It’s not always easy to know what sort of trailer you need. We weigh up the benefits of open and enclosed trailers.
Open trailers
- Commonly less expensive to buy.
- They’re lighter to tow so there’s less wear and tear on tyres and the towing vehicle.
- Easy to manoeuvre; you can move them round without fuss.
- Less prone to sway as they offer less wind resistance.
- You can see over the top when you’re reversing.
- It’s easier to reach things in an open trailer.
- You’ll need to empty it every time you arrive home after a day/weekend away.
- What are you carting? If it’s mainly rubbish, green waste or the occasional piece of furniture, an open trailer offers a lot more versatility.
Enclosed trailers
- On the other hand, towing your treasured racing bikes or vintage car to a rally is much safer with an enclosed trailer.
- It’s securable and can house all the gear you need without fear of water damage if it rains.
- More importantly, your cargo won’t be subjected to the, dust, stones, bugs, exhaust fumes or other road debris.
- Enclosed trailers offer more storage options.
- It’s harder for an opportunistic thief to lift your equipment from an enclosed trailer.
- With an enclosed trailer, you can take out the essentials, lock it up and deal with it tomorrow. When you use the trailer as part of your business, this can save extra unpaid hours of work in your day.
- An enclosed trailer offers accessible space for advertising your business or sport – it’s like having a 3–dimensional billboard.
Best of both worlds
Does a caged trailer offer the benefits of both an open trailer and an enclosed trailer? Again, it will depend on what you’ll use it for.
- It’s ideal for carting furniture, goods and appliances when moving house.
- It can also be useful for hauling green waste to the tip but might still need to be covered, as leaves and grass clippings will blow straight out.
- If using your caged trailer for transporting bikes or camping gear, consider investing in a sturdy tarpaulin to put over the lot.
Whether you choose an open, enclosed or caged trailer will largely depend on what you want to use it for. Good luck with your decision making!
Want to know more about other types of trailers you could buy?