Forum Discussion

soos's avatar
soos
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2013

off road capability

Hi,
I've read several times that the bigger TC you get, the less off roading you will be able to do.
My husband and I are looking at buying a used TC to go to alaska in next summer.
We just started looking and have mostly looked at Lances. Our favorite floorplans are the 1181 and the 1191, although we like the 1050s as well. Part of the reason we want a TC is so we can boondock most nights, and only occasionally stay in a campground.
Will those floorplans work for that scenario (pulling off the road to spend the night) or are they tooo big?
Thanks for any info!

Sue
Truck Campers
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    Nov 11, 2013
    If that's your idea of "off roading" then you can't use campgrounds either, because you have to pull off the road to enter the campground! LOL :)
  • cleary's avatar
    cleary
    Explorer
    Nov 11, 2013
    Hey Sue,

    We've been on just about every good and bad road up here. No problem with the big camper. As for the "frost heaves", just slow down.

    Hope you have a great visit up here.

    Chuck
  • dadwolf2's avatar
    dadwolf2
    Explorer
    Nov 11, 2013
    For truck camper offroad experiences look in the truck camper trip reports and go through most of Whazoo's trip reports. A recent good one was, "2012 Whazoo's trip of a wifetime". Scroll down a ways to see serious truck camper offroading.

    Big truck campers & forest service roads or gravel roads are fine most of the time.
  • kohldad's avatar
    kohldad
    Explorer III
    Nov 11, 2013
    Pulling off and stopping for the night is not off-roading. Just about any TC and 2wd truck is capable of this.

    Off-roading is taking that trail down through the creek to a hidden campsite. Or going down an un-maintained forest service road with washes and ditches. This is where smaller TCs and 4wd become a requirement.

    Even my small TC with limited tanks is good for a week of boondocking. With the size you are suggesting, I could probably squeeze out a month with the DW.
  • rickjo's avatar
    rickjo
    Explorer
    Nov 11, 2013
    Took our 1181 to Alaska in 2009. No problems. We've boondocked with it in all sorts of off-road conditions but found it more useful to work our way up and back using RV campgrounds. There were lots of possibilities for boondocking in AK but more convenient for many adventures to use campgrounds. Town of Seward and Denali NP, for example.

    Biggest problem with heavy camper was frost heaves in highways. It took a toll on our pickup bed and tie downs. Just a pain to pay such close attention to upcoming road issues.

    Rick
  • jmckelvy's avatar
    jmckelvy
    Explorer
    Nov 11, 2013
    IMHO any TC would be fine for use as you describe. I don't consider that "off roading".

    Be sure and "sign up" in the Alaska 2014 thread in the Canada and Alaska Forum. Perhaps we'll see you on the road. :)

About Travel Trailer Group

44,027 PostsLatest Activity: Apr 19, 2019