My husband and I purchased a Hiker Trailer at the beginning of 2023, and have spent over 90 nights camping in it since then. We camp year-round, and have taken our Hiker Trailer to a variety of places from the ocean to the top of a 12,000 ft.+ mountain pass. If you’re considering purchasing one then keep reading for my complete Hiker Trailer review.
If you’re not familiar with the Hiker Trailer brand, they’re an affordable custom off-road camper company in the United States. They’re similar to teardrop campers, but are rectangular rather than teardrop shaped. Hiker Trailer has a variety of base models, including trailers with major off-road capabilities. They’re also fully customizable, so you can tailor your trailer to your needs.
We ordered our Hiker Trailer in October 2022 and picked it up in January 2023. The company was really easy to work with when it came to making customizations and providing updates. We opted to get the Mid Range Deluxe 10 ft. model to maximize cabin space.
Here are just a few of the places we’ve taken our Hiker Trailer:
- Across southern Utah
- Yosemite National Park
- Mendocino, California
- Stanley, Idaho
- Grand Teton National Park
- Across western Colorado, including Telluride, the San Juan Mountains, and Crested Butte
Hiker Trailer Review
My husband and I had been wanting to upgrade our camping setup for a couple of years before purchasing our Hiker Trailer. A van was out of our budget, and an RV was too big, so he did a ton of research to find a smaller camper that fit our needs and kept coming back to the Hiker Trailer.
For context, we don’t have any children at the moment, but we often camp with our dog, Becket, who is roughly 45-50 lbs. The Hiker Trailer fits a double mattress comfortably with room leftover for Becket’s dog bed and storage.
One of the biggest perks of getting a Hiker Trailer is its ability to navigate rough terrain. We’ve taken our Mid Range Hiker Trailer on some rough 4×4 trails, and there’s an Extreme Off Road model that can handle even more extreme terrain. You also don’t have to weatherize it during the winter because there aren’t any water lines, so it’s a very low-maintenance rig.
The biggest drawback isn’t necessarily an issue with the Hiker Trailer itself, but rather an issue with small off-road teardrop campers in general – you can’t stand up inside. If you’re just looking for a place to sleep, and want to prioritize time outdoors and getting to remote areas, then a Hiker Trailer is perfect for you. But if you want room for a place to hang out with a kitchen inside then you’re going to want to look into a different type of rig like a van or larger travel trailer.
The Hiker Trailer fits our needs really well for our current stage of life and camping style. We’ve added personal touches like black-out curtains, reading lights, and a comfortable bed inside, which really amps up the coziness. Having the Hiker Trailer has made it much easier to get prepared for last-minute camping trips because we already have everything we need organized and ready to go.
How We Power Our Hiker Trailer
In order to power our Hiker Trailer we purchased an EcoFlow portable charger. The Hiker Trailer really doesn’t use much power (primarily just the lights and fan), so a fully-charged battery is more than enough for a weekend camping trip, but we also have portable solar panels to recharge just in case. My husband built a stand out of PVC pipes so we can easily set up the solar panels and move them around to maximize the sun exposure.
How We Heat & Cool Our Hiker Trailer
My husband and I camp year-round, so having a way to heat and cool the camper is essential. In order to heat our Hiker Trailer my husband rigged together a Chinese diesel heater and aluminum duct that brings warm air directly through one of the vents that we added. Having a Hiker Trailer has helped make winter camping a lot more accessible, because it’s easy to stay warm and comfortable.
To keep the Hiker Trailer cool during the summer we added a roof vent and a Maxx fan, which works really well. There are also windows on both sides of the camper for cross-ventilation. We typically try to avoid camping in super hot areas, so a fan is perfect for our needs. Hiker Trailer also has the option to add rooftop AC if you camp in hot climates. Ultimately the Hiker Trailer has pretty low energy needs to keep it climate-controlled, which has made our camping setup more sustainable.
Upgrades We Made When Customizing Our Hiker Trailer
One of the biggest reasons why we opted to purchase a Hiker Trailer is because they’re customizable and well built. They offer dozens of optional add-ons so you can create the perfect camper for your family.
We made quite a few substantial upgrades to our Mid Range Deluxe 10 ft. trailer, which I dive into below. I also share whether or not we’d still make the upgrade if we bought a new Hiker Trailer today.
1. Second Door & Screen Door
We made a few upgrades to the standard doors on our Hiker Trailer. The first upgrade was adding a second door so that we could both easily get in and out during the night without disturbing the other person. We also opted to get black doors instead of white, and added a screen door. This allows us to leave the main door open and get fresh air without inviting bugs inside.
Cost:
- Second door: $350
- Screen door upgrade: $440
- Black doors: $100
Would we add it again?: Yes to all of the upgrades.
2. Shower Room
One of the custom upgrades that we made to our Hiker Trailer was adding on a shower room. The shower room is made by 23Zero, and provides a private area outside of the camper. It’s attached directly to the side of the Hiker Trailer and is easy to set up and put away.
Truthfully, we don’t actually use our shower room to shower. Instead it primarily serves as a bathroom where we set up our portable camp toilet. We also use it to get changed from time to time.
Cost: $329
Would we add it again?: Yes.
3. Awning
One of the best additions we made to our Hiker Trailer was a 270° awning by 23Zero. The awning is easy to set up and provides both shade and protection from inclement weather. It completely covers our kitchen area, so we can still cook in the rain.
We like to spend as much time outside as possible when camping, so having an awning is essential. While the awning was one of the most expensive additions we added to our Hiker Trailer, it has been a positive addition to our camping experience.
Cost: $1,049
Would we add it again?: Absolutely!
4. 3 Bar Roof Rack
The main reason we decided to add a 3 bar roof rack at the last minute was to have a way to strap down SUPs and other outdoor gear on top of the trailer. While it was a nice thought, we actually don’t use them very often (we typically just deflate our SUPs while traveling). In hindsight we would have been better off just getting 2 bars that we could use to tie down the awning straps.
Cost: $425
Would we add it again?: We would probably get a 2 bar roof rack instead of the 3 bar.
5. Cabinets & Shelves
The stock Hiker Trailer models come with a cabinet at the front of the camper and 2 shelves in the galley. They also have a variety of customizations you can add to build it out to your preferences.
We added open cabinets to the back of our Hiker Trailer. We opted not to get doors attached to either the front or back cabinets, which is something we would do differently next time. The Hiker Trailer typically travels smoothly, but sometimes smaller items and books fall out off the shelves.
We added doors to the pass-through window to close off the galley from the sleeping quarters. We also adjusted the height of one of the shelves in the galley to make it flush with the pass through window.
Cost: $180
Would we add it again?: Yes, with additional doors on the cubbies.
6. Extra Flood Lights & Internal Switch
The stock Hiker Trailer doesn’t come with flood lights on the outside, so we opted to add lights to both sides of the trailer, and the back. We also upgraded the lighting system to include switches for the floodlights inside of the cabin space next to the charging ports. As I mentioned earlier, we power our Hiker Trailer with a portable battery charger that we purchased separately.
Cost: $525
Would we add it again?: Yes.
7. Spare Tire
We added a spare tire at my request just to have some peace of mind in the event of trailer trouble. Fortunately the tires that the Hiker Trailer comes with are tough and we haven’t had any issues, but you never know what may go wrong on the road.
With that said, the spare tire is one of the few upgrades we made that we probably wouldn’t add again. The tire adds a lot of extra weight and was fairly pricey, and according to my husband, we have other ways to take care of a tire issue.
Cost: $505 including mount + tire
Would we add it again?: No.
8. Electric Brakes & Autobrake
I insisted on adding electric brakes to the axle of the Hiker Trailer for added safety and security. The electric brakes help take some of the pressure off of your tow vehicle’s brakes. Whether or not you need electric brakes really depends on the vehicle you have. We tow our Hiker Trailer with a mid-sized truck so they’re nice to have, but not totally necessary.
Depending on your tow vehicle you may also need to add an autobrake to your Hiker Trailer in order to use the electric brakes. My husband’s old truck didn’t have an autobrake, so we added one to our build, but the truck he drives now has its own.
Cost:
- Electric brakes: $390
- Autobrake: $450
Would we add it again?: We would add the electric brakes, but we don’t need the autobrake anymore.
9. Toolbox
We got a large black toolbox mounted to the front of our Hiker Trailer for extra storage. This is where we keep our propane fire pit (and extra propane), portable camp toilet, tools, water, and other miscellaneous pieces of camping gear. Hiker Trailer also has an option to add a fridge box, but that’s a much more expensive addition.
Cost: $495
Would we add it again?: My husband wouldn’t add it again, but I would.
10. Propane Tank
We opted to mount an 11 lb. propane tank to the outside of our Hiker Trailer to make cooking easier, but we could have gotten away with a smaller tank. If we had a shower we’d probably get more use from the 11 lb. tank, but we barely use any propane just cooking,
On the side of the Hiker Trailer my husband added a bar to mount a table next to the kitchen and propane tank. He had to screw the bar directly into the wall of the camper, which was nerve-wracking, but the table has been one of the best additions to our Hiker Trailer.
Cost: $285
Would we add it again?: Yes, but we would get the 5 lb. tank.
11. Vents & Fan
As I mentioned earlier, we added vents to the cabin along with a rooftop vent and a Maxx fan to keep our Hiker Trailer warm during the winter and cool during the summer. They also have AC and heater add-ons, so you have some options when it comes to choosing the right type of climate control for your Hiker Trailer.
The only issue that we’ve had since getting our Hiker Trailer is losing a screw that holds the plastic frame around the fan inside the cabin. It’s a very minor problem that we’ve largely just ignored because it doesn’t affect the fan. We’ve put over 16,000 miles on our Hiker Trailer and have taken it down some gnarly roads, and it’s still in excellent condition
Cost: $585
Would we add it again?: Definitely.
How Much Did Our Hiker Trailer Cost
The total cost of our Hiker Trailer, including all of the additions and transport fees was $17,338. Keep in mind we built our Hiker Trailer at the end of 2022, so prices have since gone up (the base Mid Ranch Deluxe 10 ft. trailer is now about $500 more than when we purchased ours).
Even though prices have gone up, Hiker Trailer has also continued to innovate and improve the design of its trailers. They’re incredibly well made, and ours is still in great shape after almost 2 years of pretty heavy use. Ultimately, I would definitely recommend getting a Hiker Trailer if this type of off-road teardrop camper is best for your camping needs. It’s a high-quality build and fairly priced, so you get a lot of bang for your buck.
Have any questions about owning a Hiker Trailer? Leave a comment below!
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