pull behind trailer and camping options

[Hookeye]

Saw them running one on the western hunting show HUSHIN on YT.

 

[Lee11b]

I'd say screw the HOA!!! Move to the country!!! We had a 33ft Winnie motorhome that lived on our driveway 3 seasons a year. It was great!!! Sometimes, it was a good place to drink beer and get on here, without bothering the wife. Kids used it for sleepovers and of course, we had many memorable trips.

 

[92FSTech]

I've been watching a lot of videos on converting cargo trailers to campers.

We did this about 5 years ago, and we have definitely gotten our money out of it.

We have 4 kids, and struggled to find anything designed for 6 people that wasn't way bigger than what we wanted. We used to tent camp, but a few unpleasant rainy week-long trips 1000 miles from home and we got tired of that. We like to go remote places and squeeze into small campgrounds, and also wanted something that would be hard-sided (bears) and easy to set-up and tear-down for quick overnight stops on long trips.

I ended up getting a 12 foot enclosed haulmark on craigslist, and we tore the insides out, insulated it, added heavier interior paneling, windows, an RV door latch, folding bunks, a roof vent with fan, solar panels and a 12v battery. Its a single-axle and didn't come with brakes, so I added those too since I knew we'd be going out west and driving up and down mountains with it. It's pretty rustic, maybe even hillbilly, but when you think of it as a replacement for a tent, it's perfect. It keeps us dry in the rain (and more than once, hail), is small enough to tow just about anywhere, and setup/teardown at a camp site takes all of 5 minutes, and that's only if you decide to unhook. We use campground bathrooms (and yeah, we've been places that you have to dig a hole), cook outside, and I have a battery-powered outdoor shower that we've used on occasion. It's not fancy, but that wasn't the goal.

The first trip we took in it was 2.5 weeks out to California and back for my BIL's wedding. We did a big loop and hit a bunch of national parks on the way out and back, camped on the Pacific coast, saw stuff that I never dreamed I'd get to see, and had a blast. Later that fall, we took it to the eastern shore of VA and Assateague Island, so it went from coast to coast the first year we had it. We've since been to Colorado a couple of times, Utah, South Dakota, Arizona, Wyoming a few times, the UP, and a number of other shorter trips around the state.

I've probably got about $2500 in it total, and I'd say it's the best money I've ever spent. The stuff we've been able to do as a family because of that trailer has been absolutely priceless. Our setup is pretty rustic, but if you want to go crazy (and don't have to cram 6 people in there) I've seen people get really fancy with cargo trailer conversions...even nicer than some RVs.

 

[nj4020]

For a true overlanding rig, check out Turtle Back Trailers and Patriot Campers.

 

[Sailor]

We bought an all aluminum Livin Lite pop up last year after tent camping my entire life. Awesome to be off the ground. I got it for way under used market value. Follow Facebook market place and search tempest for Craigslist. Bad time to get deals though on campers. That being said we have decided we really want hard sides, and our own bathroom. For us the Rockwood geo pro series because they are lightweight and cheap. 19k for the 19foot model we are looking at. here is a 20ft one with bunkhouse that would fit your family. We have a pole barn though. Geo Pro

 

[Tactically Fat]

A college friend and a neighbor of mine have both built open-top cargo-type trailers with cages/roofs where they've installed big tent platforms on top of.

The college friend built a big box on the trailer that held pretty much all the gear / small "kitchen" area.

The neighbor's trailer is a lot more rustic - but probably way more off-road capable (built on an old .mil trailer, like a Shutt M1102 type).

I kind of like the idea of this: https://www.bestrv.com/New-Inventor...Package-282TESP-Forest-River-Rockwood-8159779

Friend's trailer is similar to this - but home-made: https://nuthouseindustries.com/shop/expedition-trailers/peanut/

Neighbor's is like this: https://www.expedition.supply/shop/m1102-adventure-cargo-toy-trailer/

 

[Ingomike]

I'd say screw the HOA!!! Move to the country!!! We had a 33ft Winnie motorhome that lived on our driveway 3 seasons a year. It was great!!! Sometimes, it was a good place to drink beer and get on here, without bothering the wife. Kids used it for sleepovers and of course, we had many memorable trips.

You just don't understand what an HOA is. It is not a dictator telling you what to do with your property, like many believe it is. It is a contract as to how neighbors will live together. If you want to park an RV or boat in your drive, buy a home that either has no covenants (the contract of how neighbors will live together legally recorded with the deeds) or an agreement that allows for what you want to do.

Complaining about an HOA, in most cases, is just showing ones self to have not understood what they agreed to live by when they bought or that their needs have changed at they think the agreement should be changed to accommodate them.

An HOA and covenants are an agreement the owner agreed to when they bought the land, no more no less.

 

[1nderbeard]

You just don't understand what an HOA is. It is not a dictator telling you what to do with your property, like many believe it is. It is a contract as to how neighbors will live together. If you want to park an RV or boat in your drive, buy a home that either has no covenants (the contract of how neighbors will live together legally recorded with the deeds) or an agreement that allows for what you want to do.

Complaining about an HOA, in most cases, is just showing ones self to have not understood what they agreed to live by when they bought or that their needs have changed at they think the agreement should be changed to accommodate them.

An HOA and covenants are an agreement the owner agreed to when they bought the land, no more no less.

Ours is actually reasonable. And I really like our house and what we've added to it with. We have a really nice covered back porch/deck area and a just redone master bath with double shower.
I will likely be buying land on the next few years that I can go full tilt hillbilly on.

 

[1nderbeard]

So last night my wife sent me a FB ad for a small queen size teardrop that will fit inside the third bay in our garage. It's about 10 years old. Has a 12 v battery to run some stuff, and a extension cord power setup. We're in it for a low enough price I can look in to adding some solar charging for the battery and running some basic electrical systems for phone charging/etc. I'm going to look in to adding a vent fan and some kind of heating system.

Going to pick it up probably Wednesday.

Anybody know anything about solar power systems?

 

[Lee11b]

You just don't understand what an HOA is. It is not a dictator telling you what to do with your property, like many believe it is. It is a contract as to how neighbors will live together. If you want to park an RV or boat in your drive, buy a home that either has no covenants (the contract of how neighbors will live together legally recorded with the deeds) or an agreement that allows for what you want to do.

Complaining about an HOA, in most cases, is just showing ones self to have not understood what they agreed to live by when they bought or that their needs have changed at they think the agreement should be changed to accommodate them.

An HOA and covenants are an agreement the owner agreed to when they bought the land, no more no less.

I totally understand what an HOA is. Fortunate for us we live in the country, on a chain of lakes with "liveable" restrictions. We have almost an acre on our house lot and 3/4 of an acre on the vacant lot we own to the east of us. We love our only neighbor to the west, but I planted 8 pine trees 15+ years ago, giving us really nice privacy with them.

 

[Ingomike]

I totally understand what an HOA is. Fortunate for us we live in the country, on a chain of lakes with "liveable" restrictions. We have almost an acre on our house lot and 3/4 of an acre on the vacant lot we own to the east of us. We love our only neighbor to the west, but I planted 8 pine trees 15+ years ago, giving us really nice privacy with them.

Saying screw the HOA, doesn't make it sound like you do. The HOA, the contract, doesn't care if you move or screw it. So, as I said, you found a contract you could agree with. That great!

 

[1nderbeard]

Got the trailer today. Will fit either the Mrs. and I, or the boys. To have a trip with all of us the next do do is put a shell on the truck bed for another sleeping option. With that, all 5 of us should be a go.
Since I won't realistically be able to schedule the work until after tax season, I'm hoping to take a small try it out trip in 4-5 weeks after the rush with just wife.

Also I don't see the pressing need to wire solar at the moment. There are plenty of good portable options out there, and I'm not planning on significant primitive camping for now.

 

[EyeCarry]

That looks nice 1nderbeard!
I ran across a Youtube video of a teardrop gathering. LOTS of great ideas there. Sorry I don't have the link.
Happy camping!

 

[Goodcat]

I’ve got a much cheaper popup for sale. But seriously, you can’t go wrong with most modern pop ups. Also, consider a hard shell, lots of places rent parking for RVs for $50 a month. Worth it just to save garage space trying to shove a pop up in there.

EDIt: just saw your post above. Congrats!! We spend much time camping last season. Enjoy the family time and nature.

Wife and I have three young sons (2 years - 6 years in age). We want to start prioritizing outdoor lifestyles with them.

I've thought for a long time about a truck tent, and/or a bed shell cap system on top of something like the decked truck bed system.

We've also been considering a pull behind trailer. Garage space is limited to 8 feet wide and 16 feet long. That's max width and length. I was thinking the Intech flyer explore would work. The reason is the two pop out sides. I'm thinking even with that a truck camping system would probably be a nice thing to have.

Max spend is prob 30k.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[1nderbeard]

I’ve got a much cheaper popup for sale. But seriously, you can’t go wrong with most modern pop ups. Also, consider a hard shell, lots of places rent parking for RVs for $50 a month. Worth it just to save garage space trying to shove a pop up in there.

EDIt: just saw your post above. Congrats!! We spend much time camping last season. Enjoy the family time and nature.

Yeah the wife was fairly set on the size and ability to fit in the garage. Paying for RV storage was a deal breaker for her. I think what he found is a good entry to the world. As little as we've got in it, it will pay for itself after just a few uses. I was ready for some kid of pop up or toy hauler that would have been a little more of a condo on wheels; but those are all 3-5 times what we paid for this one.

 

[Super Bee]

Nice find.

The smaller campers are what is in demand this year, I can not keep them in stock. The last three 22 footers I got in lasted hours and they were sold.

 

[jsx1043]

I always thought these things looked pretty cool, similar to the Jumping Jack trailers above:

Pop Up Camper Trailers | SylvanSport

SylvanSport GO is a Pop Up Tent Camper lightweight, versatile, innovative and built for outdoor adventure. It’s time to have more fun with camper trailers. Versatile enough to tow all your gear without loosing the comforts of home as a Pop Up Camper.

www.sylvansport.com

 

[jsx1043]

Would love to see pics of campers and modded trailers, teardrops and overland rigs! I’ve been in the market for something for a while myself.

 

[OurDee]

Would love to see pics of campers and modded trailers, teardrops and overland rigs! I’ve been in the market for something for a while myself.

Here is the 4x7 I rescued. It came without rails or fenders on the back half and had a twist in the frame rails. It is a 60 mph rated trailer. Works well for my bike and mower hauling duties behing a 2015 Jeep Renegade (toaster jeep).

 

[jsx1043]

Here is the 4x7 I rescued. It came without rails or fenders on the back half and had a twist in the frame rails. It is a 60 mph rated trailer. Works well for my bike and mower hauling duties behing a 2015 Jeep Renegade (toaster jeep). View attachment 133367

Nice!