If you love heading off-road in your 4WD, then an off-road camper trailer is a must-have.
Off-road campers can handle the same rugged terrain as your 4WD and are equipped with accommodation, power, water, and even a kitchen!
In other words, an off-road camper turns your 4WD day trip into a multi-day camping trip.
Are you convinced that off-road campers are the best? Next, you must start looking for them for sale and find the best camper trailer.
To help you out, we've compiled a checklist of the top features to look for in an off-road camper trailer.
Top Features That You Need In An Off-Road Camper Trailer
Off-Road Ready Suspension
If you're a regular off-roader, you already know the importance of good suspension. Even if your fully equipped 4WD suspension is for off-roading, your camper trailer should be, too.
If you don't want your vehicle to bounce around like popcorn in a microwave, you must invest in a trailer with a high-quality suspension.
Read about a few ways of suspension that assist your camper in off-road conditions:
- It will improve steering and vehicle manoeuvrability.
- It provides clearance to prevent the underside of your camper from hitting the ground on undulating surfaces.
- This will ensure that your tyres always make solid contact with the road or track for increased control.
- This will stabilise your camper and car to prevent losing control and rolling your vehicle.
- Improves overall performance, condition of tyres and brakes, and fuel efficiency.
So, what type of suspension do we recommend? We generally turn to independent suspension systems for off-road environments, such as the market-leading Cruisemaster independent trailer suspension system with airbag or coil spring technology. The Cruisemaster system is equipped with both Patriot Campers and Lifestyle Campers.
Plenty of Protection for the Underbody
The bottom of the trailer should be a top priority to make your camper trailer truly off-road ready. Even with great suspension and adequate ground clearance, the underside of your camper will encounter plenty of stones, twigs, mud, and dirt.
To protect your trailer, it's essential to ensure the underbody is well-sealed and finished with protective coatings.
The Type of Hitch
The tougher and rougher the terrain you are driving on, your hitch will need to be more robust. You will definitely need more than a standard ball and hitch set-up; in many cases, you will need a fully articulating hitch.
A hitch with full vertical and horizontal articulation allows your car to face in one direction while your trailer faces the other without risking rolling your entire ride.
This is important because your camper trailer is always trailing behind you, meaning it could still be tackling a tricky piece of terrain after your car has already come off it.
A hitch like the Cruisemaster DO35 off-road hitch allows your trailer to zig while your vehicle zags, which is essential in off-road settings.
Electric Brakes and Brake Controllers
If you're taking your camper off-road, ensure it has electric brakes and get an electric brake controller for your tow vehicle.
Most camper trailers come with brakes, but these won't always be electric brakes. In rare cases, your camper trailer won't have any brakes. Buying a tow vehicle with an electric brake controller is rare, so you must invest.
Electric brake controllers are essential for some reason. Read about them below:
- In Australia, it is mandatory to have an electric brake controller equipped if you're towing over 750kg
- Modern electric brake controllers have proportional braking. This ensures that your trailer brakes in the same way as your tow vehicle. So, if you're slamming on the brakes or brake gradually, then your trailer will do the same.
- Electric brakes also allow you to adjust the trailer brakes manually to suit different off-road terrains. This allows your brakes to act independently of your tow vehicle. For instance, you might lock the brakes on a steep descent while descending and keep the trailer straight behind your vehicle. Or you might go for softer braking to prevent bogging in sandy or muddy environments.
Water and Dust Protection
One of the big benefits of off-road camper trailers is stopping for the night, cooking a meal, and sleeping in your camper. So, the last thing you want is to open up your camper only to find dust or water have found their way in.
To prevent water and dust ingress, look for fully sealed camper trailers with adjustable latches to strengthen the seal further if necessary.
You can also look for trailers with positive pressure systems. These systems prevent dust and water ingress by pushing air out of any gaps that appear in your camper. You will prevent dust and anything else from coming in by pushing out clean air!
Overall Build Quality
If your camper trailer is really built for off-road driving, then every inch of it will be designed for strength and durability.
We're talking about high-quality materials like marine-grade aluminium and hot-dipped galvanised steel.
We are also talking about intelligent design and fabrication, such as lightweight bodies, generous ground clearance, and departure angles.
These are the main features of a camper trailer that you need to look into in off-road settings.
The Dimensions of Your Camper
When it comes to off-roading, you don't want a trailer with too much height, width, or weight. Here's why:
Height:
A tall camper trailer will have trouble parking under covered spaces and struggle to clear low-hanging branches and other overhead obstacles on off-road tracks.
Width:
A trailer that's far wider than your vehicle is an obstacle when you go off-road. It will struggle to clear tight trails or navigate around obstacles that your tow vehicle can easily clear.
On the other hand, a trailer that's too narrow usually compensates with excess height, and we've already discussed the problems this can cause. A tall, skinny trailer is also far more prone to tipping, especially on off-road tracks.
Weight:
A heavy trailer might be challenging, but it can also be like an anchor, weighing down your tow vehicle.
The last thing you want when you're climbing a steep track is excess weight. However, an ultralight trailer might not be cut out for off-roading.
When looking at weight, remember that there is kerb weight and ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass). Tare weight is what your trailer weighs in manufacturer condition before you add all your gear.
When you add all your gear (the Payload), you get the ATM, the true weight you'll be dealing with when driving off-road.
Plenty of Camper Trailer Storage
One of the benefits of an off-road camper is the ability to take everything with you on a multi-day 4WD adventure.
That's why you need a camper trailer with plenty of space to pack your clothes, food, bikes, camping gear, and everything else you want to bring with you.
Look for an off-road camper with plenty of drawers, shelves, and compartments to store your equipment safely and securely as you bounce around rough terrain.
You might need space for water tanks, gas bottles, BBQs, camping cutlery, clean and dirty clothes, and much more.
So, when shopping for a tradesman trailer, be sure to check out all the storage spaces and extra clever nooks.
Camp Kitchen and Room for Appliances
The camp kitchen is pretty much a mainstay of any camper trailer worth its salt. If you're going off-roading for multiple days, you want a kitchen that makes food prep, cooking, and cleaning easy.
Look for a swing-out camp kitchen with gas burners, running water, a generous pantry, stainless steel sinks, and plenty of bench space.
Many camp kitchens will have space for everything from a fridge to a BBQ to a blender, but these appliances generally aren't built-in as standard.
You want a camper with a kitchen that includes as much as possible, so all you need to do is add a gas bottle, fresh water, food, and maybe a few extra appliances.
It's also worth ensuring that any appliances that come with your camper - either as standard or an upgrade - are rugged enough to survive the ups and downs of off-road driving.
Final Thoughts
Off-road caravans and campers will let you go anywhere you can in your 4WD. An off-road camper can handle everything from sandy surfaces to steep inclines to muddy trails.
Heading to off-road adventures with a trailer will definitely put your abilities to the test. Your vehicle will all of a sudden be heavier, longer, and possibly a bit wider - and you will need to adjust to these changes.
If you're going off-road with a camper trailer for the first time, consider tackling an easier track than you normally would until you're completely confident with your new load.
A high-quality and outstanding off-road camper will go very well with your tow vehicle, but you will need to adjust your driving style as per the new limitations of your vehicle and trailer. And as always, don't forget to bring appropriate recovery gear when you're heading off-road.