my car mirrors can fold back, like most cars, whenever a large truck comes towards me the entire assembly flicks back agains my side window from wind pressure. That is such a pain. So I have gone back to the door mount type, even though these also have issues. The webbing begins to vibrate loudly at around 80kmh. Stopped that by fitting a seat belt shoulder cushion over the webbing. Secondly the rubber pads are not good protection when collecting road gravel dust. My previous car had a lot of scuffing of the paint. Fixed that my applying some duct tape over the place where the pads touch.
Great site! Well done.
Spike
Thanks for the advice Spike! It’s always good to hear from someone who’s spent a bit of time troubleshooting with these mirrors.