Small pull-behind campers were the first type we considered when we started talking about getting an RV. Doug had his heart set on a trailer RV, so we began searching for the perfect one. After some time, we found a 26-foot RV camper with a bathroom and instantly fell in love. It was compact, adorable, and ideal for towing with our four-cylinder RAV4, which made everything easy and convenient.
But as much as we loved the Small pull-behind campers, we eventually discovered that they weren’t the best fit for our needs in the long term. The limited space began to feel cramped, especially when we started thinking about longer trips. That’s when we shifted our focus to something larger, and that’s how we found the Black Series RV. It was the perfect solution, offering the manoeuvrability and ease of a pull-behind camper and the space and features we needed for extended adventures.
The Black Series HQ21 is designed to make long trips much more comfortable, offering features that small pull-behind campers can’t match. It has a separate shower room, a cosy lounge area, and air conditioning, all of which make life on the road much more enjoyable.
Having a shower room all to yourself means you don’t have to worry about finding public facilities or making do with cramped setups. Whether you’re parked at a campground or out in the wilderness, you’ll have the convenience of a full shower whenever you need it, which is a big win on longer trips.
The lounge area is another major plus. It’s a comfy space to kick back, relax, and recharge. After a day of driving or exploring, you’ll have a place to unwind, whether reading a book, watching a movie, or enjoying the view. Plus, it’s roomy enough for everyone to hang out together without feeling cramped.
The air conditioning ensures that you can always escape to a cool, comfortable space no matter how hot or humid it gets outside. Whether stuck in a heatwave or travelling through sweltering weather, you can stay cool and sleep well, which is key for longer trips.
All these features mean the HQ21 isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s about ensuring you’re comfortable the whole way. With more space, better amenities, and the ability to stay cool and clean, it’s perfect for anyone looking to spend more time on the road without sacrificing comfort.
In the small pull-behind campers, we had a full east-west bed, so we would climb over each other in the middle of the night to get to the bathroom, which got old quickly. However, that has worked out so much better for us.
The second feature that won us over was the HQ21’s significantly larger holding tanks. In our previous Scamp, we worked with a 63.4-gallon freshwater tank and an 11.88-gallon filtered water tank, which was adequate for shorter trips. However, on longer journeys, the limitations of these smaller tanks began to show. When travelling off the beaten path for extended periods, ensuring a stable and reliable water supply becomes crucial for comfort and practicality.
With the HQ21, the larger freshwater tanks allow us to carry much more water, reducing the need for frequent stops to refill. This means that we can explore more remote areas, camp in places without easy access to potable water, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing we have enough water to last for several days—even a week or more, depending on our usage.
The bigger holding tanks mean we can stay off the beaten path longer, which is important because we frequently do not have hookups. We don’t prefer to stay at RV campgrounds. I won’t say we never do, because we often do when travelling with friends. But when we’re by ourselves, we want to be by ourselves so that we will find dispersed camping along the way. Having those larger holding tanks when you’re dispersed camping is nice.
One of the standout features of the HQ21 is its spacious 6-cubic foot refrigerator, which makes life on the road much more convenient. With this ample storage, you can easily keep various perishable foods fresh for longer trips, allowing you to stock up and avoid constant grocery runs. Plus, the built-in freezer offers the option to store frozen foods, adding even more flexibility to your meals on the go. Whether it’s keeping snacks cool, storing fresh produce, or even having the luxury of ice cream on hand, the larger fridge in the HQ21 enhances comfort and convenience, ensuring you have everything you need wherever the journey takes you.
One thing that the HQ21s have in common is that they have a wet bath, and that was important for us when buying a trailer. We wanted a damp bath, so we love that about the HQ21—that we have a bathroom.
One of the things that we love about having a small trailer is that we can fit it just about anywhere. Let’s say you go to Yosemite, Where the RV spaces are a maximum of 21 feet; we can fit in a 21-foot space. And if we configure our truck differently, we can fit in a smaller space. It’s something that you can’t do in a larger trailer. Now, if you love going to RV parks and want to be right next to your neighbours, and that’s how you want to do it, then a small trailer may not be so important to you. But it was really important for us to fit in really small spaces to go to many different places. We could fit in state parks, we could fit in national parks, we could get into small areas, dispersed camping, and we have been able to fit into some small spaces dispersed camping, which is nice. Plus, we can tow the HQ21 with a midsize truck or SUV.
Another great thing about HQ21 trailers is that they are narrow. They’re not overly narrow, but they’re narrow enough that you don’t need to get mirror extensions. The HQ21 is much narrower than that. It makes manoeuvres easier when driving on the freeway, and he really likes that. Plus, it just goes behind you. That’s the great thing about a small trailer—it’s just going along, and it’s just back there. It just goes wherever you go.
The other thing about the HQ21 is that it’s low enough that you don’t have to worry about bridges. We can’t go through McDonald’s most of the time, but we don’t have to have an app on our phones to drive the trailer. We could use our regular Google Maps or what have you, and we don’t have to worry about low bridges or anything like that.
The HQ21 has an indoor kitchen, and it’s well-apportioned for the trailer size. We like the twin bed configuration in our Independence, and when we’re not using the beds, we have the lagoon table back here that we can use to make a dinette. What I like about that is I’m not making the bed every day. So, with this, we never have to take the bed down. We sit on our beds and eat at the lagoon table, and you would think it would be messy, but it’s not that bad. Yeah, you have to make your bed first.
In conclusion, while we initially considered small pull-behind campers, we realized they weren’t the best fit for our long-term travel needs after a few trips. The limited space quickly became cramped, especially when we needed more storage, larger water tanks, and greater comfort for extended journeys. While they are great for short trips and simple camping, they fall short when handling the demands of longer adventures.
In contrast, the HQ21 offers everything we need and more, surpassing the limitations of small pull-behind campers. The larger holding tanks allow us to stay off the grid longer, while the spacious fridge and built-in freezer make food storage much more convenient. The dedicated shower room and air conditioning provide the comfort we need for longer trips. Best of all, the HQ21 is compact and manoeuvrable, fitting into smaller spaces and offering the flexibility we desire for remote camping.
So, while small pull-behind campers were once our top choice, after considering comfort, convenience, and functionality for extended travel, the HQ21 is undoubtedly the better option.
