Good question, Buffalobwana - pretty much just what I've been pondering since winter.
I agree with ttengineer that both the Patriot X1 and Conqueror UEV490/440 trailers are tops and have lots of features to emulate.
I'm seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on a Patriot--now that they're bringing them into the US market--to pull behind my diesel GMC Savana, which hopefully will be getting a 4x4 conversion from Clydesdale in BC and a pop-up from CCV in CO in the next few months.
The owner of Patriot says the newest iteration of the X2 (present version:
http://www.patriotcampers.com.au/x2/) will be his favorite for personal and family overland jaunts, but if it retains the pop-up top tent instead of an RTT, which allows added on side walls and bottom for a more substantial base camp footprint, I'll prefer the X1, I think.
As for "must-haves" and "wish-list" items, I want a trailer I can set up and leave behind for the day, maybe longer, as I go out and explore whatever part of US and Canada I'm in, no matter the weather, winter or summer. Some of it may/will be redundant of what I'm planning for my Savana build as far as amenities like kitchen set-up, power source, etc, but my must-haves and wish-list for a regularly-used trailer would include, in no particular order:
- its own sufficient deep cycle batts on board, durable and long-lived enough to sustain periods of extended cold-weather usage (like Newfoundland and British-Columbia) and of no usage at all for extended periods of time should I be hunkered down working on some other project that does not involve being on the road for a bit. Currently I'm looking at Odyssey's PC 1800-FT batteries:
http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/pc1800-ft
- ability to use 110, 12v and solar input and ability for charging the battery bank from either 110 direct or solar
- on-board fresh and grey water tanks. I like Patriot's under-the-floor flat tanks.
- No blackwater tank needed for my own personal style, as I'm planning on, at least so far, setting up a modular portable Nature's Head that I can move between basecamp or Savana, or having one in each. I think their urine diverter, based on AirHead's original design I believe, solves a lot of problems about water-flush, odor, and waste disposal.
- galvanized trailer frame as support with aluminum boxes, for longer life and less maintenance.
- positive air pressure deal like Patriot talks about for their boxes. If you've ever driven down red-dirt or sand roads for miles you know how much of it gets into cabin and box spaces. Creeps right in around door seals, etc. If I'm going to live and explore for extended periods in my vehicle and trailer, I don't want to have to clean and dust off my gear, clothing storage, kitchen ware, etc everytime I get into it.
- great suspension, full-sized tires, and lock-n-roll hitch
- roof-top pop-open tent with option of adding on walls and floor at ground level
- fox-wing style awning to wrap around from side to back
- a lack of over-branding with logos, etc. I don't like overly-noticeable logos on my clothes and won't want to look at logos and branding all over my trailer everyday, either. I'm happy to promote what gear I like and use through conversation and blog, etc, but for the big money I'll pay for a finished trailer, I'd rather not have big logos all over the place. I counted five visible, and large, logos in one view in a Patriot X1 video. Too much for my taste. Maybe it's just excess branding for the video and marketing sake, but was so much that it might kill the deal for me if it's on just about every pull-out, side surface, and mud-flap, no matter who the manufacturer.
- Espar heater running off diesel (which would mean an on-board diesel tank too) which could hopefully heat water too.
- place to mount a spare or two. Best if trailer and tow vehicle share rim and tire size
- I don't care about having a "wine-glass" style kitchen cupboard setup, but sure would like enough sufficient and durable plate and drinking ware in my base camp for up to 4 people, along with solid cookware and a place to store it.
- two burners and a grill space and a place to wash up cookware after meals though I'm not sure I need or want the fancier swing-out setups. Drawers on slides are great.
- 64-80 qt capacity fridge-freezer
Tons more to think of as far as must-haves and wish-list and where the balance is between the two, but for a "If I had my druthers..." style trailer, that's what comes to mind right now.
I know one thing, that even though I can build a house from the ground up on my own that I'd be more than happy to live in, technology and manufacturing advances have enabled the construction of remarkable camp trailers that far exceed what I could do in a one-time self-build for efficiency, weight, tow-ability and over all durability.
I might just be willing to pay good money for that.
