Keeping camera gear in overland trailer across country?

We just bought one of those overland trailers that will be towed behind my Chevy Tahoe.  This is meant to be a family trip going across country.   It's time to get out!  Now the cab of the truck is going to be pretty full.  I believe the trailer will be bouncing around a little.  Especially when we go off road.  If my camera gear is in the camera bag, and stored in the trailer that I'm towing, will this bouncing around be OK as long as the gear is not stacked on top of each other? 

Is the trailer insulated? Does it have shocks? I would much rather keep cameras and lenses in the insulated/air conditioned vehicle and put something else of less value in the trailer. One of the first things that I did when I bought my enclosed cargo trailer was to insulate and panel the inside walls and ceiling with foam board and plywood and I modified the axle and added shocks. A spare tire mount and spare tire was also added just behind the hitch, with a cable and lock to secure it.
I also make certain to ventilate the trailer when traveling in the warmer climates, but I still would not put my camera and lenses in the trailer when traveling. Other photo gear maybe, but not my cameras or lenses.

Charley

G'day Cory

As someone who lives on the road for most of every year (except this one!!) I would suggest -in the vehicle- before -in the caravan- ... as the towing vehicle is better stabilised than the caravan

The biggest caveat would be secure storage, as regrettably we all know of cases where theft has occurred

ps- for us, we're in a motorhome rather than a caravan and overall it provides us with much better all-round accommodation, storage and security. We've had our vehicle now for 16 yrs and it's coming up to 500,000km sometime soon - now next year rather than this year for obvious reasons

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

Ozzie_Traveller wrote: G'day Cory

As someone who lives on the road for most of every year (except this one!!) I would suggest -in the vehicle- before -in the caravan- ... as the towing vehicle is better stabilised than the caravan

The biggest caveat would be secure storage, as regrettably we all know of cases where theft has occurred

ps- for us, we're in a motorhome rather than a caravan and overall it provides us with much better all-round accommodation, storage and security. We've had our vehicle now for 16 yrs and it's coming up to 500,000km sometime soon - now next year rather than this year for obvious reasons

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

Oh yes!  Australia peeps know how to off road!  There are a couple 4WD YouTube channels I watch from over there.

But, +1 on some good advice.  

Well it depends, are you talking about a steel frame box or something you can camp and sleep in?  My wife and I bought our first tear drop trailer last summer from Colorado Teardrops.  I  will have my camera gear in that thing going down there road, but mind you, it's sitting on a mattress, and in the camera bag still.  So nothing is going to hurt it.  I will say, if you park your trailer for any period of time, open the windows if it's hot out.  Ours has gotten pretty hot when the windows closed.  Which reminds me, have just one cracked while driving in good weather.  Don't open it, so much dust and crap will get in. 

We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Ben Vanderbilt wrote: We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Nope they pushed that till 2021:  https://www.overlandexpo.com/tickets-west

You mean Valian?  Alaska based company?  If so, their trailers are nice, but no one ever answers their phones.  My wife liked these guys.  Oh wait, that's right, it was my wifes father who brought this one to my attention.   Either way, they never pick up their phones.  

Paul Velasco wrote:

Ben Vanderbilt wrote: We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Nope they pushed that till 2021:  https://www.overlandexpo.com/tickets-west

You mean Valian?  Alaska based company?  If so, their trailers are nice, but no one ever answers their phones.  My wife liked these guys.  Oh wait, that's right, it was my wifes father who brought this one to my attention.   Either way, they never pick up their phones.  

Figures.  Actually surprised, it's an outdoor venue?  Man no photography expos or any others for that matter.  

Good to know.  Nope, it wasn't a tear drop, but we looked at those.  We picked up a Tuff Stuff Xtreme Terrain trailer.  It's nice, we wanted the Basecamp, but those have been sold out.  No trouble, I'll just play it safe and keep my camera gear in the truck cab.  

Ben Vanderbilt wrote: We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Boats are so expensive to maintain and operate.  My neighbor has one and that thing cost nearly $280 to fill it at the dock!  No thank you.  

OMG I can so answer this for you.  We have been overlanding for 7 years now.  Depending on the suspension of the trailer you got, these will bounce all over as you are driving off road.  We have actually have two of these.  One my husband built after he thought it was "so simple in construction" and while the one he made is nice, it has a solid axle and it's not as nice as our patriot overland trailer.  We lucked out, the Patriot we got off someone on Craigslist who was going through a divorce and we got a crazy deal on it.  

One other thing, I see someone spoke about cracking a window open.  I wouldn't, all that dust will get in your sleeping space.  Keep that closed up till you get to location.  

You guys should head up to Tahoe, amazing camping up there.  

Sandy Smith Photos wrote: OMG I can so answer this for you.  We have been overlanding for 7 years now.  Depending on the suspension of the trailer you got, these will bounce all over as you are driving off road.  We have actually have two of these.  One my husband built after he thought it was "so simple in construction" and while the one he made is nice, it has a solid axle and it's not as nice as our patriot overland trailer.  We lucked out, the Patriot we got off someone on Craigslist who was going through a divorce and we got a crazy deal on it.  

One other thing, I see someone spoke about cracking a window open.  I wouldn't, all that dust will get in your sleeping space.  Keep that closed up till you get to location.  

1000% agree, keep your windows closed.  
OP - keep your gear in your cab. 

Cory J wrote:

Ben Vanderbilt wrote: We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Boats are so expensive to maintain and operate.  My neighbor has one and that thing cost nearly $280 to fill it at the dock!  No thank you.  

So is a RV and a good trailer made in USA.  Not that overseas stuff!  

Cory J wrote:

Ben Vanderbilt wrote: We came close to pulling the trigger on one of these back in 2017, but decided to buy a new boat.  What's everyone tugging along these days?  I just remember Black Series and I want to say Valiant or something like that.  We had attended the Overland West expo in Flagstaff Arizona in 2017, so we saw a tone of trailers there.  I wonder if they will have a expo this year?  

Boats are so expensive to maintain and operate.  My neighbor has one and that thing cost nearly $280 to fill it at the dock!  No thank you.  

Yes they are, I have no defense on this topic.     Down to even the simplest replacement screw for marine is much higher than normal stuff.