What No One Tells You About Buying an Off-Road Trailer
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- If you're looking to buy an off-road trailer, there are several pros and cons to consider when deciding if a trailer, or which trailer, is right for you. After using an overland trailer for over 3 years, I share my thoughts and opinions with you about the advantages and disadvantages of owning a trailer, and what you need to think about when towing one off-road.
I also talk about a other things you'll want to think about if you're deciding if a trailer is right for you, like fuel economy, maintenance, comforts and conveniences, storage, and more. Plus I'll offer some advice on specific things to look for if you decide to buy a trailer for your overland camping adventures.
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ℹ️ PRODUCTS IN THIS VIDEO ℹ️
* Front Runner Outfitters Expander Camp Chair: trailrecon.com...
* Kovea Cookware Kitchen Set: trailrecon.com...
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Check out our website if you’re looking for off-road or overland gear and equipment for your rig and off-the-grid adventures. We have everything you need, including recovery gear, tents, cooking and kitchen gear, sleeping bags, TrailRecon clothes and stickers, and a lot more.
If you’re interested in reading in-depth articles about the places we go, products we use, and our personal insights about overlanding, you’ll want to check out our blog.
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I've done a lot of overlanding. The "wear and tear" of pulling a trailer is FAR less than having all that extra weight in the tow vehicle. Especially for a Jeep or Bronco. The biggest plus of a trailer is that everything except fresh food is always loaded up and ready to go. When you get home all you do is unhook and put the perishable supplies away.
I am LOVING your channel and am so glad I discovered it.
I’ve been eyeballing those X3’s for a minute. Ever since I seen them on Expedition Overland I’ve been hooked and seeing they have a US dealer now I’m thinking about it more and more.
They are the ducks nuts if you can eat the price tag.
Awesome video, Brad! Thanks to you and Regina for sharing your experience and opinions on this topic. 👍🏼
i diy built a m416 trailer into an offroad camping rig. nothing fancy, had a top made for it strong enough to support a RTT. the inside of the 416 just holds storage totes and is divided out by 2x4 to keep them from sliding around too much. works awesome, but would love to have built in fridges and cooking areas. for now, i just carry the gear in the tub and setup camp old school. but it's great!
Thanks for the video, great info. I am having a dilemma.... I have a Ram 2500 and am in the process of "building it". But, cant decide between a slide in, like an Offroad Camper or Kimbo or a Tear Drop. The issues I am having are: We would really like a bathroom inside, would prefer something pretty secure (as sometimes we do have to overnight at rest areas), and a kitchen is important. So a rooftop tent set up is out of the question... Id love to hear any feedback or advice from you guys!
Don't have any experience with a Kimbo or Tear Drop but the best set up is the one that meets your individual needs.
that was a very trough videos about all the pro's and con's. And it was very helpful. I wished you would have told us as well what your trailer weighs the way you had it on the trail, not only the empty weight. And I really disagree with you on the independent axle set up. I can not see what the huge difference is going to be on a single axle trailer. If you ride over a rock, your independent axle trailer is going as high up as you rigid axle trailer. I really think an independent suspension on a trailer is an overrated hype and does not return much on the trail and minimally on the road. But its much more expensive. I think if you would have to light weight axles, with lots of travel, which is easy to achieve, that would help the trailer by far more!
Great explanation detail! 💪🏻 followed!
Curious of your opinion on the Patriot X3, I was thinking it my be a good solution for dual purpose trailer. I want an offroad trailer for my JLUR but also occasional want some extra room for taking our grandkids with us in our small sprinter based RV.
Regena and I have talked about it and if we ever decide to upgrade our trailer, the X3 would be our first choice. The ability to get out of the elements is nice amenity.
1830 pounds. Is that fully loaded?
Speaking of building it yourself, any thoughts about bringing back viewer's rigs videos that you did during the dark days? Maybe add a short segment during Coffee one take. I'm sure we could all gain inspiration this great community you've built Brad.
Thanks for your comment! I've been thinking of a way to bring it back in smaller segments, let me give it a little more thought.
@@TrailRecon Just a thought after I found myself binging that playlist a few days ago. So many cool rigs.
the dark days?
@@HPRam1 Sorry, I was talking about the user submitted walk-arounds he did when the lockdowns first began.
Not to throw water on the idea of a Patriot trailer, but am I the only one who thinks that forking over $35+K to $60+K(T&L included) is more than a tad ludicrous? I understand that they are well designed and built but for less than a quarter of the low end units, I had an off-road trailer built (7.5' x 4.7' box - 10.7' tongue to tailgate, custom wheels / 3 BFG KO2's with electric brakes) that will follow along any where I can go with the diesel Colorado 4x4 pulling it. Parked in the garage , it stores 99% of my gear that used to sit on 2, 4 tier, 5' x 2.3' storage shelfs. Just say'n!
The price is a lot but as an engineer going into designing a trailer for mass production… the price is warranted. So much more goes into these small trailers then you think. Just building a frame for one of these trailers could take many weeks to withstand the design and construction of the trailer.
@@sawyerhauptG'day. Understood that there is some engineering involved and I don't discount that at all, but if the words "Overlander", Overlanding", Offroad", Expedition" etc, get mentioned, the price goes up exponentially. As I mentioned in my original post, I used an experienced trailer builder locally to build out my rig. Once I added all the equipment, (most of which I already had in my load out on the truck ) to the trailer, it made back-country traveling a much more enjoyable experience and as mentioned, at a fraction of the cost of the more mass produced rigs. To each their of course and if something like these work best for those that purchased them, I'm sure they enjoy them and that after all is why we get out and about with them. I'd just rather keep more of my money to spend on other things.
The Patriot camper is 80,000 large in Australia.
For 30,000 we purchased another Aussie trailer the Hardkorr explorer.
Tough as nails and with all the kit.
They are now selling in the US
The video was informative. 35K is ok for someone who can afford it! I can't so I will have to be creative!
Got some good ideas for my DIY which I plan to do under 6K + Roof Tent. 😅
What's "T&L" ?
Perfect timing with this video. I have been trying to decide just in the last couple of weeks whether to get an overland trailer with rooftop tent or a small camper. We don't do any serious off roading in our stock Sahara, just forest service roads, but some of those are pretty rough. The trailers with a rooftop tent seem to weigh considerably less than a camper.
Brad, in CA, you can register a utility trailer like that and get a permanent trailer plate with no annual registration fees. You do need to pay a service fee every five years though; however, that is only $10. I am guessing that trailer is still owned by Patriot though, based on that plate. But for others in CA, it is a good deal to go that route. And... adding a tent to the trailer doesn't change that fact that it is a utility trailer.
Absolutely right, my XV3 is registered in CA and already covered under my insurance no extra cost.
You are correct although DMV can get a bit argumentative over whether or not it’s a utility trailer when they see the RTT. We had a long discussion with them on the topic and they finally agreed.
Ive got the patriot X1 and I love love it. Your pros are right on and the bonus is my family all fits in the tent. The only con i have is it takes a little longer to move daily. Pack up and pack down. But really it becomes the hub when I’m camping and i love that.
Hey, first time I see your content. Seems good, keep it up. Two things I'd like to comment on...1) more important than the width of the trailer is the width of the tire track. It is important the the tow vehicle and trailer have the same track width (hope that makes sense). 2) Independent suspension...we all have our own opinions here. Axle with leaf springs and shocks is cheaper, stronger, and could still get you out safe if you had shock failure. Independent, not so much....
Great video. Wish I had it when I was trying to decide on a trailer last year. Backing up and turning on tight trails is what killed the deal for me. I'd have to unhitch the trailer to maneuver on many of the trails considering my 2500 Sierra HD Diesel "overland" pickup is 22' long.
Yeah, backing up is...not one of the things I like doing offroad. Not that it's STOPPED me...
But an 87 point turn on a narrow service road through a forest is doable, if not preferable. I'll still drag a trailer just for the range-extension capability.
Patriot campers are in a class of their own. They think of everything. I’ve visited Exploration Outfitters and have seen several models. Unfortunately they beyond my budget. I opted for a custom made square drop and equipped it myself and love the convenience of having everything right there. I learned a lot from Patriot and other brands to build into my trailer. Rigging it out has been a blast and very satisfying but I keep getting new ideas. Thanks for the video. I did have my builder at TriedNTrue Off-road Customs use the Cruisemaster CRS2 suspension which worked out great. We can learn a lot from our Australian brothers.
15:10 I had a cool little trailer that was an old motel T box on a solid frame with leaf springs on a solid axel, that I towed behind my modified '83 Toyota pickup. I had an 8' aluminum punt and all my camping gear in the trailer. I was out by myself. I was trying to turn around in a small logging landing. I was running the drivers side tire of the trailer up on a root that had a mild slope to it, I did not realize the passenger side tire was going into the hole the root/stump came out of. I flipped the trailer over upside down. I had the regular ball hitch and it popped off. Here I am in the middle of no-where by myself with a flipped trailer. With some rope and recovery gear including a Hi-Lift jack I was able to right the trailer and set up camp. I had to do some trail maintenance to get the hitch on the trailer straightened out but after that I swore I would set up a better hitch and suspension.
Great video. Also depending on the level of trails you run, you can opt for a “less trail capable” but more flexible trailer. Mine doubles as an equipment and gear hauler, but I still get all the off road capacity I need.
Nice, my Xventure is also a great utility, motorcycle or quad trailer.
Biggest reason I want one. It’s ready to go, id be more prone to go adventure if i didn’t need to pack out every time. #2 setup is as easy as opening a door
I came very near buying a trailer a few years ago. They do offer many advantages. Being retired and solo I decided to stay with my 6' truck bed and softopper. If I had a partner I would have a trailer. Great job on this video.
Love this video, I have been looking at trailers lately and this was helpful, the way my family and I experience the outdoors I think the X1-N would be a good fit.
This is something I'd like to work towards once my kids are older and can handle more than a couple days on the go. I definitely echo your thoughts on not permanently installing things to a vehicle that also has to be a daily driver.
mans is worried about 6 vs 6.5 hours slower and stops for an hour for lunch lol......... great video though. The Patriots arent cheap but one is on my wish list.
Do you not have GCM (gross combined mass) in the US ? we have rules about the weight of both Car and Trailer (or caravan) in Australia
Excellent video. I built my own rig from a quality cargo trailer. Has served us well since 2003. I have $5200 in it, including the purchase price of $3800. Possibilities are endless. Rooftop a/c is quite necessary in Texas for sure.
WHY does your trailer have an Oklahoma tag on it? This Oklahoma City OKIE was just wondering. :)
As always, thanks for sharing.
Steve
If you have a daily driver/ weekend adventure vehicle and kids, I think a trailer seems like a great option. You can keep your vehicle relatively stock and increase your carrying capacity by sharing the payload with the trailer. Trailers also make for a great basecamp. For a family I think going lightweight with ground tents and backpacking gear and one streamlined vehicle is great, or using a trailer. I honestly don’t think that a rooftop tent and full buildout works well with a family unless you’re willing to go with a 3/4 ton truck and a camper. I personally think lightweight and streamlined is better. The gear is more modular, can be used in more situations, it’s lighter and more packable and cheaper overall so you can stay at the occasional hotel, Airbnb, guest house, etc to shower, do laundry, get internet, etc.
Thanks for that...
I went through the whole gamut and decided to build my own...
I am able to load the trailer and not the truck...
Love it...!!!
I made a list of all amenities I wanted and built a trailer around them...
In this project I had to consider many factors...
I think you hit all the relevant points...
Thanks again for sharing your experience and insight...
Hope to see you on the trail sometime...
That's awesome you were able to build your own, I enjoy seeing how folks customize trailers to fit their needs.
Great post, and I think you hit the biggies, especially Timbren independent axles and overall width. One of the things I tend to see often is overlooking the hitch height, especially on lifted rigs. Shoot for level.
We use an Opus OP2 trailer for our adventures now. Gas mileage with a V8 4 Runner is about 11-12 highway, 6-8 off road. But the reduced gas mileage is worth it as set up and tear down of camp is a breeze. I also agree about lunch breaks is super simple. We carry 50 gallons of water, two propane tanks and bonus. Has heater for winter camping in comfort. Just like was stated, it fits in my garage as well. Here is a negative not mentioned. Makes exploring unknown trails for possible camps sites more difficult as turning around ability is reduced.
Hey Brad, check out my M1102 military trailer. It’s pretty much ready to go off-roading out the box and relatively cheap compared to custom builds. Still has lots You can add, but it’s got all the off-road hardware and doesn’t need to be insured.
I'm looking at a Bronco to tow the X3 Gen 2. I'm torn because it looks like the rated towing is too low. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Cheap Gas and Meat: Americans love it, and it is their culture. I wonder: How much emissions (co2) does each car let out on this trip. I would guess around 300 g Co2 per km? 1000 km= 300 000 of emisions. Ten cars: 10x300 000= 3 million g.= 3000 kg of emission. Is this necesary? You are just a bunch of polluters.
Try to make holiday more sustainable. What about using the Tesla cybertruck, or other trucks going electric? And all that meat. Enough to feed an Elepant for a couple of months. Do you have any concious at all?
Great points! If I may, I'd like to add that fuel consumption is very similar if you decide to outfit your vehicle. A rooftop tent, water storage,kitchen, gear etc. Will affect consumption just as much as towing a trailer
Very informative! Thank you! 🙏 I am planning to custom build a small offroad capable trailer - 4'W x 6'L x 5'H. Use case is enclosed toilet, Water & Propane, Gear Storage, 2x100a batteries for Camping electricals and a Winterised Roof top tent for 2. Outdoor shower could be easily added.
Understood your point about IFS being important offroad. But Timbren type IFS for
Planning on doing a one man 6'x10x78" from a utility trailer for full time. One bunk, indoor galley, shower, toilet, solar, water etc. Nobody makes one man offroad campers with indoor amenities, trading bunk space for four for outdoor galleys. If you've ever stood in the blowing rain trying to fix breakfast you know that it sucks. If I get the urge to do more challenging trails I'll leave it in a state park or some such and go wheel for the day.
@@joelmurphy7980 Supports 2. We sleep in the car and have a Coleman type kitchen setup with Fridge. The latter could move to the Camper is what we are thinking freeing up space in our 4Runner for other things.
Plus the offroad camper will have a toilet. We are currently using a Shower tent + Cassette toilet.
The door hatch of the Kitchen could serve as a roof shielding from light rain. If heavier rain is expected we could use a SUV tent (we have one) to enclose the kitchen area.
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Thank you so much!
You bring up some good points but I have a couple of corrections: 1. registration in CA is cheap, it’s just over $40 and that’s for a Permanent Trailer which only needs re-registration every 5 years. 2. insurance- if you add to an existing home/auto policy, it’s super cheap. For a $30k trailer, it was only $100 a year.
I love this video. Your info is great.👍 I just bought a free solo camper that my jeep wrangler unlimited can tow. The smallest tear drop camper that we can walk into. The DIN model. A little big for off road trail camping but great for logging road adventure camping. Keeping the wife happy for adventure is key. Love it😃😁
Thanks for the excellent video. Your trailer is on the heavy side. Empty + water is 2164 pounds. When you're fully loaded do you you approach the 3500# Wrangler towing capacity?
Thanks! Even with a full tank of water and all our gear for a week long trip we are only around 2600lbs.
Great info!! Would love to add a trailer for my sprinter. Also love your trail rating system. Could you add a category or note to reviews? Whether a tall vehicle (sprinter or truck camper) could do the trail. 😃 cheers.
A fresh idea for sloppy joes to try is bell pepper stuffed with sloppy joe. It is good.
Oh, that does sound good!
When you were speaking about maintenance on the trailer you didn’t mention wheel bearing maintenance. Does a trailer like that have greaseable bearings with a zerk fitting or do you have to pull them periodically to do it?
How can I get my husband to come out with me more? LOL! It's true though. We have a bit of role reversal when it comes to sleeping outside. I love, love love this trailer setup. I would have no trouble towing it myself. It's quite costly though. It's nearly the price of an airstream basecamp. For now, I will stick with a ground tent. Anyone have a used patriot camper for sale? Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love seeing Regena out with you! Y'all are awesome!!
Thank you! It's fun getting out there with Brad. ☺
Great video. I have a 4Runner with a 6x8 offroad teardrop. I think it really comes down to the type of driving. I'm mainly on moderate 4x4 trails at most so it works for me. But yes, turning radius and switchbacks can be a problem. The biggest problem is heading down roads you're not sure about then having no way to back out...But for me, it's well worth it. I can always unhitch and leave it when need be. Plus I can leave all my gear in there. Comfort and convenience.
Hi Brad and everyone else in the off-roading community,
Thanks for all of the great content you bring us. It’s all really helpful and appreciated. I’m relatively novice when it comes to off-roading and I’m still trying to decide how to setup my rig. I’ll be taking delivery of a 3.6L gladiator rubicon in about a month, also I have an order placed and will be picking up a Boreas XT off-road trailer in early August. I will be adding a 3” lift and 37” Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT tires to the JT, my question is, should I be considering re-gearing my JT? If so, what would be a good option? The trailer weighs right around 2000lbs dry. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks!
you will need 4.88s or 5.13s for sure my friend!
I am curious as to why this jeep does not have your Trail Recon logo on the hood?
What you say about gross vehicle weight is SO true. When you account for the weight of passengers, it is very surprising how little weight is left for gear. I also like how you keep your points objective. You give the facts and let the viewer form their own opinion. Great video!!
I have an LJ and only have 1 passenger, so the rear is for packing. Only down side is if another person ever wanted to join us, it's not possible.
Hey Brad, all excellent points. If I may add, in addition to annual insurance cost and registration etc. Consider sales taxes and personal property taxes (at least here where we are in SC). Happy to share our patriot campers trailer finally went into production after waiting a year, hopefully we'll have it late August. Sales taxes for us is 7%, and personal property taxes (paid up front before they issues tags), is 10.5% of trailer value...or 6% if your trailer can be lived in. They determine that by if it has an inside area, running water, toilet and kitchen/refrigerator. Hope that helps with all the other considerations when shopping for a trailer. GREAT VIDEO
You know I'll bet a trailer like that would be a great place to store a Trail Recon cook book. 😁
Finally we get relax with Brad. We got popcorn and hot chocolate today. Hi Brad
How do you take care of the trailer in storage. For example the water tanks to keep them from getting that damp rotting smell
Fortunately, we use it often enough that it's not a problem. But it's easy enough to drain and rinse clean when we're ready to use it again.
What brand and model trailer is that? How much was it?
Nice video. I have a made in USA Xventure XV3 w/Maggiolina RTT. Tow it with a Willys Ecodiesel Wrangler. Mileage is 1-2 less towing. I got it to add another axle and carry enough gear to make sure my wife is comfortable. It has surpassed all my expectations. Trailer has proved itself when I got in over my head on trails. XVENTURE also builds military trailers, they are all aluminum, no welds. The Dexter Solid Axle has proved to off-road impeccably and parts are available everywhere but you probably won’t ever need any if you lube the bearings. The Xventure has opened up so many avenues to adventure, it’s just incredible.
Some distinctions may be in order. If the goal is to add 2,500 to 3,000 pounds of travel rig and gear to what you already have, then wear, fuel economy and all the rest matter. If you build a very light trailer as I did, add a few things, and offload hundreds of pounds from the tow vehicle, you have a whole different animal. My trailer is light enough to unhook and move around by hand easily. I also have a UTV winch on the rear of the trailer which is super useful to get your tail out of a ditch or hang-up. Most of these offroad trailers are incredibly heavy IMO. I pulled a 16ft Scamp trailer for years for very light offroad use, but that whole thing weighed only 2,600 lbs. I realize offroad trailers have to be built heavier, but a big part of that is the weight they are required to carry. My trailer capacities are 60 liter fridge, 25 gallons of gas, 20 gallons of water, 20lbs of propane, 480 watts of solar panel, 400 A/Hrs of lithium battery, an onboard welder, and is designed around a 4' x 6.5' box. It is purely a support trailer to increase the range and capability of the tow vehicle, with extra room for gear like my inflatable kayak. The dry weight is about 700lbs, and the loaded weight is around 1,500 lbs. The swing arm axles are rated for 3,500, but I will never even reach half of that. I designed in an extendable bar to the tongue, with sturdy handles to give me huge leverage for hand maneuvering. I'm only lifting about 50 lbs of tongue weight. I've never seen this feature on any trailer, but it is a game changer in tight spots. I ended up building my own because all the manufactured trailers were too heavy, loaded with things I didn't need or want, and lacking critical features. I also saved myself at least $25,000 dollars, while using top grade components and knowing that everything was done meticulously. Trailers are always a pain, but the pain doesn't have to be SO bad, and the advantages can be big. I can take on the longest offroad trails with no worry about fuel, food, water, or any other supply, and my truck drives a lot better and easier unloaded. I use a drone to scout really sketchy trails to avoid getting trapped. That is my biggest worry.
Brad, my question is, how does pulling a trailer compare to having a roof top tent on top of the jeep?
You trade weight and maneuverability for storage and a lot more comfort. usually the entire trailer becomes storage though livable options exist, so the tent would be the same and the storage would be what you're adding
With a RTT on the trailer one can leave camp setup and go explore in the tow vehicle. If your RTT is on your primary vehicle, one must break camp to go explore. One can also take a trail cycle to explore with, Rokon, TW200, or mountain bike.
@@gotsloco1810 Patriot campers also makes a toy hauler version of the overland camper trailer (TH610) where you can load side by sides, atvs, dirt bikes or whatever you want.
love all your videos. I was looking at the 2023 X-3 with pretty much all the options except the coffee maker storage lol. Is the cost worth the purchase? There are only 2 places that sell them in the US and it's the same company so they price them how they want. I feel 80k is way to much for the camper.
Brad,
Great video, as usual. I am currently a full time RVer with a 40' class "A" and I pull a 2019 JLU Rubicon.
The RV is going to be sold in the near future and I want to buy an off road trailer. I have seen many of your videos as well as EPIC Family Road trip. My goal is to continue exploring this great country but do more off road exploration. I will probably stay out for a few weeks at a time and come back to a home base. Any suggestions as to videos to get me set up to do this? Love your channel.
Don
I bought on of these, the X3, and it was the WORST experience. The company Patriot Campers does NOT stand behind the product. DAY-ONE Trailer Brakes did NOT work, the hand brake didn't work, WATER TABKS LEAKED because the fittings were not assembled correctly, the lights didn't work, items were missing, and to TOP it off IT LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS! Patriot Campers did little to nothing to fix the issues. They were the ones that didn't include the items, "they forgot" is what they said. Instead of tightening then fittings causing the water leaks they put some temporary putty around the leak. When it rained the lid/tub that holds the mattress filled with over 1" inch of rain water. Their suggestion to get the water out was use s hop vac. LIKE who brings a shop vac camping! When I picked up the camper there was a line up of very unhappy campers that had waited months and months for replacement defective parts!
If you live in, or visit South Dakota you can rent trailers like this one in Custer! The business is called Overland America. You can also rent Jeeps and Broncos!
I bought myself an Echo trailer and i been enjoying my overlanding travels since
Your wife almost cancelled you bruh.
Assuming that fuel can is red for petrol, I would feel unsafe with it right at the rear of the trailer where it is most likely to be the first point of contact in an accident. If it is diesel then okay.
I off road and camp a fair bit in Australia. I would say. If you have kids. A camper trailer is a must. If it's just you and the missus. Just camp out of a roof topper or tent/swag. And have the fridge and cooking out of the boot.
@trailrecon Nice rig . Enjoy the videos !
Can you tell me what the awning rack that you have is ? I've been looking for something to raise my awning up from my mid-height rack when I'm parked and those look perfect.
For me I just wanted to go back to sleeping inside, away from the roof top tent or ground camping. So far I really like my SoCal teardrop, despite the few downsides. Great video.
I bought the x3 this year (2024) and it had a lot of problems day-1. The water tanks leaked, the trailer brakes were not working, and the tent leaks when it rains. I am not the only owner with these problems, and Patriot Campers is not doing anything to fix the issues. They are not a company that stands behind their product.
I’ve noticed you and a couple others on your videos have Oklahoma tags on the trailers you pull. What’s up with that?
I sure like those Patriot Camper trailer. Not that I've really priced trailers in the past but the cost stops me in my tracks no matter how much I want one. I have some things to consider after watching this. I had ruled trailers out for several reasons until recently.
I have been looking at the Patrol trailer found one completely loaded out with 23 zero ten awning shower refrigerator battery back up and solar panel along with complete articulation hitch and suspension for $22k
You have to pay insurance on that trailer "vehicle" ?
And is your "pace slower without a trailer" ?
I played it back 5 times.
The price of these trailers is crazy, you don't have to add to many options before the damn thing will cost more than the BRONCO. We all know added weight aka towing will kill fuel mileage, but the price of buying one of these campers will brake the bank.
If you live on the road or have a family……hard to imagine not having a trailer. Only negative I think is tight trails and not having enough room to maneuver or turn around. Gas mileage in most rigs used for overlanding isn’t great anyways.
Very informative video!! That’s a beautiful Bronco and trailer combo you have going. Also kudos to your wife for the homemade sloppy joes. Maybe you guys could do a video or two on your favorite, most convenient camping meals. That would be fun!
That trailer is great. But wait until that Stupid New Bronco V-6 Detonates! Wow, what a P.O.S! And the Eco-boost turbo 4cyls are no different. Everyone warned Ford not to do this. Customers want reliability more than super-economy. Ford has finally become true to their Chevy-lovers acronym. Found on Road Dead --because you didnt fix or repair daily.
The big, hard question. Can you back up a trailer? Nobody talks about this but it has to be a thing? The boat industry has struggled with this for years. Love the idea of a boat, hate the idea of backing it down the ramp in front of 87 rednecks. No offense to all our American rednecks.
But this is a real consideration. The desire is there. The money is there. The hopes and dreams for my family is there. I am terrified of pulling into a truck stop (or wherever) that requires me to back out with a deft, experienced hand. What say you honest folk?
Brad, could you do a video sometime about setting up for base camp (setup, safety, security, special considerations)? You’ve mentioned base camping in other videos on occasion, and while I know it’s not your thing, any tips and tricks would be great.
Seems Americans are being taxed too much. Personal property and the right to travel. Should not be taxed for the benefit of Whom.
Aren’t you Americans taxed enough. 🇫🇷zero taxes to camp fish overland. Governance with the look to furthering tax you. Is an American construct.
Hello Brad, I have a modified teardrop trailer that I tow now with a bronco raptor and I do a lot of backcountry travel, soon I’m going to modify the hitch set up to an articulating hitch, what brand is your articulating hitch? Have you had any issues and what’s the maintenance on that set up? I’m really having a tough time on deciding which articulating hitch to go with? Also that independent suspension you have I’m going to fabricate a system like that wondering if there’s any kits out there that you can get? It’s been a bit tough trying to find someone that has the knowledge of all this. Thanks for the great video and info.
You might consider a portable electric bear fence for camping in bear country. 2.4 lbs for huge peace of mind.
Do you have a solution for AC? Living in TX, it sucks trying to sleep in a tent when it's 90° at night!
Very interesting. We have a Land Rover with a matching Army trailer, its about the same size as an overland trailer and its rated for off road. A big rotating hitch is a must, a standard ball hitch will bind up and put a huge twisting load on the rear attachment point. Here in the UK we tend to mix countryside with going into the local town, and there the trailer is a real problem. We have to find oversize spaces and reversing overland trailers is hard; they are short and not easy to see as they are low and narrow. It is great to carry all that extra stuff, but we found we were bringing most of it home un-used, we found with more disciplined packing we could leave the trailer at home for most trips and save quite a bit on fuel. So, yes its great, but it doesn't get much use.
You helped me make up my mind about getting a trailer. I’ll just stick with my Jeep and a ground tent.
Great Video, as I am debating on a trailer or truck rack and RTT. Look forward to seeing more of your videos. Scribed!!
1. Too damn $$$.
2. Try turning around or backing up on a narrow trail.
The only upside I can see is you have ALL your gear loaded up and you need your truck for daily driving. Just hook up and go.
Awesome video, thank you Brad. I have been on the fence about this and have my eye on the Opus OP4 trailer, this would defiantly fit in my garage but I didn't know about the extra cost of insurance so that will be something I look into as well. Thanks again, I have been following you and Macro for a few years now.
We have the OffGrid expedition trailer and won't go back to just the jeep. So much better! This video was perfect!
The Patriots are awesome. I went the build-it-yourself route and kept it simple. Basically a rolling cargo box to get all my gear out of the Jeep and an RTT on top. I went fully enclosed to keep the dust off my gear. It works great for my needs.
After using it now for a couple years, I agree with 100% of the video. Lots of good info here if you’re on the fence or trying to decide what is right for you.
So you need to carry more fuel, which takes up trailer space, which means you need a bigger trailer, which means you need more fuel, which means you need a bigger.........................
Love your videos. I just picked up an Expedition 2.0 from Off Grid Trailers and it's awesome. I noticed in this video that your hitch with the 360-degree yolk might be installed upside down. If it was the other way around the trailer will be level on the road.
I agree with the trailer brakes. I am a proponent of trailer brakes on all trailers. Something else to think about. If you are on the trail, you may have to back the trailer up for quite a ways. We’ve been on the trail and met a line of people coming the other way and had to back up for 1/4-1/2 mile. Not fun and that was without a trailer. We do like the Patriot campers trailers.
Great video Brad, how do you find it with the trailer running 35’s while your rig is running 37’s? I like the idea of running the rig and trailer with the same tires and wheel sizes for extra spares on long trips. Thinking my next rig will be a Gladiator to carry the family and dogs, and I love the X1-H trailer, but will be a very long road rig for trailers and overland trips, so not 100% sure yet.
Great video I noticed your awning jacks could you review or talk about them and how they work I never saw that style what brand are they . thanks
I think they are proprietary to the Patriot Camper, I don't see any brand specific on the jacks.
They are nice but after seeing the price tag I walked away. Way too overpriced. lol! Just wished we can get rid of the crooks and have better deals. Unfortunately is not easy to weed out the crooked dealers these days. But you can see their price tags. ;)
The first thing I look at when thinking about an off road trailer is, Will my tow rig handle the extra weight? Balancing the towing capacity of the tow vehicle with the fully loaded weight of the trailer. Towing a trailer that is too heavy for the tow vehicle is dangerous and puts much more wear and tear on the tow vehicle.
Agree, the weight of the trailer off-road really matters.
Of all the disadvantages, no talk of the risk of the trailer tipping over and taking your ride with it?
At 1830lbs dry weight, your small Patriot trailer is super heavy! Your jeep can only tow 3500lbs. 65-75 % of tow capacity is the sweet spot. I have a 6x10 double axle enclosed custom trailer sitting at 1300lbs dry and I thought that was heavy.
Honestly the only time it feels heavy is in the deep sand, otherwise the Wrangler and Bronco tow it just fine.
I love the fuel costs of extra $50 per trip vs the $25,000 trailer....thats a little off...
‘For an oldercouple where one of the adults has mobility problems and has trouble with climbing a ladder to get into a RTT, would you suggest one of those mini trailers; such as a Hiker,or an Vigallance mini trailer?
Yes, I think a trailer with lower access is a better option.
About the fuel economy let me tell you my opinion why I am thinking to get a trailer, is better to have everything in the trailer than be driving my jeep every day with a lot of weight on, will cost me more fuel than a day of camping. Greetings