There are a lot of options when it comes to sleeping out on the open road. You can rough it in your car, build a deluxe van, bring a tent, tow a camper, or even just toss your sleeping gear on the ground. But if you’re looking for a bit of shelter that’s easy to bring along, the Hitch Hotel looks like an interesting option that can be towed by most vehicles with a Class 2 hitch.
Originally starting as a locking box to safely carry a mountain bike, the design eventually evolved to include an expandable sleeping space. The key to the wheel-less design is a light weight frame that telescopes to expand or contract. This allows the 240lb assembly to simply ride on your trailer hitch without any supporting wheels. Then when you get to your destination, it expands into a sleeping space with 135 cubic feet and an internal footprint that’s bigger than a queen size bed.
When it’s closed, it also still provides 60 cubic feet of storage space to stash some gear inside while you drive to your destination. That’s enough to comfortably store at least two mountain bikes with the front wheels removed apparently.
Thanks to the lightweight design, the Hitch Hotel can be towed by a vehicle with a Class 2 hitch and a tongue weight rating of at least 350lbs. That allows you to carry the 240lb Hitch Hotel and up to 100lbs of additional gear inside. And once expanded, the floor can support more than 1000lbs with the adjustable aluminum legs.
Completely waterproof when expanded or collapsed, the Hitch Hotel has a T6 welded aluminum frame with white or black UV gel coated fiberglass for the shell. It includes two vented windows with an optional third, and a number of options like highway legal brake/running lights, root mounted air vents, 12v light and USB port, insulation, and more.
Compared to a trailer, the Hitch hotel will fit in smaller parking spaces, doesn’t have any speed or lane restrictions, requires no registration, and sets up in less time than a tent. Currently, the Hitch Hotel is on Kickstarter and has surpassed their funding goal by more than $50,000. If you want to get in on the Kickstarter, you still have a few days left to pick up a Hitch Hotel for $3,100 which includes free shipping in the continental USA for members of the “First 100 club”.
