The Midget Bushtrekka from Kamp-Rite is a really rather handy-looking tow-along tent-cum-bicycle trailer for extended cycling trips. And as large as it is - 56 pounds (25.4 kg) in weight packing in 180 liters (48 US gallons) of storage - Kamp-Rite does not intend that the Bushtrekka be confined to sedate cycle paths. Rather, it sounds as though Bushtrekka is designed for fairly serious off-roading. But is it up to the job?
Uneven ground should be no obstacle for the Bushtrekka if Kamp-Rite's spiel is to be believed. The trailer features a "pivoting wheelset" in which the wheels on each side operate independently. There appears to be no axle stretch across the unit's underside, which might prove useful when negotiating more uncivilized surfaces.
The trailer is adjustable in a number of ways. The ride height can be adjusted to suit bicycle wheel sizes from 20 up to 29 inches. The trailer also includes leveling jacks so that, when the tent is set up, you don't roll out in the middle of the night due to being parked up on a gradient.
About this tent, then. The trailer comes with one of Kamp-Rite's Oversize Tentcot tents, which can be erected atop the trailer. Once up, it measures 90-in long, 32-in wide by 40-in high (or 2.3 by 0.8 by 1 meters in metric lore). And there's the rub: at 32 inches wide this thing is is very much a one-person tent, which is probably why Kamp-Rite recommends purchasing one or more additional Tentcots alongside it. Like the Bushtrekka/Tentcot combo, standalone Tentcots provide off-ground sleeping arrangements for those concerned about invading nocturnal fauna - or the ground-going varieties thereof, at any rate.
In my book, for the not insignificant US$899.99 outlay (okay, a little less from Amazon) for the Bushtrekka, I'd ideally like it to sleep two, perhaps by means of a specially-integrated tent designed specifically for the unit, perhaps with a system of unfolding legs to provide the additional floor area that would be necessary.
An additional word of caution courtesy of the folks at Red Ferret, who observed a pair of Amazon customer reviews from less-than-satisfied customers that suggest the bushings supporting the wheel assemblies are rather prone to failure. Caution, then, unless you're made of money.
Sources: Kamp-Rite, Amazon, via Red Ferret
