Great trip and video Brian. You're right on point regarding the advantages of smaller size. I still regularly enjoy wilderness backpacking, car camping, base camping and all the rest. Now being the owner of a new full size RV I've realized the many restrictions there are. It's nice to have the extra room and the comforts but you make the perfect point that the teardrop is just the right bridge between all of the levels of getting outdoors. Thanks for all you do in assisting folks with the lifestyle. Great work as always!
Thank you! I have some friends that have both BIG & little rigs ..lol I guess if you have the space and $$$ Just as you said, folks coming from backpacking or tent camping appreciate how luxurious a tiny camper is. You camp OUT of a small trailer, while some camp IN their bigger trailers. Either way, it's a blast to be outdoors. Thanks for watching!
Nice trip and tips Brian! Looks like a great trip. Thanks for the tips and tricks! I agree there is something special about tear'droping that is missing in other modes of camping! Regards =Cosmo
Great video once again Brian. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your knowledge. Our old 27 foot travel trailer was more of a burden than it was a tool to give us the freedom to "just go". We donated it to charity because it eventually just sat in the backyard for 50-51 weeks of the year. We loved it for what it was, but you're spot on when you say that teardrops provide that bridge between backpacking/tent camping and full RV life. Our small taxa cricket makes just getting out there much more accessible to us. It's much more of an outdoor activity for us now rather than pulling around a hotel room on wheels. Cheers and keep up the good work!
I couldn't agree more! I have nothing against the bigger rigs, to each their own, but the versatility and ease of use & maintenance make tiny campers the way to go for me. I'm excited to have you tuning in, I hope you'll have time to check out some of the other videos on the channel. -Brian
My wife and I along with our little one love crazy weather .. we plan our trips around my son and my time off , usually summer. So we take whatever nature throws at us and we love it. Albeit scary at times, it tries us and shows us faults in how we prepare. We are all the better for it.😃
Its awesome to see the passion that you bring to the topic of boondocking i original found you for solar tips for my camper for work and now i want to use my camper for traveling and seeing the country.
Good video. I like the idea of plugging the battery charger into the goal zero. For your hing leak, I’d just use invisible sink caulk and make a small gutter/line off the edge. Thanks.
@@DIYOutdoorLifeNo - I'd have to do some digging! That was a NH->GA->NH trip - did the BRP as well. There were lots of campsites! Blue Ridge motorcycle campground was a winner. And sure thing on the Bronco - we'll figure something out!
Man that place look beautiful! I'm counting the days to my long trip coming up in just over a month. And now I have an idea brewing that may pan out to shield that hinge good, not look bad and not cost a lot. Even though I'm out West we do get some crazy t-storms in the mountains come monsoon time that'll warrant the work. I should share the story about a trip in a pop-up I had years ago. We discovered some nasty leaks the hard way and the mrs. didn't like that one bit, lol! Anyway, I'll mess around with my BW and pass it along if it works out.
I recently purchased the 10SS, and have learned a ton from you already on how to maintain it (hence purchased items you have recommended). Your links make it easy! Only different setup that I went with, is a 2000 w generator. Another great vid, and look forward to the next one.
@@OMGnetworkinggreat choice. I use generators at work daily and have loved the predators (own multiple). They seem part for part identical to the Honda for half the price! Where do you carry yours while traveling?
@@DIYOutdoorLife I havent figured that out yet. Uniike your Tacoma, I do not have a cap on mine so space is limited. Something else I noticed, Braxton cut another corner and did not put in access door under the sink like you have.
@@OMGnetworking That's why I asked, I got tired of lugging the geno and gas around (I do it enough at work!) The cap is a blessing and curse but I love it for camping. I'm sure you can tarp it when it has cooled and it'll be fine. Someone else commented on the lack of door, that's a bummer...
Have you had the same water drainage issue when the trailer is more level or sloped down towards the hitch? The water might be collecting at the galley due to the angle. I just started in service at a camping center in Washington- so I am familiarizing myself with as many common issues as possible. Subbed and have been watching your vids. Great stuff!
This is a well documented issue with this trailer, happens regardless of positioning. Several people have had luck extending fins off the side of the hurricane hinge, others have replaced the hinge with a longer one that extends. When you call BC, they tell you not to use the galley in the rain … lol. I’ve learned to live with it, I place my canopy over the galley when it’s raining. Thanks for tuning in, excited to hear how you make out at the service center .
I'm looking at teardrops. I thought I wanted a full on RV because it would have a bathroom, but the more I see tear drop camping....which is so much closer to real camping...the more I am leaning that direction. I figure I can bring a portable pottie and put it in it's own area if I need to get up in the middle of the night. I didn't think I would like the rear galley, but it's growing on me. I think I'd rather cook outside a small camper than bring the smells inside (plus the grease....just look at any home range hood.) Thanks for sharing. I'm considering between a Hiker, Bushwhacker, and Kodiak Stealth (or trying to find a used NuCamp T@g.) Kodiak though, for nothing but the shell, is almost $14K and it doesn't have a galley. Thank you for all the info you provide!!
There’s obviously something to be said about both and anything that gets us outdoors more is great in my book. For me, the decision came down to the point Cosmo made in one of our videos together_”you camp in a full size RV, you camp out of a teardrop.” I like the fact that they’re small, it kicks you out outdoors more. I’ve really come to enjoy bring some gear to make the outdoors campsite nice. I have a shower/toilet tent like you said and it feels like a luxury compared to backpacking. I hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t and keep me in the loop about what camper you go with!
Hi Brian . This is my first video of yours I’ve viewed. Good information. Just curious, we have had several people in our area purchase the Buschwacker and have a multitude of problems with that teardrop. Some fairly serious. Brand new. Have you had concerns about the build quality? Thanks
Hey Bob, check out the other videos on my channel. In particular, my review of the Bushwhacker. Although the price is great, there are several issues with build quality for sure… Thanks for watching!
Loved the Shenandoah video. We took a motorcycle ride from NY to the Tail of the Dragon and went through there from Crown Royal. It was a 100 miles of Fog. Gotta do it again next time I go down that way. We actually didn't see anything.
No, bad design. Some people have found some smart ways to divert the water. It doesn’t go thru the hinge, it actually wraps around the outside and can be wicked away…. Still annoying and should be changed.
It seems as though my Bushwhacker loses traction even on surfaces like washboard dirt roads. How does it do in snow? I’d like to be able to do over nights here in Colorado.
Light trailers certainly don’t like washboard roads, they bounce and lose contact with the road. I’ve been there and it’s not fun. In my opinion, the Bushwhacker does exceptionally well in the snow. This of course is in comparison to all trailers, which can be frightening to tow with in bad weather. I travel cross country in January every year, I’ve been in some dicey places and it does great.
@@johnwdavisjr I do recommend it! I loved it! ...I just wanted you to see how dead it was and thought the bathroom was funny. Hit me up on facebook and I'll share :-)
Hey you should do a video for how to power your A/C unit while boondocking. I'm trying to figure out a solution and wondering if the Goal Zero Yeti 1000 with solar panels would be good enough for night time AC for like a week long trip. Thanks for any help!
Should've finished watching the whole video before commenting lol I see at the end you talk about it for a little, a little video talking about different options for that would be sweet though! #floridaproblems
It's in the making! I have a lot of success running my AC off of the Yeti's. I've learned a few tricks that make the system work better. Do you have an SS of FB?
I get this question a lot and it's hard to answer. I should probably do a video just on this topic. The results vary so much based on how you're using it. Day v Night, 1 sleeper vs 2 & dog, outside temp, setting on AC, and on and on and on...... In short, the GZ Yeti 1500x can run my 5000btu air conditioner for over 8 hours in most situations. I usually don't run it this long, I prefer to use a timer and run it for a couple hours at bed when needed. I've haven't tested in extremely high temps, because I live in the northeast US but I will be testing throughout the summer. I'm going to try to use enough solar to run it 24 hours a day at the beach as a test.... we'll see how it goes. SUBSCRIBE: ua-cam.com/users/DIYOutdoorLife
Thanks for your time to answer this question... And I just asking this because 4 days ago I got my new trailer like yours and we have the same AC unit.. but I leave in AZ and our temperature is 109 F right now.. I know it will be totally different situation because temperatures.. It will be great if you can do a video about how SOLAR works in your trailer, how to cut power in your battery and how many solar panels you use... Thanks again for your time and your great videos, you're helping me a lot..
@@miroslavamaciel4527 I really appreciate that. You're in luck, I have made videos on installing cut off switch, shutting off radio, solar, etc....I just need to edit and post them!!! as for AC, my first question is, do you have an SS or FB? it makes a big difference. For those kind of temperatures, we could probably get it done with a goal zero, but may want to think about a generator.
It has full rated car/truck tires, most campers have 60 mph limits that come from the tires. If I told you how fast I’ve gone w/ this, I would be embarrassed.
It rides like a dream, check out my video on tongue weight. If you have your tongue weight balanced properly, you will drive like like it’s not even there!
Another great Video. You should put together a book of your exact travels and where to sightsee, walk, camp etc. I would buy the paperback book.
I would love that, thank you for the suggestion. Even for my own purposes, it would be nice to journal some of the places we've seen on the road.
The steak photo after the cows…. NOICE.
Haha…I’m glad you caught that
Great trip and video Brian. You're right on point regarding the advantages of smaller size. I still regularly enjoy wilderness backpacking, car camping, base camping and all the rest. Now being the owner of a new full size RV I've realized the many restrictions there are. It's nice to have the extra room and the comforts but you make the perfect point that the teardrop is just the right bridge between all of the levels of getting outdoors. Thanks for all you do in assisting folks with the lifestyle. Great work as always!
Thank you! I have some friends that have both BIG & little rigs ..lol I guess if you have the space and $$$
Just as you said, folks coming from backpacking or tent camping appreciate how luxurious a tiny camper is. You camp OUT of a small trailer, while some camp IN their bigger trailers. Either way, it's a blast to be outdoors. Thanks for watching!
Nice trip and tips Brian! Looks like a great trip. Thanks for the tips and tricks! I agree there is something special about tear'droping that is missing in other modes of camping! Regards =Cosmo
A Teardrop je ne sais quoi for sure! Thanks Cosmo!
Great video once again Brian. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your knowledge. Our old 27 foot travel trailer was more of a burden than it was a tool to give us the freedom to "just go". We donated it to charity because it eventually just sat in the backyard for 50-51 weeks of the year. We loved it for what it was, but you're spot on when you say that teardrops provide that bridge between backpacking/tent camping and full RV life. Our small taxa cricket makes just getting out there much more accessible to us. It's much more of an outdoor activity for us now rather than pulling around a hotel room on wheels. Cheers and keep up the good work!
I couldn't agree more! I have nothing against the bigger rigs, to each their own, but the versatility and ease of use & maintenance make tiny campers the way to go for me.
I'm excited to have you tuning in, I hope you'll have time to check out some of the other videos on the channel.
-Brian
My wife and I along with our little one love crazy weather .. we plan our trips around my son and my time off , usually summer. So we take whatever nature throws at us and we love it. Albeit scary at times, it tries us and shows us faults in how we prepare. We are all the better for it.😃
You get it! I couldn’t agree more. Check out my new video when me and the dog ended up in a flood. Thanks for tuning in.
Its awesome to see the passion that you bring to the topic of boondocking i original found you for solar tips for my camper for work and now i want to use my camper for traveling and seeing the country.
That makes my day, circle back to keep us updated on your trips! Thanks for watching.
Good video. I like the idea of plugging the battery charger into the goal zero.
For your hing leak, I’d just use invisible sink caulk and make a small gutter/line off the edge. Thanks.
Great tip! Thanks for watching.
I just bought my first teardrop, a bushwhacker 10FB. Don't have a lot of time in it yet. So really glad to see your video.
Nice! Welcome to the club. Thanks for watching, I hope you'll subscribe!
SUBSCRIBE: ua-cam.com/users/DIYOutdoorLife
Great videos, thanks for your time..!!
Thank you for watching and subscribing! Lets hope the channel grows!
Thanks for sharing 👍
Thank you for swinging by and watching!
Beautiful location and a great setup
Thank you, I appreciate the comment!
Hope you'll subscribe!
SUBSCRIBE: ua-cam.com/users/DIYOutdoorLife
looks like a great place! great set up
Had a great time! Thanks for watching! 😀
Sounds a fun trip! I did the skyline drive on a motorcycle camping trip - yet another genre of gear. Liked seeing your setup on this one!
nice, I bet that was amazing. Do you remember where you camped? Appreciate you swinging by, cant wait to see that Bronco!
@@DIYOutdoorLifeNo - I'd have to do some digging! That was a NH->GA->NH trip - did the BRP as well. There were lots of campsites! Blue Ridge motorcycle campground was a winner. And sure thing on the Bronco - we'll figure something out!
Thanks for the post another great video.
Appreciate you tuning in!
The steak hahaha
Lol
4:07 - LOL
Just started watching. TY for the practical info. BTW your cooler is blue
Thank you for watching. We appreciate you tuning in.
Man that place look beautiful! I'm counting the days to my long trip coming up in just over a month.
And now I have an idea brewing that may pan out to shield that hinge good, not look bad and not cost a lot. Even though I'm out West we do get some crazy t-storms in the mountains come monsoon time that'll warrant the work. I should share the story about a trip in a pop-up I had years ago. We discovered some nasty leaks the hard way and the mrs. didn't like that one bit, lol! Anyway, I'll mess around with my BW and pass it along if it works out.
I cant wait to see what you're doing with that hinge. Share, share, share, and have fun on your trip!
I recently purchased the 10SS, and have learned a ton from you already on how to maintain it (hence purchased items you have recommended). Your links make it easy! Only different setup that I went with, is a 2000 w generator. Another great vid, and look forward to the next one.
That's very kind of you. With your generator, did you get a honda, predator,.. something different??
@@DIYOutdoorLife decided on the Predator.
@@OMGnetworkinggreat choice. I use generators at work daily and have loved the predators (own multiple). They seem part for part identical to the Honda for half the price!
Where do you carry yours while traveling?
@@DIYOutdoorLife I havent figured that out yet. Uniike your Tacoma, I do not have a cap on mine so space is limited. Something else I noticed, Braxton cut another corner and did not put in access door under the sink like you have.
@@OMGnetworking That's why I asked, I got tired of lugging the geno and gas around (I do it enough at work!) The cap is a blessing and curse but I love it for camping. I'm sure you can tarp it when it has cooled and it'll be fine.
Someone else commented on the lack of door, that's a bummer...
Have you had the same water drainage issue when the trailer is more level or sloped down towards the hitch? The water might be collecting at the galley due to the angle. I just started in service at a camping center in Washington- so I am familiarizing myself with as many common issues as possible. Subbed and have been watching your vids. Great stuff!
This is a well documented issue with this trailer, happens regardless of positioning. Several people have had luck extending fins off the side of the hurricane hinge, others have replaced the hinge with a longer one that extends.
When you call BC, they tell you not to use the galley in the rain … lol. I’ve learned to live with it, I place my canopy over the galley when it’s raining.
Thanks for tuning in, excited to hear how you make out at the service center .
I'm looking at teardrops. I thought I wanted a full on RV because it would have a bathroom, but the more I see tear drop camping....which is so much closer to real camping...the more I am leaning that direction. I figure I can bring a portable pottie and put it in it's own area if I need to get up in the middle of the night. I didn't think I would like the rear galley, but it's growing on me. I think I'd rather cook outside a small camper than bring the smells inside (plus the grease....just look at any home range hood.) Thanks for sharing. I'm considering between a Hiker, Bushwhacker, and Kodiak Stealth (or trying to find a used NuCamp T@g.) Kodiak though, for nothing but the shell, is almost $14K and it doesn't have a galley. Thank you for all the info you provide!!
There’s obviously something to be said about both and anything that gets us outdoors more is great in my book. For me, the decision came down to the point Cosmo made in one of our videos together_”you camp in a full size RV, you camp out of a teardrop.” I like the fact that they’re small, it kicks you out outdoors more. I’ve really come to enjoy bring some gear to make the outdoors campsite nice. I have a shower/toilet tent like you said and it feels like a luxury compared to backpacking. I hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t and keep me in the loop about what camper you go with!
Hi Brian . This is my first video of yours I’ve viewed. Good information. Just curious, we have had several people in our area purchase the Buschwacker and have a multitude of problems with that teardrop. Some fairly serious. Brand new. Have you had concerns about the build quality? Thanks
Hey Bob, check out the other videos on my channel. In particular, my review of the Bushwhacker. Although the price is great, there are several issues with build quality for sure…
Thanks for watching!
I have the same outdoor rug!
I like it. Do you do anything special to clean yours?
No,I use it at my back patio so it get rained on. Self cleaning🤣
@@johnryan296 haha... I spray mine with a little vinegar and put it in the sun...good as new. Just dont pack it wet or it stinks...lol
Loved the Shenandoah video. We took a motorcycle ride from NY to the Tail of the Dragon and went through there from Crown Royal. It was a 100 miles of Fog. Gotta do it again next time I go down that way. We actually didn't see anything.
@@johnryan296 def swing back thru… amazing place to take the bike for sure
I would love details on the site number at Shenandoah, that looks like a nice site! Thanks.
Shoot me an email and I’ll point ya in the right direction 😀 I have a few secrets 🤐
Has Braxton Creek fixed the leaking back hatch door since this video was made?
No, bad design. Some people have found some smart ways to divert the water. It doesn’t go thru the hinge, it actually wraps around the outside and can be wicked away…. Still annoying and should be changed.
It seems as though my Bushwhacker loses traction even on surfaces like washboard dirt roads. How does it do in snow? I’d like to be able to do over nights here in Colorado.
Light trailers certainly don’t like washboard roads, they bounce and lose contact with the road. I’ve been there and it’s not fun.
In my opinion, the Bushwhacker does exceptionally well in the snow. This of course is in comparison to all trailers, which can be frightening to tow with in bad weather. I travel cross country in January every year, I’ve been in some dicey places and it does great.
Love my 10SS, didnt have any issues with mine that you had. What RV park is that? Was it crowded? thanks for the videos.
I've been following your progress, super happy that yours in holding up! Watch to the end to see about campground...
@@DIYOutdoorLife ok still watching during my lunch break.
@@DIYOutdoorLife so you dont recommend the campground? You never mention the name. was that the only bathroom? lol
@@johnwdavisjr I do recommend it! I loved it! ...I just wanted you to see how dead it was and thought the bathroom was funny. Hit me up on facebook and I'll share :-)
Hey you should do a video for how to power your A/C unit while boondocking. I'm trying to figure out a solution and wondering if the Goal Zero Yeti 1000 with solar panels would be good enough for night time AC for like a week long trip. Thanks for any help!
Should've finished watching the whole video before commenting lol I see at the end you talk about it for a little, a little video talking about different options for that would be sweet though! #floridaproblems
It's in the making! I have a lot of success running my AC off of the Yeti's. I've learned a few tricks that make the system work better. Do you have an SS of FB?
@@DIYOutdoorLife an ss just got it yesterday for 9k! About to do the water pump and radio switch as well :)
you're going to do really well with the AC on the SS, the FB has a ton of problems. Where did you get your trailer?
@@DIYOutdoorLife that’s great to hear, I bought it off a private seller on Facebook marketplace
Hi.. for how long can you run your AC with your GOAL ZERO? Do you have a 5000 BTU AC?
I get this question a lot and it's hard to answer. I should probably do a video just on this topic. The results vary so much based on how you're using it. Day v Night, 1 sleeper vs 2 & dog, outside temp, setting on AC, and on and on and on......
In short, the GZ Yeti 1500x can run my 5000btu air conditioner for over 8 hours in most situations. I usually don't run it this long, I prefer to use a timer and run it for a couple hours at bed when needed. I've haven't tested in extremely high temps, because I live in the northeast US but I will be testing throughout the summer. I'm going to try to use enough solar to run it 24 hours a day at the beach as a test.... we'll see how it goes.
SUBSCRIBE: ua-cam.com/users/DIYOutdoorLife
Thanks for your time to answer this question... And I just asking this because 4 days ago I got my new trailer like yours and we have the same AC unit.. but I leave in AZ and our temperature is 109 F right now.. I know it will be totally different situation because temperatures.. It will be great if you can do a video about how SOLAR works in your trailer, how to cut power in your battery and how many solar panels you use... Thanks again for your time and your great videos, you're helping me a lot..
@@miroslavamaciel4527 I really appreciate that. You're in luck, I have made videos on installing cut off switch, shutting off radio, solar, etc....I just need to edit and post them!!!
as for AC, my first question is, do you have an SS or FB? it makes a big difference.
For those kind of temperatures, we could probably get it done with a goal zero, but may want to think about a generator.
@@DIYOutdoorLife
SORRY I don't know SS & FB meaning..
@@miroslavamaciel4527 SS has one door, FB has 2 doors...AC is in different location
No!!!! What did you do to the cow?
Hahaha
What’s the max speed that this can be pulled at?
It has full rated car/truck tires, most campers have 60 mph limits that come from the tires. If I told you how fast I’ve gone w/ this, I would be embarrassed.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Haha. So it doesn’t try to fishtail at higher speeds? All great info. Thanks a ton for posting.
It rides like a dream, check out my video on tongue weight. If you have your tongue weight balanced properly, you will drive like like it’s not even there!
Ive showered in worse, sadly! LOL
Me too... haha ...I'm still bringing the portable shower tent next time.
Nice video. Speaking of smaller campers, check out my homemade camper.
I’ll check that out this evening! I love a good home build!