Need some brainstorming on expanding my setup

[carbon60]

I need to expand my current setup, which is an 80-series with only front seats and an RTT, to a setup that can handle a family of four.

Here is a rough list of my requirements:

• The two kids need a separate place to sleep. An RTT is fine.
• When traveling with the kids, I'd like to bring kayaks and/or bicycles.
• The truck should stay independent for two-person travel in rougher conditions.
• I think I can muster USD20K for this project.
• Last week, we were semi-urban camping on the St-Lawrence River, in damp and cold weather. Made me want a small enclosed space to sit and have a coffee together, before hitting the road, in the morning. Sleeping in an RTT is fine for all conditions. Below freezing, I would either not have the children with us, or they could sleeping a heated trailer while we sleep in the RTT.
• I do want to be able to get into difficult to access locations, so the compromise/balance is important to me.
• I am really rough on my equipment, in general.

What ideas, or just products, should I look at?

 

[ratled]

Look at the HIker/LeadDog Motorsport Extreme trailer. Keep the RTT on the rig for the rough/solo trip. Kids sleep in the RTT mom & dad in the trailer (no more ladder to sleep). Kayaks on top on the trailer, bikes hang off the back

Just my suggestion. There other fine options out there, you have see what will work for you. Lastly, at about $10k leaves you plenty of room for upgrades and options and still have $ left over

LeadDog Extreme

 

[ttengineer]

Id say add rear seats to the 80 series, keep the RTT and buy a 270deg awning that integrates with a ground tent (ie foxwing with oztent) or buy an annex for the RTT and let the kids sleep up top and the adults sleep down below. Add a heater for deep winter conditions.

That way you’re not limited by a trailer on where you can access.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[carbon60]

Id say add rear seats to the 80 series, keep the RTT and buy a 270deg awning that integrates with a ground tent (ie foxwing with oztent) or buy an annex for the RTT and let the kids sleep up top and the adults sleep down below. Add a heater for deep winter conditions.

That way you’re not limited by a trailer on where you can access.

Yeah, that's a good possibility. But it requires some flat place to park, and does not easily permit me hauling things like kayaks and bicycles.

What do you sleep on, as a couple on the ground?

A.

 

[Mass_Mopar]

Small cargo trailer (5x8). Build a rear kitchen with a dinette/bed combo inside. It'll be tight for 4 but it'll be a place to sit at a table out of the rain and eat/play games/be entertained. Put an RTT on the trailer. Carry bikes/kayaks on the truck. If the weather or terrain is too cold/rough for the kids, it's probably too much for a trailer also. Save some coin and buy a motorcycle trailer and build it yourself. It doesn't need 33s, it'll be too tall as it is! For the crazy kid-less adventures, fold the seats and sleep in the truck.

Just speaking from personal experience...

 

[ttengineer]

Yeah, that's a good possibility. But it requires some flat place to park, and does not easily permit me hauling things like kayaks and bicycles.

What do you sleep on, as a couple on the ground?

A.

Add a bike carrier hitch, and depending on what RTT you have you could strap Kayaks to the top. There are also hitch racks that carry both.

When my wife and I ground camp we use individual back packing sleeping pads unless we car camp with friends. Then we break out the Mega Mat Duo, it’s as close to a bed as you can get and is extremely warm in the winter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Flyfishjeep]

Everything you describe leads me to believe what your looking for is a trailer with an additional RTT. It could also have awnings attached to act as the basecamp and as described above you could add your rear seats and haul gear (including bikes or kayaks with the trailer. You can go anywhere from around 7,000 (like a Smittybuilt) and quite high depending upon which trailer you are looking at. Most will allow you to go anywhere the towing rig can and leveling ins not to bad

 

[GkraneTX]

Check out Colorado Teardrops Summit. Has a queen size bed fpr the adults and bunks for the small kids. Plus the bunks convert into a couch for rainy days. It has an aluminum frame as well, which is what got me looking at them.

https://coloradoteardropcamper.com/

 

[carbon60]

Small cargo trailer (5x8). Build a rear kitchen with a dinette/bed combo inside. It'll be tight for 4 but it'll be a place to sit at a table out of the rain and eat/play games/be entertained. Put an RTT on the trailer. Carry bikes/kayaks on the truck. If the weather or terrain is too cold/rough for the kids, it's probably too much for a trailer also. Save some coin and buy a motorcycle trailer and build it yourself.

I'm really starting to lean this way. I just needs to be a box with a foldable bed/couch and table, inside. I like it. Lots of commercially produced teardrops that may work for this as well.

A.

 

[mikeyb1976]

Adventure trailer (bought or homebuilt) with RTT on that. Get an RTT with an annex, then get a 270 awning with or without wall panels. Roof of vehicle has the rack for bikes/kayaks/etc, or those can go on the trailer (lots of rack options out there) and a 2nd RTT on the vehicle. Get a Propex HS2000 for tent heater.

 

[alia176]

Dude, for $20k you can get into an offroad trailer and have money left over. Just head over to the trailer for sale section and see what suits your fancy. I saw a Conqueror Base for $6k, for example. Trying to turn the 80 into a swiss army knife is a futile waste of time/money/energy. Been there, done that. Also, an 80 can't tow a heavy trailer, unless you're still stock and live at sea level. So, keep that in mind when your eyes glaze over with the cool trailers available these days. I say if you can keep the trailer wight to under 2,000#, the 80 should be able to handle it with a family of four and the usual associated crap.

I saw a Oztent 5 with an annex room in the for sale section too so that's an option that can be added to a trailer. This way, the entire family is inside a nice, weather proof space for cooking/playing cards until the storm passes/etc.

Personally, I despise RTTs for more than two people and even then, you can't hang out in it. You can only sit indian style and play cards for so long. I have a RTT on the 80 but that's for only two people and we move camp daily. The Kamparoo goes when we're doing basecamp mode or I got three or four people.

 

[carbon60]

Dude, for $20k you can get into an offroad trailer and have money left over. Just head over to the trailer for sale section and see what suits your fancy. I saw a Conqueror Base for $6k, for example. Trying to turn the 80 into a swiss army knife is a futile waste of time/money/energy. Been there, done that. Also, an 80 can't tow a heavy trailer, unless you're still stock and live at sea level. So, keep that in mind when your eyes glaze over with the cool trailers available these days. I say if you can keep the trailer wight to under 2,000#, the 80 should be able to handle it with a family of four and the usual associated crap.

I saw a Oztent 5 with an annex room in the for sale section too so that's an option that can be added to a trailer. This way, the entire family is inside a nice, weather proof space for cooking/playing cards until the storm passes/etc.

Personally, I despise RTTs for more than two people and even then, you can't hang out in it. You can only sit indian style and play cards for so long. I have a RTT on the 80 but that's for only two people and we move camp daily. The Kamparoo goes when we're doing basecamp mode or I got three or four people.

My 80 is diesel and can tow pretty well, but I don't want something too heavy. It's rated for 8500kgs.

I'll checkout the classifieds, for sure.

I really don't like the idea of a 30 minutes-to-setup folding canvas hell thing. Too used to a hard shell RTT, I guess.

A.

 

[alia176]

Whoa, wait a min, nobody mentioned about having a diesel 80. Damn you.... Perhaps you oughta update your signature line?

30 min to setup is great when you base camp but not good when you move daily. With my hardshell RTT, I still need 30 min of teardown/setup time. I'm not in a ********** race when I camp, I like taking my time putting crap away, drinking some coffee and ******** chatting. Admittedly, I tend to have "yard sales" when I roll into a site. Them are the breaks when you travel heavy and you want comfort.

I don't see a family of four moving daily but if you are moving daily and NOT have a 30 min setup/teardown time. Let's be realistic here amigo. Trailers are perfect for base camp when you have a family and still have the flexibility of taking day trips with the tow rig. My Kamparoo tows kayaks, MTBs, canoes and the occasional tractor implement that I "happen" to find on CL along the way!!!

 

[carbon60]

Whoa, wait a min, nobody mentioned about having a diesel 80. Damn you.... Perhaps you oughta update your signature line?

Heh, didn't realize I had a signature line! Wait, I don't. I'll add one.

30 min to setup is great when you base camp but not good when you move daily. With my hardshell RTT, I still need 30 min of teardown/setup time. I'm not in a ********** race when I camp, I like taking my time putting crap away, drinking some coffee and ******** chatting. Admittedly, I tend to have "yard sales" when I roll into a site. Them are the breaks when you travel heavy and you want comfort.

I don't see a family of four moving daily but if you are moving daily and NOT have a 30 min setup/teardown time. Let's be realistic here amigo. Trailers are perfect for base camp when you have a family and still have the flexibility of taking day trips with the tow rig. My Kamparoo tows kayaks, MTBs, canoes and the occasional tractor implement that I "happen" to find on CL along the way!!!

With the RTT, it's a 5-minute job. I expect that won't be case with kids, for sure.

But, travel will sometimes takes us through urban areas, which entail camping at rest stops and trailheads.

 

[Mr. T]

Heh, didn't realize I had a signature line! Wait, I don't. I'll add one.



With the RTT, it's a 5-minute job. I expect that won't be case with kids, for sure.

But, travel will sometimes takes us through urban areas, which entail camping at rest stops and trailheads.

If I am stopping just for the night I don’t need to unhook the trailer just open up the RTT and climb in 10 to 15 your on you way, but 30 min. To set up a camp site, I wish, it takes me 1 to 2 hours depending on camp setup for 2 people with awning, mosquito net and camping gear or 6 people with awning room (sleeps 4) 10 x 12 mosquito tarp and gear, then for takedown add a 1/2 hour to setup time but I have a lot of gear.