World's First Pop-Up Teardrop Trailer With NO CANVAS! 

Just came to this video to see if there was an update. I'm excited to see this build continue.

this looks great! we'd be absolutely into buying this as a kit, or as a completed (but bare featured) trailer ready to go!

@teardroplite Charles, do you know what kind of tools we’ll need to put a kit together? I’m guessing we’ll need more than just a hammer and a screwdriver….

@@marynichols7429 First, this trailer will not be offered as a kit. The more standard size trailers will be sold as kits. Because they will be bonded together with slots and grooves, clamps and clecos will be used. Clecos are a spring loaded tool that goes into a hole to hold things in position. We will offer those as a buy back package. There will be predrilled holes to start you off. A drill and several 1/8 drill bits is the only power tool needed. A good caulking gun to dispense the adhesive. A 4 foot level and a small plastic dead blow hammer. Gloves and an apron for those who tend to be messy. Masking tape and a few plastic spreaders. Our intention is to make this easy.

Teardrop Lite LLC now has the authority to issue a VIN for each trailer. Next step is to be recoognized as a manufacturer by NHTSA. That is taking time.

You sound like me. Looking at all the innovations in the industry has become quite an addiction for me. It's like attending a World's Fair. I never have, but I picture it feeling the way I feel when I see a new innovative camper design.

Haha. So true! That is why I have been so adamant this trailer needs a good amount of wood veneer, rattan, and cane mesh. It kind of reminds me of those fake plants we bring with us everywhere in our campers. Haha.

The next video should be the final build. I don't want to drag it out. I am really excited to show you.

That is a nice surprise in terms of price! I appreciate the update, thank you Charles & Drew! Looking forward!

Just to get some frequently asked questions answered here at the top. Gross weight is going to be set at 1500 pounds. The shell weights 525 pounds. Suspension, galley equipment and water, EcoFlow power station, and bedding bring it up to about 830 pounds. So it has a usefull load for all the stuff campers take with them of 670 pounds. With the braking system it should be towable by almost any vehicle. I expect most campers will be pulling it at around 1100 pounds. The floor plan is 12 feet. The front curve to rear curve is 13'11". Inside width is 74 inches. Standing height is at 6'5". 14.5% of all American men are six feet or over. Only 1% of men are over 6'4". That should almost if not all potential campers.

@@teardroplite Cristal clear, Thank you very much! Looking forward for the next news!!

Man I would love to watch the project management on this. So much to learn. The origin of this has so many criteria and I'd love to understand the decision making here. Either way, that's less than a year from concept to production and you've already got a relative sell rate. Bravo!

My gut still tells me that you will be asking for over $30k with some basic options when this is all said and done. Would love to be proved wrong. And no funny business where you try to hook us with a low price in the first year and then jack it up $10k for the second full model year of production after just a few trailers have gone out the door.

Agreed. I love that manufacturers are willing to entertain the idea of making small campers that support families or live larger for single people or couples. It used to be small or huge and nothing inbetween. Minus the greats like 13 and 16 foot fiberglass trailers and pop-up campers. I am glad a new market has emerged in the middle of all this.

Good seeing you Brian!

Me too! Based on Charle's philosophy it will be affordable for what it is. But, I have a feeling it will still be up there with the price of a decent teardrop based on the size of this and materials used. However, Charles' main goal with his company is to build VERY affordable teardrop trailer kits. These will be more modest 5X10 style teardrops that can be assembled in a long weekend up to about a week.

@@PlayingwithSticks I would definitely be interested in a smaller, two-person version!

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks, I’ll check that out!

@@debbehemmer7694 I would have posted it under your comment, but I don't want to get it flagged as spam as I would be posting it on everyone's comment. Haha.

Thanks Mark! I can imagine teardrop owners being able to quickly see the benefits of this design. I have a feeling though it may be a bit harder for some folks to see the beauty of the galley. I think it is just something people often need to experience to understand. I think it is hard for some people to understand why we would build the kitchen around the galley and not inside. I am excited though to have my tiny backup cook area inside. This is something I have often felt would be good in a design like the T@B clamshell. A nice galley kitchen outside and a place inside to boil some water for coffee in the morning.

@@PlayingwithSticks Cooking off the back is certainly best for clean-up, lingering smells, stocking. And with the large galley hatch, there's plenty of weather protection.

I never thought about potentially using a sink from inside. That is a good idea.

We will develop an AC solution.

You sound just like us. What our family ened up doing (which is ridiculous I realize) is we always have a 13' trailer and a teardrop trailer on our property to choose from. I just couldn't find a trailer that could do what both of these trailers could do. That was the big push for us. And it eliminates one trailer from our life, which would be nice.

@@PlayingwithSticks I really find the timing of this rather fortuitous for me. I have a trailer that suits my needs now, and won't have a need or desire to change for a few years yet, barring any unforeseen calamitous event. When I do eventually want to consider a different trailer I will want something smaller than the small trailer I currently have. With luck by then Charlie will have a number of these trailers out and about and tested, so it will be an option I can consider when that time comes.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

I like your positivity.

Based on Charle's philosophy it will be affordable for what it is. But, I have a feeling it will still be up there with the price of a decent teardrop based on the size of this and materials used. However, Charles' main goal with his company is to build VERY affordable teardrop trailer kits. These will be more modest 5X10 style teardrops that can be assembled in a long weekend up to about a week. Like you I LOVE the Road Toad. But, I also would like a bit more of a finished galley.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

Now we all just have to get on Charle's case to make sure he gets this to market soon! Haha. I'm glad you are liking the build Susan.

I cannot wait to see this project done (with AC…because I travel South & It is required). Thank you. Sure peaked my interest because I plan to buy something this year!

@@sandyschneider6792 I am so excited to show it to you.

Hi Cindy! Great to see you here. The next video should be a finished trailer.

I appreciate having an extra set of eyes on the build. Thank you William. A Ford Maverick. Nice!

Thank you! Glad you like it.

Charles completely understands. Haha. That is why he fought me to get one on my trailer. He wanted to try it out first on mine before installing it in his kit trailers. But now that he will take our trailer to market, I am kind of feeling bad for not putting one in for him.

@@PlayingwithSticks Actually, across the last year the availability of DC powered compressors for AC has greatly expanded. We may look at developing an inhouse product so it can easily be installed and hidden in the trailers. A portable box with big hoses is awkward.

I like how you think Charles!

Glad you enjoyed it Preston! It has been a fun journey so far. I am really excited to reveal the final trailer.

Glad you like it! I am really excited to show you the final design.

It is definitely a challenge. Charles and I are considering different things every day. What made sense to us two days ago, now makes no sense at all. We just made a major change last night to the roofline.

As I get older, I am finding myself more and more attracted to modular aspects of living.

Glad you enjoyed it! Love the Casitas by the way.

Maybe it was the first video we talked about it. The shape is not completed yet. It will be rounded out to prevent the headbanging.

Good observation. When considering the build I first considred more complicated options. Like you said, something similar to a hybrid. I picked up on the positive pressure application from watching all those Australian overland videos. I think it was the Bruder that first brought it to my attention. But I can't take credit for it in this build, that was all Charles's idea. What you mentioned about the ground cover and barbecue is included in the under the bed storage. I may have done a poor job highlighting that in the video. That entire area will be accessed from the outside of the trailer. And it can be accessed from either side. Like you I did consider a tongue box. It could easily be added to the design. My only hesitation for folks is that adding a tongue box typically means adding addtional weight to the tongue. Keeping that weight more centered over the axles is typically the best route if possible. Great questions by the way. We will have two 5lb propane tanks. It is a feature I love. Each one is hidden in a nice little compartment built into the wheel wells. I am giving a bit away here, but this trailer is designed to look like it is coming out of the 1940s and 50s. There will be some pretty dramatic GMC flair style wheel wells on this trailer. This is something I have always wanted to test out. Can you make a trailer with classic wheel wells that performs in all situations? What paint, texture, coating is needed to hold up against the gravel abuse. And how well do wheel wells hold up against trail brush? I have always wanted a trailer that can go almost anywhere, but still look good. This is my chance to see if we can make that happen. I will not be installing a hot water system as I have found I often gravitate to a basic sponge bath over our nicer shower methods even though we own the equipment. However, in this buld I amm going to give the Joolca another shot. In my Joolca video I liked the shower. But my issue with it was setting it up. I mentioned in the video if I could keep it mounted full time it may be a viable option for our family. We will be mounting it on the trailer. Our current issue is that the box is just a tad taller than the door for the underbed storage. That would have been the ideal place to mount it. But I think we can come up with something. For the 2.0 version I may need to rise that bed up a couple of inches. Maybe even in this version, we will see. If you haven't seen our low water camp dish washing video you may want to check it out. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nd4redVQ6Wk.html This really reduced our water usage and made it not really necessary for traditonal dish washing methods. As for plumbing. The water will either come into our Joolca Triple Ensuite that we will be using as a side entry tent/shower/bathroom. Or if we can figure it out, this trailer will have it's own built in side entry room. Still working that one out. So far I have never found the need for the galley tent or galley side walls. But I am open to trying it out at some point.

@@PlayingwithSticks Great points! I reckon the Plymouth Deluxe and Pontiac Chieftain are two of the most beautiful cars ever made and I hope that's the design direction toward which you're leaning. I can't wait to see the final product! The Joolca system is a very nicely comprehensive system but if you are after a simpler but more portable option, have a look at the Companion Aquaheat Lithium (not sure if it's available in the USA though). BTW keeping the BBQ and ground sheet outside is purely for the smell, especially when you travel for a whole day in the hot sun 😁

I will have to look into that shower system, I’ve never heard of it. And good point on the smells I never thought of that. Hmmmm… Charles and I just decided a couple weeks ago I don’t need a tongue box. You have me thinking I probably do. This is why we posted this video. Those Blindspots always get you. Thank you for that!

@@Ess_Chalk The under bed storage that is accessed from outside is hermetically sealed off from the trailer interior. No smell will come up from there. And the retracting tongue make a tong box a complete redesign of that area. The storage uner the lower bunk could be converted to an outside accessable storage. But with forward storage weight and balance is always an issue. Especially on a trailer that is under 1000 lbs.

@@Ess_Chalk Wow, have you been looking at my sketch book. The fenders have actually changed from the ones Drew saw when he was here. They will look very much like the Plymouth Deluxe. That gives more storage inside for the propane tankes and other small stuff.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

I promised myself that the next time you see this trailer it will be finished. Now I know I will make a lot of changes to it. But, finished enough for you to get a 99% understanding of what it should be. Outside and all. I am really excited about the outside. I have a feeling it may surprise folks.

Same goes to you!

If you check out our first video on this I think you may understand the concept more. The standing room area will be 6'5" tall. That was a big must for us.

Oh man, he is one of those guys that has many interests. And then he has an expertise in a number of areas. Such a fun guy to talk with.

So good to see you on here!

@@PlayingwithSticks 👋🏽😊

I’ve been very eager to see what the R-values are like. Nobody’s really talked about it before until you mentioned it here. I had a suspicion that there would be an impact, just based on thinner walls. I need to consider potential air gaps as well. Makes sense. And the leveling thing that’s also new to me. Thank you for sharing all of this

I've been looking at Aframes and Runaway. Another one, I've been looking at is Encore RŎG 12RK Adventure Trailer. Never knew about the leveling issues. Thanks

@@PlayingwithSticks I’m sure a composite build would have a better r value than the stick built poorly insulated aframe I had. Not sure how much difference though as much of the losses were at the articulation points. Camping in the extremes were uncomfortable enough to just say no. Couldn’t keep it warm/cool enough and having to spend a half hour on putting up extra insulation (on top of the initial leveling/wall/roof set up) took too much time away from camping to be enjoyable The hinging was a source of concern too, as there is always air gaps. No matter how tight the gasket, they will have flaws. Another need to be 100% level. If not, a day of rain will channel drops to any weak points in those gaskets. We had one such spot in a corner, and discovered this on a particularly rainy trip in which we forgot to level. Almost became a very expensive lesson. There’s also the issue of rain runoff during storage and keeping the camper level during those times too But every breed of camper has their quirks. Composite builds do as well. Gotta love the smell of plastic lol. But I definitely enjoy it’s insulating properties as well as it’s much lighter weight. Hoping to see more in the market in the future

@@PlayingwithSticks R value of the foam core material is listed at 3.85. That is low and I may decide to make thicker walls. I will eventually make coupons and send them for testing. R value should be measured on the final product. The composite skins have some insulating value. The composite construction should have near zero air leaks. Of course there will need to always be airflow through such a small space. The variable speed forced air system shoud make that easy to manage. I think it will be fairly easy to stay comfortable in this trailer. The propex can supply a lot of heat. But this is clearly not an extreme winter camper.

Gross weight is going to be set at 1500 pounds. The shell weights 525 pounds. Suspension, galley equipment and water, EcoFlow power station, and bedding bring it up to about 830 pounds. So it has a usefull load for all the stuff campers take with them of 670 pounds. With the braking system it should be towable by almost any vehicle. I expect most campers will be pulling it at around 1100 pounds.

That’s what I like to hear Charles! Woot woot! And just so people don’t get confused that Ecoflow power kit is just something we are installing for our family. My guess is most people will be using either a portable power station to power this camper or a smaller power management system than we have installed. It doesn’t take a whole lot to run lights, fan, and a fridge.

I would love to show that side of our life. There are so many funny things we have been doing lately. But at the same time I am afraid of what that could become. I am very cautious to ensure that we have a balance between RU-vid and family life. This kind of stuff can be really time consuming. So I do my best to keep it a hobby and ensure my kids get a "fairly" normal upbringing. Haha. As normal as you can with our lifestyle.

When Charles had me look into this that was one of the selling points for me. I love getting into ecosystems that can build upon itself. This system not only can communicate wih all the other EcoFlow products it also is not proprietary in nature. Which means I get to use my solar and power stations from other brands as well. At CES they just released some crazy new stuff. They have a self powered and governed lawn mower! Haha.

Thank you Jeffrey! We appreciate the kind words.

Hi Garret, great seeing you! Good point on building around the power station. I would do the same thing. I often say that technology is changing so quickly that after you buy your lithium you will end up buying something new in 2-5 years before you even get the money out of those extra lithium cycles. So why not future build your trailer to be able to adapt to the changing lithium technologies. This was one of the main reasons we went with the Ecoflow Power Kit. Like I mentioned, I needed to have a strong foundation. Especially for testing things like induction stoves that many people have emailed us about lately. The beauty of the Power Kit, which I didn't explain in this video is that it is an ecosystem that works together with power stations and solar inputs. And, I must note, it is compatible with other brands. Which was very important to me. What this means is that although I built the trailer on the smallest battery (which is still huge at 2kWh) It has plug and play ports for solar, alternators, and power stations. So I will be able to quickly take my power stations and plug it into this system, whitout ever having to wire that portion up. Again I was really thankful Charles put up a fight on this one, because I think in the future I will be saying he was right. At the time it just seemed a little overkill and too much battery capacity for our needs. But at that time I didn't see the trailer as our experimental trailer. I was trying to build it pretty bare bones to give people an idea of what they could do. And like Christiine said, although I give Charles a hard time and I am still a little hesistant, I am super excited to put this "no-frame" to the test. I continue to ask Charles why nobody does it? And he says why do people not do a lot of things? Because they just follow what they know works. And that makes a ton of sense to me. Because I see so many great small camper manufacturers using some of the same components that are used in the large RV industry. And I often think there has to be another way. But, that means putting your neck out there a little bit. And even if it is better, people come to expect certain things. So in theory it could impact your sales as well. It could be better, but if the perception is that the standard thing is better it often is better to just keep with what people know. So yes, I am so excited to beat on this trailer. If it surives the Playing with Sticks test this could be something really big for the small camper world. As for the land speeder I didn't even have to beg. Inside I was begging though! Haha. They were really excited to throw me in or on all the vehicles. I think I forgot to highlight this in the first video, but the landspeeder with the removable engines actually has an engine in it for driving. They use it for parades! How cool is that!

Agreed! That is what we state in many of our videos. It doesn't take much to power a trailer and a fridge.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

I am glad you think so. That means a lot coming from you!

​@@PlayingwithSticksWhy, thank you! 😊

I'm like you though Pat. I am beginning to be a bit of a gear junky. So our trailer in particular will definitely be heavier than others. I am really excited to get it on the scales. I bet you are right on that AC. I was completely against refrigerators at one time. Look at me now! I am hopeful the insulation on this trailer will be somewhat like the Bean. With our original teardrop it got uncomfortably hot. With the Bean insulation combined with the MaxxAir Fan nwe never were uncomfortable. I was really surprised. But, our R-value will probably be nowhere near the Beans. That is something I want Charles to give us, an accurate R-value on all parts of the trailer. That Antishanty video really opened my eyes to the fact that the R-value can be scattered throughout the trailer when you have hinging mechanisms. Back to the AC. That is what I really like about these portable ACs coming out. You can bring it if you need it and leave it at home if you don't. Especially with a trailer as airy as yours, it is probably pretty easy to find spaces to vent it. LOVE YOUR LAST COMMENT! You always make me laugh. Great chatting with you here Pat.

@@PlayingwithSticks I'm not following the hand placement thing or the special gift. If it was funny I'm happy if not I'm sorry. Whatever it was I'm sure it was inadvertent. On the air conditioner we've considered the eco flow but the expense and bulk is so high for the once a year we "might" need it just haven't gone there...yet :) I'm very impressed with your design decisions so far. It'll be fun seeing it all put together and to hear your impressions after a few nights in the wild. With lack of frame I'm curious about weight and balance...mostly how much weight you can carry in the trailer. Once you reveal the battery(s) and propane tank choices it will be revealing. The extra water will be impactful potentially. I'm thinking those fiber glass propane tanks would be sic. ground clearance, wheel size options, hitch type, fridge choice and power draw/options are all things I'm looking forward to hearing about. Really curious about the ruggedness of the structure without a frame. Super interesting idea

@@pat9125 You sound like us with the fridge. But once we started using it, we were hooked. I would never leave home without the fridge now. I have the same thoughts as you about the weight distribution. It is just hard for me to fathom one spine and two independent axles being the load bearing part of the trailer. Although they are Timbren we are adding their suggested support bar across.Not suggested for all uses obviously, but for cases like ours. Propane will be very limited. We are hiding 1 5lb propane tank in each fender. With my heater use that may be a little lacking. We will have to see how that goes. Last fall there were many opportunities to use the heater. So I will be interested to see how much we use this year. As for the batteries I am going fairly small at 2kWh and then supplementing the rest with solar and portable power stations. I shouldn't need more until I start testing induction cooking. Even that I may be surprised to find that 2kWh and solar is enough. I honestly have no idea, because I have never studied what amount of energy they require. In terms of clearance and tires. I went with 15's because i like the look and the little bit of extra clearance. 14's would probably be a better fit for what this trailer is designed for. I forgot the clearance now. All I remember is that it was higher than I wanted. In a good way. I want to say it is somewhere near 15". As for everything else I was planning on going pretty basic as this trailer is designed more for blm, state forest, and HipCamp style camping. But I really should consider I nice articulating hitch. Although we aren't offroading it sure makes a better towing experience. And, well, I am already making this my crazy experimental trailer. I might as well just keep going with the fun add-ons. I think you just inspired an articulating hitch!

At the moment I find it is most affordable to buy teh Autowbrake straight from the company. The AutowBrake just makes sense. Put it where it belongs, on the trailer). This way there is no delays, not required brake controllers, and you can swap tow vehicles without any extra effort. We have had a number of people ask us to get the Sunray 109 on the channel. I will have to look into it more.

Hey Patrick! The more I look at them, the more I am intrigued as well. Where I really see myself using it is in applications where it sits out in the open. I think it would be great in our cargo trailer, a canvas tent/yurt or cabin. I think it looks clean enough to just hang out in the open. That way you can move it around and give it a new home from time to time.

Just last night I listed 5 floor plans for this trailer. I even have a front galley in mind for the toy hauler folks! A single queen bed would be placed forward making the den larger. But first we need to see Drew, May, and kids camping in this for a few months!

@@teardroplite I’m having a hard time finding the other floor plans? So wish this was available now. Heading to Canada this summer, Glacier National Park then down through CO and ending up in NM. To be able to pull a camper like this with my Outback would be a dream! So excited to see the final product!

You mean like the ones Burt Rutan's brother put under his LongEZ wings for is around the world flight? Jennifer you are always s delight to hear from.

@@teardroplite Hi charle. Nope i was thinking more along the lines of those used on the F-15 Silent eagle and being considered for use on all f-15's. the Rafale also has some wonderful conformal tanks it can carry. blended to be smooth to the body and allow smooth airflow over them. they don't increase the drag in in some cases even lower the drag. LongEZ were just normal "drop tanks" style. The new superhornet also has a fairly good conformal tank on it placed right over its engine intakes and blended right into the body.

@@jenniferstewarts4851 Wait until you see the fenders. They are headed in that direction.

@@teardroplite hehe, I suggested to drew, Conformal tank blisters, over the fenders... where its molded aerodynamically with a hatch to open to hide cargo, and the propane tank/tanks out of the air stream for clean air flow. Maybe propane one side, diesel on the other.

@@jenniferstewarts4851 5 pound propane in each side. Only one hooked up at a time.

Thank you! Is your name Houston. I have never heard that name. Houston Brown, I love the sound of it.

@@PlayingwithSticks Yes, that's my name. People with good taste usually like it. :)

@@HoustonBrownPhotography Nobody has ever said I have good taste. I will take it! Haha.

@@PlayingwithSticks I am sure your wife thinks so. :)

Very true!

Haha. Love it! If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

I'm excited to here it piqued your interest! Thanks Ted.

The intention for this trailer was to be very simple. Like I mentioned in the video, this is an experimental trailer for our family in terms of the complicated parts. The trailer that Charles would build would not have any of these complexities. The complicated components on the final build would just be the lift for the main top and lifting the bunk window. This should take about three minutes or less. All this other stuff you were seeing on our trailer is more for the channel. We want this trailer to be capable of testing anything that is out there. Beings this will be our main trailer. We don’t want to have to use other trailers just to test specific gear. Now, unfortunately, because we are designing this to be aerodynamically sound, this means for anything like a rooftop tent, awnings, road showers, basically anything you mount on the roof or the sides will have to use a different trailer to test those. Like you said, I think this will seem much less complicated when you see the final design.

Good points on the bunks. I’m assuming Charles will have two versions a family version and a non bunk version.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

We have been in quite a few larger travel trailers and 5th wheels over the years. And like you I fiind even our family struggles to stay in one. And I think there are a few factors at play there. #1 they are designed to be lived in. So because of this you end up not bringing the outdoor side entry tents and other features like bathrooms that, in our opinion, making camping easier and more enjoyable. And #2 most larger travel trailers are built with a layout that uses hallway living and an overuse of cabinets. Once we stayed in our pop-up camper and the cargo trailer I realized the issue wasn't as much about space, but more about design. By eliminating or thoughtfully placing cabinets and replacing narrow hallways with wide open areas you get a completely different indoor experience. But, I also completely agree with you that our style of camping isn't for everyone. So I am so glad to know there are options out there. And yes, good point on the EcoFlow I didn't mention it in the video. But, one of the things I love about this power kit is that it is part of Ecoflows larger Ecosystem. Like I said we built up the base of this trailer to support testing things like induction stovetops. And to do that we will probably need to attach additional power stations and solar. Another thing I REALLY like about the Power Kit is that it is not propriatary. We will be able to use our current solar panels and power stations from other brands. Which I think was a nice touch. I love ecosystems, but I hate being forced into them. If that makes sense.

We have seen a couple of those in Alaska. It’s a fun, unique design.

Just kidding! I was thinking of the standard Hi Lo camper. I have never seen that teardrop version. That’s crazy in all my research to find a pop up teardrop trailer I never found this. Thank you so much for sharing this.

This trailer has a gross weight of 1500 pounds. That is if you can think of enough heavy stuff to bring. Dry weight is about 800 depending on electrical components. If demand is there, we might make a smaller stand up version one day.

Oh, our first trailer is a 5x10 trailer. It got pushed into the corner, 80% finished, to build Drew and May their trailer. It will probably be for sale before this one.

Glad you enjoyed it Robin! This comment made my day.

Will do. I am yelling it over my shoulder right now. Haha. We are family cleaning today!

@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks! 😁

Thanks for asking. I've always wondered about this too.

We have had a few people ask that same question in the last couple of weeks. And you have a really good point. To be honest I don't know other than aesthetics. I find if you go that route it seems to only turn out two ways. It can either have a nice boxy almost military look if you are going for an offroad overland style trailer. Or it gets a really futuristic almost Jetson's like look if you are going for something more classic. Charles is a huge Aero guy, so when we were originally looking at this we highly considered something like you are talking about. But, I am a sucker for a classic nostalgic look. So this will have some pretty intense GMC style fenders. The neat thing about fenders that large though is that we will be able to hide one 5lb propane tank in the back side of each fender. I am excited to show you that in the final build. Carbon fiber for the rich, exactly! That is why Charles mentioned his special fiber at the end. He ran across something with some great qualities that will keep the cost down. I absolutly love the WeeRolls. I just suggested one to someone a few days ago. Wow, I had no idea some of them came in at 890lbs dry. Nice! I used to be a huge fan of cabinets. I am now changing my tune about them. I still think they belong, but I think a majority of manufacturers put them in the wrong place. I will talk about this in the next video. I couldn't figure out why I am so against larger travel trailers. And then it finally dawned on me after being in so many campers of so many different sizes and shapes. It is that hallway feel. I have come to realize, which was important in this design, that trailers don't really need to be big to feel big. They need to feel wide to feel big. And the problem is that most large trailers are built to feel narrow. Tight hallways and cabinets placed in ways that make you feel cabin sick much quicker than you would expect. When taking out our pop-up and our cargo trailer I quickly realized all you need is to stay away from the hallway feel and be very thoughtful about cabinet placement. I like your idea for how you would build it. Like you, we would do a second door. But on this build I found I just needed that extra wall space.

6' 5"

Glad you like it. In the first video we highlighted that it will be about 6'5" to 6'7" standing height. So it should accomodate most folks. I love Bolers. But I completely understand how it would be different at your height. I'm glad you mentioned EV. I have a feeling that will create an entirely new small camper market. I am super excited for it!

Great observation Anne. I tried to not be redundant with the build videos. In the first video, we mentioned that yes, it’s an emergency egress. You’re absolutely right you need at least two exits from a dwelling like this. And the more the merrier.

​@@PlayingwithSticks Great to hear. Please do give thought to each bed area, two different exits from each bed (just like bedrooms in houses) in case fire cuts off one route. Also, fire protection (extinguishers, fire blankets, etc.) within reach of each bed (and teach the occupants how to use them). It's a small space that can fill with noxious smoke and fumes quickly. Escape routes and gear must be within reach, to prevent anyone getting trapped inside or too disoriented to get out.

We have the fire exits covered, but this other stuff information mentioning is good to note. We have a CO and smoke detector. As well as an LP detector. But we never thought of the fire blankets and you reminded me I need to practice with the family the escape plan. I really appreciate this thoughtful response Anne.

@@PlayingwithSticks My eldest (age 21) and I are preparing to spend several months living out of my trailer while I work a volunteer job at a national monument. We have given a lot of thought to this and we will be practicing how to actually get out of the emergency escape windows. The bunk bed where my eldest will be is the furthest from the door and the included fire extinguisher. Nearly all of the trailer is between that bunk and the fire extinguisher. We are currently looking at where to place both a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach of the bunk. The bunk is directly across from both the heater vent and the stove, and is right above the water heater, so basically the bunk is the most at risk should a fire occur. Fire escape routes and fire safety doesn't seem to be a detail that is much discussed or consciously planned for in RVs. It is a little, enough to satisfy regulations, but I still see areas of concern. I would like to see it more conscientiously addressed throughout the industry.

Same. I am very interested in what the price point will be.

@@bephoebe It will most likely be insanely expensive. Or to put it another way, most people looking to buy a teardrop trailer won't be able to afford one.

Even carbon fiber camera tripods are insanely expensive, so I can't imagine how much a camper would cost!

Good question. Based on Charle's philosophy it will be affordable for what it is. But, I have a feeling it will still be up there with the price of a decent teardrop based on the size of this and materials used. However, Charles' main goal with his company is to build VERY affordable teardrop trailer kits. These will be more modest 5X10 style teardrops that can be assembled in a long weekend up to about a week.

Good question. Me too! Based on Charle's philosophy it will be affordable for what it is. But, I have a feeling it will still be up there with the price of a decent teardrop based on the size of this and materials used. However, Charles' main goal with his company is to build VERY affordable teardrop trailer kits. These will be more modest 5X10 style teardrops that can be assembled in a long weekend up to about a week.

Love the Safari Condo. I was really careful with the title of this video. I searched high and low for almost a year now to make sure we are the first to do something like this. The Safari in small camper nerd circles would be called a "standy." Some may even call it a canned ham. But a teardrop trailer by definition is non-standing height and has a galley kitchen. So that puts our trailer in a weird spot definition wise. In transport/storage mode it truly is a teardrop. But, once the roof goes up it is more of a "standy" with a galley kitchen. At some point we probably may need to come up with a definition for this type of trailer. Our goal with this one was for it to live big , but tow and store small. Like you I would love to get in an Alto and share it with the community. I think it is a really incredible trailer. To be honest I have a bit of window envy. That is the one thing the Alto will have that this will not. We will add a good amount of windows. But nothing like that full length window they have.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

Thanks. I have been building composite aircraft for more than 25 years. A guy on my airport built a steel framed wooden teardrop and I thought about applying my aviation skills to a teardrop. The first was 5 x 9.5 and well under 400 pounds.

You are absolutely right on the crossmember. That was a miscommunication one day on site. The door got cut in the wrong location when folks got tired. Lesson learned, don't make cuts when you are exhausted. The door will be moved to the front near the bed. Leaving a much stronger connection there in the rear. And good point on the racking in the winds. That is something that we will have to take into consideration when designing this. And yes, I am over the moon excited. I think about our camping adventures way too much! It is almost unhealthy. Haha.

Hahahaa!!!

True on all pts. here. One of the reasons and probably the biggest reason we won't be going with a tandem axle is weight. Even just the Timbren axles we put on this were much too heavy in terms of camper to axle weight ratio. We really want this trailer to be able to be towed by a large number of smaller vehicle. And then aesthetics. It is hard to see now, but when this camper is done it is going to look like a retro teardrop when traveling down the road. Baby moons, big old wheel wells, white walled tires. But, I completely agree with all your pts. We have had such a great towing experience with our double axle "half" converted cargo trailer. Even backing up is so much easier!

I am excited to show the side sections in the final design. The big part will be showing the gutters we put in for water management and hitting it with a power washer in the video. As for the parents bed it is a queen bed located about 3 inches below the bottom bunk. In our design, it run sideways meaning lengthwise from side of the trailer to side of the trailer. This is something our family prefers. But we assume most people would want it lengthwise, so I’m guessing the final design that Charles builds will be in the lengthwise configuration.

@@PlayingwithSticks I am looking forward to the next videos, then! Regarding an east-west or side to side queen bed, spacewise that makes most sense. I can understand some people wanting the north south or head to tail direction of the bed, especially if it provides access to each side of the bed. Not only does this make it easier for both occupants to be able to get in and out without climbing over one another, but it makes putting bedding on the mattress much easier. As a person with arthritic knees, I am understanding more and more the appeal of easy bed making. Might Charlie be able to offer both options?

Start at 3:45 for a brief view of the queen bed with green pillows at the head of the bed.

This treailer will only be sold assemnbled. Those who choose may do interior work themselves. As for the smaller kits we will offer, a good level, some basic hand tools are what is needed. The special fasteners used to hold things together while the adhesive cures will be made available, probably as a buy back/loaner option. If you can assemble IKEA furniture, you can assemble one of our trailers.

I appreciate you sharing this. That is similar to what Charles did. Currently there is basically webbing underneath the trailer. LIke you said those high and low frequency vibrations on the road are much stronger over time than people consider them to be.

Unfortunately my friend Charles, the builder of this trailer, passed away last year.

​@PlayingwithSticks Sorry to hear that, it was looking good. Maybe add a pinned note at the top with this update?

Nice! I love it.

If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would.

Actually there is almost no fiberglass in this build. Carbon fiber in several forms and another reinforcement to ensure durability and impact resistance.

I completely understand. If you go back to the pinned comment in this video (the first comment in the comment section) there is now a paragraph from Charles. It states quite a bit of information including thepricing of this trailer. And fortunately it came in much lower than many people thought it would. If this price is still too high, which it probably will be for many folks he will also be offering trailers at about 1/4 the price of this one in a kit form. They will be basic teardrop trailers (non standing height) but made of composite.