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Towing off-road can enable you to take things that wouldn’t otherwise fit inside your car. A camper trailer will generally make life at camp much easier and will also keep the inside of your car relatively tidy.
In today’s article, we go over some of the pros and cons of towing a camper trailer off-road
Pros of Towing When Off-Road
Basecamp
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A camper trailer can be left set up at a certain spot while you are out exploring the area; therefore, it eliminates the need to pack and unpack everything each time you want to leave.
This is not possible with a rooftop tent but can be done to a certain extent if you use a swag for your camping setup.
Extra Storage Space
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Even towing a small camper trailer off-road will provide some additional storage space; therefore, you can bring more water, fuel, and food. The more expensive trailers will also provide the ability to have a fridge along with built in water tanks.
Towing When Off-Road: You Can Stay Out for Longer
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Because you can carry more fuel, food, and water you have the resources needed to stay in remote places for longer. So, if you want to drive long tracks or trails that haven’t been driven in years a camper trailer will enable you to carry the additional supplies you might need.
Easy-to-Reach Rooftop Tents
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Many camper trailers provide the ability to mount a rooftop tent on them. Because the trailer Is much lower than your lifted 4WD the rooftop tent will be far easier to reach. It also means that your vehicle won’t be carrying that additional weight of the rooftop tent around the city when you are not camping. It’s one of the biggest advantages of towing when off-road!
Learn More:
- What You Should Know When Towing Off-Road
- You Can Own This Off-Road Airstream Camper Van for a Cool $214,000
Easy-to-Use Kitchen
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A camper trailer with a built-in kitchen will provide the luxury of just pulling the kitchen out and cooking. If your kitchen amenities are stored in the back of your wagon you will need to pull everything out each time you arrive at camp and want to cook.
Cons of Towing When Off-Road
Fuel Usage
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Even the lightest camper trailers will hinder fuel economy. The additional fuel used means more money and if you are traveling long distances you might need to carry more fuel.
Towing When Off-Road Increases Wear and Tear
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Burning more fuel means additional load on the engine which leads to increased stress. Your transmission, axles, and suspension will also have to work harder to pull that trailer – especially in off-road situations.
Getting Stuck More
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Towing when off-road means the extra weight will act like an anchor at the back of your vehicle and steep climbs, mudholes, and sand tracks will all of a sudden become far more difficult to drive.
Some Camper Trailers Require Too Much Time to Set Up
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Some camper trailers offer huge space and comfort, but they might become a pain to set up. Ensure that the one you are buying is easy to use as the last thing you want after a long day in the car is to be setting up a complicated camper trailer.
Towing When Off-Road Means Difficulty Maneuvering
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Obviously, towing a trailer will make it far more difficult to position your vehicle off-road. Tight tracks will become a pain and tight bends will require a spotter. The same is true for on-road travel but to a lesser extent.
Is Towing When Off-Road Right for You?
If you need additional space, towing off-road allows you to set up base camp and have a more comfortable camping and off-roading experience. You’ll need to stick to easy to moderate trails, though, as most off-road trailers still can’t tackle the toughest tracks.
If you are someone who likes to take on the toughest trails and change camp spots every day a trailer won’t do the job, though.
The best thing to do is assess the kind of driving you currently undertake to get an idea of whether a trailer will make your life easier or more difficult.