Looking to Rent Someone's Intech Explore (VA-PA)

[K9LTW]

Cross-posted on the FB page.

Anyone in the Northern VA area or somewhere between Front Royal and State College, PA have an Intech Explore (preferably lifted, adventure package, etc.) they’d be willing to rent out for a couple nights? We’ve been mulling over a multitude of trailer/camper solutions and while looking at one at a dealership is all well and good, actually USING one is a while different story.

Been looking to head up to Bald Eagle for a couple nights in the near future while I’m still only working every other week, hence the area of interest. Full disclosure...my dogs go everywhere with us, but are well-mannered while camping.

We’ve narrowed it down to either an Explore with a single tip out or something more along the lines of a Turtleback and our existing RTT and annex. Yeah, yeah...two different animals .

 

[Okieflyr]

While I don’t have an Explore, I do have an Intech Pursue and a DYI adventure trailer w/RTT (TB style) for comparison sake.
Having both of them has shown the differences between potential durability more than anything. I consider our Intech more of an off grid camping system while our steel adventure trailer is really more robust and trail worthy.
I have an additional lift on the Intech for additional clearance due to it’s length more than anything, but leveling it is a bit more chore than my adv trailer. The two weigh about the same loaded but carry the tongue weights differently.

The Intech has over #300 lbs of tongue weight so I use airbags to help the springs with sag
I frequent Bald Eagle, but haven’t found additional need for clearance to use their campsites.

Cross-posted on the FB page.

Anyone in the Northern VA area or somewhere between Front Royal and State College, PA have an Intech Explore (preferably lifted, adventure package, etc.) they’d be willing to rent out for a couple nights? We’ve been mulling over a multitude of trailer/camper solutions and while looking at one at a dealership is all well and good, actually USING one is a while different story.

Been looking to head up to Bald Eagle for a couple nights in the near future while I’m still only working every other week, hence the area of interest. Full disclosure...my dogs go everywhere with us, but are well-mannered while camping.

We’ve narrowed it down to either an Explore with a single tip out or something more along the lines of a Turtleback and our existing RTT and annex. Yeah, yeah...two different animals .

 

[K9LTW]

Well done on the trailer, @Okieflyr ! I appreciate the comparison as it's directly relatable! I know there's limitations with the Intech; particularly as the size grows with the Explore! Your description of that off grid basecamp is pretty much what we've come to accept as what it'll amount to. It'll, for sure, limit access...but how OFTEN that'll be the case is up for debate. We'd still retain the ability to mount the RTT to the roofrack for those times we couldn't haul a significant trailer. If I didn't have the roof-mount option, though, I'd probably be more firmly in the adventure trailer camp. We used our tent a lot this year (as well as all three ground tents...it's a disease ). While we haven't had any experience "ruined", per se, by not having a camper...I can certainly think of how one would've benefited us a few times!

How happy have you been, overall, with the Intech? Have you had any durability issues? For comparison sake...is there any path through BESF that you WOULDN'T take it on? I can't imagine I'd try dragging it through anything worse. Backing it up in the woods would, definitely, kinda suck, though.

This is what I'm running right now that was our short-term solution and "pandemic project" to see if we'd actually use it before coughing up more cash. Needed something to be towable by my slightly modded Forester XT (didn't have my Sequoia at the time). It collapses down 24" as well for a low-mount option and for travel. TONS of space...but a PITA to set up (particularly when it's late), and a bigger PITA to air out in the garage and house!

 

[Okieflyr]

Since the Intech is production made they do have their pattern issues that need to be looked out for. There is an Intech RV owners Facebook group that shares and compares.
Our experience has been fine overall. The Maxfan was squeaky from the beginning, the door latches needed several adjustments but the dealer took care of them well enough.

Since I lifted our trailer further, the built in stove was to high for us, plus we really like our Partner Stove so I removed the weak Dometic stove and cabinet to save weight and improve the kitchen function for what we wanted. By the time this trailer gets levelled in the woods, it can start to get a bit tall for this short guy. If your putting a RTT on top of the Explore, understand well what will be required to deploy and pack down in the rain at that height. It will not be as easy to reach as what you have now. Also understand the weight capacity of the trailer and the added items such as the tent up high for handling.
The FB group may shed some light on the Explore more specifically since it has more amenities to be considered.

I have taken my adventure trailer on the Knob Ridge road, but I wouldn't take the Intech on any of them due to the size and unruly pin striping that would result.
For my experience, all of the campsites have a groomed forest road to reach them, so your not likely to require anything hardcore to get into the site.

We certainly like the hardside weather protection that the Pursue offers compared to the RTT, (especially for winter or wet camping) but they each have there pros' and cons'.

Kevin

 

[K9LTW]

If your putting a RTT on top of the Explore, understand well what will be required to deploy and pack down in the rain at that height. It will not be as easy to reach as what you have now. Also understand the weight capacity of the trailer and the added items such as the tent up high for handling.

No worries there. I’d only use the RTT on my roof for times I wouldn’t use the trailer.

The roof rack on the trailer is pretty...meh. I also don’t care for the A/C as that seems to be a common point of failure on rough roads. But to get one without that, you’d have to special order it then wait for them to actually take the time to halt production of the common ones... likely resulting in months and months of waiting.

I did find the Facebook group... and the buy/sell one . Trying to tell myself I need a new garage before we pull the trigger on any camper.