Your "Must Haves" in an expedition trailer

[XTorrey]

Getting ready to embark on outfitting an expedition trailer from a vintage home build that was purchased from CL last week, and in mulling over the design concept I thought it would be wise to get the input of those of you who have been down this road already. So if you could share some insight, tell me what you've learned about outfitting your trailer. What did you find you needed most or used most often? Was there anything you added that you find you don't really utilize? If you could do it over again, what would you have done differently?

Thanks in advance!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

For me trailer off tracking was the highest on the list. Secondary was just because you have more room does not not mean you need to use it. Less is still better even with a trailer.

 

[Septu]

I have a list of wants for it (power, water, h/w shower, quick and easy stove setup). But as a need (for now)? A place to store 2 jerry cans of fuel and a secure solid lid that keeps everything inside clean and dry.

Edit, forgot comfy bed.

 

[luk4mud]

I am in the process of having a teardrop built so this is an interesting thread for me. My perspective is driven by 2 main thoughts:
1. I view a trailer itself as a luxury, compared to tent camping and cooking on a rock, so my list of "needs" might seem pretty basic to some.
2. I subscribe to the KISS principal. I camp between 20 and 30 nights annually, in a variety of conditions. I hate spending time fussing with a device/ system that needs a field repair, or having to maintain it at home. So electrical wires and plumbing are things to potentially break and have to fix, not bonuses in my view.

So my needs are:
-A really comfortable mattress. Whether its in a RTT or TD I want to be comfy. or more accurately, momma NEEDS to be comfy for me to be comfy.
-A convenient way to cook with high btu stove and nearby water source. I am installing a Camp Chef 2 burner cooktop hooked to a 10# external tank. Water source will be 6 gallon Reliance jug with a spigot, easily cleaned and refilled, no plumbing. Countertop space in TD galley sure beats a milk crate or set up table for food prep.
-Easy access to food storage. Cooler will be on slide out drawer, easily drained daily. Food can utensils will be easily accessible in galley storage.
-Convenient way to haul bikes, extra water etc. Will have front rack for water jugs/ fuel. Bikes will be on a swing out Yakima rack, with extra storage on roof as needed.

That's a short list but honestly, everything is geared toward my minimalist and KISS tendencies. I go camping to see and do stuff, not to repair my gear. More stuff/ high tech/ latest and greatest are not conducive to that.

So how do I "manage" not using some of the creature comforts?
-Shower. A handheld bug sprayer gets me by just fine for a few days. I typically don't go out for more than 4 nights at a time. A shower at a motel every 4th day (or when I get home) does the trick.
-Sink. Is a sink in a trailer really big enough to be meaningful? I have reached the conclusion "no". A $2 wash tub from Walmart and a 6 gallon Reliance jug does it for me. And I gain alot of space (and avoid repair headaches) by not having the plumbing and wiring to deal with.
-Heater. They are expensive, take up alot of room, have alot of wires and ducts. My 0 degree bag works pretty well. If its colder than what that can handle, I stay home.
-Solar recharger. Looked pretty hard at them, ultimately decided to go with a basic Honda generator. They are reliable, efficient, quiet, require minimal maintenance and last a long time.
-Fridge. I respect the decision by many to go the fridge route. I have stuck with the high end coolers. Again, no wires, no battery drain issues. A 10# block of ice has made it over a week in my Yeti. The big "beef" about coolers is waterlogged food. It happens. I drain mine every morning and have very few issues.

 

[africanexpat]

Here in South Africa,we normally have the following list for our expedition trailers.
Fridge,Water tanks/containers,built in gas stoves,Led lights,built in battery system with inverter for power,backed up by Solar panels.
Trailer Mounted tents,compartments for all groceries,clothing,camping equipment.Also depends on your budged.Start small and only take what you need.
Happy camping.

 

[Runt]

ARB Fridge. Hotjuggz for shower, tools, sealed food boxes, wheels that match tow vehicle and spare tire for trailer, back up lights on trailer, extra fuel can holders, multi axis coupler.

 

[XTorrey]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Africanexpat, that's a beautiful setup!

Luk4mud, I understand the need for momma to feel comfortable because I am the momma. Our current setup has been camping in either one of our Xterras and using a small gear tent to keep things dry, but the gear takes a considerable amount of space in the vehicles and with a new baby we need the extra room. I'm of the KISS mind as well and have been torn between buying a RTT or continuing with the vehicle camping as it has served us well in the past, adding an awning to one of the vehicles, and just using the trailer as a gear hauler. Current shower set up is non-existent. It has been heating up water and sponge bathing from a small tub, and then filling a pop top water bottle with water to "shower" when I need to wash my hair or do a more thorough rinse off. I'm not certain I want to get too involved with plumbing and dealing with a 12 volt pump to get a hot shower, so I'm leaning more towards the Zodi Outback Extreme shower. I've got no problem with using a hand pump to pressurize a tank, and it's better than a squirt bottle of water. We're currently using 2-6 gallon Reliance jugs as a water source along with an old Coleman 2 burner stove, but I definitely want to upgrade the stove for better BTU output. I don't think a sink would be necessary because we're using the tub system to wash dishes as well, and I think I'd just waste water if I had a sink set up. We're definitely going the fridge route though, because despite daily draining of our current coolers the food continues to get soggy when we take our frequent trips to Moab. It's not as bad up in the mountains, but it's a real deal breaker in the desert.

 

[Runt]

Check out Hot Juggz....... makes washing my girlies hair so much better.....8 mins of pressurized warm water per fill.

 

[XTorrey]

Check out Hot Juggz....... makes washing my girlies hair so much better.....8 mins of pressurized warm water per fill.

Runt, how long have you had your shower? I like the price and I don't need to keep my water warm for as long as they're quoting on their website, but I worry about the durability with all the plastic parts. Have you had to replace anything?

 

[jklimo]

Thanks for starting this thread as i'm about 75% done with my build ( picts to come ) but I had to look at what I wanted and needed. They were almsot the same.

1. Water storage,
2. Pull out kitchen ( i'm currently struggling with this one ) on my 416
3. POwer, Inverter
4. Lights, LED ( i like the amber )
5. Rear hitch
6. Stability jacks in rear,
7. Shower - Still have not got to this yet.

 

[Runt]

About two years. No issues. Its pretty simple and tough! I really like it. My girls have very long thick hair and this unit has enough pressure to blast out the conditioner and knots so brushing is a breeze. No tears makes the hot juggz one of the best camping luxuries I have bought. I actually prefer the Hot Juggz over the shower in my Phoenix Pop Up Camper which uses the direct heat propane hot water system (i.e. tankless) due to its such a more efficient system and uses way less water and easy to drain in winter time etc. In the jeep I store it between the roll bars which is a awkward spot any way so I don't really lose much space......my point is its small enough that you will find a spot to store it that would keep a top impact from damaging it. Its such a beautifully simple design that unless you crush the wand it maybe only 'O' rings would ever need replacement which are dime a dozen at any hardware store. Cant remember the name of the folks that sold it but its a small home type bizz and they answer questions. Don't buy one....buy two! They are that good

 

[XTorrey]

As I have got older (that is older then I was), things change.

From reading your question, I see a shortage of information to make a informed answer other then a, "this is what I have" in my trailer and works for me.

What are your plans for the trailer? Carry goods, sleep in or on, I want a full kitchen or bath?
How long are the trips are you planning? Weekend trips, once a year 2 week vacation, live out of it for a year?
You said you are the "momma", so how many people will be using the trailer?
What type of budget are you working with?
How remote locations are you planning on going?
What type of roads will you be pulling it over?

I am of the same mindset as "luk4mud", KISS.
Over the years I have had 4 different trailers each equipped differently.

There are the must have, want to have, nice to have and why did I bring this.

What I think is important, is ease of access, can it take the abuse of being in a trailer (everything in a trailer gets beat to heck in the trailer). Bringing a trailer means, added weight, additional spare tire, maneuvering in traffic, additional tolls and lower MPG. Not all is negative! You can set up camp and leave it when you go out for a day. You do have additional room for stuff! You have to decide if you again need this stuff?

This is not a answer to your question yet, but I will get you the best answer I can with the additional information.

Thanks Frenchie! The biggest things I need are a sleeping area (whether that be RTT or continuing to use the Nissan, I'm not sure yet), extra fuel, water hauling, and some space to put things like totes of bedding and dry goods that can withstand a beating. I'm planning to continue using the 2 burner propane stove and I'll just mount a basin to drain into a 5 gallon bucket for dishes, and I think at this point we'll use a hand pressurized shower and separate privy tent for bathing. The less electronic components there are, the less trail failures in my opinion. The fridge will remain in the vehicle as well as the more breakable items like the space heater and brittle dry goods. I need it to go over some of the more rough roads (think Kane Creek or Lockhart Basin in Moab, or Mineral Creek and Poughkeepsie in Ouray) and it will primarily serve as a back country trailer. We camp almost year round at this time, we just haven't done snow camping yet because we're not as outfitted as I'd like to be. It IS a goal though! The primary people camping would be myself, my husband, and our 3 month old, although my 15 year old might come occasionally (and she prefers to sleep in the Xterra anyway). The budget is pretty open because I'm not in a rush to build and I'm fortunate enough to work in a position that affords some play money. Any input would be appreciated!

 

[JKDetonator]

Be careful when you google Hot Juggz!

 

[SpongeX]

Not safe for work.

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[LandCruiserPhil]

If Poughkeepsie and Lock Hart are your trailer goals you just eliminated 99% of the trailers and 75% of the 4WD vehicle given the direction you run them in.