WHAT WE LEARNED ON OUR FIRST TEARDROP CAMPING TRIP 

You can use a screen door spring for curtains also

Hey there, Thanks for the videos! Since you asked: For bugs- we use wick- style hurricane lanterns with citronella oil- helps keep the bugs out and gives nice site lighting in the evenings. We also usually take a couple multi- wick citronella candles that are sold in their own "metal bucket"- usually put at least one of these on the ground upwind from the site- these methods together have pretty much taken care of the bugs every time. 'love the voltmeter suggestion- thanks! Keep up the great work!

So many great ideas.... Thank you❤️

Hi, I saw your idea for folding washing up basin, I just thought I would let you know that here in Holland ( Nederland ) were everyone is camping crazy you can get folding buckets,ketels,pots + pans + even a teapot. Roy.

We are part of that DIY FB group! So many great tips

You did a wonderful job on this build. I was gonna build my own from the suspension up, but decided to go with Bend Teardrops for my base build then I'll DIY the cabin and portions of the galley. I want a fold out couch with table setup, drop down TV from the ceiling, and storage around the TV with a Dometic toilet just under that wish a hatch (blending in withe the cabinets) to open up for it. Easy to empty, even if I need to dig a ditch being nice with nature. Still can't figure out where I'm gonna put my Dometic cooler. I'd prefer the galley but might get stuck with it as a pull out on the tongue. Also figuring out my burber scenario. I love your side table setup above the propane tank.

So I think it would help us getting something called a trasharoo which would strapped onto the back of your car for trash

We also had problems with insects especially at meal times which is really irritating, last year I saw on line/tv something called "mug molen" (mosquito windmill) works with batteries the blades sit on top like a helicopter. I,d recommend getting one. No mozzies etc. Roy. Just put it in the middle the table.😁😅

For garbage in our minivan/camper, we use a rectangular bin that dishwasher pods are sold in. We put a plastic bag inside and snap the lid back on. Half the lid hinges and can snap closed. I used the bottom 2 inches of a second bin to make a socket that I attached to the floor, to hold the bin in place when we travel. I hate air mattresses. They move around too much when one of us sits up or gets in and out of bed. They don’t insulate and if the spring a leak ... no fun. We use a foam mattress from an IKEA futon. Very comfortable!

good job thanks

You asked about camper trash in a teardrop. I discovered a lid at Ace in the paint department that had an outer ring that snapped onto a 3 gal or 5 gal plastic paint bucket. That snap on ring was threaded so the rest of the lid system threaded inside. So much easier than hassling with the snap portion that is almost impossible for me to get off with my arthritic hands. What I discovered during use is that I can put a 13 gal garbage bag in and draped over the edge and screw the screwable part of the lid on several times without damaging the plastic bag. And it is odor proof! I use it boondocking where there are no trash cans. I can toss in a few nights use of wag bags and not get driven out of my teardrop, vehicle or side tent. So useful I don't worry about the space the 5 gal bucket takes. Hope others can benefit from this tip.

we dint tune in to see an antique coffee pot but how to build a camper!

They make a spare tire trash bag that the Jeep guys use which may work out pretty well for you

We brought umbrellas and bug netting and stands. Put the large one with lights built in square over kitchen. The small one we put by door. works great. Got all on sale and hotel clearance. New. Accept screens and stands. One is nine feet and the other seven.

You might look at ThermCell brand mosquito & insect repeller. It is similar to the old Zippo brand pocket warmers in operation. It is fueled by a clear plastic sealed fuel cell about 3" L x 5/8" diameter (lighter fluid). Has a 2" x 2" "hot plate" over which you insert fiber pad impregnated with repellent (comes with the kit). Has a push button igniter. About 8" long x 3" wide x 1-1/4" thick. Can get a canvas sheath for it to hang near the kitchen hatch lid on the tear drop or anywhere else that is convenient. If the wx is not too breezy, it will clear pesky insects from about a 30' diameter circle. Guys in the Southeast use them for deer hunting when sitting on stand during season and they are quite effective. Think you can find them at WalMart, or most outdoor sporting goods / hunting stores. Good luck.

For trash, stitch a large canvas bag with drain holes with hooks on the pantry door to hang it. Put all the trash in the bag, hang it drive to the nearest trash disposal point and empty the trash without opening the vehicle. Fold the canvas bag and tuck it under your seat and drive away

6:42 Just watching this today (3-19-24) after watching a LOT of your newer stuff, i have to call out past you!!! Walmart brand k-cup guy!! 😂❤😂❤😂❤

I put a command hook on the outside of my camper to hang trash on.

Wow! You are great. I'll be back for other stuff! Well done.

Cute curtains

For the trash, maybe look into a trasharoo type setup? That’s what I use

Use cat litter container lined with trash bags for trash can. Has cover. Has handle to bungee if windy. In vehicle, if animals . Store bags other items in until using.

I do hurricane lantern w/ citronella oil,works well

I bring a bug zapper light to plug in and keep about 15 feet from the humans I camp in Texas and in the morning there is about 1000 dead mosquitoes that didn't bite me. We also bring citronella candles and put those near us so we have a stick and carrot system. Got the light on Amazon for about 50 bucks and it was totally worth it.

Still my favourite RU-vidr!

lol... I bought the same towel rack and did the same thing with it... Too funny.... Best thing we ever bought was an awning with the enclosure and aluminum foldaway coffee table... That the legs extend.... And of course our propane fireplace living the good life boon-docking....

Thermacell. For mosquito repellent is the best.

Great tips I live in a pickup 24 7 some of your tips are good in my pick up

Citronella candles don't do much. What you want is to look for a spray product with deet. The best one is approximately 98% deet. I've seen them sold at Menards occasionally. Use that and bugs will leave you alone. Just remember to wash it off skin.

If those were the only issues you had I would say that you absolutely nailed it (no pun intended) on the planning and build!

Love the curtain

P.s even a w.c. Roy.

My coffee pot of choice is a Farberware® 2-4 Cup* Stainless Steel Electric Percolator, been using this for over 40 yrs.... I also have a non electric percolator that I use for camping.... and yes I always use a coffee filters..... at one time the coffee disc filters were always sold at the grocery stores but they stop selling them there, I was able to buy them on eBay, Melitta 3.5 Inch White Disc Coffee Filters 100 Count (Pack of 2)..... now I just use a regular coffee filter and it fits....In my opinion percolators make the best tasting coffee..... that's why I keep using it....

load all your little trash in a super thick contractor bag and chuck it in the teardrop as you leave. Stop by the nearest gas station and throw it all away. Those contractor bags are awesome, thick, won't let the smells leech out and can hold a lot of waste!

When camping only percolated coffee will satisfy for some reason.

My all-time favorite camping ideas are frozen jugs for drinking water (fill them up and freeze at home) a frozen container filled with water for the cooler (zero mess when it melts and you can drink or use the water) and if you usually camp with power, a 20 to 50 quart hot water peculator for having instant hot water for everything. Some days a fire can’t happen. And sometimes just having hot water for coffee, dirty dishes or just to wash up is awesome!

Walmart Carry's camco brand... They have a new sub brand called life is better at the camp site and they have a pop up utility container, that's 2 inches folded down and pops up with a zippered lid to hold a 13 gallon trash bag.... I've got the sheet set and mat under my mattress and the best thing about it... It has teardrop patterns all over it.... It's called life is better at the campsite.... It's in the RV isle in Walmart... And they got alot for that brand already I even have a ball cover that looks like a teardrop when I'm not hooked up to mine ....

I have been kayak-camping for about ten years, and have had a camper shell on my little Nissan Frontier for about three years. I have learned that every single camping trip is an experiment to find what works best, what doesn't work, and what could work better. I used to think that I would eventually figure out a smooth system for all aspects of camping, but the truth is that I always end up thinking of ways to improve my camping experience on the next trip. It has become something I actually look forward to, along with all the other reasons to go camping.

We make our own bug repellant, as here in Qld Australia we have very small flys called midgies.so mix up equal parts Epson salts, mouth wash (just a cheep blue kind) and flat stale beer. I didn't have any flat stale beer so I just sacrificed a stubby of full strength. We spray it on our deck, chairs and fly screens, works a treat.😉

I want to know how you keep the bears away from your food and your trash.

First of all, your garage looks more interesting than a candy store. Second, I would LOVE to camp in a teardrop like yours. My brother in-law and I started to build one a while a go but it’s far from finished. Lastly, it’s so cool to see it coming together and listening about your latest additions and moods.

As handy as you are, looking at your side table build project you mention, for camp trash, why not construct some sort of dual-ring, nesting idea, where a kitchen trash bag is secure on one ring, with a second outer ring (wood or metal/wire)clamping and holding the bag in place? This could be a 2 slot gadget, on the other side of the trailer, but close to the galley area for convenience. It would be a minimal weight concept, to bring along and, if you were worried about critters, simply toss the day's trash in the campground dumpster before retiring.

I failed to mention how much I like your craftsmanship. You did a beautiful job!

I tend to camp with a lot of 3 gallon buckets because they double for seating. I keep a Coleman lantern and some rags in one. Once camp is set up, a Walmart bag or 2 makes this a great trash can. The rags come in handy for everything and protect the lantern as we travel. Other 3-gallon bins house grilling stuff (long handled grilling tools, oven mits, even a 1-burner propane stove and some gas). Another has become our 1st Aide Kit with bandages and bug spray. We also store cooking oil and a few tall things in there too. We have bought a toilet ring that will fit on top of the 3-gallon bucket. I am extremely careful to line it with big contractor-type trash bag for protection and then double or triple Walmart bags for the “duty” so that the bucket is still usable for other things. Clean as a whistle.

I put mine trash bag inside the trunk of the vehicle

Check out the Trasharoo on amazon.

For curtains I used a wooden dowel, command hooks and a t-shit, double that and each widow is covered and I have two spare t shirts

Thermacell for bugs

Black bear pillow matching curtains!👍🏽

For our trash we throw it up in our rooftop carrier on our car. If you don't have a rooftop carrier adding a cargo box to your tongue or attaching one to your receiver in the back of the teardrop would be a great solution for hiding that trash. Thanks for the great video! This was really fun to watch and very informative.

Mosquito Deleto . Google it . Also burn trash .

It's the little things that make life easy. Beautiful kitchen and great ideas.

Using a hook, similar to the hook you used to hang your hat, we placed one in a convienent location. We then used the plastic grocery bags that you get while buying groceries, as are disposable garbage collector. It just hangs on the hook. Takes very little space, and works perfect.

unreal craftsmanship, looks a ton better than bought ones, im in the market again, i had put a deposit on one of those BUSHWACKERS 15FK, just canceled my order yesterday, because they been having a ton of problems, looking at the runaway but they have now power vent fan, i called a place they said they can install one, well see, so im back in the market for a teardrop, i wanna keep it simple, im happy im not getting the full blown bells and whistle bushwacker, because a teardrop[ has less things to go wrong lol

Mine too Joseph and I got a lot of help from right here on my build as well, this is a stunning example of what a person can do at home.

I imagine it's like building a car, truck or motorcycle. You're never really done. You always find new things you want to add or change. Awesome build. Congrats.

Great tips. It’s amazing the little things you learn with experience.

Love the green

in my humble opinion, i would have attached the mirror to the outside of the cabinet door. I'm the biggest cluts on the planet and would hit my head on the open door every time! Second, i never have a problem checking what's behind me when i'm concentrating on something I'm working on, especially when it's outside. Excellent video. Happy camping! =)

randomly found your channel, great vid, the rechargeable thermocell works great for bugs and a 1 gallon sprayer with permethrin mixed in it (tractor supply) trash bag on a hook next to the kitchen (big black yard bag) and most importantly love the Bronco RC car (I have a 71 my dad bought in 77 and passed onto me)

For jacks on my teardrop, I went to a salvage yard and got 4 Subaru jacks for 10.00 , then welded one in each coner.

Beautiful wood

Trasharoo that hangs on the back of my vehicle is a great option for trash. It keeps it off the ground and away from most of the livable area.

Distilled water is not good for drinking over an extended time. For trash, put a small hook under your side table to hang the bag from. I use grocery bags and throw them into the camp bins before bed.

Hi, my wife and I have camped all our lives. We live in Europe and european caravans usually are much smaller than american ones, but as smalll as the teardrop we never see in europe. I truly admire your craftmanship and I like watching different caravan set ups. If you ever are in for a new project, you might concider building a european sized caravan. Our caravan has an interior length of 5 meters. That is room enough for a round bench seat with a table for four persons, a 6 foot wide kitchen with fridge et cetera, a decent bed, a toilet, lots of closets and enough storage for an extra camping table with chairs, an awning et cetera. This configuration alows us to camp all year round under all weather conditions. And the caravan is still handy enough to stay mobile. We can make camp or leave in half an hour. With your car in front of it, it would make a realy nice combination.

I recommend the Trasheroo on your spare tire.

I got a set of collapsible bowl with a colander at Ikea. Best money I ever spent. Those things rock.

In regard to the mosquitoes. You could try a collapsible screened in gazebo. I have a couple and they do a good job of keeping the bugs at bay.

I just set up command hook on my hatchback for the trash, and hang a plastic grocery bag from that. I then either just put it on my counter at night before closing up, in my vehicle, or take a nighttime stroll to the trash bin, looking up at the stars there and back. I also have 2 small command hooks inside, tucked down by the feet area, to latch the handles of a grocery bag. This keeps it fairly flat. Then we have somewhere to put trash in the evening.

What to do with your trash? Get a Large mesh laundry bag, tie a small diameter rope trough the bag and hang it from a tree limb. Too, this will keep most animal and predators out of your garbage. You then can wash it with soap and water and ready for the next camping trip.

Use a trash a rue...it attached to the back of your car..keeps animals out

Glad I found your videos. Kind regards from Slovenia!

We use a round collapsible laundry hamper with a trash bag inside. I have seen some in the same style that are intended for trash but are usually on the small side.

Love your channel. Just one piece of advice... On the coffee maker, always buy Stainless Steel percolators or pour over water heating pots. Much better for you in the long run. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel Water and the acid in coffee can leach out some really bad things out of aluminum.

As tent campers, we usually hung a trash bag in a tree and carried it to the bearproof containers before we went to bed. I've just finished the aluminum frame on Timbren axles with electric brakes and LED lights for what will be our 'square drop' variation on a teardrop, so we're still weeks away from having an actual camper (I'm working on it pretty much full time at the moment), but for trash I've been thinking about something like the Trasharoo I've seen some of the 4x4 offroaders hang on their spare tires (probably lined with a trash bag). If we can't empty it in a bearproof container where we are camped, we will likely stash it in the back of the Subaru (our wagon is an L.L.Bean edition with the flat-6, so we shouldn't have any trouble pulling the lightweight trailer) or in the Yakima 'pod' on the roof rack at night. We've really enjoyed your videos, and, while our plans are probably a bit more Spartan, we've learned quite a bit from watching the construction of yours. One thing you might be interested in that we're doing has to do with the bed. My wife found a wooden frame assembly at IKEA that will go under our bedding and act somewhat like a very thin set of box springs and provide airflow under our mattress (our plan at the moment is to use the queen size version of one of the fold-up mattresses, but that's subject to change). The sides/halves of the wooden frame are separate, so they can be stacked to clean under each side (and so we can turn them on their sides to slide them out the doors if needed). I haven't taken them out of the box yet, so I haven't actually seen them. Assembly required & modification of length/width is supposed to be possible - according to my wife. (I believe that during the 33 years we've been married she has come to believe that I can 'build anything out of nothing' so long as she tells me what she wants it to do when it's done - so far, I've managed not to disappoint her.) We've nicknamed our trailer the 'Beddy Bye Basket' as a working title (from a scene in the Disney movie 'The Aristocats' that our grandsons love), but my wife is embarrassed when I call it that in public. So I believe we've finally settled on the name WilderNest (an obvious play on wilderness, and I suppose still subject to change).

Very helpful advice.

Seems like command strips are a camper's best friend!

What we use is a few oil lamps filled with citronella oil, it works pretty well. We used it in the south Jersey swamps along with a screen house. By it self it works but when they are bad like unbearable bad you have to have a screen house. When it is hot you may also need a fan to get some kind of breeze. But the oil lamps work as well as anything but let's face it some times everything needs help. Put some inside as well as outside and have a beautiful evening.

Lmbo coffee pot I need one 25 times that big but love your camper thanks for sharing

I installed the Froli travel bed system purchased from Nickle Atlantic under my teardrop matress and it is super wonderful, supportive and comfortable without robbing us of headspace when we sit up. They are made for the yacht industry. Great video!

For the bedding situation we would suggest a thinner inflatable on the bottom like a "Therm-a-Rest." I think you have seen our bedding video, but we basically have the same setup as you minus the 8" Coleman. In the video we test the Coleman style, but had the same issue as you with sinking in and moving my wife and child around when they were sleeping. I bet you can find a backpacking style inflatable that will come pretty close to fitting your teardrop.

I like your coffee pot. You’re right, coffee makes the morning. I have used, since 1973, an aluminum drip pot that comes in three pieces. Mine makes 12-15. Cups. It has a top section that you pour into, the center section is the strainer, and the coffe wind s up in the bottom section. The cap fits the top and bottom sections. Very light and fits well almost snywhere

Fisherman in Canada use Skin So Soft original bath oil, for Miskitos I use to sell it by the bucket load

Very inspiring can't wait to build mine I'll be watching thanks for the video

All paper gets burned in the campfire and the rest goes in a trash bag in the bed of my truck. I already have a 40-foot 5th wheel toy hauler but I'm thinking of doing my own small camper build like yours but my camper will just be for hunting etc so I'll be towing with my truck because I'm obviously not going to put my Geese, ducks, grouse, pheasants, deer, bear or elk inside an SUV or car. Seriously though, if I was just going camping in an SUV for like a weekend or so, I'd just bring a 12x12 canopy, a stove or fire grate, some folding camp chairs, and then sleep in either a tent or, (most likely), the back of the SUV itself, and not even deal with the maintenance/maneuver/parking problems associated an actual camper.

Just subd

To use the stabilizer jacks as you described, (and get them to actually lock, and not slip), just get some small bungees, drill holes in the appropriate spots, (1 hole, (or eyebolt), up top & 1 hole in the lever itself), and use the bungees to apply extra tension on the slide stop levers. You can even use the square tube itself for the top bungee attachment point. You can easily shorten each Bungie to your desired length by pushing the knot out of 1 hook and re-tying the knot at a shorter length. Easy-adjust Bungie's, (from places like Harbor Freight, etc...), work even better because they can be adjusted for the desired length/tension for each different campsite. Play around with what strength bungees you need to securely lock those stops in place and your problem is fixed. I have done this on my 16-foot Motorcycle trailer and locked the braces enough to even lift the tire completely off the ground and still been able to drive my bikes in and out of the trailer with no problem with stand slippage.

Glad you had a good first trip. I keep my trash in the back of my truck and use the tailgate as the extra table. Instead of water jugs have you considered the dispenser type? No need to pick it up. Just dispense off the edge of the counter. Build a holder for it to be an extra shelf on top so essentially you do not lose any counter space.

Might look for a good used one, only because I’ve been down this road before I turned it cargo trailer into a camper, and I never used it, so if I buy something used I will make sure to throw the mattress away 😂

I like the Velcro curtain idea , gonna have to use that one . And yep the wife requested a mirror also. Good tips . The state parks here in Texas have lantern poles at the sites , we just hang a heavy duty garbage bag on it instead of lantern.

I really enjoy your videos and because of you I’m going start designing and tear drop. Ty

Great info I love it.

We use collapsible trash cans. They’re barrel shaped, made from canvas, with a metal wire coil that runs around the outside. Works great for us. You could also just leave a trash can in the bed of the truck.

I use a pop up Colman garbage can thing, I zip it closed during the rain, throw the bag in the trunk at night so critters can’t tear it up. In the tear drop and by my chair i use the larger ziplock round screw top plastic containers to throw candy wrappers, tissues and face wipes into , when full i just dump in to the big trash.

Nice, im thinking about buying a Teardrop camper, but man are they expensive now

I use the large citronella candles made by Off, in my 8 man tent. They keep the bugs out. Should work for your camper.

glad it sounds like you had a great time, a bonus of building it yourself is you know how to change things to fit you better later. now that you have a place to hang your hat you can officially call it home. seems like a mirror os something many people don't think about. that trash question is a good one. maybe plan enough ahead of time that you don't have allot of trash after a trip that would fit in a shopping bag and they could set it in the sink in case it leaked?

For garbage on the inside of the camper, you should put a small swinging door going to an outside box with a trash bag in it. So when you throw out your little trash its no longer in the cab of the teardrop. For the outside food trash, its always better to get used to chaining it up on a tree to keep the critters out at night. You should also build, or put a small shoe box next to your door in case it rains. We always have a screen tent with changing room and bucket right outside of the camper door, tarp in between to walk right into the camper when you take your shoes off. Also for in the middle of the night when you have to go. 👍🏼

Great to hear you had a good camping. We have DIY teardrop camper and we use popup trash can and put it in the tow vehicle at night if I don't take it to campground trash. We also keep any left over foods in our car.

I use a 5 gallon bucket with lid such as from Home Depot for trash. The lid keeps the flies away. It can double as a seat. Put it in the tow vehicle at night or when you’re away to keep critters out. I loved my teardrop, I tried to have almost everything I packed have more than a single use. The bucket is great for storing stuff in the TV while traveling on the road.