"Overland" style trailer - who has(had) one? Advice?

[JeffRaines]

After this past trip, I've kinda sorta started looking into overland style camper trailers - not a teardrop or traditional RV, but rather a trailer with a RTT on it.

Our camping trips typically revolve around fishing, hunting or hiking. When it comes to summertime fishing especially, we tend to hit a body of water for a few days then move onto another for a few days. While I don't mind the tent and sleeping on the ground, I gotta say the setup/teardown of camp(including kitchen stuff) every few days gets daunting.

Before it gets mentioned, we've tried the full size RV thing. A couple complaints I had included the terrible fuel economy(yeah I get that having fun costs, but having fun is even more fun when it's cheap. Most of our trips are 3-12hrs one way. Fuel adds up QUICK at 8-10mpg), the size and necessity of finding a larger spot among other things - the whole time we used that thing I kept thinking "if only I had my tent and stuff with us, we could get into any spot and camp wherever we wanted".

I dont know what I dont know, and that's where you guys come in. One of my biggest concerns about going this route is fuel economy. My truck fully loaded with family and camp in the back still gets 20-22mpg. Now throwing a trailer behind it I'm sure I'm gonna take a hit of some sort... does anyone have any data on this? I realize that trailers and rigs vary greatly, but it would be nice to have some sort of idea of what I'm gonna lose.

Secondly, it seems the market has a ton of options. Of course you can buy some turn key adventure trailer and spend 30-50k or more.... however my budget is far less than that. I'm hoping to keep it around $10k, and I dont mind putting some work if it's new(meaning procuring the RTT, wiring, etc. I can't weld unfortunately). I'm also trying to avoid something that's going to fall apart the first time I take it down a FS road... which brings me to my next thing - capability. I do not need something that's gonna go on super tight actual trails or rock crawling or whatever. The places where I camp are typical FS type roads and those types of pullouts. Also, used definitely isn't out of the question, and would probably be preferable.

I'd like to hear the good, bad and ugly. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[camping1601]

I can't help with a trailer but I did a simple build on a 4Runner and little things can add up fast. I'd make sure it has the ability to add stuff to it in the future. Things like an awning or shower shelter are much nicer than I ever thought they'd be.

 

[realunlucky]

I have a rrt mounted to my trailer.
Pro's- fast set up and take down.
Easy to find a place to deploy the tent since.
Cons-climbing the ladder is a pain. Also figuring out where to store your shoes since the rrt is basically a mattress. I have to climb out to do anything other than sleep and get dressed.

I always have to take extra fuel so the trailer always comes and the rrt is anther tool. When it's real cold i bring my springbar.

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

 

[realunlucky]

I think @Travis Bertrand had one for awhile

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[JeffRaines]

Thanks for the input.

I’ve been going back and forth on options. On one hand I could just buy a small utility trailer and install the stuff myself(or what I could do without welding anyways), but then I find myself in a position where for about the same price I could just buy something like a Smittybilt Scout that should do 90% of what I want, and if I buy a used later model I could add any little things I wanted to and still probably be cheaper than modding a utility trailer to what I want(I want the fridge and kitchen on sliders, I would like a gear slider, that kind of stuff).

It seems like there are also some other builds for sale on marketplace/etc but then it’s a toss up on how good it was actually put together.

For something like this I don’t mind putting 5-8k forward for a trailer, but beyond that it becomes tough to justify it. Yeah I want the decreased setup time and ease, but it’s not worth 15k+. At that point I’d just continue using a tent and doing what we do now.

 

[thegrouse]

I have had one, mine was a simple utility trailer built with a heavy axle and a roof rack for kayaks or a roof top tent. It had storage near the tongue for additional items. I guess it was 2000# loaded. My mileage went from 13 to 9 mpg on road trips. It was small and tough, and I could take it anywhere.

I would identify what you are trying to accomplish. If it is just faster setup time I don't think it would be worth it. If you are out of space in your current rig, maybe it might be.

Sleeping in a rooftop tent for me would not be ideal, the rocking, putting it up while wet from morning dew and getting out in the middle of the night would not be fun.

I have a fridge in my vehicle that runs off the battery. If I am going to be parked a few days I have solar panels that keep the battery charged. I have built a camp box that contains everything I need to cook and eat. I can park the vehicle, throw out my camp box on a folding table I bring, setup chairs and another table, set the tent and cot in have stuff set up pretty quick. If I am sleeping in the vehicle it is faster. I plan meals to minimize dishes. I have the Kodiak 10x14, pretty fast to setup and take down. I have considered the Gazelle T4 for an even faster setup time.

I started with a tent, then popup, then 27' bumper pull, then off-road trailer, now back to a tent.

 

[bigunit]

Don't overlook jumping jack trailers. I have a 6x8 and its plenty roomy for 2 adults and 2 kids(in decent weather) and pulls like its not even there. I pull it with my outback and the mileage barely changes. Also has atv hauling capability.

 

[tony]

You ever look at the Encore Rog line of trailers?
Price is not insane, watched a build video from the factory, no wood.
Huge water tanks. Only hit is no water heater

I'd love an off-road tear drop. The prices are crazy on many I've looked at.

 

[taskswap]

This isn't quite the same as just an RTT but I had a Jumping Jack for several years and loved it. I can post some pics if you want. Basically you get an off-road-capable trailer with a top deck strong enough for plenty more gear or even 1-2 quads, optional electric brakes, and torsion axles. If my truck could get there, the trailer could, too.

On arrival you unload and open it, and you're basically in a springbar-style canvas tent with either a pair of twin bunks and a pair of bench seats around a table or a pair of queen bunks if you don't need the seats. It has a flap to run a propane hose in which is perfect for a Mr Buddy fed by a 20lb cylinder outside and plenty of windows. The windows have zip-in plastic panels if you want the views but you're in cold weather.

It was expensive but we got a ton of use out of it in some pretty rugged terrain, and it held its value really well - after 3 years we sold it for only $2k less than we bought it for, so at $56/mo we felt like it was a bargain. YMMV.

 

[JeffRaines]

I have had one, mine was a simple utility trailer built with a heavy axle and a roof rack for kayaks or a roof top tent. It had storage near the tongue for additional items. I guess it was 2000# loaded. My mileage went from 13 to 9 mpg on road trips. It was small and tough, and I could take it anywhere.

I would identify what you are trying to accomplish. If it is just faster setup time I don't think it would be worth it. If you are out of space in your current rig, maybe it might be.

Sleeping in a rooftop tent for me would not be ideal, the rocking, putting it up while wet from morning dew and getting out in the middle of the night would not be fun.

I have a fridge in my vehicle that runs off the battery. If I am going to be parked a few days I have solar panels that keep the battery charged. I have built a camp box that contains everything I need to cook and eat. I can park the vehicle, throw out my camp box on a folding table I bring, setup chairs and another table, set the tent and cot in have stuff set up pretty quick. If I am sleeping in the vehicle it is faster. I plan meals to minimize dishes. I have the Kodiak 10x14, pretty fast to setup and take down. I have considered the Gazelle T4 for an even faster setup time.

I started with a tent, then popup, then 27' bumper pull, then off-road trailer, now back to a tent.

It's a combination of room, and set up time... and while setting up/tearing down just a tent with a small kitchen isn't that bad... once you add in sleeping pads. Bags. Boxes for the stuff... then playing Tetris putting it back into the truck, only to have to do it again at the next destination... well it gets time consuming and old. Solo trips I could probably live without it(although if I had one I might be inclined to take it) but when the family is with me, it becomes hard to minimize dishes and meals. Camp is fairly minimized as it is... but there's only so much you can minimize with two kids.

My objective would be to eliminate a bunch of setup and takedown time. The kitchen stuff I'd plumb a gas line in and hard mount the stove on a slide out type drawer. Same with the fridge... powered by a 1/2 battery system with a DC/DC charger and solar option. It would be nice to roll into a camp spot, drop and level the trailer, flip out the tent and be pretty much done. Kitchen stuff would be there ready to roll when we needed it.

I did do the bumper pull for a bit(similar size to yours)... and I sorely missed my tent, not because the camper wasn't comfortable but because it cost a boatload more to use, and so much more thought and worry about where we were actually going to park it when we got where we were going. No exploring unknown roads unless it was after you already dropped it... and often you'd run across awesome campsites that you could get into with no trailer or maybe a small trailer that you weren't able to access with the big one.

I tell this story all the time, but we did an eastern MT deer hunt a few years ago, and my buddy was ADAMANT about bringing his 5th wheel. It was a small 5th wheel - maybe 26'. I'm like whatever, we're using your truck then(A F250 with the 6.7). This was in 2021, fuel was still relatively cheap. It cost us over $1000 in fuel alone to get there and back from eastern Washington. I had a F150 with the 3.5 at the time, and I could get from W. Wa to the first fuel stop in Montana on a tank with camp and family.

Maybe this is a situation where I should try to find something like this to rent first, so I can see first hand what its like without taking the financial plunge.

 

[thegrouse]

I know sites like outdoorsy and others rent them, it would be tough though becuase it will not be setup like you would set it up. You are right, the big things like tents and kitchen aren't as bad as the sleeping pads, cots, bags and repacking. I am doing a week trip in a few weeks and Ill be setting up and tearing down daily.

 

[bozeman]

I have had one, mine was a simple utility trailer built with a heavy axle and a roof rack for kayaks or a roof top tent. It had storage near the tongue for additional items. I guess it was 2000# loaded. My mileage went from 13 to 9 mpg on road trips. It was small and tough, and I could take it anywhere.

I would identify what you are trying to accomplish. If it is just faster setup time I don't think it would be worth it. If you are out of space in your current rig, maybe it might be.

Sleeping in a rooftop tent for me would not be ideal, the rocking, putting it up while wet from morning dew and getting out in the middle of the night would not be fun.

I have a fridge in my vehicle that runs off the battery. If I am going to be parked a few days I have solar panels that keep the battery charged. I have built a camp box that contains everything I need to cook and eat. I can park the vehicle, throw out my camp box on a folding table I bring, setup chairs and another table, set the tent and cot in have stuff set up pretty quick. If I am sleeping in the vehicle it is faster. I plan meals to minimize dishes. I have the Kodiak 10x14, pretty fast to setup and take down. I have considered the Gazelle T4 for an even faster setup time.

I started with a tent, then popup, then 27' bumper pull, then off-road trailer, now back to a tent.

pic/layout of camp box?

 

[thegrouse]

Ill pm so I do not derail this thread

 

[camping1601]

Years ago I bought a slide in camper available in a "shell model" that was bare bones basic so one could build it out themselves. Maybe a trailer company offers this? It was a big savings this way.

 

[JeffRaines]

Ill pm so I do not derail this thread

It’s fine to post it in here. I’d like to see it as well!

 

[Fatcamp]

We have an older Jayco popup we stripped and rebuilt the roof on. Put on a lift kit and way bigger tires. Cut off everything that might hang up on rough ground.

It is basically a box with a couple beds. We bring propane for a Big Buddy heater or a generator for a portable AC unit as needed.

It's been over some rough ground and pulled many miles at 80mph. We almost lost it on our second trip when the roof latches let go. Hence the roof rebuild. Held down with eye bolts and big ratchet straps now.

I hated it initially but have come to appreciate it. It was all my wife's idea, including the roof rebuild. Probably $2500 in cash and some sweat equity.

Rokslide won't let me post pictures at the moment. Says "low memory". I'll see if I can figure it out and post some pictures.

 

[thegrouse]

I have a big one and small one I can carry solo. Small one is for 1-2 people. Big one is entire family and groups. Keep sink and other camp items inside box

 

[Burch]

You could buy a used pop up camper for pretty cheap and do a spring over axle flip and upgrade axles to accomodate larger tires/wheels for added ground clearance for pretty cheap. Depending on what you bought you might have 2-2500 tied up in it after axle flip is complete.Thats my plan,Ive already bought the camper.

 

[Fatcamp]

It's tight but four adults and two big dogs can get along for awhile. When it's just wife and the dogs it's pretty nice.

We see considering a canoe for the top.

 

[BluMtn]

Reading your posts in seems like you are more concerned about fuel than anything else. If that is the case no matter what direction you go, you are not going to be happy because of fuel. Another choice is spending your funds on another crewcab pickup with 8' box and build an overland rig.