Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
This article was last updated on May 2, 2024.
In case you missed it, we’ve started a new series of articles that take you on overlanding adventures with a very special breed – owners of Beaver Built off-road trailers.
Our first deep dive into these adventures was published a few weeks ago, and now we’re back for round two!
So, why highlight this particular group of overlanding enthusiasts?
It’s simple – the Beaver Built team is dedicated to helping those of us that love the outdoors get outdoors more often. They do that by building some of the best off-road trailers on the market; trailers that can help you get further off-grid, deeper into the mountains and forests, and closer to the landscapes that you most want to explore.
Even if you don’t have a Beaver Built trailer, the stories of Beaver Built owners will excite and inspire you to hit the road more often.
Table of Contents
- Beaver Built Owner Spotlight
- Why Beaver Built?
- What is a Beaver Built Trailer?
- Recommended Overlanding Gear
Beaver Built Owner Spotlight
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
This week’s subject is the Buist family – Stuart, Sarah, and their one-and-a-half-year-old son – who reside in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
When you think of “overlanding family,” this is it. The three camp about eight days per month, and at least once a year, go on a longer adventure of 12 or more days. For example, this year, they’re taking off for the Kootenays. Next year, it’s Utah.
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
Past adventures include camping in Tofino during a weather bomb and driving past the Arctic Circle in the Yukon. Tough weather conditions are no match for the Buists!
For this family, camping is all about the adventure. Being able to get out and explore, see new things, and spend time together as a family are the primary benefits of hitting the road. Plus, as I’m sure we all agree, camping gets you away from other people – yet another perk!
Why Beaver Built?
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
The following are a few questions we asked the Buists about their Beaver Built experience. Some answers are edited for flow and length.
4WD: There are many trailer options on the market. What made you go with a Beaver Built trailer?
The Buists: After a road trip to the Arctic Circle in the Yukon, my wife and I realized that we wanted to do more big trips, and with a mini-me on the way we needed more room. We also hated having to put down our roof top tent every time we needed to drive somewhere.
So, we started researching different trailers. A lot of the trailers we looked at were insanely expensive, had features we didn’t want or didn’t have features we needed, and a lot of the time, [the trailers] weren’t from Canada.
When we found Beaver Built ,we really liked the fact that we could choose how we wanted the trailer built – from the color, if we wanted slide-outs, extra storage, and more.
For us, we wanted to keep it simple, so we added some slide-outs and extra storage. We loved the fact that it was built to last. One of the best things about buying from Beaver Built is working with Morgan and Jack. They provide awesome customer service and are just great people to work with!
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
4WD: How has owning this trailer changed the way you camp?
The Buists: Owning our Beaver Built trailer has made camping easier. We can store the majority of our gear in it, so when we want to head out, we load up some food, hook up the trailer, and we are good to go!
It has also made camping easier. Between the three humans and one dog, we don’t have a ton of room in the truck. With the trailer, we have more than enough space for all of our gear.
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
4WD: What is your favorite feature about this trailer?
The Buists: There are a million awesome features on the trailer. Our favorite feature is the ability to take it off-road. With the Cruisemaster hitch and the Cruisemaster suspension, we aren’t worried about taking the trailer to some more remote camping spots.
Photo provided by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
4WD: If you could describe this trailer in one word, what would that word be?
The Buists: Sweeeeeeet!!!!
4WD: What are you towing your trailer with?
The Buists: A 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road.
What is a Beaver Built Trailer?
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
A Beaver Built trailer is an off-road trailer that serves as a base camp for your camping adventures.
Since this trailer can go virtually anywhere your tow vehicle can go, you can get way off-grid and still have all the conveniences and comforts of home thanks to a Beaver Built trailer.
Just get to your destination, set up camp, and spend your days exploring the wilds around you without having to break camp each and every time you want to go somewhere.
But a Beaver Built trailer is so much more than that…
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
These trailers are custom-built. That means you get exactly what you want in your trailer. If you want a kitchen management system, no problem! How about a custom-designed electrical system? Sure thing!Â
And that’s just the start. Beaver Built offers a host of bolt-on features and accessories that allows you to build and customize your trailer as your needs change. Perhaps the base rig is all you need for you and your significant other right now. But maybe a few years down the road, you need additional storage options to account for your kiddo’s stuff. That adjustment can be easily made thanks to the ingenious design of these trailers – they’re intended to be changed over time.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
Aside from the customizability that makes these trailers so awesome is the fact that they are so compact and lightweight. The base trailer weighs just 1,050 pounds dry and even fully loaded, it’s still only 3,427 pounds. That makes this trailer easily towable with small SUVs!
The fact that this trailer is just 144 inches long and 79.75 inches is also impressive. Not only does its size make this trailer supremely maneuverable, but, again, it’s a breeze to tow with a small SUV.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
Of course, you still get tons of features and options that allow you to make this trailer into your bespoke adventure mobile.Â
For example, you get 43 cubic feet of storage space, a food-grade stainless steel countertop in the galley, 31-inch Yokohama A/T tires, and 15-inch Vision wheels, to name but a few standard features.
In terms of options, you can upgrade to 33-inch tires, a larger roof rack, side storage boxes, and much more.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
The point is that you get to pick and choose what features your trailer has. There’s no more settling for a trailer that almost ticks all the boxes. Beaver Built delivers precisely what you want, how you want it. Talk about a great way to explore the wild!
Be sure to check out my article about the Beaver Built team to learn more about these incredible trailers, as well as this article about four top features of Beaver Built trailers.
Recommended Overlanding Gear