5 Reasons to NOT Buy a Teardrop Trailer

We've owned our teardrop camper for two years this October, 2023. We came up with 5 reasons why teardrop trailers can be challenging and why you might not want to buy one.

[davidf]

I love your approach to the outdoors! There IS a difference between camping and RV-ing.
That’s why we built our teardrop

[Chubbydippin]

Nothing makes a RV park better. It's a picturesque apartment complex. Leaving a RV park makes it better. Your hearts are in the right place for sharing your thoughts and wanting others to know how congested these places are. That is clear and much appreciated. What a beautiful dog you have. Even some state and national parks can be over crowded. Keep searching for the right places that have access to the beauty and wonder you seek. Be safe, and happy adventures to all 3 of you. Thanks for sharing.

[MikeAG]

You really badly need an awning/ side entry tent, both for privacy, and for changing in. If you also had a toilet/ shower tent, your other problem would go away as well.

[marktrammell]

My motto is, "Little camper, little problems, big camper, big problems."

[NEWHAMPSHIREGUY]

Wife and I love your videos and watched them since the beginning. I am glad you are back making them and health issues behind you ! We just purchased a Hicamp teardrop out of Portland Oregon. We used it all the way back to New Hampshire where we live. We didn't have a full set up as we were our west for a month prior to pick up. 7 days cross country was easy trailering, stopping at a rest area making a sandwich or more elegant meals in camp. We will add a clam shelter and privacy tent and continue the journey. I understand the bathroom thing and it's all part of the learning. I never trailered before and this is a good one to learn on. We are retired and taking the teardrop to Alaska next year for 4 months. I am sure we will have a better understanding of long term camping then ! Keep the videos coming. enjoy the TD until you move on... it's ok to learn as you go what you like :) Good honest video for people thinking about the TD.

[kimcunningham]

Great video! I agree on the bathroom part. We camped in teepee tents at a campground once and ended up across the lot from the bathrooms. I realized in the middle of the night going to the bathroom meant walking all that way in the dark with my small child sleeping alone without me. I didn’t want to wake her and bring her but didn’t want to leave her either. Spending time outdoors is fun, but can also bring challenges!

[magenta]

I've been following you guys since the beginning, and have been camping in our 4runner with a platform for about the same amount of time. Tight squeeze. The longest we have done is 7 nights, and much longer would be tough. We will be picking up our new teardrop next month, and plan a month away. All the things you have mentioned, have been a concern, but we just love boon docking much, and look forward to the places that you can get to, a bit easier with the smaller rig. We will report back after the month in the drop! Thanks for the inspiring vids!

[PatLoughery]

Good stuff. We are currently truck/tent camping using variety of tent sizes depending on the trip plans, but looking at squaredrops for a bit more of a base camp feel. And adding a popup gazebo for rain/bug protection.

Your first point, that some RV parks ask for self-contained vehicles, would also limit you from using systems like Harvest Hosts or some Hipcamps, that kind of thing. We use a collapsible REI toilet inside a popup privacy tent for road trip emergencies and camp comfort, but it's a similar limitation on being self-contained. I'd rather be at a state park, or better yet at a boondock site or similar thing, anyway. But it's nice to have options.

[georgedreher]

We own a InTech Pursue camper - basically a square type, all aluminum frame, utility trailer. Roof-top AC/Heat unit & Maxx fan, TV/stereo. Fits in our home garage. Live in the Tampa area & camp several times a year in the North GA, NC mountains. We attach one side of a large Iron Man tent around the rear doors of the trailer's back frame with magnets. Tent area used for changing clothes, eating during inclement weather, & additional storage. We also use a large clam shell which covers the front of the trailers pull-out kitchen. An awning covers the trailer's main side entry door. Total weight around 2200 lbs. EZ pull with a Toyota Tacoma Off Road 4x4 MT.
We use this as our Base Camp while we enjoy hiking & exploring surrounding areas. EZ camping set-up which provides an off the ground, very comfy, sleeping/security solution. Simple, Functional, and FUN.

[xtokmil]

I have a vistabule trailer camper.
It has the windows for the views.
I've been on a 5 month trip from the east coast to the western mountains. I was in no hurry to get home. And am planning another long trip out west next year. Plus I have done several 1 to 3 month trips in my vistabule.

[freezinweasle]

I have run the camping life full circle. Started in tents as a child and through the years progressed to large towable RVs. My last shelter was a Kodiak Canvas truck tent. I should have my InTech Flyer Pursue within a few days, Lord willing. I do plan on several extended cross country trips and will definitely share my experiences. Thanks for all yuor videos and the advice that you have.

[mnswamp]

I really enjoy your channel and your ideas. A couple of thoughts:
1. Big windows make it really difficult to maintain a comfortable temp - too hot in the sun, and too cold if it's cold.
2. When I built mine, I deliberately designed in a propex heater. It's sooo nice to have forced air heat to keep things cozy warm, or to really warm it up if you are cold (especially here in Minnesnowta!)
3. We haven't done 'months', but we've done several 2-3 week trips. The biggest thing is breaking camp every day to move to the next stop (for example, doing Route 66).
4. IMHO, there's no such thing as a 'good' RV park :) Between iOverland and Google maps, I can usually find a National/state/city/county park or BLM/NFS location.

[herrp]

@1:24. "Close quarters." Man, you ain't kidding! But good reminder that everyone's out camping to have fun. Meeting other peeps simply is a part of that, even if they're within spittin' distance. 😊

[ecpssbq]

I enjoy your videos very much. I think getting a side room that fits with your awning is a solution for bad weather and going potty at night. Keep on traveling and making videos. Love Teddy!

[pringlized]

Awesome video. I just talked with Bend Teardrops today. I'm planning on a 6x12, but I want to DIY the interior. Plan on a drop drown TV, cabinets, a fold out couch with removal table and one of those sealed dometic toilets for the really rainy days. I so want the windows you have over the portholes. Have it mostly designed in CAD. I grew up all around the West during summers in a Winnebago. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa I have ideas. Dave at Bend was so accommodating and helpful about subtle little things I want. Thanks for your videos. You are motivating me. Can't wait to see more of your adventures.

[shirleymatthews]

I loved this video. We have a Meerkat which is a tiny towable. It is only 13 feet. Has many of the same drawbacks as a teardrop. With that said we took a long 50 day trip from NJ to Utah. We stopped at ten National Parks and consider it to have been one of the most interesting and invigorating trips we have ever taken. I say go for the long trip. Join Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome. We have a side tent so if it’s a little buggy out we have some relief. And since we were working while we traveled if one person wanted to be alone they could be in the side tent and the other could be inside the camper or in the car. You have a truck so you could get one of the big pop up tents everyone with a teardrop it seemed to us had. We tow with a SUV. We have a Thetford portapotty in the camper. It really was not bad. I used it twice. And our camper allows us to sit inside as the bed folds up and there is a little table along with a tiny kitchen area with a sink. But we mostly cooked outdoors for obvious reasons. We don’t have air conditioning or heat build in. But we have portable air conditioner (used once-don’t love it) and heater like you do. This next year we will just do east coast traveling. Seriously having a tiny towable camper is great just as you said even with the limitations.

[TheBullseye]

We have a 54inch by 8ft. home built squaredrop trailer with 4ft of height. It's strictly a bed on wheels. We use a Clam Sky Camper scree/tent to do everything but sleep. It is big enough to set up a shower tent inside, which is great to get out of a shower and still have privacy. We set up a portable toilet for trips when going to bathrooms aren't convenient. When its nice out you can pull up the sides and it is a screen tent. For us it works great and would not own a small camper without it.

[twoweary]

I just picked up a Hiker camper. For my needs it’s perfect, lightweight w/ solar. I live in Washington but drove over to Utah to buy it. Now I’m going over the many options I want to install. Have you tried Skull Hollow CG near Terrebonne ( Or.) ? Really enjoyed my stay there. Happy travels !

[davidhunternyc]

Could you use a folding screen in front of your door for changing your clothes? Then move the screen to the side to use a porta potty? I've never seen a folding screen used for camping but it seems like it would be useful, for showering too.

[WildcatPhoto]

Besides a shower tent, I have a Clam 6x6 shelter, I can put up, but easy as it is, it's a nuisance for short stays, especially if you have to put it away wet. I had an ARB awning, but that does not give any privacy. I sold it. Some places wont allow tents at all, but i avoid those. Even my shower tent with floor is a bummer sometimes. I'm in Oregon, and my last trip was at the coast. Sand in everything! My attached shower tent will be helpful on one side. I have a Kelty Backroads that is good, but it can be a problem under certain circumstances. I can use it at the side of trailer or over the galley.