Lightweight off‑road modern covered wagon
I’ve rattled across deserts in rust‑bucket pickups and watched lesser rigs crumble on volcanic scree, but the Highcountry Unlimited trailer feels like the machine I’d have begged for long ago—a split‑axle survival cart reborn as a sleek, aluminum prairie schooner. It trades horses for horsepower, yet it keeps that outlaw romance of drifting beyond the map and not looking back.
Heritage DNA, Forged in Aluminum
At first glance the Highcountry Unlimited trailer looks like it rolled off a 19th‑century wagon train, but stare a moment longer and the nostalgia peels away to reveal square‑tube aerospace bones, four towering all‑terrain tires, and a dual‑axle walking‑beam suspension that laughs at boulder fields. Highcountry’s founders built it for hauling gear deep into the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, where cell bars vanish and self‑reliance is law.
Walking‑Beam Suspension: Glide Where Others Grind
Most trailers bounce like drunken pogo sticks when the trail lurches skyward. The Highcountry walking‑beam keeps every tire biting dirt, pivoting on its central spine so the load stays level while the wheels march over rocks. With 16‑plus inches of ground clearance and a sub‑900‑pound curb weight, this wagon ghosts through terrain that sends heavier campers to the scrapyard.
Modular Gear Vault, Ready for Reinvention
Pop the drop‑down tailgate and you find a pickup‑style bed perched above a hidden storage tub—two tiers begging for coolers, recovery boards, and enough water to outlast any mirage. Empty, it’s a pure gear mule; loaded with options, it morphs into an expedition base camp. E‑track tie‑downs and 930 pounds of payload mean you can bring the toys and the creature comforts without riding on bump‑stops.
Two Roads to Sleeping Under the Stars
| Package | Sleeping Setup | Notable Gear | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conestoga Camper | Kodiak Canvas truck tent over the 7‑ft bed | Inflatable mattress, sand mat, four 19‑L fuel cans, step bench/ladder | US $21,449 |
| Camp Mansion (soft or hard shell) | 23Zero rooftop tent on cross‑bars | Same core kit, choice of soft or hard shell RTT | US $24,149–25,649 |
Pick Conestoga if you crave that wagon‑top vibe and want your camp tucked low against the elements. Go Camp Mansion for the lofted tree‑fort feel and a faster pack‑down. Either route installs in minutes, leaving daylight for miles instead of camp chores.
Options That Turn Rough Country Into a Resort
Diesel heater with remote ignition for frost‑bite dawns. Propane shower so red dirt stays outside your sleeping bag. Wrap‑around 23Zero awnings that spin shade any direction the sun burns. Build the Highcountry Unlimited trailer bare bones today, uprate it as your ambitions swell tomorrow—no wasted spend, no dead weight.
Who Should Hitch One Up?
- Riders towing UTVs to far‑flung dunes who need a gear depot that keeps pace.
- Overlanders with midsize 4x4s seeking a sub‑1,000‑pound camper that won’t neuter performance.
- Hunters, photographers, and field scientists who vanish for weeks and come back with stories, not broken axles.
Final Verdict: Freedom on Two Axles
The Highcountry Unlimited trailer isn’t just a trailer; it’s a declaration that paved roads are optional. It rolls classic frontier spirit into modern metallurgy and delivers a payload of confidence every time the skyline turns jagged. If your pulse quickens where GPS blinks out, hitch this wagon, point toward the blank spaces on your atlas, and write the kind of tales that only start where pavement ends.
Pros
- Walking‑beam dual‑axle suspension keeps all four tires planted, soaking up jagged trails and safeguarding your cargo from punishing jolts.
- 16‑inch‑plus ground clearance and sub‑900‑pound curb weight let midsize 4x4s tow the rig into territory that would strand heavier campers.
- Modular design offers pickup‑style bed over a hidden storage tub, enabling flexible load‑outs from gear‑hauler mode to fully fledged base camp without wasted space.
- Two factory “sleep systems” (Conestoga truck‑bed tent or Camp Mansion rooftop tent) give buyers plug‑and‑play shelter options while preserving upgrade freedom.
- Generous 930‑pound payload means you can haul recovery boards, fuel, water, and toys without flirting with the weight limit.
- Broad menu of accessories—diesel heater, propane shower, 23Zero awnings—lets owners tailor comfort to climate and mission instead of paying for features they’ll never use.
Cons
- Entry price north of US $21 K is steep for a trailer that still lacks hard‑wall living quarters, plumbing, or a built‑in galley.
- Canvas truck‑bed tent and soft‑shell rooftop options offer minimal insulation and security, leaving you exposed to heavy weather and campsite critters.
- Setup still demands manual tent deployment and ladder climbs, which may frustrate travelers chasing quick overnight stops.
- With only a two‑adult sleeping berth, families or larger crews must add separate sleeping arrangements or look elsewhere.
- Optional gear—heater, shower, premium RTT—pushes the final bill well past the base MSRP, eroding the trailer’s weight‑to‑value advantage.
Verdict
The Highcountry Unlimited trailer rides the line between rugged utility and romantic frontier nostalgia, delivering first‑rate off‑road manners, impressive payload capacity, and a modular architecture that grows with your ambitions. It’s an inspired choice for two‑person teams who prize mobility and gear volume over residential luxuries—but the premium pricing, soft‑wall shelter, and limited sleeping capacity mean it won’t replace a full‑featured caravan. Treat it as a rolling gear vault and lightweight camp platform, and it will carry you far beyond the end of the pavement with style to spare.
From $21k
If the Highcountry Unlimited trailer feels like a modern covered wagon, the LittleGiant CrashPad is its nimble guerrilla cousin—lighter, cheaper, and ready to blitz any backroad without sacrificing comfort. Tipping the scales at just 590 lb yet boasting a 1,500‑lb payload, this galvanized‑steel workhorse hitches to everything from crossovers to full‑size SUVs, while its independent torsion axle and 15‑inch ground clearance shrug off ruts that would rattle bulkier rigs. Flip the HexCap™ hard‑shell cover, slap the Velcro‑mounted tent into place, and you’ve got a weather‑sealed sleeping deck over a gear‑gobbling basement in minutes—no fiddly poles, no extra tools. Inside, modular beams create a 400‑lb‑rated platform that stows away for bike‑hauling daylight runs, and the transformable tailgate doubles as a cushioned bench or 54‑by‑24‑inch side table for camp‑side tasks. Factor in the 2,000 mm‑rated tent fabric, lockable latches, and a wallet‑friendly $6,998 sticker, and the LittleGiant CrashPad delivers nearly everything the Highcountry promises—rapid setup, serious cargo capacity, and off‑grid resilience—at a fraction of the weight and cost, making it a savvy pick for bold explorers who count every dollar and every pound.
