Traditional vs Off Road Teardrop
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Traditional vs off road teardrop, which one is for you? Purchasing a teardrop trailer is a big decision and we hope to make that decision a little easier for you. Today we will be taking out our traditional teardrop and an off road teardrop trailer from Valiant Trailers. We will be heading out in Alaska to guide you through 17 questions to help you choose the best teardrop trailer based on your personal camping lifestyle.
Taking a teardrop trailer off road is one of the most exhilarating experiences you can have camping, but so can taking a little bit of history on the road with you in a traditional teardrop trailer. We will be putting the two teardrop trailers head to head with the intention of finding you the best teardrop trailer for your garage, campsite, and wallet. A teardrop camper may be small, but they are mighty!
Trailers that sport retro teardrop designs carry a bit of history with them and they have been gaining popularity in the last couple of decades. An off road trailer is newer to the scene but brings with them a whole new world of opportunities with higher clearance, stronger builds, and lifetime teardrop camper warranties.
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If you are new to Playing with Sticks check out our playlists for many more small camper videos. And if teardrop trailers is what you are into we have plenty of those videos to choose from as well!
OKAY...Did we convince you one way or the other? We are interested to hear what type of teardrop you are all into. If you were to buy or build one today would it be a traditional teardrop or a classic teardrop?
If you're a newbie, I would recommend you buy a Runaway Camper or a WeeRoll trailer. However, I do like the T@b S and T@b 400 teardrop trailers.
We completely agree with everything you just said! We think it's best to start off with trailers on the lower end of the budget. Because you may find that's all you need. For us we love the simplicity of our little teardrop. But if you need a few more creature comforts those T@b trailers are great! Thanks for sharing this with everyone.
I have been researching tiny trailers for months, at first I thought I wanted an A frame but after seeing both an A-Liner and TAG at an RV show, I’m in love with the TAG. I thought I wanted the standard TAG so my corgi can easily get up into it, but I think your video is steering me toward the TAG boondock model. I have a Subaru Outback, and I can see me wanting to explore off-road with it. Thanks for this helpful video!
Love your channel....awaiting delivery of our Oregon Trail'r Terradrop Alpha...
No, you showed a little of the inside..
Great video brother 👍
I built a 2000 XJ for overlanding & crawling. Now I'm in the process of building a new off-road trailer to go with it. I was going to go with the traditional style teardrop style for the looks but after watching your videos,I decided to go with the off-road style for the extra rooftop storage area.
I really appreciate all you and your family are doing for the overland & off-road community here in the US.
May the Lord bless you all with many amazing adventures and memories you,the misses & the kiddos will look back on when they're grown up.
What a sweet comment! Your XJ sounds awesome. Now pair that with an offroad teardrop and you are going to be the talk of your overland club! Don't let us completely talk you out of the traditional. There are quite a few companies that popped up the last 5 years who have have lessened the roof taper to allow a nice area for rooftop tents, jerry cans, and other gear. So they still get to keep those nice clean lines and have the fun gear up top. But, do remember the square design does gain you a bit more space in the interior when you eliminate that slope. God's blessings on you and yours as well!
I started out building traditional teardrops. Last year I started my first “off road” teardrop. Both are built very similar. I just started an aluminum frame build. This one is going to be the extreme of extremes. On board solar, propane, rooftop tent, front deck, upper tent deck, awnings etc, etc....! I use mostly big box store tools. Helps that I am an engineer by trade but anyone with the desire to own one of these can achieve the end goal. Time and patience is key. Great video
That is great to hear that this can be done without special tools and skills. What a fun project you are undertaking. We would like to do something like this as well, but at the moment finding the time is a bit difficult.
Some people are just naturals at making videos like this. And you put those guys to shame. Your videos are a perfect blend of information and interesting commentary. Thanks for sharing with us and teaching us many things in the process.
Thank you for this comment. We really appreciate it! We don't feel like naturals, so it is nice to hear from someone like you that we don't look completely stiff :)
Even though we are old and slow and have a Winnebago Travato, my wife and I love your videos. Thank you.
Glad you're enjoying our videos. Love the old and slow comment, We love having a community from all gambits of the spectrum. The Winnebago travato sounds like a great adventure vehicle! Do you follow "From she to me" it is a great channel that I think you would really like.
It's going to be interesting. I was considering both and decided for a bit of each - a traditional teardrop with a offroad axle. Not sure it will keep together over the years but it has more conveniences for less money than a full on offroad trailer.
Can't wait to see your take on it.
Were you listening to us yesterday? Haha. May and I were just talking about this at the dinner table last night. After publishing the new video we were talking about our camping lifestyle and personal needs and what style of teardrop fit us both. For May her teardrop has to look cute. She always gets on me for ours, she thinks it isn't cute enough :).She thinks the offroads are fun, but more rugged and futuristic looking than she desires. For me I love the clean lines of a classic, but the offroad ability of an overland trailer. When we were being realistic, we guessed that we only travel to destinations that truly need "offroad" capability about 5-10% of the time. The rest of the time we could get away with a traditional teardrop with a bit of a lift kit and beefed up axle and wheels. So at this stage in our life I think your style of teardrop would fit us perfectly. I think you will enjoy this video coming out in less than 24 hours. It's very similar to our Scamp vs teardrop in terms of filming style and dialogue. But instead of being one sided, we let each style get to throw a few punches at each other. Two weeks after this video comes out we will be uploading the walkthrough video of the offroad trailer by Valiant. It is a great interview with Jordan and definitely touches on some of the reasons why many people may want to opt for an off-road teadrop, despite the higher price tag.
@@PlayingwithSticks Haha, guess I was listening in :-) It really depends on what you use the trailer for. I do love my Jeep and the offroad abilities it gives me, but I'm not a hard core offroader. I don't do rock crawling and stuff like that - I just go places, forest roads, dirt roads and the one or other non-technical trail. I don't drive around for the sake of driving, I drive around to see and experience things. If I can do that in style and with some comforts, even better. That's why we ended up with our teardrop: it's custom painted to match the Jeep because you really want people to take pictures :-) We've got everything we need in there from power to heating to cooking. Heck, I guess I could live in it if need be. Most important it got my wife back into camping because she loves the looks and comforts of it and that is already worth the investment. Of course if you plan on serious overlanding and heavy duty off road travel you should consider a more functional off road trailer - it doesn't shake apart as easily either.
@@uweschroederLiterally you sound just like us, minus the matching Jeep to the Teardrop part. As you can probably tell from our video our 6th sense is cheapness! We definitely would love the matching pair, but Drew was raised so conservatively when it comes to spending that he typically buys things used or "tries" to build his own. Like you we love getting out on forest service, BLM, and just local farmer/rancher land. With cheapness being Drew's 6th sense, we tend to stay away from the creeks, rock crawling, and mudholes in fear of getting stuck and not being able to do a successful self-extraction. So yes, a middle of the road between classic and offroad would be perfect for us as well. But you got us thinking. If we were to increase the looks of our tow vehicle and our teardrop it sure would make for a much better video!
@@PlayingwithSticks Don't say "cheap" - it sounds so ... well, cheap :-) Frugal I think is the term. Well, the Jeep was for my 50th. I always had useful and safe vehicles my entire life - like a Volvo Wagon. When my need for a new vehicle coincided with my 50th birthday I was like "screw that, this time it's a fun vehicle" - and that resulted in the Jeep (used of course, I wouldn't buy a new one).
Drew sounds a lot like me. I'm always like "you want a new front door or a coffee table - wait, I got some ply in the garage" (actually I did make the coffee table from old redwood lagging from a local tunnel). So yes, if I can make something myself I will or I will at least try.
That said, a spray gun doesn't cost a lot and new paint goes a long way for a camper. You can also buy some wall decals (usually cut from vinyl) and put those on i.e. the back flap. How about a pile of sticks and some children or hands? Maybe replace the lights with something sleek LED - although those quaint old rear lights on your trailer actually match the charming nature of the beast, so I'm not sure I would replace those (maybe replace with LED, but not something sleek)
Just watched the episode. Well researched. Where's that clapping hand emoji
@@uweschroeder Cheap does sound cheap. We don't watch a lot of TV, but 15-20 years ago we watched a lot of Seinfeld. We got the Cheapness is our 6th sense line from Jerry describing George Costanza. Thought I would share if there were any Seinfeld fans reading this post.
You definitely sound like Drew with that coffee table of yours :) We also agree that you have to splurge every once in a while, used of course haha. We also would like a "real" Jeep someday. We currently have a Jeep Liberty that was way too good to pass up (price and miles). Good story with that one...we actually traveled through a major forest fire to get it, in hindsight it was a really stupid move but in the end Drew and his brother-in-law now have a pretty good story to tell. We are still contemplating renovating the teardrop. I like the idea of paint, decals, and updated accessories. Glad you enjoyed the episode Uwe!
Always appreciate the information you provide plus the steady camerawork. And you make me miss Alaska. BTW, I just purchased a modern teardrop based partially on your videos. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the video Cheryl and the steady camerawork. For the first time in roughly 3 years, well besides a wedding we shot for a friend last summer, this was the first time we used a monopod to get more stable shots. We always kept the monopod at home to have less gear, but we actually kind of liked using it this time. It will probably be making its way out with us this summer. As you know Alaska isn't changing at a rapid rate, so it will all be here waiting for you when you decide to return :) What type of teardrop did you end up getting Cheryl? Welcome to the teardrop family!
As per your question, were I to choose just between these 2 trailers, I'd go with the off-road "utility" trailer.
However, I shy away from trailers (any kind of towable) for some reasons, one of which is out in a trail where you need to turn around but can't, you have to back up (who knows how far) -- with a trailer. Related to towing a trailer (ANY trailer), if you get stuck out there you probably have to disconnect the trailer, get the tow-vehicle unstuck, then go retrieve the trailer, hook it back up to move on. That's a lot of work, especially if you're "RVing" by yourself -- especially if you're older, but even younger people may find all that a chore, as getting both vehicles out may take a while (hours). And man-handling a heavy trailer in difficult terrain when it's detached (let alone on pavement) may be too difficult to do alone. :-(
Like what happened to "Primal Outdoors" here (he uses a 4x4 and off-road utility trailer):
ua-cam.com/video/U5pEq124b2Y/v-deo.html
That would probably wear me out (at my age)!
So for me, were I to want a rooftop tent on something, it's be a 4x4 vehicle (a Jeep with a roofrack or mid-size pickup truck with a bed-rack-tent) so it's all "just one unit" to deal with, not two. Sure, you can still get stuck in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (2-door!), Ranger FX4 or Chevy Colorado ZR2, but it's still just ONE vehicle to recover/tow/winch out, not two.
I STILL am keeping a towable in mind, just in case I DO end up going that route. The 2 I was looking at are the T@B 320 Boondock Edge and the Airstream BasecampX. But again, for the reasons I mentioned, I'm not so sure about towing any kind of trailer out there in the sticks. Yes, clearly people DO that, but I'm not sure it's for me (at my age and running solo).
Happy Teardrop-ing (and Scamp-ing),
-- BR
We couldn't agree more with all your comments. We have really fallen in love with our instant pop up Clam tent. Sometimes we jokingly say we may be better off just hauling around a Clam tent instead of a trailer. But, at the end of the day it is the bed that feels just like our home bed that brings us back to a small camper trailer like a teardrop or Scamp. Also we find with vehicles like vans that we don't enjoy driving and sleeping in the same location. Over time we start feeling a bit claustrophobic and find that we need separation from our living and driving. Sometimes on a long trip back home it is great to throw everything in the teardrop and have a nice tidy car/suv for the ride home. We follow Primal Outdoors as well, but missed that episode. Thanks for showing that one to us. And as for the two trailers you are looking at we would say you have narrowed it down to some of the best of the best. Someone a short walk from our home owns a Airstream Basecamp and it looks just as good in person as it does on the videos. Someone in a forum once made a comment that it looks like a horse trailer. After we heard that we did start to see the resemblance. Now, when we see horse trailers on sale on Craigslist we wonder, should we convert that? Thanks as usual for your great insights Bill. I think you are saying what a lot of people are thinking when they are considering a small camper trailer. If you can do without the bed and some of the extra amenities that small camper trailers provide it definitely would be worth not having the hassles that come with maintaining and operating a small trailer. As for us, we still rely pretty heavily on insulated walls, a comfy bed, and hopefully in the future a pass through galley.
@@PlayingwithSticks Well, the T@B and Airstream sure are the "best" price-wise (!), but I'm really concerned they're not as well-made as they should be for that kind of money: Last time I checked (online research) they still seem to have too many (and some serious, and inexcusable) bugs: Both companies need to redouble their QC efforts and improve workmanship/fit & finish. After all, Airstream SHOULD know how to make TTs after all these decades, yes? But the Basecamp has had some issues, and although NuCamp (makes T@B teardrops) is newer to the scene, it touts its quality construction -- THEY also need to make sure that's true.
I agree a "solid wall" teardrop would probably be more comfortable than a tent (roof-rack or otherwise) but maybe I could use some "roughing-it" -- maybe I've gone too soft in my Golden Years...and so NEED some "discomfort!" ;-)
But I WILL be getting a new Daily Driver in 2021 (the earliest, if not ordering a 2022) so any of those 3 4x4 vehicles (as listed earlier) -- with a roof-top/bed-top tent -- will get me ALMOST anywhere I want to go camping. And they'd be better for snow (like in CO) on pavement or off (with proper tires, of course). So a Daily Driver that's good in inclement weather is a must.
And as mentioned, will be keeping up with what the smaller TT makers offer for 2021/22 model years also (just in case I go towable).
And who knows what RVs YOU may have in the future? We might see you post a "reveal" video of an "off-roading" Prevost Marathon (lifted, with huge BF Goodrich KO2 tires!) on your channel someday! ;-)
Happy Travels
-- BR
@@billredding2000 We watched a really good review on the BaseCamp from a lad on UA-cam last year. Unfortunately we can't remember who it was now. She did have a lot of issues with the trailer, but they were mostly things that could be easily renovated by the owner. I'm assuming since then Airstream has probably already made the changes. It does get a little tougher when purchasing from trailer companies that sell in mass. Now if you are comparing Airstream and NuCamp to the majority of American RV companies Airstream and T@B's QC completely blows most of them out of the water. We have our fingers crossed that someday soon many of those European and Australian trailers make their way over to us. Or at least US companies would start adopting their styles. That may be wishful thinking, but we will keep hoping.
Love your desire to rough it out! We also love the idea of pairing a daily driver with a quality rooftop tent. By the way your Prevost Marathon just gave us a great idea for an Early April 1st Video!
@@PlayingwithSticks When you take your lifted Prevost Marathon out boon-docking (perhaps we can do Black Bear Pass (CO) with it?) please invite me along! I just checked my schedule and saw I'm free April 1st. Call me... :-)
-- BR
Karen loves the look of the traditional teardrop and I favor the robust burly look of “some” of the less extreme off road models. I will continue to look for that kinda compromise unit or maybe do some modifications to a traditional ( lifted axel, roof racks, etc ) but $15k is a bit more than I want to spend for a rolling tent that we will probably never do any “serious” off-roading with in the first place. Although my Jeep Cherokee is “Trail Rated”. Hahaha. Good info Drew. Thanks ! Don & Karen
You two have practically identical preferences as us. May loves the traditional, not ours, but designs that are a bit more on the "cute" side. I like the hybrid teardrops. The ones that still look traditional, but have a bit of a lift and more robust wheels. You know who makes a really affordable entry offroad is hiker trailers. I don't know if you have looked into them yet. Their base model is around $3,000 I believe, and then once you add all the additional items it can get beyond $15,000. But, with our teardrop we find we like the simple models without all the extras. Less maintenance, less to break, more of a simple lifestyle. We also agree with the fact that most of us would only offroad a small percentage of the time, which is why a hybrid would probably be a great fit for most folks who watch the channel. Glad you enjoyed the video Don and Karen!
Playing with Sticks Thanks Drew will check out Hiker Trailers.
@@bucktalesoutdoors7566 You are most welcome. Even Runaway Trailers are starting to make their own version of affordable lifted teardrop trailers, well really squaredrop trailers if being technical.
I pull a traditional teardrop with a Nissan X Trail (mid sized true 4x4 SUV, not sold in US) Guess what? My teardrop goes where it is towed...don't need the off road, tacti-cool stuff. We've been up the Dempster to the Arctic Ocean, done across Canada by backroads, the Cassier, all over northern BC...two track, gravel, sand, chip seal, the only thing I won't do is rock crawl as that would be beyond my tow vehicle's capacity. We've been up mountain mine access roads to see glaciers that have those overlander adventure vehicles turning back.
These type of comments is what gets the community excited to get out there! Wow, you have had some great adventures with your little trailer. Looks like you live in our neck of the woods. Guessing you are from BC. What a beautiful area you live in!
I love my traditional plain Jane northern teardrop from Trail BC 🇨🇦
We love yours as well. Looks a lot like our design, yours is just better quality and a few more features. Also we are a bit biased and love seeing teardrops that come from the frigid north!
Good morning Drew, May and your little family... As always, great video! Missing camping right now ... so catching up on all my teardrop fav's =) We can't wait for the season to begin and look forward to lots of camping thereafter! Have a wonderful weekend, God bless ~ Maria
Hi Maria! Thanks for such a nice compliment on the video. We are just like you, itching to get out there! When does the season typically start for you? Lately our Alaska winters have been pretty mild so we can get out late March and early April. God bless you as well Maria!
That was an excellent comparison of trailers. Thank you..
Glad you enjoyed that one Todd. It was a really fun one to make. Any excuse to take out a teardrop!
Well done! This is a great comparison video between the two types of teardrop trailers.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Looks like you have a pretty amazing gig. The chance to be around RVs all day sounds pretty darn fun.
We ended up buying a Mission Overland Summit trailer. Love the features to allow us to get farther back and the fact that we can stand up with it. That was a key feature for us while still keeping the small footprint.
Wow! Absolutlely love the design of that trailer. Both features we wish we had (ability to stand up and the ability to go more offroad). Can't wait to hear more about your adventures with your new rig.
great video. Just purchased a new Jeep, sold the RV and am looking at all the different teardrops available. Hard to find in the Yukon but at least I know what I prefer.
We could see the Yukon being tough. Even tougher than here, and here it is pretty darn hard to find a teardrop.
Nice to see you back. You did a very nice job comparing the different models.
It is good to be back. Drew was itching to start working on videos again! Glad you enjoyed the video Pam.
What amazes me the most is the fact that you have a compact car and the places that you go with it and it’s not even a Subaru with more horsepower, better towing and a better awd system.
The little Toyota continues to amaze us every year. It is so nice to have a daily driver that doubles as a tow vehicle. We just made a vehicle about our gas mileage when pulling the 13' Scamp Trailer. We got a little over 28 mpg on fairly flat terrain and a little under 18 mpg in the mountains. Quite a big difference, but still pretty good in terms of cost.
Very informative video. I feel for older campers your door entry is a bit small on your off roading tear drop trailer. Roof racks are an option. However for SUV owners, most already have roof racks. Camper security is a greater threat for most owners. Battery operated sensor lighting on all four sides of the camper are a great option when boon docking. Plastic or aluminum ball & chain shielding 🛡lock can make or brake a sale.
Good thought. We would agree. Jordan and Valiant made sure to put in a larger door, but it still requires some bending over and that awkward step up. With Jordan's ability to customize though and the nice tall height of the trailer he really could put in any size door one would need.
I had my Off-Road cargo trailer wrapped in desert cammo being in Southern Nevada, sealed most of the camper seams.
Nice, love finding dual purposes for things.
Thanks 👍🙏
You are most welcome!
I’m pretty sure this is gonna be just what I / we need to see.
I sure hope it is! Let us know if we delivered :)
just bought a bushwhacker 9000.00 fits me I don't get real rugged with but have been off road in Arkansas I may upgrade to better quality bout a year
I think we just saw one of these on Camp and Camera's channel. Great little teardrops. Those Bushwackers are a lot bigger than they look from the outside. I bet you are going to have some fun adventures in that camper! Thanks for Sharing David.
I'm going out this weekend I do like it! and learning more little needs. floor deck is not enclosed and I'm going to put skid plate on water tank, dual batteries, battery disconnect!!! I can see upgrading in year or so with articulating hitch. Hey no more tent and cot setup LOL!!!!
@@davidbarnes6095 Wish we could get out this weekend! Unfortunately we don't have the proper tires on our new tow vehicle for the Alaskan winters. We have put our travels on pause until spring due to the new baby and vehicle. What is your plan for enclosing the floor deck? The articulating hitch would be a great feature to have. If you watch any of the videos we shot of the Valiant trailers we are always amazed to see how the trailer doesn't twist with the tow vehicle. It makes ups, downs, and tilts appear effortless.
All presented models have any/all trailers evaluated/graded by Consumers Guide?
I wish I knew to ask when about the frame, Is it a prefabricated outsourced frame? or are you a certified and approved trailer manufacture? BIG difference. A surprising majority of these builds are just home U builds on a large scale, no engineering, no testing and no quality control of any kind. From my experience if they dont want to show you there credentials, there shop or the quality of each step of there build run, run, run away! Most people care only about the upfront cost (like I did), but neglect the huge savings, of a well build teardrop trailer that will last a lifetime and for generations to come.
Mike this is great info to share. What people really need when buying a trailer is to know what questions to ask. Just like you when we first started out, we didn't know what to ask. Honestly, we still don't know...but are learning. We have heard a few stories similar to yours, which is why we mentioned affordable trailers that "look" offroad capable. I think you will appreciate the video we have coming out in two weeks. It is really nice to see Jordan's transparency with how they build their Valiant trailers. Just for others reading this we are not associated with Valiant, we just find their trailer builds, lifetime warranties, and professionalism second to none. We are really enjoying watching their business grow at a pretty rapid rate. Check out their build videos on our channel and you will see what Mike is telling you to look for (no corners cut, honest and upfront, and a warranty that even carries over to the next owner if you sell your trailer used). That's how I would want to run my business if I had one and you would hope others would want to run their business that way as well.
This is the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers list of Certified Trailer Builders web.natm.com/advancedsearch
@@PlayingwithSticks Just thought, but... if your looking to make more teardrop walk through Videos, I would love to give a tour. let me know, as I am planing to make a trip up north this summer. let me know
@@patrickio8084 This is neat to have. Thank you Patrick. We will be tucking this link away in our OneNote app. Thank you!
@@mikewagemann4129 We would definitely love to meet up and make a walk through video. Just reach out to us at connect@playingwithsticks.com and we can talk dates to see if we can make it happen!
Interesting that the off-road seemed to have independent torsion or Timbren suspension (no leaf springs or axle), thus more clearance.
You nailed it Mike. The Valiant offroad teardrop has Independent Timbren suspension. I was trying my best to get shots from underneath to show the lack of axle running across. It definitely would give you a bit more peace of mind when traveling overland. Thanks for noticing Mike!
Playing with Sticks, Good photography. You got that point across to me (but I’m kinda looking for characteristic too). Thanks!
@@mikemead2315 As usual, you are most welcome Mike! You have been such a great contributor to this community. We truly appreciate all the support you have given us.
I recently got a boondock t@g, I pull it with my Jeep Wrangler. I waited for a good deal ready to buy. I actually went and checked out one that was listed too high and was able to get it for less that’s I was thinking they would go.
That is an amazing little trailer you got there. I bet it looks really good paired with that Wrangler. We are always saying "someday" we will get ourselves a wrangler to tow a little off-road teardrop. In the meantime we will use our lower end Jeep Liberty with a low clearance teardrop and try our best to at least do gravel roads :)
Playing with Sticks thanks. I think it hit a sweet spot for us. I like the scamp a lot but I want to be able to haul kayaks and bikes. Some of my family lives on dirt roads when it rains it’s several inches deep of mud. I don’t plan on any crazy technical off-road stuff, probably mostly muddy roads. Now if life will get back to normal so I can use the camper.
Thanks for sharing. You guys always have good information.
Glad you enjoyed this John. Okay, we kind of want to know. If you were to choose a classic or an offroad teardrop, today which would you choose? We are curious what most folks are interested in.
@@PlayingwithSticks I got into teardrop camping because I like to do life simply. "Simply" goes right out the window when you start looking at a 15 to 20k price tag on an off road camper.
@@wollwerthimagery6267 Simple describes what we want as well from our camping experience. It will be really interesting to see a week from now in this comment section where people learn in terms of teardrop designs. Thanks again for sharing John.
Excellent analysis and information. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Leonidas!
This video was so helpful! Thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed the video Crystal! It was really a fun one for us to make...okay, they are all pretty fun to make.
Great video!! I’m definitely a classic owner.
Thank you Maykou for sharing. We love those clean lines as well!
We ordered our Runaway fiberglass Range Runner trailer a couple weeks ago and will pick it up in Tennessee in October. Are you using the Clam pop up shelter?
Congratulations Steven! How fun is that going to be! Yes, we use the Clam daily, love it!
Good comparison
Cheers
Thanks Patrick. Glad it was helpful!
Awesome batch o info"
Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Rudy! This is why we make this videos. It is always fun to hear someone appreciated them.
Awesome content. Nice work
Glad you enjoyed it Mark! It's comments like these that make us want to keep putting out new videos.
I’m guessing it’s the same reason as golfing. Once you make the initial investment in a high quality set of clubs, it’s a hard thing to sell if you’re only getting 20% of the original cost. Golf clubs will last decades without use, the overland trailers have a lifetime use, require little maintenance, and allow you to Winter camp. I would venture to guess most of the true off-road teardrops get used at least 2-4x a year. The light weight doesn’t require a special tow rig. So like golf clubs, once you’ve spent extra money for the upgraded on-road teardrop, it is not prudent to sell unless theirs a family crisis or medical emergency...
Good analogy Mitchell. With these lifetime warranties that are transferable this also can become a hand me down to your children. That is if the company stays in business obviously.
How is valiant campers shipping to new England
Good question Paul. I asked that question to Jordan last year when they were building all their overland trailers. Since then they have been building one after another here in Alaska for Alaskans. I know they built one that was sent all the way over to Africa. I will reach out to Valiant and see what they say. Because we are so far from the lower 48 we have some pretty efficient and starting to become affordable shipping options on land and barge. Paul in two weeks we will be posting the walkthrough video of the Valiant squaredrop trailer you saw in this video. I think you will be really impressed with the details of these trailers. Engineered for perfect balance, lightweight, robust, and a lifetime warranty that even transfers to the next owner if you ever pass it on. Now the question is, how do you support a lifetime warranty from Alaska when the teardrop is in New England? Like I tell others I am not associated with Valiant in any way. I just love the trailers they are building. I even have a close friend who is in the build process with them right now. I secretly can't wait for them to get the trailer so I can take it out on the weekends where they are doing other things :)
Alright got the figures. It's $1500 to Seattle, could potentially get it the rest of the way for around 1k. We say better yet, use this as an excuse for your Alaskan adventure. "Honey I purchased a new trailer that I need to pick up in Alaska. Pack your bags we will be going on the adventure of our lives!"
@@PlayingwithSticks thank you for the reply,I'm interested in this trailer for the price point,A lot of these campers are going for over 20Thousand dollars now
@@PlayingwithSticks I was very impressed with the camperEspecially at the price point,Thank you for replyingAnd look forward to futureVideos
We have an offroad and a half ton pickup truck. We already had the truck, so the teardrop is perfect for us.
I think we have asked you this before, but we already forgot...What trailer do you own? We finally have an offroad capable vehicle as well and are really excited to get some sort of offroad trailer. But, we still will always have a classic trailer on hand as our main towing trailer because we just love those clean modern lines!
You are 100% right even though I bought the Sunray 109 Paige I didn’t get it yet I love the look of it but I do like the way the teardrops looked a lot better. I was also wondering did you ever go to the RV Hall of Fame in Indiana, I haven’t been there but it seems like something you would enjoy I’m going to try to get there next year
We honestly had no idea there was an RV hall of fame until you mentioned it. Now we have two bucket list items. To see where they filmed Hoosiers and the RV hall of fame.
@@PlayingwithSticks LOL I just found out about it to on UA-cam about two weeks ago 😂
look at Colorado Teardops off-road versions! I love mine! Their customer service leaves something to be desired though if you're a woman.
That third sentence of yours is a bummer. That really is a shame. But, wow, so impressed that you would still give them a shout out because you believe in their high build quality. I think that really says a lot about you in that you feel a bit wronged, but still have the kindness to share their trailer with others.
@@PlayingwithSticks, thank you so much for recognizing the gender inequality and her kind character. ❤️
Effect om mpg?
These prices are absolutely ridiculous. We can get whole used vehicles for those prices! I will stick to building my own!
Love the video. Considering a Pando 2.0. The one point I think you missed is compition for spots. We went camping on the Labour Day long weekend. We got held up leaving the city, spent the night in a municipal campground near the mountains. So Saturday we're driving out to our location on crown land and pass many spots taken by many large RVs. My gf was wondering if we would get a spot. I wasn't worried cause I knew where we were going the big RVs couldn't go. And yeah we got up above the treeline and there was one other group up there about 1km away. (I currently use a Treeline Outdoors roof top tent). So I'm thinking off road teardrops would get you to places with lower compition for spots.
Great point there Dave, you’re right I did miss that one. How fun would that be getting above tree line with a little teardrop trailer.
What size are your tires? I am looking at a custom beautiful quality built but it has 12 in tires
Our little classic 4X8 teardrop runs 15's.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thx
Traditional teardrop trailer
Nice! Not many choose the traditional. We are suckers for the traditional teardrop at Playing with Sticks.
Hey Drew where are you ?
I'm pretty sure our internet just went out. Welcome to a day in the life of an Alaskan haha!
@UC4EQxXSyXTiv6U-WoKdMF0w We are still having trouble here. We can watch any UA-cam video, but our own! We are super bummed. We were excited to chat with everyone live.
@6:18...I think you spelled Lifetime wrong.
Haha😆 You're not familiar with the "liftime warranty" ?
@@PlayingwithSticks I've been a producer for over 20 years (www.gethamlin.com) and I still miss things on my own projects. Love your videos!
The oldest trailers were all homemade and many were of the teardrop design. I found one picture from 1928 of a teardrop being towed by a Ford car dated to 1928. The History of Teardrops says they "evolved" in the 1930's. They became very popular after WWII with returning GI's. Check out the picture of this huge teardrop from the late 1930's.
4.bp.blogspot.com/_WmJf_eLto3o/TRbRjIkSXTI/AAAAAAAAARg/qEbBIf4nRIQ/s1600/Wild+Goose+Teardrop+Trailer+Plans.jpg
This is great info Gerard. 1928 that is impressive! We have heard of teardrops from the 30's, but 1928 is new to us. 1930s seemed to be the birth, but now I need to say 1928 and then after that the increase after WWII and then the explosion after it hit the shelves in Popular Mechanics. Love that picture by the way. One of our local restaurants has an old teardrop photo from the 40s where they were cooking out the back covered in snow, with their skis leaning on the teardrop. It is my absolute favorite photo. We really need to get a photo like the one you posted on one of our walls in our home. Ask my wife, I day dream about teardrops almost hourly. With a photo like that in my home it might get out of control! Thanks again for sharing this info and the great photo! Folks on here will definitely appreciate it.
Or you just throw another tent in the trailer. Why do you need the rooftop tent?
Good question. I can think of a few reasons off of the top of my head. #1 sets up in half the time. #2 holds up much stronger in high wind situations (camping below a glacier). #3 gets you up above critters (snakes in the south, bears in the North). #4 can be more comfortable due to the built in mattresses. #5 can be used in places where you can't find a campsite (camping in a parking lot or road side pulloff or campsites that do not allow tents on the grass (weird rule huh? We stayed at one like that here in Alaska). Last, but not least #6 they are built in. Meaning it is one less thing you have to haul or carry that takes up additional space in your car or teardrop. That was kind of fun. Felt like a David Letterman Top Ten Countdown.
@@PlayingwithSticks I recognize that rooftop tents have usefulness. The way you explained it in the video made it seem like you couldn't have a "party" without the rooftop tent and the off-road camper. My point was, simply throw a tent in the trailer, and you can still have a party.
That said, it's not going to protect you from bears, let's be serious. And why wouldn't someone just bring a mattress?
Yes you are right a rooftop tent will not save your tent or you from bears. However, if you spent any time watching bears explore camp a rooftop tent hopefully will buy you enough time to get your protection ready. At ground level there’s not a whole lot of time. And as for the mattress go ahead and haul one more thing in your car or teardrop. You got room.
@@PlayingwithSticks Been camping my entire life. Had bears come in my camp. Wash up before bed and don't keep food in the tent.
And yes, a mattress will take up a small fraction of space. I don't think you're getting it. Seems like you're just trying to argue, rather than get the point. It's about value and how you said what you said.
Sounds like we have a lot in common. I think sometimes on here a good conversation between two people can maybe come off as an argument. Not at all, just sharing our thoughts as you have been sharing yours. All the best to you.
3:04 "basically it's a traditional teardrop trailer with a little bit of a lift kit..."`
Oh come on, man, you're just making shit up now.
Im building an offroad teardrop. Almost done. Cant wait to take it out
Congratulations Mike! You are going to have a blast.
Upload more often, please
We are officially back to our every other week posting! We had to scale back the posts for a few months because we had a new baby in the house. We finally are finding balance with the two boys and are excited to get back to posting regularly again. Someday we'd love to get the time to do this weekly.
Great comparison! I've got an off road Escapade Alpine trailer for sale if anyone's interested. It's tough and beautiful. Needs new owners to take it on adventures!
Glad you enjoyed it. That Escape Alpine looks like the perfect size for a small family! We forgot those trailers were out there. Thank you for reminding us!
Good video. Looks like you put in the time for the research too. I think a lot of people would opt for the more rugged, more off road looking ones. But the price is enough to scare alot of people away. I've built a few tiny campers. And people don't like the price for the cost of something so small they say. They love the look. And say its great idea. But they just can't picture camping in something so small. To which I reply, I don't go camp to be in a camper. I go to be in nature. The camper is just a place to sleep.
You nailed it with that final comment. And to those who say it is too small, most folks are pretty surprised to find out how comfortable tiny camper living can be. I, Drew, am extremely claustrophobic. I always loved the concept of a teardrop trailer, but knew I would never survive in it. I have had so many camping and boating experiences where I woke up panicking in the middle of the night not being able to find the exit. But our first night in a teardrop I thought to myself this is nothing like a coffin, this is surprisingly open. 3 years later we are still using the teardrop all spring, summer, and fall and that is 3 of us in a little 4X8. Yes it is little, but for some reason inside they feel quite spacious.
My teardrop is a Little Guy offroad (no longer made), not impressive as a real offroad, but i don't have to worry about going over somewhat rough roads and bumps. Has 15 inch wheels and heavier axle and pintle hitch. I wish one could stand on the fenders to get to the roof basket. I like the sink for hand washing. I wish the propane tank could attach and some extra gas, but my front rack has the cooler and an Action Packer full of stuff. I had to cut down on "stuff." It is five foot wide to track behind the Xterra. A side table would be good. A propane tank and folding table take up space in the Xterra. I don't like setting up and getting ready to go to be a hassle. The Clam 6x6 with wind walls is time consuming to put away. The dog and dog's stuff takes up space, but overall, the trailer has worked well for me and dog-- I am an old person. On a longer trip, I might take a Fold n Go stove for cooking outside the galley for messy meals. I don't have a helper, so am careful not to get stuck, although I once had to put the Xterra in reverse about 15 times. It was too muddy to do otherwise. No need for a roof top tent. I have an ARB awning which I do not use so far.
Thank you so much for sharing this. We have quite a few people in the community with a little guy trailer. But not many with the off-road version. We agree with you the more we use the Clam Tent, the more we dedicate it to long stay overs. Sometimes we find it’s not worth putting it up for one or two night stays. Like you the teardrop life has been very good for us, but there’s always room for improvements.
Even at home (which is out in the woods), if I want to pull the trailer down by the creek, I'm pretty sure I'd get hung up, coming back out if not an offroad. I put the Xterra in four wheel drive low, and do not stop for anything, so it just seems safer having a bit higher trailer.
It is definitely an advantage to have a bit more clearance. Even if you never have to use it I find people appreciate just knowing it’s there.
Great video. I have a Blue Ridge Expedition off-road trailer. Love it to pieces!
We didn't realize that was the type of teardrop you owned. We haven't actually heard of BRX Trailers until today. Love how they keep the classic teardrop shape. If we were to go the lifted teardrop we think we still would try our hardest to get one that is rounded. But, if the price is right a squaredrop would be just fine for us as well.
@@PlayingwithSticks I totally spoiled myself, it has on demand hot water, a shower nozzle outside, sink with hot water. Propane furnace heater. 50 quart Dometic Fridge freezer. And, an air conditioner 15000 BTU. Don't know if I'll ever use that, but I have it if I need to.
@@sierramantrvlnus We've got to spoil ourselves every now and then right? To me that air conditioner opens you up to travel across the entire continent. Those of us without the air-con are either limited to the colder climates or have to be willing to lose a bit of comfort in those humid warm areas.
Sorry about that last comment. That was my younger brother.
No worries. We actually appreciate the feedback. Public speaking is not really our thing, we are learning new things everyday.
still useing our ventage ford Ranger and Shasta goes most places
Split the difference? Our current project modified an old Jayco pou-up frame to make a 5’4” x 10’4” flatbed over a custom Dexter Torflex axle with electric brakes. It fits standard 5x5 15” trailer wheels, or with adapter/spacers, it fits the 5x100 15” wheels of our Corolla with 25” tires, with different adapters, it fits the 5x5 16” wheels of our lifted WJ with 33” tires. Now I just need to make the 5 x 10 x 4 (internal dimensions) foamie box to go onto it. 🙄 The plan includes the option of removing the foamie camper and using the flatbed, too.
Love this idea. Sounds like you have a fun project ahead of you Lane. Foamies are pretty new to us. We have been seeing them in the forums lately. Do you know where or when that idea/concept originated. Would love to know more about the design.
@@PlayingwithSticks it is new to me and I’m sure I’ll make mistakes and learn a lot, but I picked up 95% of what little I know from tnttt.com in their foamie section.
@@lanedexter6303 Thank you! We actually didn't know they had a foamie section. We will have to check it out.
Can’t wait to watch!
I think you're really going to enjoy this one! The scenery where we take these teardrop trailers to in Alaska are pretty beautiful! Making these videos always gives us a great excuse to enjoy nature 🙂
Good video, but the music is too loud.
Thanks for the feedback. That’s a pretty old video, we’ve done a lot of changes within the edit since then.
Do you ever actually get in?
Haha. We finally got a new lens that allows us to see inside (wide angle) but at this temperature my batteries usually give up by that time.
Hey Drew, my dad would aways say, if you take care of it, it will take care of you. I think this fits for long lasting Traditional Teardrop trailers. Love the video.
So true! We have two videos where we highlight our 40 year old pop-up trailer. It truly looks almost the same as when my father purchased it.
We just ordered an off-road teardrop that looks like a classic teardrop. Check out Escapod. This way we get the advantages of both except of course the price is higher than classics.
That is the style that we prefer as well. A little bit of both worlds. You are going to have a blast out there LeAnne!
I'm from Texas and I like AC during the summer, do your campers have AC capabilities?
We have seen quite a few trailers leave Valiant with AC units. Even up here in AK it is starting to get warmer in the summers. I have a feeling Jordan will be installing AC units for some of us as well.
I'm undecided between tent (have that atm), RTT or offroad trailer. Family of 5 makes things difficult, because not many RTT's fit 5. Offroad trailer is expensive and there are not many of them in Europe. Also backing up on narrow roads (if you hit a dead end) is cumbersome. Tent is big, fairly cheap, but on a road trip time consuming to use. Also, you can't just use it on a parking lot if you need to cover a lot of miles in a day.
Have you seen the rooftop trailer video yet? ua-cam.com/video/479HmoxTraI/v-deo.html Or how about the offroad teardrop walkthrough ua-cam.com/video/iMCbT1XxV-w/v-deo.html Maybe these will help a bit on your decision making. What is an atm when you were referring to your tent? A family of 5 does change the equation a bit. Basically, like our growing family it means you need a trailer with a rooftop tent. Mom and dad sleep like the king and queen of the castle and the kids get the tree fort they always wanted! Have you checked out the 2 room Gazelle Tent (The T4) It is a pop-up that is pretty amazing. There are times where we wonder if we would be better off with something like this www.target.com/p/gazelle-tents-t4-plus-outdoor-pop-up-8-person-hub-tent-with-screen-room-orange/-/A-76072742?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df_free_online&CPNG=Patio%2BGarden&adgroup=337-7
As for the backing up with a trailer, as long as it is fiberglass or aluminum would be light enough to quickly turn by hand if you get in a bind. Typically you never have to do this, but just knowing you can makes you a better driver. Good point on the parking lot as well. If it was us, beings you don't have a lot of teardrops available, we would suggest getting yourself a little caravan almost too tight for the family. When you hit camp the kids can use a tent. But, when forced to sleep in a parking lot you can all pack in like sardines and make it work. Just a thought. That is kind of how we do things lately and it works. I realize we all have different needs. Hope any of these suggestions help.
Thank you for a thorough answer. "Atm" was meant as "at the moment", but the tent itself is fairly big tent with inflatable beams: Quechua Air Seconds Family 5.2 XL . It's a good and big tent. I's even not too hard to erect, but everything else ( mattresses etc) takes time too. Anyway, I try to keep an eye on aftermarket offroad trailers from now on. Seems they are pretty good alternative to tents and RTT's..If you have the money :) Thank You for Your content!
The Timberleaf Pika Off Road version still looks very close to a classic Teardrop shape.
Would you put this in your Traditional column or OffRoad column?
I would put it in the "Awesome Column." Love the blended offroad/classic style teardrops. If we were to pick a style that would be the one.
@@PlayingwithSticks Ha! Great response - too bad there is a 14-month waiting list on their builds- You have a great channel here. Thanks for all the amazing info!