Escapod was having trouble post their links. So I will post them here. Explore the TOPO2: escapod.us/trailers/topo-2 Build Your TOPO2: escapod.us/order-now/topo-2 Escapod Story: escapod.us/about
I used to feel this way as well. But I am starting to understand this demographic more. They really appreciate craftsmanship, ingenuity, and campers designed to be handed off to your children. Is it in my budget, no. But, at the same time I do realize we all have diffferent camping styles, needs, and desires. For us a tearrop was just a slight upgrade from car camping and backpacking. But for others it is a means for getting out away from the crowds and pushing both their vehicle and trailer hard.
@@PlayingwithSticksIf your children want it. The dining table my late wife and I took months to pay off on layaway now resides in my daughter's basement.
@@ScoobyFermentation Haha. That is what I hope people do. I make these videos to help people understand trailers. Yes, some may be expensive, but I still think we can all take something away from their designs. Regardless of if we feel they are priced right or not.
We have camped year-round in our teardrop for about 5 years now, with many issues uncovered as we went. This trailer solves them all, and more. Awesome!
I love the trailer, but I'm even more impressed by Jen's presentation skills. Her vocabulary and product knowledge really stand out in this industry! I've worked in sales for 25 years and have never been as smooth as she is when presenting a product.
Agreed. My family and I were just talking about that. I had a hard time editing this video down to a shorter length, because there was nothing to remove that was fluff. Not only did she share great incites into the design, but it was articulate and her story flowed so well.
Respectfully, I wouldn't buy anything from a salesman that talked like this. It's obvious you are trying to make yourself look good, but I have met enough dishonest salespeople to suspect that such language is just meant to sell me a piece of junk. Sorry to be mean, but if you can't speak plainly, it sounds like you have something to hide. If you build trailers, talk like someone who builds trailers. If you run a small business, talk like a small business owner. Understand your audience. It doesn't do you any favors to mimic a used car salesman.
$44k for the trailer and $65k for the truck to tow it. I haven’t even purchased the equipment needed for this way of life. I refuse to spend $120K for a hobby.
Yes, it can all really add up. And I think there are a lot of people who don't factor in all the costs like you are. It is wise to slow down and think about what this all will actually cost when said and done.
Drew, You know me, I tend to gravitate to the simpler style teardrops, with less features and stick to the basics. BUT, it's very hard not to fall in love with this trailer. I had the privilege to meet with Chris Eckel at the Midwest Expo in Missouri a couple of months ago. Talking with Chris and frankly hearing Jen speak on video about this trailer, you can feel the passion and love for both the outdoors and teardrops. That alone puts this trailer on the top of my list. Living in Wisconsin, winters can be hard on teardrops and having a galvanized frame is music to my ears, not to mention the composite body that sits on top. I'd love to take one of these trailers out for a couple of weeks in the backcountry see how it fits our style. My hopes are to visit Utah and the shop in the near future to MORE of this trailer. Maybe I can convince one of them to let me take one for a spin with the family for a few nights. Although, it might not be this year. We do plan to travel to Colorado, this summer for a few weeks and travel the Back Country Discovery Route. This will be an adventure in itself, but who knows, maybe we keep heading west and visit Escapod. As always Drew, I love your insights and what you are doing for the teardrop community. Safe travels and stay hungry for adventure. - Matt
I appreciate the thought that went into the design of this trailer. It shows the owners/makers have done a lot of their own camping out of these small trailers and really sweat the details. Price is high, but thats just the reality of prioritizing material quality with small scale low volume manufacturing in the US. From what I’ve heard from Escapod owners, you do get top notch service and support from them. One idea that I hope Escapod could make happen in the future is to offer a scaled back model that de-prioritizes some of the offroad capability to cut down a bit on the overall cost. There are a lot of us out there that don’t need the clearance and are mostly at home on forest and BLM roads. Having a second product line though and the inventory to support it can get expensive so I get that could be a while in coming. Thanks for the vid Drew and Jen!
Thanks for your kind words Jason! And thank you for your idea, we love hearing what's essential/non-essential to people so that when we get to a point where we can offer more models, we know what direction to move in!
We feel the same way as you. We have talked to brands about this. Essentially they understand our need, but some don't feel there is a market there. And others feel it kind of goes against their brand. Which I get. If you are known for making the best camper that can go anywhere, it kind of goes against brand to make one that can't. I use Jeep as a great example. They make some really fun Jeeps and then they go and put out budget versions that don't perform nearly as well in the field. In my opinion these new Jeeps that are "affordable" tend to water down the brand. But, again I completey agree with you. I would love a composite trailer that came in near 1,000lbs, had a full galley, 15" of clearance (simple Dexter Torsion Axles), and a little higher interior height than a traditional teardrop. Essentially I am looking for an Escapod in functionality and comfort, but stripped down to weigh more like a Scamp. That has always been my desire.
Impressive. All composite, no seams to leak, innovative. Never seen the cabinet cover double as a table. Very cool. 4 season!! nice. Smart storage configuration. Plenty of water. Decent suspension. rock sliders oh my! Air Conditioned(nice it's 12v but will kill the batteriy pretty fast, having a lot of sun and solar will help that though) and heated. Plenty of power options A lot to like here and the thoughtfulness is self evident. I agree with your airbag/laveling/lowing suggestion. I'm not wild about the awning especially the potential "flap" factor but there are plenty of good awning choices out there. It's expensive but you get a lot. One of the coolest teardrop trailers on the market for sure.
i have been watching overland camping for several years. In and out on trailers. There is not by far a more informative chanel when it comes to factual, useful info. Dont stop......subscribed.
Great teardrop. I made my own out of wood and a Harbor Freight trailer. Loved it and made a couple of long trips. The main thing I like was that IF I got myself in a predicament that I could not get out of I could unhook it, roll it around, turn my car around and hook it back up by hand. This probably a little heavier. BUT I did notice one thing that I would do if making another is something you almost did. I would take the entire trailer out to the width of most automobiles and do away with the finders completely and putting cabinets or closets over the wheel well.
Great segment again Sir. Way outta my price range but it looks as though you get what you pay for. Except for the solar. I feel for paying 40k and beyond, atleast 300 watts of solar should come with that hefty of a price tag. Thankyou Drew. You always give us your best, and it's appreciated.
I could see 300 watts being doable. I went pretty crazy with mine and put 400 watts on this time. I only needed 200, well really 100, but put in 100 more as a backup. But, I thought it would be fun to test two different styles of panels. I have always been intrigued by CIGS solar panels. So I put a 200 watt silicon panel next to it. Should be really fun to do some real time tests. Solar panels have decreased in price so much lately, that 400 watts really wasn't that expensive. Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
@@PlayingwithSticks I’ve been eyeballing a 400 watt solar panel for my ecoflow but to be honest… if It’s fully charged, we’re good for a couple of days.
The Topo 1 was in the running when I was first looking. The Topo 2 is very cool but not twice the price cool. I think the extra width is my favorite concept with this trailer. So nice to keep shoes inside.
Yes, I think the pricing does narrow down the buyers quite a bit. I think it is hard to argue against the design and build. So many people would be willing to drop some hard earned money on this if it fit into their budget.
@@PlayingwithSticks it definitely has a market and the build is top notch. Just way more than I need. The suspension system is another big selling point for people who want to head far off road. These kinds of builds are great for the market as whole because they are pushing the design in new directions.
@@CinkSVideo Agreed. I think at times it causes too many trailers to push towards overland components. Essentially raising the prices for things many of us don't need. But, in general I think builds like this help the industry move in the right direction as a whole. As long as we have outliers like the Road Toad, Hiker, Runaway, I will always applaud this forward momentum.
Same goes with Hiker as well. If these Topo 2s are out of your budget, just remember there are great budget options like Hiker out there that start at $5,990.
Drew, thank you so much for taking the time to view and film the TOPO2 with us! We appreciate you sharing this with your community and for providing your always insightful perspective on our build.
It's obvious that a lot of thought went into everything: That galley with the modular shelving is such a brilliant and simple solution to the storage problem, those "nightstands" with the wireless charging pads are nice touches and if you have to have a sink, then I think their placement of it is ideal because you're usually either cooking or washing up so you're not sacrificing much bench space. The only thing that I would do differently is replace the rectangular awning with another 180 degree free-standing awning because life's too short to wrestle with awnings and then install a shower awning just below it, where the shower head goes. Ignoring the issue of shower run-off, it provides quick-to-setup privacy to shower or change clothes. Darche even has an (expensive) annex that works with their awnings as a substitute for the rectangular awning tent/annex although that type of thing takes too long to setup and is too bulky for my liking. I have no doubt you're getting your money's worth and the TOPO2 would be top of my shopping list if I won the lottery but that price is a little eye-watering.
Really appreciate your kind words & feedback! A 180 awning on both sides would look amazing, getting basically full coverage from the tongue box to the galley on both sides! We haven't tried on of their annex rooms, but definitely will be soon to see how we feel about it.
This video really made me think. What are the price of trailers that I would be interested in these days? So I went back to my manufacturer, and look at the trailer and features that I got on my trailer. And what would the cost be today. I bought my trailer 4 years ago. And now they are well over twice the price. Now, most people don't realize what goes into making a trailer that can go almost anywhere. Durability and strength of walls, frame Etc. Made for hours and hours of washboard roads, and snow as well as rocks, mud and River Crossings. Comforts like on demand hot water, a sink, the heater and batteries, lights Etc add to the price. But when I hear someone say, I could get a 17 foot through a 28-foot trailer for the same price, they really have no idea the durability of those type of trailers. One trip over mangle pass in Death Valley might leave you the coupler still on your hitch. But that would be it. This trailer looks to be something I would love to give a shot at taking out on one of my Adventures. It looks quite durable. And although I probably wouldn't buy it due to the price, I probably wouldn't buy the trailer I have now at its current price which is more than this one. I would definitely buy a shell and build my own. She's a great spokesperson for the company. I have seen her on many reviews at Overland venues. And a great job on your part as well!
Thank you for this perspective! If one of your adventures ever brings you to Utah, we do have a rental fleet that you could also try out on one of your adventures!
Great video thank you! I think the camper looks great. The one thing I would suggest is to not make it such a dark color so that it wouldn't get so hot inside in warm weather. The exterior color makes a much bigger difference in the interior temperature than most people realize even with good insulation.
You are absolutely right about the color. It really does make a big difference. Even just having a dark color, but a white roof will dramatically increase the liveability of the trailer.
Spot on Richard. Camping season is in effect over here in the southwest. Unless you have a/c and a power source. That dark color makes it horribly hot inside. It's about fashion no function.
Jen's presentation is top shelf for sure. I picked up my original TOPO last October and soon learned that it would be discontinued two months later. While the original TOPO support has continued to be good, I still feel like I had the rug pulled out from under me. I am not looking forward to the day when I have to get the suspension system realigned, or have other repairs/replacements needed. I wish they would consider selling the patents/design to another manufacturer so that it may be continued. It's a great trailer.
It is a great trailer. I can't imagine it was an easy decision for Escapod to discontinue that trailer. But, at the same time it would have been a branding nightmare for them to try and sell both. I think it could have been done. But they would have to be so careful promoting the Topo2s attributes without negatively highlighting some of the attributes on the original design. But, you get what you pay for right. The topo 2 for the price is a great trailer. If you want all the benefits of this trailer you would essentially be paying twice as much.
Just for fun, I checked out the current price of my Mean Bean. 24 months ago I purchased it for $25,200. Exact build out is now $38,793. I believe the only changes are in the side windows. Except for the higher ceiling in the Bean, I'd prefer the Escapod. My Bean, with rack, is just over 7 ft tall however. Fortunately, I have an 8 foot garage door opening for storage; it does not fit through a standard 7 foot. Also, Escapod uses polycarbonate for its front facing star gazing window. Bean uses tempered glass, not laminated like a car windshield, which is much more susceptible to breakage either through glass manufacturing defect or impact. If it breaks, you need to get the trailer to Salt Lake for replacement. Replacement cost is $1500. My advice, don't get a Bean with the front window.
Good advice. I wonder if they have receivevd this feedback. It makes sense for Bean to be something else like maybe an acrylic window from Arctic Tern. That is crazy how much the price has increased on your trailer in just 2 years. Wild times!
Love it. Clearly the premium option in this class. At this price it probably doesn't take too many sales to turn a nice profit, but the number of customers wanting to camp in this style at this price point has to be pretty slim.
The Intech trailers are great trailers. They have also moved away from wood in their builds. Not a one piece structural design like you see here, but much better than most traditional builds.
There is a market for people who do NOT want to pay for (or try to pilot) a 30 foot plus Airstream and a Ford F350 or a motorhome with push outs etc that will run you in the hundreds of thousands of dollars but who DO want a minimal trailer but still desire a few creature comforts. That market was me. Have owned my Topo 2 since February, and having done winter camping, spring camping and now summer camping, I couldn't be happier.
Escapod changed the small trailer game with this one. The Topo2 appears to be one of the few rigs that are truly built to last generations. Almost like an Airstream with no bathroom. Almost.
For me it is hard to go back after seeing a trailer like this. Yes, others are more affordable. But like you mentioned in terms of longevity and maintenance they are just in two completely different leagues.
I really like this teardrop but I would gladly switch that certainly comfortable bed, for a seat cushion setup or folding bed. The extra foot room and headroom would allow for dressing, water bottle showers, light meal preparation, whatever.
Objectively the best trailer on the market - no question. We were all set to buy the Original Topo and sad they discontinued it; however, it was clearly the right business decision. Fantastic team @ Escapod also. I wish we could afford this version, but man - it truly is "The Standard".
It is tough isn't it. I bet it was an even tougher decision for them. Basically going all in on a top tier, top dollar trailer. They knew if they didd this that they could't go back. Basically they went all in. And they knew this would eliminate sales from the lower end of the budget. A bold move, but a move great entrepeneurs would be willing to make. I don't think I would have the guts to do it. But, that is also why I don't sell trailers. Haha.
@@PlayingwithSticks very well said. To be clear, we don't begrudge them at all - it was the right move for their business model. And, it's hard to fall in love then get left at the altar =]. Will always follow and root for Escapod!
@@kentthomas2174 Sorry. I hope I didn't make you feel like I thought you were talking negatively about them. I completely understood your statement and was just furthering the conversation.
I am a big fan of EscaPods! I am not a fan of on board water tanks but if you are going to have them then the Truma system is an excellent choice for having hot water! Thanks Drew!!
There's Brad! Good to see you. I'm with you on the water as well. When I traveled with Bean I saw the vaue of a water tank. When you have big tow vehicles, they are pretty priceless. But when towing with smaller vehicles like us or when using traditional construction for the trailer. I just find them more of a hassle. I must admit I didn't have any coffee on you since the last video. I have been so busy I haven't slowed down to smell the roses I will make sure to take May out for one soon. Thanks Brad!
@@PlayingwithSticks Sounds like you might become a big overland camper! What does May think of further off road adventures!? Hope you and May find a nice coffee shop to enjoy a cup!
We haven't been highligting it on the channel. But we are really getting into bike camping and moto camping. It has been mainly me and the boys. I am finding it so fun, just getting off the beaten path a bit more. May still loves her long boondocking stays. She has never really been a fan of the journey, more into the destination. The town we are in seems to have a few nice little coffee shops. We are excited to try them out.
Really nice camper! However, my OCD was going nuts at some of the finishing, the crooked timber decorative piece to one side of of the cabin, the distorted shelf in the galley that didn't sit flat against the support and the mass of wires to the side of the fridge (that she tucked back in - needs a cable snake maybe?). One would think a camper at this price point that you are taking to media, would be totally sorted prior to catching up.
Wow, I love it when someone sees things I missed. In their defense this video was shot quite a while back. They may have alleviated some of that cable management since then. But if not, this comment should help that. Thanks for sharing Darryl.
Appreciate this feedback Darryl, it's the type that really helps us work through our process to build a quality! This trailer was our third build and definitely had some things that needed buttoning up by our team, our team has definitely made more to correct a lot of what you've pin pointed and will continue to make refinements as we continue to receive helpful feedback like this!
@@EscapodTrailers Thanks for coming back. really appreciate that. Do love the amount of considered design that has gone into this camper, you guys should be really proud of it.
I am not a fan of modular components in the cabin. Meaning turning beds into tables. But, a modular galley makes a lot of sense to me. May and I are often drawn to small Japanese micro apartments. The concept of modularity is so intriguing. Like you, we would love to incorporate some of that into our small bungalow.
You nailed the positives and negatives. The extra room next to the mattress is really nice. I keep wondering why other designs aren't taking advantage of the lower space for storage. I do think it lacks warmth. I don't like the black hardware on the natural birch. Stainless or nickel hardware on stained, darker wood accents would warm it up a lot. The removable solar panel is interesting. But I think I would just want a port to plug in extra folding panels. A 12 ft word may not be quite enough to get the panel into the sun. I think they could do more with that space behind the sink. I like what one company has done to stow the outdoor table in the foot area of the bedroom. What colors does this come in. I don't want a dark color.
Well, this is maybe the best teardrop, 4 seasons, love winter camping, this quality build and material would last to my children and grandchildren, maybe. The price is high but that's what you get when you're the best teardrop trailer, you better believe it!
I think it’s worth what people will pay for it. Not everyone needs all of the features or the build quality for their teardrop, but there are some that appreciate and will pay for it. Escapod has done their market research I’m sure. Drew - when can we expect to see a review of the Wander Tears Vaga model? I bought the DIY plans and am in the process of my own build. They also sell them built for those that want it ready to go. Danny and Paige are wonderful and I’m sure they would love to get your take on their teardrop!
I really do need to push that one to the front. I had planned on doing some more diy videos with Mark from Overland Trailer. But both of us got pretty busy. Thanks for the reminder.
Excellent video! I would like to see simple fold out wind guards on the pullout stove and more color options for the trailer and doors. Teardrops can be very pricey as well. Overall, I really like this teardrop! Thank you for the video!
Great suggestion on the wind guards. I wonder if they have integrated them since I first shot this video. There is a very limited white color I see running around on this trailer. It looks really neat. Not sure if it is the color, or I just enjoy seeing a new color for this trailer. But, I agree more colors would be fun.
Thanks for your feedback Abel! Wind guards would be a great idea, we've definitely have it on our list for our Engineering team to explore. In the meantime, we've been using the Kelty Backroads shelter as a cover for the hatch when we run into issues with the weather. We hear you on the more trailer colors, definitely hope to have more colors in the mix!
I’m impressed! Those galvanized rock slider rails seem like they bring this trailer up a level for durability and backroad/offroad exploration I would be really interested to see someone tackle one of the long Australian tracks with one of these. This is the first US teardrop I’ve seen that seems like it could handle the hundreds of miles of corrugated roads
We love to get our trailers offroad! We've had a couple of customers, take their trailers up the bumpy Alaskan Highway , but we would love to see one exploring Australia as well!
May has always wanted to tour Australia with a small camper. Jen and Chris when you are ready to send a Topo 2 over to Australia for us to "test out." let us know. 😉
this is very quickly becoming my favorite channel on youtube. I'm in the market for an offroad teardrop and this channel is doing reviews the best. the Boreas XT, Vorsheer XOC, Offgrid Expedition 2.0, Teton X, Roc ASD10, BRS Sherpa, Mammoth Overland Trailer, Vega XT, Hive EXX, and the sasquatch Highland 60 would keep you busy for a long time.
I. Love. This. Modularity. As you continue improving on the models, keep adding the dual-purposed and flipping/moving items to increase the number of potential uses, like the kitchen cabinet cover that doubles as a clip-on table. This trailer is still a smidge too heavy for sedans. I'd like a tiny trailer option to go with a Prius V (1600lb max. tow cap, though that's a strain), rather than having to bump up to an SUV or truck. If I have to pick up a Highlander, I might as well get a slightly bigger trailer. But yeah, at least this little puppy would barely eat into that mileage benefit of a hybrid SUV.
LOVE These - this is the teardrop that makes sense for a lot of us with smaller SUV's and CUV's that can't (or don't want to) pull a standard even small travel trailer. THIS is next gen! LOVE!!!!
We picked up our Topo2 in Coalville in early February. We camped back to NoCal through Idaho and Oregon, and have been on a few 10 day trips and multiple 2-3 night trips since then. We are still as giddy about "Wndrpod" as we were the day we picked her up. We don't see needing anything larger, so while some think the price tag is "antithetical to teardrop life," we know this is our forever camper. When we (finally) get to retire, our plan is to ship it to Europe and spend at least a year caravanning around those parts, then who else knows... Things we really love: the entire kitchen set-up, the stargazer window, the climate control options, the vast amounts of storage... I could write an essay on how much we are able to store in such a compact space... We spent a good two years looking before we ordered the Escapod. And we haven't regretted our choice once. Our only regret is when we have to spend a weekend NOT camping with her.
Exactly, you were the type of person who was smart enough to make enough money to afford something like this. People are just salty and pathetic. @@lisahubbert1269
I like this design. Thanks for sharing this with us. I also really like how this keeps evolving as the designers/engineers are also users of the products they make. They get first hand experience that helps make the next version even better!
Thanks for your kind words, Mike! We love having our team members camp in the trailer, it's help improve the useability of the trailer and make meaningful changes as we continue to evolve!
This is close to great and the composite is a wonderful choice. However, the trailing arm suspension could easily be damaged on a rocky trail and Bean has a MUCH better location for the spare tire for both access and clearance. The fully articulating hitch/coupler should be standard like it is on the Black Bean too
It truly is high end. They not only chose great materials and components. They really took the time to make the design practical and truly forward thinking.
Absolutely love this and for the way my wife and I camp it would be perfect. The price as is with almost every one of these campers is just way out of the price range we can afford, I guess we'll just stick to our tents.
Well done Drew and bravo to Escapod. This is an awesome teardrop! I would have given it strong consideration along side our Meaner Bean teardrop. The deal breaker for us would be the interior cabin height. :( 42" Is too much like being in a coffin :o and i'd hate trying to get dressed inside. :/ Otherwise, two thumbs up. :)
What can I say. WOW it’s awesome! But it pushes the price tag of a full awesome build trailer and not a tier drop. If they could get the price down say to $30,000 decked out and maybe $20,000-22,000 I could see it. It’s an awesome trailer but out of most normal peoples price range.
Supercool teardrop! My only concern is that the black plastic outer shell would get very hot in hot climates and heat up the inside of the cabin too much. I could be wrong. Maybe offer it in white too? Since white reflects heat?
@@PlayingwithSticks Honestly the 4 season aspect is the critical part for us. We're in SoCal, so deserts and high temp's, but we also go to WA, MT, WY, CO, and UT in the winter.
@@squatch2461 That would definitely make sense for you. And like you and I, who love winter camping that sort of thing is priceless. My wife often has to remind me that everyone else doesn't like to camp in the winter. She says I talk about it too much. Haha.
10:20 I'm convinced that everyone outside the Midwest thinks the Midwest is freezing all year. I don't think that air conditioner could stand up to the summers here.
You would be surprised. Most of these air conditioners are actually too powerful for how small the cubic space is. Remember, this would be like cooling an area the size of a quarter bath.
The price of trailers (like many other things these days) is absolutely out of control. In 2015 I bought a Winnebago Micro Mini for $18k. That same trailer today, is $45k. The only thing about it that's changed is the price. Most new teardrops, that are little more than rolling plywood boxes, cost more than I paid for my Winne. This little trailer is AWESOME, but the price is insane!
Dang. I just looked at the micro Minnie. It's not so Minnie imo. 4,200 dry weight at 22'. They look cool, though. I just purchased my first trailer for 15000. 2017 Forest river Wildwood. 5000 dry weight at 25'. The quality is low but the price is right. Luckily I can afford the 5 yr extended plan hopefully nothing goes wrong but piece of mind is nice. I love the trailer overall. Can't wait to take it out next weekend.
@@jasonchaney5382 I am having trouble finding where the truth lies. Materials have definitely increased. We can see that just by going to our local hardware store. But how much? Wood in my area is up 300%. It is ridiculous.
Love these little teardrops. Ive been doing my research high and low for ones that provide AC. So i was thrilled to see this has that option. But the one question i have, that no one ever seems to mention with any of these that provide an AC...will it run off the batteries provided? Will it run off the uograded batteries and inverter? Or do you have to be plugged in to shore power or a generator? AC is a must since i camp in warmer climates and take my dogs. Thanks for the video. Loved it
Jen actually mentioned it during the walkthrough, but I cut it out due to time. I wish I could remember, but I think theirs ran for about 4-5 hours on the base setup. Which doesn't sound like much, but these spaces are quite small and incredibly insulated. I find with both heat and ac. You crank it on before bed. Maybe once in the early morning, and then again after you wake up and it holds the temp well. Obviously it is much better suited for shore power, but it will take the edge off well on a 2-3 day trip. And like you mentioned you can also attach this to a generator for unlimited ac.
Wowzer! Very thought out! It's definitely a fantastic trailer. Now that I've spent many many many hours of research, its time to narrow the gap, I'm down to 3 manufacturers, and its time do some hands on views. Im excited about this one in particular! Its kinda captured my heart!! Cheers!!
@@PlayingwithSticks really love what you've done there. As an engineer myself the attention to details and, "things done right" is absolutely appreciated and while I understand it comes at a cost good lord that price is breathtaking. I mean look at what an airstream Bambi costs, it's significantly less. Understandably this can go places a Bambi won't but still...just as a matter of raw content this is pretty rich.
Wow -- just saw a vid on the One Year Sale of something from 1989 that is very similar - the Outbacker. -- only this is gonna cost 7 Times more than that trial that did not succeed. -- Great Product -- Good Luck...the modern family seems less $$$ conscious so this may work at a starter cost of 44K.
Very pretty. I have a gripe: you keep talking about overlanding but made the frame from aluminum. Aluminum suffers from fatigue, and will start to crack around those swing arms. Fine for the occasional dirt road, but heavy washboarding or actual offroad will kill it. Also, for me, that huge window with no option to totally block it off is a deal breaker.
I’ll keep my 2023 Tag XL Boondock that I bought new for $17k. Plus if anything goes wrong I have dealerships nation wide to swing in for any help or repairs.
I think what I’d like to see from a lot of these companies would be to fill the void of a light offroad (softroad?) trailer. That and interior options for single people (bed on one side, seat/table on the other! Or maybe one side converts?).
You may want to take a look at the road toad by Camp Inn.. About four hundred and sixty pounds dry weight. Not all the bells and whistles of this one but about a third of the price and a good off-road alternative.
All of these trailer are already just light off-roaders or “soft-roaders”. Going any lower and you’re just in the standard tear drop category, which can easily accommodate fire roads, gravel roads, exc.
Hey Drew! Not sure if you remember me or not ... I'm the guy who went to Mizzou, and a year or so ago we used to chat in here. I remember you went to Nebraska, and we talked about your "cold water study" ... Anyways, just wanted to congratulate you on the growth and success of your channel!!! It's been great to watch it grow into what it has become. Keep up the great content, and best wishes to you and your family!!!
Thank you. Agreed. These guys truly meant it when they said they were going to build the best camper known to man. Love the ingenuity. And what I really love is they didn't add anythiing I would consider ridiculous. Nothiing flashy, just for flash. Everything on here has it's place.
@@PlayingwithSticks yup, and I guarantee this costs them over 25-30k to build, add labor and the 43k price tag isn’t unreasonable to me. Like the car market, there are prices for every one and those prices *hopefully* should match the quality. 43k is a lot of money, but I think the teardrop community forgets that people buy literally THOUSANDS of $100k+ travel trailers every single year. There are more rich people than the internet will have you believe
@@Ajjakakkaka Great point! Just going to an Overland Expo once will help you understand how much money is out there. And I really like the car market analogy. So true.
Wish these tear drops could also haul dirt bikes. Also be nice if the bed turned into a couch to sit in while waiting out storms or to be able to change into active gear for MTB or MX. I do see the market for this Tear Drop. We're one of the few families camping in a tent for my kids' motocross race weekends. Although I tow a 3 bike foldable non enclosed trailer, packing all the gear on the last day takes hours to do, such as all our cooking gear and loose items and then two tents. 4 hours minimum and not optimal if a storm has rolled through. Guys with pick up trucks and toy hauling trailers can get out of there in less than 15 minutes. I could see if I didn't have kids, my dirt bikes could go into the bed of a truck and then tow this tear drop easily vs having to set up a tent and extra tables. Sure one could get a larger trailer but space is an issue the closer one lives to the city.
Just got into the RV game. I purchased a 2017 25' RV trailer for 15,000. I feel it was a good deal for just starting out. I also just learned about the teardrops. This one looks sweet. But I have a 3 yr old and a 2 month old. I feel this isn't feasible for my lifestyle and the price is high for the teardrops. Overall if It was just me and the misses I would certainly look into these.
Definitely understand the camping with kids setup! Jen & Chris currently camp with a 3 year old and a GSP dog and still fit comfortable in the cabin! But as the kids get older, having the rooftop tent makes for the perfect solution to get the whole family out to some pretty amazing camp spots!
We are another example of a family with kids in a teardrop. Our little teardrop was only 4x8 in size. But we slept a family of 4 and loved it. It really is about maintaining the outdoor lifestyle, while still having a bed with us that is as comfortable as home.
I think this camper is awesome. However, at the price point I was surprised to see the interior cabinet door gaps to be off as well as the wood accents on the inside walls to be a little off square (drivers side was good, Lassiter side was off). The problem is, if I could see those things from the video, what else would I find in person? For north of $50k fully optioned, I would expect it to have absolute perfect fit and finish.
The raw aluminum (silver paint?) frame really cheapens the look of the otherwise really great looking trailer. Curious whether or not you could have them powder coat the frame to a uniform color of the trailer?
Holy sheep shit 44k for a base camper from this startup. You can get a mainstream slightly bigger tow-along camper new for around 25k that comes with everything this offers plus a bathroom/shower, proper stove/sink/microwave/mini fridge where you're not outside to use them, and more space for only a 30-45% bigger footprint. It's a great design and good space efficiency for the size, but that is insane. I wouldn't feel comfortable paying any more than 30k for this, and that's WITH half the 'upgrades' they offer.
Escapod was having trouble post their links. So I will post them here.
Explore the TOPO2: escapod.us/trailers/topo-2
Build Your TOPO2: escapod.us/order-now/topo-2
Escapod Story: escapod.us/about
Beautiful but $44K is bonkers; it is counterintuitive to the teardrop life
I used to feel this way as well. But I am starting to understand this demographic more. They really appreciate craftsmanship, ingenuity, and campers designed to be handed off to your children. Is it in my budget, no. But, at the same time I do realize we all have diffferent camping styles, needs, and desires. For us a tearrop was just a slight upgrade from car camping and backpacking. But for others it is a means for getting out away from the crowds and pushing both their vehicle and trailer hard.
Yeah. We are just gonna breeze past that little factoid in the video. Nothing to see here.
@@PlayingwithSticks designed to be handed off to your children? for 44 grand? So the demographic is spoilt rich kids?
@@PlayingwithSticksIf your children want it. The dining table my late wife and I took months to pay off on layaway now resides in my daughter's basement.
@@ScoobyFermentation Haha. That is what I hope people do. I make these videos to help people understand trailers. Yes, some may be expensive, but I still think we can all take something away from their designs. Regardless of if we feel they are priced right or not.
Maybe I’m just old but $40K for a teardrop trailer is ridiculous!
Really would like to see a company that makes a affordable trailer that most low income people could afford.
This is the MOST EXPENSIVE teardrop trailer on the market on a price per cubic foot valuation. Only the idle rich can afford this.
If only it was in a bright colour. Anything but grey.
I'll take two. 😂
Cool trailer with an insane price tag.
What's 33 grand between good friends, right? Thirty Three Thousand Samolians.
@@NVRAMboi Wrong, try $44000!!!
Poor!
We have camped year-round in our teardrop for about 5 years now, with many issues uncovered as we went. This trailer solves them all, and more. Awesome!
They want 44 k for it.
They are crazy at that price
I love the trailer, but I'm even more impressed by Jen's presentation skills. Her vocabulary and product knowledge really stand out in this industry! I've worked in sales for 25 years and have never been as smooth as she is when presenting a product.
Agreed. My family and I were just talking about that. I had a hard time editing this video down to a shorter length, because there was nothing to remove that was fluff. Not only did she share great incites into the design, but it was articulate and her story flowed so well.
Thank you for this Brett, it truly means a lot!
Respectfully, I wouldn't buy anything from a salesman that talked like this. It's obvious you are trying to make yourself look good, but I have met enough dishonest salespeople to suspect that such language is just meant to sell me a piece of junk.
Sorry to be mean, but if you can't speak plainly, it sounds like you have something to hide. If you build trailers, talk like someone who builds trailers. If you run a small business, talk like a small business owner. Understand your audience. It doesn't do you any favors to mimic a used car salesman.
Yes, and she is easy on the eyes.
@@undoubtedcrow8010Sounds like you have issues that have nothing to do with this presentation. Perhaps too much alcohol?
$44k for the trailer and $65k for the truck to tow it. I haven’t even purchased the equipment needed for this way of life. I refuse to spend $120K for a hobby.
Yes, it can all really add up. And I think there are a lot of people who don't factor in all the costs like you are. It is wise to slow down and think about what this all will actually cost when said and done.
The MAX I’m willing to pay for any small weekend warrior trailer would be $7,500!
5900 hiker trailer starts at
Drew,
You know me, I tend to gravitate to the simpler style teardrops, with less features and stick to the basics. BUT, it's very hard not to fall in love with this trailer. I had the privilege to meet with Chris Eckel at the Midwest Expo in Missouri a couple of months ago. Talking with Chris and frankly hearing Jen speak on video about this trailer, you can feel the passion and love for both the outdoors and teardrops. That alone puts this trailer on the top of my list. Living in Wisconsin, winters can be hard on teardrops and having a galvanized frame is music to my ears, not to mention the composite body that sits on top. I'd love to take one of these trailers out for a couple of weeks in the backcountry see how it fits our style. My hopes are to visit Utah and the shop in the near future to MORE of this trailer. Maybe I can convince one of them to let me take one for a spin with the family for a few nights. Although, it might not be this year. We do plan to travel to Colorado, this summer for a few weeks and travel the Back Country Discovery Route. This will be an adventure in itself, but who knows, maybe we keep heading west and visit Escapod.
As always Drew, I love your insights and what you are doing for the teardrop community. Safe travels and stay hungry for adventure.
- Matt
I appreciate the thought that went into the design of this trailer. It shows the owners/makers have done a lot of their own camping out of these small trailers and really sweat the details. Price is high, but thats just the reality of prioritizing material quality with small scale low volume manufacturing in the US. From what I’ve heard from Escapod owners, you do get top notch service and support from them.
One idea that I hope Escapod could make happen in the future is to offer a scaled back model that de-prioritizes some of the offroad capability to cut down a bit on the overall cost. There are a lot of us out there that don’t need the clearance and are mostly at home on forest and BLM roads. Having a second product line though and the inventory to support it can get expensive so I get that could be a while in coming.
Thanks for the vid Drew and Jen!
Thanks for your kind words Jason! And thank you for your idea, we love hearing what's essential/non-essential to people so that when we get to a point where we can offer more models, we know what direction to move in!
We feel the same way as you. We have talked to brands about this. Essentially they understand our need, but some don't feel there is a market there. And others feel it kind of goes against their brand. Which I get. If you are known for making the best camper that can go anywhere, it kind of goes against brand to make one that can't. I use Jeep as a great example. They make some really fun Jeeps and then they go and put out budget versions that don't perform nearly as well in the field. In my opinion these new Jeeps that are "affordable" tend to water down the brand. But, again I completey agree with you. I would love a composite trailer that came in near 1,000lbs, had a full galley, 15" of clearance (simple Dexter Torsion Axles), and a little higher interior height than a traditional teardrop. Essentially I am looking for an Escapod in functionality and comfort, but stripped down to weigh more like a Scamp. That has always been my desire.
Impressive. All composite, no seams to leak, innovative. Never seen the cabinet cover double as a table. Very cool. 4 season!! nice. Smart storage configuration. Plenty of water. Decent suspension. rock sliders oh my! Air Conditioned(nice it's 12v but will kill the batteriy pretty fast, having a lot of sun and solar will help that though) and heated. Plenty of power options A lot to like here and the thoughtfulness is self evident. I agree with your airbag/laveling/lowing suggestion. I'm not wild about the awning especially the potential "flap" factor but there are plenty of good awning choices out there. It's expensive but you get a lot. One of the coolest teardrop trailers on the market for sure.
Thank you so much for all your kind words and your attention to detail. It means a lot to us!
And this is coming from Pat. Which means even more. He knows his trailers.
@@PlayingwithSticks Is that Pat, "Mr. Airstream??!!" If that's him..... yes he does! Love his walk-throughs while I dream.
i have been watching overland camping for several years. In and out on trailers. There is not by far a more informative chanel when it comes to factual, useful info. Dont stop......subscribed.
Great teardrop. I made my own out of wood and a Harbor Freight trailer. Loved it and made a couple of long trips. The main thing I like was that IF I got myself in a predicament that I could not get out of I could unhook it, roll it around, turn my car around and hook it back up by hand. This probably a little heavier. BUT I did notice one thing that I would do if making another is something you almost did. I would take the entire trailer out to the width of most automobiles and do away with the finders completely and putting cabinets or closets over the wheel well.
BigFireDave
I wish you could post pictures. I had been thinking of doing the same.
Great segment again Sir. Way outta my price range but it looks as though you get what you pay for. Except for the solar. I feel for paying 40k and beyond, atleast 300 watts of solar should come with that hefty of a price tag. Thankyou Drew. You always give us your best, and it's appreciated.
I could see 300 watts being doable. I went pretty crazy with mine and put 400 watts on this time. I only needed 200, well really 100, but put in 100 more as a backup. But, I thought it would be fun to test two different styles of panels. I have always been intrigued by CIGS solar panels. So I put a 200 watt silicon panel next to it. Should be really fun to do some real time tests. Solar panels have decreased in price so much lately, that 400 watts really wasn't that expensive. Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
@@PlayingwithSticks
I’ve been eyeballing a 400 watt solar panel for my ecoflow but to be honest… if It’s fully charged, we’re good for a couple of days.
The Topo 1 was in the running when I was first looking. The Topo 2 is very cool but not twice the price cool. I think the extra width is my favorite concept with this trailer. So nice to keep shoes inside.
Yes, I think the pricing does narrow down the buyers quite a bit. I think it is hard to argue against the design and build. So many people would be willing to drop some hard earned money on this if it fit into their budget.
@@PlayingwithSticks it definitely has a market and the build is top notch. Just way more than I need. The suspension system is another big selling point for people who want to head far off road. These kinds of builds are great for the market as whole because they are pushing the design in new directions.
@@CinkSVideo Agreed. I think at times it causes too many trailers to push towards overland components. Essentially raising the prices for things many of us don't need. But, in general I think builds like this help the industry move in the right direction as a whole. As long as we have outliers like the Road Toad, Hiker, Runaway, I will always applaud this forward momentum.
If our Hiker Trailers aren't your style for whatever reason, these folks make a great product.
Same goes with Hiker as well. If these Topo 2s are out of your budget, just remember there are great budget options like Hiker out there that start at $5,990.
Very cool product. Jen is a very good spokesperson, knows her product well, plus she is very attractive. she's a keeper.....
Yes, she did an amazing job with this walkthrough.
Drew, thank you so much for taking the time to view and film the TOPO2 with us! We appreciate you sharing this with your community and for providing your always insightful perspective on our build.
It's obvious that a lot of thought went into everything: That galley with the modular shelving is such a brilliant and simple solution to the storage problem, those "nightstands" with the wireless charging pads are nice touches and if you have to have a sink, then I think their placement of it is ideal because you're usually either cooking or washing up so you're not sacrificing much bench space.
The only thing that I would do differently is replace the rectangular awning with another 180 degree free-standing awning because life's too short to wrestle with awnings and then install a shower awning just below it, where the shower head goes. Ignoring the issue of shower run-off, it provides quick-to-setup privacy to shower or change clothes. Darche even has an (expensive) annex that works with their awnings as a substitute for the rectangular awning tent/annex although that type of thing takes too long to setup and is too bulky for my liking.
I have no doubt you're getting your money's worth and the TOPO2 would be top of my shopping list if I won the lottery but that price is a little eye-watering.
Really appreciate your kind words & feedback! A 180 awning on both sides would look amazing, getting basically full coverage from the tongue box to the galley on both sides! We haven't tried on of their annex rooms, but definitely will be soon to see how we feel about it.
I like your reaction to their condensation control solution! 😀
Such a great designn feature! I never would have thought of that.
This video really made me think. What are the price of trailers that I would be interested in these days? So I went back to my manufacturer, and look at the trailer and features that I got on my trailer. And what would the cost be today. I bought my trailer 4 years ago. And now they are well over twice the price. Now, most people don't realize what goes into making a trailer that can go almost anywhere. Durability and strength of walls, frame Etc. Made for hours and hours of washboard roads, and snow as well as rocks, mud and River Crossings. Comforts like on demand hot water, a sink, the heater and batteries, lights Etc add to the price. But when I hear someone say, I could get a 17 foot through a 28-foot trailer for the same price, they really have no idea the durability of those type of trailers. One trip over mangle pass in Death Valley might leave you the coupler still on your hitch. But that would be it.
This trailer looks to be something I would love to give a shot at taking out on one of my Adventures. It looks quite durable. And although I probably wouldn't buy it due to the price, I probably wouldn't buy the trailer I have now at its current price which is more than this one. I would definitely buy a shell and build my own.
She's a great spokesperson for the company. I have seen her on many reviews at Overland venues. And a great job on your part as well!
Thank you for this perspective! If one of your adventures ever brings you to Utah, we do have a rental fleet that you could also try out on one of your adventures!
Great video thank you! I think the camper looks great. The one thing I would suggest is to not make it such a dark color so that it wouldn't get so hot inside in warm weather. The exterior color makes a much bigger difference in the interior temperature than most people realize even with good insulation.
You are absolutely right about the color. It really does make a big difference. Even just having a dark color, but a white roof will dramatically increase the liveability of the trailer.
Spot on Richard. Camping season is in effect over here in the southwest. Unless you have a/c and a power source.
That dark color makes it horribly hot inside. It's about fashion no function.
Awesome little trailer. Maybe someday soon they'll start to design and build truck campers this way.
Jen's presentation is top shelf for sure. I picked up my original TOPO last October and soon learned that it would be discontinued two months later. While the original TOPO support has continued to be good, I still feel like I had the rug pulled out from under me. I am not looking forward to the day when I have to get the suspension system realigned, or have other repairs/replacements needed. I wish they would consider selling the patents/design to another manufacturer so that it may be continued. It's a great trailer.
It is a great trailer. I can't imagine it was an easy decision for Escapod to discontinue that trailer. But, at the same time it would have been a branding nightmare for them to try and sell both. I think it could have been done. But they would have to be so careful promoting the Topo2s attributes without negatively highlighting some of the attributes on the original design. But, you get what you pay for right. The topo 2 for the price is a great trailer. If you want all the benefits of this trailer you would essentially be paying twice as much.
Looks like a well built camper. If I was in the market for a teardrop this would be on my shortlist
I’ve seen a lot of campers, and I must say this one is incredibly well-built!
Ugh yah it’s 44k it should have had Rolex watches hanging from the ceiling
Just for fun, I checked out the current price of my Mean Bean. 24 months ago I purchased it for $25,200. Exact build out is now $38,793. I believe the only changes are in the side windows. Except for the higher ceiling in the Bean, I'd prefer the Escapod. My Bean, with rack, is just over 7 ft tall however. Fortunately, I have an 8 foot garage door opening for storage; it does not fit through a standard 7 foot. Also, Escapod uses polycarbonate for its front facing star gazing window. Bean uses tempered glass, not laminated like a car windshield, which is much more susceptible to breakage either through glass manufacturing defect or impact. If it breaks, you need to get the trailer to Salt Lake for replacement. Replacement cost is $1500. My advice, don't get a Bean with the front window.
Good advice. I wonder if they have receivevd this feedback. It makes sense for Bean to be something else like maybe an acrylic window from Arctic Tern. That is crazy how much the price has increased on your trailer in just 2 years. Wild times!
Love it. Clearly the premium option in this class. At this price it probably doesn't take too many sales to turn a nice profit, but the number of customers wanting to camp in this style at this price point has to be pretty slim.
I agree. Wayy too much money for a tiny teardrop. Just get an Intech for half the price.
Yes, this is definitely a niche market. But you would be surprised how many of these trailers are on the road.
The Intech trailers are great trailers. They have also moved away from wood in their builds. Not a one piece structural design like you see here, but much better than most traditional builds.
There is a market for people who do NOT want to pay for (or try to pilot) a 30 foot plus Airstream and a Ford F350 or a motorhome with push outs etc that will run you in the hundreds of thousands of dollars but who DO want a minimal trailer but still desire a few creature comforts. That market was me. Have owned my Topo 2 since February, and having done winter camping, spring camping and now summer camping, I couldn't be happier.
Escapod changed the small trailer game with this one. The Topo2 appears to be one of the few rigs that are truly built to last generations. Almost like an Airstream with no bathroom. Almost.
Appreciate this Ron! Your kind words mean a lot.
For me it is hard to go back after seeing a trailer like this. Yes, others are more affordable. But like you mentioned in terms of longevity and maintenance they are just in two completely different leagues.
This is a great trailer. My neighbor showed me around his new Topo and it looks amazing.
I really like this teardrop but I would gladly switch that certainly comfortable bed, for a seat cushion setup or folding bed. The extra foot room and headroom would allow for dressing, water bottle showers, light meal preparation, whatever.
Objectively the best trailer on the market - no question. We were all set to buy the Original Topo and sad they discontinued it; however, it was clearly the right business decision. Fantastic team @ Escapod also. I wish we could afford this version, but man - it truly is "The Standard".
It is tough isn't it. I bet it was an even tougher decision for them. Basically going all in on a top tier, top dollar trailer. They knew if they didd this that they could't go back. Basically they went all in. And they knew this would eliminate sales from the lower end of the budget. A bold move, but a move great entrepeneurs would be willing to make. I don't think I would have the guts to do it. But, that is also why I don't sell trailers. Haha.
@@PlayingwithSticks very well said. To be clear, we don't begrudge them at all - it was the right move for their business model. And, it's hard to fall in love then get left at the altar =]. Will always follow and root for Escapod!
@@kentthomas2174 Sorry. I hope I didn't make you feel like I thought you were talking negatively about them. I completely understood your statement and was just furthering the conversation.
@@PlayingwithSticks not at all! We love your channel, content and perspective- thanks for all you do
@@kentthomas2174 Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
I am a big fan of EscaPods! I am not a fan of on board water tanks but if you are going to have them then the Truma system is an excellent choice for having hot water! Thanks Drew!!
There's Brad! Good to see you. I'm with you on the water as well. When I traveled with Bean I saw the vaue of a water tank. When you have big tow vehicles, they are pretty priceless. But when towing with smaller vehicles like us or when using traditional construction for the trailer. I just find them more of a hassle. I must admit I didn't have any coffee on you since the last video. I have been so busy I haven't slowed down to smell the roses I will make sure to take May out for one soon. Thanks Brad!
@@PlayingwithSticks Sounds like you might become a big overland camper! What does May think of further off road adventures!? Hope you and May find a nice coffee shop to enjoy a cup!
We haven't been highligting it on the channel. But we are really getting into bike camping and moto camping. It has been mainly me and the boys. I am finding it so fun, just getting off the beaten path a bit more. May still loves her long boondocking stays. She has never really been a fan of the journey, more into the destination. The town we are in seems to have a few nice little coffee shops. We are excited to try them out.
Looks really nice.
I wish the end was box shaped for more space.
Really nice camper! However, my OCD was going nuts at some of the finishing, the crooked timber decorative piece to one side of of the cabin, the distorted shelf in the galley that didn't sit flat against the support and the mass of wires to the side of the fridge (that she tucked back in - needs a cable snake maybe?). One would think a camper at this price point that you are taking to media, would be totally sorted prior to catching up.
Wow, I love it when someone sees things I missed. In their defense this video was shot quite a while back. They may have alleviated some of that cable management since then. But if not, this comment should help that. Thanks for sharing Darryl.
I didn't notice the other two things you mentioned but that shelf was driving me crazy
@@KindlinWoodworks Haha. .Love it!
Appreciate this feedback Darryl, it's the type that really helps us work through our process to build a quality! This trailer was our third build and definitely had some things that needed buttoning up by our team, our team has definitely made more to correct a lot of what you've pin pointed and will continue to make refinements as we continue to receive helpful feedback like this!
@@EscapodTrailers Thanks for coming back. really appreciate that. Do love the amount of considered design that has gone into this camper, you guys should be really proud of it.
No way could I ever ever ever do this! But I congratulate on your quite expensive tear drop!
All the best!
I LOVE this!!! Looks like they really thought things through on this model!!
Thank you for your kind words! We definitely learned a lot from our Original TOPO model to building the TOPO2!
you could buy a jeep wrangler for less than this teardrop.
That bird is a great sales and marketing person.
The magnetic cabinet doors that double as tabletops and cutting bords is a great idea. Can totally adopt that in the home as well.
Thanks for your kind words! We've love the dual use in the galley, definitely something that would be a cute storage saver in a home as well!
I am not a fan of modular components in the cabin. Meaning turning beds into tables. But, a modular galley makes a lot of sense to me. May and I are often drawn to small Japanese micro apartments. The concept of modularity is so intriguing. Like you, we would love to incorporate some of that into our small bungalow.
You nailed the positives and negatives. The extra room next to the mattress is really nice. I keep wondering why other designs aren't taking advantage of the lower space for storage. I do think it lacks warmth. I don't like the black hardware on the natural birch. Stainless or nickel hardware on stained, darker wood accents would warm it up a lot. The removable solar panel is interesting. But I think I would just want a port to plug in extra folding panels. A 12 ft word may not be quite enough to get the panel into the sun. I think they could do more with that space behind the sink. I like what one company has done to stow the outdoor table in the foot area of the bedroom.
What colors does this come in. I don't want a dark color.
Well, this is maybe the best teardrop, 4 seasons, love winter camping, this quality build and material would last to my children and grandchildren, maybe. The price is high but that's what you get when you're the best teardrop trailer, you better believe it!
I think it’s worth what people will pay for it. Not everyone needs all of the features or the build quality for their teardrop, but there are some that appreciate and will pay for it. Escapod has done their market research I’m sure.
Drew - when can we expect to see a review of the Wander Tears Vaga model? I bought the DIY plans and am in the process of my own build. They also sell them built for those that want it ready to go. Danny and Paige are wonderful and I’m sure they would love to get your take on their teardrop!
I really do need to push that one to the front. I had planned on doing some more diy videos with Mark from Overland Trailer. But both of us got pretty busy. Thanks for the reminder.
Love it! Price is out of control. It's not an Airstream for crying out loud.
Excellent video! I would like to see simple fold out wind guards on the pullout stove and more color options for the trailer and doors. Teardrops can be very pricey as well. Overall, I really like this teardrop! Thank you for the video!
Great suggestion on the wind guards. I wonder if they have integrated them since I first shot this video. There is a very limited white color I see running around on this trailer. It looks really neat. Not sure if it is the color, or I just enjoy seeing a new color for this trailer. But, I agree more colors would be fun.
Can you paint the trailer yourself? I like it but most trailers need decorations for me! Decals at the very least.
Thanks for your feedback Abel! Wind guards would be a great idea, we've definitely have it on our list for our Engineering team to explore. In the meantime, we've been using the Kelty Backroads shelter as a cover for the hatch when we run into issues with the weather. We hear you on the more trailer colors, definitely hope to have more colors in the mix!
At $ 44 ,000 Thousand dollars. If you got it to blow. I'd buy a brand new Jeep Wrangler and a Canvas wall tent with money left over.
I’m impressed! Those galvanized rock slider rails seem like they bring this trailer up a level for durability and backroad/offroad exploration
I would be really interested to see someone tackle one of the long Australian tracks with one of these. This is the first US teardrop I’ve seen that seems like it could handle the hundreds of miles of corrugated roads
We love to get our trailers offroad! We've had a couple of customers, take their trailers up the bumpy Alaskan Highway , but we would love to see one exploring Australia as well!
That would be great to see!
May has always wanted to tour Australia with a small camper. Jen and Chris when you are ready to send a Topo 2 over to Australia for us to "test out." let us know. 😉
@@PlayingwithSticks Don't get me going, I've been looking at shipping containers from Long Beach to Sydney all morning
@@christopherhudak6737 Love it!
this is very quickly becoming my favorite channel on youtube. I'm in the market for an offroad teardrop and this channel is doing reviews the best. the Boreas XT, Vorsheer XOC, Offgrid Expedition 2.0, Teton X, Roc ASD10, BRS Sherpa, Mammoth Overland Trailer, Vega XT, Hive EXX, and the sasquatch Highland 60 would keep you busy for a long time.
That is a good list that i will screenshot. Thank you! I have filmed a couple of these. They are currently in the long que.
I. Love. This. Modularity.
As you continue improving on the models, keep adding the dual-purposed and flipping/moving items to increase the number of potential uses, like the kitchen cabinet cover that doubles as a clip-on table.
This trailer is still a smidge too heavy for sedans. I'd like a tiny trailer option to go with a Prius V (1600lb max. tow cap, though that's a strain), rather than having to bump up to an SUV or truck. If I have to pick up a Highlander, I might as well get a slightly bigger trailer. But yeah, at least this little puppy would barely eat into that mileage benefit of a hybrid SUV.
LOVE These - this is the teardrop that makes sense for a lot of us with smaller SUV's and CUV's that can't (or don't want to) pull a standard even small travel trailer. THIS is next gen! LOVE!!!!
We picked up our Topo2 in Coalville in early February. We camped back to NoCal through Idaho and Oregon, and have been on a few 10 day trips and multiple 2-3 night trips since then. We are still as giddy about "Wndrpod" as we were the day we picked her up. We don't see needing anything larger, so while some think the price tag is "antithetical to teardrop life," we know this is our forever camper. When we (finally) get to retire, our plan is to ship it to Europe and spend at least a year caravanning around those parts, then who else knows... Things we really love: the entire kitchen set-up, the stargazer window, the climate control options, the vast amounts of storage... I could write an essay on how much we are able to store in such a compact space... We spent a good two years looking before we ordered the Escapod. And we haven't regretted our choice once. Our only regret is when we have to spend a weekend NOT camping with her.
So you're the type of person that would spend over 44K for a coffin with a ball hitch? Some people just have more money than brains.
@@Lex-Rex Actually we have a fully articulating hitch, not a ball hitch. And it was the brains that got us the money in the first place.
Just say you're salty and can't afford something like this. Pathetic, sad response. Get a life.@@Lex-Rex
Exactly, you were the type of person who was smart enough to make enough money to afford something like this. People are just salty and pathetic. @@lisahubbert1269
I like this design. Thanks for sharing this with us. I also really like how this keeps evolving as the designers/engineers are also users of the products they make. They get first hand experience that helps make the next version even better!
So true! You can tell they camp in these often. Such a thoughtful design.
Pretty much the way all manufactured things work.
Thanks for your kind words, Mike! We love having our team members camp in the trailer, it's help improve the useability of the trailer and make meaningful changes as we continue to evolve!
This is close to great and the composite is a wonderful choice. However, the trailing arm suspension could easily be damaged on a rocky trail and Bean has a MUCH better location for the spare tire for both access and clearance. The fully articulating hitch/coupler should be standard like it is on the Black Bean too
Excellent design and use of composites. Looks high end.
It truly is high end. They not only chose great materials and components. They really took the time to make the design practical and truly forward thinking.
Suddenly I am getting all these camper recommendations. Coolest one I've seen so far is the Hiker Trailer.
Love it! Yes, the hiker is hard to beat in terms of cost.
Top end for sure. great design and engineering.
Looks like a Stanley lunch box. This is a compliment.
Wow, that’s a well thought out trailer. I like the simplicity of its functionality and design.
This version of Escapod bumped Bean off my Vision Board thanks! What amazing technology 😊
Honored to have made your vision board!
Nice! Haha. That means we did our job well. Love helping people discover their dream trailer.
Very clever well thought out design!
Absolutely love this and for the way my wife and I camp it would be perfect. The price as is with almost every one of these campers is just way out of the price range we can afford, I guess we'll just stick to our tents.
Yes, the prices in 2023 can be tough. Have you looked at the Road Toad, Runaway, or Hiker? Great trailers at a very low price.
Craziest stupid price
I will say, the engineering is impressive.
Truly!
I think the design is spot on. The extra space is fantastic. The unibody and no wood is an obvious plus. Now, what is the guarantee?
Well done Drew and bravo to Escapod. This is an awesome teardrop! I would have given it strong consideration along side our Meaner Bean teardrop. The deal breaker for us would be the interior cabin height. :( 42" Is too much like being in a coffin :o and i'd hate trying to get dressed inside. :/ Otherwise, two thumbs up. :)
What can I say. WOW it’s awesome! But it pushes the price tag of a full awesome build trailer and not a tier drop. If they could get the price down say to $30,000 decked out and maybe $20,000-22,000 I could see it. It’s an awesome trailer but out of most normal peoples price range.
Yes, this prices a lot of people out of this market.
Cool. Take out 70% of the features, make it for an ebike, and these are the people I want to make my camper trailer.
A lot of thought went into this build. Nice job!
Supercool teardrop! My only concern is that the black plastic outer shell would get very hot in hot climates and heat up the inside of the cabin too much. I could be wrong. Maybe offer it in white too? Since white reflects heat?
🍻This may be the trailer we've been waiting for! Thanks for sharing it.
Nice! I love hearing that. I had a really hard time with that con section. They really dialed this trailer in.
@@PlayingwithSticks Honestly the 4 season aspect is the critical part for us. We're in SoCal, so deserts and high temp's, but we also go to WA, MT, WY, CO, and UT in the winter.
@@squatch2461 That would definitely make sense for you. And like you and I, who love winter camping that sort of thing is priceless. My wife often has to remind me that everyone else doesn't like to camp in the winter. She says I talk about it too much. Haha.
Great presentation 👏 love trailer 👏 BLESSINGS TO you all AMEN ✝️☯️🕉
44k? What!!! Saw another one like it for 50k 😂😮😂😮😂😮😂!!!! Good luck with that one!!??
10:20 I'm convinced that everyone outside the Midwest thinks the Midwest is freezing all year. I don't think that air conditioner could stand up to the summers here.
You would be surprised. Most of these air conditioners are actually too powerful for how small the cubic space is. Remember, this would be like cooling an area the size of a quarter bath.
The price of trailers (like many other things these days) is absolutely out of control. In 2015 I bought a Winnebago Micro Mini for $18k. That same trailer today, is $45k. The only thing about it that's changed is the price. Most new teardrops, that are little more than rolling plywood boxes, cost more than I paid for my Winne.
This little trailer is AWESOME, but the price is insane!
That price change on your Winne is insane! You did such a good job of putting this in perspective for me.
Dang. I just looked at the micro Minnie. It's not so Minnie imo. 4,200 dry weight at 22'. They look cool, though.
I just purchased my first trailer for 15000. 2017 Forest river Wildwood. 5000 dry weight at 25'. The quality is low but the price is right. Luckily I can afford the 5 yr extended plan hopefully nothing goes wrong but piece of mind is nice. I love the trailer overall. Can't wait to take it out next weekend.
@@Sage-cw2hy I had the 1706. 2700 lbs dry. Pretty much the smallest of the Micros. Just big enough for 2, very close, people.
@@PlayingwithSticks yeah... There's no way the cost of making these things has increased 250% in 8 years. The whole industry is just being greedy.
@@jasonchaney5382 I am having trouble finding where the truth lies. Materials have definitely increased. We can see that just by going to our local hardware store. But how much? Wood in my area is up 300%. It is ridiculous.
Love these little teardrops. Ive been doing my research high and low for ones that provide AC. So i was thrilled to see this has that option. But the one question i have, that no one ever seems to mention with any of these that provide an AC...will it run off the batteries provided? Will it run off the uograded batteries and inverter? Or do you have to be plugged in to shore power or a generator? AC is a must since i camp in warmer climates and take my dogs. Thanks for the video. Loved it
Jen actually mentioned it during the walkthrough, but I cut it out due to time. I wish I could remember, but I think theirs ran for about 4-5 hours on the base setup. Which doesn't sound like much, but these spaces are quite small and incredibly insulated. I find with both heat and ac. You crank it on before bed. Maybe once in the early morning, and then again after you wake up and it holds the temp well. Obviously it is much better suited for shore power, but it will take the edge off well on a 2-3 day trip. And like you mentioned you can also attach this to a generator for unlimited ac.
Wowzer! Very thought out! It's definitely a fantastic trailer. Now that I've spent many many many hours of research, its time to narrow the gap, I'm down to 3 manufacturers, and its time do some hands on views. Im excited about this one in particular! Its kinda captured my heart!!
Cheers!!
Love hearing it captured your heart. What are the other two that made the cut?
She has an excellent teardrop…
Glad you liked the trailer...
@@PlayingwithSticks really love what you've done there. As an engineer myself the attention to details and, "things done right" is absolutely appreciated and while I understand it comes at a cost good lord that price is breathtaking. I mean look at what an airstream Bambi costs, it's significantly less. Understandably this can go places a Bambi won't but still...just as a matter of raw content this is pretty rich.
Really nice camper! 😊
Thanks, Drew.
My pleasure!
A beautiful little camper with a beautiful lady showing us! Thank you for the informative video hun!
I enjoy your brake down on the teardrop trailers out..cheers
Wow -- just saw a vid on the One Year Sale of something from 1989 that is very similar - the Outbacker. -- only this is gonna cost 7 Times more than that trial that did not succeed. -- Great Product -- Good Luck...the modern family seems less $$$ conscious so this may work at a starter cost of 44K.
Super sweet u are on the right track!
Very pretty.
I have a gripe: you keep talking about overlanding but made the frame from aluminum.
Aluminum suffers from fatigue, and will start to crack around those swing arms. Fine for the occasional dirt road, but heavy washboarding or actual offroad will kill it.
Also, for me, that huge window with no option to totally block it off is a deal breaker.
What is the total height of this thing? can it fit into condo building parking
Good question. 80.5” tall by 84” wide by 154” long
44k..Total Turd of a price..Bravo!
very nice teardrop and you get what you pay for!
I’ll keep my 2023 Tag XL Boondock that I bought new for $17k. Plus if anything goes wrong I have dealerships nation wide to swing in for any help or repairs.
awesome tear drop!
By the way LOVE the logo :)
THAT KITCHEN SHELF IS GIVING ME ANXIETY
I think what I’d like to see from a lot of these companies would be to fill the void of a light offroad (softroad?) trailer. That and interior options for single people (bed on one side, seat/table on the other! Or maybe one side converts?).
You may want to take a look at the road toad by Camp Inn.. About four hundred and sixty pounds dry weight. Not all the bells and whistles of this one but about a third of the price and a good off-road alternative.
Agreed! And @bikingal4283 is right. The Road Toad would be a great fit for many of us. It is the trailer I have been hoping to see.
Great suggestion! Nice seeing you on here.
All of these trailer are already just light off-roaders or “soft-roaders”. Going any lower and you’re just in the standard tear drop category, which can easily accommodate fire roads, gravel roads, exc.
43,000$ yikes
Thanks for posting that. You save me time watching this. I'm sure it's nice, but not a possibility for me.
Yes, these 2023 prices are painful to see.
Hey Drew! Not sure if you remember me or not ... I'm the guy who went to Mizzou, and a year or so ago we used to chat in here. I remember you went to Nebraska, and we talked about your "cold water study" ... Anyways, just wanted to congratulate you on the growth and success of your channel!!! It's been great to watch it grow into what it has become. Keep up the great content, and best wishes to you and your family!!!
I definitely remember you. It is not often that I get to talk Big 12 football. Haha. Thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
A 40k teardrop that earns it. Another great video drew!
Thank you. Agreed. These guys truly meant it when they said they were going to build the best camper known to man. Love the ingenuity. And what I really love is they didn't add anythiing I would consider ridiculous. Nothiing flashy, just for flash. Everything on here has it's place.
@@PlayingwithSticks yup, and I guarantee this costs them over 25-30k to build, add labor and the 43k price tag isn’t unreasonable to me. Like the car market, there are prices for every one and those prices *hopefully* should match the quality. 43k is a lot of money, but I think the teardrop community forgets that people buy literally THOUSANDS of $100k+ travel trailers every single year. There are more rich people than the internet will have you believe
@@Ajjakakkaka Great point! Just going to an Overland Expo once will help you understand how much money is out there. And I really like the car market analogy. So true.
Thank you for this! Appreciate your kind words.
Wish these tear drops could also haul dirt bikes. Also be nice if the bed turned into a couch to sit in while waiting out storms or to be able to change into active gear for MTB or MX. I do see the market for this Tear Drop. We're one of the few families camping in a tent for my kids' motocross race weekends. Although I tow a 3 bike foldable non enclosed trailer, packing all the gear on the last day takes hours to do, such as all our cooking gear and loose items and then two tents. 4 hours minimum and not optimal if a storm has rolled through. Guys with pick up trucks and toy hauling trailers can get out of there in less than 15 minutes. I could see if I didn't have kids, my dirt bikes could go into the bed of a truck and then tow this tear drop easily vs having to set up a tent and extra tables. Sure one could get a larger trailer but space is an issue the closer one lives to the city.
Check out this trailer from TC Teardrops. It’s the best of both worlds. A teardrop trailer and bike hauler. 🏍️
@@PlayingwithSticks oh wow, interesting racking system they have. Thanks for the tip.
I realize I forgot that link www.tcteardrops.com/pages/tct-model-iso
@@PlayingwithSticks all good Google helped me ✌️
Just got into the RV game. I purchased a 2017 25' RV trailer for 15,000. I feel it was a good deal for just starting out. I also just learned about the teardrops. This one looks sweet. But I have a 3 yr old and a 2 month old. I feel this isn't feasible for my lifestyle and the price is high for the teardrops. Overall if It was just me and the misses I would certainly look into these.
Definitely understand the camping with kids setup! Jen & Chris currently camp with a 3 year old and a GSP dog and still fit comfortable in the cabin! But as the kids get older, having the rooftop tent makes for the perfect solution to get the whole family out to some pretty amazing camp spots!
We are another example of a family with kids in a teardrop. Our little teardrop was only 4x8 in size. But we slept a family of 4 and loved it. It really is about maintaining the outdoor lifestyle, while still having a bed with us that is as comfortable as home.
44k for a teardrop. Get real.
I think this camper is awesome. However, at the price point I was surprised to see the interior cabinet door gaps to be off as well as the wood accents on the inside walls to be a little off square (drivers side was good, Lassiter side was off). The problem is, if I could see those things from the video, what else would I find in person? For north of $50k fully optioned, I would expect it to have absolute perfect fit and finish.
Greetings from Hamden. Nice presentation.
The raw aluminum (silver paint?) frame really cheapens the look of the otherwise really great looking trailer. Curious whether or not you could have them powder coat the frame to a uniform color of the trailer?
Holy sheep shit 44k for a base camper from this startup. You can get a mainstream slightly bigger tow-along camper new for around 25k that comes with everything this offers plus a bathroom/shower, proper stove/sink/microwave/mini fridge where you're not outside to use them, and more space for only a 30-45% bigger footprint. It's a great design and good space efficiency for the size, but that is insane. I wouldn't feel comfortable paying any more than 30k for this, and that's WITH half the 'upgrades' they offer.