Why Turtleback Trailers?

It all started with a ground tent and a stock 2017 Land Rover Discovery 5 Td6. Our trips were short and relatively unplanned. We were nimble and our camping set up was simple. Things began to change when we started doing longer trips: more gear, off-the-beaten-path destinations and colder weather. The storage space in the Discovery was filling up fast with all of the gear we were accumulating.

Managing our gear was becoming a become a burden. We could no longer leave for the weekend on a whim. We would first have to ferry our gear from our apartment to our car, then unload and organize all of our gear before setting off on our adventure. When the trip was over, we would lug all of our gear up to the apartment, clean it and then put it back into storage. Not to mention digging through everything to find that random thing you need mid trip. We needed a turn-key, expedition-ready solution where we could leave all of our camping gear and leave on a whim.

Empty-box-style trailers were not for us. We quickly realized that we wanted more organization, cooking space and a power management system for a fridge. We turned to the quickly growing expedition trailer market.

Amenities and quality were very important for us. After researching many different trailers at a variety price points, we decided that we wanted two core things from a trailer manufacturer: a long history of reliability and quality and a manufacturing facility in the United States. Another important factor for us was being close enough to the facility so that we could go back for some upgrades or repairs, if needed.

Turtleback Trailers seemed like the perfect option for us. With their high-quality materials and rugged construction, we knew that this trailer was going to be the right fit. With the optional Icon Vehicle Dynamics suspension package (totally worth it), there was no fear that it wouldn’t be able to tackle what we would go through in the Land Rover.

We also considered Patriot Campers, Boreas Campers, XVENTURE Trailers and Bruder Expedition Trailers. For a variety of different reasons, we decided they were not right for us. Whether it was location, quality, history or price, we decided that Turtleback had the best product offering to fit our needs.

The ordering process was exciting for us as we got to pick out which amenities we wanted, and the ones we could do without. Since we were planning on investing in a pricy expedition trailer, we figured we might as well go all out… we pretty much selected every upgrade possible (so much for doing without a few amenities!). Our trailer (named Shelly) has the dual battery setup, solar controller, electrical ports all throughout, the 270 degree Rhino Rack Batwing awning, a SnoMaster dual zone fridge, king mattress sized CVT rooftop tent, upgraded suspension and matching rims and tires to the Land Rover (I will be posting a more detailed look at the trailer in the coming days). The paint is a thick, glossy bedliner type of material that protects the trailer from scratches or rock dings. I highly recommend this option.

Since delivery of the trailer, we have had many adventures. In the last year, we have put nearly 10,000 miles on the trailer and spent over 40 nights camping with it.

If you want to follow along on our journeys check out @Dirty_Discovery on Instagram. Since there is so much going on, that is usually where we end up posting the most updated stuff!