I'm an actively employed archaeologist in California that spends more time camping for work than I do at home. I'm new to this forum and want to learn more about overland trailers. I have a 2018 Chevy Colorado with a 2.8L diesel engine that I have put over 75K miles on since fall of 2017. I have also been camping for work for 10 years straight and I'm starting to feel it. I currently work in the Sierras year round and I'm looking for a 4 season, off-road ready trailer that can keep up with this sort of life style. I would like to find a reliable trailer that can handle high milage on and off road. I'm open to teardrops as they seem to make up most of the off road market but having an indoor kitchen would really help get through those sub freezing nights. any suggestions? What are the top five overland trailer companies in the US today?
4 season off-road trailer
- Thread starter chug chug
- Start date
You could consider importing. Some Australian companies make very serious (and expensive) caravans. https://bruderx.com/brochure/exp-6/
S4railroader
Member
Outdoors RV or Northwood (both owned by the nash family). between the 2 of them you should find something in your size...
DCGibbs
Observer
As S4railroader said - Northwood, which is manufactured in LaGrande Oregon, they build the ArticFox and NASH brands. They have a Four Season "All Conditions Unit." We also looked at the LANCE Camper Trailers which their Brochure states "4 Seasons Certified All Weather Package" We are very impressed with both the Nash and Lance units. The Lance unit is 10K more than the Nash, HOWEVER, the fit and finish of the Lance, really seems to be a better built, and nicer amenities, and equipment. We are seriously looking at spending the extra 10K, even-though we're going to beat the crap out of it, going off-highway. That's my 2 cents. DG
LimaMikeMike
Observer
Lance Trailers use BAL huckbolted frames and dexter torsion axles. Strong enough for typical RV useage but they don’t hold a candle to ORV or Northwood frames and axle sizing.
We had a 14 Northwood Snowriver 234rbs (the line is discontinued now) it had a 5600dry weight and a 10k GVWR, it was tough to overload.
The ORV and Northwood stuff is heavy for the size of trailer, be realistic as to how heavy the trailer will be loaded if towing with a Colorado. Look at a Nash 17k, probably the smallest box trailer available with an onboard genset and reasonable weight.
We had a 14 Northwood Snowriver 234rbs (the line is discontinued now) it had a 5600dry weight and a 10k GVWR, it was tough to overload.
The ORV and Northwood stuff is heavy for the size of trailer, be realistic as to how heavy the trailer will be loaded if towing with a Colorado. Look at a Nash 17k, probably the smallest box trailer available with an onboard genset and reasonable weight.
Good thread. I would like to revive it.
I have a 2019 F150 4x4 with the 3.5 engine. Just sold Class A RV, towing a wrangler TJ with 33” tires. I am thinking of going the trailer route for driving north from SoCal to the Yukon and NW Territories. I have been up there before, all the way to Innuvik, before on a motorcycle.
Lance trailers is local and the 1995 model with dexter torsion axels seems like a solid offering. According to dexter their axel is essentially like independent suspension. I called Lance and asked about off road durability and was told that the trailer would hold up to any recognized road, whether improved or not (I’m paraphrasing). I also looked at the imported Kimberley Karavavs, but they are easily 2x as expensive. I like the Kimberley fully independent suspension, but it might be overkill—although I’m not sure how well the Lance would fare on, for example, the Dempster Highway. It’s 500 miles of crushed rock.
Anyway, since I already own the truck, I’m seeing a trailer in the 20 foot range in my future.
Anyone have actual experience with towing a dual axel trailer like the Lance on long road trips mixed with crappy unpaved “roads?” I previously briefly owned a small Lance single axel trailer, which I towed with a Grand Cherokee. It towed fine, but I think that the single axel allowed for a fair amount of trailer fishtailing. Also, there was a fair amount of minor “whiplash” sensation when driving over freeways with construction joints and in generally poor condition. Hoping for a reasonably smooth ride.
If I need to go more off road, the F150 by itself can handle a fair amount of challenges.
I have a 2019 F150 4x4 with the 3.5 engine. Just sold Class A RV, towing a wrangler TJ with 33” tires. I am thinking of going the trailer route for driving north from SoCal to the Yukon and NW Territories. I have been up there before, all the way to Innuvik, before on a motorcycle.
Lance trailers is local and the 1995 model with dexter torsion axels seems like a solid offering. According to dexter their axel is essentially like independent suspension. I called Lance and asked about off road durability and was told that the trailer would hold up to any recognized road, whether improved or not (I’m paraphrasing). I also looked at the imported Kimberley Karavavs, but they are easily 2x as expensive. I like the Kimberley fully independent suspension, but it might be overkill—although I’m not sure how well the Lance would fare on, for example, the Dempster Highway. It’s 500 miles of crushed rock.
Anyway, since I already own the truck, I’m seeing a trailer in the 20 foot range in my future.
Anyone have actual experience with towing a dual axel trailer like the Lance on long road trips mixed with crappy unpaved “roads?” I previously briefly owned a small Lance single axel trailer, which I towed with a Grand Cherokee. It towed fine, but I think that the single axel allowed for a fair amount of trailer fishtailing. Also, there was a fair amount of minor “whiplash” sensation when driving over freeways with construction joints and in generally poor condition. Hoping for a reasonably smooth ride.
If I need to go more off road, the F150 by itself can handle a fair amount of challenges.
Glad to see your giving new life to this discussion. as I'm interested in the same issues. I live in Oregon and the OutdoorsRV caught my eye in the past, but are simply too damn big. Wish they made something smaller in weight, height and didn't try to recreate the interior of a suburban house. While I don't have any plans to drive to the NW Territories, there is no shortage of non-tarmac roads in the western USA that beg for something up to the task. My tow rig is a 2017 F150 with the 3.5L EB and I've been impressed with it's performance towing my 50 year old 23ft Airstream. However, I no longer take that combo very far offer pavement, as I value it's vintage charm too much. I've been looking for alternatives for quite a while, but still haven't found the right combination of performance and tradeoffs.