Trailer vs. Roof
- Thread starter b63215b
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b63215b
Adventurer
I'm starting to think the trailer is were it at, looking like I'll stick with that.
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SnoViking
Adventurer
I have a 3rd gen 4runner so I feel your pain. We travel with 2 kids and 2 dogs so it's tight. I have learned to do two things; pack less and pack efficiently. I HATE when people pack crap at their feet and I try to leave about 2/3 space in the cargo area for the dogs. I ended up extending my factory roof rack rails forward about 2 feet towards the sunroof. This was a HUGE addition for use since it allowed us to use a basket up top in addition to the RTT. We have a tepui Autana RTT (48" long) and then a small 24"x42" roof rack basket I made from a Harbor Freight hitch rack. I also made a two drawer platform inside the cargo area which is only 8" tall and have drawers which are 6.25" deep. It still leaves plenty of height inside for the dogs.
I mount everything up top with Yakima Control Towers and 58" bars. I really like the modular-ness of the system. I have 8 various crossbars setup with towers and locks.... know! INVESTMENT! :Wow1: It pays to scour craigslist for good deals.
Depending on what we need I can load:
Nothing, naked roof.
RTT+Small Front Basket.
Large Thule Cargo Box (24"x86") and then a 30"x60" side Basket.
Just bicycle trays.
Just bars for long boards.
Inside the truck:
2 Adults + 2 Kids + 2 Dogs (45# and 20#) In the back, I use one drawer (left) (which is about 32"x16"x6") for all my cooking and kitchen stuff (stove, plates, etc) I use the other drawer(right) for my food stuff. I use a Stanely 30qt cooler and a 6gal water jug in the cargo area (strapped down securely on the right side). I also end up with 2 small "cubbies" under the platform which is a good area for my first aid kit, tow rope, flashlight, and etc.
Outside:
The RTT....duh.... Then in front of that is the basket. The basket either carries three RubberMaid Action Packers (1 for clothes, 1 for shoes/towels/dirty clothes, and 1 for various camping gear (lanterns, hatchet, hammock etc.)) or if I need to carry extra fuel, I go with 2 Action Packers and a Jerry can in the middle. I take the shoes and towels and stuff them in the truck around and under the seats in the kids area. Our 4 camping chairs (and sometimes a small rollable table) get wedged and secured under the RTT on the truck's roof. I can also stuff a 7' softtop surfboard under the RTT if we camp at the beach. (We usually can't take the dogs with us to camping at the beach so it does open up a bit of interior rear cargo room)
We usually take bicycles with us also so I needed the hitch free. I built a small box under our thule hitch rack which is lockable and carries our helmets, pumps,small tools, and tubes.
I bounced back and forth last year about a trailer but didn't want the hassle of towing and storing and maintaining it. (I had an old trailer and I swear every year the mice chewed up the wiring harness). Plus I figured on just taking less stuff.
This system works for us but it is tight. We all barely fit in the Autana and in reality, we WONT all fit in the years to come. I have been considering moving up to a bigger vehicle (4th gen 4Runner, sequoia, LC100, etc) but don't want to trade off our current fuel mileage. We still average about 19mpg on our trips (75% highway-25%everything else). We also ground tent a bit but right now this setup works for us. I really starting to look at the gear we brought and what we actually used. Being in the North East, we are not too far out there. There are gas stations all around and usually can find major roads every 30-50 miles. I don't need to carry 20 gallons extra fuel, or 20 gallons of potable water. Most of our trips are 2-5 days with spots to resupply.
If you want some pictures of our setup, let me know..
I mount everything up top with Yakima Control Towers and 58" bars. I really like the modular-ness of the system. I have 8 various crossbars setup with towers and locks.... know! INVESTMENT! :Wow1: It pays to scour craigslist for good deals.
Depending on what we need I can load:
Nothing, naked roof.
RTT+Small Front Basket.
Large Thule Cargo Box (24"x86") and then a 30"x60" side Basket.
Just bicycle trays.
Just bars for long boards.
Inside the truck:
2 Adults + 2 Kids + 2 Dogs (45# and 20#) In the back, I use one drawer (left) (which is about 32"x16"x6") for all my cooking and kitchen stuff (stove, plates, etc) I use the other drawer(right) for my food stuff. I use a Stanely 30qt cooler and a 6gal water jug in the cargo area (strapped down securely on the right side). I also end up with 2 small "cubbies" under the platform which is a good area for my first aid kit, tow rope, flashlight, and etc.
Outside:
The RTT....duh.... Then in front of that is the basket. The basket either carries three RubberMaid Action Packers (1 for clothes, 1 for shoes/towels/dirty clothes, and 1 for various camping gear (lanterns, hatchet, hammock etc.)) or if I need to carry extra fuel, I go with 2 Action Packers and a Jerry can in the middle. I take the shoes and towels and stuff them in the truck around and under the seats in the kids area. Our 4 camping chairs (and sometimes a small rollable table) get wedged and secured under the RTT on the truck's roof. I can also stuff a 7' softtop surfboard under the RTT if we camp at the beach. (We usually can't take the dogs with us to camping at the beach so it does open up a bit of interior rear cargo room)
We usually take bicycles with us also so I needed the hitch free. I built a small box under our thule hitch rack which is lockable and carries our helmets, pumps,small tools, and tubes.
I bounced back and forth last year about a trailer but didn't want the hassle of towing and storing and maintaining it. (I had an old trailer and I swear every year the mice chewed up the wiring harness). Plus I figured on just taking less stuff.
This system works for us but it is tight. We all barely fit in the Autana and in reality, we WONT all fit in the years to come. I have been considering moving up to a bigger vehicle (4th gen 4Runner, sequoia, LC100, etc) but don't want to trade off our current fuel mileage. We still average about 19mpg on our trips (75% highway-25%everything else). We also ground tent a bit but right now this setup works for us. I really starting to look at the gear we brought and what we actually used. Being in the North East, we are not too far out there. There are gas stations all around and usually can find major roads every 30-50 miles. I don't need to carry 20 gallons extra fuel, or 20 gallons of potable water. Most of our trips are 2-5 days with spots to resupply.
If you want some pictures of our setup, let me know..
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b63215b
Adventurer
Sent you a message would love to see some pictures.
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OverlandKyle
Adventurer
Your profile picture looks a lot like a rig that I've seen in the Souderton, PA area..... is that you?... I'm just outside of Philadelphia with a fellow 1999 Highlander
Mr. T
Member
I would not think of putting a RTT on my 2017 two door Jeep. That is why I made a RTT trailer and I have no trouble towing it 80 MPH on the HWY or slower on mountain roads.
With a trailer once your camp site is setup your vehicle is still free to use. Also you don’t have to keep putting the RTT on and taking it off your vehicle or you leave it on all year round.
With a trailer once your camp site is setup your vehicle is still free to use. Also you don’t have to keep putting the RTT on and taking it off your vehicle or you leave it on all year round.
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SoDakSooner
Adventurer
I do both, but predominantly do the trailer thing now. Different vehicle (2014 jku) but really prefer the trailer for all the reasons above.
FWIW and I know you said it didn't matter to you, but my mileage is about the same for either option. My trailer is a bit heavier though (M101a2) but trying to lighten it up.
FWIW and I know you said it didn't matter to you, but my mileage is about the same for either option. My trailer is a bit heavier though (M101a2) but trying to lighten it up.
Teardropper
Well-known member
I've been towing teardrops since 2004 and can't imagine having to use a ladder to get in and out of a tent.
Wow, an old thread from 2016 coming back to life!
I'm fortunate enough to have both modes of camping and each have the pros/cons mentioned previously. I'm so happy when I found my 4th gen V8 for towing the Kamparoo as it doesn't even flinch. So, now I have the 80 with RTT always ready to go and the Kamparoo also locked and loaded. However, my style of camping is different with each mode. I don't rock crawl the 4runner+Kamparoo package nor do I move daily with this setup.
The 80 with RTT is more aggressive and fits into tighter spaces in general. I also move daily with this setup and wouldn't have it any other way. My 13yo daughter loves sleeping in the RTT! If she wants to bring a friend along camping, we end up taking the 4runner+Roo package.
I have to say that I really like the modified teardrop trailers that folks are DIY building these days. These trailers are becoming more than just a mattress with wheels. The professional ones that are being sold have provisions to turn the bed into a couch so that you can do more than just sleep and fornicate inside these things!
I'm fortunate enough to have both modes of camping and each have the pros/cons mentioned previously. I'm so happy when I found my 4th gen V8 for towing the Kamparoo as it doesn't even flinch. So, now I have the 80 with RTT always ready to go and the Kamparoo also locked and loaded. However, my style of camping is different with each mode. I don't rock crawl the 4runner+Kamparoo package nor do I move daily with this setup.
The 80 with RTT is more aggressive and fits into tighter spaces in general. I also move daily with this setup and wouldn't have it any other way. My 13yo daughter loves sleeping in the RTT! If she wants to bring a friend along camping, we end up taking the 4runner+Roo package.
I have to say that I really like the modified teardrop trailers that folks are DIY building these days. These trailers are becoming more than just a mattress with wheels. The professional ones that are being sold have provisions to turn the bed into a couch so that you can do more than just sleep and fornicate inside these things!
I am very curious about this. More so on the mpg side. Packing the weight on/in the vehicle will net u better economy. With a trailer u do have the option of leaving it at a campsite versus camp teardown. I'm planning a lengthy trip to the bottom of the planet and mpg is a definite concern, plus the added nonsense at borders etc. Does anybody have actual mpg figures on towing vs not?
Louisd75
Adventurer
The most fuel efficient will be throwing things out and putting the rest inside the vehicle, hands down. After that it's a bit of a tossup that depends greatly on how fast you're traveling and the terrain you're traveling on.
I don't have my numbers in front of me, but I know that at freeway speeds I take the biggest mpg hit when I put the canoe on the roof of my truck. I do take a hit with the trailer, but the biggest hit by far is from the canoe. At slower speeds the wind resistance becomes less relevant and the weight of the trailer becomes a bigger factor. For example, if I spent the day in 4low or driving up mountain roads.
For us the trailer was a compromise in convenience. We like leaving the trailer ready to go without having to worry as much about loading stuff into/out of the truck. When we're not camping, we use the truck as a DD and errand runner. It's helpful to not have all the camping stuff with us at every moment. Now, if I were full timing and planned on living out of the vehicle, I would probably go with a van of some sort. I lived out of a VW bus for a couple of years and the only issues that I had was that it was a little cramped for two people when the weather got bad, and it lacked 4wd which made for some interesting moments out exploring.
WU7X
Snow on the Roof
Let me throw in one more variable for you. After 20+ years of tenting and sleeping on the ground the wife and I switched to an Autohome medium Columbus Variant for ~15 years. We loved it. Disconnect one latch in the back, pop open, pull out ladder and it was ready to go. Reverse for closing with the addition of having to push in the side canvas a bit. MUCH faster than those big, beautiful canvas sided RTTs. Photo from 2014 NWOR. While driving, we never knew the RTT was there, no issues with backing up, etc. Probably put 100 K miles on that setup using two different vehicles. Total weight with sleeping bags, down blanket, etc., ~140 lbs. Minimal change, if any, in MPG.
Then we got old. Crawling up and down that ladder once or twice a night was not only difficult, it was dangerous.
So we found a neat FreeSpirit Recreation trailer/tent combo that we used for 3 years and over 25,000 miles. I had a second tongue built for the trailer. It was 20" longer and made towing and backing up much easier.
Picture is from 2015 when I was out with the ROFs. Camping out on Muley Point. Wifely loved this trailer. Only climbing was into the queen sized bed. She also liked having the PETT porta-potty inside the tent and having a place to change clothes in privacy. total weight with 10 gal. water on ARB slider, 5 lb propane tank, PETT potty, recovery gear, etc., less than 1,000 lbs. I had regeared the 4Runner around this time from 3.73s to 4.56s and lost several MPG. So can't tell you what mileage loss due to the trailer was.
But now we're getting into fly fishing small rivers and streams (E WA, N ID, MT, BC, & AB) with lots of grizzly country involved. Wifey wants hard walls. So we gave the Freespirit setup to the son and his wife. We're having Mark of Mission Overland build us an overland trailer with all the perks: pop-up roof, slideout two burner stove and sink with hot/cold pressurized water, 65 L Dometic frig/freezer, Blutooth radio and TV setup, hot/cold water shower, etc. With 22" of clearance and 37 gallons of water, plus propane, we can stay out on the streams for a long time. And we can get to places regular trailers can't. I'm guessing that the weight will be around 2,500+/- lbs fully loaded, so our 5th gen 4Runner shouldn't have any problems towing it. I do expect to lose another MPG or two towing this trailer.
The aging process really does slow things down, but it doesn't have to stop the good times. Not yet.
So if you are really in this for the long haul, I personally would recommend going with a trailer. You'll probably keep your trailer longer than your present vehicle. Yes, it can be a pain in the #$$ backing up. Yes, it is harder at times to find places to park. Yes, it isn't quite as flexible as a RTT. But you can sleep more comfortablly, with wifey and kids, oh and dog, than in a RTT. You will be able to extend your time out on the trail longer (in my experience), and with the propane heater it is just more comfortable, and setup/take down is just a little longer than my old RTT. Be prepared to pay for what you get though, these things aren't cheap.
Dale
Then we got old. Crawling up and down that ladder once or twice a night was not only difficult, it was dangerous.
So we found a neat FreeSpirit Recreation trailer/tent combo that we used for 3 years and over 25,000 miles. I had a second tongue built for the trailer. It was 20" longer and made towing and backing up much easier.
Picture is from 2015 when I was out with the ROFs. Camping out on Muley Point. Wifely loved this trailer. Only climbing was into the queen sized bed. She also liked having the PETT porta-potty inside the tent and having a place to change clothes in privacy. total weight with 10 gal. water on ARB slider, 5 lb propane tank, PETT potty, recovery gear, etc., less than 1,000 lbs. I had regeared the 4Runner around this time from 3.73s to 4.56s and lost several MPG. So can't tell you what mileage loss due to the trailer was.
But now we're getting into fly fishing small rivers and streams (E WA, N ID, MT, BC, & AB) with lots of grizzly country involved. Wifey wants hard walls. So we gave the Freespirit setup to the son and his wife. We're having Mark of Mission Overland build us an overland trailer with all the perks: pop-up roof, slideout two burner stove and sink with hot/cold pressurized water, 65 L Dometic frig/freezer, Blutooth radio and TV setup, hot/cold water shower, etc. With 22" of clearance and 37 gallons of water, plus propane, we can stay out on the streams for a long time. And we can get to places regular trailers can't. I'm guessing that the weight will be around 2,500+/- lbs fully loaded, so our 5th gen 4Runner shouldn't have any problems towing it. I do expect to lose another MPG or two towing this trailer.
The aging process really does slow things down, but it doesn't have to stop the good times. Not yet.
So if you are really in this for the long haul, I personally would recommend going with a trailer. You'll probably keep your trailer longer than your present vehicle. Yes, it can be a pain in the #$$ backing up. Yes, it is harder at times to find places to park. Yes, it isn't quite as flexible as a RTT. But you can sleep more comfortablly, with wifey and kids, oh and dog, than in a RTT. You will be able to extend your time out on the trail longer (in my experience), and with the propane heater it is just more comfortable, and setup/take down is just a little longer than my old RTT. Be prepared to pay for what you get though, these things aren't cheap.
Dale
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