Hiking Trailer, advice

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Buen Camino all,

My wife and I walk the Frances route last year, there were parts we missed out due to injuries, time contrainsts etc, we completed about 300 miles and made it to Santiago....

But

We want to go back and walk again sometime in the future doing the bits we missed out on, in particular. But to ease the walking, I notice a few people towing hiking trailers and I thought what a wonderful idea.

I’m morbidly obese and struggled with the last 100kms to Santiago, determination got me there, but I had brought to much stuff in the first instance but also hadn’t trained sufficiently for it.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on hiking trailers, has anyone any particular experience with them. All advice gratefully received. Wheelies or MonoWalker or another!!!!

David.

 

[Nomad Pack]

Hiking trailers are a good idea to take the weight off your back, however it still involves effort to pull but usually it will be easier... Unless your going up hill. On the French way it will be easy enough for 99% of the Camino.

 

[MinaKamina]

Here are some earlier threads that deal with the inspiring subject of hiking trailers:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...g-pack-loads-over-distance.48162/#post-520319

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ed-with-a-hip-belt-trailer.48595/#post-631956

 

[Former member 49149]

Buen Camino all,

My wife and I walk the Frances route last year, there were parts we missed out due to injuries, time contrainsts etc, we completed about 300 miles and made it to Santiago....

But

We want to go back and walk again sometime in the future doing the bits we missed out on, in particular. But to ease the walking, I notice a few people towing hiking trailers and I thought what a wonderful idea.

I’m morbidly obese and struggled with the last 100kms to Santiago, determination got me there, but I had brought to much stuff in the first instance but also hadn’t trained sufficiently for it.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on hiking trailers, has anyone any particular experience with them. All advice gratefully received. Wheelies or MonoWalker or another!!!!

David.

Without reading other responses, a fine monsieur from France walked the Portuguese camino with us in 20whenever. He was amazing, quietly progressing up and down dale with seemingly little effort. he designed it himself, and was using it because he had back problems that precluded him from carrying a mochila. If it works, use it. Whatever is going to allow you to do what you want, which is to complete or continue a pilgrimage - we are living now, not back in the day! USe the advances in technology that enable you to follow your dream. Buen camino, https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/members/hound-of-ulster.56443/

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Thanks everyone, have had a look, but am wondering how correct the assumption is that having two wheels is better than one. To my mind both trailers slope and both have weight over the wheels, but also transferring up to the waist straps as well. This is the Monowalker Design Im looking at

or

compared to the https://www.benpacker-hikingtrailer.com or the

 

[Dinkumdigger]

I have a Radical Designs Wheelie V, as shown in the last video clip.
I last used it in September doing the Southern Upland Way here in Scotland,a lot of the route is serious hill walking over rough and boggy moorland with very steep ups & downs.The Wheelie was fully loaded with camping gear,gas stove,food for several days,spare clothes etc.
It would have been hard work with a backpack but was so much easier having the weight balanced between the wheels and the trailer ran easily,even over the roughest terrain.
I did tend to pull it by the handlebars rather than just by the waist belt so felt very little weight on my waist.
I haven't used the Wheelie in Spain but will definitely be taking it the next time I go.
I have walked the Camino Frances twice and there is nowhere on that path that this trailer wouldn't go.
I hope this helps you.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

What about the West Highland Way, would it cope with the narrow stretches on that walk, another one we are interested in tackling.... I certainly like the look of the Wheelie. If it’s ok I’ll PM you with a few other questions Dinkumdigger

 

[Dinkumdigger]

What about the West Highland Way, would it cope with the narrow stretches on that walk, another one we are interested in tackling.... I certainly like the look of the Wheelie. If it’s ok I’ll PM you with a few other questions Dinkumdigger

I haven't been on the WHW but I am sure the Wheelie would cope,the wheels are approx 18" / 46cm wide.
When I have been across ground where there is no path or foot track the Wheelie just rides over the heather,tussocks,rocks etc. Admittedly it takes a lot more effort to pull it over very rough ground but I don't think that you are going to find that on the CF or WHW.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I haven't used one but I can think of two things in favor of the two-wheelers. A two-wheeler would be easier to park and also a cable can be run through both wheels to help prevent its theft.

 

[Stroller123]

Sorry, can't resist...
Every time I hear about hiking trailers, my mind goes to this

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Lol, so now I’m looking a horse as well

 

[MinaKamina]

Thanks everyone, have had a look, but am wondering how correct the assumption is that having two wheels is better than one. To my mind both trailers slope and both have weight over the wheels, but also transferring up to the waist straps as well. This is the Monowalker Design Im looking at

or

compared to the https://www.benpacker-hikingtrailer.com or the

The Monowalker divides the weight 50 - 50 between the walker and the wheel.
The axis on which the weight of thew pack rests is formed by the wheel on one side and the walker on the other side.
The Wheelie has the axis between the two wheels and that is where most of the weight goes. The division of the weight is like 80% on the wheels and 20% on the walker. I can't find the link to back up this exact figure, but the divison is much better than 50-50. Radical Design advises to put the heavy pieces near the axis, so they rest on the axis and not on top.

 

[Purky]

I have owned a Radical Design Wheelie and used it last year on the St Olavsleden from Sweden to Norway. My mixed feelings were such that I have sold it again. I used it primarily as a try-out, to see if it would make life on the road a little easier, having to bring a tent and camping gear for two persons. On tarmac and paths wider than the width of the trailer it performs beautifully, off-road or on narrow gametrails is another matter IMHO. I blew my top a couple of times ramming, slogging and hauling the thing up and down muddy hills or along trails riddled with rocks and roots. It might be that I have a short temper, though.

I agree with @Nomad Pack and @Dinkumdigger that you won't have much trouble with the Wheelie on the CF, but I think it would be overkill. You don't need that much gear on the Frances to warrant a walking trailer, unless in case of back problems as mentioned earlier. Apart from that, the Wheelie is quite expensive; I was lucky to get a good secondhand one (and sold it again for the same price). I think you'd be better off checking out some of the packing lists on this forum.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

I have owned a Radical Design Wheelie and used it last year on the St Olavsleden from Sweden to Norway. My mixed feelings were such that I have sold it again. I used it primarily as a try-out, to see if it would make life on the road a little easier, having to bring a tent and camping gear for two persons. On tarmac and paths wider than the width of the trailer it performs beautifully, off-road or on narrow gametrails is another matter IMHO. I blew my top a couple of times ramming, slogging and hauling the thing up and down muddy hills or along trails riddled with rocks and roots. It might be that I have a short temper, though.

I agree with @Nomad Pack and @Dinkumdigger that you won't have much trouble with the Wheelie on the CF, but I think it would be overkill. You don't need that much gear on the Frances to warrant a walking trailer, unless in case of back problems as mentioned earlier. Apart from that, the Wheelie is quite expensive; I was lucky to get a good secondhand one (and sold it again for the same price). I think you'd be better off checking out some of the packing lists on this forum.

Thanks for the advice Purky, I did travel relatively light, having posted gear home TWICE, lesson learned, but it still took a toll on a really old ankle injury and next time I’d still want to take my camera gear etc I thought the 2 wheels might struggle on other walking routes and that a mono wheel might be better as a multi purpose tool. As a Morbidly Obese 27 stone man I could do with the overkill to help ease the ankle and leg pains. Funnily enough I had knee pain before doing my Camino last year, which disappeared walking the Camino.
.

 

[david marquez]

I am seriously considering the monowalker fatmate for the VdlP.
There is an Australian woman who is pulling one thru South America to the Arctic Ocean right now. One really nice aspect of the monowalker is the brake...you can lock the brake and lean back on the fatmate to catch a quick rest withut havign to unclip and set the trailer down

 

[lt56ny]

Hire a Sherpa.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

I am seiously considering the monowalker fatmate for the VdlP.
There is an Australian woman who is pulling one thru South America to the Arctic Ocean right now. One really nice aspect of the monowalker is the brake...you can lock the brake and lean back on the fatmate to catch a quick rest withut havign to unclip and set the trailer down

Have seen this on YouTube, to my mind it would cover a greater range of trails where the Wheelie would be fine for the Camino path/road style trails. Very expensive though. The side panniers and a small bag would be more than sufficient for the Camino thinking coming down the shale hills into Zubiri in particular or in Molinaseca.....

 

[t2andreo]

Hiking trailers CAN be a good idea. But on a very well-developed Camino such as the Frances, my recommendation would be to invest the funds in mochila transport. For about € 6 - 8 daily, you can have one rucksack or any suitcase (if you do this I recommend a rolling carry-on bag) sent ahead to your next night's lodging. These services are VERY reliable.

If you do this, you only need to carry rain gear, first-aid, snacks, water, and all your medications and valuables. Two people can put all their night stuff and extra clothes into the shared suitcase or mochila. It DOES make a HUGE difference. Later on, after a few weeks walking, you can choose to carry the rucksack(s) especially if walking a relatively level stretch, like the Meseta.

There are several services, with Jacotrans being one of the largest. However, their service starts at Roncesvalles. To get your bag over the Pyrenees from France to Roncesvalles, consider using Express Bourricot. They run a regular daily service up the mountain to Orisson, and the head of the trail over the frontier, and also over the mountains from SJPdP to Roncesvalles.

If you consider the HUGE initial investment and transport costs, plus the added drama that having to care for and protect a hiking trailer entails, mochila transport starts to look cheap in comparison. For example, most of the better trailers cost around €500 - 600. At €8 nightly (high end of mochila transport estimate) that is 62 nights (€500 / €8). The Frances takes about 35 nights, if you walk the entire 799 km from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.

So, the point is made. Send your rucksack ahead, or share a suitcase, and lighten your load.

Hope this helps.

 

[david marquez]

Hiking trailers CAN be a good idea. But on a very well-developed Camino such as the Frances, my recommendation would be to invest the funds in mochila transport. For about € 6 - 8 daily, you can have one rucksack or any suitcase (if you do this I recommend a rolling carry-on bag) sent ahead to your next night's lodging. These services are VERY reliable.

If you do this, you only need to carry rain gear, first-aid, snacks, water, and all your medications and valuables. Two people can put all their night stuff and extra clothes into the shared suitcase or mochila. It DOES make a HUGE difference. Later on, after a few weeks walking, you can choose to carry the rucksack(s) especially if walking a relatively level stretch, like the Meseta.

There are several services, with Jacotrans being one of the largest. However, their service starts at Roncesvalles. To get your bag over the Pyrenees from France to Roncesvalles, consider using Express Bourricot. They run a regular daily service up the mountain to Orisson, and the head of the trail over the frontier, and also over the mountains from SJPdP to Roncesvalles.

If you consider the HUGE initial investment and transport costs, plus the added drama that having to care for and protect a hiking trailer entails, mochila transport starts to look cheap in comparison. For example, most of the better trailers cost around €500 - 600. At €8 nightly (high end of mochila transport estimate) that is 62 nights (€500 / €8). The Frances takes about 35 nights, if you walk the entire 799 km from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.

So, the point is made. Send your rucksack ahead, or share a suitcase, and lighten your load.

Hope this helps.

All of your logic is excellent, but consider that there are some people who actually WANT to carry all of their gear with them. I do quite a lot of walking and cycling and I prefer to carry my kit (or drag it) and I enjoy the self sufficiency and ability to change plans, routes, destinations, etc on a moments notice, on a whim, on changes in weather, or any other factors that pop up during the course of a days walking.
In my case at least, the expense of purchasing an expensive trailer would be spread over other trips and travels in addition to the Camino.
Also, from what I have read in these forums about walking the VdlP (my next planned Camino), sending the mochilla ahead can be a bit more problematic on the VdlP

 

[t2andreo]

I agree with everything you have written. My advice was offered within the context of the plans the OP indicated.

It's all good...

 

[domigee]

For what it’s worth..... I met 3 ladies on the CF last Summer, each with a wheelie trailer. In fact I heard about them long before I finally met them, in Larrasoaña. Everyone was feeling so sorry for them, they were so desperately struggling with their trolleys apparently. In the morning, they told me they were arranging for said trolleys to be sent ahead by taxi.... They couldn’t cope any more. I never saw them again so I don’t know how it turned out.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Both of you are correct. For the Camino only the cost of a hiking trailer is prohibitive in comparison to just getting some of the Jacotrans type services to carry your bag, but from the viewpoint of longer term and other routes a hiking trailer could potentially work out cheaper in the grand scheme of things. I would like to walk more, not just from a health point of view, so I will have to consider carefully.

Thanks everyone for their input.

You have given me food for thought.

Buen Camino.

 

[MinaKamina]

With Jacotrans and similar services one can safely rely on the advice of others. There is also a lot of good advice that can be given about hiking trailers, but in the end it all comes down to your own body and mind. If you are interested in a hiking trailer, try them out before you decide anything.

I have been interested in the Wheelie from Radical design for quite a while now, and I have listed many positive characteristics of that little trailer, yet if my lower back protests during the try-out, that will be the end of that dream.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

One disadvantage I see in the Wheelie is the fact it’s got 2 wheels, some stretches of the French Route are either very narrow or so uneven that running two wheels could be a problem. I’m looking at the Monowalker which as it’s name suggests is a one wheel setup.

There are pros and cons to both, but if I was getting a trailer it would have to do more than just the Camino routes. I have no experience of other Camino routes but know some are considered harder terrain.

I shall investigate further and would like to try both out at some point and see if they are a route to longer walks with less struggle, until my weight and fitness levels improve.

David.

 

[trecile]

For what it’s worth..... I met 3 ladies on the CF last Summer, each with a wheelie trailer. In fact I heard about them long before I finally met them, in Larrasoaña. Everyone was feeling so sorry for them, they were so desperately struggling with their trolleys apparently. In the morning, they told me they were arranging for said trolleys to be sent ahead by taxi.... They couldn’t cope any more. I never saw them again so I don’t know how it turned out.

It sounds like they didn't do much training with their trailers before the Camino, to see if they would actually work well for them.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

It sounds like they didn't do much training with their trailers before the Camino, to see if they would actually work well for them.

Having only walked one Camino, that being the Frances last year, I can perfectly understand why at Larrasoaña they were struggling. Parts of the Camino from Roncesvalles are single track or less and uneven thus causing problems if towing a two wheeled trailer. On the wider tracks paths and roads it wouldn’t be a problem. Coming down the Shale mountains into Zubiri would quite frankly be a nightmare for many. I know at my age and weight, being total unfit, it was a time for total concentration. A mono wheel might cope better under those circumstances.

David.

 

[David]

Hi - trailers are great! Or rather, two-wheel trailers are great! There are no sections of the Camino that are too narrow or too rough for a trailer - for instance, the Wheelie is only 56 cms wide. Wherever your shoulders can go your trailer can go. Also the Wheelie has built in shoulder straps so that it can be quickly back-mounted if necessary, and such straps can be added to any trailer simply by buying an old cheap rucksack and using the harness from that.

But, Hound, you say that you are morbidly obese? You may do better - as mentioned above - to use a daily luggage carrier and walk as light as you can.
Also - a trailer can be like a new bookshelf - the temptation to just fill it can be almost irresistible!

I have made a trailer for Jenny in Sydney and am making my own now. I bolted a handle onto her one so if necessary she can wear her backpack and lift the light trailer by the handle, should she come across a problem such as a staircase in a refugio.
I did have a Wheelie but thought it over-engineered for Camino. The design, especially the big pack built into it, is for trekking rather than ambling and wanting to get at the sorts of pockets you get on a backpack.

Whatever anyone does, do not get a mono wheel trailer as half the weight is still on the body and they are narrower, true, but unstable. The advantage of a two wheel trailer is that the load can be organised over the axle so that there is no weight on the body. However, to stop the trailer draw bars rocking up and down one loads the trailer to give half a kilo or so of weight onto the hip belt.
The Wheelie is a seriously expensive piece of kit but there is a French one (has a wine bottle holder - no it doesn't ) that is less than half the price - they have recently renamed it Camino specific, it was the Chariot but is now the Ultreia!
- see here - https://www.chariotderandonnee.com/chariot-de-randonneur.html?___store=chariot_en

The American army, on test, found that using a trailer uses 80% less energy expenditure than the same weight back carried and I have found this to be true. The three women, mentioned above, may have been carrying a huge amount of stuff and were also terribly unfit, as there was no other reason to give up on their trailers.

I not only carry my personal items but a large first aid kit plus back-up first aid supplies but have strolled up the steep hill out of Pamplona, and slowly descended the other side (the one with the big boulders) with no problem whatsoever, the same with the big steep hill out of Castrojeriz. But! you cannot beat the laws of physics and the difference between weight and mass. On the flat and gentle undulation you are hardly aware that there is a trailer behind you, but rising in elevation you still have to 'lift' whatever weight you have - but it is much much less effort than doing the same wearing a backpack.

And you can see the difference - especially on hills! - you constantly coolly stroll past sweaty struggling pilgrims with strained faces - this is a fact.
However, a trailer isn't necessary on Camino, not at all - if one packs superlight then why add six kilos of trailer? and then there are the situations with refugios - they never want them in the bunk rooms, so you lock them downstairs and lift your pack up to the room. I do not fly but I understand that there can be problems sorting a trailer for loading in the baggage hold, but I don't know about that, and most trailers quickly dismantle and go into a bag.

You will read negatives about trailers but they tend to be from people who have never tried one. The first couple of minutes walking and the new owner always goes "Wow!!!! - this is SO easy!!!"
The only real 'downside' - not really - is that you are always being stopped and asked about the trailer and pilgrims always want to try it!

End of post! - but I am just finishing making a new one and there are pics below if you are interested.
I bought a secondhand aluminium frame one-seat child carrying cycle trailer cheap secondhand on ebay and cut it down. I then made a new frame from the parts, added flat strips of aluminium to make a load platform and brackets to take the draw bars. Here is the secret of the trailer making world!! Window washing supply companies have the most wonderful strong light telescopic poles and angle brackets, and they are cheap!!

Where you see the draw bar bolted to the frame - the lower one stays bolted so that it can be pivoted back to lay flat on the frame and I sleeved the tubing there with mild steel tube to strengthen it. Has quick release 20 inch! wheels, and all dismantles in two minutes to make a rectangle that goes into a bag with a shoulder strap. Not quite finished yet - but nearly done -
any questions about building one please do message me.

 

[david marquez]

Regarding weight distribution on a 2 wheel vs 1 wheel trailer, the claims of the manufacturer of the monowheel fatmate are almost identical to what you are stating for your 2 wheeled trailer.
I wonder how much difference there really is between the 1 and 2 wheel trailers in terms of weight distribution.
The fatmate certainly has a clever harness system and the locking brake function looks very useful

Monowalker Shop - Home

www.monowalker.com

 

[David]

"Regarding weight distribution on a 2 wheel vs 1 wheel trailer, the claims of the manufacturer of the monowheel fatmate are almost identical to what you are stating for your 2 wheeled trailer.
I wonder how much difference there really is between the 1 and 2 wheel trailers in terms of weight distribution.
The fatmate certainly has a clever harness system and the locking brake function looks very useful."


I couldn't find that. The Monowalker Fatmate product page specifically states "Due to its smart geometry half of the gear weight is on the trailer. The remaining weight is only on your hips" - so as I said, half the weight remains on the body, specifically the hips.

Perhaps I should only truly speak for two wheeled trailers as, apart from the obvious, that weight over axle equals weight nowhere else, I know that the balanced weight produces no weight on body (apart from a chosen slight loading to keep the draw bars from rocking) but if one has the slightest engineer chip in the circuitry one only has to look at a monopod (with the wheel at the end) to see that it is based upon the native Indian travois and therefore weight is shared at each end.

Another way of looking at my claim about that is to think of using a wheelbarrow ... weight shared between the wheel and the hands, dropped vertically, so by the hips - remember the weight on those hands? Exactly so. If any monopod maker is claiming all the weight on the wheel and therefore none on the hips their claims must be false.

A brake is a fab idea - the Wheelie has a braked option and I am currently fitting a brake to the trailer I am making.
Both the Wheelie and the French one have a harness option but as there is almost no weight on the hips they aren't necessary (I never used mine) - unlike the monopod design where because of the weight a harness is really needed.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Buen Camino all,

My wife and I walk the Frances route last year, there were parts we missed out due to injuries, time contrainsts etc, we completed about 300 miles and made it to Santiago....

But

We want to go back and walk again sometime in the future doing the bits we missed out on, in particular. But to ease the walking, I notice a few people towing hiking trailers and I thought what a wonderful idea.

I’m morbidly obese and struggled with the last 100kms to Santiago, determination got me there, but I had brought to much stuff in the first instance but also hadn’t trained sufficiently for it.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on hiking trailers, has anyone any particular experience with them. All advice gratefully received. Wheelies or MonoWalker or another!!!!

David.

Check out, EFREN, on Youtube. He did the CF in 2017 and the Via Francigena using a trailer just last year. He offers a One Minute format for each day so it is easy to get through the video and research in the comments for anything you need in particular. Efren is also very approachable, as you will see. Other trips he has shown recently include a trip to Costa Rica and Peru, to Machu Pichu.

 

[jdpiguet]

I am using a mono wheel trailer (Carrix) since 2006.
Both in my country (Switzerland) and on the Camino.
I estimate to have walked roughly 5000 km with.
The weight distribution is not 50/50: because the center of weight of the load is much closer to the wheel than to myself, I have only 15-20% of the total on my harness. I measured around 2 kg when testing.
By construction, 1 wheel systems are less stable than 2 wheels, but they can go through much difficult trails. For myself I know that I need a few minutes every morning to get the right position of the load on the trailer. Once it is done, it follows me without problem.
It needs a "learning" phase every time I start a long hike, so I am only using it for more than 2 days. But I'm not knowing of any Camino so short...
In short: yes I would get one and use it again!
Buen Camino, Jacques-D.
PS: once dismounted, it fits in the hand luggage box at the airport!

 

[MikeOK]

This 71 y.o ultrarunner uses a baby-jogger to run across the US.

http://suneson.se/index.php

I know that you are not running, but with three wheels it will take all the weight off you, and you only have to push. Very clever, i think.

 

[David]

There is a negative to having a trailer on camino that I had forgotten. going into a shop! Is simple wearing a pack, you just walk in, but a trailer needs to be left outside.
What do you do? lock it but leave the pack on there or lock it, take the pack off and wear it and then go in?

With a tiny shop one is ok leaving it all outside as it is in view, but in a bigger store there would be a high nervousness leaving everything outside and unattended unless one is with someone else who can watch it for you.

jdpiguet - thanks for the feedback re the mono from a user.

 

[Robo]

Hi - trailers are great! Or rather, two-wheel trailers are great! There are no sections of the Camino that are too narrow or too rough for a trailer - for instance, the Wheelie is only 56 cms wide. Wherever your shoulders can go your trailer can go. Also the Wheelie has built in shoulder straps so that it can be quickly back-mounted if necessary, and such straps can be added to any trailer simply by buying an old cheap rucksack and using the harness from that.

But, Hound, you say that you are morbidly obese? You may do better - as mentioned above - to use a daily luggage carrier and walk as light as you can.
Also - a trailer can be like a new bookshelf - the temptation to just fill it can be almost irresistible!

I have made a trailer for Jenny in Sydney and am making my own now. I bolted a handle onto her one so if necessary she can wear her backpack and lift the light trailer by the handle, should she come across a problem such as a staircase in a refugio.
I did have a Wheelie but thought it over-engineered for Camino. The design, especially the big pack built into it, is for trekking rather than ambling and wanting to get at the sorts of pockets you get on a backpack.

Whatever anyone does, do not get a mono wheel trailer as half the weight is still on the body and they are narrower, true, but unstable. The advantage of a two wheel trailer is that the load can be organised over the axle so that there is no weight on the body. However, to stop the trailer draw bars rocking up and down one loads the trailer to give half a kilo or so of weight onto the hip belt.
The Wheelie is a seriously expensive piece of kit but there is a French one (has a wine bottle holder - no it doesn't ) that is less than half the price - they have recently renamed it Camino specific, it was the Chariot but is now the Ultreia!
- see here - https://www.chariotderandonnee.com/chariot-de-randonneur.html?___store=chariot_en

The American army, on test, found that using a trailer uses 80% less energy expenditure than the same weight back carried and I have found this to be true. The three women, mentioned above, may have been carrying a huge amount of stuff and were also terribly unfit, as there was no other reason to give up on their trailers.

I not only carry my personal items but a large first aid kit plus back-up first aid supplies but have strolled up the steep hill out of Pamplona, and slowly descended the other side (the one with the big boulders) with no problem whatsoever, the same with the big steep hill out of Castrojeriz. But! you cannot beat the laws of physics and the difference between weight and mass. On the flat and gentle undulation you are hardly aware that there is a trailer behind you, but rising in elevation you still have to 'lift' whatever weight you have - but it is much much less effort than doing the same wearing a backpack.

And you can see the difference - especially on hills! - you constantly coolly stroll past sweaty struggling pilgrims with strained faces - this is a fact.
However, a trailer isn't necessary on Camino, not at all - if one packs superlight then why add six kilos of trailer? and then there are the situations with refugios - they never want them in the bunk rooms, so you lock them downstairs and lift your pack up to the room. I do not fly but I understand that there can be problems sorting a trailer for loading in the baggage hold, but I don't know about that, and most trailers quickly dismantle and go into a bag.

You will read negatives about trailers but they tend to be from people who have never tried one. The first couple of minutes walking and the new owner always goes "Wow!!!! - this is SO easy!!!"
The only real 'downside' - not really - is that you are always being stopped and asked about the trailer and pilgrims always want to try it!

End of post! - but I am just finishing making a new one and there are pics below if you are interested.
I bought a secondhand aluminium frame one-seat child carrying cycle trailer cheap secondhand on ebay and cut it down. I then made a new frame from the parts, added flat strips of aluminium to make a load platform and brackets to take the draw bars. Here is the secret of the trailer making world!! Window washing supply companies have the most wonderful strong light telescopic poles and angle brackets, and they are cheap!!

Where you see the draw bar bolted to the frame - the lower one stays bolted so that it can be pivoted back to lay flat on the frame and I sleeved the tubing there with mild steel tube to strengthen it. Has quick release 20 inch! wheels, and all dismantles in two minutes to make a rectangle that goes into a bag with a shoulder strap. Not quite finished yet - but nearly done -
any questions about building one please do message me.

View attachment 52087

View attachment 52088View attachment 52089View attachment 52090View attachment 52091

Are you taking orders @David ?
You're a much better Engineer that I am !

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

So in light of other responses @David have you changed you mind at all on a mono wheel trailer. BTW I emailed asking details about the width of the handles on the mono wheel and harness size, but haven’t heard anything back yet. Thanks everyone for your input so far, certainly makes interesting reading.

David.

 

[David]

I am using a mono wheel trailer (Carrix) since 2006.
Both in my country (Switzerland) and on the Camino.
I estimate to have walked roughly 5000 km with.
The weight distribution is not 50/50: because the center of weight of the load is much closer to the wheel than to myself, I have only 15-20% of the total on my harness. I measured around 2 kg when testing.
By construction, 1 wheel systems are less stable than 2 wheels, but they can go through much difficult trails. For myself I know that I need a few minutes every morning to get the right position of the load on the trailer. Once it is done, it follows me without problem.
It needs a "learning" phase every time I start a long hike, so I am only using it for more than 2 days. But I'm not knowing of any Camino so short...
In short: yes I would get one and use it again!
Buen Camino, Jacques-D.
PS: once dismounted, it fits in the hand luggage box at the airport!

Hi - I agree with you that a Mono is narrower than a two-wheel trailer but not sure about your weight estimate. I don't know which mono trailer you have but the Monowalker Fatmate company specifically state that the weight is shared 50/50, so that isn't me saying that but the people who make it.



The Dixonrollerpack also states that weight is 50/50.


If you are using the Fatmate monowalker and only have 20% of your weight on your hips and that is 2 kilos then your total weight, including the trailer, has to be only 10 kilos .... now, the Fatmate trailer weighs 9.8 kilos so you can only be carrying a pack with a total of 200 gms, including your pack - are you sure about this?
If the Dixon, at 3.5 kilos, then your total packweight can only be 6,5 kilos - Do you need a trailer?

And the Fatmate harness weighs 1 kilo so the total weight of a Fatmate monowalker is 10.8 kilos - and that is empty, so one would have 5.4 kilos on the hips before adding the pack!! .

A two-wheel trailer, stable and with no weight on the body is the way to go, don't you think?

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Ah but, you have to take into consideration that, with the Fatmate, you can also put panniers over the wheel, it’s an optional extra I know, also this talk about weight etc is I would suggest at little confusing, If I take a large bag and put it on the Fatmate frame filling it from the bottom near the wheel towards the top near the handles, then yes you will carry a lot more weight on your body in comparison to stacking the weight over one or two wheels. To my mind the minimal amount for carrying on the Camino won’t make that big a difference. I can see the benefits of the one wheel over two in some places so for example coming down into Zubiri on the Frances Route, coming down into Moulineseca also, being just two places where I think a mono wheel would work better.

I take everyone’s point however about weight over the axle and two wheels being easier to balance, stand on its own etc.

I would love to try both systems out at some point, but being from Northern Ireland there is not the market to have either of these available to try. I would love to say I’m mechanically minded, I can dream...... but my skill level doesn’t match my imagination level.

 

[David]

True, but putting panniers over a mono wheel makes it terribly unstable! and weight is still transferred to the hips.
I cannot think of one bit of Camino terrain that a two-wheeled trailer couldn't go on, no matter how steep. and here is the thing - say you find torrential rain, slippery ground, on a steep descent ... you unclip the trailer and put it in front of you and wheel down with it - any disaster just let go of the trailer (it won't run away, the draw bars will hit the ground and it will stop). And that is much safer than trying that descent with a heavy unbalancing rucksack on the back!
Or - a farmer puts in a stile! Take your pack off the trailer and put it on your back and just lift the trailer and climb over the stile - same for staircases ..... the problem is that until one actually tries it in all situations one cannot know that all will be well.

The whole mono wheel/twin wheel thing is really simple, consider ... two stable wheels with a flat platform between them. Put a load on that platform so it balances and you will find that you can lift or drop either end with a fingertip - all the weight is over the axle.
Now consider a single wheeled wheelbarrow .. load the same weight as close to that wheel as possible - now try to lift the end furthest from the wheel - it takes effort, quite a lot of effort (about half the weight of the load you put on it plus half the weight of the wheel barrow)..

So the same on your body - attach that two wheeled thing with a load on the platform to your hips via a hip belt and draw bars - see - no weight ... so you walk forward and the trailer follows. You will only feel 'drag' when you are going uphill.
Now, do the same with your wheelbarrow, attach the two arms to a hip belt by lifting them - feel the weight? and you will have that weight constantly, as long as you are attached.

There the difference - can you see it?

Though, I say again that a trailer isn't necessary on Camino - just pack superlight! nothing more easy than truly minimal packing and a light pack - perfect!!
But if carrying for two, or with body problems where one cannot wear a pack, or if camping so have extra gear (same if with a dog), or in winter where vast amounts of extra clothing may be needed, then a trailer is of great benefit (and is for me as I carry extra gear in the form of first aid kit and extra supplies).

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Thanks @David I appreciate what your saying. Don’t agree with your wheelbarrow analogy though, and her is why.... as I said earlier you can add panniers over the mono wheel so all the weight is resting on the mono wheel. A wheelbarrow has a sloping front which raises the load away from the wheel and closer to the handles, so yes in your analogy you do indeed feel weight on the handles of a wheelbarrow, if you were to load out the Monowalker with the kit bag they show or any large bag, I agree your going to feel that more on the harness than if all the weight is over the axle, but my point was with the panniers on the pannier attachment most if not all the weight is on the mono wheel as the pannier rack (optional extra) sits over the mono wheel. Have a look at their website and accessories, you’ll see what I mean. Another poster advised that if balance correctly the mono wheel follows along without any undue strain or difficulty.

You do have a point however that in wet slippery conditions the monowheel could be more problematic.

I would love to try both out and see what I thought of both and how they function.

I could of course just loose weight so the load wasn’t a burden on my legs and ankles....

I have tried and succeeded and failed and succeeded and failed.

 

[Andres Cano]

Having only walked one Camino, that being the Frances last year, I can perfectly understand why at Larrasoaña they were struggling. Parts of the Camino from Roncesvalles are single track or less and uneven thus causing problems if towing a two wheeled trailer. On the wider tracks paths and roads it wouldn’t be a problem. Coming down the Shale mountains into Zubiri would quite frankly be a nightmare for many. I know at my age and weight, being total unfit, it was a time for total concentration. A mono wheel might cope better under those circumstances.

David.

This one is only about 500 samolians american. https://www.dixonrollerpack.com/index.html#/

 

[Andres Cano]

The german monowheel is not available outside of europe right now. The dixon is lighter and cheaper. The benpacker is very pricy and frankly for only carrying 8 kg it is way overkill in capacity. With the dixon I'll have 8kg for the walking trailer and 8kg in gear but I'm only carrying 20% of that on my hips so that's 3.2 kg. I have a back injury so I can't carry a pack. Probably have a little more weight with my phone, water and snacks in a waist pack.

 

[scaepio]

I have a Radical Designs Wheelie V, as shown in the last video clip.
I last used it in September doing the Southern Upland Way here in Scotland,a lot of the route is serious hill walking over rough and boggy moorland with very steep ups & downs.The Wheelie was fully loaded with camping gear,gas stove,food for several days,spare clothes etc.
It would have been hard work with a backpack but was so much easier having the weight balanced between the wheels and the trailer ran easily,even over the roughest terrain.
I did tend to pull it by the handlebars rather than just by the waist belt so felt very little weight on my waist.
I haven't used the Wheelie in Spain but will definitely be taking it the next time I go.
I have walked the Camino Frances twice and there is nowhere on that path that this trailer wouldn't go.
I hope this helps you.

THANK YOU for this info!

 

[Chris99]

I recently performed some research on the effects of carrying a pack while walking vs walking with the pack on a hiking trailer (on terrain that is suitable for wheels).

It involved 54 walks over an 11 km circuit, with loads from 8 kg to 23 kg. It analysed the effects on speed of walking, energy consumption, heart rate and cadence. If anyone is interested they can have a look at the results here https://trekkersfriend.com/benefits-of-using-a-hiking-trailer/ (see links to the 2020 study on that page).

Briefly, the research showed that putting your pack on a hiking trailer allows you to walk faster while using less energy per km. This dual effect is seen even for pack weights of 8 kg, and gets more pronounced the heavier the pack, but see the study for more details.

I am the inventor of this hiking trailer. However, I expect the results would be the same for any hiking trailer, and it also may be of interest to anyone that walks with a pack.

 

[Andres Cano]

Hiking trailers CAN be a good idea. But on a very well-developed Camino such as the Frances, my recommendation would be to invest the funds in mochila transport. For about € 6 - 8 daily, you can have one rucksack or any suitcase (if you do this I recommend a rolling carry-on bag) sent ahead to your next night's lodging. These services are VERY reliable.

If you do this, you only need to carry rain gear, first-aid, snacks, water, and all your medications and valuables. Two people can put all their night stuff and extra clothes into the shared suitcase or mochila. It DOES make a HUGE difference. Later on, after a few weeks walking, you can choose to carry the rucksack(s) especially if walking a relatively level stretch, like the Meseta.

There are several services, with Jacotrans being one of the largest. However, their service starts at Roncesvalles. To get your bag over the Pyrenees from France to Roncesvalles, consider using Express Bourricot. They run a regular daily service up the mountain to Orisson, and the head of the trail over the frontier, and also over the mountains from SJPdP to Roncesvalles.

If you consider the HUGE initial investment and transport costs, plus the added drama that having to care for and protect a hiking trailer entails, mochila transport starts to look cheap in comparison. For example, most of the better trailers cost around €500 - 600. At €8 nightly (high end of mochila transport estimate) that is 62 nights (€500 / €8). The Frances takes about 35 nights, if you walk the entire 799 km from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.

So, the point is made. Send your rucksack ahead, or share a suitcase, and lighten your load.

Hope this helps.

there is some added pressure because you have to make sure you make it to the destination where your gear is being sent. I would carry toiletries and sleeping stuff in case you don't make it there. that does place a little stress. You would then have to call jacotrans to have your bags picked up from the town where you aren't and have it sent ahead to your next best guess as to where you will make it too.

 

[Andres Cano]

This one is only about 500 samolians american. https://www.dixonrollerpack.com/index.html#/

I'm thinking of this one because it's only 300 and I can use it for my bike as well. We want to go on bikes but I'm thinking of walking the sections from SJPDP to Roncesvalles and also from Trabelo to O Cebreiro. We can use this travoy on walking then use it as a bike trailer in easier sections. https://www.burley.com/product/travoy/

 

[malingerer]

Lol, so now I’m looking a horse as well

Donkey cheaper but mule stronger altho I hear they are more contrary?
samarkand.

 

[Robo]

The Trekkers friend is only 240 AUD (approx 148 Euro or 180 USD). It weighs approx 1.6 kg and comes in a small daypack, so needs no special transport arrangements. If you need to go somewhere that is not suitable for wheels (eg. into a shop etc) you just pick it up and carry it.

Oh No. Those bouncing handles and hence weight would drive me nuts..

 

[Andres Cano]

Oh No. Those bouncing handles and hence weight would drive me nuts..

Oh No. Those bouncing handles and hence weight would drive me nuts..

Thank you for this suggestion.

 

[Robo]

OK, I am not a trailer user, but have considered getting one.
And have read the various threads on them here for the last 5 years.......

It would seem logical to me, and basic physics, that a 2 wheel trailer would be more stable and put less weight on the hips.
Just look at this one.
All the weight is forward of the axle.

Dixon Rollerpack

Dixon Rollerpack

www.dixonrollerpack.com

and this one........2 wheel.

But, I have decided against a trailer in the end.
If I pack light I am down to about 6 kgs anyway.
And better in my mind not to have the added hassle of what to do with the trailer at stops, public transport etc. It just adds additional complexity in my mind.

The only advantage I could see is on a very long hike, where one might have to carry 'days' worth of water and food, along with camping gear.

With a trailer on Camino, I would be tempted to add in extra gear, just because I could.....

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

It would seem logical to me, and basic physics, that a 2 wheel trailer would be more stable and put less weight on the hips.

With a trailer on Camino, I would be tempted to add in extra gear, just because I could.....

 

[Chris99]

Oh No. Those bouncing handles and hence weight would drive me nuts..

"Bouncing handles"? Doesn't happen!

 

[wayfarer]

I have moved some posts about trailers suitable for a dog to a separate thread. It can be found here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/hiking-trailer-for-a-dog-advice.69018/

 

[Robo]

"Bouncing handles"? Doesn't happen!

OK, on that specific video, they bounce

 

[ederiko]

Having only walked one Camino, that being the Frances last year, I can perfectly understand why at Larrasoaña they were struggling. Parts of the Camino from Roncesvalles are single track or less and uneven thus causing problems if towing a two wheeled trailer. On the wider tracks paths and roads it wouldn’t be a problem. Coming down the Shale mountains into Zubiri would quite frankly be a nightmare for many. I know at my age and weight, being total unfit, it was a time for total concentration. A mono wheel might cope better under those circumstances.

David.

I came to the conclusion that on rough or steep sections it would be better to carry the whole lot on your back. It's just physics really - anything on wheels will be wanting to run downhill, either pushing you forwards or pulling you back. Thus you will be expending a lot of energy in stopping it going where it wants to go, and that's before you get to the problems posed by tree roots, boulders, fences or narrow paths. I think also mono wheel trailers will need a lot of energy just to continually balance the load on the wheel; it just doesn't make sense to me. So I was looking at ultralight trailers that can be easily carried, and found the Trekker's Friend, which weighs 1.8kg and uses your hiking poles as the frame. (Incidentally, hiking poles are a must if you are not young and fit anymore, like me - saves you lots of strain on the joints). This design is also less than half the price of most others, and much less bulky for taking indoors etc. I can't give direct experience of it's functionality, but can't anticipate any problems with the design, and have decided to order one for my Camino.

 

[Coverbid]

Buen Camino all,

My wife and I walk the Frances route last year, there were parts we missed out due to injuries, time contrainsts etc, we completed about 300 miles and made it to Santiago....

But

We want to go back and walk again sometime in the future doing the bits we missed out on, in particular. But to ease the walking, I notice a few people towing hiking trailers and I thought what a wonderful idea.

I’m morbidly obese and struggled with the last 100kms to Santiago, determination got me there, but I had brought to much stuff in the first instance but also hadn’t trained sufficiently for it.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on hiking trailers, has anyone any particular experience with them. All advice gratefully received. Wheelies or MonoWalker or another!!!!

David.

Hi, What about using a baggage service. I haven't used them, but some people really like them. I think for 5 a day they move your bag to your next destination and so on...

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Hi, What about using a baggage service. I haven't used them, but some people really like them. I think for 5 a day they move your bag to your next destination and so on...

Hi Coverbid, yes that was the price €5, it may well be more now. I however being a slow stroller wanted to take my stuff with me as I’m never to sure how far I will be walking etc. Thanks for the thought though.

Hound of Ulster

 

[David]

I came to the conclusion that on rough or steep sections it would be better to carry the whole lot on your back. It's just physics really - anything on wheels will be wanting to run downhill, either pushing you forwards or pulling you back. Thus you will be expending a lot of energy in stopping it going where it wants to go, and that's before you get to the problems posed by tree roots, boulders, fences or narrow paths. I think also mono wheel trailers will need a lot of energy just to continually balance the load on the wheel; it just doesn't make sense to me. So I was looking at ultralight trailers that can be easily carried, and found the Trekker's Friend, which weighs 1.8kg and uses your hiking poles as the frame. (Incidentally, hiking poles are a must if you are not young and fit anymore, like me - saves you lots of strain on the joints). This design is also less than half the price of most others, and much less bulky for taking indoors etc. I can't give direct experience of it's functionality, but can't anticipate any problems with the design, and have decided to order one for my Camino.

Ah, your conclusion is guesswork not experience. It doesn't happen like that at all. When walking up an incline you are aware of the trailer and the mass of it - not the weight, the mass - but you just walk up, the stress is a small fraction of that when carrying a pack up the same incline.
As a trailer has wheels and is pulled it justs rolls over rocks and through troughs (would be different if you pushed it!).
There are zero problems on rough paths or narrow paths - it is narrower than your shoulders so where you go it goes.
Physics is that every gram on your body is pressed into the ground by one foot as only one foot is on the ground at any one time - with a heavy pack this is terrible stress that the body is not designed for .... a well designed and balanced trailer puts no downward pressure on the body, leaving it light and agile (I exlude mono trailers as they are the worst trailer design in the world, being unstable and leaving half the load weight on the body).
For load carrying weight has to be over the axle of the wheels so unless it is a horizontal cart the angle of the trailer has to be lifted until forward weight disappears as by lifting the load weight point moves over towards above the axle. (Practically until about half a kilo is weighed forward at the hips as to have zero weight at the front leads to constant pivoting and bouncing).
One also needs drawbars that come well forward of the body, for obvious control reasons, anything that hangs behind the hips is a very bad design.
The Trekker's friend is the best of the cheap trailers but does have design faults that can be easily rectified by a practical person.
Hiking poles, unless used properly by people with really strong arms, have absolutely no strain or joint benefits for the unfit and aged - the only benefit they can give is stability on rough ground, hills, etc.
If you disagree then stand on a set of bathroom scales with the poles on the floor on either side and see how much downward arm pressure you have to use to reduce your weight by even ten grams - before disagreeing please do that first.

 

[Coverbid]

Hi Coverbid, yes that was the price €5, it may well be more now. I however being a slow stroller wanted to take my stuff with me as I’m never to sure how far I will be walking etc. Thanks for the thought though.

Hound of Ulster

I agree, I like the flexibility as well. Maybe on certain days the baggage service is an option.