This was probably my favorite one on ur channel! I absolutely loved this, she made it simple, affordable and practical. It's like she bought this trailer went to Walmart and outfitted it, I mean come on how cool is that! This is what it's about! 10 out of 10 great job
Absolutely! I feel the same way! In fact, I'd like some tutorials on some of the stuff she DIY'd like the mosquito netting made from tule! That's fantastic!
Great job. I'm deciding between the abode and the totes. I've was thinking since you have a sewing machine, you could make fabric wall panels like a duvet using bubble wrap as the insulation.
Drew… let’s get something straight. Lynn has a mobile STUDIO APARTMENT!!! Great work with the work she’s done to make that trailer her own! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
So we picked up a dehumidifier that runs on our 12v DC (cigarette lighter) plug and that does a lot to cut down on condensation. We still get it on the windows (we camp in the mountains and it's cold every night) but the walls and ceiling don't get wet overnight. We also run a small dual-head fan off the same plug, which helps a ton. Our marine battery (I forget the capacity) can run both of those for 2.5 nights. Whole setup was less than $50, IIRC, and has made sleeping much more pleasant.
This comment is gold! Any chance you can share where you got the 12 V dehumidifier? Sometimes UA-cam allows links other times it doesn’t. We will see what happens. Thanks in advance for this, the community will really appreciate it.
@@DavidHancock Bummer. It did that thing again where it even bypassed my held for review folder. Any chance you could send the link to contactplayingwithsticks@gmail.com If it is a hassle no worries. Or even just leave the title of the item here in the comments and I can google it.
I love all the different modifications, especially the smaller bed so that you have somewhat or a mudroom or living area in your camper. I think if I was a solo traveler I would do the exact same, buy a trailer that allows me to add what I need. I love Lynn's bubbly personality.
It will involve building but you can use 2 x 4 s and build you a platform I did that in a mini van and put a real mattress on top, fitted sheet and a blanket I'm not concerned about making the bed just fold up the blanket and sit on the sheet and mattress. But if you are good at sewing you could make a fitted bed spread that's easy to put on the mattress. Another way just use a top sheet and sleep on top of the spread then no making is necessary. You try to make chores easy when on vacation. 73
"I'll have what she's having." I mean down to the last detail. This is brilliant and even doable for poor little ol' me! Now I can't wait to start working and saving this winter!
That is freaking adorable. It is also freaking sensible. I love the open back, as opposed to a standard teardrop with the standard kitchen. This is so much more versatile. I have storage similar to this in my SUV; I can add what fits and what works for me. But if I'm camping in my SUV, I can't have passengers because the seats are down. This is absolutely perfect. I could raise the center seat in the SUV, transport up to four other people, leave the third seat down for storage, and live in this.
Your welcome Drew. And goodness...thank YOU! You compiled an amazing video for your community, as always! I feel honored and priveledged to have met you and your beautiful family last fall and do this interview with you! My hope is it's informative and inspiring to others to expand their own creativity and customizing to meet their personal needs and desires...while on a budget. It's been a super fun journey so far this past year and continues to grow and evolve as I create a sustainable, versatile living space. I sure hope we meet again. All the very best to you and your precious family! You're awesome! God bless you.
@@lynnberry5922 So great to hear from you Lynn! I was hoping this video would get more traction. I think I may have made a poor thumbnail and title during the original release. I was really hoping to get your story out to more people. But, even this smaller audience has already benefited from your efforts. I can tell this walkthrough really impacted people in the same way it did for May and I. You truly are an inspiration Lynn! God bless you too Lynn!
I love these. My only reservation is that I don’t know if I can ever give up the security of being able to hop right into my driver’s seat and drive away from any danger.
I’d love to see more as Lynn travels and lives in her trailer. I’m the same age bracket and built an off road/off grid teardrop and did the same thing with my bed except that it’s length-wise in the rear. I love having that “space” up front. Being short helps too!
We would love to see/hear more of her adventures as well. Your setup sounds neat. Like you, we like that nice open square feeling you can create by opening up one section of the camper.
So many great ideas…this is my number choice..same as Lynne with the open to rest back! Great simple design yet an outlier with the open space and versatility…Cary at Camp-Inn teardrops told me she is working with them now! Thanks for this excellent video
I have a small teardrop that I changed the interior also. I lifted my bed to get more storage under it. I added a 3 drawer for clothing storage. Another for everything else. My rear kitchen is decked out with a frig, stove, microwave, extra space for food etc. I do have 2 windows and a sealing fan. I love mine.
Wow, what an awesome gal! Her aesthetics and design are beautiful, and her skills at modifying, sewing, etc. are excellent. I especially like the tents she has incorporated into the design. Beautiful gal with a great, positive attitude, as well. Bravo!
Yes, I am surprised that you are the first person to mention the tents. Well, I guess Jen did as well. But like me Jenn is a bit of a side entry tent fanatic. Like you I really like what Lynn did here. The idea of a tent within a tent is something we experiment with often. And like Lynn said, different tents for different conditions.
That is one sweet little set up! If you have access to 120 volt shore power, try a heating pad, it is smaller than an electric blanket, you will not be heating the air when sleeping which is extremely wasteful, and they have thermostats.
Hiker came out barely ahead of the Road Toad because we could modify and customize with wood. The composite scared us off and at the time (pre covid), they did not have many custom options compared to Hiker. However, the quality control and attention to detail of the Road Toad (assembly) appears SO MUCH better than the Hiker. Hiker, you get the crew of the day, they measure once and install once and make it work dings bumps and all, sloppy. Personally, we would never to a custom build per contract again, only inspect and buy in-stock and or used. Easy option to walk away with no obligation. Then you can inspect that custom build to see how things line-up and assembly TLC. That Road Toad looks squared away and a sweet setup indeed. Glad to see this little teardrop get some love.
This is some great advice you are sharing. I never considered the drawbacks of a custom camper in the way you are describing here. It really makes sense.
Drew, tell Lynn about temp rated sleeping bags. Don't know if the Walmart type stores have them but Cabellas or the like sure will. We use a three season bag and a winter bag, depending. Our non-insulated teardrop is comfortable for the two of us from the Arctic Circle, into Fall in the far north and up high elevations in early spring. For ten years of camping, we are not full timers or overlanders.
Yes, great suggestion. We will definitely let her know. And just as a reminder for other people reading this to take those temperature ratings with a grain of salt. I tend to go about 10° colder on the rating then I think I need. They tend to be optimistic on their temperature ratings 😂 unless you’re buying from a very pricey brand and then they tend to be pretty accurate
Good sleeping bags have 2 ratings - survival (you probably won't get hypothermia ;) ) and comfort. But the standardized rating is based a relatively thin sleeping pad -- being off the ground with a mattress with (probably) a higher R rating will help.
Thank you, Drew, for posting. I got a chance to talk to Lynn and see the trailer a few months back. She happened to be at the same campground we were at and had to stop when I saw it. Thank you, Lynn, for the tour. She mentioned there was a lot more to the interview than in your other videos so again, thank you for posting. I can hardly wait for mine to be ready (May 2024, but worth the wait). Perfect option for vehicles that can't tow much. Can't wait for the Camp Outt to see it again.
Great purchase! Bummer on the wait, but understandable. That was quite the deal when this first came out. Even at the price now it is still a great option for many. Glad you enjoyed the video. Probably got you excited and jealous at the same time. haha. Always tough waiting for a camper to get done. I'm in the same boat as you right now.
Lynn is incredible, because of her ability to create things to suit her needs on the go. However, I couldn't help feel overwhelmed by the amount of furniture and possessions that she is lugging around. I suppose there are different levels to minimalism just as to personal comfort and practicality.
Lynn did such an amazing job with her camper. It’s affordable, easy to maintain and tow, and super functional with some pleasing color matching and the capacity to hold a ton. The DIY work is extremely thoughtful and this is such an accessible setup for most people.
Great video and a lovely lady. This is a cool setup and I love that you can pull this rig with such a small vehicle. In case anyone else is planning to make tuile insect netting, I was once a Peace Corps volunteer in a mosquito prone area and we did not have window screens, so I made my own using tuile netting and a hot glue gun, but unfortunately tuile is delicate and rots very quickly so you have to remake those screens pretty often. A more sturdy option is to buy an actual mosquito net (for camping, not the decorative kind) and cut it to fit your space.
Wow, those are the cutest trailers! I love that they can be so versatile. The price is nice too! I wonder if a felt or flannel insulated panel cover on the bedside door would help with condensation... if the door is aluminum you could use velcro tape or command hooks.
That wAs great!!! Loved how she made it so cozy and had the space to have a mud room and more windows with screens, I’m from Wisconsin and I know how annoying mosquitoes can be. Beautiful job! Thanks!!
I love it so much! It is practical, almost a full home. She brings her hobbies, and books, and cooks more than just survival food. Once I get mine, that is very much what I have in mind too: A rolling home for my interests, hobbies, and arts to bring them along and knit overlooking the ocean, read in the shade of fruit trees, and make art while parked near a cute town.
My daughter grew up hot rodding and go karting, moto biking etc. When she got out of the Navy, she bought a 4dr tacoma, did a bunch of work, from danas, to a 6.2L v8, she got rid of the bed, and fabricated a side fold down work tray. Light weight and strong. She bought a small cargo trailer and re enforced the frame and built out the interior. where most people use heavy wood for interior framing/skeletal, she used alum, her cabinet faces are alum wrapped in carbon fiber for deco. She hauls dual sport bikes, an atv, etc. She has a light weight latch lock harbor freight toolkart, boxo KOH tool set in her truck, but a boxo box set in her trailer. solar on top of trailer, and truck, batteries in both, hauler has installed ac unit that can run all day and night for 2 or so days with as much power she has in her little trailer. she also rides harleys, and trikes, so her trailer has had alot of use. She also hauls her miata race car around to events. Right now she purchased in may, about 600 acres, shes already finished infrastructure for first portion of her tinyhouse community shes building for herself, her friends, and fellow off roaders/overlanders, other vets/bikers she met recently at sturgis rally, unit spots are already open and she already has 4 full time couples and 2 single renters, 3 couples are in medical field, doctors and nurses, 1 couple is a cop and fire fighter, other 2 singles are cops. She has a retired teacher and her husband a retired school district mechanic, moving in end of the month. Shes been offering affordable rent, cheap utilities as her place is connected to grid, but solar bias. Shes currently building 2 shipping containers into communal gym space, rogue fitness arsenal strength and sorinex. Her goal is to buy total about 1500-2000 acres by the time she is done, and to have numerous tinyhouse communes in her area. Shes offering home base/micro homesteads to folks in her overlanding groups, hot rod groups, homesteading group, and etc she runs. Right now folks are paying their utls, which isnt much, and rent isnt much either, iirc 600-800 a month depending on lot size and setup for additional storage options like garage sheds. there is a communal garage already, a shop building kit she quickly put up so she could work on her vehicles and on other peoples stuff. My other daughter in AZ has a few private tinyhouse communities in lower az, mid, and 2 in N AZ! she filled them with all her friends, old classmates who were displaced during the pandem, and had no affordable housing options. One area tinyhouses arent actually allowed, but the local AO allows it because entire community are fire fighters, nurses, doctors, rad techs, ofcs, deps, etc essential folks, they dont want to lose hahaha. My 16yo has similar setup as shown here. He has a regular cab shortbed 5.3L v8, pop top 4 season camper, tows a teardrop like this! Though his isnt modular so has a rear kitchen, single bed he shares with his blue heeler and pibby. The whole summer he lived all over our prop, only coming into the house to help with chores and such hehe. Tiny is def the way to go! Sees how kids are dealing with inflation is to live in their vehicles, or pool money together and build private communities. I noticed alot of them dont want internet exposure and enjoy their privacy haha. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Great video by the way!
What an amazing woman! I hope she can be safe enough living like this. I wish her the best! She is a woman I can understand, with her sewing machine (I will never go anywhere without mine) to make what she needs. 👏👍👍 Brava!
This is a perfect and neat little house with everything you need, the only thing I would add is floor mat, they make them in 8 x12 feet size, so you have a neat ground surface to walk on.
This is my fav teardrop vid. It's the epitome of what teardrops should be....low cost with functionality and durability/low maintenance. I could eventually see myself (and pups) in a teardrop in this vein of thought. Thankyou Lynn and Drew!
Fantastic trailer! And a very personable and astute woman using it! I really wanted to get a teardrop but I had a very disabled husband who couldn’t see how I could make it work. He wanted a 5th wheel that I would have had to modify to work with his wheelchair. We ended up doing nothing. I DID find a shuttle bus with the wheelchair lift at the front, giving me all of the room behind it (10’ feet) to build a bed as well as a table area for us to use. As luck has it, he took a serious turn for the worst and nothing got done. He is gone, now, and it is tempting to sell the bus and chase down a setup VERY similar to hers. Because she sews, she might consider creating some insulated panels to hang on the walls and doors as well as one with rows of Velcro to stick to the ceiling. The wall and door panels could be velcro’d onto the vertical spaces when the weather starts to turn and rolled up to live there decoratively. The ceiling panel(s) could be rolled up and tucked away under something and all of the panels could be placed in a compression bag when not in use. Wool is expensive, though I have been impressed by the cost of Havelock Wool. Because I also sew, I was going to do some patchwork art “quilt” panels using thrifted wool items and fulling (felting) them to create affordable panels to put into my tent. The problem is similar to tattoos. What designs could I use that I would not be weary of after a few years. Maybe cotton batting would provide more insulation than I think, or maybe a layer of denim on the interior side would eliminate the design issues. And maybe she is perfectly happy with the beautiful rig she has now. It does freeze in the south occasionally, though not on a Wisconsin level. I flew out of Colorado during a blizzard to teach a class in Green Bay, WI one year. It took me hours to warm up after walking across the street from the hotel to the venue when I was wearing a down coat and winter boots. I really had not experienced COLD before that week. It does NOT get that cold in Florida, NM, AZ or CA. Texas, along the Gulf, gets quite cold with the moisture. Still not Wisconsin cold but colder than a foot of snow in the Rockies. It’s not a daily thing, though, let alone seasonal.
Always good to see someone get excited about their camping setup and more importantly, be out using it. I was going to joke about all of that stuff on the sidewalk not going in the camper. Guess the joke was on me. 😀😀
Well done. Great camper and well thought out. I have seen the Toad Toad as I am a Camp Inn 550 owner. Cary and Graig are the best. You are in good company with them. They went out of their way for me. The camper is well built and can hold me and two Goldens. Like what you have done to stretch the space. May your journeys be many and the road long. Congratulations
Thank you very much for this video. I have been thinking about something like this and designing it in my mind. The shelf in the back was the missing piece. I want something I can use to haul cargo sometimes and sleep in most times. With a bike and kayak. This is exactly what I had put together in my mind. Love the carpet and velcro too! Thanks again.
Well said! I was hoping this was how people would receive this video. May and I were so impressed with her camper and her on screen presence. She was a natural at giving a Playing with Sticks walkthrough tour.
For insulation in colder months, radiator reflective fabric could be cut to shape and velcro secured on the back to ‘snap’ the insulation on and off and should be relatively cheap too
Thank you Lynn. I did the same thing with a Road Toad Totes, it's just an awesome blank canvas to work with and truly make it your own. My galley design is more traditional, but can be fully removed in minutes... just 4 bolts and a little reverse-Tetrising. Even with that, a traditional spring mattress, and an oak storage headboard up front, I'm only at 700lbs.
This is the best tarp set up I’ve seen. Very smooth slick look. Especially being a solo female “Teardropper” , I am so impressed at how she set this up.
Thank you Brad! We really appreciate the support. Lynn is wired a bit like you. In the creative sense that is. So neat to hear she had it all laid out in her head even before she got the trailer in hand.
I had watched Cosmo Weems discuss the Road Toad with the Camp-Inn owners. It struck me then that I would prefer the Tote for customization. Seeing it in practice really makes a difference. She's got great ideas. Considering a Runaway camper too but I like the things Camp-Inn offers like the Deluxe electric pkg and the Max Air vent.
Enjoying this tour so much as I retrofit my OWN new tiny camper... I share so many of the same reasons for wanting to travel and explore this way. I graduated from a 26 foot travel trailer with every imaginable luxury to my “square drop” that I can easily tow and move with an AWD crossover. I’m having a BLAST making it fit my needs and wants perfectly, also repurposing and/ or thrifting where I can. ❤ the tip of the mosquito netting behind the pegboard! Brilliant. Enjoy your journey, young lady; hope to see you out there!
Love your channel Drew. This is a GREAT example of perfect symbiosis between small scale fabricator, and owner. She has given this a lot of thought, and created a wonderful living environment. Kudos to you, solo, and Camp-Inn. Thanks for sharing.
This is what I want w the open Road Tiad so there’s that option to pop the back and make an epic view in the right conditions. It’s also a nice choice for taller campers. Great video Drew! Love her chill creativity.
Your little home on wheels is wonderful. You've done a really good job making a neat, organized, versatile space. Suggestion... If you take one of those moisture absorbing containers, with the little charcoal infused beads (from the dollar store) that you put in closets, it will help with condensation. I replaced an electric dehumidifier with one of those, and it actually does much better. My (RV) windows used to sweat, and now they stay much drier. I'm in 180 sq ft and just one container works for my whole space.
I have carpet on the walls and ceiling of my squaredrop. A lot of people might not like the look, but I do appreciate that lack of condensation and the ability to attach all sort of things with velcro.
Just a little tip: A UCO candle lantern would help with both the buildup of condensation, and it adds a surprising amount of heat on those cold nights.
Thank you Lynn and Drew! This was definitely worth the wait. I love Lynn's ingenuity, and the tip about raising the counter height is much appreciated. I also have a cot and would set up in the same fashion. Thank you for another wonderful tour!❤❤❤
yes ! happy to see y9ou with that 10x10 thats an idea i thought of to park my suv under for shade and use as an outside room for cooking. i see it works great for you. love your whole setup. its great.
You are a very smart and beautiful woman. I am 68 and in the process of making a step van into my home. I have lived in 2 different vans but this stepvan is going to be like the Tag Mahal. I love fishing in creeks in the mountains. I am in Florida but from time to time I can drive 6 to 7 hours and be in the mountains of Georgia with good trout fishing creeks. Fresh caught fish cooked on a fire beside the creek. Doesn't get any better than that.
She shows off what owning a teardrop is all about, minimalistic living and making a home to travel, loving it, congrats to her.
Yes, she did such a good job highlighting the small camper lifestyle.
This was probably my favorite one on ur channel! I absolutely loved this, she made it simple, affordable and practical. It's like she bought this trailer went to Walmart and outfitted it, I mean come on how cool is that! This is what it's about! 10 out of 10 great job
So glad to hear this. Lynn's story really resonated with me. So it feels great to know it resonates with you as well.
Absolutely! I feel the same way! In fact, I'd like some tutorials on some of the stuff she DIY'd like the mosquito netting made from tule! That's fantastic!
Seriously! You took the words right out of my mouth! ⛺🎪🏕
Total agreement here. I love the open concept of no galley. And of course, like her, I might want to haul something and use my trailer as a trailer
Great job. I'm deciding between the abode and the totes.
I've was thinking since you have a sewing machine, you could make fabric wall panels like a duvet using bubble wrap as the insulation.
Drew… let’s get something straight. Lynn has a mobile STUDIO APARTMENT!!! Great work with the work she’s done to make that trailer her own! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
I keep chaging my video title. Maybe that is what I should have called this. Studio Apartment. I love it!
I have to say that this wonderful lady changed my mind about teardrops!!!! If she has her own channel, please pass it along.
So we picked up a dehumidifier that runs on our 12v DC (cigarette lighter) plug and that does a lot to cut down on condensation. We still get it on the windows (we camp in the mountains and it's cold every night) but the walls and ceiling don't get wet overnight. We also run a small dual-head fan off the same plug, which helps a ton. Our marine battery (I forget the capacity) can run both of those for 2.5 nights. Whole setup was less than $50, IIRC, and has made sleeping much more pleasant.
This comment is gold! Any chance you can share where you got the 12 V dehumidifier? Sometimes UA-cam allows links other times it doesn’t. We will see what happens. Thanks in advance for this, the community will really appreciate it.
@@PlayingwithSticks just a quick second reply to check your held for review comments in case YT restricted my link.
@@DavidHancock Bummer. It did that thing again where it even bypassed my held for review folder. Any chance you could send the link to contactplayingwithsticks@gmail.com If it is a hassle no worries. Or even just leave the title of the item here in the comments and I can google it.
Here is the link to the dehumidifier David is referring to amzn.to/3rNZ20s
@@PlayingwithSticks If the DC cord isn't in that kit or on Amazon, it will be available on the maker's website.
I love all the different modifications, especially the smaller bed so that you have somewhat or a mudroom or living area in your camper. I think if I was a solo traveler I would do the exact same, buy a trailer that allows me to add what I need. I love Lynn's bubbly personality.
AGREED!
I need a real bed, terrible insomnia
It will involve building but you can use 2 x 4 s and build you a platform I did that in a mini van and put a real mattress on top, fitted sheet and a blanket I'm not concerned about making the bed just fold up the blanket and sit on the sheet and mattress. But if you are good at sewing you could make a fitted bed spread that's easy to put on the mattress. Another way just use a top sheet and sleep on top of the spread then no making is necessary. You try to make chores easy when on vacation. 73
I hate auto correct which is more like auto error. 73
"I'll have what she's having." I mean down to the last detail. This is brilliant and even doable for poor little ol' me! Now I can't wait to start working and saving this winter!
Shes making me like teardrop campers more haha
I love the way she made the extra space outside the door. I would call that her mudroom.
That is freaking adorable. It is also freaking sensible. I love the open back, as opposed to a standard teardrop with the standard kitchen. This is so much more versatile. I have storage similar to this in my SUV; I can add what fits and what works for me. But if I'm camping in my SUV, I can't have passengers because the seats are down. This is absolutely perfect. I could raise the center seat in the SUV, transport up to four other people, leave the third seat down for storage, and live in this.
Looks cozy..you go girl
It truly does! I was shocked how homie she made such a small trailer
Thank you so much Lynn! What an amazing little cozy retreat you have created. You have really inspired May and I to make our trailer uniquely us.
Your welcome Drew. And goodness...thank YOU! You compiled an amazing video for your community, as always! I feel honored and priveledged to have met you and your beautiful family last fall and do this interview with you! My hope is it's informative and inspiring to others to expand their own creativity and customizing to meet their personal needs and desires...while on a budget. It's been a super fun journey so far this past year and continues to grow and evolve as I create a sustainable, versatile living space. I sure hope we meet again. All the very best to you and your precious family! You're awesome! God bless you.
@@lynnberry5922 So great to hear from you Lynn! I was hoping this video would get more traction. I think I may have made a poor thumbnail and title during the original release. I was really hoping to get your story out to more people. But, even this smaller audience has already benefited from your efforts. I can tell this walkthrough really impacted people in the same way it did for May and I. You truly are an inspiration Lynn! God bless you too Lynn!
She did an amazing job..this is near perfect.
Where did you find the side tent with stripes? I can only find in 4x4 and yours looks bigger
@@gypsychick4394It's an Eagle Peak 4 x 4.
I really like she made it her own. Making things functional for you is important..
You're an inspiration. 🤗
Thank you.
I totally agree with the smaller raised bed. I have dog & the place would be an absolute mess! I love this & think it’s just perfect!!!
She is happy and positive. Really enjoyed the video. 😊❤
Booyah 👊🏽 😁 👍🏽 🇺🇸, I m interested
Hello from Northern Ontario Canada. What a wonderful home you have made Lynn. My gosh it looks so cozy and appealing.
Always fun knowing our northern neighbors are on here! 🇨🇦
I love these. My only reservation is that I don’t know if I can ever give up the security of being able to hop right into my driver’s seat and drive away from any danger.
I’d love to see more as Lynn travels and lives in her trailer. I’m the same age bracket and built an off road/off grid teardrop and did the same thing with my bed except that it’s length-wise in the rear. I love having that “space” up front. Being short helps too!
We would love to see/hear more of her adventures as well. Your setup sounds neat. Like you, we like that nice open square feeling you can create by opening up one section of the camper.
Lynn needs to start her own channel!
@@bephoebe I couldn't agree more! All that video was shot in one take. She is so articulate, while also being calm and personable.
How long across is it? I’m 5-4 but need to not be cramped. A twin or double mattress is barely usable for me on a regular basis
So many great ideas…this is my number choice..same as Lynne with the open to rest back! Great simple design yet an outlier with the open space and versatility…Cary at Camp-Inn teardrops told me she is working with them now! Thanks for this excellent video
I have a small teardrop that I changed the interior also. I lifted my bed to get more storage under it. I added a 3 drawer for clothing storage. Another for everything else. My rear kitchen is decked out with a frig, stove, microwave, extra space for food etc. I do have 2 windows and a sealing fan. I love mine.
Great practical ideas. I've been put off of teardrops because of lack of access to the kitchen area from inside. Much safer for solo travelling.
Wow, what an awesome gal!
Her aesthetics and design are beautiful, and her skills at modifying, sewing, etc. are excellent.
I especially like the tents she has incorporated into the design.
Beautiful gal with a great, positive attitude, as well.
Bravo!
Yes, I am surprised that you are the first person to mention the tents. Well, I guess Jen did as well. But like me Jenn is a bit of a side entry tent fanatic. Like you I really like what Lynn did here. The idea of a tent within a tent is something we experiment with often. And like Lynn said, different tents for different conditions.
That is one sweet little set up!
If you have access to 120 volt shore power, try a heating pad, it is smaller than an electric blanket, you will not be heating the air when sleeping which is extremely wasteful, and they have thermostats.
Hiker came out barely ahead of the Road Toad because we could modify and customize with wood. The composite scared us off and at the time (pre covid), they did not have many custom options compared to Hiker. However, the quality control and attention to detail of the Road Toad (assembly) appears SO MUCH better than the Hiker. Hiker, you get the crew of the day, they measure once and install once and make it work dings bumps and all, sloppy. Personally, we would never to a custom build per contract again, only inspect and buy in-stock and or used. Easy option to walk away with no obligation. Then you can inspect that custom build to see how things line-up and assembly TLC. That Road Toad looks squared away and a sweet setup indeed. Glad to see this little teardrop get some love.
This is some great advice you are sharing. I never considered the drawbacks of a custom camper in the way you are describing here. It really makes sense.
Drew, tell Lynn about temp rated sleeping bags. Don't know if the Walmart type stores have them but Cabellas or the like sure will. We use a three season bag and a winter bag, depending. Our non-insulated teardrop is comfortable for the two of us from the Arctic Circle, into Fall in the far north and up high elevations in early spring. For ten years of camping, we are not full timers or overlanders.
Yes, great suggestion. We will definitely let her know. And just as a reminder for other people reading this to take those temperature ratings with a grain of salt. I tend to go about 10° colder on the rating then I think I need. They tend to be optimistic on their temperature ratings 😂 unless you’re buying from a very pricey brand and then they tend to be pretty accurate
Good sleeping bags have 2 ratings - survival (you probably won't get hypothermia ;) ) and comfort. But the standardized rating is based a relatively thin sleeping pad -- being off the ground with a mattress with (probably) a higher R rating will help.
@@brianmccarty3615 Don't know where you get your bags but here, in Canada, they are temperature rated. I've never seen one with two ratings.
Check out EN 13537 (replaced by ISO 23537-1:2022)
Thank you, Drew, for posting. I got a chance to talk to Lynn and see the trailer a few months back. She happened to be at the same campground we were at and had to stop when I saw it. Thank you, Lynn, for the tour. She mentioned there was a lot more to the interview than in your other videos so again, thank you for posting. I can hardly wait for mine to be ready (May 2024, but worth the wait). Perfect option for vehicles that can't tow much. Can't wait for the Camp Outt to see it again.
Great purchase! Bummer on the wait, but understandable. That was quite the deal when this first came out. Even at the price now it is still a great option for many. Glad you enjoyed the video. Probably got you excited and jealous at the same time. haha. Always tough waiting for a camper to get done. I'm in the same boat as you right now.
Looks like a cozy little trailer 👍😊
Wait. So she remodeled an existing teardrop? I couldn't even begin to imagine how to do something awesome like that!!
So perfect for her!! I love her set-up!
Lynn is incredible, because of her ability to create things to suit her needs on the go. However, I couldn't help feel overwhelmed by the amount of furniture and possessions that she is lugging around. I suppose there are different levels to minimalism just as to personal comfort and practicality.
I've seen a lot of tear dtopds I must say I love how she has the bed and floor space that's for me great job love it so cute❤️❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful usage of space!
There’s something soooo satisfying to see someone who’s thought out what they need and how that can fit into the space that’s available.
Where did you find the small outdoor striped tent?
Lynn did such an amazing job with her camper. It’s affordable, easy to maintain and tow, and super functional with some pleasing color matching and the capacity to hold a ton. The DIY work is extremely thoughtful and this is such an accessible setup for most people.
Great video and a lovely lady. This is a cool setup and I love that you can pull this rig with such a small vehicle. In case anyone else is planning to make tuile insect netting, I was once a Peace Corps volunteer in a mosquito prone area and we did not have window screens, so I made my own using tuile netting and a hot glue gun, but unfortunately tuile is delicate and rots very quickly so you have to remake those screens pretty often. A more sturdy option is to buy an actual mosquito net (for camping, not the decorative kind) and cut it to fit your space.
Wow, those are the cutest trailers! I love that they can be so versatile. The price is nice too! I wonder if a felt or flannel insulated panel cover on the bedside door would help with condensation... if the door is aluminum you could use velcro tape or command hooks.
Very cool it's basically a small sailboat kind of space
That wAs great!!! Loved how she made it so cozy and had the space to have a mud room and more windows with screens, I’m from Wisconsin and I know how annoying mosquitoes can be. Beautiful job! Thanks!!
I like her setup and how she made it work for her. Thats the best way.
From one Wisconsinite to another …. YOU GO GIRL!! Enjoy your travels!
I love it so much! It is practical, almost a full home. She brings her hobbies, and books, and cooks more than just survival food.
Once I get mine, that is very much what I have in mind too: A rolling home for my interests, hobbies, and arts to bring them along and knit overlooking the ocean, read in the shade of fruit trees, and make art while parked near a cute town.
This lady is cool as heck.
Agreed!
She is awesome, what a great set up and fun plan for retirement. ❤
My daughter grew up hot rodding and go karting, moto biking etc. When she got out of the Navy, she bought a 4dr tacoma, did a bunch of work, from danas, to a 6.2L v8, she got rid of the bed, and fabricated a side fold down work tray. Light weight and strong. She bought a small cargo trailer and re enforced the frame and built out the interior. where most people use heavy wood for interior framing/skeletal, she used alum, her cabinet faces are alum wrapped in carbon fiber for deco. She hauls dual sport bikes, an atv, etc. She has a light weight latch lock harbor freight toolkart, boxo KOH tool set in her truck, but a boxo box set in her trailer. solar on top of trailer, and truck, batteries in both, hauler has installed ac unit that can run all day and night for 2 or so days with as much power she has in her little trailer. she also rides harleys, and trikes, so her trailer has had alot of use. She also hauls her miata race car around to events.
Right now she purchased in may, about 600 acres, shes already finished infrastructure for first portion of her tinyhouse community shes building for herself, her friends, and fellow off roaders/overlanders, other vets/bikers she met recently at sturgis rally, unit spots are already open and she already has 4 full time couples and 2 single renters, 3 couples are in medical field, doctors and nurses, 1 couple is a cop and fire fighter, other 2 singles are cops. She has a retired teacher and her husband a retired school district mechanic, moving in end of the month. Shes been offering affordable rent, cheap utilities as her place is connected to grid, but solar bias. Shes currently building 2 shipping containers into communal gym space, rogue fitness arsenal strength and sorinex.
Her goal is to buy total about 1500-2000 acres by the time she is done, and to have numerous tinyhouse communes in her area. Shes offering home base/micro homesteads to folks in her overlanding groups, hot rod groups, homesteading group, and etc she runs. Right now folks are paying their utls, which isnt much, and rent isnt much either, iirc 600-800 a month depending on lot size and setup for additional storage options like garage sheds. there is a communal garage already, a shop building kit she quickly put up so she could work on her vehicles and on other peoples stuff.
My other daughter in AZ has a few private tinyhouse communities in lower az, mid, and 2 in N AZ! she filled them with all her friends, old classmates who were displaced during the pandem, and had no affordable housing options. One area tinyhouses arent actually allowed, but the local AO allows it because entire community are fire fighters, nurses, doctors, rad techs, ofcs, deps, etc essential folks, they dont want to lose hahaha.
My 16yo has similar setup as shown here. He has a regular cab shortbed 5.3L v8, pop top 4 season camper, tows a teardrop like this! Though his isnt modular so has a rear kitchen, single bed he shares with his blue heeler and pibby. The whole summer he lived all over our prop, only coming into the house to help with chores and such hehe.
Tiny is def the way to go! Sees how kids are dealing with inflation is to live in their vehicles, or pool money together and build private communities. I noticed alot of them dont want internet exposure and enjoy their privacy haha. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Great video by the way!
What an amazing woman! I hope she can be safe enough living like this. I wish her the best! She is a woman I can understand, with her sewing machine (I will never go anywhere without mine) to make what she needs. 👏👍👍 Brava!
beautiful little camper, thanks for sharing it with us! Love your channel!
This is such a beautiful living space - I love everything about it. Smart & creative woman!
And she pulls it with a Soul!? Pretty cool.
This is a perfect and neat little house with everything you need, the only thing I would add is floor mat, they make them in 8 x12 feet size, so you have a neat ground surface to walk on.
Lyns done real well on this set-up. Everything made sense 👌🏾
This is my fav teardrop vid. It's the epitome of what teardrops should be....low cost with functionality and durability/low maintenance. I could eventually see myself (and pups) in a teardrop in this vein of thought.
Thankyou Lynn and Drew!
Fantastic trailer! And a very personable and astute woman using it! I really wanted to get a teardrop but I had a very disabled husband who couldn’t see how I could make it work. He wanted a 5th wheel that I would have had to modify to work with his wheelchair. We ended up doing nothing. I DID find a shuttle bus with the wheelchair lift at the front, giving me all of the room behind it (10’ feet) to build a bed as well as a table area for us to use. As luck has it, he took a serious turn for the worst and nothing got done. He is gone, now, and it is tempting to sell the bus and chase down a setup VERY similar to hers.
Because she sews, she might consider creating some insulated panels to hang on the walls and doors as well as one with rows of Velcro to stick to the ceiling. The wall and door panels could be velcro’d onto the vertical spaces when the weather starts to turn and rolled up to live there decoratively. The ceiling panel(s) could be rolled up and tucked away under something and all of the panels could be placed in a compression bag when not in use. Wool is expensive, though I have been impressed by the cost of Havelock Wool. Because I also sew, I was going to do some patchwork art “quilt” panels using thrifted wool items and fulling (felting) them to create affordable panels to put into my tent. The problem is similar to tattoos. What designs could I use that I would not be weary of after a few years. Maybe cotton batting would provide more insulation than I think, or maybe a layer of denim on the interior side would eliminate the design issues. And maybe she is perfectly happy with the beautiful rig she has now. It does freeze in the south occasionally, though not on a Wisconsin level. I flew out of Colorado during a blizzard to teach a class in Green Bay, WI one year. It took me hours to warm up after walking across the street from the hotel to the venue when I was wearing a down coat and winter boots. I really had not experienced COLD before that week. It does NOT get that cold in Florida, NM, AZ or CA. Texas, along the Gulf, gets quite cold with the moisture. Still not Wisconsin cold but colder than a foot of snow in the Rockies. It’s not a daily thing, though, let alone seasonal.
Always good to see someone get excited about their camping setup and more importantly, be out using it. I was going to joke about all of that stuff on the sidewalk not going in the camper. Guess the joke was on me. 😀😀
Well done. Great camper and well thought out. I have seen the Toad Toad as I am a Camp Inn 550 owner. Cary and Graig are the best. You are in good company with them. They went out of their way for me. The camper is well built and can hold me and two Goldens. Like what you have done to stretch the space. May your journeys be many and the road long. Congratulations
This is perfect!
Lynn made really smart choices. I am so impressed with how this worked out.
I tow a Runaway Coolcamp with my Kia Soul. And decided on it for the same reasons she chose. Great video. I could relate to it so much!
This is at the top of my list for teardrops.
It’s near the top of ours as well! It makes sense in so many ways
Love this!!!
Lynn is beautiful! What an exuberant spirit! Now you got me thinking in a whole new way. Thank you for this interview!
Thank you very much for this video. I have been thinking about something like this and designing it in my mind. The shelf in the back was the missing piece. I want something I can use to haul cargo sometimes and sleep in most times. With a bike and kayak. This is exactly what I had put together in my mind. Love the carpet and velcro too! Thanks again.
What a lovely person she is…a delight!!
She has her entire act together!!
She’s assembled quite the perfect (for her) camper !!
Well said! I was hoping this was how people would receive this video. May and I were so impressed with her camper and her on screen presence. She was a natural at giving a Playing with Sticks walkthrough tour.
Very nice! I've been watching for this one.
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a lovely warm human being Lynn is! And very practical, I learnt so much from her 🇦🇺
For insulation in colder months, radiator reflective fabric could be cut to shape and velcro secured on the back to ‘snap’ the insulation on and off and should be relatively cheap too
Thank you Lynn. I did the same thing with a Road Toad Totes, it's just an awesome blank canvas to work with and truly make it your own. My galley design is more traditional, but can be fully removed in minutes... just 4 bolts and a little reverse-Tetrising. Even with that, a traditional spring mattress, and an oak storage headboard up front, I'm only at 700lbs.
This is the best tarp set up I’ve seen. Very smooth slick look. Especially being a solo female “Teardropper” , I am so impressed at how she set this up.
Lynn did a great job, and you did a great job showing it. God bless you both.
Thank you so much Dave! Blessings to you in return.
I loved the video! It is great to see people make such a wonderful living space! Thanks Drew! 🙂
Thank you Brad! We really appreciate the support. Lynn is wired a bit like you. In the creative sense that is. So neat to hear she had it all laid out in her head even before she got the trailer in hand.
@@PlayingwithSticks You are welcome! I think it was one of the best interviews you have done! 👍
@@jgrant4520 Thanks Brad! That means a lot to me.
She did such a great job. I'd love it.
I had watched Cosmo Weems discuss the Road Toad with the Camp-Inn owners. It struck me then that I would prefer the Tote for customization. Seeing it in practice really makes a difference. She's got great ideas. Considering a Runaway camper too but I like the things Camp-Inn offers like the Deluxe electric pkg and the Max Air vent.
Enjoying this tour so much as I retrofit my OWN new tiny camper... I share so many of the same reasons for wanting to travel and explore this way. I graduated from a 26 foot travel trailer with every imaginable luxury to my “square drop” that I can easily tow and move with an AWD crossover. I’m having a BLAST making it fit my needs and wants perfectly, also repurposing and/ or thrifting where I can. ❤ the tip of the mosquito netting behind the pegboard! Brilliant. Enjoy your journey, young lady; hope to see you out there!
I love what she did. And now they are offering a double shelf at that same height for a space of 40 x 60 with both installed.
Love your channel Drew. This is a GREAT example of perfect symbiosis between small scale fabricator, and owner. She has given this a lot of thought, and created a wonderful living environment. Kudos to you, solo, and Camp-Inn. Thanks for sharing.
I love this trailer fantastic thanks for showing this beautiful, Thankyou playing with sticks great chanel do they offer an off road package .
Curious how she packs it all up and stores everything when it's time to leave the campsite
This is what I want w the open Road Tiad so there’s that option to pop the back and make an epic view in the right conditions. It’s also a nice choice for taller campers. Great video Drew! Love her chill creativity.
beautiful teardrop - it is so nice to see a masterful designer modify a very small trailer. Such a gem!
Truly. It is one thing to design a camper. But wow, making a small camper feel big. That is incredible!
Oh I love this set up! I’m doing research now!!
Your little home on wheels is wonderful. You've done a really good job making a neat, organized, versatile space.
Suggestion... If you take one of those moisture absorbing containers, with the little charcoal infused beads (from the dollar store) that you put in closets, it will help with condensation. I replaced an electric dehumidifier with one of those, and it actually does much better. My (RV) windows used to sweat, and now they stay much drier. I'm in 180 sq ft and just one container works for my whole space.
Thank you for sharing this!
Thank so much for the condensation hack!
I love this! Easy, comfy camping.
Thanks Lynn, You make me believe I can do this to. :)
This has given me so many ideas. Thank you!
I have carpet on the walls and ceiling of my squaredrop. A lot of people might not like the look, but I do appreciate that lack of condensation and the ability to attach all sort of things with velcro.
What a great job this lady made of this! Thank you for sharing.
Just a little tip: A UCO candle lantern would help with both the buildup of condensation, and it adds a surprising amount of heat on those cold nights.
We love our little UCO light!
Sorry guys, I don’t know the acronym UCO?
@@REGLeaf..this is a specific candle lantern brand..one or 3 candles design
Using the shoe rack was brilliant
It looks so fun. Happy for you and be safe.
That camper is very groovy. Happy trails for you. Be safe. Enjoy. Peace.
Thank you Lynn and Drew! This was definitely worth the wait. I love Lynn's ingenuity, and the tip about raising the counter height is much appreciated. I also have a cot and would set up in the same fashion. Thank you for another wonderful tour!❤❤❤
Glad this was helpful. Like you I thought the counter height was really smart.
Love this, if only it could be winter liveable.
yes ! happy to see y9ou with that 10x10 thats an idea i thought of to park my suv under for shade and use as an outside room for cooking. i see it works great for you. love your whole setup. its great.
I am so inspired! She’s great!
What a great little trailer; I really like the way she modded this.
What is the brand/model of that 4x4 tent with walls? Got a link? I like that! Great build!
Great Camper! Loved your innovative can do spirit. Best wishes for all your camping adventures. ❤😊
You are a very smart and beautiful woman. I am 68 and in the process of making a step van into my home. I have lived in 2 different vans but this stepvan is going to be like the Tag Mahal. I love fishing in creeks in the mountains. I am in Florida but from time to time I can drive 6 to 7 hours and be in the mountains of Georgia with good trout fishing creeks. Fresh caught fish cooked on a fire beside the creek. Doesn't get any better than that.
Ok Lynn is my idol. I am obsessed. ❤