Wife needs indoor accommodations....what is worth buying?

[PaxG56]

Longtime lurker..new poster...

I've owned a couple of travel trailers and rented others, with my schedule clearing up this summer it might finally be the time for the 30 day epic trip to explore the west. I'm on the east coast of the US so the travel time has been a limiting factor. I have a more than capable tow vehicle, Ram 2500 diesel w/lift, and need a home on the road.

The requirements are myself and the missus (6'4' and 5'11"), the young one (5'7" and growing like a weed) and the dog. I was seriously looking at Patriot X3 and Conqueror 490 although I haven't seen them in person yet. The appeal is that they would fit in my garage during the offseason and I'm an organized minimalist by nature. The downside is the wife doesn't like the idea of going outside in the middle of the night to use the facilities.

Other options seem to be compromises to get the indoor bathroom with the Black Series being the only one I've seen that can take on anything outside of a fire road at under 10mph and most of the models can't cover our sleeping needs comfortably. Since my wife is complaining that we are on week 8 of my never ending research I'm appealing to the masses - What am I missing? Is there an offroad-ish option that is able to be purchased in the US in the next 60 days that meets our requirements? I can compromise on the garage parking requirement if needed but the fit and finish would need to be great.

I've been pouring through historical threads and haven't found the magical answer. It seems to be a need for many of us out there that the market isn't doing a great job at addressing.

 

[cfrogjump]

Not sure it meets all your needs but maybe an opus op15?

OP15 | OPUS Camper USA

www.opuscamper.us

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ttengineer]

If you need plumbing, nothing is going to stand up to much abuse.

If however a cassette/porta toilet is doable, the options are opened up some.

A conqueror would be most secure while also being more durable than a traditional travel trailer. The build quality on them is fine, but it’s not super too notch. They can be decked out with AC though, and on the east coast, as you know, it’s a very welcome addition.

Patriot and opius are going to be more primitive. Patriot being even more so than opius.

The fit and finish on patriot is second to none. I honestly was baffled the first time I saw one. It really puts other manufacturers to shame.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HOOLIGAN]

Second for the OP15. I went and looked at three of the Black Series campers a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't really that impressed for the price. They are not 4 season, the tanks and lines are exposed to the elements so they need to be insulated. I read a bunch of horror stories, but I'm not sure how much of that is just the unsatisfied people complaining. The ONLY reason I'm not going with an OP15 is because the wife doesn't want a hybrid (honestly not sure if I do either) and an indoor kitchen is preferred when the weather is crap. My other recommendations are Northwood Nash and Outdoors RV Trailside.

 

[billiebob]

purchased in the US in the next 60 days

I'll guess it'll have to be used. I've not heard of anyone carrying inventory.

 

[PaxG56]

ot sure it meets all your needs but maybe an opus op15?

I hadn't looked at the OP15 previously, thanks for the tip.

They can be decked out with AC though, and on the east coast, as you know, it’s a very welcome addition.

Hard yes on the AC. I've done without and high humidity plus high temperature doesn't make for a good nights sleep.

Second for the OP15

It looks like the OP15 is challenging to find too. I was looking a little harder at the Conqueror forums overseas and it looks like they showed a prototype for the UEV-25 which has a tandem axle, composite panels, more indoor space, and a full bathroom. Probably a few years from production though.

I'll keep looking and try to convince the wife that a portable tent with a porta toilet isn't so bad.

 

[Hilldweller]

inTech | All Aluminum RV Manufacturer

Travel Trailers, Off-Road Adventure Toy Haulers, Microlite Campers, & Teardrop Trailers.

www.intechrv.com

The Intech Horizon comes in a "Rover" model. Worth checking out.

I'm in a similar situation @ 6'5" ---- most of the beds in these things are for wee people...

 

[RCP]

Second for the OP15. I went and looked at three of the Black Series campers a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't really that impressed for the price. They are not 4 season, the tanks and lines are exposed to the elements so they need to be insulated. I read a bunch of horror stories, but I'm not sure how much of that is just the unsatisfied people complaining. The ONLY reason I'm not going with an OP15 is because the wife doesn't want a hybrid (honestly not sure if I do either) and an indoor kitchen is preferred when the weather is crap. My other recommendations are Northwood Nash and Outdoors RV Trailside.

I was shopping Black Series campers about 1.5 years ago and after seeing them in person I decided they were not built well enough to justify the price as you have pointed out. I ended up with something a little less rugged in an Outdoors RV Backcountry 23KTS. Love the built in solar and generator and the massive water tanks. Three of us are can stay comfortably for 5 nights without running out of water for dishes and showers. But while it has the "Off-road" suspension it is not nearly as capable as something like the Conqueror 490. That was another consideration for me but at the time there was a good chance I would be full time in the trailer and living in what would essentially be a large high quality tent didn't sound appealing.

If your budget allows you could look into Bruder, they are an Australian company that makes hard sided expedition trailers with some amazing features. Similar to Earthroamer you will pay a premium for nicer interior features but the build quality seems top notch. In a few years I will be seriously looking at one when its just my wife and I traveling and we don't need the added space for a kid.

 

[Alloy]

I was shopping Black Series campers about 1.5 years ago and after seeing them in person I decided they were not built well enough to justify the price as you have pointed out. I ended up with something a little less rugged in an Outdoors RV Backcountry 23KTS. Love the built in solar and generator and the massive water tanks. Three of us are can stay comfortably for 5 nights without running out of water for dishes and showers. But while it has the "Off-road" suspension it is not nearly as capable as something like the Conqueror 490. That was another consideration for me but at the time there was a good chance I would be full time in the trailer and living in what would essentially be a large high quality tent didn't sound appealing.

If your budget allows you could look into Bruder, they are an Australian company that makes hard sided expedition trailers with some amazing features. Similar to Earthroamer you will pay a premium for nicer interior features but the build quality seems top notch. In a few years I will be seriously looking at one when its just my wife and I traveling and we don't need the added space for a kid.

Outdoors are 97% marketing and 3% improvents vs. other production line trailers. The Astro foil they refer to as insulation is ridiculous.

My choice use to fall with Northwoods Arctic Fox but they've fallen off my list when they stopped using oversized axles.

 

[Hilldweller]

Outdoors are 97% marketing and 3% improvents vs. other production line trailers. The Astro foil they refer to as insulation is ridiculous.

My choice use to fall with Northwoods Arctic Fox but they've fallen off my list when they stopped using oversized axles.

Well, keep talking then. Momma don't want a trailer yet (although I tried); she still loves teardropping.
But we're both getting older and eventually we'll be semi-fulltiming. And I don't want a condo sized ordeal. Rather, just enough. And a 4-season please.

 

[calicamper]

The Opus is assembled in CA, built in china and likely related to the Black Series, likely made by the same people in China. Yes its expensive I like its size, I like the layout. But too expensive and too tall for typical 7ft garage door.

I think Opus is coming close to the right size, and some design aspects but also a bit to far on the Australian outback side on some things adding cost that really isn’t easily justified in the US.

There are several dads in my group all would by a camp trailer if it fit in a garage or behind a side yard fence, wasn’t trying to imitate a house but on wheels etc. The Taxa Mantis fits in a garage but the kids bunks are an after thought poorly spaced.
Honestly whats out there is pretty disappointing. As a result none of us will likely buy a RV. The cost s associated with them make VBRO and Air BNB a very viable alternative without the hassle of towing a big trailer etc.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next 5-10 yrs as the Boomers no longer can drive the house on wheels RV sales and the younger generations can’t afford, dont have time, and those who can afford likely wont want to spend funds on the typical US RV we have seen for the last 60 yrs.

Today RVs are flying off the lots because Recession hasn’t hit yet.

 

[dreadlocks]

x2 on checking out Intech.. they will do your fire roads all day long at whatever speed your comfortable with.. full aluminum welded chassis and frame along with dexter torsion axles will take that abuse for decades just fine... you can find em on lots..

flyer line is super simple and lacks plumbing, but if you want all season just get a cassette toilet.. If your boondocking **************** outside is not that big of a deal really, emptying it and cleaning a black tank is always a pita, more so when boondocking and you gotta pay to use a sewer drain, and all those tanks and drain pipes just destroy clearance options.. the downsides of an onboard toilet are much greater than the downsides of crapping in a bag in the woods.. unless someone has a sickness or some medical issue your putting too much priority on something that gets used a so little.

 

[PaxG56]

The Intech Horizon comes in a "Rover" model. Worth checking out.

Thanks, I really wish intech made something a little bigger but I'll keep looking.

I ended up with something a little less rugged in an Outdoors RV Backcountry 23KTS.

There are a lot of reasonably priced choices if you are willing to commit to pavement. I'm trying to be realistic in how much offroading I really plan to do. The reality is probably not much since I have to commit to at least two days of driving each way to get off the east coast. A Ram 2500 can't get very far on jeep trails around here so the trailer won't need to either.

My choice use to fall with Northwoods Arctic Fox but they've fallen off my list when they stopped using oversized axles.

I can see that too and am not sure they would hold up to much abuse.

I think Opus is coming close to the right size

I really like the looks of the OP15 but they seem to be hard to find in the short term.

x2 on checking out Intech..

I'm going to stop by a couple of dealers this weekend to look at Opus and Black Series at a minimum. They might not have the models I want but at least I'll get a better appreciation of construction. I did spend a few hours looking around alibaba last night and you can find all of the factories that produce most of the shells (bruder, conqueror, black series, etc..). If anyone wants to front a few $M I'm sure we can design and build something great.

 

[PaxG56]

Follow up to my follow up...

I really do appreciate what goes into each manufacturers process since every individual has different wants, needs, price point, and timeline. Most offerings seems to fall into a very limited set of options and I was hoping there was more out there. I guess that is why DIY is so popular among those with the time and skillset to build what they need/want.

 

[dreadlocks]

Thanks, I really wish intech made something a little bigger but I'll keep looking.

My Tandem axle Discover model is supposed to be making a come back sometime this summer..