Oh my STARS is this it? is this the camping product i have DREAMT of? A WHEEL-FREE TRAILER THAT LEAVES NO TRAIL and requires no tow-bar? is this a work of genius or WOT?

[AitchTwoOh]

www.tail-crate.com/index.php

And can you make one with a lockable lid so when you stop off at a service station halfway you can go to the loo without having your stuff nicked?

i know what you mean, the lockability thing would be good...

i mean that photo where someone has done their shopping just looks like a big 'help yourself' supermarket smorgasbord.

Marking my place - will show to dh when I get home. Agree, needs a lid, although could probably manage with tarp cover.

Ooh, looks good (I am incapable of travelling light, already managing to fill sizeable car and roofbox with ease). I agree that having it be rigid when off the car would be REALLY helpful (perhaps then it could be loaded off the car, or taken off to let the aforementioned dogs out, without it collapsing?) Something like the corner supports in one those Outwell storage crates would work, I think - just stiffeners that go in little pockets in the corners.

Hi All and thank your for the brilliant feedback

To try and put your minds to rest on the matter of security, I have personally covered well over 2000 miles with a fully laden Tail-Crate attached, including a London to Edinburgh return trip, without any issues or losing any load by pilfering or otherwise. Admittedly, I was careful where I parked at motorway service stations etc. but I suppose it?s no different to leaving hundreds of pounds of bikes on the back of a car or leaving a trailer full of camping gear? In the past I have also used a cable cycle lock to attach a suitcase to the Tail-Crate frame, which worked pretty well.
I certainly appreciate your comments, and will take them all on board, even though I might not acknowledge them all directly. I will definitely work on security accessories, along with some different colour options, which seems to be another area close to your hearts.

Thanks again

Scott

But with bikes you can use a bike lock to lock the bikes to the frame, which I always do.

I like and want.
Wish I had thought of this!

Yes I agree, some loads are easier to secure that others, but really valuable loads I would hope would be kept in the car.

One accessory I have in mind is a lockable cable mesh, how does that sound?

would it be bonkers to use something like this to criss-cross around the frame etc? i mean i guess a really determined thief could still slash into the crate, but then the same would apply to a trailer with a tarp cover, wouldn't it? i would like it to look like i was at least trying, and you'd think 30ft of cable and a padlock might work...

what's a lockable cable mesh? you mean a net thing? that would work, i think.

Yes lockable cable mesh would be good.

I agree I'd keep valuable things in the car. And also that a determined thief would get in anyway. But you're unlikely to encounter a determined thief in a ten min loo break at a service station. But more likely to come across an opportunist thief. And while a bag of clothes, slapping bags, etc may not be valuable it would wreck the holiday if they were pinched.

If you get some form of security for it I,ll buy one. Genius idea.

Something like this

www.amazon.co.uk/PacSafe-Secure-Backpack-Bag-Protector/dp/B000N8GXI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1311025808&sr=1-1

which fixes onto the trailer.

I don't think it needs an integral security feature, I'd just use bike locks.

I do think we need a Mumsnet discount and a free furry gonk for the dashboard though

I can't see how a bike lock could work?

Oh my GOOOOOOOOD Lawdy - this is it - forget icey tek, this is my product this year.

And it is so useful. Taking rubbish to the dump, brilliant. You can get a washing machine in it ffs. You can STAND in it! This is it!

ADRIAN Talking of economies of scale, how about Mumsnet bulk order?

hi Adrian. One more bit of feedback for you: there's no apostophe in FAQs. {retreats to pedants' corner}.

great product though .

so do you think my 30 ft cable would work in the meantime, viva? because i really, really, really want one of these bloomin' things. i was looking at getting the handirack and handiholdall, but was holding off because i just didn't want to have to piss about blowing stuff up and also am quite short... so this compares favourably on price and is easier to deal with. i suppose that was quite break-into-able as well, come to think of it.

that question also to scott...

I don't know if a cable would work at present, depends how many points there are to thread cable back and forth. And if those points are fixed so the cable can't just be shoved down to one end.

i suppose if you had the lid (there are photos somewhere on the site of the lid) you could thread it through the four corners still, criss-crossing itself? i agree with you re security and opportunism but i also think that i need the appearance of security more than anything, iykwim, just to send that opportunist onto the next thing?

Ooh, I've been watching this thread with interest. It might make all the difference to DD1 (15) actually coming camping with us happily this year (she needs to take the complete contents of her bedroom).

But, I concur with others on here, it needs a lid as standard. We're planning on going from South Coast to top of Scotland and I can see all my belongings scattered at nice 20 mile intervals all the way, like a paper chase. Or else getting there very, very soggy.

TailCrate - I'm really liking the look of this product. But have you seen the weather this week? Lid needs to come with it.

Aitch, I have the handirack, (and a roof box I got for £25 off ebay). I love it.

But I want this as well.

really? how much of a faff is it to pump up? one of the reasons i didn't go for it (apart from my puny height etc etc) is that i've seen a few people online complain that when it rains the straps wick water right into the car. and given that i do most of my camping in sunny Jockland...

Love it too.

If you promise to send me a free lid when you get them, I'll buy one.