Teardrop Trailers are small, unique, and towable type of recreational vehicles. Thanks to their shape, Teardrop trailers can be easily distinguished.
Teardrop campers are round on one end, tapered on the other, and look more like a teardrop. The front part of the camper is large and round and tapers down towards the back, creating a tear-drop-shaped profile.
They are lightweight, smaller, and measuring about six feet wide, ten feet long, and five feet in height.
They are among the oldest forms of RVs. Generally, Teardrop campers have a vintage look from the exterior, but they are equipped with modern comforts that you need today.
These trailers are suitable for people who prefer tiny houses and minimalist lifestyles. Today, these trailers have become quite popular among many campers.
Camping in a teardrop trailer is one of the most exciting adventures. These trailers bring campers closer to nature and allow you to explore the campground.
Teardrop Trailer Camping Capacity
A teardrop trailer has three main components. They include the cabin, gallery, and the trailer. The three components provide campers with a mini home away from their home.
The cabin is the part where campers sleep and can fit two adults. It comes with enough space for medium size mattresses. Moreover, the sleeping area has access to doors and a rooftop vent for airflow.
With teardrop trailers, you can customize almost every part, including the sleeping area. This means that you can choose the type of mattress you want for your comfort purposes.
In fact a lot of people get into teardrop campers so that they can DIY. Working on such project is a hobby and favorite thing for lot of outdoor enthusiasts.
Do Teardrop Trailers have Bathrooms?
Standard teardrop trailer would normally come with a layout that only has sleeping space and a rear end kitchen and in most cases bathroom or shower wont be included.
Reasons why the standard layouts generally don’t have toilet is because these campers are meant to be small and affordable.
But, you will also find those that have all the basic facilities like bathroom, indoor kitchen and a fridge too.
Some teardrop trailers have bathrooms, while most do not. With high demand manufacturers try to fit as much as possible with a little increase in length.
However, it depends on the type of trailer you want for your trip. Some teardrop trailers are designed with wet baths. The three models with wet baths in the market today include Camp Rover, Max, and Mini Max.
Since most of these trailers are small, they utilize swivel toilets, faucets that double as showerheads, and folding sinks. For the wet baths, you get everything you need – sink, toilet, and a shower.
If the teardrop trailer that you buy does not have a bathroom, you should choose a campground that is near a restroom or a bathhouse. But, if you do not have access to these services, you can carry a complete portable toilet system.
This is definitely one of the things to look for when buying a teardrop trailer.
Since we already saw that teardrop camper trailers do come with bathroom as well, lets see one of the best teardrop camper trailer with bathroom.
Little Guy Max
This is a beautiful looking little teardrop camper that comes with a toilet. This makes it self sufficient and great for outdoor boondocking. It features a dinette area, kitchen and bedroom for comfortable outing. The storage cabinets are big enough and it also has entertainment system that includes TV, DVD, MP3 and speakers.
| Fresh water tank | 20 Gallons |
| Dry Weight | 3140 Pounds |
| Interior Height | 6’7″ |
| Grey Tank | 14 Gallons |
| Black Tank | 9 Gallons |
| GVWR | 3800 lbs |
| Sleeps | 3 People |
With 6’7″ interior height you will be comfortable walking inside this camper. The modern features like LED lighting and sleek finish makes this camper one of the best campers that also has toilet/bathroom.
Water tank and holding tanks
Most tear drop trailers will come with a fresh water tank that is less than 10 gallons. They may not even have holding tanks and you may have to use a portable water tank incase needed. Higher end trailers have both holding and fresh water tanks and are also little bigger in capacity.
When you are camping at the campsite you can connect to the water hookup and use the campground water. Fresh water tank is needed when you are boondocking or dry camping.
What about Kitchen
With teardrop trailers, you get a chance to enjoy a well-prepared meal while camping. Teardrop campers have one of the best gallery kitchens. The gallery is located at the back of the teardrop.
To access it, you need to open a hatch. Luxury teardrop campers feature amenities such as a stovetop, storage, refrigeration, and faucet.
Some teardrop campers have a cooktop that comprises of a two-burner propane cooktop. With this, you can easily prepare meals while on the road. Additionally, the kitchen part comes with a freshwater system that consists of a 9-gallon water tank, faucet, sink, and a sprayer.
To keep your food fresh, throughout your camping period, teardrop trailers have a pullout cooler or a refrigerator. This seat up comes with additional storage for storing your kitchen appliances and board for preparing food.
The propane furnace allows you to travel using the teardrop trailer through any climate, no matter how cold it is out there. You can install rooftop solar panels to keep your refrigeration going.
How Do Teardrop Trailers Get Power
Though they are small in size, teardrop trailers have electric power capabilities. The amount of power varies from simple to advanced power technologies depending on the type of amenities that comes with the trailer.
Teardrop trailers can get their power from different power sources. They include:
Solar panels
some trailers come with solar panels, while in others; you will need to install the panels on the rooftop. With solar panels, campers are able to recharge the batteries when the sun is shining. You can install the panels or pack them to use later on your trip.
Batteries
Batteries are the most common ways that most campers use to power their teardrop trailers. With the different types of batteries in the market, you should select the one that matches your power needs.
If you have amenities such as a refrigerator or a cooler, you should buy powerful batteries to ensure your camper is powered throughout the trip.
Local power supply or Shore power
During your trip, you can plug into the local power supply and recharge your batteries. Moreover, whenever you need to utilize your electrical appliances, you can always find power supply around the campsite.
Generators
Portable Generators can be heavy for your small teardrop trailer which has limited storage. Getting a small 1500 watts generator can be a good solution or you can carry a bigger one in your car or truck storage
Gas-powered generators are a great source of power, especially with off-grid camping. The best thing about the gas-powered generators is that you can use to power all your trailer components and amenities. When using generators, make sure you have enough gas for the trip.
Power from your vehicle
Another way to get power for your teardrop trailers is to connect your trailer to the tow vehicle. For a successful connection, make sure you use proper wiring. This will help to keep your battery recharged throughout the trip.
Do they have AC?
Teardrop campers are not equipped with air conditioners as they are small and are made to be as simple as possible. But, that does not mean none of them will posses AC.
Doing a little research will definitely find you one that will have AC on it. Also, you can always get a portable one installed or even a roof top by customizing it. The only thing that will limit you in this addition is; space and weight.
The ones those already have AC will be bit more costly and also bit heavier.
What about heat/furnace: Same applies for this as well. Teardrop aren’t that big to have a furnace. One can go for a space heater that is much smaller and easier to fit inside a camper.
Are Teardrop Trailers Good in Bad Weather?
Teardrop trailer are definitely better than tent camping as far as weather elements are concerned. You get a space to protect you against rain, wind and snow.
Even though Teardrop campers are properly designed to withstand all elements from snow, rain, and wind you may find it little hard as compared to other hard sided campers.
During such weather, you can enjoy a cozy road trip just like you would during good weather. However, it is always important to take precautions during the bad weather for your safety and to protect your camper.
Safety Precautions to Take with Teardrop Campers
Whether you are camping with your teardrop trailer off-grid or on the campsite, there are certain safety precautions you should understand. This is to ensure you, and your camper is safe and well protected.
Here are the essential safety precautions to take:
Check Lights and Alarm Systems
Before you go out camping, you should inspect your camper to ensure all the lights and alarm systems function properly.
Make sure you test them before you start the trip. Most teardrop campers have motion lights that let you know when there is movement outside the camper.
You can also install an alarm system. This is helpful for theft protection.
Make sure the alarms are functional so that you can have peaceful moments without worrying about your safety. Some campers will come with alarm systems, but some will require you to install them.
Additionally, when installing the alarm system, you should consider installing a tracking device. The trackers will help you recover your trailer in case it gets stolen.
Safety Locks
When you go camping, you will not spend all the time in the camper. Sometimes you will need to leave your teardrop trailer during the day.
In such cases, you should always lock the doors and the windows. To ensure the teardrop locks are working properly, test them before the trip.
When choosing locks for your teardrop camper, ensure you buy security chain locks known to be strong.
Moreover, you should always lock the door from the inside when you are sleeping. This is especially if you are camping in a campsite where there are many wild animals and chances of bear breaking in.
When going for long hours, you can leave a light inside the camper to keep away any intruders. You can also use privacy shades.
Secure your Teardrop Trailer
After investing significantly in your teardrop camper, you should always ensure its safe.
Firstly, check and test that everything is functional, and the wiring is connected properly.
Secondly, when you finally reach the campground, use a jockey or a tongue wheel and turn the camper around. This will make it difficult for anyone who tries to steal it.
Carry Your Emergency Tool Kit
Whenever you go camping, using your teardrop camper, carry an emergency tool kit. It should include a first aid kit, a lighter, fire starter, flashlight, and a tool box.
Pests Spray
To enjoy your outdoor moments and stay safe, you need to keep pests and mosquitoes away. Bring along a pest spray, protective gear, and repellants for the best experience.
Extra Batteries
Before you leave for the campsite, you should charge all your electronic devices and batteries. However, if you plan to stay for long, carry extra batteries. With these batteries, you will not have to worry about phones and devices going low on power.
Proper Ventilation
When going for camping using your teardrop trailer, ensure it has the right ventilation. Lack of proper ventilation can lead to health issues that can be bad. Before buying, check that all ventilation areas are working properly.
Weight and Speed Limits
When it comes to teardrop campers, weight limits should not be ignored.
Most teardrop camper weigh very little and can be pulled by almost any car. Even then ensure that you do not overload your camper or your tow vehicle for your safety and others.
Furthermore, when driving your tow vehicle, observe the speed limits. Speeding with a teardrop camper can cause accidents or lead to undesirable results.
How big is The Storage: What Things Can You Pack?
Do not expect big storage is a teardrop trailer. They are small, compact and obliviously don’t have bigger storage in comparison to other RVs
A teardrop trailer comes with different storage areas. Firstly, there is a container for extra storage where you can store all your road supplies. There is also a storage place that you can keep the power source or batteries for lighting and air conditioning.
Cost of Teardrop Trailers
Teardrop trailers are more affordable than other RVs in the market due to their small size and basic features.
However, the prices vary depending on the amenities, brand, features, and customization.
The cost of teardrop campers ranges from $5000 to $20,000. To get the best price for a teardrop trailer, ensure you compare different brands. Additionally, attend RV shows to know the one that suits you the most.
Teardrop trailers aren’t that expensive if you compare them with other RV types. But, even then the price at which they come is mainly due to its lightweight construction, the innovation that goes into in making it organized, ability to fit in as as much as possible in less space and also demand.
Some of the teardrop trailers are indeed expensive and the cost is due to additional amenities like indoor kitchen, toilet and other basic amenities.
If you have a small budget, you can go for used teardrop camper. Their costs are significantly lower than the cost of a new teardrop camper.
Some people prefer to build their own teardrop campers. The cost involved here will totally depend on how you want to build it. One can build a DIY teardrop camper trailer at a cost between $2000 to $3000.
However, this is not for anyone. You need to have impeccable skills and knowledge about campers. Building your teardrop camper is cheaper than purchasing a new one.
Here are some best affordable teardrop camper trailers. You can also build campers that are cheap than this as a DIY project.
Start City Adventure 48
This is a very good quality teardrop trailer that is very low priced. This is one of the basic teardrop camper that offers just the basic amenities. This camper comes with a twin size mattress.
This is one of the cheapest teardrop trailers that you can buy. Its a perfect fit for your budget.
This teardrop camper is priced at $4,995
It has basic storage with shelves and also locking storage compartments. It is provided with a roof fan that keeps the camper cool.
There are several colors to choose from for this model. It is given LED lighting and also has USB charging. It has both 12 volt and 120 volt electrical system. You can also connect to the shore power in campground if its available. There are other models slightly higher in price as well.
Other models include adventure 60, 54 and 60 deluxe that are given bigger size mattress.
Oregon Trail’R Do-Drop TearDrop trailer camper
This camper is awesome considering its base price. It looks simple and that’s what you need to start camping in a teardrop trailer. It is fitted with most basic amenities. It is one of the best off grid teardrop at affordable price.
Base price for this camper starts at $6150
Its very light and just the right affordable camper a newbie would look for. Its perfect for a solo camper of a couple.
It is weighed at 550lbs but the weight increase based on customization addition. It is 7 feet long and 3.5feet tall. So, its very basic where in you cant stand inside it. But, that’s what basic teardrop are all about. You just need it for sleeping at night.
To get this camper you need place the order online and the lead time depends on demand.
Should you build your own camper?
Building a camper can be fun and satisfying but it is going to be some work and will take time as well. A lot of people embark on this making and its great as you can have it made as you like. The cost can vary based on how you make it and what all things and material you use for it.
You also get teardrop trailer kit that will have all the things you need. You get such kits in under $500. But, you will also need other things like trailer, wood for roof, hatch, locks, storage galley etc. With all the efforts the cost of such a DIY homemade camper can come to around $2500.
Teardrop Trailer Weight and Towing
Teardrop camper weight varies from one manufacturer to another. Before you purchase a camper, it is essential to understand the weight to ensure a seamless towing by your vehicle.
Teardrop campers dry weight varies from 600 lbs to around 3400 lbs. Most basic and standard teardrops weigh less than 1000 lbs and those with more features like fridge, toilet weigh around to 3000 lbs.
Teardrop campers are lightweight due to their compact sizes and simple construction. They are made of lightweight materials for easy towing.
Due to their lightweight, these trailers can be towed by smaller vehicles such as SUV, motorcycles, and light trucks. Driving while towing a teardrop trailer is easy and convenient, and sometimes, you will not notice that you have something at the back of your vehicle.
Don’t overload the camper : Make sure you don’t overpack the camper and distribute the weight evenly. Such overloading can result in high tongue weight becoming an issue for towing. Similarly the tongue weight should not be low as well. Check with teardrop manual for exact weight ratings.
Problems with Teardrop Trailers
The major problem with teardrop trailers is that they are quite small. You cannot stand straight when you are inside the teardrop trailer.
Doing chores that requires you to stand, such as changing clothes or cooking, is challenging.
Another problem with teardrop trailers is that you cannot bring your extended family or friends with you for camping. This is because this type of RV is only suitable for solo travelers or a small family.
Moreover, with teardrop trailers, you cannot carry everything along with you. This is because their small size does not have enough storage. This trailer allows you to carry only the important things.
Not great for harsh weather. Even though they are good enough to rain or snow and winds, if you were to deal with very harsh weather you wouldn’t want to be in there.
Not for full timing or long term stays. Some models have toilet and other basic amenities but still it is not a good RV for long term stay or full time living.
Who Should Go the Teardrop Trailer Way of Camping?
Camping in a teardrop trailer is one of the most exciting adventures. They have become a very popular choice for people who want to have a great outdoor experience with an RV and a small tow vehicle.
Teardrop trailers are for those campers who love the outdoors and, at the same time, want a place to crash on when tired or spent the night sleeping for a day or two.
They are affordable, comfortable, and easy to set up than large RVs. With their lightweight features, you are able to maneuver into off grid sites, and you don’t need a large vehicle to tow a teardrop trailer.
When you have teardrop with you, you are ought to spend the time outside rather than resting inside the camper. Specially, when you have kids they will be encouraged to stay outdoors and enjoy the nature.
Its a perfect way to start your RVing journey. Teardrop can really be your first RV as its very less work for setup, towing, storage and maintenance. Overall costs are very less including the upfront investment. A lot of people start with this and later upgrade to travel trailer and fifth wheel.
There are also those who upgrade to higher RVs and then come back to these awesome campers again. A lot of people realize what it really is to be camping in a teardrop that no bigger RV can give you. That’s how you have these crazy, enthusiasts; who live, sleep and dream teardrop! Simply phenomenal.
To summarize on various points here are pros of teardrop campers.
- Can take these camper to narrow, gravel roads. Off gridding is easy because of their size and weight. Backing up or even turning when struck is easy with these campers. They are best suited for boondocking for a short period of time only due to less storage and water capacity.
- No need to upgrade your car or truck just for towing purposes. Very easy to tow and sometimes you don’t even know it is at the back of your car.
- Storage is much easier. You can store it inside your car garage itself. No worries for winter/hot summer storage.
- You can be a part of this amazing community.
- A perfect minimalistic way of camping.
- More of a Outdoor activity compared to other RVs.
- Very low cost way for RVing. Expenses are almost negligible. Specially the mpg of the car will not be affected.
- No maintenance. You may end up doing only minor things like cleaning interior and exterior.
Additional Question
Do Teardrop trailer have brakes and do you need them?
Not all teardrop trailers have brakes but based on state’s rules you may need the brakes if the weight is above 1000 lbs.
Do you need license plate and title for teardrop trailer
The rules vary by state and may require license plate. Like, in California all utility trailers need permanent trailer identification number as per DMV rules and regulations which helps in other necessities like insurance.
Some states have a rule that states you don’t have to have a title or registration if the weight of the trailer is less than 1800 lbs. Either ways make sure you check with state laws and adhere to it. While buying the trailer, the dealer will be in better position to explain you this.
Which car’s can pull teardrop camper
Since these campers weigh less most car’s can pull these campers. Even then its always better to verify both, the campers weight and your car’s towing capacity. Here are some of the popular cars and their towing capacities.
- Jeep Cherokee : 4500 lbs
- Audi Q5 : 4400 lbs
- Honda CRV – 1500 lbs
- Kia Sorento – 5000 lbs
- Ford Escape : 3500 lbs
- GMC Terrain :3500 lbs
- Toyota RAV4 – 3500 lbs
- Mitsubishi Outlander : 3500 lbs
Motorcycles can also pull trailers behind them but their towing limit much lower. If the teardrop has weight on higher side then it may not be possible with motorcycle.
Conclusion
Teardrop campers are really meant for outdoor enthusiast who want to enjoy the outdoors. With very basic facilities like sleeping and kitchen it will provide you for a space to rest that will be better than a tent camping.
Its a perfect way to get close to the nature and enjoy all the wilderness. Modern RVs do have all the amenities but they don’t encourage you much to go outdoors, teardrop do!
So, what are you waiting for? Start the journey.
