I have been building my trailer for 6-7 Months now, and just bought a RTT. Honestly I like the RTT better, and I will probably just sell my teardrop when its complete. The Roof top tent seems much more flexible, and keeps me from having to tow a trailer around. I just went on a trip to Colorado, and got on some trails that I would never dream of dragging a trailer down. Made me rethink the teardrop concept.
Any regrets from teardrop users?
- Thread starter razzman1
- Start date
sunnybean
Observer
I'm in exactly the opposite position, but my RTT is on a trailer. After a weekend of 25-35 mph wind I really started to question if all the time and energy I spent on building up the old M416 trailer was worth it. Listening to the fly flap around all day/night and coming back to our camp to find that the metal fly rods had bent in the wind was less than fun. I'm also hating the zipper on the cover. It wasn't sewn correctly and has a catch in it about half way through its travel. To me, the zero set up and hard sides of a teardrop have me scratching my head as to how I can build one.
If you check out some of the off-road tear-drops, they can go _anywhere_ your Jeep, Hummer, or lesser off-road vehicle, can take you, including rock crawling. Now if you have a Unimog, or other vehicle with portal axles, that might be a different story. But it might not. Simply depends on how you set up the suspension.
AdventureHare
Outfitting for Adv
My wife is claustrophobic and would not be able to navigate a ladder within half an hour of waking up. 
And we recently got a tent we can stand in and won't be going back.
I'm considering building some like the Winter Warrior. It uses a box-over-box configuration to create volume, instead of a tent. I don't know why this design hinges in the middle, instead of the leading edge. But it's a built "proven" design.
Winter Warrior Plans
You might also want to look at Kamp Master and Wild Goose teardrops for 'stand-up' ideas.
And we recently got a tent we can stand in and won't be going back. I'm considering building some like the Winter Warrior. It uses a box-over-box configuration to create volume, instead of a tent. I don't know why this design hinges in the middle, instead of the leading edge. But it's a built "proven" design.
Winter Warrior Plans
You might also want to look at Kamp Master and Wild Goose teardrops for 'stand-up' ideas.
I would mostly agree, but a teardrop will severely inhibit your hill climbing given the weight. The main issue we would have had would have been turning given the tight switchbacks. My Tacoma had to do multi point turns just to make it without a trailer.
If I had to do it again I would just build a simple and lightweight trailer to hold the RTT and camping goods. In fact I plan on selling my camper to build something along these lines.
Thanks,
I ended up selling mine after 2 years... however that was more due to limitations on where I'd actually take it and the fact I had an off road trailer already. But I never had any issues with changing or being frustrated that I couldn't stand up in it. Long term my plan was to put a roof rack on it and get an awning with walls. This could serve as the change room, etc if needed.
jim65wagon
Well-known member
Here is a photo showing our side awnings. One side has the changing room walls down, the other side shows them rolled up. This is from last year's Expo East. We had all of our Kelty tarps and our EZ Up deployed to stay dry
I don't know why this design hinges in the middle, instead of the leading edge. But it's a built "proven" design.
Winter Warrior Plans
It hinges in the middle to accommodate the window placement . . .
lacofdfireman
Adventurer
My interior height is just shy of 5'. I'd say it's 4'8" from the top of our mattress to the ceiling. I can easily sit straight up. Can't do that on most teardrops.
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Luckytibbs
LuckyTibbs
I have to agree with Yulli. Right now, the teardrop fits me perfect. It is just myself and my two dogs and I do not have to worry if the trail runs rough because this offroad teardrop will take you anywhere your vehicle goes. I've camped places other people cannot because I can get my teardrop into places where the road will stop a regular camper. It is absolutely perfect. Years on down the road I can see getting something bigger when I don't do the unexpected roads like I do now. I did the Great Divide trail this year, 40 days solid in the camper and not one problem. Right now I see a road and I wonder where it leads and that is what I couldn't do with another camper! Hope this helps.
Overland Explorer
Approved Vendor
We are building an alternative to a tear drop style trailer. All composite cabin with powder coated aluminum cabinetry. The Explorer TDK pictured weighs 1900 lbs., cabin size is: 130"x60"x48" and sleeps 2 on a queen memory foam mattress. We can build any size cabin you desire.
Build thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/163240-Overland-Explorer-Composite-Off-Road-Trailer
Build thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/163240-Overland-Explorer-Composite-Off-Road-Trailer
SWbySWesty
Fauxverland Extraodinaire
My only regret with my first teardrop trailer was selling it! It's been two years, but I just got another one and it's good to be back! If I was going to full time it like you, I'd actually look more into a cargo trailer conversion like Jeff Wanamog (searchable here). That trailer was ************ and it got into the backcountry just fine. It was a basecamp, not a 4x4 trailer.
We originally looked at a Tear Drop but my wife felt it was too small. We went with a very small trailer but it does have room to stand up in and a very comfortable queen size bed. It is still very easy to tow but quite liveable for weeks at a time (we just got back from 17 days out west).
take your time, look around you will find one that speaks to you...
our version
take your time, look around you will find one that speaks to you...
our version
jscusmcvet
Explorer
What trailer is that?We originally looked at a Tear Drop but my wife felt it was too small. We went with a very small trailer but it does have room to stand up in and a very comfortable queen size bed. It is still very easy to tow but quite liveable for weeks at a time (we just got back from 17 days out west).
take your time, look around you will find one that speaks to you...
our version
it is a trailer from this company... http://www.microlitetrailer.com/
Mine is the microlite cargolite extreme... a small toy hauler with a queen size bed and doors on both sides. The bed splits in two and folds up against the wall.
love it. have 100's of nights in it and more than 20k miles of towing.... all Aluminum construction, mine weights in at 1040 lbs before we put our camping gear in it.
Love mine...
Mine is the microlite cargolite extreme... a small toy hauler with a queen size bed and doors on both sides. The bed splits in two and folds up against the wall.
love it. have 100's of nights in it and more than 20k miles of towing.... all Aluminum construction, mine weights in at 1040 lbs before we put our camping gear in it.
Love mine...
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