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Berserker

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A camper is more hassle than what its worth to me. I feel limited to what and where I want to go. With a camper or any trailer I end up avoiding paths that I would otherwise explore.

I actually clicked on this thread because I thought we were going to rag on "campers", as in people who are camping. lol
My wife may be my ultimate deciding factor. She likes to camp with me but because of her Raynaud's disease, she's limited to more temperate months.

I've towed generators for years for the film and production industry so I'm used to being hitched. I just don't like the liability of a camper off-road. I like to end up in difficult-to-reach places which is why I have a Gladiator, to take me to them.

And to your last point- now I'm curious!
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I hear ya. It's a whole other level of trouble. But my tent days are long gone. When we go to Moab or JTNP etc, I spot the trailer at a campground and go explore. But at night when it's cold and I'm tired, I can dial up the heater, surf the net (onboard Apple mac mini running on 12 V, 28" monitor) and sleep like a baby. Like anything, you pays your money, you takes your choice.
We also have a RTT on the truck. Options....
I think that's the natural progression. I joke with my wife that we might as well buy an RV now, because that's where we're headed.
 
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This is the exact reason why we don’t have a trailer or camper.
some of the switchbacks we do, would be impassable with any trailer.
F569B439-BBE0-40ED-A70B-18A3D4604F08.jpeg
C09F7CC2-45A9-42CA-9DA7-37046FA5E2DB.jpeg
I'm impressed that that only weighs ~500 lbs loaded, leaving plenty of remaining payload for you and supplies. How's the working space inside? Andrew St. Pierre with 4xOverland had a similar setup for him and his wife. Also, how easy is that to remove if you need to use your bed for something else?
 
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“Luckily, it was overcast all week…”

I love your sense of humor. That was great.
Thank you! My setup finally failed me around noon the day before we left. Luckily, my buddy brought a camper with dual batteries that I could plug my fridge into🤪
 

TennesseePA

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I agree with the sentiment of many of the other guys that a real off road camper would have been a different result. NoBO is a reputable product but a small lift and AT tires doesn’t make you an off road rig. The real rigs have the tanks tucked up in the frame and rock sides on the corners.
 

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Do any of you tow a camper off-road? I recently went on a trip with a buddy that towed a camper with his ZR2 and it was a PITA. I ended up having to drag the camper up and down the trail to camp for him. I understand campers provide comfort and simple shelter but for the places I like to go, they're a hassle. Would you rather tow a camper or a utility trailer?

We spent a week being socially-distant in Tonto Nation Forest. We explored trails in our trucks- my 2020 Gladiator Rubicon, a Chevy ZR2, and a GMC Canyon AT4. The trip was an outstanding reprieve from home life and we're anxious to do it again.

Awesome video! Loved all the details and had some very professional narration and editing. New subscriber!
My wife and I just moved to Colorado, so we'll have to venture down to Tonto eventually once I get my rack/RTT in the next month.
 

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Do any of you tow a camper off-road? I recently went on a trip with a buddy that towed a camper with his ZR2 and it was a PITA. I ended up having to drag the camper up and down the trail to camp for him. I understand campers provide comfort and simple shelter but for the places I like to go, they're a hassle. Would you rather tow a camper or a utility trailer?

We spent a week being socially-distant in Tonto Nation Forest. We explored trails in our trucks- my 2020 Gladiator Rubicon, a Chevy ZR2, and a GMC Canyon AT4. The trip was an outstanding reprieve from home life and we're anxious to do it again.

I hope my build does a little better....
Jeep Gladiator I Don’t Like Campers Trip Journal: Tonto National Forest Trip With Gladiator, ZR2, Canyon 20210123_145141
 

TennesseePA

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I hope my build does a little better....
Jeep Gladiator I Don’t Like Campers Trip Journal: Tonto National Forest Trip With Gladiator, ZR2, Canyon 20210123_145141
I’m not wanting to be a wet blanket...but, unless you put that wheel Jack on a removable mount you’re going to have issues too. My opinion is that either you will make it removable or it will be removed on the trail.
 

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I think the only way I’d rather go the camper route is if I had small children. Like baby, early toddler small. Other than that, utility trailer all day. It just seems like less of a hassle.

Hell even a RTT, baby wipes, propane, and a stove will do for me lol.
 

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Slick setup. I've seen those trailers in person and they're the real deal. A local off-road supply shop takes them through Ozark National Forest and swears by them. How many people do you have on your trips in there?
Have had up to 5 people, 2 vehicles on a trip for a week in hunting camp.

20200711_151455.jpg
 

KUZ

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Have had up to 5 people, 2 vehicles on a trip for a week in hunting camp.

Jeep Gladiator I Don’t Like Campers Trip Journal: Tonto National Forest Trip With Gladiator, ZR2, Canyon 20200711_151455
Its the Opus Air off road that I picked up for about 23 with fridge, shower, heater and toilet to meet all the criteria that my wife had.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.opuscamper.us/off-road/?amp

The 2 best thing are that everything i need for camping is loaded and ready to go and second, after I flip the lids open, I press a button and it airs up like my own personal bouncy house while I hold a cold one and watch it.
It was not the 35 to 50K that some of the other ones are or a std pop-up with springs and bigger tires that were also going for 19K either.

Can also add 800 lbs to the rack if needed.

20200708_090014.jpg
 

brianinca

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Damn you STOLE that for $23K!! I am still nudging my wife about the orange OP4 we saw at a local RV dealer. She's 2/3's done with the remodel of the double axle 24' TT and when that's done, I'm going shopping for a Mojave Road capable travel trailer.

Its the Opus Air off road that I picked up for about 23 with fridge, shower, heater and toilet to meet all the criteria that my wife had.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.opuscamper.us/off-road/?amp

The 2 best thing are that everything i need for camping is loaded and ready to go and second, after I flip the lids open, I press a button and it airs up like my own personal bouncy house while I hold a cold one and watch it.
It was not the 35 to 50K that some of the other ones are or a std pop-up with springs and bigger tires that were also going for 19K either.

Can also add 800 lbs to the rack if needed.

Jeep Gladiator I Don’t Like Campers Trip Journal: Tonto National Forest Trip With Gladiator, ZR2, Canyon 20200708_090014
 

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It's all trade offs. There is no perfect single solution. IMO on trips that last over a week to a month, especially when there are some 1 night stops, then it's really nice to have a standup, hardside camper that doesn't take any (or no less than a couple min) prep to sleep, eat and then pack to continue on. These are really nice when arriving after dark and in bad weather, too. It's also much nicer to wait out a storm when up to 5 people can lounge or sit around a table for hours and use an indoor toilet. Plus you aren't worrying about packing up a wet tent. BUT, trails will definitely be limited some. I've used a hard side as a basecamp and then explored for a couple of days in a tent.

Towing a trailer with a RTT will allow more trails but still limit some others. Setup isn't as convenient as a hardside camper but some, like the air Opus 4 are pretty quick.

Gladiator mounted RTT gives the most trail accessibility but of course has setup and/or day exploring limitations. Rocking and noise from wind can be a factor with RTTs.

Pick one (or 2 or 3) that suits you best. But whatever you pick make sure, if necessary, that it is modified to do the places you plan to go. The guy above that has a modified T@G boondock teardrop sounds like he did it right for him. I towed a stock T@G XL Boondock off-road up a pretty rocky and steep 4x4 trail that was only about 2 miles long. I did that just to see how it would handle it and I went very slow due to a lot of rocks. It essentially did fine with the stock off-road tires and suspension but with all of the bouncing 2 screws came out on the fridge slide and jammed it, 2 screws popped out on the TV mount leaving it hanging and I bent the designed-too-big driver side fender on a drop going down over a drainpipe. I also had 2 beers explode inside the fridge from the shaking but that was user error since they weren't packed snug. The Yakima roof bars slid out of their mounts but that was the rental places fault since they didn't have them installed properly. All of that was only 4 miles round trip. On an tamer road stock would be fine but for what I want to do I would have to significantly modify that T@G. Be careful on some of these marketed "off-road" models. There's a reason the patriot, opus, Black series, Kimberley, etc. cost so much. Maybe the price doesn't justify the capabilities for you but for others it does.
 
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How comfortable do you surmise a 6'3" person would be in that camper? I like the compact size and easily-accessible kitchen. I imagine it's light enough you can easily reposition it without the Jeep.
I am over 6'4" and have more room than I need. The bed is larger than a queen-size and has a 4" mattress. I use two 5° sleeping bags zipped together. Now if I could just find sleeping bags long enough. That would be something....
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