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This is the Hitch Hotel. It’s a tiny camper that loads right onto the hitch of your vehicle so it has no wheels and weighs just 240 lb.
Once you’re ready to set up camp it expands into a micro camper. The project is on Kickstarter so if you’re interested you can back the project and even be one of the first to get one for less than the future retail price.
Take a look and let us know what you think about it in the comments below. Thanks!
Hitch Hotel Micro Camper
Images © Hitch Hotel
Images © Hitch Hotel
Video Tour of the Hitch Hotel
Highlights
- 135 cubic feet for sleeping when the camper is set up
- In closed position it provides just over 60 cubic feet of space for your gear
- Weighs 240 lbs
- Future MSRP is $4,499 + tax + shipping
- It’s available on Kickstarter for less for the first 100 backers
Sources
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This post contains affiliate links.
Alex
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Using this on that small car is deadly and sucks gas, cutting mileage by 50%.
The high up drag at 60mpg would be enough to take a lot of weight of the front wheel as will the units weight making the car uncontrolable. So DON’T do it.
Behind a van or other same size or larger than the box in frontal area, not too bad.
SO very Clever! Not for everyone, but its certainly the answer to a quick summer weekend trip!
As an inventor, I would add a pop-up to the top as well – well doneas is, folks!
Totally wouldn’t be allowed in New Zealand. Too much weight, especially on a small vehicle, affecting the steering on the front wheels.
Put simply, downright dangerous. Or as my mechanic said that’d easily kill people out on the road. ‘Nuff said.
Nope, NZ does allow things like Towbar cargo boxes to be mounted on the rear of vehicles… Look up company brands like THULE, for examples in NZ…
This thing is all light construction, so it’s only 240 lbs, which is only about 109 kg…
People going camping or mounting something like a paid of off-road motor bikes to the rear of their vehicle typically deal with more weight than that…
Went on the website you mentioned. Only thing coming close is the Thule Backspace which is nowhere near the size and/or weight of the item being discussed.
See http://www.thule.co.nz/products/luggage-carriers/luggage-accessories/thule-backspace-9171/
Never seen an off-road bike mounted like you suggest. All have either been tied down on utes or on specially constructed trailers, often of a skeleton form so that there is no floor as such but a U shaped inverted rail that the tyres go into and then they are strapped using cargo tie downs.
No, it’s just modular… The Thule BackSpace XT sits on the Thule VeloSpace XT and can be combined with the compatible Bike Arm and VeloSpace XT Bike Adapater… All of which adds hardware weight in addition to max load capacity… So that actually adds up to nearly the same weight as the Hitch Hotel… But you can go over that by adding the Thule roof storage unit to go well over what the Hitch Hotel weighs…
But the point is it shows these kinds of options exist in NZ and people are using them… Towing something on the rear hitch that weighs less than 2 people is not going to be dangerous!
NZ road rules mainly sets speed limits, like towing a motorcycle must not exceed 30 km/h… Along with road etiquette, like letting others pass you, account for greater stopping distance, etc.
Really, 240 lbs isn’t a lot of weight… There are people who weigh more… It’s basically just a hard body tent…
While, for a motorbike carrier example, look up SlipStream… Trax Equipment carries them if you need to look up a retailer in NZ… They’re rated to handle up to 150 kg, or 330 lbs, which is also more than the Hitch Hotel weighs…
The Subaru Crosstek shown within the first picture has a maximum tongue weight of 200 pounds. If the unit weighs 240 pounds, then it exceeds to vehicle’s capabilities as published by the manufacturer.
That’s only if you keep it factory… But there’s plenty of after market kits and adapters that have a much higher load capacity.
The towing capacity of your trailer hitch does not override your maximum vehicle manufacturer assigned capacity ratings. The Subaru Crosstrek is rated at 200 lbs tongue weight.
That’s a separate issue for liability but it is possible for you to have your vehicles rating officially changed… Like in the states, an “alterer” that is approved by the NHTSA can make the modifications and then add an additional official label next to the original manufacturer’s to give the vehicle the new rating… Some manufacturers may also issue a new rating depending on their company policy on the matter by sending the vehicle back to them to be re-evaluated…
Besides, many of the after market kits add additional support/mounting points. The Subaru’s 200lb (90kg) limit, as you mentioned, is only the downward weight limit on just the tow ball but that load doesn’t have to be on just that one point…
While doing the modification yourself just means you take on the liability… It’s not prohibited, it just means if anything happens you’re responsible.
I normally don’t respond to comments on websites, but when I see words like deadly and uncontrollable, I simply have to correct reckless misinformation. First: The Subaru Crosstrek that was used in our video and images is owned by our VP. It has been driven countless miles with the Hitch Hotel on it and there has been very little reduction in fuel consumption. Second: The Hitch Hotel does not sit “high up” causing drag or any major changes in the way the car handles/drives. It nestles nicely behind the car and sits just above its roof line. Additionally, and adding to the streamline design of the Hitch Hotel, it’s not visible in the side view mirrors. (and this is a small car) And lastly on the Crosstrek: A Class III hitch was installed on the vehicle. It has a tongue weight capacity of 525 lbs. It can be purchased at etrailer.com at any time.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Subaru/XV+Crosstrek/2015/76084.html?vehicleid=201548981#exp-productdetails=.all-description
Please also feel free to check our “Can my car tow the Hitch Hotel?” chart on our Kickstarter campaign. It’s very clear that we do not allow it to be used on a vehicle with less than a Class II rating (350lb tongue weight). Additionally, if a vehicle is too small to support the weigh of the Hitch Hotel, then a hitch assembly will not be available for its needed Class rating. And finally, as to very small cars: The Hitch Hotel Lite will be available next year. We expect its weight to be less than 150Lbs. This weight is clearly under the Class I rating of 200lbs, and can safely carry the weight. Stay tuned.
As to being legal in New Zealand: We are in discussion with 2 dealers in New Zealand that want to carry the Hitch Hotel there. In fact, our lead engineer lives in Auckland. We are confident that the Hitch Hotel will be available in New Zealand soon.
We’re creating a video showing all of the above that will be available within 2 weeks. As they say, “A picture can tell a thousand words.” Please feel to email me directly if you’d like us to send you that video.
Respectfully,
Geoff Patterson
C0-Founder / CEO
[email protected]
I just don’t understand what the benefit of having this is supposed to be.
The tongue weight capacity of the trailer hitch does not override the maximum vehicle manufacturer assigned tongue weight capacity ratings. The Subaru Crosstrek is rated at 200 lbs tongue weight.
At best, exceeding your tongue weight capacity will void the warranty and damage the vehicle. At worst. loss of vehicle control occurs.
So with these guys desperate to get their kickstarter attention this thing as been all up in my news feeds all day and I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck the point is, I can’t think of any camping situation where this is the best use of my weight capacities and space. But I think I finally figured it out, the truth must be that it’s for sleeping some where urban when you are drunk. As long as the space behind your car is open you can probably pull it off with out the cops getting called, which you can’t do with a tent and pulling a trailer into the city is always a little suspect.
That’s one possible use but having something that can just attach to the rear of the vehicle and not require you to set up a trailer or take up storage space inside the vehicle can have its benefits.
A regular tent would take up space in the vehicle, reducing the amount of supplies you can bring, and it will require a fair amount of time and energy to set up and then take down each time you go camping…
While this basically just attaches and detaches from the vehicle, can be pulled to its expanded shape or pushed into its compact shape for very quick and low energy setup, and the support legs means it keeps you off the ground…
Driving with it would be easier than with a trailer, especially when backing up or needing to park in a space limited area…
And when not using it, it can take up very little space in the garage…
But there are alternatives like pop up campers that mount to the roof of vehicles… and there’s always traditional vehicle bike mounting racks if that’s all you’re going to use it for…