matthewp
Combat Truck Monkey
There has been some really nice ones done on this forum! I definitely think covered cargo trailers qualify as a very viable option.
Teardrop Recommendations
- Thread starter luk4mud
- Start date
There has been some really nice ones done on this forum! I definitely think covered cargo trailers qualify as a very viable option.
rolando
Observer
I agree with most of what you said - our TD has a sink and we just used it once ... Too small, the plumbing leaked and after a couple of days you have to replace the water anyhow.
We also decided against the stove, just for the fact that you don't want to have grease stains on the inside of your hatch, and the old Coleman is still going strong.
However, ours has a fridge and a 110/12 V electrical system that we love. It powers the fan (nice in hot SW nights) and also allows to charge all the gadgets without the family fighting over the only 2 cigarette lighters in the Jeep. A cold beverage is also nice (or milk for that matters).
In the end everything is about the peace in the family on long road trips.
What I'm thinking of is to make a cutting board that covers our round sink, so that we have a little bit more workspace in the kitchen.
I just turned my notebook upside down 
Great thread! The comment as to a tear drop being a tent on wheels, having lived in a pup tent I have to say, I cooked inside. Love the tear drops, very cool looking, some are works of art, but how practical are they really? The Sawtooth design seems to give more headroom and upper storage possibilities with a rack. Sure, I like the amenities of a 20' travel trailer, but that won't work well on trails, so, are there any expandable drops, hard sided fold outs? Sure would be nice to be able to sit up and cook a quick meal, make sandwiches, reach a cold or hot drink on rainy days.
As to a floor plan, I've spent some time in small boats, cuddy cabins with the berth, head and galley in a 10' stretch, seems similar arrangements would work in a trailer and I'm not sure the customary side entry is the most efficient. ?????
Great thread! The comment as to a tear drop being a tent on wheels, having lived in a pup tent I have to say, I cooked inside. Love the tear drops, very cool looking, some are works of art, but how practical are they really? The Sawtooth design seems to give more headroom and upper storage possibilities with a rack. Sure, I like the amenities of a 20' travel trailer, but that won't work well on trails, so, are there any expandable drops, hard sided fold outs? Sure would be nice to be able to sit up and cook a quick meal, make sandwiches, reach a cold or hot drink on rainy days.
As to a floor plan, I've spent some time in small boats, cuddy cabins with the berth, head and galley in a 10' stretch, seems similar arrangements would work in a trailer and I'm not sure the customary side entry is the most efficient. ?????
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I just turned my notebook upside down
Great thread! The comment as to a tear drop being a tent on wheels, having lived in a pup tent I have to say, I cooked inside. Love the tear drops, very cool looking, some are works of art, but how practical are they really?
What is your definition of "practical?" We can pack out TD in about 30 minutes and be ready for a weekend in the mountains or a week on the road, it's been quite practical for us.
There are endless varieties, literally. When it comes to homebuilts, no two are the same and I've seen some incredibly creative ideas. Can you cook inside? Well, some trailers you can, but my question is: Why on earth would you want to? I guess if you go camping in mid-Winter, this could be an issue, but remember that once you start cooking inside you have all sorts of other "issues" now, like the smell of whatever you're cooking getting into your bedding, smoke and ventilation, fire safety, etc. Not to mention the fact that when you're cooking you usually have food, dishes, things like that laid out in front of you on a countertop. That's tough to manage in a teardrop where the 'floor' is actually your bed.
I can honestly say that in 2 years of camping there has never been a time when we wished we could cook inside our teardrop. If we're traveling and the weather is nasty, we'll stop somewhere and eat. If we're at a campsite, we have a pop-up awning, a 5' table and chairs, so we can sit in a pouring rainstorm and be dry enough to cook and eat.
If you require an "interior" space in which to cook and eat, a teardrop is probably not the right solution for you. Look at a small travel trailer or a pop-up type tent trailer, most of those have interior eating accomodations. A teardrop is about as stripped-down as you can get and still be in a trailer.
As to a floor plan, I've spent some time in small boats, cuddy cabins with the berth, head and galley in a 10' stretch, seems similar arrangements would work in a trailer and I'm not sure the customary side entry is the most efficient. ?????
Not all tears have side entry. Some dispense with the traditional rear galley in favor of a door. I've even seen one tear that has a FRONT door - that's right, you get in by stepping onto a platform mounted on the tongue! Like I said, the varieties are endless.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I've lost count of how many nights we've spent in it...
All weather, everywhere. Always ready to go. The fridge has never been off.
I just pick up a few groceries at lunch time and we're ready to go.
You either look at a teardrop and say, "******?" or "yeah, that's for me". Not really any inbetween.
Nice weather:
On a ferry:
In the dark of night:
In the snow:
And even in sepia...
All weather, everywhere. Always ready to go. The fridge has never been off.
I just pick up a few groceries at lunch time and we're ready to go.
You either look at a teardrop and say, "******?" or "yeah, that's for me". Not really any inbetween.
Nice weather:
On a ferry:
In the dark of night:
In the snow:
And even in sepia...
Yes, I agree with all that you said really, but by cooking, I didn't really mean frying fish or frying burgers. We say around here, if you don't like the weather, wait an hour, it will change. Even a 25 mph wind gusts in the rain isn't really pleasant, just meant heating up a can of beans, warm up the hot dogs or a bowl of soup, make coffee or tea. Scrambled eggs don't smoke too much and you can solve odors with a simple vent fan. Nice to get a cold drink without going outside or having to crawl over an ice chest.
You're absolutely right, everything is a trade off.
I'm sure I can adapt to a TD, camped in a VW bug a few years, porta pottie, ice chest, gel-fuel stove with a sleeping platform, so really, it was a TD you could drive
You're absolutely right, everything is a trade off.
I'm sure I can adapt to a TD, camped in a VW bug a few years, porta pottie, ice chest, gel-fuel stove with a sleeping platform, so really, it was a TD you could drive
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luk4mud
Explorer
Whiskey, my plan for a rack is to use towers that are yakima compatible and removable. Yakima because I have multiple sets of bars and alot of accessories already and removeable because I want to be able to fit it in the garage and want to take it off to reduce wind drag for trips I dont need it. I have installed the Yakima quick rails on a number of rigs in the past and those have handled anything I have thrown at them.
luk4mud
Explorer
I just turned my notebook upside down
Great thread! The comment as to a tear drop being a tent on wheels, having lived in a pup tent I have to say, I cooked inside. Love the tear drops, very cool looking, some are works of art, but how practical are they really? The Sawtooth design seems to give more headroom and upper storage possibilities with a rack. Sure, I like the amenities of a 20' travel trailer, but that won't work well on trails, so, are there any expandable drops, hard sided fold outs? Sure would be nice to be able to sit up and cook a quick meal, make sandwiches, reach a cold or hot drink on rainy days.
As to a floor plan, I've spent some time in small boats, cuddy cabins with the berth, head and galley in a 10' stretch, seems similar arrangements would work in a trailer and I'm not sure the customary side entry is the most efficient. ?????
Ozarker, I have owned a C Class. Dont want another one. Kids are almost grown, so we dont need the space and I cant take it anywhere I want to go. I have to plan trips around where to take it rather than where I want to go.
I have owned a pop up trailer. No thanks again, too much work. I need a nap after setting up camp.
I have owned a VW camper. Very cool. And very small inside to sleep, cook and live.
For the last several years I have tent camped. I prefer the latter as compared to all of the above. But as I get older, there are times (ok, more often than not) that it would be nice not to sleep on the ground, not to have to set up a bunch of camp stuff to cook etc. So, I view the teardrop much the way you described it- a tent on wheels. If its too cold to sleep in it or cook outside, then from my perspective it is too cold to camp.
silvrzuki77
explorer
For the sink my wife had bought me a coleman table that has a little sink basin in it. I can move where ever for the wind with my stove on it.
I have been packing it up inside the TD when on the move in a nice canvas case.
I have been packing it up inside the TD when on the move in a nice canvas case.
rolando
Observer
I just turned my notebook upside down
I knew that sooner or later somebody will figure it out ;-)
NetDep
Adventurer
Hilldweller -
I think I have visited with you on the LG forum? You have a great way of putting things and that is a great way to put it - either a TD is for you or it isn't. It most definitely is for me and I really do love mine -- can't wait to spend more time in it. As for the sink -- I HAVE used mine -- put some ice in and made some sodas cold!! I would agree - had it to do over - would have not gotten a sink or stove. The sink, although wasted space, just isn't used. The stove IS wasted space -- space that could be used for storage/stuff....I am normally (99.9%) alone and love my single burner Camp Chef stove so that is all I really ever use/need. Two of the pics show how the sink and stove are installed -- the sink, well, could live with or without but the stove -- that is a lot of space for some utensils or other.
Attaching a picture of my single burner stove and Camp Chef Sherpa kitchen -- both of which I would be lost without. I got the roof rack installed when I ordered the trailer and since had an ARB awning installed and love that too -- quality and works very well!! Pics of that as well. It does seem that we like our trailers - I like the ability to go anywhere my truck can go and have a safe/warm/stable place to sleep - oh, and watch TV/DVD's and stay cozy warm. I have a small ceramic oscillating heater for the cabin. Also - there is a ton of storage in this thing - under the floor beneath the bed.....
This is a great thread and really like all the ideas and sharing.
I think I have visited with you on the LG forum? You have a great way of putting things and that is a great way to put it - either a TD is for you or it isn't. It most definitely is for me and I really do love mine -- can't wait to spend more time in it. As for the sink -- I HAVE used mine -- put some ice in and made some sodas cold!! I would agree - had it to do over - would have not gotten a sink or stove. The sink, although wasted space, just isn't used. The stove IS wasted space -- space that could be used for storage/stuff....I am normally (99.9%) alone and love my single burner Camp Chef stove so that is all I really ever use/need. Two of the pics show how the sink and stove are installed -- the sink, well, could live with or without but the stove -- that is a lot of space for some utensils or other.
Attaching a picture of my single burner stove and Camp Chef Sherpa kitchen -- both of which I would be lost without. I got the roof rack installed when I ordered the trailer and since had an ARB awning installed and love that too -- quality and works very well!! Pics of that as well. It does seem that we like our trailers - I like the ability to go anywhere my truck can go and have a safe/warm/stable place to sleep - oh, and watch TV/DVD's and stay cozy warm. I have a small ceramic oscillating heater for the cabin. Also - there is a ton of storage in this thing - under the floor beneath the bed.....
This is a great thread and really like all the ideas and sharing.
Attachments
Just to really mess with your head, look at Camp Inn Trailers.
http://tinycamper.com/teardropmodels.htm
you know you were wrong for that one. now you got my gears turning.
luk4mud
Explorer
You guys are really making my head spin now. I showed my wife all the "dont get a sink" comments ... good work guys, you convinced her. Now I have to wrap my head around the "no stove" concept. First post updated again.
NetDep, what kind of heater do you have? Happen to have a picture?
NetDep
Adventurer
I don't have a picture of it in the trailer handy - she is over at her storage place -- but here is a link of the heater I have....I ordered it from Amazon.com...with the suggestion of a guy at work who is a trailer owner as well -- I like it a lot -- makes a huge difference in comfort. The thermostat is nice - I set it and it turns on/off on it's own - no need to wake up....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKMCE2/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1