I just can't decide

[LionelJeeper]

I go back an forth between a RTT, small trailer with a RTT, actual camper, and just a normal old Coleman ground tent (which I already have). I can't seem to make a definitive decision on what to move to next. I'd love to hear your thought processes on what led you to your decision on which one to buy and if you are happy with the choice or what you would do differently. I should add that in the event of a trailer it would be great if my '18 JKU mainly and an plus if my '00 Wrangler could do it too.. I'm not looking for a recommendation on a specific brand or model, but more the community's though process on what style camper you ended up going wtih.

 

[Trail_pilot]

I go back an forth between a RTT, small trailer with a RTT, actual camper, and just a normal old Coleman ground tent (which I already have). I can't seem to make a definitive decision on what to move to next. I'd love to hear your thought processes on what led you to your decision on which one to buy and if you are happy with the choice or what you would do differently. I should add that in the event of a trailer it would be great if my '18 JKU mainly and an plus if my '00 Wrangler could do it too.. I'm not looking for a recommendation on a specific brand or model, but more the community's though process on what style camper you ended up going wtih.

I haven't wheeled with a rooftop tent on my Jeep but for me it would be too much weight up top, its just not suited for my vehicle. As for the trailer option, I love it and considered it myself until I remembered I really don't like roof top tents. I used to borrow my buddy's trailer/RTT setup for events and getting in and out of them just seems awkward to me. Also if you go that route make sure the mount the tent so that it opens to the side and not front to back especially if you plan to unhook it ( my buddy's trailer flipped over with someone in the tent because they rolled over the center axis while napping.
I may still ad a trailer but for me ground tents or hammocks are my way to camp.

 

[B-R]

If we are traveling a route then RTT is on truck. If day trips out coming back to Base Camp we take trailer with RTT this saves daily set up and pack up time We enjoy the consistency of the RTT If out without the better half then its a hammock for me

The one major downside to the RTT is the midnight restroom trips Ladders suck when half asleep

 

[FishinCrzy]

Pulling a boat sometimes makes A RTT a big plus. It's also very comfortable and the hardtop version is the only way to go since it's much easier setup and takedown. I solved the midnight nature calls with a good screw top jug. I have setup a small tent before to stow my things and keep my campsite but that is rare. I have eliminated a table for cooking by just doing it on the tailgate and/or the long stool I still carry. Everybody has different needs but I am happy with my RTT for now. Sleep better in it than home bed.

 

[ADValex]

I decided to go the trailer w/ RTT route because it seemed the most flexible. There are definately pro's and con's both ways.

Pro's:
-No RTT on vehicle when DDing it
-Can still fit in garage
-No heavy RTT on roof on technical trails
-More storage space than I know what to do with
-Can set up camp and then leave to go exploring without taking down tent/breaking camp
-Can leave trailer ready to go at all times aside from perishables which makes leaving for camp after work a breeze.

Con's:
-Parking/backing a trailer is less convenient or sometimes impossible
-Takes up a space in the garage
-Cost of trailer (mine is actually pretty cheap!)

 

[LionelJeeper]

One of the big things I keep coming back to is an actual trailer would be hard sided and I would just prefer that when it's cooler or the weather isn't so great. Hmm....

 

[Zillon]

One of the big things I keep coming back to is an actual trailer would be hard sided and I would just prefer that when it's cooler or the weather isn't so great. Hmm....

Any trailer you choose will need to be fairly light with a low tongue weight, otherwise your Jeep won't be very happy (the JKU has a 350 lb tongue weight rating when equipped with the tow package, with a 3500 lb towing limit).

I towed my Intech Pursue with my JKU Backcountry for a short while, but decided it was too much tongue weight for the Jeep to handle ultimately, and moved to a WK2 Trailhawk, which was a wonderful tow vehicle, but not quite as capable off-road.

You'll also face some challenges when fitting a RTT to a Wrangler, as the roof isn't rated for mounting a RTT.

 

[LionelJeeper]

You'll also face some challenges when fitting a RTT to a Wrangler, as the roof isn't rated for mounting a RTT.

I have plans for a full Rhino rack backbone system to help with that if I go RTT or not.

 

[Billiebob]

I tow a 2000# work trailer almost daily plus a 1500# tear drop with my TJR. The Wrangler with the 4.0L does either effortlessly in the mountains where I live. The JKU might be rated for 3500# and do it well but it has no more power than the 2 door Wrangler so you might struggle with a 3500# trailer.

The one addition I recommend for any Wrangler towing more than 1000# are air bags from Firestone or CoilRite to handle the tongue weight.

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I like the trailers cuz on Friday I trade them and on Monday I drop the TearDrop, couple up the Cargo trailer and go to work. No real packing or loading ever and the Jeep is my daily driver too.

 

[LionelJeeper]

I tow a 2000# work trailer almost daily plus a 1500# tear drop with my TJR. The Wrangler with the 4.0L does either effortlessly in the mountains where I live. The JKU might be rated for 3500# and do it well but it has no more power than the 2 door Wrangler so you might struggle with a 3500# trailer.

Chances are I'll end up using the TJ for solo trips with a tent and JKU for whatever I end up going with. Glad to hear you are doing it with your TJ.

 

[USStrongman]

I'm 300lbs. My dog is 175lbs. That quickly eliminated an RTT on my JKU or a trailer.
I've been grounding it long enough. At 53 I decided to sleep in the back of my Jeep for solo trips knowing we were going the prebuilt overland trailer route.

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[LionelJeeper]

I'm 300lbs. My dog is 175lbs. That quickly eliminated an RTT on my JKU or a trailer.

I have two 60-70lb Golden Retrievers that will sometimes come with us on shorter trips and it would definitely be a chore to have to lift them in and out of a RTT for a bathroom break in the middle of the night.

 

[grubworm]

the wife has a wrangler, but we dont travel with it, instead we use my tundra with a cap on it because it allows a lot more room and it is a much more comfortable and quieter ride. if we did have to take her jeep, then i would use a trailer...either a camp trailer, or small utility trailer with RTT. i dont like an RTT on a vehicle for many reasons, the main reasons are we sometimes pull over at rest areas to sleep and deploying a RTT isnt doable. also, i really dont like having a vehicle trapped by the RTT in case we had to leave quickly and the tent was deployed.

we went with a small toy hauler camper to go with the truck and camper shell set up. its a 5x8 hard side with A/C, slide out galley and various storage. the entire back end is a drop down door and intended to drive a 4 wheeler up in it and carry on trips. i like that because it makes the camper more versatile where we can load a lot of stuff in it easily (big totes) or just drop the back door and have a nice scenic view, etc. im sure a utility trailer with RTT would also easily accommodate a 4-wheeler, kayaks, etc.

a camper like that makes a great base camp where we can store everything in the camper and have the vehicle freed up for driving and exploring. i can also load a lot of crap on the camper, like a kayak, extra fuel, solar/battery set up, etc without having to mount stuff to the vehicle.

i also like the camper because we can park it and keep it ready to go at a moments notice. if we took the jeep, we would have to load it and go thru all of that as well as have to have a seperate place to store all the gear, where with the camper, all the gear stays in it.

another benefit is having the camper at home where sometimes when several of the kids visit and the spare bedroom is full, they can sleep out there and its handy during storms because when power is out, we can use the solar in the camper to charge phones, flashlights, etc and cook with the slide out galley.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

It all depends on your age IMO. Like so many have stated here, overlanding has so many variables to consider and they change as you get older. I think your comfort level should be your guiding factor combined with the cost factor.

Do to health reasons I was forced to make changes for my adventures if I wanted to continue the trek to the outback. I've always enjoyed camping with whatever equipment I had that met the conditions of camping (cold wet or hot dry) that existed for the season.

I have chosen to go the small cargo trailer route. My choice was made for financial reasons. It's a cheaper way to go because you can build it up to suite yourself and your comfort level over a period of time. If your physically able you can go the @BillyBob route and accomplish the same thing.

As it is I dont really have to build anything in my trailer to be able to go on the road. I can just throw all my gear in the trailer, strap it down and hit the road. I dont really have to worry about unloading it as it makes a good place to store my things from the weather and not take up garage space. I will still take my t3 Gazelle, a canopy shelter, a potty-shower shelter for just in case I want to establish a homestead (smile) for long long stays.

Whatever you do, do it with keeping in mind your future needs. I only made the decision to go with the cargo trailer knowing I would have go make some sacrifices on where I could take it. Because I chose a 6x10 foot model instead of a 4x6 or 5x8 I will be sacrificing some places to go BUT I can go a lot of places still, which is what I want !

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

the wife has a wrangler, but we dont travel with it, instead we use my tundra with a cap on it because it allows a lot more room and it is a much more comfortable and quieter ride. if we did have to take her jeep, then i would use a trailer...either a camp trailer, or small utility trailer with RTT. i dont like an RTT on a vehicle for many reasons, the main reasons are we sometimes pull over at rest areas to sleep and deploying a RTT isnt doable. also, i really dont like having a vehicle trapped by the RTT in case we had to leave quickly and the tent was deployed.

we went with a small toy hauler camper to go with the truck and camper shell set up. its a 5x8 hard side with A/C, slide out galley and various storage. the entire back end is a drop down door and intended to drive a 4 wheeler up in it and carry on trips. i like that because it makes the camper more versatile where we can load a lot of stuff in it easily (big totes) or just drop the back door and have a nice scenic view, etc. im sure a utility trailer with RTT would also easily accommodate a 4-wheeler, kayaks, etc.

a camper like that makes a great base camp where we can store everything in the camper and have the vehicle freed up for driving and exploring. i can also load a lot of crap on the camper, like a kayak, extra fuel, solar/battery set up, etc without having to mount stuff to the vehicle.

i also like the camper because we can park it and keep it ready to go at a moments notice. if we took the jeep, we would have to load it and go thru all of that as well as have to have a seperate place to store all the gear, where with the camper, all the gear stays in it.

another benefit is having the camper at home where sometimes when several of the kids visit and the spare bedroom is full, they can sleep out there and its handy during storms because when power is out, we can use the solar in the camper to charge phones, flashlights, etc and cook with the slide out galley.

View attachment 185167

Good way to go if dont need height.

 

[Sidetrekked Overland]

I've had a rooftop tent since January 2016 and have used it quite a bit. I was trying to make the same decisions you did. What I ended up doing was both. I acquired a homemade trailer for free and then rebuilt it and put square tubing on top to hold my RTT.

It holds all my camping gear plus a whole bunch of "just in case" stuff. I installed electrical and water and even put an instant water heater in it (which I've never used). It's 5' x 8'. Early on I had a Tacoma and bought two bed bars for it and later a full rack system so that I could slide the RTT over to the truck if I didn't take the trailer or leave it on the trailer if I took it. The trailer is also a good place to store it.

I wasted over $1000 on the AllPro rack because what we typically (always) do is park the trailer and then drive around. Now I have a Ram 2500 so the rack sits next to my barn collecting dust because it only fits a small truck. For what I've spent on racks I could have built a pretty decent trailer if I didn't have my other one.

Also, they don't have to be some crazy luxury living system. Build a rack for the tent and a small area below for plastic tubs to start with and go from there while you figure out what you really want and need. I'll add some pictures to show my trailer. I have a list of things I want to change/add but that's part of the fun.

Good luck with your decision. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Alanymarce]

I go back an forth between a RTT, small trailer with a RTT, actual camper, and just a normal old Coleman ground tent (which I already have).

None of the above.

We have the vehicle set up to sleep inside - a few minutes to set up on arriving at a camp site (and to prepare to leave). CoG is low. Works well for us. If you're more than two people (or have a big dog or two) then this will obviously not work.

 

[FishinCrzy]

I wasted over $1000 on the AllPro rack

You can probably sell that fairly easily. Everything overlanding is hot and somewhat hard to get right now. I sold a soft top RTT much quicker than I thought I would and had to turn down one person. Tacoma stuff is probably the easiest to unload.