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

they sell reflector strips on the site for £1.80, i noticed. i'll get some, i think, better safe than sorry.

On that note, i have ordered the ridiculous cable and lock etc so that i might experiment on your behalf with security measures.

I think I'd just be putting the bulky, least value stuff in one anyway. It'd be great to just get the bedding/airbeds/towels etc out of the car.
(...and then wouldn't be such a disaster if I reversed it into a bollard either).

yyy that's what i'm thinking. we have a double sleeping bag that i LOVE but it takes up a ludicrous amount of room, so that's going in. i put chairs, sims, rolled-up stuff etc in the footwells but perhaps the children would like to be able to extend their legs? (i know, i'm a softie... )

have liked it and posted a link to my fb page, its genius!!!

I need one of these, looks fantastic!!

We have the biggest boot out there a Ford Galaxy but still struggle for space We are going for 2 weeks tommorrow and looking around me at the acres of stuff we are taking, I have no idea how I will fit the ds's in as well

The tail crate may well save our marriage

Wow, this looks like the perfect solution to our no space in car, no space for roof box\ trailer issue. Will need to be sure it is defo not flappy at speed and a rain cover is a must....keep us posted on tests.....

Do you have it yet aitch? The security solution which looks best is the metal mesh/ rucksack cover...also second the idea of option to be rigid when off if u need it for storage at site. A mumsnet discount and I will be ordering.....

amazeboobs.

I really want one

The Tail-Crate is not the only solution on the market. Thule have a solution called a Backup Box

www.roofracks.co.uk/thule/Tow+Bar+and+Ball+Mounted+EasyBase+EasyBasket+EasyBag+EasyBike+BackUpBox/img/smallbanner_900_large.jpg

The Thule Backup Box holds 420 Litres but is 3 times the price. The Backup box is around £250 and otehr £140 for the Thule 949 Easy Base which connects to a towbar. At £400 it makes the £125 Tail Crate look cheap.

www.roofracks.co.uk/thule/Tow+Bar+and+Ball+Mounted+EasyBase+EasyBasket+EasyBag+EasyBike+BackUpBox/

However I haven't got a tow bar and I have been quoted £375 to fit one to my Landrover Freelander 2. Another £300 for a ERDE Trailer from Wickes.

So my options are:

£675 for a Towbar and trailer and be limited to 60 miles per hour.

£775 for a Towbar, Thule Easy Base and Thule Backup Box

or £137.50 for a Tail Crate including P&P

I know which one is appealing to my bank balance at the moment ;-)

don't have it yet, he's waiting on the lids, apparently but it should be v soon. cannot WAIT.

i have a query which i have posted on their fb page but will ask here as well, just in case anyone is a know it all!

we went to halfords to look at getting a rear mounted cycle carrier they said NO, as our car (a citreon c8) has a 'composite' rear door?!! and they also said that products like tail crate wouldnt be suitable as well?

i dont even know what a bloody composite door is?!! anyone else have a scooby what they are on about and know if we can still use the tail crate?!!

A composite car door is made from composite material. The two most common composite materials in common use are plywood in any DIY store and carbon fibre used in F1 cars. In the case of carbon fibre in F1 it is 5 times the strength of steel. However the composite material used to create the door is unlikely to be carbon fibre or plywood but something in between but less strong than steel. The material the rear door is made of is not the issue but the load bearing properties of the rear door hinges. If Halfords say the C5 cannot support bike carriers or Tail crate it means the hinges are not rated to support much weight.
You could ask Citroen what is the load bearing properties of the rear door hinges are.

I HAVE IT. my computer, owever, is gubbed and it is taking ten mins to pst this so have to deal with that crisis first. ., plus i only got back fom cmping this morning which is a bugger. will repot soon as.

okey dokey Aitch; looking forward to your report

bugger about your pooter being buggered matey

am posting in great misery from crapola netbook, but wanted to say that i have opened the package and it's fucking mahoosive. not in a terrifying way, in a 'oh my christ maybe my children will be able to waggle their legs in the car' sort of a way. i can get both of the tents into it, and some bedding, and the lid is more of a tarp cover but it velcros on tight and i think it's going to be plenty waterproof. it would have to be, tbh, with the weather recently.

(btw i will be looking for beauteous tarp recommendations, was away the other night and it pished down but because someone had a tarp it was absolutely FINE)

Will be interested to hear how much you fit in it...-as you say leg wiggling room is a premium :)

Have you all bought one, they're sold out!

will be happy to keep you posted re tail crate btw but it is peeshing down here so won't be testing it for a while i think...

Marking my place to read your reviews Aitch.

Any update? Have you used it yet Aitch?

Any update on this? I'm seriously considering one but it's getting a flaming on the UKCampsite website. I must add that said flaming is by a load of numpties that haven't got one, of course.

Do I take it that you have not even tried it out yet Aitch?

Please update us if you have, pretty please

Where is your follow up review Aitch, specially seeing as you got one for free!

Anyone know if these are still avaliable? Website no longer seems to be working - was it any good Aitch?

Bump i'd quite like one too...any good??