Off-Grid and Family Capable, Classic Bean Road-Ready Travel Trailer Seems Fit for All

But to achieve such a lifestyle, you’ll need a vehicle or towable that offers at least the basics without leaving you scrounging for pennies at the pump. Cue Bean Trailer. Never heard of Bean Trailer (BT)? It's quite possible, but with over 30 years of RV manufacturing experience, it’s also possible that you’ve driven past one of their products and just didn’t know it.

These days, this crew offers only five campers to choose from, but the fact that these five products have been honed over decades of experience is one of the reasons why this team is still standing in an industry that already seems saturated with manufacturers.

One trailer that this team has available for folks looking to take their first steps into the outdoor lifestyle is the Classic Bean Roadster travel trailer. This is also the definitive design that helped BT show the world that they mean business and ran with it for over 20 years.

The Classic is a trailer that grew from nothing more than a personal build project aimed at being able to handle the “rugged terrains and extreme temperatures of Utah’s wilderness.” Completed using the same one-piece fiberglass construction as all other BT trailers, the Classic is meant to be just as suitable for off-road adventures as the rest of this crew’s works.

Overall, this trailer comes in with a length of 14.02 ft (427 cm), width of 7.16 ft (218 cm), and a height of 80 in (203 cm). However, the interior only offers 5 ft (152 cm) of headroom, so you may need to slouch just a tad. With a dry weight of 1,800 lbs (816 kg), and ground clearance of 15 in (38 cm), the trailer seems to be towable even by a mid-size SUV.

A powder coated steel tube framing with pitched torsion axle and fixed 8,000-lb (3,628-kg) jack are the basics of the chassis, but so is the breakaway braking system, safety chains, and 7-pin wiring harness. Add on two stabilizer jacks necessary for leaving the trailer behind, and you’re good to go for some outdoor fun.

As I mentioned, the body is completed from that one piece of fiberglass with marine-grade gelcoat. Throw on some fiberglass fenders, front storage, curbside doors, and that definitive rear galley that BT is known for, and your living space is ready.

But before we take a step inside, it should help to know that BT has taken the necessary steps to help you transform your Classic into an off-grid capable RV. With a 100-amp deep cycle AGM battery, power converter, and solar power port, electrical needs should easily be covered.

Now, inside this puppy, interior walls are stain and abrasion resistant, while the ceiling features insulation and soft touch vinyl headliner. A Trofast compatible shelving system with large attic over cabinet doors, and a laminated interior cabinet with galley pass through helps you easily access goods and utensils no matter where in the trailer you are.

For sleeping quarters, a 4-in (10-cm) queen foam mattress will take in your weary bones, but it can also be set up like a couch in order to entertain some guests. If any more bedding is desired, BT does offer several options to deck out your Classic, one of which is a bunk bed option for a child. Anyone say family-capable trailer?

Other options include features like an upholstered backrest, solar and gravity fed road shower, roof fan, or even a stealth front window allowing for a view outside the camper. Even if you don’t like the galley features like the two-burner stove or fridge/freezer, Bean Trailer allows you to select galleys that offer a bit more than just the standard, all for an extra buck of course. Want something like a rooftop tent? You can have that too.

So, how much is this bad boy going to run you? Well, $20,900 (€17,714 at current exchange rates). For you, maybe it’s a lot, maybe it’s not, but with another four to five thousand dollars, you can turn this sucker into a trailer that fits every aspect of your wilderness seeking self. That sounds like the sort of trailer to consider if you’re ever in the market for a vehicle meant to help you survive the off-grid lifestyle.