Another issue for you to consider. The conditions you described will result in very poor fuel efficiency. Expect less than 10 mpg. You will need to refuel every 150 miles or so given the Ranger relatively small tank. With my lighter setup, I average 12-13 mpg in the fast interstates such as I25...
Glad to see how much thought you are putting into this. Well done! That alone tells me you will end up making the right decision.
My opinion is that your trailer choice is inadequate for the long cross-country trip, but would probably work out fine for the much shorter weekend trips to nearby...
Same thing in my Ranger. I also noticed it a few months back while installing the very straight and true rails for a tonneau cover. The curve sure looks like a feature, not a bug. Would love to know the technical reason for that if someone with inside knowledge can chime in.