Gravel road rated

There are lots of companies offering off road trailers. But of course they are much more heavily constructed so to stay within your weight restriction you would need to get a much smaller trailer without all the amenities. Expensive too. Some are expandable to try to compensate. Take a look at opus camper for example.

And no rpods don't really hold up better than expected. There are lots of reports of bent axles, frames, sagging floors, and cabinets shaking loose, etc on this forum and elsewhere.


IMHO there ain't no free lunch. To paraphrase the old saying: light weight, robust construction, space, choose any two. So consider getting a heavier TV if you have the coin, or just travel VERY SLOWLY (like walking speed) when you get on rough roads. The latter is what I did. You get there eventually and without damage, just have to be patient.

Wow, the smallest one is over $70k and weighs 4400 lbs dry. You could buy a really nice heavy TV for that. Overkill for the Parkway for sure.   

But your Sonoma is not really towable by a 5000 lb rated TV like the OP has, right LA?

Possibly one of the NuCamp Tabs might work ok with care on FS roads. They are light enough for a 5000 lb TV and (I think) better constructed relative to FR products.

We bought the 20’ Gastropod 179 in 2016, then the Ridgeline the following year. They are a beautiful pair and match our needs perfectly. My garage limits my truck size and my truck size in turn limits the trailer. We have several favorite lakes in Montana and Wyoming we have traveled up to with the pair, learning not to stow heavy items in the trailer and how to make minor cabinet repairs when we did. After the first year of destruction, I slowed down significantly and left much earlier in the day. What I am seeing now isn't too bad all in all - it is a big box swaying much more than a structure of that volume should without internal bracing.

Originally posted by lostagain The GVWR of our trailer is 4400 lbs., so it would give a tad better than a 10% margin with a 5000 lb. towing capacity.

10% margin on towing capacity but not on GCWR. With a realistic 800 lbs of people, supplies, gear and a wdh in the Rigdeline, it is at 97% of gross combined vehicle rating. Still legal but marginal.

You have to remember that tow ratings do not assume a fully loaded tow vehicle. You'd have to check the tongue weight and rear axle load as well, tongue weight is very likely over. And a wdh does not give give you any weight increases.

I'm sure your Sonoma is a great trailer when towed behind an F150 which is significantly more capable than a Ridgeline or the Highlander I have. But it's too much trailer for that TV, especially considering the rough/steep road use case.