If there's one thing no one can complain about these days is a lack of options, especially when it comes to towables. But what's missing is a towable that can do it all, and that's precisely what the Ultralite from Next Adventure Trailers aims to be.
It's ok if the name Next Adventure Trailers, or NATs for short, doesn't ring a bell. That's probably because the company is a recent arrival to the market, and a small one, at it. But it dreams big and it hopes to make that dream possible with help of the Ultralite, its first – and only, as of this writing – model for an off-road toy hauler with camper capabilities.
Like many other good products, the Ultralite was born out of personal experience, one which entailed a certain amount of frustration because the RV market didn't offer a towable with a more "do it all" approach. There are countless toy haulers to choose from, and many of them of solid quality, but they don't offer camper capabilities, so you have to choose between shelter for your toys or yourself in camp mode.
Overland trailers fit the bill for adventurers looking to go off the beaten track, but they have limited to no capabilities for gear hauling. They're solid options if you're only traveling with an e-bike or smaller gear, but not if you're into dirtbiking or the likes. Motorhomes are too big and limiting, campers too small and poorly made, and traditional camping in a tent is the least appealing solution for this scenario.
Photo: Next Adventure Trailers
So NATs designed a toy hauler that tries to do it all. It's a toy hauler (duh) and works exclusively as one, but it also has off-roading capabilities and offers shelter for two adults traveling in the towing vehicle. It's also lightweight and can be towed with almost any off-road vehicle, and, to boot, it can be specced to offer RV-style amenities in a very compact footprint.
If there ever was a unicorn of off-road toy-hauling and overlanding, it must be the Ultralite, at least according to the official description. Introduced just a couple of years ago and boasting of being made 100% in the U.S., it claims to be the only off-road micro toy hauler with camper capabilities, bridging that narrow but seemingly unbridgeable gap between toy haulers and travel trailers.
Just to make sure, the Ultralite is basic in terms of camper capabilities, so don't expect motorhome-like features. "Our purpose is to get people outside with some comforts," NATs says, and it does just that. The Ultralite is a toy hauler with a pop-up tent on top and optionals like cabinetry, a galley, and extra storage.
Photo: Next Adventure Trailers
Built with a fully-welded steel frame with oversized 4-inch tubing, the Ultralite uses 3M VHB bonding to render the aluminum skin watertight and all-weather resistant, and to reduce body flex so that the trailer can handle whatever abuse comes its way with minimal damage. NATs says that their build process "ensures a very light and strong platform that the RV industry simply can't match," but doesn't get into the specifics.
The same goes for the "ultra-light" descriptor. The company says the trailer can be towed by virtually any vehicle and is light enough to be maneuvered into position by hand, but doesn't put an exact figure on it except to say that "most" units will be under 2,000 lbs (907 kg).
The towable itself serves as secure and enclosed storage for a dirtbike, MTB, or kayaks, which can remain stored inside even at camp thanks to the pop-up tent upstairs, which becomes the bedroom and lounge. It offers 300 square feet (28 square meters) of space and comes with a built-in mattress, lighting, and optional heating and cooling.
Photo: Next Adventure Trailers
Other optionals include a galley, a bathroom with shower and a toilet, a pressure washer, a BBQ grill, and fully customized exterior with shovels, fuel cans, water tanks, jacks, and whatever else you think you might need to make your adventures as comfortable – and safe – as possible. Needless to say, these optionals will be taking up extra space inside the box while adding to the final tally.
NATs says that a standard Ultralite is 10-14 feet (3-4.2 meters) long and can be towed with any car with a 2,000-lb (907-kg) tow rating. Pricing starts at $14,500 and goes as high as your needs and your budget allow it. For example, the most recent Ultralight variation unveiled by NATs last year is the Ultralite Ultra-Tough, specced for extreme off-roading and with no amenities inside the box.
We reached out to Next Adventure Trailers for more details on the exact build process and actual numbers, and we'll update the story when and if we hear back. Until then, we have the promise of an off-roading unicorn for a very specific type of adventurer, bundling camper-like amenities with overlanding and toy-hauling capabilities.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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