Hi everyone my name is Christopher and I live in Florida. I am currently considering getting a teardrop camper does anyone know if the vanlife academy has any videos on this? I don’t want to go through all of them to se eif there is any.
Greetings!
For what it’s worth, I think a mini van camper is a much better choice. We all encounter times of foul weather, and with a van camper we have a much more comfortable place to wait it out, plus none of the hassles of pulling a trailer. As much as I love the outdoors, an indoor livable space is a huge upgrade, for not much more if any money.
Trailers can be problematic for any in city camping, but van campers can easily camp in cities without problems. I love being able to camp in cities at the homes of friends & relatives in a van camper.
I did once have an solid walled A-Frame pop up trailer that I loved. Small & light like a teardrop, but once opened up, it had all the amenities of a much larger travel trailer including standing height. It only took a couple of minutes to set it up or take it down, and it towed like there was nothing there. Besides beds, an indoor kitchen and toilet/shower make a huge difference in comfort & convenience.
There is a teardrop forum at: http://www.tnttt.com
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
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Wow awesome, thank you for all the information and for sharing this with me. I will take a look at it.
I hope you’re not considering full timing in it.
I just tried 3 week trial trip in a cargo trailer bigger than a teadrop, which was setup with a few amenities, and with head clearance allowing me to stand - it was a nightmare, now I’m so happy to be back in my class C motorhome.
Greetings!
I did fulltime in it, and it was marvelous, the views were spectacular, fully self contained, and quite comfortable regardless of the weather. From 40 below zero that winter, and Miami to Phoenix the following summer, it kept me comfortable.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
Your picture is A frame pop up, not teadrop though?
Teadrops seem to be tiny.
A frames seem like own class of possible issues though, like having to upfold and set it up every time and then fold back.
Tomorrow are 30mph winds here I am going to be spending time inside the rv mostly, I’d go nuts in a teadrop.
Also, teadrops often got open air kitchen, not really fulltiming stuff. I use outdoor cooking and dishwashing like with tent camping but I move my portable tables into shade not to endure the sun and if the weather is bad very grateful for semi spacious indoor kitchen.
And backing those small trailers up, especially when need to turn around on narrow forest road with rough stuff around and need precision was like major headache, this skill takes a while to develop, just wasn’t there for me. I went from Dallas to Quartzsite in a small cargo trailer to try it out, and back, similar route, it really felt halfway more like tent camping versus rv camping realized I had to get my class c back if I wanted to full time again.
And where do you keep water supplies with such tiny trailers? Truck bed is going to be full of stuff, getting water jugs out of it had been killing me. I boondock with minimum of 2 weeks out at each spot often waterless locations plus like to have ergency water in case i get stuck, can’t imagine that with small trailers. Van at least can tow a cargo trailer full of stuff and easy to get to.
Those small trailers feel like a good vacation or weekend option.
Greetings!
Yes, it was an A frame. It only took seconds to set it up or take it down though. It did have a decent sized water tank if I remember right though. For wind resistance I would point the sloped front or back into the wind.
In a tough spot, I could disconnect it and turn it around manually.
I really enjoyed it while I had it, but I totally agree that Class C’s are hard to beat
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
What I miss about small trailer is getting it into any tight spot/vegetation and high clearance.
Having the strength and back health to push the trailer around is another consideration, I’ve been back pain free since I moved back into class c.
I thought A frames had no real insulation and weren’t meant to be insulated, surprised you camped in -40 in it.
Greetings!
The top was heavily insulated, and all of the windows were double pane plexiglass.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
Those Aliners seem like much better option than teadrops, giving stand up height and all features being inside.
Most teadrops have outside kitchen, means using it in all kinds of miserable weather and no stand up height inside.
With Aliner though I’d be concerned arriving somewhere in bad weather or very hot sun and not being able to open it, something being broken or jammed.
Small trailers like Casita or little airstreams are attractive. I got my former cargo trailer with insulation, wall finish, windows already in and got it lifted, but did’t take into account things like lack of space.
Much of boondocking is either shadeless hot sun, or rain, strong winds, cold - even if one follows good weather generally there’s no avoidance - without indoor kitchen and space to setut wash/shower, things get old very fast in my experience. I’ve done extensive tent camping for months on end before, for many years. Even the bigger teardrops seem like weekend option.
Greetings!
I’ve never been a teardrop fan, but I’ve met a guy who claims to love his… He has a 10x20 EZ-Up type canopy with the walls that have windows & screens. He parks the trailer under it, then has a huge enclosed kitchen & living area.
I still prefer not having to go outside in bad weather. I love being all in one, plus then I can pull a boat or runabout.
Cheers!
"A wise man learns from both the successes & failures of others." ~ Off Grid
10x20 canopy with side walls is going to make it comfortable for sure.
But putting it up/taking it down will be a PITA , especially with frequent moves. I used to put up 10x10 “instant” canopy with no side walls. Theres nothing instant about it. And this stuff needs much storage space of its own… Then, first storm tears it all up. Or winds make it get stuck. Not a solution in my view. I carry small 4x6 shade canopy now instead. Hauling 10x20 is going to be something. Also putting this stuff up under hot sun, in wind or inclement weather…may be there are unique individuals who can enjoy this, for me 10x10 was too much bulk.