Open Trailers vs. Enclosed Trailers – What are the Benefits?

When finding the right cargo trailer, would an enclosed trailer work best for your needs? Or does an open deck trailer make more sense? In today’s post, we’ll review the basic pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.

Enclosed Trailers – Higher Cost, Higher Value?

In general, people assume that because something costs more, it must mean it’s more valuable. Well, that’s certainly true in many cases. But it’s not always that simple. Value is relative. Features that one person finds valuable, another person may not care about. Regarding enclosed cargo trailers, the value lies in the following main benefits:

• Additional storage/more versatile space
• Equipment and other items can be securely left in the trailer, eliminating the need to frequently load/unload
• Can double as sleeping quarters/living space for customers who travel with their cargo (race car owners are usually big fans of enclosed trailers for this reason, among others)

Because of this, enclosed cargo trailers typically cost more than open-deck trailers. Also, enclosed trailers typically require more time and more materials to manufacture, so there is a practical side to the higher price tag as well.

However, not everyone needs the level of versatility that an enclosed trailer offers. For example, some of our customers just want a simple, economical trailer to haul items between short distances now and then. For those customers, the higher cost of an enclosed trailer may not make sense because they see the value differently.

Here’s a look at the drawbacks of buying an enclosed cargo trailer:

• Higher cost, and may be more expensive to repair in some cases
• More difficult to tow (may need a more powerful vehicle in some cases)
• Possibly lower fuel efficiency, depending on size/weight/shape

Open Deck Trailers – Simple and Affordable?

Open deck trailers are a popular choice for people who want something fairly simple and affordable. But again, those words have different meanings depending on who you ask. Still, the majority of open-deck trailer owners are drawn to that style for the following reasons:

• Lower cost
• Easier to manoeuvre in smaller spaces
• Easier to tow for less powerful vehicles

By contrast, the drawbacks to open deck trailers include the following:

• No way to secure items left on the trailer, which means a lot of loading and unloading for storage
• Less space
• Less versatility

So What would be Your Decision? 

Is one option truly better than the other? Not really. It all depends on three things: your budget, how you plan to use the trailer and, of course, your personal preference.

We’ve heard some cargo trailer owners admit that while they could have “gotten by” with an open deck trailer, they don’t regret paying a little more for the enclosed option, simply because they preferred the extra space and versatility. Likewise, we’ve heard others say they are perfectly happy with their open deck trailers and feel an enclosed option would have been excessive for their needs.

No matter what you decide, here at Trailers LLC, we’re committed to providing our customers with reasonably priced enclosed and open-deck cargo trailers made in the USA. Talk to us today or explore our website for more information.