Kimberley Kube, BRS Sherpa, or ...? Which to get and why?

[Sid Post]

I am looking for a trailer for myself, and possibly a dog in the future. I need it to go down the Dempster Highway, to Prudhoe Bay, AK, and hopefully, Central and South America in the next couple of years.

For whatever reason, I haven't seen the Kube in person at any of the Expo shows, though I am guessing there aren't many of them in the USA, and shipping plus tariffs is causing some issues as well. The BRS Sherpa is the other one I have been looking at seriously, and pricing seems to be a lot better, though it probably isn't as feature-rich as the Kube.

Are there any 'similar' trailers I should consider for my travels? What are the pro's and con's between them?

I must say, the Kube's seating area and table are a big bonus for me. Being able to get in out of the rain without taking my shoes off first is a big plus, though probably easily dealt with by an awning, too! The Sherpa being ~$20K cheaper does give me a lot more money for gasoline to fuel my adventures!

TIA,
Sid

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Sid I was told buy a guy that seemed credible that the BRS group in TN did not show the best build quality. Maybe they are improving but I would really look hard at thier current product. I believe the Kimberley US dealer is shutting down his op. Take a look at Kingdom Camping make a nice square top model. I like that Wombat rig out of VA.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

I like the Kingdom Camping build as it is well insulated, Cruisemaster suspension and hitch. Top knotch electronics

 

[eatSleepWoof]

If it's going to be just you and possibly a dog, a truck camper or a van is what I would be looking at. Having nothing to tow will make your life MUCH easier and will attract less attention.

From the trailer options listed, Kimberley always gets my vote.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Eat Sleep always has good advice. My thinking is a small trailer like Kimberly or Kingdom Camping paired with a tow vehicle like a Lexus GX 460 really is not a problem at all in regard to towing. In regard to reliability on long trips vans or truck campers could have more issues. Unless the camper is on a Tundra. Being able to drop trailer is a plus as well.

No doubt Kimberly s are incredible trailers but I would worry about insulation and repairs (parts) in far away lands. Then there is the cost. With the US dealer closing and the crazy man's tariff madness the cost will liklely be going up.

 

[FrenchieXJ]

Finances,

With a trailer you will add extra cost as a start. You will pay additional for, toll roads, bridges, Camping and fuel. The possibility of theft and vandalism when left UN-attended. The ability to access rougher tracks.

Some of the advantages are carry "more stuff", a place to get out of the weather, possibly more comfortable sleeping arrangements, ability to carry more fuel, water and food for more time in remote locations.

I have years of traveling with and without a trailer on and off-highway. When you do pull a trailer for extended time you will get more comfortable with it.

The problems is it can be like a boat anchor. In snow, mud, rocks sand, switchback roads and getting around towns and parking in cities.

Getting "Temporary Import Permits" and insurance.

Since you are going full time and may stay extended time at locations, this may a safe locations allow you the set up camp and leave without packing up everything.

These are just some of the things you need to decide, what your going to be comfortable with! There is no correct answer or wrong answer these are things you alone need to decide on for yourself.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Finances,

With a trailer you will add extra cost as a start. You will pay additional for, toll roads, bridges, Camping and fuel. The possibility of theft and vandalism when left UN-attended. The ability to access rougher tracks.

Some of the advantages are carry "more stuff", a place to get out of the weather, possibly more comfortable sleeping arrangements, ability to carry more fuel, water and food for more time in remote locations.

I have years of traveling with and without a trailer on and off-highway. When you do pull a trailer for extended time you will get more comfortable with it.

The problems is it can be like a boat anchor. In snow, mud, rocks sand, switchback roads and getting around towns and parking in cities.

Getting "Temporary Import Permits" and insurance.

Since you are going full time and may stay extended time at locations, this may a safe locations allow you the set up camp and leave without packing up everything.

These are just some of the things you need to decide, what your going to be comfortable with! There is no correct answer or wrong answer these are things you alone need to decide on for yourself.

Excellent points. I have never traveled outside of the US. I am guessing in most cases pthe drop the trailer and leave it unattended advantage would not apply when out of the US.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

I am looking for a trailer for myself, and possibly a dog in the future. I need it to go down the Dempster Highway, to Prudhoe Bay, AK, and hopefully, Central and South America in the next couple of years.

For whatever reason, I haven't seen the Kube in person at any of the Expo shows, though I am guessing there aren't many of them in the USA, and shipping plus tariffs is causing some issues as well. The BRS Sherpa is the other one I have been looking at seriously, and pricing seems to be a lot better, though it probably isn't as feature-rich as the Kube.

Are there any 'similar' trailers I should consider for my travels? What are the pro's and con's between them?

I must say, the Kube's seating area and table are a big bonus for me. Being able to get in out of the rain without taking my shoes off first is a big plus, though probably easily dealt with by an awning, too! The Sherpa being ~$20K cheaper does give me a lot more money for gasoline to fuel my adventures!

TIA,
Sid

Sid what do you have for a tow vehicle?

 

[EPO]

If it was just the dog and myself, I'd buy a truck camper every single time. There are a myriad of options from long bed trucks to smaller campers and camper shells.

 

[Sid Post]

First of all, I have a fair amount of trailering experience, both from my farm days to the past few years with a Taxa Tigermoth, which started out on a 4-cylinder Honda Accord 4-door sedan! I still find it a good option when I don't need to venture off-road onto anything not super smooth and well-groomed. Admittedly, most times it is all asphalt and at state park campgrounds. Going from ~34MPG to ~27MPG sucks, however, it beats my Tacoma I got after that trailer by a wide margin.

My current tow vehicle is a 2nd Gen 4.0L V-6 Tacoma with a Dana 60 rear axle, 12.5x35" tires, and soon to be new front end from Marlin Crawlers.

After years of backpack camping, car camping, tent camping, and other related things like hostels in Europe and remote cabins, crawling up into a RTT is questionable for a routine option, though occasionally is certainly do-able.

A properly built small trailer is certainly more hassle than a RTT or slide-in camper, but a slide-in camper and I are "oil and water" and it just isn't an option. For traveling light and a night or two, I might end up with a RTT, though I have used a Gazelle tent some occasionally too.

The safety and security in mildly sketchy camping situations, it sure is nice to be in a trailer. In inclement weather, especially light rain, a small trailer like my Tigermoth sure is nice. The trailer is also nice for spreading out clothing and groceries too!

Yes, a trailer has its own maintenance concerns and needs like a dedicated spare in most cases, has higher costs at a ferry, tollbooth, or the gas pump, and other drawbacks. This is offset by not freezing my ass off with a nice diesel heater on a cold, wet day, no picking up twigs and rocks before I make camp, etc.

A short nimble trailer to me is basically no harder or easier for me to go where I want to go in most places. Sure, in the really bad stuff, I will drop it somewhere and go without, but most of the places I go, taking my trailer with me is something I don't even think about and I just go with it.

I am not going to argue that pulling even a small trailer through mud or deep sand is easy or trivial, but it isn't the nightmare of non-purpose built trailers with low ground clearance and normal street tires either built for a family of 4 with 2 guests and a small zoo either!

 

[Sid Post]

Sid I was told buy a guy that seemed credible that the BRS group in TN did not show the best build quality. Maybe they are improving but I would really look hard at thier current product. I believe the Kimberley US dealer is shutting down his op. Take a look at Kingdom Camping make a nice square top model. I like that Wombat rig out of VA.

I have spoken with the owner of BRS in TN at least two Expo shows, maybe 3. The quality I saw sure looked good, but it was also the "demo" for these shows too.

Regarding Kimberly, their current dealer network is 4 showrooms from ROA, with whom I am working remotely outside of Phoenix proper in Tempe, AZ. Rumor has it they are moving, or have moved USA production stateside.

 

[Gravelette]

I think a trailer is a good option if you don't want a different vehicle. It will be fine for US and Canada. You can revisit if/when you venture farther afield.

 

[Sid Post]

Eat Sleep always has good advice. My thinking is a small trailer like Kimberly or Kingdom Camping paired with a tow vehicle like a Lexus GX 460 really is not a problem at all in regard to towing. In regard to reliability on long trips vans or truck campers could have more issues. Unless the camper is on a Tundra. Being able to drop trailer is a plus as well.

Already covered, but a small trailer is overlooked by too many people thinking it is too much hassle. The minor drawbacks for me with a small trailer are just that, minor to the point I don't even think about them.

No doubt Kimberly s are incredible trailers but I would worry about insulation and repairs (parts) in far away lands. Then there is the cost. With the US dealer closing and the crazy man's tariff madness the cost will liklely be going up.

The American Kube is specifically made and insulated for North American Winter use. Heated batteries and water tanks with all water lines in the interior heated space for the basic rundown. I can't speak to the Caravan, and whether the same is true.

The Kube has a small shower and toilet area, which I could see being a nice feature in some locations, though a King-sized bed is a waste for a solo traveler like myself, and I would want a smaller mattress with additional storage as the build out of my potential trailer.

 

[Sid Post]

I think a trailer is a good option. It will be fine for US and Canada. You can revisit if/when you venture farther afield.

I will be taking it down the Dempster Highway and to Prudhoe, AK for starters. Lots of travel CONUS as well. I hope to go to Central and South America, but with cartels, militias, and political instability, I have been considering my options.

With the Venezuelan thing yesterday/today, it seems like it may be a year or two before I should consider that trip. That means something like the Australian outback comes into focus for late this year.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

I have spoken with the owner of BRS in TN at least two Expo shows, maybe 3. The quality I saw sure looked good, but it was also the "demo" for these shows too.

Regarding Kimberly, their current dealer network is 4 showrooms from ROA, with whom I am working remotely outside of Phoenix proper in Tempe, AZ. Rumor has it they are moving, or have moved USA production stateside.

Interesting. That kube maybe the one for you.