This ad for Rolite trailers appeared fifty years ago this month in the April 1969 issue of Popular Mechanics. The Rolite was a solid-walled trailer that folded down. A 12-volt electric motor raised the roof and front and rear walls. The side walls were then raised manually, after which the roof was jogged down a couple of inches to lock everything in place.

Rolite was originally manufactured in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, in the mid-1960’s.  By the time this ad appeared, they had become part of Larson Industries, 5000 Normandale Rd., Minneapolis.  More information on the Rolite can be found at this Facebook group.

The ad was part of a 30-page supplement on camping, which also included the ads shown here:

The first is for a 5 horsepower motorbike kit (with optional ski), with a name familiar to regular readers, namely Heathkit!  You can read more about the GT-18 at this link.

The second ad is for a class of product that has largely ceased to exist, namely, inexpensive, lightweight, no-frills tent trailers.  They still exist, but most are marketed as motorcycle tent trailers.  However, there’s no reason why one can’t be pulled behind a car.  While I don’t think they are available in the U.S. any more, shown below is the 1980’s era Danish made Combi-Camp trailer we owned for a few years.  Its empty weight was only a couple hundred pounds and could easily be towed by any car.  Most importantly, it allowed you to camp but sleep off the ground, which is a huge luxury, but provided even by the simple trailer shown above.

For more information about the Appleby trailer shown in the ad, see this link or this Facebook page.