Any regrets from teardrop users?

[razzman1]

My wife and I are a few short years from an empty nest, and our plan is to do as much exploration and camping as possible. Some state/national parks, and some wherever-we-end-up campsites. I plan on getting off the beaten track, and our tow vehicle is a 4wd 4runner. I think a teardrop would fit nicely for our plans, but I'm a little worried about not being able to stand up in it (for things like getting dressed in the morning). Those of you with teardrops, do you have any regrets? Do you find they are too small? Would you go a different route if you could do it over again?

Thanks

 

[Texans Outdoors]

My wife and I are in the same boat; kids are gone so let's go play while we can. I started a tear drop build. One day I saw one at a gas station and asked the gentleman if I could check it out. I never knew how claustrophobic I truly was. I ended up using the plywood for another project.

 

[razzman1]

LOL. I was wondering about that. I have a friend with a teardrop, and I may see if I can borrow it for a night just to see if it will work for us.

 

[Yulli]

I have a teardrop and I don't regret anything. It's just like any other camping trailer out there, just smaller.

With that, don't expect to stand in it. It's a tiny camper. It'd be like comparing apples to oranges when it comes to other trailers you see at the RV lots. Don't expect to stand in a teardrop. I already knew that when I bought mine. It was more a fight between a nice tent or teardrop. Either way I went I wasn't going to be able to stand in said tent, or teardrop. Depending on what tent that is, maybe I could stand but some of the tents I looked at packed up too big and wouldn't fit for transportation. With the teardrop, I'm dryer, more comfortable, have better use of storage and organization, and some other accessories that the teardrop has that a tent doesn't.

Now once you get a teardrop I think you get spoiled from wanting to go back to a tent. Then after some use of the teardrop you may start getting annoyed with not being able to stand, not having a bathroom, having to cook outside still, etc. I haven't hit that road block yet with mine. I'm not a big fan of cooking so my kitchen time is usually pretty minimal, so it's not an issue. It's low maintenance and easy to tow. I can see how after awhile though you may start to feel like you're in a tent again and you want something bigger and then again, just feeling spoiled again cuz you want something to stand in, etc.

Keep researching tear drops, visit RV lots that may have one on the lot and sit in them and spend some time checking them out. I can see myself getting something bigger in the future but only cuz of the wife and kid. I've yet to go out with them since my wife isn't big into camping, which is fine with me. My destinations may change by then, but I still like to get out and camp, more like glamp, if I have a bigger trailer some time down the road.

 

[tgreening]

How hard do you intend to go trail wise? If it's just you and the missus and you don't need to get too crazy while heading to a campsite, there's some fairly off road capable pop ups out there you mint consider.

Run Google on "off road pop up camper" and check out the images. Should give you a bunch of eye candy to sort through.

 

[dusty122]

I wouldn't say i have any regrets. most of the things are known trade offs. ie. towing something vs. rooftop tent vs motorhome vs tent. I choose the teardrop because it is self contained. quick setup, the majority of my camping gear all stays in 1 place. When camping we like to spend the majority of our time outside but still have a comfortable place to sleep. the teardrop checked off the most things for me. There are things that i would do slightly different next time but nothing that makes me regret buying the trailer. My teardrop is pretty tall and if i were to build one id make it slightly shorter in height and length. The extra headroom is really just wasted space and modifying the kitchen and storage layout could get me maybe 2 feet shorter. The inside of the teardrop is just a bed and some storage. pretty much the only time we are in there is to sleep or maybe hide from the elements. you dont hang out in the thing all day like you would maybe in a large trailer or RV. if my teardrop was 4 feet taller i dont think id stand in it anyways. However it is nice to have a private place to change clothes standing up. When we are out in the middle of nowhere we can just stand up outside and change clothes. We setup an awning with sides which makes a nice changing room when in more crowded places. It also make a nice room to hide from the elements like wind and rain that can make cooking in the back of the teardrop difficult.

 

[Doug E]

My wife & I are empty nesters, I'm retired and she has a _very_ flexible work schedule. We got our teardrop last fall, have used it a half-dozen times, just today returning from a three day trip along the CO, NM border. Spent last night on the continental divide at 10,600" elevation.

We love the teardrop and have no regrets. Zero set-up, nice self-contained kitchen, and off-road capability are all huge. We don't rock crawl, but many western forest service or BLM roads would be impassible in a road trailer, and the relatively short length allows us to go places a typical travel trailer couldn't possibly go. 32" wheels match the tow rig (a lifted van) so we don't need a second spare. Yes, it's little, not a "standee", but we think of it as an all weather wood & metal tent, so that isn't an issue. And we don't KOA camp or stay in any kind of developed campground, so the (relative) lack of privacy has never been an issue.

We like that we are at "ground level", and not up top of a vehicle in a popup. First, we camp with our dogs, and being able to quickly address any issues associated with the dogs is important. They sleep in the van with a fenced enclosure around the open side door of the van for night time potty trips, but on occasion we have had to deal with visiting wild-life or with a sick (puking and diarrhea afflicted) dog and being right there is very nice. And secondly, the 30 mph wind, gusting to 50-60 mph on the divide last night had no impact on us. No flapping canvas or other issues.

So, no regrets, and no thoughts that we might have done better to purchase something else. The only (very minor) regrets relate to how we accessorized, or failed to accessorize, the TD, and we are in the process of fixing that as we use the trailer and figure out what is important to us and what isn't.

Best of luck.

 

[calicamper]

I think your travel style will play into if a trailer regardless of type is a good fit.

 

[calicamper]

I'm not a empty nester. We set up a base camp in one spot for several days and do day trips. Every empty nester I know abd those we meet camping all typically are on the move every day or so and are running vans or pickup campers. They might do local hikes or activites near camp etc. That and they never park it for more than a day two. Some also tow boats or other toys. That and the no trailer rigs they are set up in 8 minutes or rolling out of camp in 8 minutes. Vs the trailer folks like us have a much longer set up and tear down. Just something to consider. I love tear drops by the way but the wife isnt into the cozy space factor.

 

[lacofdfireman]

I have 10 more years to go before retirement but will be empty nesting in probably 5-6 when our youngest will be 18. We have had just about everything imaginable. Started with a 26ft weekend warrior toyhauler then upgraded to a 40ft fiver pulled buy a full size Kenworth Semi truck then sold that and bought a 36ft Class A. Now I've built my own Off Road teardrop trailer. All of them have been good and all served there purpose. The Motorhome is super nice for traveling and we can tow our Jeep Cherokee behind it. But your never going to off road a Class A. I'm a big guy so standing up I figured was gonna be a big deal for my Off Road Teardrop. I built mine bigger than most with a side profile of 5x10. To be honest for me I wouldn't go any smaller. When I was at the Overland Expo there were a bunch of Off Road Teardrop style trailer builders and not one of them I'd take over mine. Although some of them the fit and finish were a lot nicer than ours. But the prices some of these vendors wanted for them were insane. I can't imagine spending that much. At 6'5 and 250lbs I don't have an issue sitting and getting dressed. No headroom issues sitting etc. Most of the other companies I could never sit up straight in their trailers which to me is a no go. But then again I'm very tall. If you lived in Utah I'd let you take mine out and give it a try. One night and you would be sold. Very off road capable and everywhere we have ever taken it we have people,come ask about it. It's a blast.

Here is some of our progression. Can't find a photo of our first Weekend Warrior Toyhauler

From this

To this which we still own

And this which I built

 

[jim65wagon]

We are nearly empty nesters ourselves. Decided a few years ago to build a teardrop that would suit our future travel plans.
Ours is tall for a teardrop but that extra height is all storage for supplies. We didn't want anything stored on the beds while traveling and having a basement works very well for us.
No you can't stand on the bed but I don't stand on the bed in my house either. Most of the time we just stand outside the door so we can grab clothes from the cabinet inside. If we are not camping privately we can easily drop the rollup walls attached to our awnings to make a private changing room on both sides of the trailer.
We've camped in some pretty wet weather and have learned (in the east at least) having a large Kelty tarp over the kitchen is essential for staying dry while cooking and eating.
Too small? No. We constantly have people asking us if we are going to upgrade to a bigger trailer before our big trip around the country. We have to tell them " No, this is one of those instances where bigger is not always better. "
No regrets for us and looking forward to years of teardropping

 

[Sikocycles]

I have 10 more years to go before retirement but will be empty nesting in probably 5-6 when our youngest will be 18. We have had just about everything imaginable. Started with a 26ft weekend warrior toyhauler then upgraded to a 40ft fiver pulled buy a full size Kenworth Semi truck then sold that and bought a 36ft Class A. Now I've built my own Off Road teardrop trailer. All of them have been good and all served there purpose. The Motorhome is super nice for traveling and we can tow our Jeep Cherokee behind it. But your never going to off road a Class A. I'm a big guy so standing up I figured was gonna be a big deal for my Off Road Teardrop. I built mine bigger than most with a side profile of 5x10. To be honest for me I wouldn't go any smaller. When I was at the Overland Expo there were a bunch of Off Road Teardrop style trailer builders and not one of them I'd take over mine. Although some of them the fit and finish were a lot nicer than ours. But the prices some of these vendors wanted for them were insane. I can't imagine spending that much. At 6'5 and 250lbs I don't have an issue sitting and getting dressed. No headroom issues sitting etc. Most of the other companies I could never sit up straight in their trailers which to me is a no go. But then again I'm very tall. If you lived in Utah I'd let you take mine out and give it a try. One night and you would be sold. Very off road capable and everywhere we have ever taken it we have people,come ask about it. It's a blast.

Here is some of our progression. Can't find a photo of our first Weekend Warrior Toyhauler

From this

To this which we still own

And this which I built

What is the interior height of yours? I'm the same size and deciding on my build. I want to sit up straight in mine also

 

[JoshN]

No regrets, but to do it again my concentration would be to built it as light as I can and only a strong as it needs to be. First time builders tend to do 2 things overbuild and under size. Mock up a cardboard or foam model in your garage to work out dimensions and then plan and build.

 

[FMF]

We had some of the same worries with a teardrop. So with ours we built in a small vestibule on the inside. This way we can sit on the side of the bed to change. It's been very nice to have the little space inside. For even the simple things like your boots off and not dragging dirt in.

 

[paj54]

Keep an eye out for one of these. A vintage Coleman Colorado. Can be found for under a grand if you are lucky. Flip the springs over the axle, add big tires and drag it almost anywhere. No kitchen but hey it's camping.