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RKS Off-Road Purpose overlanding and adventure trailer

Tony Barthel

Today’s RV review is of the RKS Purpose, a small travel trailer that is designed for serious overlanding and off-road use and sporting some of the most unique features I’ve seen in the industry. The trailer’s design is the product of RKS Off Road, a company in Los Angeles. In terms of features, materials use and design this is truly one of the most unusual trailers on the market and may be the best small overlanding trailer available. 

Unusual features in the RKS Purpose overlanding trailer

Specifically this is a small, (2500lb dry weight) trailer designed for an adventurous lifestyle but I couldn’t believe it when their specifications indicated that they had 70 gallons of fresh water aboard. 

So I called and spoke with Elisabeth Gritsch, one of the founders of RKS, who assured me that there was, in fact, 70 gallons of fresh water capacity in this trailer. And it’s accomplished very smartly with two baffled fresh water tanks, one fore and one aft to help balance the trailer. That’s some great thinking.

In fact there are a lot of things that are engineered differently in this trailer. Some of the construction utilizes aircraft grade adhesives which actually result in bonds stronger than welds. There’s a full stand-up bathroom in a trailer that starts out 6’11” tall. There are racks on the side so you can bring bicycles or kayaks and that sort of thing. And there’s no wood whatsoever in the construction of these trailers. 

The trailer walls and roof are a 1.5” thick honeycomb structure that is so strong they actually have a provision on the roof where you can just go up there an hang out. While some RVs talk about a walkable roof referring to one individual walking around for a short period of time, RKS actually encourages you and several of your friends to go up there under a folding Bimini top with your lawn chairs and enjoy the view. 

The shower and bathroom are at the front of the trailer and there’s a pop top, like in an old VW camper, that pops up so you can fully stand up in there. When the top’s popped you get 7’ 1” of interior height in the bathroom and shower. 

There are actually a number of Germans on a team that started from renting motorhomes and then making a decision to actually build RVs. You can see that heritage in the build quality but also in thinking of this rig which includes using the gray water tank to source the water used in the toilet. If this isn’t one of the smartest ideas ever I don’t know what is. That’s also why the company has only a 25 gallon gray tank but a 60 gallon black water tank. 

Those tanks, though. The way they accomplish this liquid capability is by having tanks consume almost the entire space between the welded aluminum frame rails. Then the gray and fresh water tanks are baffled so that water doesn’t slosh around in there as much. The frame itself is all welded aluminum, crafted right there in the company’s Southern California plant. The main structure is 6” x 2” aircraft-grade aluminum I-beams. 

This also utilizes a Timbren axle-less suspension system.

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Who is RKS Off Road

Wife and husband team, Elisabeth and Travis, spent their formal careers in the automotive engineering and EV market. As avid adventurers with a passion for California’s wide open spaces, they ventured out to build a successful luxury RV Rental company. 

Their own experience of recreational vehicles lacking long-term quality and customer-focused functionality identified a gap in the RV and trailer industry. So they got to work. 

As avid fans of camping, off-road and family adventures, they designed and built from the ground up an off-road overland trailer blending compact capabilities with full-size features into a fun, lightweight adventure trailer that we’re reviewing here. 

The website states, “We have channeled our collective experience to pave the way for a new approach to trailer design and development that is competitively superior and last generations.” I don’t doubt that. 

RKS Purpose kitchen

Like many smaller overlanding and off-road trailers, the RKS Purpose’s kitchen is an outdoor unit at the back of the rig. Refrigeration comes from a 12 volt cooler similar to the Dometic CFX3 75DZ cooler that I reviewed. This makes so much sense because you can take the cooler out and use it even when you’re not RVing. We take ours to Costco, for example, because. Well. Costco. 

The two-burner propane stove that the company incorporated was chosen specifically for its wind resistance and the fact that each burner can produce up to 2,000 BTU of heat. The stove is mounted on a bracket that can be raised and lowered or even just removed. 

Another innovative idea are the magnetic lights in the kitchen which can be moved around to accommodate your needs. 

Living room in the RKS Purpose

The living space in this trailer is a bit limited if you don’t count the roof-top deck. But that’s okay. 

There’s a couch that runs the length of the living space that can be folded down to be a bed proper queen-sized bed. But when it’s folded up it also provides pass-through storage space for things like kayaks or surf boards or skis. 

So with the bed folded up for seating it’s funny that the company mentions using this as an office but in talking with Elisabeth Gritsch, apparently the idea came from customers who planned to do just that. 

“I was surprised that our existing customers are using this in their work too and with the electrical system on board that makes it possible.”  Indeed. 

One thing that might make a lot of campers swoon is the fact that the interior lighting is dimmable. Hooray. 

Another tell of Europeans in the design department include the use of dual-pane windows throughout of European design and the implementation of a Truma VarioHeat Comfort furnace and AquaGo Comfort water heater. 

Storage in the RKS Purpose overlanding trailer

As for storage you’re in control with this as the company has provided t-slot rails throughout the interior and exterior. These are industry-standard rails to which you can attach all sorts of things including bike racks, arms, shelves and almost anything you can imagine. 

Overlanding and boondocking with the RKS Purpose

Naturally a trailer like this is well suited for boondocking under the right conditions. The toilet itself is a macerator unit that can either pull the water from the gray tank or the fresh water supply, but using the gray water is one of the best features I’ve seen. 

There is a pretty sophisticated power management system with a Victron 1500 watt inverter and two Lion Energy lithium batteries on board. But no solar, per se. 

You can charge the trailer with the tow vehicle, a portable power station or optional solar panels. I can imagine that the reason that solar panels aren’t included is that they would impede your ability to use the roof as a deck. So, portable panels may be the way to go. 

There is also space in the front locker of the RKS Purpose specifically for a Honda 2000 watt inverter generator, or comparable. 

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Front locker compartment

One of the other things that shows how well designed the RKS Purpose is is the front locker. Essentially this is a tall metal structure that opens clamshell-style. 

Inside this locker is the Truma VarioHeat system as well as the Truma AquaGo water heater. Finally, there is the space for the generator and two 20 pound propane bottles. 

What I like about this arrangement is that, by opening the whole locker up, you have almost completely unfettered access to the main systems in the trailer. If there were a situation where you needed to work on these systems they aren’t buried as they are in most other RVs. 

Disadvantages of the RKS Purpose

Like all very small trailers, there’s not a lot of place to run and hide if the weather gets lousy. Further, the kitchen is outdoors and while there is a bat wing awning available, you’re still outdoors. If services like Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts appeal to you, know that they prohibit RVs that require you to access things like the kitchen outdoors. 

Also, the bathroom is accessible while the roof is down but it’s not as accommodating as it would be when the roof is up. Obviously, right? 

Tony’s thoughts on the RKS Purpose

Honestly this is one of my favorite of the very small overlanding trailers. The incredible innovation in the build, features, water system and more make it absolutely outstanding in its field. Further, the number of places to attach/secure things plus the accessibility of the systems that could need maintenance is unparalleled. 

For those who want something larger RKS Off Road does offer the Motive as well. 

Overall these are some of the most intriguing offerings in the RV space. 

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