Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives offroad and minmalist RV/trailers for hunting in cold weather

I just did 9 days of Muley hunting with a pop-up. I was planning to just ground tent camp but since my wife came as well as my two boys, oh yeah, and my non-hunting dog (he stays in the trailer until after-hours because he'll chase deer), I rented a pop-up and it's a good thing because we had weather as cold as 8 deg. F and wind some days. I know some people roll with 5th wheels and everything. I've rented huge trailers and motorhomes of all sizes too but not for hunting. The pop-up I rented was a beater and I'd never want to own it, but I saw possibility in the concept. It had high ground clearance and an ATV rack on the front which I just used for coolers and gear boxes. I pulled it with my old-school land rover which is what I use in the field, though I do the hunting on foot not from the drivers seat. I came across one fella who was just car camping with a Cherokee and an ATV, and another guy had a tent on a utility trailer. I'd do something like that if I solo'd but I'll be up to four people and a dog for at least 5 to maybe 10 years (then the kids will probably be doing their own thing).

One of the reasons I like a pop-up better than a full-height trailer is the lower wind drag and lower weight. I have one of those full-size "HD" 4x4 trucks that is a great tow vehicle but no good offroad. The land rover is what I want to take and it is wimpy at towing. I also don't want a heavyweight trailer offroad.

On this last trip, all our water and liquids froze solid, and other trips will be colder, below zero. Water, sewer and greywater tanks and plumbing will fail unless they're heavily insulated and that all adds weight. So I'm looking for something lightweight and simple. Just want to sleep, change clothes, cook and eat out of the wind. My little 4x4 doesn't have a lot of room for gear when it's loaded with four people and a big dog, so having a trailer to haul gear/coolers and so on also helps a lot.

I considered just a utility trailer to carry gear and tent, but I'm glad we had a pop-up tent trailer because I don't have a tent that's very comfortable for more than a couple days. Still, I don't really care for the soft vinyl sides of the pop-up. This one was 12 years old and it was bad. I remember when I was a kid in the 70's, we had a popup with fiberglass panel sides. It wasn't rugged though.

For the future, I thought about a utility trailer with a wall tent, but that much flat ground is not common. We got the trailer level by perching it over the ruts in the downsloping road with some firewood stacked under the stabilizers.

I thought about using hammocks instead of the slide-out beds that a pop-out has. Don't really know what I want yet.

So I just wanted to see what ideas other people have. What works well for camping with a few people when you're hunting in cold weather?

Have one of these ordered....build date is 3/21 (ish)

Currently a 12 month wait....ordered ours 7/20

Custom built in Coalville Utah

Totally not everyone's idea of the perfect trailer..weighs 1900# dry

https://escapod.us/

https://aliner.com/campers/expedition/

Might be a little tight for 4 people.

Jumping Jack trailer. Line inside walls with reflectix insulation for very cold weather

4 people and a dog?

Unless you want a 22+ foot travel trailer, go with a canvas wall tent.

You can pack all your stuff, atv, tent, etc....in a ute trailer behind the rover. They can be very comfortable and warm with a decent stove.

The tear-drop pod trailers are light and aero. Might be the ticket for one or two people, but not four. Not having standing room is ok if you can cook and eat outside in reasonable weather, otherwise it's nice to be inside when the wind is blowing ice in your face at a constant 25mph.

My neighbor used to have a shop and make offroad jeep trailers, some with pop-up Maggiolina or other roof-top tents. I suppose they're similar in that there isn't much space out of the weather -- just enough to sleep.

I get it. Most RV's are designed for summer because few want to RV in bad weather.

The Aliner Expedition - that looks great. I wouldn't want to afford a new one, but I see 10 year olds going for about half price. I can't think of anything it wouldn't do that I'd want, but it might be more complicated than what I need.

A cargo trailer conversion might be good for what I want. Starting with a cargo trailer with a side door, add some swing-down cots or bunks, basic kitchen and gear storage and I'd probably have everything I need. I'll just have to rent a standing-inside-height cargo trailer and see how my 4x4 tows it. I'm worried the height will create too much drag.

My 4x4 has a 4.0 liter v8 torque and plenty of gearing to pull the weight -- it's the horsepower for high speed drag it's weak on. Part of the problem is the high speeds. In my state, the 18-wheelers in the slow lane go at least 80 mph (the posted limit) and we have steep grades. I can't go 60mph without a train of big rigs swirling around to get past me. Drives are long too - can be 10 to 12 hours from home to a hunt unit. So whatever I get, I've got to be able to pull it at 80mph up grades for many hours with a fairly weak 4x4. No way I'm upgrading the 4x4 either - it's already a colossal money pit. Besides, I already have a HD pickup tow-rig, I just don't like to hunt with it compared to the little 4x4.




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The limiting factor here is the width of the wheels. So, if you can't fit it in a narrower hole anyway, why not widen the box to the outside of the wheels? Having the box this narrow wastes a huge amount of storage space.

Also, if it's 10F outside, I'd rather be inside doing the cooking. Screw standing out in the cold freezing your fingers off.

Just bought an older 22' 2 axle to pull with my 5.0l f-150. Put new tires on it and had the wheel bearings packed. Don 't plan on using the plumbing this late in the year but a warm place out of the wind to cook and sleep was wanted and needed. I just got old and need these things to still have fun in the field. 4 burner stove & oven, furnace. Hope it works out. Mb

Take a look at a Hi Low. My college buddy from Casper tells me that pop ups get torn up by the winds they get out there. Plus soft sides are prohibited where grizzlies roam. Not that a hard side would stop them.

ALL Travel Trailers are POS no matter the price.

If you plan on towing a TT down a two track sooner of later you will tear the axles off.

I agree, for your situation I think this would be the most practical and economical.

When you're spending time in a very cold environment it is nice to have an insulated travel trailer with furnace. I have spent time at high elevations, in snow, during very cold weather, and been very comfortable and happy to be in the 18' single axle 1958 Airstream trailer I had at the time. It utilized a propane-fired floor furnace for heating and is what I would consider the minimum size for four people. The single axle allowed it to be extremely maneuverable on remote dirt roads. And the overall size was never a hindrance.

The Timbren axle-less help with that:




Those and taller tires.

But generally speaking I agree with your assessment of travel trailers. That's why I rent them instead of buying. I can return the junk to the rental place, a little more beat than it already was, and all it's problems become someone else's.

Now I'm curious what you suggest? What have you found that works better?