Transitioning from Roof Top Tent to Tent Trailer

So why did I decide to get a trailer for my tent? While we have been very happy with the rooftop tent, there are some downsides that a trailer would resolve. First downside was putting the tent on the roof of the car before each trip and taking it off after returning. I made a pulley system that I used to lift the tent in the garage and drive under it to mount the tent. Some people are able to lift the tent in place with two people, however, my wife is short and the car roof is high. Using the pulley system, I was able to take the tent on and off in about 45 minutes.

 

The second major factor was having to open and close the tent and remove all the gear in order to drive each day.   This meant that we were not able to set up a campsite and leave it in place. There were other smaller annoyances that contributed to the decision as well; wind noise while driving, reduced gas mileage, and negotiating a six foot ladder in the middle of the night.

 

I decided to buy the Yakima Easy Rider adventure trailer which includes a rail system specifically to mount rooftop items. This is designed as a two tier trailer where canoes and kayaks can be mounted below. This major advantage allows us to carry both the rooftop tent and our tandem kayak at the same time (which I was unable to do when the tent was mounted on top of the car).  I made a plywood floor for the bottom so I could mount storage boxes, carry our kayak, or both.  I will go into more details about this trailer and how I modified it in a future post.

 

I had room in our garage to store this trailer. Because of the low ceiling height, a hard side trailer or RV would not fit.  I am able to leave the tent on the trailer during storage and keep my bins packed for the next trip. It is very easy to hook up and go!