billiebob
Well-known member
this ^^^^ absolutely the best comment of the decade !!!!
Is my Jeep too heavy?
- Thread starter MattJ
- Start date
Vanhalo
Member
I didn't realize that I would be applying my UL hammock hiking philosophy to an Overlanding Vehicle.
What's your base weight?
If I susbstute my hammock/backpack for a RTT I'm in for about 12-14lbs.
BigAl
Expedition Leader
Base weight, hmmm. I have a rock crawler jeep wrangler and stockish Toyota Tundra. I camp out of both, but never more than a week, so YRMV.
- 2.5 man backpacking tent with foot print, ~7 lbs
- Helinox cot, 2.8 lbs
- Inflatable sleep pad, ~1 lb
- Sleeping bag, ~2.5 lbs
- Pillow, ~1 lb
MOguy
Explorer
A cot, an inflatable pad? You are still packing heavy. I use a yoga mat on the ground, I do like having a real pillow though. When I go comfy camping I take everything I can fit on my trailer (even AC and a generator) but on the trials I stay as simple as I can. I hate setting up and breaking down camp all the time.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
I'm 20lbs dry for backpacking, hennsey hammock xl and a down subzero sleeping bag are all I have for sleeping.. thats mebe 7lbs, then some food and cooking supplies, water filter, rain gear and the pack its self.. my Jeep supported many backpacking trips, did a week backpacking in GNP for my honeymoon.. just had a tupperware big enough to hold both packs and drove it topless all over the friggin place.
BigAl
Expedition Leader
LOL, I was equating what I need to be as comfortable as I'd be in a RTT. Without a cot and inflatable pad, I'd have to add in the cost of a helo evac to get me home. This thing changed my whole experience
MattJ
Adventurer
Love this thread. Thanks all! And just realized I forgot to post the update that I ordered an Expedition 2.0 trailer from Off Grid (and got the Expo West discount). Will post some pics when I get it set up and dirty on some adventures. After thinking about it (and considering all of the great advice here), I decided that a trailer-based approached is a better fit for my weekend treks with kids and gear, with the occasional Saturday on extreme trails with my local Jeep club. But we'll see . . .
MattJ
Adventurer
Here's a photo of a trek in March with the backpack instead of the Jeep. Yes - a tree tent in the snow. Madness. But that was kind of the point . . .
But that topic is a whole different thread altogether, but it kind of goes quiet once summer rolls around . . .
https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...test-results-five-ways-to-heat-a-tent.188602/
MattJ
Adventurer
Getting close! I designed a custom wrap that I thought would look good with my Jeep. Hoping to take delivery in the next two weeks.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
I feel like this thread should be required reading material for any camping family with any vehicle. Many of the things discussed are things I’ve done on my Subaru Outback to keep us in the acceptable handling and load range. We 2kids and 2 parents just did 12day Zion,Bryce,Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyon Lands, Dead Horse and North rim trip. Given mom hasn’t reached fun Dirt level experience yet our setup is more Highway focused stock hybrid highway/M+S tires on the 06 Sequoia with the 4x6 Life Time tent trailer (original) nakid. All gear in back of Sequoia other than a slim low profile ski box on the roof. Our Subaru outback doesn’t do these trips. Just works too hard. The old Sequoia doesn’t notice the 900lb 4x6 nor does our mileage or speed/stability 80-85mph across the desert at 15mpg is really nice!!!! LOL
All the dirt roads we did see a Honda civic could have easily done. The roads I wanted to do but mom umm nixed any stock 4x4 can easily safely do.
We do want to change up our tent on a trailer to a hard side short height trailer like the Intech Explore. But I want a popup roof on the short height box like a four wheel truck camper roof. That way we retain as much highway performance as possible, standing head room at camp, and easy kids bunking option at the height of the hard side wall. Then Parents can bunk on a flip down bed on the floor. Also its monsoon wind capable and bear counters legal vs our current tent on a trailer isn’t.
My personal feeling is keeping to 27ft or less all up in length so we stay under the Ranger imposed length limits in many places. That and tent sites are more our style vs side by side RV storage errr parking at the RV / campgrounds. LoL
I think 2500-3000lbs max or less for the 5000lb rated rigs give you the best highway performance and off highway experience.
All the dirt roads we did see a Honda civic could have easily done. The roads I wanted to do but mom umm nixed any stock 4x4 can easily safely do.
We do want to change up our tent on a trailer to a hard side short height trailer like the Intech Explore. But I want a popup roof on the short height box like a four wheel truck camper roof. That way we retain as much highway performance as possible, standing head room at camp, and easy kids bunking option at the height of the hard side wall. Then Parents can bunk on a flip down bed on the floor. Also its monsoon wind capable and bear counters legal vs our current tent on a trailer isn’t.
My personal feeling is keeping to 27ft or less all up in length so we stay under the Ranger imposed length limits in many places. That and tent sites are more our style vs side by side RV storage errr parking at the RV / campgrounds. LoL
I think 2500-3000lbs max or less for the 5000lb rated rigs give you the best highway performance and off highway experience.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
Even if your not doing hard core rock crawling trails and just National Parks with the family base camping with trailer is what works best for us also. But I’ll never own a dedicated RV trailer. My utility trailer with a tent on it gets used as a utility trailer more than a camping trailer. If we only did camping I’d seriously just rent the RV trailer. Lol