SoCal Tear Drop Owners! Post up!

[Shower Pouch]

galley setup for my Buzz / 459 hybrid trailer.

 

[4runnerteq]

Sweet. Had to reseal my roof vent fan today. Fortunately caught the leak before it caused any real damage. Just a small stain on the ceiling. Took it out and cleaned all the old silicone then redone. Going over the top as well with some self leveling after its cured a day.

 

[No Ma]

I saw this option tested by @No Ma, not sure how it's worked out long term: https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/socal-tear-drop-owners-post-up.143786/post-2341299

Something made specifically for a SoCal could be nice. @AdvWife uses a Foxwing, seems to work really well although you have to swing it to close the galley and that can be an issue if you have it staked down and/or have any walls installed. The full wall kit on the Foxwing does give you an incredible amount of insulated outdoor space, though.

So the longer term verdict is we still carry it with us every time out. When the wind isn't blowing too hard, it's very nice. But it doesn't get used all that often. It it's raining without much wind, it's great. When it's raining and the wind's blowing more than a little bit, there isn't quite enough side coverage to keep the water out of the galley. If it's not raining, don't need it. Attachment to the 510xs is very Rube Goldberg, but secure enough because we have the rooftop rack. I like the design for use with a teardrop. Hatch opens and closes without moving anything which is the biggest hassle I see with a Foxwing type of setup.

When I have the time, I'm thinking about a construction project to make a heavy duty version along the same lines. A little longer for more space behind the trailer. Wider and taller, so the sides of the hatch aren't rubbing against the top of the cover when it's open. Use heavier material for the cover itself, a nice cotton duck of appropriate weight, beefier poles and larger diameter aluminum (not fiberglass) support poles and bigger guy ropes. Something like that wouldn't be cheap to make, would be considerably bigger and heavier when packed, but would get used a lot more.

I might revisit the Foxwing style covers though. It still seems like having one of those deployed under an open hatch presents a hassle, having to move it to close the hatch, and a shortcoming, the hatch is up in the weather. Looks like a good opportunity for rain and water to get into the upper parts of the galley. Anyone with a Foxwing type cover who can comment on foul weather usage?

 

[cneithardt]

With spring and summer camping approaching, the wife and I decided to make a modification to our trailer (459 Kascade).

We've come to the conclusion that having hot running water for kiddos hands and dishes is more important than storing our cooler. Also, being that we mostly camp in bear territory, the cooler ends up in a bear box 99% of the time so putting it in the car isn't a big deal anyways.

So, here's the rough in so far, still need to finish the drawer fronts and tidy up the plumbing (but all the plumbing is functioning). Also will install a hood to vent the eccotemp exhaust.

 

[Frank]

Very nice!

I just spent the past few weeks reading just about every post on all 72 pages and the general theme is that these are extremely robust trailers that need very little to be exceptional. My family and I hope to be in a trailer in the near future.

I ask the owners:

What would you change or do differently? Is there something that you wish you maybe would have re-thought?

 

[cneithardt]

Very nice!

I just spent the past few weeks reading just about every post on all 72 pages and the general theme is that these are extremely robust trailers that need very little to be exceptional. My family and I hope to be in a trailer in the near future.

I ask the owners:

What would you change or do differently? Is there something that you wish you maybe would have re-thought?

The best thing we did was rent one before we purchased. Being in so-cal helped because rent off the grid has them readily available.

This showed us a great deal and really made purchasing one a no brainer once we did.

We purchased a very lightly used one, so making a few tweaks here and there have actually been fun for me, but it would be a treat to go through the whole build with so-cal (we visited their shop and its awesome).

With that said, personally would get the water tank (we added ours), upgraded fantastic fan (we have the small one and its fine but a little noisy), front storage both locking mesh and tongue box (think firewood, chairs, dirty stuff - this has been awesome for us).

Since we have 2 small kids, we will eventually be adding a RTT, so in hindsight a roof basket is kinda a waste.

I've added LED strip lighting inside the cabin, above the upper shelf since the standard ones are a little harsh at night, the LED upgrade would be worth it if building new IMO.


At the end of the day, they are very solid trailers and you just need to think about what features benefit you. Their fit and finish is truly exceptional.

Hope this helps!

 

[Keith Starr]

Very nice!

I just spent the past few weeks reading just about every post on all 72 pages and the general theme is that these are extremely robust trailers that need very little to be exceptional. My family and I hope to be in a trailer in the near future.

I ask the owners:

What would you change or do differently? Is there something that you wish you maybe would have re-thought?

1) On my 510 one thing I would change is the front "cage." The fact that it's not fully enclosed ensures that everything in there gets very dusty or wet. It's a fantastic place to store bulky items (e.g., camp chairs) but, for example, if it rains while you're driving you're going to be sitting in wet chairs when you get to camp. Something to consider. I may ask if SoCal can build a custom enclosed one to replace my stock cage.

2) I have the stove, hot water, and Propex heater but only one 10lb propane tank mounted on the left side. I should have gotten one 5lb tank on each side, one dedicated for the stove and one for the hot water. Maybe even a third for the heater. My wife likes to sleep in on those cold mornings. I get up early and make coffee. If I disconnect the propane from the heater and hook up the stove...a cold wife becomes an angry wife! I carry a couple small tanks in the front cage so I can use any appliance without having to turn off another. Food for thought.

3) Rock lights. I don't have any but my buddy has some in his 510. His are arguably too bright (Rigid A-series) but the ability to light up the ground 360* around the trailer is pretty nice. The stock porch lights are absolutely perfect for entry lighting but they don't do much for the other area around the trailer.

4) Radio delete? My 510 came with a radio inside the cabin but only speakers facing outside in the galley. And it doesn't have Bluetooth. I never use the radio anyway, but the configuration makes changing the song/volume awkward. I may swap out the radio someday just for Bluetooth. And since there are no speakers inside I can't even use it to watch a movie, etc. I would have deleted the option entirely had I known how little use it would get.

5) Fridge orientation. You can have the ARB fridge mounted longways if you get the Off-Road Full Galley. It makes seeing the temp on the ARB fridge much easier. If you use a National Luna the temp is located on the side so having it mounted sideways make sense. Something to consider. With that galley you get a LOT more drawers, and it goes without saying storage on a trailer this small becomes pretty important. Wasn't an option when I get my trailer but I absolutely would have requested it. I have the Off-Road Galley Upgrade and while a few drawers is nice more drawers would be really nice.

6) Reading lights. I have the one big light inside, red/white LED. It's great! Except if you're laying down to read a book. It blinds you! I wish I had the small reading lights at my head that...well...lit up the pages of my book.

That said! I absolutely LOVE my trailer. Almost 4 years of abuse and it looks brand new. I haven't had a single issue. They really just work well and, at least for me, provide the perfect blend of "real" camping mixed with comfortable camping.

 

[cneithardt]

Gonna chime back in...

+1 on the rock lights, they are really nice (the so-cal installed ones are the perfect amount of light IMO - "LED Ground Lights")

+1 on the sideways fridge... would love to see them incorporate a sink in that setup

+1 on dual 5lb propane (we have it and its great for running the stove on 1 and everything else on the other).

 

[4runnerteq]

We love ours. The water heater and tank would be nice, but wasn't in our budget. The cage and storage box are great. The fantastic fan is great. Heat would have been great, but again, wasn't in the budget. Its prepped for AC, but honestly, not having it yet has not been an issue. BTW, ours is the Kascade with torsion axle. It does have 285/75s that match the truck, but in all honesty sets it just a touch high, especially for the wife. We carry a flat folding step stool for her to reach stuff on the top shelf. All and all I wouldn't change anything other than adding the before mentioned items if the budget allowed. We could still add those later on.

 

[MtnToSea]

We've had our 510 for 4 years now and love it. So far we have not experienced any issues. Ours is pretty well loaded, but the on demand water heater is used all the time, and I would highly recommend it. I few months ago I took it back to the shop to have them do some of the upgrades that they've added to their option list in the last year or so. I added the under frame lights which will help a lot when trying to pull into a camp site at night. When traveling, we just had the sink sitting on the bed in the trailer, but it would bounce and slide around on trails. They now have a mount for the sink so it fits in the pass through with a paper towel holder on the side. I love this because now we can store stuff in the sink also.

 

[No Ma]

Our 510xs is great. Biggest problem I've had so far is that I don't have enough time off to use it as much as I want to!
Things I would not change:

• Marine interior - The full locking door cabinet set in the interior gives us enough room for clothes and many misc. items for my wife and I for 2 weeks of travel (we are not slaves to fashion).
• 82qt ARB fridge - we take a lot of fresh foods even on longer trips. The 82qt ARB makes it much easier. Not a standard offering, but it fits and works great for us in the 510xs.
• Propex propane heater. I'm past sleeping in heavy wraps of whatever if it gets really cold. This (and hard sides) has extended our camping season in Colorado and the surrounding area by an easy 3+ months.
• Flipper doors in the galley - Keeps plates, coffee press, cutting boards, teapot, etc. contained in the galley cubbies.
• Under bed storage - we have most of the pots and pans stored in here. The big fridge and water pump take up a big chunk of space in the galley. A little harder to get to, but it's more than worth it. There's still free space in there.
• 30gal water tank(s), pump, and on demand hot water heater. With a couple of 5gal external carriers, we have more than enough water for a longer trip (week+) and have hot water for a total of 4 - 6 showers between civilization stops.
• Reading lights - Yes, these are great for reading and for a nice ambient light inside the trailer.
• Locking front storage cage. On longer, colder trips, we can carry 4 20 liter jerry cans of fuel, 2 20lb propane bottles and a self contained toilet in the area with smaller areas for leveling boards, bungees, wheel chocks, etc. Haven't needed that much propane yet, may cut that down to 1 and have extra space.
• Nose box - 125AH group 31 battery with plenty of room for a full Solar / DC-DC / Shore power charging system and monitor. Enough room left over for 1 front and 2 side awning panels for the ARB awnings, and for 3 30ft solar panel power cables for our portable solar panels.
• Detachable side mounted sink - Stores in the galley and provides shelf like storage for cords, chips, etc. So nice to have a clean, good sized sink for washing dishes. Expensive, but for us, worth every dollar. This was probably the biggest surprise to me as far as a "was it worth it" evaluation goes.
• 10lb side mount propane tank - For shorter trips this is all we need.
• Protective cage around propane tank - Didn't order it at first, but added it during the build. Glad I did. Didn't think about some of the really tight areas where we would be pulling the trailer, but there have been more than a few of them already.
• Fantastic fan
• Pneumatic rubber tire nose jack - I hate plastic rollers.
• 3 off-road stabilizer jacks - Started with 2, added a third for the other side of the nose. Carries the load of the trailer when leveled and adds more stability, especially in an uneven camp spot which is just about everywhere we go.
• Mac tie down strips at the edges of the bed - Great way to run a quick tie down strap over 3 100w portable solar panels that travel on the bed. Nothing moves and I can secure other larger objects, computer and large tablet cases with these as well. Nothing moves around even on nasty off-camber trails.

Things I would change

• I would look at other radio options, though we do use the installed radio for local broadcasts when they are available. We had speakers installed in the interior as well as the exterior. We mostly use a Bose bluetooth speaker and an Android phone for music though. A nice, full featured radio would fit easily and offer more options. Given how open SoCal is to special requests, I'm sure there are some good alternatives.

There's a lot of thought that went into many of the options SoCal offers. We are appreciating that more and more as we travel further and farther with the Jeep and the 510xs.

 

[Frank]

Thank you for all of the replies, they really help!

Our heart is now set on a Kascade510. Several of the options that have been discussed above are items that I was a little hesitant on. i.e. the reading lights, under mattress storage, and the nose box. I am glad to hear they are worth the upgrade and will be used. Under-trailer lights are something that I will consider as an update once we take possession. It seems as though the hot water system is almost a need, but I believe that will also be something we add as time goes on. The front cage I intend to use as a wood hauler, something to clamp a Rotopax to, and an area for our Trasharoo.

Unfortunately, here in N. Indiana, we are unable to rent a trailer for a weekend. Quite honestly, I have never seen a SoCal Teardrop in person except a sighting of one being pulled down the road 2.5 years ago while in Colorado. My thought process is purely based on reading reviews and watching some YouTube videos. Seriously, this thread has been fantastic.

----

A little background on my decision process and hopefully this will help others. Sorry in advance because I think this will be long.

We are a family of 4 (Mom, Dad, and our two girls, 10 and 2), plus a 65 pound German Shepard. We will primarily use the trailer on the weekend, 1-2 night trips throughout Michigan and Indiana, and hopefully some longer trips as time permits. No real crazy off-road excursion through a desert but the day may come and if it does, I will be prepared. I fully intend to take the trailer to remote locations in Michigan and yes, Michigan offers plenty of places to explore. It will look great behind my Tacoma.

Our initial budget was $15,000 and wanted to stay really close to that. My goal was to buy a quality trailer that would we would be comfortable living out of as a base camp. I wanted a trailer that offered a solid chassis, enough space to comfortably sleep at least 2 people within the trailer itself, a kitchen, and a proper axle.

I legitimately built a spreadsheet and wrote everything down to compare pricing. (I'm happy to email this out if someone would like to see it, just send me a PM) Once I did this, I quickly learned that I needed to up our budget by about $5,000 to get what I really wanted. At this point, it is either we continue to pitch tents or bite the bullet and buy what we want.

After lots of research, I narrowed it down to 3 trailers: The InTech Chaser + Rooftop Tent, a Turtleback Getaway Trail, and a Kascade 510 + RTT. All three trailers met our needs but offered different things with a $5,000 swing.

At the end of the day, the Kascade met our needs perfectly.

InTech has a long reputation for building a quality product, but the RV side is still someone new for them. The Chaser is a very nice trailer but I question its ability to last long term, especially if it is drug over washboard forest roads, or through a twisty trail. Though InTech brags about the chassis, it is an all aluminum configuration. Campground hopping or improved dirt roads, I have no reason to question its capabilities. The one thing it offered that the other didn't offer was an AC, but this would only be a benefit when plugged in. When I read reviews, very few people use the AC so is the AC worth swaying my decision??? The Chaser, 23Zero RTT, and a batwing awning would cost roughly $17,000 by the time it was all said and done.

The TurtleBack Getway Trail is very appealing to us but only offers the ability to have a RTT. Two people would still be in the tent. It offers a really solid chassis, no questioning its abilities or longevity, a kitchen, and plenty of storage for gear. It does not offer a designated area for a fridge/cooler, or an awning which is the second real downfall. The trailer, 23Zero tent, awning, and solar control, I am around $18,000 plus delivery.

The Kascade510 with a RTT checked all of the boxes. Chassis, the build quality, kitchen, ample storage, need I say more? The ONLY downside is that it comes in around $21,500 all in. This, however, includes a few items the others do not, like an ARB awning, under mattress storage, upgraded lighting, etc. I could bring the cost down a few dollars if we really wanted to.

Yes, there are several other really great trailers out there that are within the same realm of what the above trailers offer. CARP (bear) teardrops, Oregon, Hiker, Timberleaf, etc. to name a few. At the end of the day, I think the SoCal Teardrop is what I will land on.

 

[Louisd75]

When I read reviews, very few people use the AC so is the AC worth swaying my decision???

AC is one of the topics that comes up in the builder's discussions over on TNTTT. Something to keep in mind when trying to decide is that you're not likely to be running AC for very long, if at all, solely on the trailer batteries. You're going to need shore power or a generator. I know when I was building my trailer I wound up opting to skip AC due to the lost space and the need to carry a generator when boondocking.

 

[Frank]

The other downside to the AC is that I believe it is significantly impacted when we have RTT sitting over top of it.

 

[4runnerteq]

Thank you for all of the replies, they really help!

Our heart is now set on a Kascade510. Several of the options that have been discussed above are items that I was a little hesitant on. i.e. the reading lights, under mattress storage, and the nose box. I am glad to hear they are worth the upgrade and will be used. Under-trailer lights are something that I will consider as an update once we take possession. It seems as though the hot water system is almost a need, but I believe that will also be something we add as time goes on. The front cage I intend to use as a wood hauler, something to clamp a Rotopax to, and an area for our Trasharoo.

Unfortunately, here in N. Indiana, we are unable to rent a trailer for a weekend. Quite honestly, I have never seen a SoCal Teardrop in person except a sighting of one being pulled down the road 2.5 years ago while in Colorado. My thought process is purely based on reading reviews and watching some YouTube videos. Seriously, this thread has been fantastic.

----

A little background on my decision process and hopefully this will help others. Sorry in advance because I think this will be long.

We are a family of 4 (Mom, Dad, and our two girls, 10 and 2), plus a 65 pound German Shepard. We will primarily use the trailer on the weekend, 1-2 night trips throughout Michigan and Indiana, and hopefully some longer trips as time permits. No real crazy off-road excursion through a desert but the day may come and if it does, I will be prepared. I fully intend to take the trailer to remote locations in Michigan and yes, Michigan offers plenty of places to explore. It will look great behind my Tacoma.

Our initial budget was $15,000 and wanted to stay really close to that. My goal was to buy a quality trailer that would we would be comfortable living out of as a base camp. I wanted a trailer that offered a solid chassis, enough space to comfortably sleep at least 2 people within the trailer itself, a kitchen, and a proper axle.

I legitimately built a spreadsheet and wrote everything down to compare pricing. (I'm happy to email this out if someone would like to see it, just send me a PM) Once I did this, I quickly learned that I needed to up our budget by about $5,000 to get what I really wanted. At this point, it is either we continue to pitch tents or bite the bullet and buy what we want.

After lots of research, I narrowed it down to 3 trailers: The InTech Chaser + Rooftop Tent, a Turtleback Getaway Trail, and a Kascade 510 + RTT. All three trailers met our needs but offered different things with a $5,000 swing.

At the end of the day, the Kascade met our needs perfectly.

InTech has a long reputation for building a quality product, but the RV side is still someone new for them. The Chaser is a very nice trailer but I question its ability to last long term, especially if it is drug over washboard forest roads, or through a twisty trail. Though InTech brags about the chassis, it is an all aluminum configuration. Campground hopping or improved dirt roads, I have no reason to question its capabilities. The one thing it offered that the other didn't offer was an AC, but this would only be a benefit when plugged in. When I read reviews, very few people use the AC so is the AC worth swaying my decision??? The Chaser, 23Zero RTT, and a batwing awning would cost roughly $17,000 by the time it was all said and done.

The TurtleBack Getway Trail is very appealing to us but only offers the ability to have a RTT. Two people would still be in the tent. It offers a really solid chassis, no questioning its abilities or longevity, a kitchen, and plenty of storage for gear. It does not offer a designated area for a fridge/cooler, or an awning which is the second real downfall. The trailer, 23Zero tent, awning, and solar control, I am around $18,000 plus delivery.

The Kascade510 with a RTT checked all of the boxes. Chassis, the build quality, kitchen, ample storage, need I say more? The ONLY downside is that it comes in around $21,500 all in. This, however, includes a few items the others do not, like an ARB awning, under mattress storage, upgraded lighting, etc. I could bring the cost down a few dollars if we really wanted to.

Yes, there are several other really great trailers out there that are within the same realm of what the above trailers offer. CARP (bear) teardrops, Oregon, Hiker, Timberleaf, etc. to name a few. At the end of the day, I think the SoCal Teardrop is what I will land on.

Northern Indiana? Reach out to Andy here http://www.greatlakesteardrops.com/contact.php .He was great to work with and did a super job with our Kascade