Runaway Campers Overland Trailer Gets Portal Axles (Kinda)

Overlanding is all about efficiency. Going off-grid farther and for longer is easiest when you don’t drag any more than you need along with you. And if your overlanding jam is to head into the rough, set up camp, and then tackle the gnarliest most TikTok-worthy trails, a knobby-tired Mercedes Sprinter will never do. You need to hitch an off-road trailer up to your Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, or Mercedes G-Wagen—one that can make it over all the rocks you’ll encounter between the highway and the base of the Rubicon. Behold Runaway Campers’ Venturist line.

Gobs of Ground Clearance

These steel-framed trailers boast 20-plus inches of ground clearance, thanks to their “axle-less” design, featuring a Timbren independent trailing-link suspension that packages way outboard near the tires. This setup uses Aeon rubber springs, two per side, which provide damping as well, one in the jounce direction, and one in rebound. In addition to the lack of a low-clearance axle connecting running between the wheels, users swear by this setup’s smoother ride relative to semielliptical leaf springs, meaning your gear arrives at the site less jostled. And with electric brakes and 17-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain tires, the Venturist should follow dutifully without unduly pushing the tow vehicle around too much.

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Just Enough Camping Space

Available with a 4x8-foot or a 6x8-foot interior footprint, these low-roof crawl-in campers (with optional 5,000-BTU air conditioning, at $250) behave like teardrop campers, and can accommodate twin to queen mattresses and a bit of extra gear as well.

Need more sleeping options or sit-up space? The camper body can be equipped with luggage-rack cross-rails ($450), to which a roof-top tent can be attached. Voila, mom and dad enjoy air-conditioned, hard-shell silenced comfort downstairs while kiddoes cavort up top; or fill the lower level with toys and gear while you sleep up top.

No Wood!

Venturist campers feature all-steel structure clad in white fiberglass and aluminum trim, with steel fenders you can stand on. The hitch receiver channel runs all the way to the back, where bike or luggage racks can be attached, though a luggage basket ($150) or storage box ($275) can be welded to the front tongue.

How Much?

The entry Venturist 4x8 starts out at $9,650, with in-person pickup at one of four stores located in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Florida. Upgrading to the 6x8 model adds $2,745. Runaway offers a huge catalog of optional extras, from an outdoor hot shower, to LP gas, solar collectors, a 270-degree awning, one of four roof-top tent models, etc.