Time to buy a new trailer. We are in the market for a 2+1 trailer. Long time Kingston fan, but also considering a 4-Star. Pans or Praise for either? What add-on options would you go with?
I think both are great brands in my opinion .
4 Star all the way. Incredible quality. We have a 23yo 6 horse head to head that is still perfect and bought a small two box GN last year, which is basically like a 2+1 without the divider in back. I LOVE our 4 stars. Would never have anything else if I can afford it.
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We just priced out a 2019 4Star 2+1. There are a lot of features we liked about the 4Star, but probably the biggest determining factor in our decision to go with them (95% certain we will-I just have two others to look at) is that they hold their value so well. If you look at a 20 yo 4Star it still looks spectacular and it still goes for a premium.
For ours, we plan to order over the summer, so we are still panning out the details. Right now for options we want to add: 1ā to the horse area, 1ā to the dressing room, an electric jack, a drop down saddle rack for the bottom one (2 fixed on the top), quiet ride (our dealer will not order without, I personally donāt care either way), and drop down steps at the two doors.
Both trailers are very well built. The Kingston have only been building the all aluminum trailers for a short while, so they donāt have the history like the 4-Stars. One thing I will point out, the dealer you order from is very important. Any dealer can sell a 2+1, but only a few can sell a really useable 2+1. I will private message anyone who wants a recommendation but the dealer I deal with was selling 2+1 trailers back in the late 80s. Not to many dealers have that long a history selling these models.
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4 Star - hands down!! Great trailers.
I have a 4-Star on order, due to me on March 7th. I added lots of things, but most importantly 2ā to the box and 2ā to the dressing room (I will be camping out of the trailer on a semi-regular basis).
I put rubber lining on both sides of the stud gates.
Quiet ride
WERM flooring
Baby panel for being able to store hay in the other slot if Iām only hauling one.
Insulated ceiling and walls all around.
Moved the saddle post closer to the wall in the dressing room to maximize space.
Standard butterfly cam closures - I donāt like the snap in ones personally
Moved the handle down on the long window over the side ramp so I can reach it easier.
Dome in DR
Extra window in DR.
Extra saddle post in corner of box area in case I donāt want it in the dressing room.
Extra running lights.
Hydraulic jack with two batteries.
I canāt remember what else. Iām super pumped. Let me know if you have any questions about my build, and Iād be glad to share. I can also take pictures of it in 15 (!!!) days.
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Buy the Adam instead. MUCH more bang for the buck and a very very solid company that does as well as 4 star with customer service.
I have had both and I adore my 2+1 Adam. Wasnāt built custom for me but itās the best layout and trailer I have ever owned.
Their prices are better and I think the turn around time was good as well.
Pics here. (We upgraded the truck after these pics)
Em
Your trailer is awesome! 
What is your interior height? It looks enormous!
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It is enormous and honestly itās so great to have more height and air flow for the horses. Itās 8ā6" inside. That makes it 11ā high or so for clearance so I do pay attention to the ālow bridgeā routes on my way to shows. But as big as it is, hence the nickname āBeluga,ā it drives so well and I just love it. For those making custom rigs this is an extra 2ā in the tack room and an extra 1ā in the horse box. So itās an awesome place to be in all sorts of weather. Also we found the Lil Buddy heater (which is safe for campers and trailers) can do a fabulous job heating the tack room in the time it took me to groom my horse.
Em
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I think it is important to differentiate the ārunaboutā 4 star from the ādeluxeā 4 star. The former is considered a stock trailer that you can do modifications to, while the latter is fully custom. The price difference is about 6 or 10k IIRC. Based on their website they have added yet another level called the āG.ā
http://www.4startrailers.com/model-differentiations/
I purchased a runabout in 2014, and here is everything I did:
- Added 14" to the box stall, the one it comes standard with cannot fit large horses or a golf cart
- Changed the drop down windows to the ācustomā drop down windows instead of the runabout version. Apparently the runabout version are mass produced and cheaply made.
- Added a fan in box stall and two fans in straight load
- Added additional lighting around the outside and inside
- Added height to 7ā6"
- Added EZ lift ramps
- Made side ramp wider
- Added a 3rd saddle rack
- added trailer ties inside and out
- Added a roof vent in the box stall
- Added werm flooring
- moved the butt bars back 2" allowing for 84" stall instead of 82" without changing trailer length
Things Iāve added since I bought it
- fold down step into the tack room
- handles at all windows for attending to horse
I actually bought the trailer from a dealer in Indiana as they gave the best price. I live in Texas so I drove to Oklahoma and picked it up myself saving the 1200 delivery charge. I also removed the graphics so itās just plain white, that save me almost a thousand.
I LOVE MY TRAILER. Happy to share the specs if thereās interest.
4 Star. I bought the Runabout and semi customized it. Love the quality and the lightness with all of the new rules we are encountering with weight and license. It is a dream to pull and the fit and finish is excellent as is the ground clearance. I added, fans, camera, WERM flooring, insulated and carpeted tack area, hydraulic jack, quiet ride system, air ride hitch, additional lighting. I would not be afraid to order the runabout. Great value for $.
I have a 4 Star Runabout and itās great. But Kingston trailers are also amazing, and had there been any closer than a couple thousand miles away or so for sale, I probably would have gotten a Kingston.
Mine came stock with 7ā6" height, and 4 roof vents, and is a runabout. I also upgraded to the deluxe drop down windows. Additionally, I added a cam latch tie back for the long window over the ramp, in case itās hotter than blue blazes I can drive with the top window open for super-extreme airflow.
I canāt wait to see it. 14 days!
I was just going off what my specs saidā¦it called out the 7ā6 height, so I figured it was a customization. They could have either made it the standard, or it was and was called out on mine for some reason. Not sure what you mean by cam latch tie back. Mine came standard with latches on the sides of the trailer so I can drive with doors above the ramp open. I canāt reach the windows, so I canāt open those anyway.
Are my specs
Posted above! I purchased from Murphy Trailer Sales in Indiana, Rob King was my sales guy.
I was referencing a cam latch tie back for the long window over the side ramp. I think the rear windows above the rear ramp come standard with the tie back, but Iām not sure.
Nickelodian, I think we have the same trailer! I love mine. My runabout came stock with the drop downs on the head and the hip already when mine was coming of production, so I imagined that it was standard. Perhaps not. Mine was standard at 7ā6", that I am pretty sure of.
Ah, mine just has the little suction thing. Iāve never driven with it open, mostly because it blocks the window of the head horse on that side. The drop down window in the box is enough for me I think.
