Tiny Trailers/Teardrops

[D Fresh]

Almost all of them are completely custom-built or are at least built-to-order. The shops that make them build them by hand, they take their time, and they do a better job. It costs more to do it that way.

I bought one a few years before COVID, just before the company (Hiker Trailer) really hit the big time and got popular. It was built 20min from my house (Indy facility, before they moved production to Columbus, IN) and the owner drove to my house with a crew member on a Sunday morning when I was about to leave on a big road trip because of an electrical issue (not an issue with their build, rather one with a wiring adapter I had between the trailer and my TV). They installed a 4 flat connector for me so I didn't need to use the adapter (trailer came with a 7 pin), and while the adapter worked fine when I picked it up, it wasn't working 2 days later.



I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly. Too many stories of stuff falling out of brand new RVs when they're being driven home off the lot. Appliances falling out, cabinet doors falling off, etc.

I don't care if God himself made it. That kind of money for a bed with walls on a trailer is just retarded to me. For less than the cost of an offroady teardrop one could buy two brand new pop-ups and have one as a parts mule.

I'm glad yours works for you and you like it. But just because something is "hand built," that doesn't make it worth twice it's real value. They do a "better" job? That's quite the assumption.

Seems to me that the teardrop is the natural evolution of the RTT. Way overpriced RICE just to look cool.

The things are just priced way out of control compared to the competion.

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[Fritz]

We're looking at Casita trailer. They're out of Rice, TX. Went to the factory and toured all their different models. They are similar in design to the Scamps but personally I think a better built product. As with any camper the more options the higher price and weight. I know the ranger would have no problem pulling them even fully optioned out.

I’m considering a twin bed casita.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Go do it yourself better and cheaper. And don't forget to pay yourself for your time.

My comment is nothing to do with what you think it does. When you buy a product that is smaller in scale but cost more than the equivalent of a larger product that just seems silly to me.

With that said don't tempt me my entire truck setup is an exercise in basically me scratching my head at the price tag that off-road companies charge for products and then fabricating it myself.

 

[seanellaz]

Looks like the boon is over and the used market is about to be overflowing with trailers. The Facebook group https://m.facebook.com/groups/814413268673565/ , the Escapod page, and the Vistabule page are filling up with people wanting to sell. COVID is over and people are realizing they aren't as outdoorsy as they thought. Most are still pricing a bit high but they're coming down and if you're in the market, the deals are already popping up.

I got the folks @ Alumline (https://www.alumline.com/products/sport-and-toy-haulers/multi-sport-camping-trailer) to build me an overlander. I sent the tires and wheels to them, they did the rest $5k @ build time. Weighs less than 800 lbs loaded with tent atop. Bomb proof. I later swapped out the little battery for a full size AGM Deep discharge battery in a plastic (shiny painted) battery box. It runs my fridge and phones for 2 days no problema.

 

[Fritz]

I don't care if God himself made it. That kind of money for a bed with walls on a trailer is just retarded to me. For less than the cost of an offroady teardrop one could buy two brand new pop-ups and have one as a parts mule.

I'm glad yours works for you and you like it. But just because something is "hand built," that doesn't make it worth twice it's real value. They do a "better" job? That's quite the assumption.

Seems to me that the teardrop is the natural evolution of the RTT. Way overpriced RICE just to look cool.

The things are just priced way out of control compared to the competion.

Glossing over the “retarded” “rice” comments… saying a teardrop is an evolution of the rooftop tents implies you think teardrops occurred after rooftop tents. Recently that is.

 

[D Fresh]

Glossing over the “retarded” “rice” comments… saying a teardrop is an evolution of the rooftop tents implies you think teardrops occurred after rooftop tents. Recently that is.

Not the products themselves. The marketing of such.

I'm well aware of the classic teardrop trailers. But I can guarantee there's no way the one you pictured above cost as much or more than this classic TT when both were new.

That's what I'm talking about. The economy of scale is just way off. This is all marketing and the current C.I.C.E. (camping inspired cosmetic enhancement) trend is to blame.

 

[mtbikernate]

Not the products themselves. The marketing of such.

I'm well aware of the classic teardrop trailers. But I can guarantee there's no way the one you pictured above cost as much or more than this classic TT when both were new.

That's what I'm talking about. The economy of scale is just way off. This is all marketing and the current C.I.C.E. (camping inspired cosmetic enhancement) trend is to blame.

Can guarantee that the classic travel trailer pictured is built better than the toothpick-and-cardboard trash that clutters RV lots. Comparing what teardrop companies build with that mass produced trash is a false equivalency at best.

Look, there's a robust community of folks who build their own teardrops. People with the skills, the tools, and the space to do it are making excellent trailers. But they only come out ahead on the price if you don't factor in the cost of the time that they put into them. That's great if you have the skills, the tools, and the space to do the build, but if you don't have those things, then you have to buy.

There are a few companies out there that essentially build a very basic box on wheels that you can then build out yourself. I've seen these in the $4k territory. Just don't be deluded about how much you're going to spend if you want to do a lot to it WRT outfitting. That stuff adds up pretty quickly. And there's also a robust community of folks who buy cargo trailers and then outfit them as tiny campers. Again with the skills, tools, space, and budget requirements.

I've seen enough DIY jobs of either type where folks lacked on one or more of those things and the end product ended up looking like a hack job. And enough where people took the time and/or spent the money to address what they needed, and the end result looked amazing. Again, factoring that time into the equation, you're not saving any money. But, if you do it right, you absolutely do wind up with a better trailer than the mass-produced trash that rolls off RV lots.

If you want to make better comparisons between the built-to-order teardrop industry and larger towables, you need to find something other than the cheaply-made stuff that comes off the assembly line in northern Indiana to compare it to. There are some manufacturers of larger trailers out there doing business in a similar way. Scamp and Casita have been mentioned. Oliver is another fiberglass clamshell-type trailer that's more upmarket than those two. Escape Trailer is another. Look at the Sylvansport VAST if you want to see a company that looks like they took the idea of a cargo trailer conversion and made it "pro". I'm sure there are others out there, too.

There's an element of truth to people paying more for stuff with "offroad" capability, too. But, there's also truth that offroad stuff does also need to be built tougher to withstand the demands placed upon it. So if a basic on-road box-on-wheels can sell for $4k, then an offroad box-on-wheels, by definition, is going to cost more. Start adding extras, and the price tags on both will increase.

Don't get me wrong, I shopped popup campers, too. They definitely win most price-to-space ratio competitions. But my decision wasn't based on those two factors as being most important. I had other factors ranked higher. I wanted a comfortable bed that was more weather-protected than a tent. I spend my time during the day outside. Things like Clam shelters, some awnings, easy-up tents, etc provide shade, rain protection, and wind protection. I'm not going to drag a trailer hundreds or thousands of miles so I can sit inside and watch TV. As others have said, staying in a hotel is cheaper. My wife and I just spent 2 weeks in Europe with friends for less than the price of a new travel trailer. And that included airfare. My teardrop is a place to sleep so I can enjoy nearby outdoor activities during the day. Where hotels are less convenient or non-existent.

I also backpack and bikepack with lightweight gear for other types of outdoor experiences. Which camping arrangement I choose depends on my goals for the trip.

 

[OFC Ranger]

...element of truth to people paying more for stuff with "offroad" capability, too. But, there's also truth that offroad stuff does also need to be built tougher to withstand the demands placed upon it.

And sometimes something with an off-road label is nothing more than a Chinese product with a Gucci price tag. In the very best scenario the American company contracting out to China can give specifications to the parts but at the end of the day I guarantee the markup is astronomical.

Even some USA made products are baffling like one vendor on here who sells ditch light brackets for over $150 dollars. However this is a free market and something will only sell for what someone is willing to pay and clearly business is good.

Another prime example is the roush package for the ranger. You can't help but roll your eyes when a $500 tuner outperforms a $13,000 quote performance package unquote.

In a twisted way consumers with excess cash to burn are a direct reason for some of the prices we see.

It's a very convoluted discussion and theory but at the end of the day a company can sell for what they want and a consumer can pay what they're willing to pay but at the same time onlookers are free to contemplate the entire picture.

 

[WOADKIL]

NOT a teardrop, but cozy when weather gets bad. And wife happy!

 

[D Fresh]

Can guarantee that the classic travel trailer pictured is built better than the toothpick-and-cardboard trash that clutters RV lots. Comparing what teardrop companies build with that mass produced trash is a false equivalency at best.

Look, there's a robust community of folks who build their own teardrops. People with the skills, the tools, and the space to do it are making excellent trailers. But they only come out ahead on the price if you don't factor in the cost of the time that they put into them. That's great if you have the skills, the tools, and the space to do the build, but if you don't have those things, then you have to buy.

There are a few companies out there that essentially build a very basic box on wheels that you can then build out yourself. I've seen these in the $4k territory. Just don't be deluded about how much you're going to spend if you want to do a lot to it WRT outfitting. That stuff adds up pretty quickly. And there's also a robust community of folks who buy cargo trailers and then outfit them as tiny campers. Again with the skills, tools, space, and budget requirements.

I've seen enough DIY jobs of either type where folks lacked on one or more of those things and the end product ended up looking like a hack job. And enough where people took the time and/or spent the money to address what they needed, and the end result looked amazing. Again, factoring that time into the equation, you're not saving any money. But, if you do it right, you absolutely do wind up with a better trailer than the mass-produced trash that rolls off RV lots.

If you want to make better comparisons between the built-to-order teardrop industry and larger towables, you need to find something other than the cheaply-made stuff that comes off the assembly line in northern Indiana to compare it to. There are some manufacturers of larger trailers out there doing business in a similar way. Scamp and Casita have been mentioned. Oliver is another fiberglass clamshell-type trailer that's more upmarket than those two. Escape Trailer is another. Look at the Sylvansport VAST if you want to see a company that looks like they took the idea of a cargo trailer conversion and made it "pro". I'm sure there are others out there, too.

There's an element of truth to people paying more for stuff with "offroad" capability, too. But, there's also truth that offroad stuff does also need to be built tougher to withstand the demands placed upon it. So if a basic on-road box-on-wheels can sell for $4k, then an offroad box-on-wheels, by definition, is going to cost more. Start adding extras, and the price tags on both will increase.

Don't get me wrong, I shopped popup campers, too. They definitely win most price-to-space ratio competitions. But my decision wasn't based on those two factors as being most important. I had other factors ranked higher. I wanted a comfortable bed that was more weather-protected than a tent. I spend my time during the day outside. Things like Clam shelters, some awnings, easy-up tents, etc provide shade, rain protection, and wind protection. I'm not going to drag a trailer hundreds or thousands of miles so I can sit inside and watch TV. As others have said, staying in a hotel is cheaper. My wife and I just spent 2 weeks in Europe with friends for less than the price of a new travel trailer. And that included airfare. My teardrop is a place to sleep so I can enjoy nearby outdoor activities during the day. Where hotels are less convenient or non-existent.

I also backpack and bikepack with lightweight gear for other types of outdoor experiences. Which camping arrangement I choose depends on my goals for the trip.

I appreciate the experience you bring when looking at the options. As a lay person who's looking to jump into the waters of towable camping though, I don't think I'm alone in my perception.

If I ever upgrade my camping experience I'm looking to essentially exchange my money for comfort and convenience. Like you, I don't need a 65" TV, sectional, and surround. But I do expect my dollar to get me SOMETHING in that regard.

The offroad camping clamshells just don't offer enough convenience and or comfort over tent camping for the price from what I can see. The amount of time saved when setting up camp seems like it would be marginal, as the only time you're really saving is setting up 1 sleeping tent and a bit of your mess kit as SOME offer outdoor cooking setups. Comfort, sure. I'm positive that those beds are comfy, and warm or cool if desired. But beyond that they really don't offer me anything over tent camping. There's no inclosed space for my dogs to sleep short of my bed, my kids are still in a tent, and I'm still relegated to outdoor space regardless of the time or weather unless I want to lay down.

Meanwhile, for the same price as many/most I can get a small bunk house travel trailer that I can stand up in, has room for the two kids and two dogs plus the kitty, a bathroom and shower, and the choice to cook indoors or outdoors.


I get it. I'm probably not the target customer. I don't see the value in their product and I probably don't understand just how shitty the mass produced units are.

But I do know that if I were looking for something to do what these offroad clamshells do I'd go a different route. M416 or equivalent with a rack, RTT, and an awning. Throw the gear in and call it a day for under $5k. For the minimal improvement over tent camping the most I could see spending for ANY of these things is $10k.

If it works for you that's great. I personally don't have the income to justify spending $15k+ on a towable tent.

 

[D Fresh]

NOT a teardrop, but cozy when weather gets bad. And wife happy!

Can't see well enough to read it. What make/model is this?

 

[WOADKIL]

Can't see well enough to read it. What make/model is this?

Forrest River Rpod, 20 ' and 3,900lbs or so. Not glamorous but has all the amenities. About 12,000 miles so far and getting ready to retires and put more miles...

And cost less than a lot of these tear drops!

 

[Deleted member 1634]

My comment is nothing to do with what you think it does. When you buy a product that is smaller in scale but cost more than the equivalent of a larger product that just seems silly to me.

With that said don't tempt me my entire truck setup is an exercise in basically me scratching my head at the price tag that off-road companies charge for products and then fabricating it myself.

That's essentially the same argument people use for a lot of things. Why did you buy a Ranger when you could get an F-150 for cheaper? Why does anyone buy a Ferrari when a Golf GTI is cheaper? It's all about purpose. Size isn't everything. A teardrop fits our needs perfectly, so I'm willing to pay a bit more to get exactly what I want. And so are a lot of other people.

 

[mtbikernate]

I probably don't understand just how shitty the mass produced units are.

Definitely a component. Quality at the big mfrs has declined since the start of COVID, too.

Think about it - factory slowdowns/shutdowns due to staffing/supply issues. Increased demand from people on COVID vacations and newly work-from-home.

I don't think I could stomach buying a travel trailer new and then dealing with the crappy materials and build quality from day 1. Of course, there are things you need to maintain with all of them, but I should not need to be diving into it as soon as I get it home.

If I was going to upgrade to a bigger camper, I'd either buy a larger camper from a build-to-order shop (I like what Casita does), do a cargo trailer conversion myself (I like the Sylvansport VAST but the price tag on it is out of my range), or gut/rebuild a classic travel trailer with a nice chassis/shell.

To be clear, I spent about $10k on mine when new and it's not an offroady model. I recently did some electrical upgrades to it after the original battery reached the end of its life and when I replace the original tires, I'm going to bump up to larger wheels/tires (and get larger fenders that will fit them) so it handles a little better on gravel roads.

As I said before, a teardrop is a different kind of camping experience from the house-on-wheels type of travel trailers. It's for people who actually want to spend their waking time outside. Believe it or not, I am aware of a number of folks who full-time out of teardrops. I'm not that dedicated to little campers, but I respect people who are.

For me, the added value of the teardrop is huge, though. I can park it in my garage, which is the cheapest way around HOA issues (mine doesn't prohibit parking larger RVs outright, but it does create extra barriers to owning them). Setup times vary depending on how much extra I'm bringing/using, but minimally, I can park, climb in the back, and go to sleep. For sure, my space needs are different from yours. It's just me, my wife, and a 20lb dog.

 

[Ranger8729]

As I said before, a teardrop is a different kind of camping experience from the house-on-wheels type of travel trailers.

This right here.

I grew up with massive campers. Parents started with a pop-up, then a C-class, then a few tow-behinds (28 to 32ft) and finally the big pushers. It's super luxurious and a real house on wheels.

I got my little camper for all the other reasons. It can be towed by literally anything. It fits nicely in any garage. The minimalist style means only the barest of maintenance has to be addressed. It can be customized to any desire i have, and easily. It has a super comfy bed after my DAY OUTSIDE.

I can tow this little thing anywhere I can get my truck. That is the different experience I get. Sure, I could hike or bike out there with my tent gear too, but this little guy has AC and a fridge so I can make my BLT inside in the cool while it's storming.

And being able to whip it into any space with just my side mirrors, level it, and set out my awning and plop in a chair with a cold drink from the fridge in less than 20 mins is priceless.

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