Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
This article was last updated on May 2, 2024.
Depending on who you ask, you might either get a positive or a negative opinion regarding the usability of a small camping trailer. In our opinion, a small camping trailer is a perfect solution for people who love overlanding and off-roading in remote areas.
Also, we believe a small camping trailer can be spacious enough for you and your gear – especially when packed cleverly.
This article debunks a few myths surrounding this subject to prove that a small trailer can be the perfect travel companion.
Table of Contents
- Small Camping Trailer Myth #1: There’s Not Enough Storage
- Small Camping Trailer Myth #2: They Can’t Go Off-Road
- Small Camping Trailer Myth #3: There’s No Customization Options
- Small Camping Trailer Myth #4: There’s No Amenities
- Small Camping Trailer Myth #5: They’re Hard to Move
- Final Thoughts
Small Camping Trailer Myth #1: There’s Not Enough Storage
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
The first myth about the usability of a small camping trailer is that it doesn’t have enough space. That isn’t true! Many people go overlanding with the whole family just by using a small SUV. Therefore, adding a small trailer will provide more than enough space.
The Beaver Built Wapos trailer which proves that most size concerns are wrong. For example, this trailer comes standard with an adjustable roof rack and a large rear door with a food-grade stainless steel countertop. The roof rack can serve as additional storage or as a mount for a rooftop tent which will offer sleeping for at least two more people.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
However, if you add a few options, you can optimize the space in the trailer by getting a rear drawer, side boxes, and a kitchen management system. You can also add a front box, a front divider box, and a kitchen drawer pull-out! These additions make this trailer far more usable and versatile than its size suggests.
Think about it – all your kitchen gear and a big part of your drawer system can be removed from the back of your truck because it has a home in the trailer. This frees up a lot of space for other needed gear.
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Small Camping Trailer Myth #2: They Can’t Go Off-Road
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
The second and perhaps biggest myth surrounding the usage of a small camping trailer is that it cannot go off-road. That is not the case. A small camping trailer can be much more capable off-road than a larger one, as it can fit through narrow trails, low-hanging trees, and tight rock obstacles. Also, it doesn’t drastically reduce the abilities of the tow vehicle because it is lightweight (1,050 lbs in this instance).
Of course, an off-road trailer is only complete with a good set of capable off-road tires. The Beaver Built Wapos comes with 31-inch Yokohama Tires and 15-inch Vision wheels. The smaller wheel size gives the tire a large sidewall which helps with puncture resistance and airing down. Two of the most important factors of off-roading!
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
A capable suspension is also crucial to off-roading. Complimenting the small size and low weight of the Beaver Built Wapos trailer is a Cruisemaster Suspension system. This offers a single-arm design that reduces weight while providing a strong platform to support the trailer through on and off-road terrain. Also, the CRS² has improved cable management to protect your cables from the environment and out of harm’s way.
Keep in mind that the suspension on this small camper trailer comes with a standard three-year warranty that extends to five years by registering online.
Small Camping Trailer Myth #3: There’s No Customization Options
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
As you have seen in the options section discussed above, small camping trailers have plenty of customization options. Aside from storage, Beaver Built offers the possibility to equip the Wapos with D035 V3 Coupling. This is the strongest coupling Cruismaster has ever made. It is constructed of forged steel, high-quality polyurethane, laser-cut stainless steel, and precision casting. This type of coupling enables high articulation in all directions and ensures the trailer follows you without issue on challenging terrain.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
Aside from the coupling, you can also add a spare tire carrier and exterior protection. This gives you peace of mind while off-roading. Keep in mind that Beaver Built offers the ability to choose the wheel pattern that suits your vehicle best. There are options for Toyota, Chevy, GMC, and Jeep trucks.
Since this trailer offers large fenders, you can also install larger tires that fit the ones you run on your truck. This gives you the benefit of using the spare from your vehicle on your trailer and vice-versa.
Small Camping Trailer Myth #4: There’s No Amenities
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
A small camping trailer like the Wapos offers many amenities. As you can see, a kitchen with a great storage system is easy to add and makes cooking at camp a breeze.
Also, the Wapos can double as a sleeping platform with the addition of a rooftop tent. A vehicle with a rooftop tent paired with a trailer with a rooftop tent can be the perfect solution for accommodating the whole family. The little ones stay in one tent and the big ones in the other. This keeps everyone comfy!
Small Camping Trailer Myth #5: They’re Hard to Move
One of the benefits of having a small camping trailer is that you can park it in your garage. The difficulty, of course, is maneuvering it into your garage. That is, unless you have help…
I moved this year, and my new place has a VERY tight turn into my garage, which made it impossible for me to back it in with my truck. So, my solution was to use the Parkit360 Force 5K battery-powered trailer dolly to help me out. And, man, does it help!
As you can see in the images above and below, the Force 5K is about as simple as it gets. First, you add the handle and ball mount to the unit (the battery is preinstalled). Then, engage the motor, connect it to battery power, and secure the ball mount to the unit. Lastly, put the Force 5K in freewheel mode, position it below your trailer’s hitch, connect the two and put the dolly in drive, and you can move the trailer effortlessly by toggling between forward and reverse.
The Force 5K isn’t just for small trailers like the one featured in this article, though. With a 5,000-pound GVWR and a 900-pound tongue weight capacity, it can handle larger units like bumper-pull travel trailers. The 1.7-horsepower Bosch motor and U1 unsealed battery give it all the power you need to get your trailer positioned where it needs to be.
The unit works best on firm, level surfaces. But, the Force 5K also works on inclines up to six percent. This is really handy if you have a sloping driveway. It can also come in handy if you need to maneuver your trailer at a campground.
So, stop struggling to push and pull your small trailer around and risking bodily injury. The Parkit360 Force 5K will do it effortlessly!
Final Thoughts
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
The benefits a small camping trailer can offer are apparent. Overlanding doesn’t need to be flashy; it just needs to work, and this is precisely what trailers like the Wapos do. This setup can go off-road, provides additional sleeping and storage space, and gives you a great cooking platform for camping trips.
In other words, a small camping trailer isn’t limited. The exact opposite is true!
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