I have had the Do Drop Alpha from Oregon trailers for a couple years now and for me its just right. I tow it behind my 2 door wrangler so the light weight of the DDA was a must since my Jeep only had a 2,000 lb towing capacity. The max coupler works like a dream and this trailer will go anywhere I can take my jeep without having to worry about it coming uncoupled and flipping over on the more extreme obstacles. I keep the bed made at all times and just store all my cooking gear in the back of the jeep and that also eliminates my worries about attracting any wild animals to my campsite.
Drew, Sawyer from OT here. You did a perfect job explaining the spirit of the DoDrop line of campers, you definitely are picking up what we are putting down, thank you! Again, it’s so exciting to see our trailers represented so beautifully, your film work is fantastic, and you have such an eye for noticing and showing off the details. Thanks again for coming out to see us, let me know if you ever want to take one for a spin! 🤙
Thank you Sawyer! I really appreciate you opening your doors for our community to see. And yes, I may take you up on that offer someday. I would love to take one of your trailers out. Even just for the fact that they film incredibly well. I would love to take some videos of them in their natural setting.
Bring it down to Baja, I bet this trailers will be bulletproof to Baja terrain - I'd love to see one of those with us.@@PlayingwithSticks @OregonTrailR
😂 folks who know us know that we don’t need the money. Plus, I have found it is not fun working for people. RU-vid is hard enough, throw in sponsorships or paid video and that’s a recipe for a nightmare.
Lol, people are so cynical and weird. The only thing we payed Drew was a compliment for his excellent video creation. It’s pretty clear when you meet Drew that he’s doing this for the love of teardrops and content creation, not financial reward. That said, he goes hard and his channel gets crazy views so he’s bound to be very successful in his chosen line of work and I applaud him for it. I wish everyone could find a way to be successful doing something they truly enjoy!
Even with the kitchen, we find ourselves cooking at the table maybe 1 out of 10 times. There is something nice about cooking out in that open space from time to time.@@JackFalltrades
The benefits of a TD without a gally are less points of leakage and failure. Additionally it is better in bear country ensuring you are not a glorified can of tuna for the bear to open… with your kitchen and eating area safely away from your sleeping quarters
I’m retired and will be purchasing within a few years do I appreciate your videos. I’ve backpacked and slept under a tarp & in my truck topper but I’m tired of lugging coolers & packing/unpacking. I want a compressor fridge in my kitchen in the back. 🤷♀️ I go to music festivals too so room for instruments. I DO like simplicity and this would be great otherwise. It will go on my spreadsheet b/c the price IS competitive and I could stash my bike inside if I need to leave camp. Keep them coming, Drew! 😉🪕🚴🎶
Glad you are enjoying these. Your reasons to move into a small camper lifestyle sound very similar to ours. We loved the camping, but every time we got home we felt exhausted. It started feeling like work. To the point we started taking less trips, even though we loved the adventures.
I like it. This is what i was looking for 15 years ago to keep geared up in the garage and hook up and go on friday night. It's small, light, uncomplicated, and cute. I could ride out a storm in this. Good job!
Yes! Exactly. That is how we see this little trailer as well. "Ride out a storm in it." I think that sums it up perfectly. Just enough to get the job done.
I love the minimalist approach and think this trailer would be perfect for the weekend warrior. That you can store this in a garage WITH a roof top tent is amazing! It also greatly reduces the requirement for a tow vehicle and is very affordable. I think this trailer will provide a great camping experience for many people. Thanks Drew!
I think that's the difference between a camper and an overlander. Overlanders prioritize mobility, so amenities take a back seat. Campers, on the other hand, prioritize amenities. In our case, we believe we align more with the overlander category, so the setup in the video is ideal for us. A dream come true!!!
This is by far my favorite trailer on the market. If I could could convince my wife to get a teardrop, I would’ve purchased one of these years ago to pull behind my wrangler. I really love the size and weight of it and would prefer to cook away from the trailer over a fire or on a picnic table under my clam tent. That’s just me. Great video.
Yep, this trailer was about $6K before all this crazy pricing happened. If you look at other trailers though, this seems to be pretty competitive. It may be a little bit smaller, but you still have many of the same components throughout. Not as much cost savings by just going 1 foot shorter. I see your point though. This trailer is more aimed towards a certain lifestyle vs size, weight, and price. It is one of those trailers where you pay about $2K more for the simplicity and convienience. A lot of people laugh at that, which I can't blame them. But, at the same time I understand the logic.
I can understand the shock. These used to start at $5k just a handful of years ago, but inflation has affected our pricing just like seemingly all products across all industries. Our plywood prices have tripled, steel prices at least doubled, wire, insulation, wheels/tires, basically everything is up 50% or more in price from just a few years ago. Add to that, commercial rental pricing in our area remains very high and continues to grow each year. We make less profit on these trailers at $8500 than we did at $5000, and are doing our best to be as fair as possible with our pricing so that we share the problem of inflation with our client instead of just passing all of the added costs on to them. It feels like the right thing to do so long as we can continue to keep our business healthy, and given we have no stockholders to answer to, we can actually do it.
This is a nice hard sided solution for someone who wants to move “up” from tent camping but keeping that simplicity and mostly outdoor experience. Nearly any vehicle with towing capacity could haul this. There is definitely some load and unload effort with this that won’t be for everyone. A main reason I shifted away from my Sylvan Sport Go. That’s what I love about my Bean. I only need clothes and food and I’m ready to go. (Gonna add some dedicated clothes so that this is reduced to just food). That being said, this is a perfect get outta town simplicity option that is great option for a lot of people. Five years ago…I would have jumped at this option.
You described this so well. And I get you with the Sylvan Sport Go. I have, to May's disapproval, chased down a number of Sylvan Sport owners on the road to ask them about their trailer. They all loved them, but said over time the set up and teardrown wears them down. That trailer still really interests me. But I know myself and overtime I would feel the same way. And yes, do the clothes trick. Once we had dedicated camp clothes and bedding it really made a big difference.
Outside of its shape and size and off road abilities...in function it reminds me a lot of my little square. I have no galley as that space is currently my daughters bunk at the back of the trailers interior space. We have a few external surfaces that serve us well for cooking and eating and general use. My favorite is the cargo carrier platform that I mounted on the back of the trailer after adding a receiver. With a nice wooden surface I made it folds down into a perfect table/counter top at camp. Someday soon my daughter will outgrow the interior width of the trailer and she will move into a yet to be fully designed rooftop tent. (My brain has a portion that is pretty much daily working on that design as time is running short) her bunk area will turn into somewhat of a galley at that time as there is a larger back door. My trailer also lacks storage other than the roof, and since we bring what isnlikely way too much stuff, the car and trailer are used for storage while on the road. Thus there is some unloading and set up to do when we arrive to camp. I have been fine tuning this to simplify for 5 years now. Ive almost got the trailer down to about 20 mins to unload and set up. In addition we use a jackery on the inside of the trailer to power/charge everything. Ok ok, I easily get carried away when talking about my trailer. But again, in short, this one reminds me of my own. My only complaint would be the size. Its too small inside for my 3 person family. And maybe even a tad tight if it was just two of us. Definitely the perfect 1 man/ solo rig. And it looks pretty good also.
If I weren't traveling with my dog and my sister wasn't interested in going along sometimes, I think I might have gone this direction. I also liked the Timberleaf Kestral for the same simplicity.
Neat. I really like that business model. Essentially having highway or offroad be up to you. So many of my favorite trailers are offroad only. And I really don't need all the overkill components. @@ajf5823
Definitely lighter than the one we saw two weeks ago! 😀 It is a cute little trailer. Was also wondering about storage. If you arrived at the campsite during inclement weather, not only couldn't you cook, but you might have to sleep in the car! 😀 But it is a step up from car camping, even if you stow most of your stuff in the car. At least you're not setting up a tent in the rain! 😀
Good point on the car sleeping. It kind of brings me back to my Jeep days. I lived out of my Jeep for quite some time. Some nights I would just dig a human size hole between all the gear stored in my Jeep. I could see people doing the same in the Do Drop.
@@PlayingwithSticks When I was in my early 20s, I owned a '64 Chrysler New Yorker. That car was so wide, I could sleep comfortably across the front seat (I'm 5'9"). Definitely a car you could live out of! 😀
I'm right with you there. Mine was more hypothetical because I only knew it through photos. But, now that I have seen it in person, I can say it didn't let me down.
@@PlayingwithSticks Same here was just through videos. Surprisingly I hadn't seen them on any Expo videos the last few years though. I look at that as a gear hauler you can sleep in. I think it's a great niche. Thanks for the video.
Now that you mention it, I haven't seen them lately either. I can't even remember if I saw them when I was at the Expo this year?@@sonsoflibertyoverland
Super cool little teardrop. I do think I prefer the galleys in the back for sure. Also learning I'm not a minimalist and am very glad I got the one with the cargo deck up front. I actually added a little video of my 109E out in the wild - sorry for the low quality of the video (carl tuckerson isn't my real name btw - i think I'm going to start posting and making higher quality videos with my real name or another channel...we'll see). I think they're realistic with their entry price on the ones you're showing here. That's not bad. And the cool thing is you can add any accessory you want aftermarket. Love it.
Looking forward to learning your real name one of these days. Also excited to see that video. I find I am a bit flavor of the week. Sometimes I feel like I am a minimalist. Other times I feel like I need to have it all. This season has been more minimalist for me and I am missing having it all. We will head out tomorrow and I am bringing so much. Electric blankets, trying out a 90 watt air fryer, and bringing the projector for the first time in over a year. And I agree. I think this is priced very well in terms of build quality and components. Oregon seems to be the place for a good deal on a well built trailer.
We've had the DoDrop Alpha for 2 years now. I love that it is compact and thus fits into our garage. We have a rooftop tent on the trailer, and that's what I sleep in. My husband sleeps in the trailer. Maybe if we had a larger garage we would get a larger trailer, but we are very happy with our DoDrop Alpha. Its comfortable to sleep in and it tows so easily. Since it is in our garage when not in use, we have used it as a bedroom for guests. We recently bought vacation property that has a tiny home on it. We probably will use the trailer as extra sleeping space on the property when we need it. For cooking, we have a Nomad Kitchen that fits into the back of our Mazda CX5. This trailer is not for everyone, but we wanted minimal, compact and comfortable. Plus I think it is such a cool looking trailer.
@@OregonTrailRHi Jon! I also should have mentioned how wonderful it is to work with you and your team. You are always responsive to our questions. Thank you, dear man!
Seems like a great guest room to an RV; the non-tent solution to free up space that would otherwise be lost to bedding in a truck or SUV, or to permit a truck to be a toyhauler; or just a solo or couple's weekend vacation.
I like that Alpha version. I could see it with a transverse mounted motorcycle rack on the tongue instead of that storage box. I’d put a Honda Trail 125 up there, and have a great set-up for back country exploring. Happy Trails!
I like how you think. Huge fan of the trailer 125. In Thailand I use a supercub. Crazy as this sounds my entire family uses the supercub at the same time. I have a feeling this will be the last year we are all small enough to make that work. haha.
Thank you for finally making a detailed walkthrough of this trailer. Ive been eyeing these for years. I cannot wait to buy one. Definitely one of the best on the market. I dont like or need a galley. Whitch makes this one perfect for me.
Wow this really impressed me! I love the concept: It's affordable, robust and simple but flexible, allowing for easy customisation and personalisation. My use-case is possibly be a bit niche but it's almost perfect for couples like us who frequently do 1 or 2 night weekend camps for which we pack lightly, where we we're out during the day and around the campfire at night, spending very little time in or around the camper. We don't need much more than a comfortable cabin but that's why it's almost perfect - if only the cabin was wider. The lack of galley wouldn't be an issue for us because we cook simple and quick meals on these trips or we do meal prep before leaving home. We have a fridge with food and water that stays in our Jeep and just one watertight container for all our cooking and camping necessities, which can go on the roof rack and stay on the ground at camp. The only feature that I would change would be fitting a free-standing 180 degree or 270 awning. I know you don't like them Drew but I reckon you would be pleasantly surprised at the latest generation's durability and versatility, especially when you add a wall or two for extra cover. I preach the virtue of free-standing awnings to anyone who'll listen because the times my partner and I ever argued at camp was when we were setting up or packing up our old-style awning, especially in the wind. 😁
Love what you are sharing here. I completely agree with the use case you are describing. And although it sounds pretty niche I think there are quite a few people that recreate in this fashion. As for the awning, you will be hearing more from me soon. With the newer awnings that have been released I am changing my tune. I actually am taking out one today that has an incredible awning. Yes, it is $1,0000 but if $1,0000 extra makes these budget teardrops and campers with slide out kitchens work, I think it is completely worth the investment. More to come soon! This awning is freestanding, but opens or closes in less than 5 seconds. I absolutely love the concept. Now to test it more in real life scenarios.
I love car camping in an SUV, I keep looking at these for ideas to add to my camping setup, but I just don't see any benefit if you already have an SUV. If you only have a car, then this might be just the thing so you can camp without a tent. Yes I have to "convert" my wife's SUV by folding down some seats, putting in the 4" foam mattress, plug in the 12V refrigerator and put 2 large plastic containers of stuff in the back, but let's be honest, that's not that bad. The money I save means I can do MORE on my camping trips.
I saw these guys and their trailers at Flagstaff. They have come a long way. The Do Drop Alpha was the first TD I was considering. I'm happy to see they are doing well!
Hey, awesome video of the very first trailer model when I found Oregon trailers when they showed up on the market. (or even started the Teardrop market?) I'm proud to say my wife and myself are the owners of the trailer showed at timestamp 10:27. Custom build to handle the off roads. Build by Sojourn Overland (shout out to) Steve and Michelle Tiemstra in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. Keep Camping!
Drew I hope you can make these videos forever… but have you considered that you pretty much have a guaranteed career in the trailer industry if you ever decide to switch things up? I’m curious if you’ve ever thought of that before. I could see literally any of these companies hiring you as a lead designer with your level of knowledge.
You know, we’ve actually never given that any thought. Well that isn’t 100% true, we have had a couple offers. But, we have such a good thing going with our other 6 months out of the year I couldn’t imagine giving that up. But life always throws curveballs. So I’m always open to change…If I have to be 😂 I really appreciate the kind words. Like most people on the channel I’m here learning with everyone else. You would think doing this as long as I have I wouldn’t have much to learn, but I don’t think there’s one video I have shot where I haven’t learned two or three things.
Hi Drew...I finally got to see these in person at Overland Expo PNW this year, so nice! I watched these RU-vid videos by Rick and Zack back 4-5 years ago when I was shopping for a trailer, he had a Dew Drp Alpha...watched his videos over and over and wanted a Oregon Trailer so bad ...would have been better off with one i think but ended up getting the Off Grid. Nice job as always on the video!
Like you I followed them online, but finally got to see them in person. I really like all their trailers, but there is something about this one that calls my name. I think it is the adventurous side of me. It says take this one, throw in a duffle bag, and some awful for you food, and come back when the food and water runs out. Haha. Good seeing you on here my friend.
A decent little teardrop. I like the windows on the Alpha. Do they open? Too bad if they don’t. I like the power station idea for the power source. I set up our square drop to be able to use a power station in addition to or in place of the battery in the camper. They are a little more expensive than I thought. Agreed, the ground clearance on either one of these is more than many, many people’s tow vehicle. As you said, a good minimalist trailer.
Good question on the windows. Now that you mention it, I never saw them open. I'm with you on the power station as well. I really like this option. Someone today mentioned it is good for folks who store their trailers in storage units without electricity. That way they can charge them at home and just pop them in the next time they are ready to go. This trailer before Covid was $6K, so it being at $8K now sounds about right with supply chains and inflation. Still expensive for such a small trailer. But I think priced very well for the type of build quality Sawyer and Jon are known for putting out.
While I’m sorry to say those rearward windows do not open, it is for good reason. Given our location in the very wet Willamette Valley in the PNW, we place very high consideration into keeping water intrusion at bay. Where water can get in, it eventually will, always. Since those windows are integrated into the sidewalls of the trailer, which cannot be replaced like the window in an entry door can, we wanted to make sure there was no chance of water getting in and causing problems down the road. The windows are made of extremely tough 1/4” thick acrylic, glued and screwed down with sikaflex and about 50 stainless steel screws, and they are tinted for privacy. They main reason for not opening them is that windows in the doors open, and when combined with the maxxair fan, gives a very impressive amount of airflow through the camper! Hope this answers your question. 👊
@@OregonTrailR Thanks, it does. I liked the rear windows. I was just thinking about those hot, summer locations. I wasn’t thinking about those wet, rainy locations.
I have one partially filmed. But beings the frontier, and the Terradrop are so similar. I probably will not make it a standalone video. I may do some sort of versus video with it at some point.
I love these trailers! For those with vehicles already setup with fridges/draws etc, they are a great option instead of adding a Roof Top Tent. Easy to keep in the garage, so would stay pristine with little maintenance, whats not to love.
It's cute. I'd rather have a galley. Don't want rooftop tent or awning. I guess I like bigger because I like to be ready to go. I'd like to see their other models, I still haven't stopped in to see them. The roof fan is interesting.
I think you will enjoy stopping in. As you can see in the background of this video, it is almost like a little museum. Camp-Inn had a very similar feel with their front showroom.
I completely agree with you on this. I liked this camper at one point but my dogs are too big to be in there with me now. Plus you made me fall for Hero Camper again.
Drew, another phenomenal product! We live in amazing times, there truly is something out there for everyone. You present them all so well and your real world experience viewpoint is greatly appreciated!
This is badass I just came to this channel after watching a company trying to sell $70,000.00 teardrop doomsday trailers haha. These trailers are more realistic.
I remember filming the do drop alpha years ago when it was debut at overland expo 2016 or 17? People lost their minds when they saw it. Video went to over 1 million lol. Glad to see Oregon TrailR keeping up their works of art.
Closing in on 2 million last time I checked! You really helped us launch this model back then (might have even been 2015???) Good to see you buddy let’s get you in one of these trailers for a test sometime eh? Let me know if you are at all interested and we’ll set it up sometime. Just as a thank you for helping us get the word out… ❤
Sounds like a fun project. Once I get my tundra out of the shop (lift kit on 35s) I'd love to do some videos. Im headed to SEMA next week. They are said to have a big overland hall this year. @@OregonTrailR
@@mixflipextra We almost had a trailer go to SEMA last year, but the fella funding the project (fully built wagoneer on 40s) ran out of cash and time to complete the project. But yeah, do let us know if/when you are interested in borrowing a trailer for a trip, we owe you for all the eyes you helped send our way!
I'm just impressed that they use the maxxair mini so it fits under the roof rack. Perplexed more builders don't use those. But what do you do with your 12v fridge at night when it rains?
I don’t understand why the awning isn’t placed on the same side as the kitchen! It makes sense if you have to cook in bad weather, and when you’re eating outside.
The tongue box seems artificially small -- a rectangular box a few inches wider instead of a trapezoid and you get a few more feet of storage space. The portable battery unit tie-in is pretty clever, but the built-out version seems like it has two batteries instead of one? I guess if you have the roof rack you sacrifice panel space for solar capacity, and have to rely more on energy storage than charging in the field.
As a 6'5 200+ pound man my biggest concern is can I fit in it everything else is secondary cuz the last thing I want is to have to have it custom made for extra money
Hi Drew, always enjoy your video. My family lives in Coquitlam, BC in Canada. Not sure if you heard of a local teardrop company here in nearby Burnaby called Droplet. We rent it last summer and took it to Deception Pass. Love it. Would love to hear your review if you ever get to visit them in Canada 🍁🇨🇦
I seriously looked at this trailer because their other models were too heavy for my 2 door Jeep Wrangler to pull but l wanted off road capability and to camp long term for long distances. Unfortunately, as much as l wanted to convince myself I could get this in the Do Drop l just couldn’t. The lack of storage space, a galley and it’s small size were the problem. I love the quality, those side windows and the Timbren suspension. But having to unpack everything in order to sleep in it is a big problem. It would be awesome for weekend camping but for the multiple day/week trips l am planning and do it wouldn’t cut it. I’m not even a big cook so but l do want to have a small fridge and a place to store stuff. My galley comes in handy for a lot of things and stores my power station as well. The Do Drop basically a hard sided tent. A very nice one though. Reminds me a lot of the Timberleaf Kestrel. If l was just going on short trips l would definitely have considered this trailer. I wish they would offer a lighter weight version with a galley.
You are the second person who has mentioned the Kestrel. I need to look at that one again. I'm right with you. This would be a hard trailer to justify when you know there are more robust options out there. But, even though it isn't a logical choice I can seen how choosing this over other trailers may bring me more joy. It really depends on how you see the trailer. We typically have two trailers at home. One teardrop and one vintage camper or fiberglass travel trailer. I find they both are amazing, but serve two completely different purposes. If I was Jay Leno and instead of cars I had trailers, I could see myself wanting 3. One standup trailer, one full galley configuration teardrop. amd one little adventure trailer like this.
I heard you mention using this camper (or something similar?) for backcountry skiing. Is the insulation enough to overnight at low temperatures and how would you heat this particular camper, especially at high altitude?
A fellow dual sport rider! I’m a skier as well, but right now all I’m thinking about are those spring rides. I get this question quite often in regards to many teardrop trailers. I like to tell people that insulation is a great thing to have, but not as important as one may think. All of these campers are so small that they heat ridiculously easy. The main issue is condensation. And so because of this, you tend to vent these trailers a lot in combination with some sort of heat source to regulate that condensation. Even without a heat source, and just some good cold-weather sleeping bags, you still have a condensation issue . I find the insulation tends to help more keeping the camper Cool in the summer months. So most people with a camper like this would be primarily using just an electric blanket. Or if it’s really cold, some sort of propane heater that’s not ultrasensitive to high elevation. I even use my electric heater just to take the edge off a few times a night. But just the old-fashioned way of a good sleeping bag and hot water in an Nalgene will often give you a great night sleep. I’ve done many cold nights in Alaska using just this set up. Sorry, I didn’t answer your question about insulation, I can’t remember what they used for this trailer, and if they mentioned any sort of r-value. I assume just with the bedliner alone that has to add some sort of thermal break between the exterior and the interior. I think Sawyer or his brother may have mentioned this in the comments somewhere
Great video brother!! I know that the DoDrop Alpha normally comes with 29's for the tires, but do you think that my Subaru Outback Wilderness would still be able to tow it? I guess my main concern would be height. 🤔
Oh boy, a "window" back splash for cooking LOL, keep the windex handy that back windows going to get greasy. now i wouldn't mind to see a small "hatch" beside the window shielding an outdoor plug and USB port. allowing you to flip it open and plug in something while cooking there. alternatly if they mounted it back center possibly attached to the rear rack, so the plugs accessible to either side. no electrical package... hmm... now they really need to get with some companies, picture 2 - 3 different "external" electrical options, that could hook to either the roof or back rack, operating like form package external solar generators. Base model is a great "tent on wheels" style option. its a small hard sided tent, providing safety from weather, security, while still giving a full camping experience. its small size, with no heater might not be a problem in a lot of situations, as a little buddy heater would do when you are awake, and then just sleeping in sleeping bag and such like you would in a tent for cold weather. This isn't a unit you'd want to spend days inside waiting out a storm. instead its... "the Capsule hotel" of RV's. And with a basic Generator, electric blanket, and such, there isn't a lot you might need inside given that. you mention pulling over in the rain... again if the bed isn't pre-set up, and you have the floor clear, you could sit inside and cook there with a small single burner camp stove or electric stove. while you might not make big meals in there, you can still boil water for MRE's, make canned or simple food, or even make coffee.
I have been experimenting with the disc cooker on the Bean. Someone asked if there was a lot of splatter. It has been a non-issue. But like you said, bet if it was glass behind it I would see it a lot easier. On the plus side though I bet it would clean off of glass much easier than built up grease on armadillo liner. The way you desciber using this trailer is exactly how I envision it. This would be the trailer where I primarily use my backpacking gear. Thicker sleeping bag in the night. And like you said some backpacking meals inside. Essentially it would be my little hut in the woods. I would love it!
@@PlayingwithSticks now now, if i was getting a little hut in the woods i'd get a little hut in the woods. look up northcountrysheds picture a little 10x16 cottage, with a table, chair, bed, an a little canadian tire cast iron stove. with a buddy heater back up. going up to that on weekends.
I can't recommend enough purchasing a stove with a built in backsplash/windguard. They keep everything clean, are self-supporting, easy to use, and very affordable! I appreciate the input, I like your idea about plugs accessible on the sides of the DDA and associated gadgetry... But I do want to clarify that we offer MANY different electrical packages/combinations as options, but the base model (at request of many customers) has no built in system, making it the ultimate in simple, low maintenance, low cost for those that appreciate those qualities. Thanks again for your input!
@@OregonTrailR yep, you'd probably want 2, one of the larger 2 burner stoves for outdoor use, and a small single burner for indoor. when you need to stay "buttoned up" a small single burner would be perfect for making coffee or MRE style meals inside.
Ohh, 550 pounds, i just thought of something. First, add a small diesel heater in the front box, 5 gal tank, because of its size, say a 3kw system. that can be powered from a solar battery inside the trailer. Next. a pair of "roll on" skis. Once you get to the location, you stop, take a pair of special ski's off the roof rack and place them infront of the wheels, then pull the tow vehicle forward rolling the trailer forward till the wheels hit the chock stops. lock the wheels down, fix the ski's to the to the shock system somehow... unhook the tow vehicle and switch to a snowmobile. :) perfect snow house for winter camping. with 5 gal of fuel your likely to get almost a week of heat out of it. picture being able to go out to ice lakes with this, relax, and camp, maybe set up a tarp and ice fish right out of the side door.
Wow, that is a lot of heat for 5 gallons. We have never had the opportunity to experiment with a diesel heater. We have actually only been in one or two with diesel heaters. The concept is still fairly new to me. What you are describing would be the funnest video to make ever! Now to figure out how to do that when I live in Thailand the entire time snow is on the ground. Haha.
@@PlayingwithSticks A little 3-4kw heater on low setting (given the size low would be enough for most cases). is 0.0317 Gal/hr. it means you get about 32 hours per gal. And thats if it were running 24/7... not running and stopping. If you really wanted to be silly, you could even cut a hole in the floor and fix a perminate ice fishing mount there. keep it closed while normal camping, but when you are on the lake, open it, drill the hole, drop the sleive (its a funnel that goes from the trialer to the ice so wind doesn't come up into the camper. and sit inside safe and warm fishing there.
Wow, that is incredibly efficient. I didn't realize that. If my boys were reading this comment they would hound me to build that ice fishing floor hatch. @@jenniferstewarts4851
@@PlayingwithSticks look up the Glacier ice house. these are "lay down" trailers. when you are on the ice, the wheels retract up to lay the chassis down on the ice to spread out the load. now given that there are 550 lb cargo sleighs, a pair of say 400 pound trailer skis would work. giving you 800 pounds total load cap on the trailer. a Skidoo Skandic has a 1500 lb hitch... so its well under that weight.
There are some creative folks out there. It all seems so wild. But, I bet to them this was just out of necessity at some point. There was a need and they found a way. But, for me as an outsider, this is all new and interesting. @@jenniferstewarts4851
They truly are. Wait until you see some of the videos from this summer. We are a bit backlogged on content. The boys, especially East has grown a lot this year.@@kebeaux6546
based on your sharp haircut and thick head of hair compared to my lack of hair, maybe I should give up and shave my noggin. How bout that? 😂 That would give me an excuse to buy one of your hoodies to keep my slick noggin warm.
Hi Drew and family! I'm eyeing up your red Bean in the background. We bought a Mean Bean and I'm installing an Ironman 4x4 awning. Is it just me, or should the back of the awning be mounted inside the coping edge? Am I being a construction professional Nancy, or will rain not hit the back of your neck when crawling out? (assuming rain is only vertical...) It's out of focus, my brain hurts, lol.
Hey there, for all our "4 footers" (width) we use Marine grade 12mm Baltic Birch, which specs about the same thickness as 1/2" domestic plywood, yet is a FAR superior product, with all core laminates made from the same species as the face plies, all in identical thickness for best possible stability, laminated together with phenolic waterproof adhesive. 1/2" sidewalls are very well matched for a trailer this size, especially when the Alpha option is chosen, because this adds nearly 1/8" of polyurea truck bed liner to the entire outside surface for ridiculous durability. Our 5 foot trailers all use 18mm (3/4" equivalent) marine grade baltic birch, for comparison...
You are correct! Just the speed in which you can travel is very very different. The base DoDrop has a very different chassis and suspension setup, it has a independent torsion axles and is set up pretty firm for highway travel so it doesn’t feel “floaty.” The DoDrop Alpha has a much more enhanced chassis with Timbren axle-less off road suspension, it is a trailing arm design with captured rubber compression and rebound springs, which work together to create a very progressive and nicely dampened suspension. On the same rough logging road, for example, I’d feel comfortable towing the Alpha at twice the speed of the base model (not racing, just not worried about the camper’s handling), and it’s a MUCH more comfortable towing experience on any kind of bumpy road. One of our base DoDrop clients has taken his rock crawling many times in Death Valley, Moab, etc, and says it does awesome, he just needs to keep speeds low enough to keep it from bouncing.
I know you're into small trailers, but what if you could have the equivalent of a small trailer without towing? I love the look of these trailers but I delivered new travel trailers for a transporter for 7 months in 1998. And lived in a 26' travel trailer for 12 years. I don't want to tow. Can do it, but it's a hassle to me. I found the equivalent of a small trailer imo. It's a topper called the Moonlander. With an 8' truck bed, or really any size bed on full and midsize pickups, can have up to 87" width inside and can sleep width wise. Can put windows on it, lights inside, solar panel up top, exhaust fan, finish it out extensively or minimally. No towing, no insurance, no axle maintenance, no flat tires. And fully accessorized it's a little over $11k. Or go with less for a lot less. Not knocking the trailers you show. Some are pretty amazing. And pretty pricey. I want to pull up, park, open the rear door and tailgate, and be set right then. No jacks, no leveling, In the morning get out of bed, get dressed, shut the tailgate, and leave.
Don't get me wrong, I love small camper trailers. But if I ever found something that beats them I would trade mine out in a heartbeat. I love truck campers, but I don't love them when you truly factor in the cost. I continue to come back to towables because they make the most sense financially. And the fact that they easily unhitch and now your daily commuter is completely untethered for adventures. As these truck campers continue to get lighter and lighter each year I find myself studying them more and more. Is there one that works for our lifestyle? Not that I know of yet. But, I have a feeling they will make one soon. Now that is my little rant on truck campers. But you are talking toppers. Like you I have thought this makes a ton of sense. But strange enough I spent like a year searching every forum and every inch of the internet trying to find one person who did it right. I couldn't find anything. Everybody looks like they are sleeping in an ice fishing shack. The second I see one feel like a teardrop, then I am all ears. They have to exist!
@@PlayingwithSticks There's been some interesting things going on with toppers. Look up Oru Designs Campers, Super Pacific Campers, Alu-Cab's Alu-Cabin, and my personal preference the Moonlander. Might be something worthwhile. These aren't truck toppers in the conventional sense. There are others but this would be a good start
@@kennethkilpatrick3758 Thank you for sharing this. I am excited to check them out. It has been a really long time since I have researched this segment of the market.
Okay, let's face it, tires go flat either on or off road, I don't see or hear anything about how you jack up the trailer to change out a tire, much less a recommended type of jack, as most automotive trolley jacks only have a 13"-15" maximum lift height, scissor jacks are out as well. So I would make a guess that you'd need to carry at least a 1 or 1 1/2 ton bottle jack, possibly some saddles for the jack as well along with some blocks of varying thicknesses, plus a set of wheel chocks. I won't bring up trailer leveling gear, because any longtime camper worth his/her salt knows what to do for minor inconveniences like that. I'm also somewhat surprised that there was absolutely NO discussion during the sales pitch or the very short pro/con at the end of the video about any lifting points. Sure, talk about all of the niceties, but maintenance & repair issues should be brought up as well. Lastly, an electric blanket? Really? I guess my age must be showing, but even being in my 60's I can't see the need for all of the comforts of home in my trailer. Hell, I've got friends who still freak out when they see how lightly I'm packed when hitting the road on my old '73 Harley Police Special, I'm usually set up in no more than 15 minutes--tops. I also have a tear-drop trailer that I designed & fabricated myself to tow behind my bike, which I tend to use during very early spring & late autumn camping. But I've been considering a tear-drop trailer to pull behind my '66 Ford 4x4. However, after watching this video, I may build myself a somewhat larger myself. Having previously worked for both Fleetwood & Airstream as a fabricator helps out a lot in conception & designs plus whatever features that I'll actually require & use. I won't buy any type of off road gear (and that would include a camping trailer) unless ALL of the pros & cons of any given product are explained to me first. Otherwise, how am I supposed to make an informed decision on whether to purchase it or not?
Hmmmm…. i’m going to have to look at the specs. Almost all teardrop trailers are built to be 6‘6“ long for the sleeping area. Now, although this teardrop is 1 foot shorter than most teardrops, I think that’s just because there’s no galley. I have a hunch they built this for 6 foot six sleepers as well. Looks like I have some research to do.
@@TracyKMainwaring Good ear! ALL of our campers offer a 6'6" long mattress, it's about the most we could squeeze while still getting the curves and insulative qualities we want!
I think the lack of the galley is a deal killer. I’m in my 50s I don’t want to have to lift that damn tire up on the top. If I have a flat, I would rather have it near the tongue lower and as I get older and probably would use it more. I think that’s less of an appetizing thing I think I’d rather have a galley and the storage that’s my two. Cents.
Thanks for sharing. I appreciate this comment. As for the tire, I find I rarely if ever have to use my spare. The majority of the time a good fix a flat or tire plug will do the trick.
@@PlayingwithSticks I just feel like not having the galley kitchen in the back, takes the whole heart and soul out of being a teardrop away. They sucked the soul out of a teardrop, but it’s still a small, portable camper. I don’t think it should be marketed as a teardrop because I don’t think it has the soul of a teardrop. It looks like a well-built thing. But what I like about a teardrop is the whole idea of the kitchen thing is there you don’t have to screw around with attaching other things to the side I’m telling you once you hit 50 and above you really don’t like screwing with a lot of stuff you want more simplicity The younger More youthful generation, may appreciate it I think it has its place, but I don’t consider it a teardrop
@dude28405 I totally get you there. And I think Sawyer and Jon who builds these trailers get you as well. That is why their main production units are Teardrops and squaredrop‘s with actual galleys. They really understand there’s different needs for different folks.
@dude28405 here is their version with a galley if you’d like to see it "Escape the Ordinary" Rugged Minimalist Teardrop Camper ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_vAu7j-m4J0.html
HI DREW 👋 ONE QUESTION I HAVE OFF THE BAT ! IF YOUR TOW VEHICLE HAS AROUND 35" TIRES CAN THEY SET UP THE TRAILER FOR THEM ? DOES THE ALPHA HAVE EXTRA STRUCTURE STRENGTH WHERE THEY HAVE / PUT THE SPARE TIRES 🤔 I LIKE IT'S SIMPLICITY ON BOTH BUT THINK OF EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE SAME TIME ! ALSO EVERYTHING HAS MORE THAN ONE USE OR TO BE USED IN MULTIPLE WAYS ❤BE SAFE ! HAVE FUN ! ENJOYED 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 🍨 GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS ON YOUR ADVENTURES 🙏 THANK YOU 🙏
The largest tires we’ve put on were 34” and it was already TIGHT. I understand why people want it be able to have the same exact tires on their trailers as on their tow vehicles, but it gets to the point where the trailer becomes less usable, like when we have to push the axle so far back to allow for large tires that it doesnt handle like we intended. 32” tires on the DDA allow for 22” ground clearance, which is like having a Unimog on Portal Axles AND 46” tires, it’s already kinda silly ya know? You want to be able to get into bed without a ladder if possible, I promise! We do build up the structure in the rear for the spare tire rack. It’s fastened through a very thick (just under 2”) solid substructure with 6 bolts. With a couple hundred built this way, and going on hard trails all over the North America, we’ve not once had this system fail.
Why such massive off-road tires to begin with? The trailer wheels aren’t drive wheels, and doesn’t need “grip”, as such. Towing with an EV 95% on road, I want the lowest possible RR. Can I get this with much smaller wheels/tires?
@@omahajim22 In the case of a typical street-going teardrop, these tires would be silly. BUT, we are building purpose-built off-road trailers that have to be able to avoid breaking on the trail, usually miles from anywhere a tow truck or services are willing to go to help. Taller tires = better ground clearance, should be obvious why that's important off-road, though I'm happy to explain if necessary. That said, these are not crazy tall tires anyway, the biggest we normally offer are 32's, basically the stock tires size of most small trucks and SUVs. They might look very big, but it's because the trailer is very small. Aggressive tread blocks on the tires are to provide the "grip" that you say a trailer "doesn't need." What??? That's why tires are made of rubber my friend, because first and foremost, it "grips." Smoother tread blocks like what your EV certainly has are wonderful for engineered asphalt roads that have a very consistent and smooth surface. Those tires are made for the road, however "off-road" is very different, and requires very different tools to safely and correctly do the job. Big blocky treads do a wonderful job at both avoiding protection against punctures from sharp rocks, roots, etc, as well as provide MUCH better "grip" in the mud and any other slippery off-road conditions. Here's a very common off-road scenario that might help you understand- Imagine you are on a muddy side-hill (going sideways on a slope, instead of up or down, in case this term isn't familiar), would you prefer an aggressive tread that plants itself into the mud and holds in place, as it was designed for, or a typical smooth street tire that, if it loses grip, might slide sideways down that hill bringing your tow vehicle and whoever down with it? If you've never been in this situation, I promise you, tire choice is THE most important thing to consider besides driving skills. I hope that helps you to understand why these tires are used on all of our off-road campers. Now to answer your second question, any of our on-road trailers will have a typical road-going trailer tire that will suit your needs. Our off-road trailers are more than a set of AT tires, they have entirely different Chassis, suspension systems, and exterior coatings, and are much heavier than our DoDrop and FronTear. These trailers are lower, lighter, and focused on being more aerodynamic and efficient. Hope this helps.
Hola Drew! I saw this trailer some time ago: videos, social media, reviews, webpage, etc. I never got to figure the philosophy (some clues yes, but not the entire project), it's very well sumarized who you put it at the end and how it was explained during the video. I really like the way it was conceived for cargo, narrow, short, easy camping, just simple but rugged. The guy (didn't get his name), mentioned mountain biking? I was like: hold on, I'm playing attention 110% now. That clearance... man the trailer will go further than most of the stock SUV's out there. It's a very cool product, for a single, couples, or single plus a kid, plus a pet. On his way of concept frame this man developed a version for every potential buyer budget and needs - well done! Thanks for another super cool video, compa!
They must do a great job of advertising. Like you I have seen this trailer all over the place. Something about the way this trailer photographs, makes you just want to hop in one and have an adventure. I thought he would get you with that bike comment. It really would be a mountain bikers dream. Really any adventurers dream. I like that it forces you to be simple. Many of my favorite trips have been with trailers that don't offer much in terms of amenities. I'm trying to figure out why that is. Maybe because you spend more time adventuring and less time camping? Or you feel closer to the ground? More time in nature? I am really not sure. But there is something there. This trailer gives me that vibe. It doesn't scream bells and whistles, but I bet you come back feeling really fullfilled. If that makes any sense. I can't quite place it.
abosolutely makes full sense... maybe is also linked to the fact of packing less as well: The less you can carry on, the less you need to worry about, that simplyfies all checklist and focus only on the essentials bringing more attention to the main purpose and what is coming as an adventure, instead of "did I forget somenthing?, Oh we missed the cable cord ofr the..." wether is in the way in or in the way back. For me is on where my mind is: when camping in tent as I do, I've noticed that the more gear I have, the more cautious about keeping all those things with me, maintaining it in great conditions sharp, tidy or fixing malfunctions, etc. and that takes a lot, not to mention electronics. So yeah, the more complex you get, the more persuade you'll be of going outdoors In other subject: I'm preparing a spot for boondocking with a great ocean - mountain view for boondocking. This will work as an extension of Baja Serena Rv. - I'll send you some photos onces completed :) @@PlayingwithSticks