Camping/ Atv & Utv Suggestions

[Elite7]

Guys my wife and I are looking at getting a small lightweight toy hauler for future vacations and hunting trips. I don't have a lot of experience hunting out west, but am hopeful to not miss another year until my health prevents it. Some of the roads to the trailheads are pretty tough on a nice truck and I would like to have a atv/ utv to navigate those types of roads.

We are looking at something like the Forest River 18EC or a Quick Silver toy hauler. We currently own a fourwheeler and side by side for our farm. Our problems/ questions are the following:

1. If it is just us we would take the four wheeler and camper along. The truck could haul the four wheeler back in forth from area to area if we camped far away or needed to relocate areas to find game. I am asuming this is the best route?

2. If there are more than two of us we would either need two four wheelers or to bring the atv and utv. I am not sure how it would be possible to move locations or if we camped away from our specific area, how would it work to haul them?

3. I feel like the utv would be much more comfartable and more useful for our packs, but we would then have the same problem as stated above in number 2 about moving from location to location.

I realize the easier option may be to just let my newer truck take a beating or have a designated hunting truck, but i can't really justify trusting a hunting truck coming from Missouri to the western states. I have considered the wall tent and trailer similar to randy's combo, but my wife and soon to come daughter may have some issues with the tent life.

I would appreciate any insight or suggestions you guys might have regarding my situation and concerns.

 

[Redman]

I have a River Side Camper and I would not want to take it out West in the mountains. Where I work we have enclosed trailers like Randy and some on a larger scale. I have kicked around getting one and modifying it a bit. Wood burning stove, couple windows, fold down beds, small sink, fold down table, LP tanks for small stove and lantern lights. Every thing folds up out of the way for 2 four wheelers. I know these trailers can handle just about anything and if you beat them up they are easy and cheap to repair. You can also modify them anyway you like.

 

[pwrwgn57]

In some cases you may be able to park the toyhauler in a location and then ride the atv/utv from there, that's what the wife and I did the other year in CO. This year we'll be out there but hunting a different area where we can't ride directly from the toyhauler so I'm renting a 5x8 trailer for the week so that I can move my atv to different locations and ride from there.

You could also look at one of the above the bed atv/utv haulers depending on what kind of truck you have. They're not cheap but you can carry 2 atv's or a utv that way.

 

[esracerx]

A toy hauler where I go would be pushing it. I wouldnt want to take something really nice and new and just beat the hell out of it. Does sound kinda fun if it wasn't mine though. Are you planning on sleeping in the hauler? Not sure what you have in the way of vehicles but you may want to consider a 4 person utv. Rather than have 2 vehicles on those 4 people hunting trips I'd drop 2 people off and then go to where I want and pick them up on the way back. When it's just you and the wife take an atv.

Me being cheap, and a welder by trade I built my own trailer to suit my needs. It has tie downs, ramps that slide under, the water tank with 12v pump that has a solar panel that feeds a portable tankless water heater. I built a basket that fits into the rear hitch of the atv to hold either propane or water jugs or gas cans. On the tongue I built a rack that fits 2 large coolers. Some of that I didnt get done in time the first year we took it out west (atv rack and cooler rack, thats why the tongue is long.) But its all good to go now. I made my own winch mount so the winch can be placed on the front or the back of the atv. That means the rack for the atv can also be moved to the front when you have some nasty ruts and clearance issues. When its empty and hooked up to the truck I can lift the back end of it myself

 

[Elite7]

I will have to check out trailer rental costs. I agree the problem with a toy hauler would be that it would limit how far I can go in some areas. The four person idea is a consideration. Currently I only see it being my wife and I on most trips until our kids get old enough. I'm sure my old man will come along a few times but he will most likely only be able to do easy hunts due to knee surgeries. Trying to find that fine line between giving my wife the luxury and safety she wants vs me getting my desired camping spot.

 

[IDFireLass]

Toy haulers are transmission killers. They will kill your truck faster than any other trailer out there.
No one will buy the correct size of truck one really needs to pull those over priced pieces of crap. They aren't built that well have the cheapest foam and other materials in them. I wouldn't buy one.