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2-in-1 TraiLoft Micro Camper Is an Affordable Solution To Unlock Off-Grid Adventures

This year's glamping season is just around the corner. But most of us don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on a machine you'll use for a few days at a time. For those of us that love to live enveloped in raw nature, the TraiLoft is one option to consider. Let's see why.
TraiLoft Micro Camper 12 photos
Photo: SylvanSport / Edited by autoevolution
Go Easy Kayak TrialerTraiLoft Micro CamperLoft Tent InteriorLoft Roof-Top TentLoft Roof-Top TentLoft Tent InteriorTraiLoft Micro CamperLoft Roof-Top TentTraiLoft Micro CamperTraiLoft Micro CamperTraiLoft Micro Camper
You may have heard the name SylvanSport uttered on autoevolution's pages several times. After all, this American outdoor gear manufacturer has been around since 2004 and is aimed at making outdoor exploration more accessible. One of the trinkets in their lineup is the TraiLoft.

However, it's made up of two systems this manufacturer also sells separately. The Loft rooftop tent is one of the components, and so is SylvanSport's Go Easy kayak trailer. Together, you have an on-road, glamping, and cargo-hauling solution that's only going to run you a minimum of $5,700 (€5,300 at current exchange rates). Let's dive deeper and see if it's worth your bucks.

To make things easier to understand, I'll start my way at the bottom and work my way up. The lower half of the TraiLoft is the Go Easy kayak trailer. According to the manufacturer's website, this trailer can weigh as little as 235 lbs (107 kg) and can carry up to 565 lbs (256 kg) of goods. That's good enough to carry up to four kayaks or bikes and still have some room left over for things like food, water, and tools. Those are to be carried on that diamond-plated deck. More storage is found in that front bin, which is weatherproof.

TraiLoft Micro Camper
Photo: SylvanSport
Even on its own, the Go Easy is one of those $2,700 (€2,500) cargo trailers that can achieve quite a bit. But, SylvanSport seemed to have thought things through from the very beginning and also designed this trailer with the ability to accommodate a gear rack. This is the feature that really allows you to transform a cargo hauler into a fully functioning off-grid habitat. To achieve this, the Loft rooftop tent is added, and you're off.

Now, we've covered the Loft on its own before, and what really makes this bugger so neat is its ability to transform just about any vehicle into an on-road bedroom. A 117 lb (53 kg) pop-up tent can accommodate up to two guests. Because the shell is built from molded composite materials and the frame from steel and aluminum, you can be sure you'll be using something like this for more than just a season or two. These buggers are priced at a solid $3,000 (€2,781).

Put the two together, and you have a lightweight mobile living solution. For starters, the two systems weigh a total of 352 lbs (160 kg), making them easily towable by just about any four-wheeler on the market. Let's take a little trip through our imagination to understand what's possible.

It's Saturday morning, and the sun hasn't broken over the horizon just yet. You open the door to your garage and take in a breath of city air just to compare it to what's next. Because the Go Easy isn't very tall, and the Loft tent occupies just 11 in (28 cm) of height while closed, you packed your TraiLoft overnight while in the garage. That's something you can't achieve with the majority of trailers and campers on the market. With your Camry and beloved ready to go, you're off.

TraiLoft Micro Camper
Photo: SylvanSport
One thing to realize about the Go Easy is that once you throw on a rooftop tent, you'll be able to bring along less rack-mounted gear than usual. Still, SylvanSport shows us that two kayaks can still be brought along for the ride. I'm not sure where that leaves a pair of bicycles. Oh, and a little tip, be sure to load your trailer correctly, with the heaviest objects towards the front of the platform or the hitch.

After you've done the driving, the pit stops and even snapped a few photos, you'll finally make it out to that spot you scoped out last season. You know, the one overlooking the valley below, mountains in the distance, and a river winding through it all. With birds flying at eye level, you might feel like you're standing in the Garden of Eden. Take a minute and breathe in this air, as opposed to the smog-filled morning you experienced hours earlier.

With blood oxygen levels at 100%, it's time to unload and unfurl all that this mobile living solution has to offer. Take down the kayaks if you have any, take out the mobile galley setup, and pop up the tent. Once you've done all that, spark a fire, and crack open a cold one. Maybe cook something to enjoy under the evening sky. After climbing into your Loft, lights out.

TraiLoft Micro Camper
Photo: SylvanSport
The next morning, you unzip one of the openings into the tent, poke your head outside to get a scope of the land, and go back inside to cuddle for a few more minutes. A couple of tickles and laughs later, it's time to start the day. Back to the outdoor galley for a cup of Joe and some breakfast. As for what's next, it's your fantasy. You decide.

One other thing I want to point out about this setup is that you can even use them independently. Maybe you're just going out to the lake for the day, leave the rooftop tent behind and really pack the Go Easy to the brim. Or, you need a place to rest for the night on a long drive. Leave the trailer at home, and toss the Loft onto your car's roof rack. What if you grabbed another tent and took up to four people glamping?

If we just lower our living standards a bit to the way some of our ancestors used to live, we'll realize that you don't need tons of cash to enjoy living a more raw lifestyle, if only for a few days. These experiences really help put things into perspective, and the TraiLoft is a setup to consider if you want in on the action.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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