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 been noodling on the Wrangler vs Gladiator tradeoffs. If you really want flexibility you want the shortest wheelbase like 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!

So then it becomes- what does the Gladiator do that Wrangler doesnt?
Or a Bronco, or another 4x4...like a crewcab shortbed taco? About the same total length as Gladiator, correct?

Me I like hard sided SUV/CUV format- all my stuff is safe and properly packed its enough.

And new enough then stuff works and not a lot of customization needed...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 so all the approach, departure, breakover angle stuff 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'd be 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?

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.
 

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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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