Gear-Hauling Exoskeleton on a Camper: The Winnebago Hike

The Winnebago Hike is a unique gear-hauling platform to help get the whole family and all their gear out into the wilderness.

The Winnebago Hike debuted in September 2019 and just hit dealer lots this February. This new trailer comes in two lengths and five overall models. It will sleep three to four people depending on layout and has an interior height of 6’5″.

Although the Winnebago Hike might just look like just another RV trailer, it has some key features that outdoor adventure enthusiasts will really appreciate.

Winnebago Hike: A Camper for Outdoor Adventure

Key adventure-ready features are a wide, stable stance and narrow body, big ground clearance, and a big, durable tongue box.

But rolling down the trail, the first thing that stands out is the full exoskeleton rack system. This system allows for much greater and more diverse gear-hauling options, especially when compared to standard roof crossbars. These rails even offer protection from obstacles like brush and branches.

This is a very rare feature to find on RV trailers and a visual cue that this is not your normal camper.

The Hike only has a 6’6″ frame and body, which helps it fit down tight trails and have great visibility when towing. It also has offset wheels that provide added stability normally only found in larger camper trailers. The overall width is 7’9″.

Compared to most RV trailers in this class, ground clearance is also impressive. The Hike wears 15-inch all-terrain tires and has an axle lift.

On the tongue of the Hike, you’ll find a large, powder-coated steel gear/LP/battery box. Most trailers only offer a tiny plastic battery box. The Hike, on the other hand, offers this big durable gearbox as standard. The tongue box will fit two 20-pound propane tanks, a house battery, and still have room for gear storage.

Winnebago Hike RV, Uniquely Styled

Besides the obvious exoskeleton rack system, the Hike has some other unique styling cues. The overall design has a lot of teardrop trailer styling. The trailer, however, has a more standard travel trailer layout.

Inside the Hike, you’ll find a more contemporary European style with high-gloss, crank-style accent cabinets and marine-type woven flooring. Increased use of backsplash, under-mount SST sinks, and upgraded cabinet hardware give the Hike more of a residential feel.

More Tech in Your Trailer

Wi-Fi prep and roof mount solar prep aren’t uncommon in this type of trailer, but they’re standard on the Winnebago Hike. Also standard is an LED TV, full entertainment audio system, and plenty of USB charge ports.

A unique feature is a wireless cellphone charger built into every Hike trailer as standard equipment. It’s a wireless surface charger, which is mounted in the countertop or entertainment center depending on the trailer layout chosen.

Tow the Winnebago Hike With Your Vehicle

You’re going to max out the towing capacity of a Subaru Outback with the smallest of the five available Winnebago Hike models. The smallest Hike will have a hitch weight of around 400 pounds and an overall dry weight of 3,260 pounds. The largest Hike trailer will have a hitch weight of around 660 pounds and an overall dry weight of 4,360 pounds.

These numbers are towable by smaller SUVs like the Jeep Cherokee — but just barely. Bottom line is that if you want to tow the Hike any distance or over rough terrain, you’re probably going to want a truck or a larger SUV like a Toyota 4Runner.

Winnebago Hike Pricing

The Winnebago Hike starts at about $27,500 for the basic model without options. That price can easily go up to about $40,000 if you go with the top model and fully option it. Even then, this trailer comes in at a very competitive price for what you get.

Check out Winnebago’s dealer locator tool, where you can browse Hike inventory at a dealer near you.