Hello everyone! We're looking for campers who tow with a Jeep Gladiator.

W

Wenders & Larry

Newbie
Dear Forum Friends,

My husband Larry and I (tent campers during our 42 years of marriage) recently ordered our first mini camper from Camp Inn. It will be ready in March, and we are beyond excited for the big day! In the meantime, we have our eye on a bright green Jeep Gladiator to pull our new camper. We welcome any comments about the Gladiator, especially from people who may already own one.

Now for a brief introduction. Larry and I are both educators. Larry is a professor in the Earth and Atmospheric sciences department at Central Michigan University and loves teaching geology and hydrogeology. Hopefully, Larry will retire sometime in the next two years. I am newly retired (WOO-HOO!) after 32 years of teaching; and although I have taught students of all ages (from Kindergarten to CMU elementary education majors), my favorite students have always been my amazing 6th graders. We are outdoorsy people, and our two favorite journeys were backpacking across Isle Royale and backpacking from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to the North Rim. We have a 34-year old daughter named Rebecca, and we both come from large families. We have enjoyed taking our godchildren, nieces, and nephews on camping trips every year, ever since Becky was in elementary school.

Now that we are of retirement age, we are looking forward to changing things up a bit by hitting the road, sleeping on a real bed, and joining the mini camper community! After visiting the Camp Inn facility twice, we fell in love with the gorgeous teardrop and raindrop campers! And the galley ... OH MY GOODNESS!!! I can't wait to organize all our kitchen stuff!! We eventually decided on the Raindrop so that we could easily share the sleeping space with our yellow lab Darcy!

As the newest newbies, Larry and I are hoping to learn from all of you in the coming years. Until next time,
Wendy (and Larry) Lemke
 
WELCOME!
Have you been to a CICO? Will you be able to come this year? Its so exciting and fun to walk through a park full of camp inn trailers as well as many different versions of home builts and brands.
If you can be there you will be so welcomed !
Congrats!
Jenn #452. 550 ultra.
 
Wenders & Larry said:
Dear Forum Friends,

My husband Larry and I (tent campers during our 42 years of marriage) recently ordered our first mini camper from Camp Inn. It will be ready in March, and we are beyond excited for the big day! In the meantime, we have our eye on a bright green Jeep Gladiator to pull our new camper. We welcome any comments about the Gladiator, especially from people who may already own one.

Now for a brief introduction. Larry and I are both educators. Larry is a professor in the Earth and Atmospheric sciences department at Central Michigan University and loves teaching geology and hydrogeology. Hopefully, Larry will retire sometime in the next two years. I am newly retired (WOO-HOO!) after 32 years of teaching; and although I have taught students of all ages (from Kindergarten to CMU elementary education majors), my favorite students have always been my amazing 6th graders. We are outdoorsy people, and our two favorite journeys were backpacking across Isle Royale and backpacking from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to the North Rim. We have a 34-year old daughter named Rebecca, and we both come from large families. We have enjoyed taking our godchildren, nieces, and nephews on camping trips every year, ever since Becky was in elementary school.

Now that we are of retirement age, we are looking forward to changing things up a bit by hitting the road, sleeping on a real bed, and joining the mini camper community! After visiting the Camp Inn facility twice, we fell in love with the gorgeous teardrop and raindrop campers! And the galley ... OH MY GOODNESS!!! I can't wait to organize all our kitchen stuff!! We eventually decided on the Raindrop so that we could easily share the sleeping space with our yellow lab Darcy!

As the newest newbies, Larry and I are hoping to learn from all of you in the coming years. Until next time,
Wendy (and Larry) Lemke
Click to expand...
In gorgeous, Monterey , CA
We have a great condition 560 Ultra camp Inn, 2016, $23000, alll beautifully hand made. Birch wood inside.
See Camp Inn camper YouTubes for details.
Call or text Char for our photos.
, 831-392-5128
 
I don't camp with a Gladiator but I do a 98 Cherokee ;) Thought right now its in serious need of an alignment.

I'm with Jenn, if you can find time to make it to CICO which is coming up fast (Camp-Inn Camp-Outt by Camp-Inn Travel Trailers) you'll get to meet a very eclectic, exciting, a vibrant group of old friends that you never knew you had! You're welcome to come in any tow vehicle, and camping setup you have -- we even let tent people join us :D Its in Necedah, so you can get to meet the people who are building your camper. Its an awesome time, and if you can swing it worth the trip.

You're going to thoroughly love your CI when you get it. If you can't make it to CICO, look at Tearjerkers.net -- a forum which is past its glory days, but still a place where you can find your state chapter, am meet other tiny-camper minded people, though many of these will be larger 'teardrops' like the T@B or T@G, and many other brands --- some even homemade. They ahve an active calendar of gatherings (what we call it when we get together for a group camping weekend.

There is also the Crossroads of America gathering (of teardrops) that weekend in Brown County State Park in Nashville Indiana (INDIANA!!!) which is at Brown County State Park -- frankly, the crown jewel of state parks in Indiana. There is a lodge there if you can't find a way to camp...this one fills up fast, you may not be able to reserve a spot. Good luck.

Hope to meet you soon!
 
Well, You got the CI as glamping land yacht dialed in, and I for one prefer having real 4x4 if going solo.

I'm just BSing as I dont have one but thought a kot about it...I've had a few in past tho, and...and looking forward to when I've used uo my current TV- VW Alltrack @100,000 miles with some upgrades, mods to make it roughly equivalent/better than a Subaru Outback- mine is AWD but limitation is the gearing which is nowhere low enough to crawl in ruff spots...more of a "soft-roader" than an "off-roader".

So I've been noodling on the Wrangler vs Gladiator tradeoffs. And crushing on the Ford Bronco


Here is my current thinking and interested in feedback:
If you really want flexibility you want the shortest wheelbase like fulltime 20 years living in CI @BEAR here who will say you can spin his CJ? around on a one lane dirt road, and if you can squeeze get by the CI, spin that around too...carefully.

That way you dont have to back uphill all the way out if you find yourself in a deadend. At night. In a desert wash. With thunderheads coming over the hill...ask me how I know!

But thats sort of the extreme case you can avoid by scouting by maps, really good software apps now, or old fashioned get out and walk ahead, use your damn head!

Or just stick to the 90% of the off the paved road places you can get to towing the CI with careful driving. After all, most of the remote tracks in the desert and baja were pioneered bt Model T's and early 2wd pickups...

So then it becomes- "what does the Gladiator do that Wrangler doesnt?" (Or name your other platform""...)

What other 4x4...like a king-cab/crewcab shortbed taco? About the same total length as Gladiator, correct?

Me I like hard sided SUV/CUV format- or a pickup with locksble hard topper.
This way all my stuff is safe and properly packed and less accessible than under a soft top.

And if its new enough then stuff just works and not a lot of customization or tinkering, part searches needed...or a specialized mechanic...finding good VW shops is harder than Jeeps or Fords or Toyota independent mechs and off-road shops as the hobbist base is so much larger...

i just want to camp, and if something breaks on the TV its a common enough platform that lots of shops work on it and parts are easy to get...even in west armpit texas

You arent gonna run the Rubicon or the Bathtub at Moab in a Gladiator or crew can truck or a 4x4 SUV certainly NOT with CI attached so all the approach, departure, breakover angle stuff for rock crawling and extra height and big tires for mudding is immaterial.

Its mostly about space to carry stuff and how you like to roll, with 4x4 to go beyond the softroading where Outbacks do fine all day long towing the CI.

I imagine you are reading Gladiator forums that tow something like "off road trailers". Once you pile a lot of stuff in the Gladiator you lose some payload for towing, iirc.

There are a couple guys who tow with really cool old trucks- @rotus8 ?
@jerrykemp?

And one with a Maverick that works well.

Maybe some lurkers can chime in?
 
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I tow with a Honda Ridgeline pulls great. The one feature I love is the trunk it will hold the Honda 2200 generator, tools, side tent and a whole bunch of other stuff you want to keep locked and dry. Rear split seats fold up for more room, I can keep one seat up and plug in the Dometic fridge with room on the other seat for the dog.
 

Attachments

Carl U said:
I tow with a Honda Ridgeline pulls great. The one feature I love is the trunk it will hold the Honda 2200 generator, tools, side tent and a whole bunch of other stuff you want to keep locked and dry. Rear split seats fold up for more room, I can keep one seat up and plug in the Dometic fridge with room on the other seat for the dog.
Click to expand...
Honda makes good vehicles.
Almost as good as Toyota without the premium for reputation for reliability, which may be a little over blown. They are ubiguitous tho- service shops almost anywhere like a Fix or Repair Daily.

I do like these AWD trucklets for simplicity and lower price. The Ford Maverick took off in popularity with a great low price, but now they are too spendy.

I'm waiting for more reviews how well they tow in sand, mud, etc.

AWD is pretty good but its not 4c4 with low low crawling gear which is needed in some rutted steep USFS and BLM or other nat park dirt roads, or the snow.
 
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I pull my 560 with a Wrangler Sahara JKU - typically get 19 - 20 mpg which isn't much of a drop over std. mpg. Don't really notice that I am pulling a trailer, other than seeing it in the rearview mirror :). I believe the Gladiator has more towing capacity than the JKU.
 
TheSongDogHouse said:
Well, You got the CI as glamping land yacht dialed in, and I for one prefer having real 4x4 if going solo.

I'm just BSing as I dont have one but thought a kot about it...I've had a few in past tho, and...and looking forward to when I've used uo my current TV- VW Alltrack @100,000 miles with some upgrades, mods to make it roughly equivalent/better than a Subaru Outback- mine is AWD but limitation is the gearing which is nowhere low enough to crawl in ruff spots...more of a "soft-roader" than an "off-roader".

So I've been noodling on the Wrangler vs Gladiator tradeoffs. And crushing on the Ford Bronco


Here is my current thinking and interested in feedback:
If you really want flexibility you want the shortest wheelbase like fulltime 20 years living in CI @BEAR here who will say you can spin his CJ? around on a one lane dirt road, and if you can squeeze get by the CI, spin that around too...carefully.

That way you dont have to back uphill all the way out if you find yourself in a deadend. At night. In a desert wash. With thunderheads coming over the hill...ask me how I know!

But thats sort of the extreme case you can avoid by scouting by maps, really good software apps now, or old fashioned get out and walk ahead, use your damn head!

Or just stick to the 90% of the off the paved road places you can get to towing the CI with careful driving. After all, most of the remote tracks in the desert and baja were pioneered bt Model T's and early 2wd pickups...

So then it becomes- "what does the Gladiator do that Wrangler doesnt?" (Or name your other platform""...)

What other 4x4...like a king-cab/crewcab shortbed taco? About the same total length as Gladiator, correct?

Me I like hard sided SUV/CUV format- or a pickup with locksble hard topper.
This way all my stuff is safe and properly packed and less accessible than under a soft top.

And if its new enough then stuff just works and not a lot of customization or tinkering, part searches needed...or a specialized mechanic...finding good VW shops is harder than Jeeps or Fords or Toyota independent mechs and off-road shops as the hobbist base is so much larger...

i just want to camp, and if something breaks on the TV its a common enough platform that lots of shops work on it and parts are easy to get...even in west armpit texas

You arent gonna run the Rubicon or the Bathtub at Moab in a Gladiator or crew can truck or a 4x4 SUV certainly NOT with CI attached so all the approach, departure, breakover angle stuff for rock crawling and extra height and big tires for mudding is immaterial.

Its mostly about space to carry stuff and how you like to roll, with 4x4 to go beyond the softroading where Outbacks do fine all day long towing the CI.

I imagine you are reading Gladiator forums that tow something like "off road trailers". Once you pile a lot of stuff in the Gladiator you lose some payload for towing, iirc.

There are a couple guys who tow with really cool old trucks- @rotus8 ?
@jerrykemp?

And one with a Maverick that works well.

Maybe some lurkers can chime in?
Click to expand...
I found this:
 
Carl U said:
I tow with a Honda Ridgeline pulls great. The one feature I love is the trunk it will hold the Honda 2200 generator, tools, side tent and a whole bunch of other stuff you want to keep locked and dry. Rear split seats fold up for more room, I can keep one seat up and plug in the Dometic fridge with room on the other seat for the dog.
Click to expand...
Hey Carl, is the Ridgeline 7 pin connector wired to actuate the back up light on a Camp-Inn trailer? I’m thinking of getting a Ridgeline to replace our current tow vehicle, and I remember Cary saying something about 7 pin connectors frequently not being wired correctly. I think it was an issue with the backup/reverse light.
 
Casey F. said:
Hey Carl, is the Ridgeline 7 pin connector wired to actuate the back up light on a Camp-Inn trailer? I’m thinking of getting a Ridgeline to replace our current tow vehicle, and I remember Cary saying something about 7 pin connectors frequently not being wired correctly. I think it was an issue with the backup/reverse light.
Click to expand...
Unless the Ridgeline has a built in 7 pin you will either have to wire it yourself or hire somebody to. When I had my Rav4 hitch installed and wired, the backup lights were wired correctly to the trailer. But I think it's pretty uncommon because the guy who did it for me does a lot of trailer wiring and it wasn't something he has had many requests for. Which would tie in with Cary saying they aren't always wired correctly.

And now 5 years down the line I understand why. Although mine works I've never tried to back up in the dark using the light from the trailer. If I were doing it now I'd skip wiring the backup light. It will still turn off and on with the switch which I have found useful on occasion at night.
 
My $.02 --- Watch the help. So many of these 'towing shops' with corporate names attached pay next to nothing to the staff, and will hire anyone who can fog a mirror. Sadly this job (wiring) is usually relegated to the new kid, and in my experience the managers have just been the one that has been there 2 months longer...

I'm sure there are local shops, and places that will prove me wrong, and for that I am thrilled.

Etrailer.com has a dealer network of installers if your only choice is a shop that sells boxes and rents trucks as well as hitches...I can't say they will be much better, but its worth the the phone calls to try to find someone who really knows what they are doing
 
I have the BE black edition Ridgeline model and has the 7 pin connector… I am almost certain the back up lights come on.

Well the few times backing up at night I never had to jump out to turn on the backup light. There was always enough light to see so I think they come on.

Asking the wife…. Uncertain as she is one jumping out to check to be sure I’m not hitting something like a tree.

So hard to see from the drivers seat!!!

I would say with 90 percent certainty they do come on…
 
The backup lights work on factory wired 7 pin connectors on Ridgelines. One of the reasons we are always happy to see a Ridgeline for a tow vehicle, we know all 7 pin are operational.

The vehicles we generally see issues with 7 pins are usually the ones that did not come with a factory installed 7 pin. It is the dealer installed or aftermarket installed (ie U-Haul) where things are either done wrong or omitted. The factory installed 7 pins we see issues with are generally full sized domestic pickup trucks, for some reason they don't enable the charge line at the factory. That requires opening the owners manual and determining what is necessary to enable the charge line like installing a fuse or relay.

Cary
 
Thanks to all for the replies and Cary for the confirmation. I'm hoping to finalize purchase of a Ridgeline this weekend. Cary has told me how popular they are as a tow vehicle, so I think I hear a little voice inside saying "This is the Way".

Life has kept us very, very busy, but it's great to drop back in here. I'm really looking forward to this camping season and seeing everyone at CICO 2026. I still need to pick up our tee-shirts from last year since we had to miss CICO at the last minute. Cary, et al. I have not forgotten!
 
I have a 22 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Tows great. Love the vehicle. Hate the mileage. Slowly waiting and hoping for Subaru Toyota-infused hybrids to build out the line. Right now, they only have the Forester Hybrid, which unfortunately has a 1,500-pound towing limit. But any of the vehicles mentioned -- Wrangler, Gladiator, Ridgeline -- would be great. Depending on off-road intentions, approach, departure and breakover angles are a key concern. (Outback is kinda awful compared to Forester in that regard. And Gladiator is a long vehicle as well.)
 
Sweeney said:
My $.02 --- Watch the help. So many of these 'towing shops' with corporate names attached pay next to nothing to the staff, and will hire anyone who can fog a mirror. Sadly this job (wiring) is usually relegated to the new kid, and in my experience the managers have just been the one that has been there 2 months longer...

I'm sure there are local shops, and places that will prove me wrong, and for that I am thrilled.

Etrailer.com has a dealer network of installers if your only choice is a shop that sells boxes and rents trucks as well as hitches...I can't say they will be much better, but its worth the the phone calls to try to find someone who really knows what they are doing
Click to expand...

I can attest to that. When I had mine wired I went to a few places who were supposed specialty shops but conversations with them led me to think otherwise. I ended up at a one man shop who took over the business from his father many years ago. He knew what he was doing and showed me before I left that everything was wired and working correctly.

Cary was pleased to see it work the first time. ;)
 
Kilometer 31 said:
I have a 22 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Tows great. Love the vehicle. Hate the mileage. Slowly waiting and hoping for Subaru Toyota-infused hybrids to build out the line. Right now, they only have the Forester Hybrid, which unfortunately has a 1,500-pound towing limit. But any of the vehicles mentioned -- Wrangler, Gladiator, Ridgeline -- would be great. Depending on off-road intentions, approach, departure and breakover angles are a key concern. (Outback is kinda awful compared to Forester in that regard. And Gladiator is a long vehicle as well.)
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the hybrid 4runners?
BoF, low-low, rear locking diff, only problem is the price (and the 14" digital display, but I could get used to it for the mapping display...
CarPlay works with Gaia, OnX, AllTrails apps in Ios,
and of course Apple Maps.
 
Casey F. said:
Thanks to all for the replies and Cary for the confirmation. I'm hoping to finalize purchase of a Ridgeline this weekend. Cary has told me how popular they are as a tow vehicle, so I think I hear a little voice inside saying "This is the Way".

Life has kept us very, very busy, but it's great to drop back in here. I'm really looking forward to this camping season and seeing everyone at CICO 2026. I still need to pick up our tee-shirts from last year since we had to miss CICO at the last minute. Cary, et al. I have not forgotten!
Click to expand...
Ridgeline gets good marks by Consumer Reports in mid size trucks:
 
Kilometer 31 said:
I have a 22 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Tows great. Love the vehicle. Hate the mileage. Slowly waiting and hoping for Subaru Toyota-infused hybrids to build out the line. Right now, they only have the Forester Hybrid, which unfortunately has a 1,500-pound towing limit. But any of the vehicles mentioned -- Wrangler, Gladiator, Ridgeline -- would be great. Depending on off-road intentions, approach, departure and breakover angles are a key concern. (Outback is kinda awful compared to Forester in that regard. And Gladiator is a long vehicle as well.)
Click to expand...
We just replaced our subaru outback with a Toyota RAV4 PHEV and the fuel economy is so much better!
 
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