Patriot Campers makes some of the world’s most capable off-road trailers, period. Whether you want a pop-up trailmate with built-in storage for coolers, grilles, and everything else, or a Tacoma-towable single-axle you can stand in that still manages to slide under limbs and ledges, the Australian manufacturer has a solution. But up to this point, a 23-footer is something Patriot said it would never do.
Times have changed, and what you’re looking at is the ST7 SuperTourer: A tandem-axle pull-behind meant for extremely remote travel. I hope you have a quarter of a million dollars to spend on one.
I’ll be quick to admit that such a big trail camper seems like a head-scratcher. Where I live in the Ozarks, there’s no chance you’re getting one of these down a tight section with mighty oaks closing in. But in Australia or the American West, where the landscape is vast and trees are few and far between, it just might work—especially once you see the suspension underneath this thing.
You won’t find scrawny stick axles on the ST7 but, instead, a robust independent suspension optimized for 35- and 37-inch tires. Patriot calls it the Trinamic² setup, and as you can see in this photo gallery, it can flex with the best of ’em. It shouldn’t have a problem with nasty washouts or big, undulating dips.
Of course, the biggest concern with a trail camper this size is the clearance, especially at the rear bumper. Patriot took that into consideration, and it somehow managed to achieve a 20° departure angle on the ST7—the same as the 17-foot ST5. That isn’t particularly impressive when compared to off-road trucks or SUVs, but since those provide easy reference, a new 250-Series Land Cruiser offers 22° of departure.
Speaking of the Land Cruiser, the ST7’s promo shots show it being towed by one, but it’s too heavy for the U.S.-spec ‘Yota. Patriot lists the aggregate trailer mass at 7,716 pounds, so while a midsize truck could technically tow it, I would at least want a half-ton so I wasn’t nudging right up to the max tow rating.
Of course, the ST7 was never going to be light as a feather with all the gear it packs. The massive tires are a factor in that, and so are the amenities inside. It rocks a set of four 230-amp-hour lithium batteries, 1,200 watts of solar, a 3,000-watt inverter, a Truma Kombi D heater that warms the interior as well as the underbody, an 80-liter Dometic fridge, and a small washing machine (although that only weighs about seven pounds). There’s an absurd amount of storage all around the camper’s exterior, and Patriot rates its max payload at 2,205 pounds.
You can add as many options as you want to this thing, too. How about a $1,930 storage locker with a slide-out drawer? Surely, you’ll want the $460 Starlink Mini mount up top. Then there’s the $1,350 swingaway BBQ tray with a $279 Weber Q1000 grille. If it were me, I would absolutely need the $3,350 kids cafe bunk that increases sleeping capacity to three, as well as the other forward bunk for $2,780 that ups it to five people.
What you’re looking at is a $200,000 camping rig, and that’s before it ships to the United States. Your boss probably isn’t getting this thing for Christmas, or even your boss’ boss. Or maybe you’re a self-made millionaire type that nailed the FIRE approach and you’re looking to explore as conveniently as possible. It’s a snazzy sleeper, no matter what, and I’m almost amazed it even exists. Almost.
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