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
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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!
 
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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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.
 
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.
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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.
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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...
We just replaced our subaru outback with a Toyota RAV4 PHEV and the fuel economy is so much better!
 
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