TJ Question - camping from the "experienced ones"

[cdnabn49]

I have an 04 TJ Rubicon - the only mod is a 3" suspension lift with locker "over-ride" - my question is this:

(1) I want to take my wife and kids(2) camping (weekend) and use the TJ as the primary vehicle - will a trailer hitch rack be sufficient or should I use a utility trailer?

(2) anyone that has a list-o-gear that they take could you please advise

 

[alosix]

I'd start hunting for a trailer. I'm a bit overboard on gear, but here's the setup for a 4 day trip with the 2 of us and 2 dogs:

Without the cover on there:

Up front there's 2 6 gal water containers, behind that was the cooler. One tub contains camp/tent/cooking supplies. The other is generally dry food (chips, bread, cans, etc). 2 more water containers, the table for the stove, and some room for firewood.

Camp generally looks something like this:

I could probably get away with a little less stuff, but I don't think I'd be able to easily get down to just a hitch basket. A rack maybe, but that's a discussion for another day.

If I wasn't bringing the dogs I should be able to get 2 people's worth of stuff in the Jeep. I'm currently working on the 'few night' setup for me and the SAR dog with just the Jeep as well. The dogs afford a little more interior flexibility than 2 kids and a back seat do though.

 

[College Kid]

It would depend on what sort of camping you plan on doing, and how old your kids are. I can last a week out of a 80L back back when I am treking and have access to fresh water. I think if you could regulate each of your family to a backpacking type set up you could get by with just a hitch rack.

I think I'd be hard pressed to take my girlfriend, son, and dog on even a short camping trip in the TJ. Your going to be alot more comfortable with a small trailer.

 

[xplorer]

It would depend on what sort of camping you plan on doing, and how old your kids are. I can last a week out of a 80L back back when I am treking and have access to fresh water. I think if you could regulate each of your family to a backpacking type set up you could get by with just a hitch rack.

I think I'd be hard pressed to take my girlfriend, son, and dog on even a short camping trip in the TJ. Your going to be alot more comfortable with a small trailer.

I'll second that. I can pack enough in my TJ for a month of camping and wheeling, with stops to replenish, if it is just me in the Jeep. If I took the wife and maybe a dog or two, I would have to have a trailer.

 

[goodtimes]

You might get away with just a hitch basket if it is just a weekend trip, and you are traveling into a known area (so you will know what to bring, and what to leave behind). You're going to have to pack light though . . .

 

[Mayne]

I've got a Defender roof rack on mine, and with the spouse and two dogs there is just not enough room an the roof rack. The trailer I have is now pretty much a must, and even then soft stuff goes on the rack.
Mayne

 

[r_unda]

I used a hitch rack for a while but I will recommend getting a trailer. That's what I did. I was limited with the rack. I don't have kids but between my girlfriend and I we have 4 medium/large dogs that travel on the back of my TJ most of the time. On the last camping trip (3days) the dogs stayed home but we brought my dad and one of my friends with us on the TJ. We put all the gear and food in the trailer and had room for more.

Here is a pic when we went camping to the beach with the dogs

Here are the dogs

I bought the trailer about a year or so ago. I haven't done much to it besides the axle for matching rims, and the cover. I have plenty of plans for it but $ are limited. It has worked great for camping or just hauling things

 

[wjeeper]

Not that I consider myself an "experienced one" but here are my two cents.......

Like others have said a TJ (or in my case a YJ) is a viable platform for 1-2 travelers for and extended period but however for 3-4 your going to be crammed for space.

Having camped with 3 adults and a hitch rack we still found ourselves needing more room. My poor friend was smooshed in the back seat between camping gear. A hitch rack is kind of a pain also: its in the way when you need to open the tailgate and hangs a bit low and mine ended up getting bent. I also think the rear rack was a major contributing factor to the sagging rear springs in my Jeep.

I am sure a trailer would be a nice thing to have, store your gear in it and just hitch up and go. Not to mention a trailer could also be used for runs to Home Depot......a trailer is way cheaper than owning a truck.

A well thought out article that Cruiseroutfit wrote weighing the pro's and con's of a trailer; Will An Off-Road Trailer Work For Me? The Off-Road Trailer Conundrum:
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?t=72960
Since most of my trips are solo I am perfectly comfortable without a hitch rack or trailer. One day when I am married and have a kiddo or two I am sure I will be building a trailer.

 

[cdnabn49]

thanks very much for the info and advise - I was leaning towards a trailer and it does make sense... Kudos to all :wings:

 

[A7XJ]

I have an 04 TJ Rubicon - the only mod is a 3" suspension lift with locker "over-ride" - my question is this:

(1) I want to take my wife and kids(2) camping (weekend) and use the TJ as the primary vehicle - will a trailer hitch rack be sufficient or should I use a utility trailer?

(2) anyone that has a list-o-gear that they take could you please advise

Where are you located?

(1) I had a roof rack on my xj and could pack my jeep for a family of four for a weekend. I swore I would never pull a trailer. Now we are a family of five and have aquired a lot more camping gear. About a month ago I borrowed/stole my dads old military trailer for a weekend and I will never pack on a roof rack again. My dad may never see his trailer again. I pulled my roof rack off the next week.

(2) google camping list and get some ideas for one that will suit your needs.

 

[cdnabn49]

Where are you located?

(1) I had a roof rack on my xj and could pack my jeep for a family of four for a weekend. I swore I would never pull a trailer. Now we are a family of five and have aquired a lot more camping gear. About a month ago I borrowed/stole my dads old military trailer for a weekend and I will never pack on a roof rack again. My dad may never see his trailer again. I pulled my roof rack off the next week.

(2) google camping list and get some ideas for one that will suit your needs.

Khankistan - Canada eh?

 

[A7XJ]

Khankistan - Canada eh?

Sweet. I spent a couple years in southern Alberta. I love that area. I dream about living there especially since summer has started here in AZ.

 

[thejafe]

With four people inside the Jeep it's not going to leave a hell of a lot of room for anything else really. Good news is that there are plenty of other storage options like a trailer, rack for the receiver on your rear bumper, tire carrier with modular rack options like the one from Garvin Industries. Don't forget Garvin's roof racks as well :sombrero: .

 

[cdnabn49]

think I am going to start looking for a trailer big time now - tight fit for the kit...

 

[Maddmatt]

Yeah, sounds like you've already made the right choice - I will tell you though, it depends on the age of the kids. The younger ones need a lot more stuff - heres a couple shots from a 10 day trip we took when the kids were 2 and 5. Included about 2k miles driving (round trip) and 6 of the 10 days were tent camping.

One of those big bins is entirely filled with books and toys as 'rainy day' supplies. Luckily we never needed it, but a couple rainy days in a tent with no distractions could have been a nightmare.

The small purple bin is just dog food, and the cooler rode in the wayback with the dog. The box on the roof was reserved for clothes and some dry food.

The upper big bin on the left was tent, air mattresses and possibly sleeping bags (its been a few years, I don't remember exactly) and then on the tray but in front of the boxes were camp chairs, stroller (still had a 2 year old).

It actually worked pretty well, I put some thought into how it all went on so I didn't have to rummage through everything every time we stopped.

Now that the kids are 9 & 7 we can do that same trip in a Subaru with the box on the roof but no tray on the back.