Patriot Campers or Turtleback Owners Question.

[Waltzing Matilda JT]

If you could do it all over again. Would you go with the RTT and no trailer and save the money. If no, why?

 

[BJP]

We have a Turtleback Expedition and have not regretted buying it. It lives in the garage ready to go at a moments notice. I like having our 4Runner without a lot of weight on top and the ability to drop the trailer to run trails without having to pack up everyday. We don’t always take it as there are some trails I am not comfortable pulling a trailer on. We probably tow it on about 80% of our trips which are mostly in the Southwest.

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

I can be out the door in less than 30 minutes as our Patriot is in the garage ready to go besides loading clothes totes, refilling water tanks, hooking up to tow vehicle and stopping off at the local Walmart for curbside grocery pickup. I know of 2 Turtleback owners that switched to Patriot last fall.

Regardless if we're taking my truck or the wife's jeep, neither have anything needing to be loaded in them except for wife and 2 large dogs. When we return, I wash the trailer down, take perishable foods into the house, clothes totes, park it in the garage and plug up the charger.

 

[theMightyGoose]

I posted this on another thread. It's my opinion on trailers vs. vehicle builds. Keep in mind that I've been camping my whole life with just a car and a tent. So, of course, none of this is NEEDED. But we love camping. Everyone should be allowed to have that one thing they spend too much money on...

For the way we camp, the 'Pros' of a trailer far outweigh the 'Cons'.

Pros:

• Trailers can be set up and ready to go at any minute
• They can be pulled by either of our 4x4's, or anyone else's car who might want to go
• The 4Runner can spend the majority of it's days living like a regular 4Runner and less like a Sherpa. I see overland builds which are daily drivers and they do look cool, but I think daily chores would be a bit harder. A trailer means I'm not stressing out the 4Runner 365.
• Ours can hold up to 40 gallons of fresh water
• Two lithium batteries provide 200Ah of energy,
• A trailer can be equipped with a full kitchen, pantry, fridge, cooking area, large propane canisters, and still have tons of internal storage leftover. If you built out an SUV or truck, there isn't much room left after the kitchen and fridge go in.
• Dogs can ride comfortably in the SUV with climate control; no more worrying about the dog overheating or freezing in the bed of the truck.
• The SUV probably performs better, and requires minimal modifications to tow a trailer vs. handle a ton of weight on it's back. Think about a wheel barrow. You can load it with 200 pounds of dirt and move it around the yard fairly easily. Try loading that same weight on your back. That's kinda what your car experiences and is why tow ratings are significantly higher than payload ratings.
• Related to above, A good off-road trailer should have it's own brakes to help stop all that extra weight you bring.
• The trailer can be disconnected in camp and go exploring via 4x4.
• I can bring a lot more stuff in a trailer than I can in my 4Runner.
• Rooftop tent is not as high off the ground, which is good for many people.
• Our trailer is actually more capable than the 4Runner. So we're not limited by where we can go.
• We can sell the 4Runner and get any other car, and still be ready to go camping at a minute's notice; no need to completely build out another car. Also, the trailer will probably outlast the 4Runner (well, maybe. It is a 4Runner after all).

Cons:

• Turning around is harder
• Backing up is harder
• You need somewhere to store it.

The cost comparison of a decent off-road trailer (vs. a truck build) might be less than you think. When you load your car all down with all that overloading gear, you'll probably need to modify the suspension, maybe the brakes, and possibly some other items to ensure it can handle the weight safely. These are some of the costs which don't get factored in to an overland build. If you'e comparing a trailer to just throwing some camping gear in your bed and going, then I don't know what to say. But comparing a well-built trailer to a full overland-built rig is more what I'm referring to above.

We have 2 4Runners and I love that everything is ready at any minute and I can take either 4Runner. The added benefit of knowing my dog isn't suffering in the back of the truck is enough for me. If we had the 4Runner all built out, she couldn't even come at all. When I had my Tacoma with shell, I worried about her when driving through the desert in 120 degree heat. Now she rides comfortably with us. A good off-road trailer is a great investment.

Everyone's situation is different. We prefer a trailer.

 

[1Louder]

Did you read this thread? Is an overland trailer really worth the expense?

There is no comparison between having a trailer and not having a trailer. That doesn't mean a trailer is right for you or anyone one else but you just can't compare have an RTT on your vehicle roof to have a ready to go, gear packed trailer. I don't care which brand or even a DIY trailer. I have owned 5 including a Turtleback.

 

[theMightyGoose]

Did you read this thread? Is an overland trailer really worth the expense?

There is no comparison between having a trailer and not having a trailer. That doesn't mean a trailer is right for you or anyone one else but you just can't compare have an RTT on your vehicle roof to have a ready to go, gear packed trailer. I don't care which brand or even a DIY trailer. I have owned 5 including a Turtleback.

True. You really have to decide how you want to travel and camp first. Then decide which products are best for those needs. Your question is a little bit like, “Should I get a car or a motorcycle?”