Are your RV fantasies undermined by your small car reality? Same here. One possible solution: the Utilitoy, a simple, lightweight camping trailer that can be pulled by most 4-cylinder cars.
The base model of the trailer weighs 962 pounds and has a tongue weight of 80 pounds (the weight that pushed down on the hitch). It costs $7,450.
Scott Williams, the owner of the Utilitoy company, said the trailer was designed as a gear hauler that converts into a sleeping platform that can include comforts such as air conditioning. By constructing the trailer out of composite and an aluminum frame instead of the plywood and steel typically used in teardrop trailers, Williams made the trailer room while keeping it light. The interior can be hosed out after use for easy cleaning.
Williams said he began designing the trailer in 2003 for his family and decided to start selling them after he couldn’t find a similar trailer on the market. He said he first thought motor sports enthusiasts would be the most likely customers, but has discovered that mountain bikers, climbers and paddlers dig the utilitarian ethos of the trailer.
“We have seen that this group is more accepting of an unconventional design that demonstrates a high level of smart technology,” he said. “This group subscribes to the philosophy that less is more, loves the multipurpose aspect of the toy, which provides a solution to hauling there toys and gear with the car they already own. And most of all, they understand that the goal in traveling to the outdoors is about doing just that… being in the outdoors, not in your camper.”
The Utilitoy is positioned to compete with the SylvanSport Go ($7,495), another lightweight car trailer that combines the concepts of mobile toy box and sleeping shelter. The major difference is that the Utilitoy offers a rigid outer shell while the Go, which weighs 800 pounds, features a gear cage and popup tent design
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