Maximum versatility is the name of the game for the best off-road travel trailers these days. Many trailer makers are going well beyond the traditional teardrop travel trailer mold to create clever trailers that can haul all your outdoor adventure gear, too. Case in point: The all-new Gear Loft from Hiker Trailers.
Get the details on Hiker Trailers’ Gear Loft gear hauler/travel trailer
Fresh on the heels of the Indiana builder’s announcement of its cheapest-ever “cubedrop” trailer, the Highway Lite, Hiker Trailers announced the Gear Loft. At its core, it’s a deceptively simple trailer skeleton that’s purpose-built for maximum modularity, expandability, and adaptability. The 24-square-foot lower deck features a wide, open design to provide mobile universal storage for everything from hiking gear to kayaks to ski equipment to—well, just about anything, really. A length-adjustable tongue offers up to 42 extra inches, making it easy to allow for oversized gear like sea kayaks and larger canoes, too.
But the Gear Loft goes beyond a simple gear hauler with the addition of a customizable upper deck. This two-position adjustable storage loft can be raised or lowered depending on what and how you’re hauling. Hiker Trailers claims it’s sturdy enough to warrant a 400-pound dynamic load and an 850-pound static capacity. All of this makes it the perfect base for mounting everything from roof racks to cargo boxes to larger three- or even four-person rooftop tents. By adding a rooftop tent with top-mounted crossbars (like several of the Tuff Stuff tents Hiker Trailers sells), owners can store even more gear atop the tent itself.
The trailer rides on 205/75/R14 tires with 14-inch rims. Coupled with a total length of around 10 feet and an average build weight of just 625 pounds, it’s designed for smooth, easy towing, even for anyone new to towing. The addition of four integrated stabilizer jacks also makes for easy leveling once you’re ready to make camp.
At first glance, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons to SylvanSport’s multifunction GO camper trailer. It’s a similar design that combines a lower storage deck with a collapsible tent. Like the Gear Loft, it’s part micro-camper and part gear hauler. However, the most glaring difference is that Hiker Trailers’ offering is significantly cheaper.
Score your own Hiker Trailers’ Gear Loft trailer
The Gear Loft trailer is available now with a starting price tag of $4,499 for a base model version that’s essentially just the 4-foot-by-6-foot trailer skeleton with a lower gear deck. For a fully kitted-out version like the one shown above, complete with a rooftop tent, Hiker Trailers estimates an all-in cost between $5,624 and $9,423. Ultimately it depends on the model of rooftop tent and hardware customers choose. The company is well-known for its high level of customization, so, really, your imagination and wallet are the only limitations.
