Only Overlanding Trailer Talk

TRAMPER said:
Maybe we will do a Tremorite meetup at Expo I’ve been to most of them on the East Coast all the way back to when they were in North Carolina (anyone there for Mud fest????, we were).

I actually sold my previous truck and Khaya camper at the 2022 show, I think we skipped last year but we’re already talking about going this year.

As mentioned a great place to see what’s out there, and for us at least, a place to catch up with old friends.
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Would love to join.. Keep us posted!
 
What a perfect topic and timing. I have been looking at off road campers for several weeks and frankly got caught up in the fog. There are many options when you start looking deep. I was looking at the Sherpa Trailer most recently but not sure how often I would actually use it, and if the expense was worth it. For now, I'm still leaning towards using the RTT I purchased a while back and looking for a compact trailer that I can throw two kayaks on, with possible pullout kitchen and perhaps a popup awning of some kind. I've even thought about making my own version, similar to what @Vecman mentioned. I don't need sleeping quarters if I have the RTT.

If anyone has seen something like this, please don't hesitate to show it here.

The RTT tent is good for me, small footprint, easy to deploy and take down, the truck is my power source for those needs, grocery cart, and refrigerator/cooler for short trips. My wife would like a few more amenities to be comfortable, so, the search continues. Thanks @Vermonster for starting this thread! (y)
 
My first trailer was a 16’ single axle forest river. Total piece of crap but it was great to have a toilet/shower/kitchen with kids. Pretty light weight. Even if there wasn’t a lot of clearance, I could still drag it through washes in Utah and more or less anywhere I wanted to go with a 2010 tundra. Turning around in tight spaces was pretty easy and could shove it into a bank and get the room to turn around. The Torsen axles (replaced twice) didn’t hold up well.

My second trailer was a 20’ double axle flipped leaf spring with shock absorbers from keystone. Weighed 1000 lbs more than the first one. Much better build quality but that is a misnomer since all of the major manufactures (almost EVERY travel trailer is built by 5 companies) are built with the cheapest parts and by people who don’t give a #&ck. The double axle tracked much better on the road, the shocks really helped settle it on the washboard (anyone who’s ever gone down the hole in the rock road near escalante knows washboard), the overhangs were less so it got through washes very well and when I got a flat tire it’s so much easier to change a tire- just drag the other tire up on a rock or stump till you can change the other one with no jack needed. Harder to get into tight spots but would still fit. This would be the largest I would go with- it was 19’8” Remember the model number isn’t the actual length hitch to bumper.

My third one may be a mistake but it’s too soon to tell. Single torsen axle but it’s rated for 5200lbs on a 18’ trailer that weighs 3400 so has lots of capacity and good clearance. One thing to look for is the black/grey water dumps are typically behind the rear axle and subject to damage. Carry some flex seal tape for when this happens and you can usually get it functional until you get home. Also has 40+ gallons of water for extended trips off grid.

After my last kid is in college I’ll be for sure moving to a truck camper though. Opens up options to tow a boat or sxs for more fun!
 
Skyguy said:
My first trailer was a 16’ single axle forest river. Total piece of crap but it was great to have a toilet/shower/kitchen with kids. Pretty light weight. Even if there wasn’t a lot of clearance, I could still drag it through washes in Utah and more or less anywhere I wanted to go with a 2010 tundra. Turning around in tight spaces was pretty easy and could shove it into a bank and get the room to turn around. The Torsen axles (replaced twice) didn’t hold up well.

My second trailer was a 20’ double axle flipped leaf spring with shock absorbers from keystone. Weighed 1000 lbs more than the first one. Much better build quality but that is a misnomer since all of the major manufactures (almost EVERY travel trailer is built by 5 companies) are built with the cheapest parts and by people who don’t give a #&ck. The double axle tracked much better on the road, the shocks really helped settle it on the washboard (anyone who’s ever gone down the hole in the rock road near escalante knows washboard), the overhangs were less so it got through washes very well and when I got a flat tire it’s so much easier to change a tire- just drag the other tire up on a rock or stump till you can change the other one with no jack needed. Harder to get into tight spots but would still fit. This would be the largest I would go with- it was 19’8” Remember the model number isn’t the actual length hitch to bumper.

My third one may be a mistake but it’s too soon to tell. Single torsen axle but it’s rated for 5200lbs on a 18’ trailer that weighs 3400 so has lots of capacity and good clearance. One thing to look for is the black/grey water dumps are typically behind the rear axle and subject to damage. Carry some flex seal tape for when this happens and you can usually get it functional until you get home. Also has 40+ gallons of water for extended trips off grid.

After my last kid is in college I’ll be for sure moving to a truck camper though. Opens up options to tow a boat or sxs for more fun!
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Hahahaha, wait you towed a trailer down Hole in the Rock rd??? I took my Tacoma and GFC down that and every egg in my fridge was broken lol. But man are the slot canyons worth it!!!
 
I've been impressed with all the options that one can "use" without needing a black tank.
 
catastrofe said:
I would look at Kimberley Kampers or Bruder. If you can, attend an Overland Expo and look at what's available.

We own a Kimberley S-Class...we feel it's the best quality RV on the market. We'll be showing at the Kimberley "booth" at Overland Expo West (Flagstaff) and Mountain West (Loveland Colorado).





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My research warns to steer clear of Bruder. There is an Australian facebook page called “Lemon Caravans & RV’s”. Kimberley are fine, as they’re not mentioned. But Bruder make the list worst of the worst.
 
Vermonster said:
Boom. That's where I am at. I would like to leave it at the campsite if I am headed into the tickly weeds. I have a mindset to go Utah, Montana, Wyoming, etc. Some mountain passes but nothing technical - just off road. No pavement is a plus - maybe some secret fishing spots.
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My objective is very close to yours but as an avid (amateur) astronomer I am also hunting for the very darkest skies away from all possible light pollution. So with the right travel trailer I would set up base camp then hop in the truck for an overnight (or more) in the wild. Afterward when we can return back to the campsite for a hot shower and a cocktail by the fire. With that in mind I also wanted to maximize the versatility of the truck when not out camping. I ultimately went with an ARE cap with a Bedrug. I added good lighting and multiple 12v outlets for charging devices and a portable fridge. I have also added the Builtright MOLLE panels in the 4 corners (not shown in this pic). Chuck an inflatable mattress in the bed and you have a secure, comfortable night's sleep out in the wild. I may add some sort of portable commode for the wife and I've even entertained one of those free standing outdoor shower / privacy room things to keep my better half happy on multi-day excursions.

For the TT we picked a 27' Airstream Globetrotter. It has enough tankage for the 2 of us to boondock for multiple-day trips. If you conserve resources a bityou can stretch that out much longer. Granted it's not a ruggedized off-roader, but we added a 3" lift to it to get us through some secondary roads without too much trouble.

Another trailer we considered was the Airstream Basecamp which kind of falls in the middle. Somewhat ruggedized for off road use but not the extreme fully articulated ones that are designed to go anywhere. One of the considerations for a much smaller and lighter TT is the ability to unhitch it and manually spin it around if you get into a spot too tight for a u-turn with the trailer attached. We even looked at a dolly designed for that very purpose - it connects to the hitch and lets you muscle the trailer around in tight spots. Ultimately we opted for the creature comforts of the larger rig with the utility of the cap on the bed for short outings. So far we are happy with our choices but we haven't put it though it's paces fully yet in an extreme camp. Hopefully that will change this summer!

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Mad_Max said:
My objective is very close to yours but as an avid (amateur) astronomer I am also hunting for the very darkest skies away from all possible light pollution. So with the right travel trailer I would set up base camp then hop in the truck for an overnight (or more) in the wild. Afterward when we can return back to the campsite for a hot shower and a cocktail by the fire. With that in mind I also wanted to maximize the versatility of the truck when not out camping. I ultimately went with an ARE cap with a Bedrug. I added good lighting and multiple 12v outlets for charging devices and a portable fridge. I have also added the Builtright MOLLE panels in the 4 corners (not shown in this pic). Chuck an inflatable mattress in the bed and you have a secure, comfortable night's sleep out in the wild. I may add some sort of portable commode for the wife and I've even entertained one of those free standing outdoor shower / privacy room things to keep my better half happy on multi-day excursions.

For the TT we picked a 27' Airstream Globetrotter. It has enough tankage for the 2 of us to boondock for multiple-day trips. If you conserve resources a bityou can stretch that out much longer. Granted it's not a ruggedized off-roader, but we added a 3" lift to it to get us through some secondary roads without too much trouble.

Another trailer we considered was the Airstream Basecamp which kind of falls in the middle. Somewhat ruggedized for off road use but not the extreme fully articulated ones that are designed to go anywhere. One of the considerations for a much smaller and lighter TT is the ability to unhitch it and manually spin it around if you get into a spot too tight for a u-turn with the trailer attached. We even looked at a dolly designed for that very purpose - it connects to the hitch and lets you muscle the trailer around in tight spots. Ultimately we opted for the creature comforts of the larger rig with the utility of the cap on the bed for short outings. So far we are happy with our choices but we haven't put it though it's paces fully yet in an extreme camp. Hopefully that will change this summer!

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Well suited for your needs, for sure! I love the Airstream set-ups, for sure! I thought they were pricy, but now I see everything is pricy! lol!

Are you coming to Stellafane?
 
Vermonster said:
Well suited for your needs, for sure! I love the Airstream set-ups, for sure! I thought they were pricy, but now I see everything is pricy! lol!

Are you coming to Stellafane?
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I make the Stellafane pilgrimage every year. We usually stay at a friends house / observatory nearby and some years if the viewing is good we don't even make to the event. But yes I will be in Springfield for the extended weekend.
 
Canyon Trekker said:
Now if they could add some flooring and make it watertight, you wouldn't need to tow a boat either.
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Love it! The amphibious, self-powered, overland RV... Adding a water element is right inline with the strengths of @Vermonster - he is an Ironman triathlete for those that didn't know.
 
TRAMPER said:
Hahahaha, wait you towed a trailer down Hole in the Rock rd??? I took my Tacoma and GFC down that and every egg in my fridge was broken lol. But man are the slot canyons worth it!!!
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Yeah I think one of the axles went on that trip! You have to speed up enough so it bounces at the right frequency for the washboard 😆. Had dust EVERYWHERE inside the camper too. Fridge door blew open, huge mess but no eggs…

The tailgate also came loose and Im glad I got it back on before the cables broke and I lost it. The slot canyons are definitely worth it though. My wife almost got out of the truck going along the hells backbone road. She was white as a ghost!
 
I had a nice M416 military trailer with a lid and hard shell tent on top. You could go almost anywhere the truck will go. That said, it's easier to just sleep in the back of the truck. It has a shell and drawer unit. Really a pain when you have to climb down a ladder if you need to answer natures call in the middle of the night. I sold it last year and bought an Outdoors RV 24RKS for family trips ( wife, dog and I ) and can put a bedroll in the truck or take a tent for any real off road needs. Now that I'm older, I've found that I can get by with a lot less than I thought I needed.
 
Vermonster said:
I am beginning down a slippery slope. I have decided the next chapter in my life will need to focus on outdoors more and more. Hunting season (October - December) is not enough, and I would like to travel around to some national parks sooner than later.

I have looked at bed racks that would keep my folding bed cover intact for supplies, as well as roof top tents (which I dig in concept), but as a kid I am very used to sleeping on the ground in a tent.

With all that said, and if it's just my wife and youngest daughter most of the time to start with, I began looking at off road travel trailers - thinking I could also use it hunting in the backcountry a bit. I will not consider a typical travel trailer - just not my thing. If I need more space I can add the roof top tent to the trailer or even to the truck using a bed rack - but nothing over the cab because I don't want to change my HAM set-up (antenna placement).

So speaking to ONLY overlanding trailers - I looked at this article:


Anyone running any of these or something like it?
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So I've somewhat gone down that path. I did a half rack from uotop overland and a powered retrax bed cover along with a roof tent and awning etc. My dog sleeps in the bed of the truck as she's too big to lift into the tent. For one night or 2 night trips I just stick my fridges in the bed of the truck since I have a battery system and water tank back there.

I recently built a trailer but I don't think I'll use it as I find it limits me to where I can go since I'm mostly in the desert dunes. So will likely sell it but it's big enough for 2 tents on top. It's like an oversized patriot X1 trailer in some ways.
 

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6.7TremorDubai said:
So I've somewhat gone down that path. I did a half rack from uotop overland and a powered retrax bed cover along with a roof tent and awning etc. My dog sleeps in the bed of the truck as she's too big to lift into the tent. For one night or 2 night trips I just stick my fridges in the bed of the truck since I have a battery system and water tank back there.

I recently built a trailer but I don't think I'll use it as I find it limits me to where I can go since I'm mostly in the desert dunes. So will likely sell it but it's big enough for 2 tents on top. It's like an oversized patriot X1 trailer in some ways.
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Very cool!
 
Vermonster said:
I am beginning down a slippery slope. I have decided the next chapter in my life will need to focus on outdoors more and more. Hunting season (October - December) is not enough, and I would like to travel around to some national parks sooner than later.

I have looked at bed racks that would keep my folding bed cover intact for supplies, as well as roof top tents (which I dig in concept), but as a kid I am very used to sleeping on the ground in a tent.

With all that said, and if it's just my wife and youngest daughter most of the time to start with, I began looking at off road travel trailers - thinking I could also use it hunting in the backcountry a bit. I will not consider a typical travel trailer - just not my thing. If I need more space I can add the roof top tent to the trailer or even to the truck using a bed rack - but nothing over the cab because I don't want to change my HAM set-up (antenna placement).

So speaking to ONLY overlanding trailers - I looked at this article:


Anyone running any of these or something like it?
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Prior to purchasing our Kimberley, we developed a list of "must haves" based on our camping experiences with our Casita. I highly recommend this exercise, as it will provide clear guidance as you evaluate various campers. Our list was:

No canvas or fabric : we didn't want to deal with stowage of wet gear that would lead to mold/mildew if not dried in a timely manner

North/South bed: we didn't want to crawl over each other to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Outdoor kitchen: we always cook outside unless there's inclement weather. With our Casita, we had a table set up outside specifically for cooking duties, and we were constantly setting up and breaking down our cooking gear.

Off-road capability: we wanted the ability to go pretty much wherever we want, limited only by road width and the fact that we're towing a 22' trailer.

Dry bath: we wanted a self-contained shower so the entire bathroom didn't get wet (think mold/mildew) when showering.

Off-grid capability: this is a given for overland and dispersed camping. We have 600AH of lithium batteries, and 550W of solar on the roof with another 320W from portable panels and the Tremor roof-rack. If the sun is shining, we can be off-grid indefinitely.
 
Vermonster said:
I am beginning down a slippery slope. I have decided the next chapter in my life will need to focus on outdoors more and more. Hunting season (October - December) is not enough, and I would like to travel around to some national parks sooner than later.

I have looked at bed racks that would keep my folding bed cover intact for supplies, as well as roof top tents (which I dig in concept), but as a kid I am very used to sleeping on the ground in a tent.

With all that said, and if it's just my wife and youngest daughter most of the time to start with, I began looking at off road travel trailers - thinking I could also use it hunting in the backcountry a bit. I will not consider a typical travel trailer - just not my thing. If I need more space I can add the roof top tent to the trailer or even to the truck using a bed rack - but nothing over the cab because I don't want to change my HAM set-up (antenna placement).

So speaking to ONLY overlanding trailers - I looked at this article:


Anyone running any of these or something like it?
Click to expand...

Sorry I'm crunched for time now, so it'll be a short reply.

I have the first trailer in the link you posted, Arkto G12. I picked up in Calgary last Fall and stayed in it for 13 days on my way back to NM. Plenty of trips since then and we love it. Tows easy, has tons of amenities, and thoughtful layout (ie storage)

I'll check back on the thread sometime soon with a better response but here is a thread I started about the trailer over on Expo-portal:
forum.expeditionportal.com

Arkto G12 Review and Discussion

There are a couple Arkto threads already but there should be a consolidated thread where owners and potential owners can share experiences and post photos. I definitely poached some formatting and content ideas from other camper threads. Just recently picked up an Arkto G12 at Arkto HQ in...
forum.expeditionportal.com forum.expeditionportal.com

and since everyone loves photos:
IMG_1192.webp
 
Friend of mine started heavy into overlanding with Roam RTT and later purchased a Conqueror UEV (mentioned in the article you posted). It is really badass and I was amazed where it can go. Fully articulated hitch and self leveling suspension is just bonkers. I would prefer a full bathroom, but I'm a glamper. He has since sold his overlanding setup (and his Power Wagon) and is all in on the trailer, which can be towed with his Lexus (i.e. Land Cruiser).
 
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