We bought a 2018 ProLite Lounge in early July. We’re quite content as tent campers, but I’ve been wanted a fully self-contained RV for a while. I occasionally scroll through the listings on FB Marketplace, and I’ve sent Jim out to look at several that sounded promising. When I read the description on this one, I was pretty sure it was the one I’d buy.

Why Buy a Trailer if I Like Camping in a Tent?

I’ll admit it: I’m a snob. In my mind, camping in an RV doesn’t really seem camping. I grew up camping in tents. We went backpacking when I was a kid, too, and sleeping on the ground in a tiny tent is a world away from sleeping in a giant recreational vehicle. To me, camping means being outside.

Jim & I have had a couple of giant tents we refer to as “taj tents” because they’re as big as the Taj Mahal. When we car camp, we sleep on a queen-sized air mattress atop a collapsible bed frame. We bring the dog’s gigantic crate. We have a door mat in the mudroom off our tent. It’s very homey. (This a is far cry from the closed-cell foam pad I used to sleep on when hiking – back when my body tolerated that level of minimalism.)

I started thinking about an RV for two reasons: first, I’d like to be able to offer someone a safe place to live/hide if necessary. Everyday citizens in Nazi-occupied areas of Europe risked their own safety to hide Jews and others wanted by the Nazis. We don’t have an attic and there’s no basement under our home. An ‘auxiliary dwelling unit’ fits the bill nicely. (We could host someone in our home but that would require us to get rid of a lot of stuff. Also, a separate dwelling space allows for both host and guest to maintain their privacy.)

The other purpose this trailer serves is as a bugout vehicle. If we need to leave in a hurry, I wanted something we could just grab & go. We have two pets, and that complicates “grab & go” — a bugout bag isn’t enough. While the trailer is sitting at home, it’s stocked with a bunch of supplies for both humans and pets. That reduces what we need to pack to get out quickly. I’m hopeful we never need it for that purpose, but if we have to flee because of hazardous air quality, wildfire, zombie apocalypse, or the Christian America Party taking over the United States government, we will be able to live comfortably for a while without competing for hotel rooms or other resources.

Why This Trailer?

I knew I wanted a trailer that had a toilet inside and either a cooktop or enough counterspace for a portable cooktop. There are a lot of options out there, but we’re limited by two things: the space on our lot to park the trailer and the towing capacity of my truck. My truck is a hybrid; the towing capacity is limited to 2000 pounds. (I joke that Jim’s Prius can tow as much as my truck can.) I have been searching for a trailer in the 1300-1500 pound range, and finding the one with the features I want was like finding a unicorn.

Prolite is based in Saint Jerome, QC. Its website lists three US dealerships. Only one of those dealerships lists Prolite among the brands they sell; they’re in North Carolina. There are eight dealerships in southern British Columbia, but I wasn’t relishing the idea of trying to navigate taxes & fees bringing the trailer into the US.

I read the listing on FB Messenger, saw that it was nearby (Richland), that it had everything I wanted and at a good price, and it seemed like a dream come true. The seller recently purchased a Class B motorhome and didn’t need the trailer anymore. It was serendipity. They and the original owners maintained the trailer well and added some extras. We’re delighted!