The Best Off-Road Camper Trailers For The Money

Ranging from mere cargo storage with minimal camping accommodations to fully-livable campers, off-road trailers are a great option for overlanding adventures or even extended camping trips. Once you’ve reached your off-the-grid destinations, you can unhinge these units for a stationary home base while you head out exploring with your truck or SUV. 

Gliding with the spirit of horse-drawn trailers of America’s past, these hitched campers predate, in a sense, gas-powered vehicles themselves — not to mention paved roads. Today’s trailers, however, are even more capable, with modern tech that lets them traverse rougher terrains and state-of-the-art amenities to make it so you won’t want to go back home. To help you navigate the competitive market, we’ve put together a guide to the best off-road trailers to tow for your next excursion.

What to Look For in A Camper Trailer

Weight: Before you make any trailer purchase, make sure you know the max payload of the vehicle that will be doing the towing. A heavier camper/trailer means that you will need to use more of your car or truck’s horsepower and, thus, use more gas along the way. It will also affect the ease in which you will be able to handle unpredictable terrain. Heavier loads don’t always perform better off-road, although there are some that can.

Ground Clearence: For an off-road camper, ground clearance is of supreme importance. If you’re planning on doing some overlapping as well, you’ll want maximum possible departure angles and enough room to traverse over higher water levels.

Sleep Space: Not everyone will want a camper you can sleep inside (some may prefer a rooftop tent instead), but if it’s in your budget, you might enjoy the comfort and warmth of interior sleeping spaces. However, campers will also be heavier than just low-profile trailers.

Storage: Chances are, if you’re traveling away from civilization for an extended period, you’ll be bringing a lot with you — at least enough to be prepared for any situation. That means you’ll need room to store those provisions. A good camper will have plenty of storage options, often both inside and outside.

Amenities: If you’re gone for days, if not weeks, at a time, you’ll want to have some extras to aid you on your journey. Some campers have full bathrooms, sizable kitchens, and even washing machines. Solar panels are another popular feature in today’s market. Know what you’d like to have along the way, and how much you want to stay connected to the comforts of your own home.

Sunnyside Boony Stomper

Tested on rough terrain and at high speeds, the Sunnyside Boony Stomper is made to be a lightweight sleeper cabin for overland adventures so that you hardly even notice it’s there at just 600lbs. Weighing around 600lbs, the Boony Stomper rides on an independent trailing arm suspension with load-adjusting shocks and has a deceptively roomy cabin that’s 76” by 46” with carpeted walls and headboard, linoleum floors, and overhead storage cabinets. Plenty of add-ons are available as well, such as Jackery power stations and a roof rack.

Taxa Outdoors Woolly Bear

Since it launched back in 2017, TAXA’s popular Woolly Bear has been a perennial favorite among off-road campers and tailgaters alike. Designed for a new generation of explorer, the basecamp boasts a thoughtful design that features an economically-configured full-size outdoor kitchen, a pull-out cooler, and plenty of storage. The rooftop also holds a 2- or 3-person tent, with adjustable risers and a steel cargo deck underneath. On the road, the Woolly Bear is lightweight and rides with a torsion axle suspension, electric brakes, and all-terrain tires.

Schutt Industries XVENTURE XV-3

Optimal for lighter SUVs and Jeeps, Schutt Industries’ XVENTURE XV-3 is a solid entry-level, bare-bones camper option that’s compact but definitely tough. Built with an independent torsion axle, electric drum brakes, and a multi-axis max coupler hitch over a military-grade chassis, the XV-3 can easily handle rough terrain, while the slide-out kitchen, aluminum flip-up table, 360-degree lighting, and 22-gallon water system help ensure its livability on any adventure. Not to mention, the pop-up roof tent that hovers above the cargo bed is as durable as it is comfortable.

Australian Off Road Sierra Z

A smaller version of the brand’s Sierra, the Sierra ZR is for those who want to truly live the off-the-grid experience. With space up top for two rooftop tents, the downsized trailer still has fridge and shower options, a side-mounted kitchen, and 60L of food-grade water storage with an additional option of another 140L for longer stays. The departure angle on this thing is ridiculous at 40.7 degrees with an independent trailing arm suspension with a variable rate coil spring, a high-tensile steel chassis, and a RAPTOR-coated body.

Escapod Topo2

With the original Topo coming to an end after the 2022 production year, Escapod has found a more-than-adequate replacement. Built upon the idea of creating the ultimate off-road teardrop camper, the Topo2 is made from a single piece of composite fiberglass with a sturdy PET core constructed from recycled milk cartons. The brand’s own shock-in-spring Freeride Suspension System enables this unit to venture wherever it needs to go, while the living amenities ensure that you have everything you’ll need, including a full-size sink, a two-burner stove, a 140W Lightleaf solar panel, and extra room for a fridge add-on. What’s more, the array of modular shelving and storage doesn’t detract from the sleeping space, which can handle two adults comfortably.

Patriot Campers X1-H

This low-profile camper pops up in seconds via remote control and, depending on which configuration you choose, can sleep up to eight people, including living quarters with a gel-topped, pocket spring mattress, accessible via a Tentstep staircase. Choose between two different suspension options for off-road capability and a 40-degree departure angle, along with a Rigilite chassis, Maxtrek tires, and rear recovery points. You’ll also benefit from solar power anywhere you go with the fixed 120W panel on the roof. 

Opus OP-15

With the luxury and interior comfort of a class A RV and the off-road capability of the most impressive overland vehicles, the massive OP-15 from Opus sleeps up to four people with a king-sized bed and twin bunk beds. Other amenities include a full outdoor kitchen with a slide-out four-burner stove, a sizable refrigerator, and a full bathroom and shower. Eleven windows open up for an ultimate connection with the outdoors and the roof expands for up to 6’6” of headroom. As for off-road capabilities, the OP-15 boasts dual shock absorbers and a trailing arm independent suspension for each wheel, all under a galvanized steel chassis.

BRS Offroad Pursuit

One of the best campers at balancing luxury with capability, and in a compact unit, the award-winning Australian-made Pursuit from BRS Offroad features off-road performance and the comforts of a hotel, with a slide-out shower, queen-sized mattress, plenty of storage, and a large inside kitchen setup that includes two 30L fridges and a four-burner stove — and a barbecue Sizzler outside. Sporting a 300W solar panel, the roof angles down in the back, allowing for optimal placement of the large window above the bed for stargazing at night. On the road, the Pursuit taxis well with a Cruisemaster suspension and hitch.

Black Series HQ17

Black Series has a wide range of rugged off-roaders, but the HQ17 does well to balance cost with performance. At 24ft in length, the HQ17 is the smallest model with four wheels, with room for two spare 265/75 R16 Good Ride M/T tires on the back. The minimum ground clearance on this trailer is almost 12” and the armored chassis makes it easier to cross higher water levels. Likewise, the two pairs of independent suspension systems are designed to match the movement of the vehicle in front. For luxurious living, you’ll find space for five people to sleep comfortably inside, as well as a bathroom and a sizable kitchen.

Bruder EXP-6

Available in both roof-lift and fixed-roof options, Bruder’s highly-capable EXP-6 is a super rugged trailer built on the brand’s innovative proprietary off-road chassis and suspension systems that lessen terrain’s impact on the tow vehicle and have the ability to lift single wheels in case of a flat tire. Both spacious and dynamic, these beastly campers sleep up to six and are totally customizable, with over 600W of solar power, several awning options, and even a washer/dryer add-on available.

The Best Rooftop Camping Tents

Found the perfect trailer? Grab a tent to sleep in from our guide to the best rooftop camping tents for outdoor excursions.