When looking for a solution for off-road cycling trips with your toddler, the tout terrain trailer is one option you should not pass up. It's a high-performing single trailer that fits perfectly into small families that only want to haul one child.
But more importantly, this trailer has the upper hand over its competitors as it can make journeys and adventures that were impossible beforehand very possible.
It lies on the heavier side of Single trailer price tags, but you and your little one (kiddo) will enjoy the benefits of every coin you spend.
The benefits of the Tout Terrain singletrailer include top-notch construction comprising the best that technology can offer and being lightweight, which makes hauling this trailer very easy. And the combination of these two features gives both rider and passenger the best experience ever! The fact that it is handcrafted makes it a must-buy for parents who want to hit the trails with their kiddo.
But aside from its high price tag, is there any other feature to this trailer that is not very appealing? And how will you determine whether or not this is the right trailer for your family?
You'll find that out as you read further into this review. But first…
PROS
Sturdily made with highly durable steel material.
Extremely light.
A narrow profile makes for excellent tracking.
The seat post attachment is very stable and secure.
Great for off-road.
Extremely comfortable interior for the child/ passenger.
Child pillows make for a great 'roll cage' in case of an accident.
The suspension offers excellent shock absorption on rugged terrain.
CONS
It sits one passenger.
It requires some practice to master how to handle it.
Single-purpose, hence not as versatile as other trailers.
It lies on the expensive side of the price tag.
High maintenance.
Who Is the Tout Terrain Built for?
One of the first questions parents ask is whether a trailer fits their child.
If you consider the two-wheeled trailers, there's a limit to their capacity as far as terrains are concerned, even with their advantages. Now that's where the Tout Terrain single trailer comes in. It does its duty well and excels in handling trails with berms, rocks, and narrow tracks that are impassable using conventional child bike trailers with two wheels. It makes mountain biking with kids and toddlers possible and feasible. And while at it, it helps you create memorable moments as a family.
The tout terrain single trailer is recommended for babies to preschoolers between 5 months to 5 years old. With it, parents can introduce their children to biking from such an early age!
Plus, because the tout terrain can handle an additional weight of 55 pounds, all kids within this age range can enjoy riding with their parents even if they do not have the pedal power to keep up with them.
Now that's a literal game-changer!
In-depth review of the Tout Terrain Singletrailer
After putting the Singletrailer to the test, asking the right questions to parents using it, reading reviews, and doing in-depth research, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience with the Tout Terrain trailer. It is the one missing link in an off-road parent's life, especially if there is a kid you want to take to your trail exploration escapades. Despite the higher price tag, we can confidently say that it is worth all your investment.
Here are all the bells and whistles you need to know about this single trailer. Let's start with the positives…
Appealing and Functional Design
The first thing that appeals to the eye about the Tout Terrain trailer is the design of the carriage. It is less than 18 inches wide, mostly narrower than the adult bike handlebars, and perfectly sits on a single wheel. The arrangement allows you to effortlessly pull the trailer behind your bike and create room for the little one to have as much fun as they can.
Seat Post Attachment
Using a tubular hitch, the tout terrain is designed to attach to the lead bike (adult MTB, road, or gravel bike). To attach it, you need to detach the bike's seat post, hook the hitch onto it, and then attach the trailer's tow bar onto the hitch.
One end of the tow bar has a joint/ coupling that connects to the adult bike, while its other end connects to the trailer. The side that attaches to the hitch is secured via three layers, including a quick-release clamp and a pin to keep it from disconnecting unexpectedly.
The third layer of the triple protection is a cable that loops around the seat post.
Here's the thing; the best part about the seat post attachment is that it is strong, easy to use, and definitely does not lean. The security offered by the coder pin, quick release, and cable provides a great deal of protection which parents will love.
But there are a few factors to keep in mind. Firstly, while you can trust this setup to fit just about any bike, it would be better to know the size of your seat post in advance.
Secondly, the downside to a seat post attachment is that it won't work with dropper posts.
And lastly, if you plan on using the rear rack for carrying luggage, that will not be possible. The good news is that you can use the storage bag offered with the Single trailer package or mount gear directly onto the trailer.
Narrow Profile
As with almost all single trailers, the narrower profiler is an added advantage to their design.
The width of this trailer is less than 18 inches wide. This means the frame sits perfectly behind the lead bike for ideal towing, as its width is less than that of an adult bike's handlebars.
High Stability
The trailer sits on a single wheel which offers ideally low rolling resistance. This makes pulling the carriage behind very easy as the energy required to beat the resistance is minimal.
But more importantly, the single wheel makes for a seamless flow as it tracks the lead bike very well. This is an appreciated factor, as the trailer does not venture into its path.
At best, you want to try this trailer on a technical single track and other mountain trails. You will not be disappointed!
That said, the only thing you'll need to note is that you have to lean more when taking corners to accommodate the tracking of the trailer.
Frame Material
The tout terrain boasts immaculate strength as its frame is made from CrMo steel. Being so sturdily constructed, you can expect this carriage to survive the harsh handling of off-road riding.
This also translates to the carriage being highly durable, so you can expect it to serve you for years, going from one child to the next.
Lightweight
One of the first things you will notice is how light this trailer is! Weighing about 21 pounds, the tout terrain doesn't weigh hard on the rider to haul the trailer.
In addition, there is a significant drop in energy consumption compared to a 2-seat trailer. Double trailers weigh about 4-5 pounds more on average, so the average parent should have no trouble handling this trailer.
However, the trouble comes when trying to haul the occupied trailer uphill, as smaller-framed parents will feel the loaded trailer's weight.
But even so, you will be thrilled about the fact that the light weight does not come at the expense of quality and sturdiness. As we've mentioned above, the frame of the tout terrain is solidly built.
Adjustable Suspension
Here's the true zinger about this trailer; it can move on uneven surfaces and narrow tracks in a way that most trailers cannot.
The tout terrain has 8 inches of suspension travel! That means that it can roll over just about any surface with ease. And the passenger won't feel much difference when gliding over rocky terrain or breezing on bike paths and paved roads.
While it is no surprise that a single-wheel trailer does when on paved and smooth gravel roads, it's a welcome factor that the tout terrain performs just as well over uneven trails and surfaces.
The suspension allows it to move so gently over rocky paths because the tout terrain uses a real air shock (like the ones found on full suspension mountain bikes) as opposed to a leaf spring, which is common to many child bike trailers. This means that you can take those long rides into the mountains with your child by your side.
So if your child is sensitive to bumps, you want to get this trailer!
Ample Safety Features
Safety is usually one of the biggest, if not the biggest, concerns of most parents and guardians when selecting an ideal trailer to haul their child.
That said, one of the safety features incorporated into the design of this trailer is a 5-point safety harness. Being a 5-point harness as opposed to a 3-point harness already tells of how protective the tout terrain's buckle is. And in addition, we like that the safety harness uses an easy-to-fasten and loosen magnet system, which ensures that the child is locked in at all times.
Not only that, but the harness is also adjustable so that each child gets locked in a way that they are most comfortable.
Secondly, we also love how the trailer's interior features child pillows for the sides, which serve both a safety and comfort role. On the one hand, the child pillows ensure that the child is comfortable as they are tagged along, especially when they want to nap. On the other hand, the pillows also protect the child's noggin from damage as they cushion both sides of the head from hard impact in case of a collision.
Thirdly, the tout terrain features a screen that protects the child from bugs and rocks while on the go and a waterproof cover that works well against the rain.
Lastly, you will like how strong the kickstand of the trailer is, and it holds up the trailer's weight even with a child's weight factored in. So even on standby mode, the trailer still does an excellent job.
Ideal Comfort Features
Aside from having great cushioning, reclining seats are the best way to ensure comfort for a child within a trailer. And while the tout terrain's seat reclines to a certain extent, it just doesn't recline to the time the child could nap comfortably.
The hack is that the "short travel" setting decreases the ground clearance by an inch or two, enabling the seat to recline more and for children to nap better.
Storage
The tout terrain doesn't have much on-trailer storage space as expected of a single trailer. The only available space is a 9L storage capacity available underneath the child's seat., It, however, makes up for this as the company separately sells two differently-sized cargo bags.
And when combined, we find that the total storage capacity in the trailer and the purchased bag(s) are entirely fit for day trips.
One can also easily attach other sizeable bags onto the trailer's frame for longer trips. Of course, this is so long as the items are within the trailer's weight limit of 55 pounds.
Folding for Storage
As with most trailers, one of the biggest perks to the tout terrain is that it folds down compactly for storage.
Using quick-release levers, the process of packing down the trailer is a simple and quick one. The trailing bar, for instance, easily collapses into two with a quick release. And this makes its storage so much easier.
Additional Accessories
One great thing about the tout terrain is that the company also offers other trailing products. For instance, the Mule cargo trailer is an excellent aid for family trips. Parents can take turns pulling the child in the single trailer, or each person can have their dedicated trailing product, with one parent hauling the child and the other hauling cargo.
While the tout terrain certainly fits the bill of a sizeable trailer for a small family, it isn't without limitations. Here are a few of the things that we weren't too jazzed about in this trailer.
Things You Might not Like about the Tout Terrain
When testing the Tout Terrain trailer, even though we liked a hoard of factors, there is some stuff we found a little off or missing about it. As you settle to purchase it, be wary about its status as a single-passenger, its single-use, insufficient ventilation, the steep learning curve to use it, and higher maintenance requirement. Let's explore each in detail.
Single-passenger
This is not necessarily such a disadvantage especially considering that this trailer is designed to fit perfectly into single-child families.
However, some families wouldn't necessarily benefit from this trailer. For instance, it is not a great fit for families with more than one child.
Single-use
Unlike most high-end trailers we've come across, this is a single-purpose trailer that only functions as such. Most trailers can be converted into joggers or strollers to serve a multi-sport function.
However, no tools exist to upgrade or convert this trailer into anything else.
Insufficient Ventilation
Another drawback to the tout terrain is that the trailer's interior can get rather hot, especially when riding in the hot summer. This is because the trailer lacks sufficient ventilation to cool things down in the heat.
Steep Learning Curve for Efficient Use
Learning how to attach the trailer and mount and dismount it is something that definitely comes with time. You might have to maneuver a lot to master how this trailer functions.
It also requires a certain level of skill to pull uphill. Single trailers aren't usually as stable as double trailers, and this means that in certain terrain, it is easy to lose balance and control of the trailer.
What's more, balancing the trailer on a single wheel while trying to mount or dismount the bike is challenging and requires some practice.
And lastly, you need to figure out the rear suspension sag.
The great thing is that these skills can be learned with time and don't necessarily take away from the trailer's performance.
High Maintenance
The downside to this single trailer is that it requires some maintenance to keep it from breaking down and becoming hazardous to parents and children.
While the hardware isn't likely to break down as frequently as cheaper trailers, there is a need to constantly inspect the trailer parts for accurate functioning, especially if the trailer has already been put through months of use.
That, added to the fact that this is an already expensive trailer, can be discouraging for some. But in our opinion, this trailer is well worth every penny spent.
As We Wind Up, …
You no longer have to sacrifice spending time with your child or partake in your favorite sport. With the Tout terrain, the two can be mashed so beautifully that even uneven trails cannot get in the way. It is well-designed, innovatively built, foldable, and very light, making it ideal for camping expeditions. With the 8 inches of travel for the shock suspension system, your kid will enjoy most of the times you pull them from behind.
While it's an expensive choice, it pays off with its performance. So, do we recommend this single trailer? Absolutely yes! And for whom? For riders ready to explore otherwise hard-to-reach trails with their little ones but aren't afraid to pay a pretty penny for it!
It takes some time to learn how to handle this trailer, but after that, there'll be nothing but great memories from this purchase. So go for it if the cons are something you can put up with.
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