Advantages of TT:
inexpensive to buy
lower overall height allowing access to more places
if under 7500 or so pounds all up loaded, can be towed by 1500 truck
( advantage of 1500 truck, will have slightly nicer ride when empty, which you may like while out exploring in it solo )
Disadvantages of TT:
none really, if the "advantages" are important to you.
Renting to try out is going to be fairly expensive. Personally I wouldn't do it, but then others think it's a really good idea.
As long time boy scout campers, you probably already have a pretty good and experienced idea in your head what you want.
When it comes to the "capabilities of modern trucks", including 1/2 ton models ( 1500 ) I would strongly suggest you do a LOT of research to suss out what the real truth is about payload, GVWR, etc.
There is good information out there. Internet forums often have a great deal of misinformation though, that keeps getting repeated. I suspect that perhaps some folks believe if they keep repeating something over and over, that somehow makes it "true".
I'm not generally a fan of renting things, unless it's something I only need for a day or two, because as a person who has been the guy "renting it out" over the years, I can say in general, the folks doing the renting are the ones making out financially. But again, others will state some advantages to it.
Some folks are better at thinking their way through what their needs, wants, desires are. Others may to actually do the activity to get a feel for it. No real "wrong" answer to either way.
best of luck. It's a huge amount of fun being out here, and having your own bed, you're own coffee maker, the ability to stay warm and dry when it's cold and wet out is really, really nice.
