Hike. Ride. Paddle. Run. Climb. Camp. Travel. Festival. For anyone who loves to be outside, the list goes on and on. When I think about my favorite gear, the ones that come to mind are my “go to” pieces that I tend to grab, regardless of where I’m going or what I’m doing. Headlamp. Almost always, day or night…you never know what will happen. Swiss Army Knife. Ditto. Bike water bottle. Sure, my hydration pack is a close second, but a bike bottle is great almost everywhere, doing anything. The list isn’t very long, but there isn’t a lot of gear that crosses over to just about everything I want to do outside. They’re all versatile, lightweight, well-made, and easy to use/carry.
There is one more thing that I would add to that list: the SylvanSport GO trailer. Hold up a second…did I just say a trailer is on my list of “go to” gear along side my headlamp, knife, and water bottle? I did. Do I go spend the night every time I go into the woods? No (although that would be awesome). So, how does a trailer even come close to an everyday piece of gear? Call me crazy, but the GO trailer has all of the same qualities as my other favorite gear. It’s not just a tent on wheels. And it’s not just a gear hauler. And it’s not just a pretty utility trailer. And…well, you get the point. Here’s how I look at it:
VERSATILE
Versatility is probably one of the most important qualities of “go to” gear. Picking up friends and heading out for a mountain bike ride? No problem. Running shuttle for a whitewater run? Check. Taking the SUP for a quick paddle around the lake? Got it. Best part is, that you can load everything at chest level. No more balancing bikes, kayaks, and boards over your head. It truly is the ultimate gear hauler. Then you throw in overnight possibilities and the deal is sealed. Whatever your passion (even if you have several), load it up and GO. Think of it as the Swiss Army Knife of trailers…so many options in one sweet looking package.
And those are just non-motorized options. Ride moto? How about an ATV? Maybe a Ducati or Harley? The control tilt cargo bed with hydraulic dampening system lets you roll a motorcycle or ATV onto the bed without ramps and eases you back to level. And, the 800lb load capacity lets you carry all your toys.
Let’s face it, everything can’t always be about play (although we are trying). Sometimes a weekend is spent rebuilding that deck, hauling off brush, or letting a friend borrow your riding lawn mower. The GO trailer isn’t just for fun…it’s a work horse too. Full sheets of plywood, 2x lumber, infinite tie down options to secure just about any size/shape load, and a torsion suspension system for a smooth ride under load, makes getting your work done easier, so you can get out and play.
So, whatever your fancy: day trips, overnights, projects around the house…the GO is ready.
LIGHTWEIGHT
The GO trailer weighs in at 840lbs, with a tongue weight of 70lbs. So what does that mean exactly? In simple terms, at 840lbs, you can pull it with a Cooper Mini, Toyota Prius, or any small, compact car with a 4-cylinder engine. No big V8 required. In fact, it’s the only trailer of it’s kind, (that we know of), that you can tow with a 1-1/4″ hitch. You don’t need to justify a big truck or SUV to haul it around, although, if you wanted to, that’s not a problem either.
What does tongue weight mean? That’s the amount of weight you feel when you lift the trailer by the tongue (the part that connects to the ball hitch of your vehicle). At 70 lbs, what that really means is… you can get close enough to where you want to set up the trailer, unhook it from your car or truck, and simply pick it up to move it exactly where you want. You don’t have to be a Jedi in backing up with a trailer.
QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
When I think of a “go to” piece of gear, it’s one that is made well enough to use everyday, without having to worry about whether or not it’s going to work when I need it. At SylvanSport, we decided to make the GO trailer for the long haul. No short cuts. No cheap sew jobs. No flimsy parts. Basically, a trailer that would pass the scrutiny test of the pickiest gear snob or the most particular engineer. Here’s a quick run down on some of the things that I think are key to making the trailer built to last:
- all aluminum, hyper-engineered exo-frame (lightweight and durable)
- Fully tig welded frame for incredible strength
- expansion joints in camping pod allow for differing expansion/contraction rates of different materials
- powder-coated for long life
- UV resistant roto-molded HDPE storage box, fenders, and rear step will never corrode and are maintenance free
- torsion axle offers smooth ride and 13″ ground clearance
- reinforced diamond plate deck floor
- thermoformed ABS upper pod
- high grade aluminum tent poles
- durable 200D ripstop polyster tent body (not canvas)
Truly, the list goes on. I can’t think of any place on the GO where the materials weren’t carefully chosen for lightweight, durability, and ease of use. Which brings us to our next “go to” quality.
EASY TO USE
If I have to fumble or fight with a piece of gear to get it to work, it will quickly be removed my list of things to bring. For as complex as the GO trailer may or may not seem, it’s really intuitive to use. After setting it up a couple of times, 1 person can comfortably go from start to finish in about 10 minutes. 2 people? Faster than setting most regular tents. Plus, zippers can be opened and closed with one hand. It can be moved around easily by one person. And pack up is just as simple as setting it up.
As a gear/utility trailer, it’s all about access and ergonomics. Lifting a canoe on top of an SUV or car is strenuous at best and how many times have you dinged the roof with the gunnel? Hitch racks for bikes are easy to use, but definitely restricts easy access to the trunk or cargo space of your SUV. The GO crossbars accept universal mounts from Thule, Yakima, Malone and others, so you can easily customize it to your needs. Whether you’re by yourself or a group of friends, the GO is about as easy as it gets to use.
DESIGN
Does form follow function? Does function follow form? In this case, the GO does both. All of the elements of the GO come together into a sweet looking functional form. The low profile design and aerodynamic shape minimizes drag and is super fuel efficient. The custom design of the extrusion aluminum frame is lightweight, offers infinite tie down options, and is visually eye catching. While the powdercoat treatment gives it a cool texture and color, it is also exponentially more durable than just using paint. The tent fabric material and colors are not only aesthetically appealing, but brighten up the inside of the living area so you don’t feel like your in a cave. And by using custom aluminum wheels, it not only looks good, but saves weight as well. It truly is a piece of gear, where form meets function and function meets form.
And not to toot our own horn too loudly, we are proud of the awards that we have received from outdoor, adventure, industry, business and design organizations.
FINAL WORD
You can’t really compare a GO adventure trailer to a standard $1,000 utility trailer. And you can’t compare it to a standard $12,000 pop-up camper trailer. It’s a one-of-a-kind-camping-adventure-trailer that is like nothing else on the market today. The SylvanSport GO truly is a piece of gear, and with it’s versatility, it makes it the ulitmate “go to” piece of gear for just about anything you like to do outdoors (or around the house). And as the final icing on the cake, the SylvanSport GO (and GO Easy) are made in the beautiful mountains of Brevard, NC, using US supplied materials, many of which are sourced within a 200 mile radius of us.
