Let’s see those 200s camping….. (1 Viewer)

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Not quite camping, but took the family out to the lake for the day yesterday. First time away from home since the little monster was born 3 months ago. 1.5 hours on pavement, another 1.5 hours on dirt; the kid tolerated this pretty well. Being in nature was simply the best therapy we could have hoped for.

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Just got back to Michigan from a camping trip to the west coast. Lots of pics; here's one of a nice campsite at Silver Falls State Park in OR on a rainy afternoon. At another site in OR we had a cougar calling in the huge trees right beside our camper late one night.

I figured 13.1 million revolutions of the crankshaft and 52.44 million spark plug firings for the trip. I guess I better go change the oil again.


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Camped.....in the backyard. LOL

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2018 Intech Flyer Pursue, being demoed with purchase in mind. This would be our first "RV" of any kind. Any thoughts/experiences/opinions on these trailers?
 
Pretty sweet that it's one big piece of welded aluminum. We had a hiker trailer (similar boxy "teardrop", but more bare-bones) and eventually determined it was not enough creature comfort for the wife. I loved it though. Light enough to grab it by the tongue and move it around by hand. If it passes the wife test, I don't see why not.
 
Camped.....in the backyard. LOL

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2018 Intech Flyer Pursue, being demoed with purchase in mind. This would be our first "RV" of any kind. Any thoughts/experiences/opinions on these trailers?
They're a neat little teardrop, but...

Lots of complaints about InTech on various Facebook groups. For example, the SOL line often has axles that tear off the (poorly-welded) mounts.

It's tiny, and not being able to stand up gets old pretty quick.

Any trailer, whether it's a small "military" off-road box (with a RTT) or a 30ft behemoth will be severely limiting your off-pavement travels, so if that's your thing, you might as well get a larger, more comfortable unit; your limitations will be largely the same.

An AC in a unit of that size is rather pointless. If you're using an AC then you're in a park with hookups, and if you're in a park with hookups, you sure as heck don't need an off-road oriented trailer and might as well get something more practical.

Without knowing your specific needs/wants, my suggestion is to rent a few larger travel trailers (20ft range) and get a feel for what it's like to camp with those before making any decision.

From experience, I'll add that:
- East-west beds suck big time. Nothing worse than crawling over your other half in the middle of the night.
- Being able to stand up is a huge plus.
- An interior toilet, especially one with a portable tank that you can dump into any backcountry toilet, or even gas station toilet, is a huge plus. And you don't need to constantly look for sani-dump stations.
- A small interior kitchen will be a life saver when you get to your campground and realize that you're basically there to feed the local mosquito population.
 
Appreciate the input so far. @eatSleepWoof I perused your conversion thread this AM and that is some super impressive stuff.

Anyway, as far as specific needs/wants, our starting point is that we just need more space to carry our stuff, and we need something to hold the stuff full-time so it doesn't have to be dragged out of and then back into the basement each weekend. Tents, bedding, camp kitchen, coolers, water, camp furniture, boats (alternately 1x canoe, 2x SUP or 4x hardside kayaks) etc etc. We like toys and don't travel light. Bikes almost always go. There is so much stuff to load, it would be really nice to just have a rig more or less ready to roll. The other issue is space. The Sienna carries the most stuff, but it is no bueno off-road. We do enjoy Govt campgrounds with their nice picnic tables, running water and washrooms but it is such a PITA to get a site these days that we're more likely to be in dispersed camping....which is going to involve some dirt. As a typical example, here's the setup last weekend:

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Super sweet spot. You can't see it but the river is just behind the trees. Not far off the highway but the access included a 15% (or better) washed-out section then a pretty good chunk of moguls, with some puddles of unknown depth for good measure. It's not rock crawling but its not the place for a mini-van. Or a larger camp trailer. Or anything that is prone to falling apart. I suspect the Flyer would be fine....? Will have to wait until tomorrow for a bit of off-road testing.

Honestly we don't have much interest in traditional RV camping. I could possibly be convinced but wife is dead set against it. That said, we've both long envied clamshell teardrops for their cool kitchens and storage space. Think T@B 320 CS-S. They are spendy though, especially the newer "Boondock" models, and they are just not super practical, no real roof racks and they don't have this kind of access for gear:

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The package is a memory foam bed. It's a queen and it sleeps north-south. I'm ambivelent about using it for sleeping but we put the kids in it last night and they loved it. Our turn tonight. The thought has crossed my mind that it might be cool to put an RTT on top... two up, two down.
 
Appreciate the input so far. @eatSleepWoof I perused your conversion thread this AM and that is some super impressive stuff.

Anyway, as far as specific needs/wants, our starting point is that we just need more space to carry our stuff, and we need something to hold the stuff full-time so it doesn't have to be dragged out of and then back into the basement each weekend. Tents, bedding, camp kitchen, coolers, water, camp furniture, boats (alternately 1x canoe, 2x SUP or 4x hardside kayaks) etc etc. We like toys and don't travel light. Bikes almost always go. There is so much stuff to load, it would be really nice to just have a rig more or less ready to roll. The other issue is space. The Sienna carries the most stuff, but it is no bueno off-road. We do enjoy Govt campgrounds with their nice picnic tables, running water and washrooms but it is such a PITA to get a site these days that we're more likely to be in dispersed camping....which is going to involve some dirt. As a typical example, here's the setup last weekend:

PXL-20230916-013313569.jpg


Super sweet spot. You can't see it but the river is just behind the trees. Not far off the highway but the access included a 15% (or better) washed-out section then a pretty good chunk of moguls, with some puddles of unknown depth for good measure. It's not rock crawling but its not the place for a mini-van. Or a larger camp trailer. Or anything that is prone to falling apart. I suspect the Flyer would be fine....? Will have to wait until tomorrow for a bit of off-road testing.

Honestly we don't have much interest in traditional RV camping. I could possibly be convinced but wife is dead set against it. That said, we've both long envied clamshell teardrops for their cool kitchens and storage space. Think T@B 320 CS-S. They are spendy though, especially the newer "Boondock" models, and they are just not super practical, no real roof racks and they don't have this kind of access for gear:

PXL-20230921-160312083.jpg


The package is a memory foam bed. It's a queen and it sleeps north-south. I'm ambivelent about using it for sleeping but we put the kids in it last night and they loved it. Our turn tonight. The thought has crossed my mind that it might be cool to put an RTT on top... two up, two down.
At the end of the day, everyone's wants/needs are different, and if that configuration works for you, I'd say that's a win. You could certainly do worse.

I'd emphasize considering what kind of weather conditions you may want to camp in, and taking that into account. For example, that awning may prove to be challenging to setup in high winds, or on soft ground where it's difficult to stake it down. I can't tell in the photos, but if there's a gap between the awning and the trailer, that may allow water to leak down in rains. Think about that kind of stuff, as little details can make a big difference.
 
The family gave me a weekend reprieve to go canyoneering at Zion with some old friends which we used to do a lot pre wife and kids. Got a spot for one night at Lava Point Overlook on the Kolob Terrace above Zion which is about 10 minutes from the put in trailhead for The Subway.

The cheap and easy sleeping platform I built worked great and out at the overlook was full 5G cell service so I got to sit on the ledge and stream the UofA football game before bed.
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O man. That's up there with my worst fears on the road with trailers. Did someone wave you down? At least you have two axles.

Like @linuxgod , I've thought to carry a whole hub. I have an extra set of bearings and seals so I could rebuild on the road if it weren't grenaded. I carry a non-contact thermometer and will check every so often after pulling into rest areas. I also check the axles on the LX as I'm almost 1k over the rear GAWR. I'm not sure of these nev-r-lube hubs as there's more than isolated reports of them failing like this. It's a chore to repack bearings and I try to stay on top of it, but the old school way almost seem more reliable.

Hope you sort that out without too much trouble and can get back on your trip.
I tow a saltwater boat in Florida year round. Bearing issues are a constant worry for saltwater trailer boaters, as the hubs and bearings are getting dunked in saltwater each time you use the boat. I have bearings repacked annually, hubs changed out every couple of years, and I keep a complete hub and bearings mounted on the trailer with my spare tire. It’s still one of my fears, trying to change bearings on the side of the road in the summer heat.

The oil filled kind are not popular here at all, too many cracked housing’s letting the oil drain out.
 
Appreciate the input so far. @eatSleepWoof I perused your conversion thread this AM and that is some super impressive stuff.

Anyway, as far as specific needs/wants, our starting point is that we just need more space to carry our stuff, and we need something to hold the stuff full-time so it doesn't have to be dragged out of and then back into the basement each weekend. Tents, bedding, camp kitchen, coolers, water, camp furniture, boats (alternately 1x canoe, 2x SUP or 4x hardside kayaks) etc etc. We like toys and don't travel light. Bikes almost always go. There is so much stuff to load, it would be really nice to just have a rig more or less ready to roll. The other issue is space. The Sienna carries the most stuff, but it is no bueno off-road. We do enjoy Govt campgrounds with their nice picnic tables, running water and washrooms but it is such a PITA to get a site these days that we're more likely to be in dispersed camping....which is going to involve some dirt. As a typical example, here's the setup last weekend:

PXL-20230916-013313569.jpg


Super sweet spot. You can't see it but the river is just behind the trees. Not far off the highway but the access included a 15% (or better) washed-out section then a pretty good chunk of moguls, with some puddles of unknown depth for good measure. It's not rock crawling but its not the place for a mini-van. Or a larger camp trailer. Or anything that is prone to falling apart. I suspect the Flyer would be fine....? Will have to wait until tomorrow for a bit of off-road testing.

Honestly we don't have much interest in traditional RV camping. I could possibly be convinced but wife is dead set against it. That said, we've both long envied clamshell teardrops for their cool kitchens and storage space. Think T@B 320 CS-S. They are spendy though, especially the newer "Boondock" models, and they are just not super practical, no real roof racks and they don't have this kind of access for gear:

PXL-20230921-160312083.jpg


The package is a memory foam bed. It's a queen and it sleeps north-south. I'm ambivelent about using it for sleeping but we put the kids in it last night and they loved it. Our turn tonight. The thought has crossed my mind that it might be cool to put an RTT on top... two up, two down.

I disagree that small trailers aren’t any more nimble or good off-road than larger ones, we’ve dragged our off-road teardrop on all kinds of trails I wouldn’t dream of taking a 20ft+ RV trailer on. It brings that extra bit of comfort and convenience without spoiling the enjoyment of nature or limiting you to rv parks. My wife and I built ours ourselves (Covid project!). It fits a queen size memory foam mattress with cabinets and a roof vent fan inside (no A/C, it’s not worth it, as others have said), a 100Ah gel cell, 200W of solar on the roof, 30 gallons of water with a kitchen sink and an outdoor shower, a slide out dometic fridge/freezer, led lights inside, outside, and in the kitchen, and 33” Toyo’s with Monroe shocks and smooth ride extra-long leaf springs. It’s been dragged all over the southwestern US, on road and off. I highly recommend off-road teardrop camping!

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I disagree that small trailers aren’t any more nimble or good off-road than larger ones, we’ve dragged our off-road teardrop on all kinds of trails I wouldn’t dream of taking a 20ft+ RV trailer on. It brings that extra bit of comfort and convenience without spoiling the enjoyment of nature or limiting you to rv parks. My wife and I built ours ourselves (Covid project!). It fits a queen size memory foam mattress with cabinets and a roof vent fan inside (no A/C, it’s not worth it, as others have said), a 100Ah gel cell, 200W of solar on the roof, 30 gallons of water with a kitchen sink and an outdoor shower, a slide out dometic fridge/freezer, led lights inside, outside, and in the kitchen, and 33” Toyo’s with Monroe shocks and smooth ride extra-long leaf springs. It’s been dragged all over the southwestern US, on road and off. I highly recommend off-road teardrop camping!

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Very well done on the build.
 
I disagree that small trailers aren’t any more nimble or good off-road than larger ones, we’ve dragged our off-road teardrop on all kinds of trails I wouldn’t dream of taking a 20ft+ RV trailer on. It brings that extra bit of comfort and convenience without spoiling the enjoyment of nature or limiting you to rv parks. My wife and I built ours ourselves (Covid project!). It fits a queen size memory foam mattress with cabinets and a roof vent fan inside (no A/C, it’s not worth it, as others have said), a 100Ah gel cell, 200W of solar on the roof, 30 gallons of water with a kitchen sink and an outdoor shower, a slide out dometic fridge/freezer, led lights inside, outside, and in the kitchen, and 33” Toyo’s with Monroe shocks and smooth ride extra-long leaf springs. It’s been dragged all over the southwestern US, on road and off. I highly recommend off-road teardrop camping!
We brought some friends camping with us to one of our regular spots on private land last year. They have a normal people 24 foot rv and its size was immediately apparent on what I’d consider a cake walk of a dirt road. I had to help them out with our Cruiser and a bubba rope… idk if they will join us down there again.

Cool build as well. Everything you need, nothing you don’t…
 
I highly recommend off-road teardrop camping!

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Nice setup! I prefer the kitchen in the back like yours rather than the slide-out on the Intech. I guess the trade-off is the barn doors for cargo, a useful feature for us.
Do you camp in cold weather? If so how do you heat it?






What are those window coverings?
 
Nice setup! I prefer the kitchen in the back like yours rather than the slide-out on the Intech. I guess the trade-off is the barn doors for cargo, a useful feature for us.
Do you camp in cold weather? If so how do you heat it?
"Cold" is a bit realtive, so my cold might be what other would call totally balmy! I have camped where it got into the high 20's at night and snowed on us a bit. The roof and floor are insulated (not the walls though) so it holds heat ok, and we put in a ~8" thick memory foam mattress which keeps the floor's chill away. We also used a little portable Mr Heater Buddy catalyst heater (CO scrubbing indoor safe version) that we've stuck inside on the shelf to get it nice and toasty before we go to bed, then just bundle in the giant double sleeping bag. Also a definite recommendation, the Teton Sports "Mammoth" canvas double sleeping bag is awesome, it's the same dimenisons as a queen sized bed and super comfy for a couple to share. We have the canvas 20 degree bag, but I thnki they offer a 0 degree Mammoth now too.
 
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