I wish I knew THIS when I STARTED CAMPING in a SMALL CAMPER TRAILER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- We are sharing our camping lessons learned so you don't have to make the same mistakes we did. "I wish I knew this when I started camping in a small camper trailer" is something I have said way too often. I thought why not make a video where all of us small camper owners can share our lessons learned in one place!
Small camper trailer living is supposed to be simple. But, at least from our experience, it is actually a bit complicated when you start out. This is until you get some good systems in place for finding the balance between minimalism and comfort. We aren't going to share all our aha moments with you. This video is about the changes that took us way too long to put into place. The tips would have saved us a ton of time, money, and heartache if we would have implemented them earlier in our journey.
🟢All the camper gear we use and abuse, click here: www.amazon.com/shop/playingwithsticks
Our absolute favorite camping gear:
🟢Clam Venture Instant Pop-Up Tent amzn.to/39iVxmP
🟢Portable Refrigerator amzn.to/2M6oYQo
🟢Expensive Projector, But Best for Camping amzn.to/2NFo4uE
🟢Portable Power Station, Our Favorite by FAR! amzn.to/3cfhghm
🟢Portable Solar Panels amzn.to/36fqVAJ
🟢BioLite Base Lantern amzn.to/2MsTJ1T
🟢Biolite Site XL ( Pairs Great with Base Lantern) amzn.to/36c5vVe
🟢Heated Mattress Pad (The Best Out There) amzn.to/36fSDgM
🟢$18 Heater amzn.to/2M6Iv3c
🟢Stanley Cook Set with Nesting Cups amzn.to/36fT22M
🟢Cook Table (Don't own, but know friends who do) amzn.to/2M6pKNi
By purchasing items through these links there is no additional cost to you. Our family gets a small kickback from amazon for any purchases you make using these affiliate links.
Videos and Playlists we mentioned in this video:
🟡Travel Gear That Will Make Life Easier on the Road • Trailer Gear That Will...
🟡How We Stay Organized • 31 Useful Packing Hack...
🟡Our Most Popular Videos • Playlist
🟢Our Staying Warm and Winter Camping Video Playlist • Want to Stay Warm in Y...
🟡How We Stay Warm Camping • How to STAY WARM CAMPI...
🟡Best Base Layers for Staying Warm • Choose Your Base Layer...
🟡3 Best Electric Heaters • 3 Best Electric Heater...
🟡Best Heated Blankets • 3 Electric Blankets He...
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I have been a Sailor, A Deputy Sheriff, A Soldier, and a Semi driver. Let me give you the best advice with any trailer - put the center of gravity slightly forward of your axle. Otherwise you will be up in I-15 south of Payson Utah when the wind will hit your trailer and because the weight is to far back it is going to start wobbling weaving and wandering. It could tip over the whole program vehicle and all. Keep that weight forward of the axle. It doesn't have to be so far forward that your weight lifts the front tires of the vehicle, but the center of gravity should be forward.
Wisdom is learning from your mistakes. Deep wisdom is learning from the mistakes of others. 😃 Thanks for making deep wisdom available to those who want it. 🙂
I'm going to steal that quote. That is a really good one. Thanks for sharing.
Very well said.
If you keep walking into the trailer tongue, you can cut a pool noodle in half and zip tie it to either yoke. You could also secure it with the reflective or glow-in-the-dark tape you mentioned
Great idea! Thank you Richard.
I like that when someone needs you, whether it’s your wife or a stranger, you ditch filming the video immediately to go assist.
You guys are awesome. I love that your wife seems to enjoy camping as much as you do. Your kids are going to have a great life. My best memories in life were the years we went camping as a family. So much fun and so many wonderful memories.
My tip, Friday afternoon have the trailer all ready and kitted, so you can just hitch and go. Nothing worse than starting a holiday with hours of packing.
Scepter 2.5 gallon jugs are a great size for use around camp. Highly recommend.
I always wondered why a lot of teardrops have the axle so far back on the trailer, but now I can see that it makes it a lot easier to navigate rough terrain as long as you have a high enough hitch. If it were more towards the front, you'd be bottoming on the tail. I'm planning on building my own, that I'd like to take off road, in the next couple years, so that is pretty valuable information. Thanks for that
One big reason also is that it makes them easier to back up. I can back up semi trucks all day long because the steer tires are so much closer to the pivot than the trailer tires, meaning that the trailer reacts less. When you're pulling a tiny trailer with a big truck however, that tiny trailer is going to react so much more to than the steer tires of the truck. Pushing the axle back to an equal distance as the steer tires eliminates this.
This isn't really an option on cargo trailers though, since the load needs to be balanced just in front of the trailer axle, so all the weight isn't on the hitch. A ball hitch is designed for pulling, not carrying a load.
it is mostly about the tounge weight. The weight is all in the kitchen which is in the back. so wheel placement has to shift based on that.
How you don't have a million subscribers is beyond me! Awesome videos Drew! I know you have helped me with ideas on camping!
Thank you so much for the kind words. These mean a lot to us. Glad we can be helpful.
Your final thoughts were absolutely right, camping is always learning by trial and error, always adapting and evolving to what works for you. I’ve been a tent camper for 40 years and never get tired of it, in fact I’m going next week. Happy trails and thanks.
Thank you Carmen! It is fun to run into like minded people on here.
Our 5 gallon jugs were our go to for years. Now as senior citizens the weight when filled is unwieldy. My wife kept bringing up 1 gallon used milk or ice tea jugs. She was right on the mark. Last year we also got a folding pull wagon.
I use ice tea gallon jugs. Strong and easy for this senior to carry!
Great suggestions here! Thank you.
That is great to hear. Thank you for sharing this. Love your TH-cam username!
But having that on/off valve is a great plus. Someone needs to invent a way to load a gallon jug onto an on/off valve...some sort of stand like water bottles on the cooler at work
A better option might be a small stick on solar light to the trailer tounge. Then there is a bit of extra light as well versus glow in the dark stickers.
I like that. Great advice. Thanks Justin.
@@PlayingwithSticks I was thinking something like that but make the light red so it doesn’t affect your night vision.
I would suggest a cheap solar panel powered string lights
I just grab the dollar store $1 solar lights out of my lawn and throw them in, to stick into the hitch when we get there. An upside-down flower pot serves as a base.
Packing up the night before going home is great advice!! I've camped through some severe weather, and it's miserable packing up in the rain
Glad you liked that one Andy. We laugh about how long it took us to figure that little trick out.
Hubs forgot the rain fly for the tent one time with a storm heading for us. Drove to the next town and quickly bought the only size tarp, bus size. He rushed back and secured it to the trees around the tent. The next morning we were able to load the car while completely undercover. 😳😄😄😄
@@baskervillebee6097
I just bought a teardrop trailer and my wife and I are going to tow it behind our Classic/Restomod 1940 Plymouth truck. I can’t believe your video just happened to pop up on my TH-cam feed. Great information. Thanks for posting.
Congratulations on your purchase! Welcome to the club. Have you seen our hotrod camper video yet? You may enjoy this one th-cam.com/video/cXMfr-odeK4/w-d-xo.html
@@PlayingwithSticks What a great idea to turn the 34 into a camper. I've done the AlCan twice, but only as a child, and back when it was gravel. That is one of the trips we have planned with our Truck and Teardrop once the pandemic restrictions are lifted. By the way, love your Raven's Brew shirt. I have one of their Deadman's Reach shirts.
It’s not a coincidence. TH-cam and bug tech are watching you and using algorithms
Great video and really well presented, thank you. Every time we go camping here in Australia we make a list of things we use and don't use for future camps. We also make a point of having a look how other people camp to see if they have better ways of doing things so we can improve our experience and just make it easier.
We need to adopt your list method. I really like that. Like you, most of what we have learned has come from watching others.
I liked your vid and subscribed the moment you went to help that driver!
"Buy once, cry once." Lmao
Glad we weren't the only ones who enjoyed this line.
I prefer to buy once and not cry .
...
Haha. Yes That’s the sweet spot isn’t it
I heard it: "When you buy quality, you only cry once."
Buy nice or buy twice
Ever since your video sharing your next adventure of life - being missionaries - I've thought about your joy and appreciation for the opportunity. Very inspiring!
It is neat to hear folks are thinking about us. We have never really been on the side of receiving prayers. We are typically supporting or praying for others. We have never really taken a big step out in faith before. It is really impactful knowing people like you are reflecting on our decision and also neat to see that it could potentially inspire others.
@@PlayingwithSticks ah. . . you just don’t you’re being prayed for because we don’t mention it. You’re part of our weekend. My son and I miss our pre-covid activities with friends and Special Olympics, etc, so - tag! You’re it - you’re our friends. We pray for our friends. 🤟
Your little assistant is just adorable.
American needs more family's like these. Look at the little kid. He's assisting his dad hang hides or whatever that was
Another wonderful video! I have to say , if it’s going to rain the night before we leave our campsite, Chris and I also put away as much in the car as possible and it makes leaving in the next day so much easier... Drew, I love what you had to say at the end about camping and being together as a family, it really makes such warm memories the whole year through. ❤️
~ Maria
Why didn't you tell us this earlier Maria! Just kidding. But, it did take us way too long to figure this one out. I love setting up camp, but not at home to dry out all the gear. A few years back May and I started looking at life decisions and purchases. And basically the question we created was "10 years from now will we remember this use of our time, the purchase, the activity, etc.?" If we think we will forget it or that it will get buried under much better memories we pass on the opportunity and look for something else that is more impactful, fulfilling, or like you said heart warming.
It's funny you said that about the tent...getting a good one right off the hop...I just put a good one in my amazon cart yesterday because thinking it through, why wouldn't i?...I know I'm going to want protection from the bugs...great tip and glad I watched so now I can justify clicking on that "final purchase"...lol...thanks.
Glad we helped justify that purchase. You will be so glad you did it! Safe travels Anne!
If you still keep banging into your trailer tongue, even with reflective tape on it, I suggest a trip to your local home improvement store and get some round pipe insulation tubes made from soft foam. Or if you want bright colors then you can also get some 'wacky noodles' to be more visible. These things come in different outside diameters and are often sliced open along the entire length with different diameter 'tunnel' holes inside. Wacky Noodles are not sliced, but that is an easy thing to do. You can then slip them over the rails of your trailer tongue and secure them with a few wraps of tape so you don't even have to remove them during travel (unless they interfere with accessories). Because these tubes are sliced open, they are also great to wrap around the edges of your trailer fenders to protect yourself and kids from bumping into those sharp metal edges. I am a huge fan of wacky noodles and foam pipe insulation tubes and they have so many (safety) uses.
yep yep, i actually completely forgot about this tip
i remember reading about people using pool noodles during burning man so that no one trips or stubs their toes on tent fixtures
There are also solar powered motion detecting led lights, so they are not on all the time but when you are near they will turn on.
Stanley 2 Gallon Water Jug is a game changer. We are on year 3 and it keeps water cold; still going strong!
I don’t think I have seen that. I’m going to have to look it up. Thank you! We are borderline obsessed with all things Stanley.
Scepter Military Water Jerry Cans. Heavy duty plastic, heavy duty lid, with a screw on pour spout and vent hole that screws in, not just pops in/out.. I use two of them.
Thank you! Putting this on our shortlist of cans to look up.
@@PlayingwithSticks My mistake, they are actually Scepter Brand.
@@ryandouglas3312 - Thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard of this brand before. Their products look well made.
Plus one on this. I use them and they're extremely durable. Get the military grade though. They're about 45 bucks US shipped.
@@jackshort2033 Thanks for sharing this!
I have a water jug like that one that. I upgraded mine by replacing the plastic valve that came on it with a brass hose bib. The threads on the cap/lid are the same on both the plastic valve and the new brass one. Not only is the valve better but now you can screw a hose on it and mount it somewhere out of the way.
Can you provide a link or where you got the brass screw on cap and brass fittings? We’ve ran into the same issue and also use one with a hose but it keeps falling off!
I've been dreaming about getting a small camper just like this for awhile now. Once I do, I will most definitely come back to your channel to get it all set up. Great video, thank you so much for all of your tips!
Excited to hear about your future purchase. Glad the video was helpful Kaitlin!
Great tips! We've definitely had to use our emergency backup tail lights several times. Sometimes the plug itself won't work, so I also carry a can of electrical cleaner spray.
As for extra gear, I've realized that it's important to make my family comfortable enough to enjoy themselves, so everyone is having fun and not dreading the next trip. So we'll bring comfy chairs, extra blankets for sitting by the fire, air pads instead of sleeping on hard foam pads for tent camping, etc. (within space/weight constraints). I've talked to friends that think they need to put their kids through the same tough scenario they experienced as a kid, but they're apparently ok with hearing a lot of complaints. It's ok to be comfortable!
On the topic of wet gear, I've found that when it's super rainy, something wet always ends up inside our camper. That, paired with living in a very humid climate, leads me to always keep a dehumidifier in our camper when parked at home. This goes for everything from a teardrop to a Class A, humidity is the enemy. Whether it's an electric unit, or a container of DampRid, it's great to prolong the life of the camper, but also keep it from smelling funky inside when not in use.
Agreed. Dehumidifier. Great idea. My brother now keeps a dehumidifier in his camper year round. All the moldy camper smells collected during storage are gone, and he attributes his pop-up camper longevity to it.
Great tips here on humidity, packing, and lights. This is why we love making these videos!
Thanks for the great tips! Here's a story from growing up camping in the bush as a fair-skinned blonde baby: mum and dad thought they had lost me or that I'd wandered off. They searched the campsite and beach for ages with no luck only to find me asleep on the sheepskin seat cover of the combi!!
Thanks for another great share and video! Love seeing family you have on adventures! Again, enjoy the little ones, they grow all to quickly! All the BEST to you and family in the New Year! Cheers from south of the border! :)
You are most welcome Marty! Boy do the little ones grow quick. Always fun hearing from you. Best to you and your family as well!
Go to an aquarium store (not a pet store, specifically an aquarium store that sells salt water) buy the 5 gallon water jugs from there! They are typically very heavy duty
This is exactly what we use!
thanks for saving me some research time
I love my mini camper trailer, my dad and I looked at getting one, but in Alaska it's like 12,000 dollars, so we made one on a snow machine trailer. Cost total just over 2,000, and we could of saved more money if we knew what we were doing, just had to figure things out as we went, and it was fun. I did break the tail lights last summer, and made it home without getting pulled over, but those magnetic lights are perfect, already ordered one for this summer, thanks. Nice cheap way to social distance, camping
We will have to keep our eye out for you this summer. What does the cab (box) look like on your snow machine trailer? Sounds like a great build!
We have over 400 days in 9 years of boondocking the SW. and have learned so much as well. We have a 10 ft. home built retro canned ham pulled by an '07 Tacoma that has gone on some crazy roads. We carry all our drinking water in 15 half gallon stainless jugs. We drain our melted ice water from our big yeti into plastic jugs and that keeps a second cooler cold till we use it for washing dishes etc. We have a wood stove in the trailer and use a fire pan outside.
Your setup sounds really fun. Huge fans off the canned ham.
IVE used the containers from cat litter.i put them in the dishwasher to sterilize. unused them for water containers to shower.made stronger. even use them to hold your gear. multi purpose.I also have a old army water container. works great.buy the fish heavy netting.hang that up put things inside. thanks for the video.very helpfull.stay safe GOD BLESSYOUR FAMILY.
Love hearing suggestions like this. Thank you for sharing!
Ah, reflective tape...my shins thank you! The best water jugs that I've found are Sagan Aquabrick. They're heavy duty, hold 3 gal, stack like Legos and are so strong you can stand on them. They have a spigot and superior water filtration available too. It's my complete water system and I have a dozen of them for long off grid trips plus the filter. They are a bit pricey but I've had mine for years and they never a leak so they're a fine investment. Kelly Kettle has the best prices by far. These aren't huge so you can squirrel them away in lots of spots. There is something called a waterbrick that's similar but these were vastly superior.
Thank you so much for the detailed response. This is what we were hoping to get. Much appreciated!
I thank you as well sir. Seems these are pretty neat for my own needs.
@@garbinator09 These have a really wide opening so they're good for food storage or stuff you just want to keep dry too.
Your videos are awesome, Drew! So much useful information. I purchased a Bushwhacker 10 HD in 2021. It didn’t work out for me as it was too heavy to move around as a solo camper and my home driveway was not level. I’ve just ordered a Road Toad Abode which is almost 1/3 of the Bushwhacker dry weight so I don’t anticipate any problems moving it around (saw your video!). Also, I moved to level ground here in northern Michigan. I doubt if it will be suitable for winter camping. I have to admire your winter camping adventures!
Expecting our first child in May and hope to get a teardrop in the next year or two. We love seeing your little family explore the outdoors and always look forward to your next video. Great content!
Congratulations Ben! What an exciting moment for you. We love hearing news like this. Little camping tip here. Don't forget the first year is the easiest in terms of camping with a baby. Year 1 to 2.5 is probably the toughest as you are just chasing them around camp. Not only are the early months fun getting them outdoors, they also give you skills and confidence to easily handle the 1-2.5 year stage. And then what a blessing that the due date is May. Once you are ready to get outside it will be prime camping season. Glad you are enjoying the videos Ben. Excited to hear about your family adventures.
In the U.K. we cannot go over our weight limit for towing! The police can escort you to a weighing machine and if it’s over then you have to either distribute your gear to your car or leave it!!!! Folks are really careful not to overload! Loving your vlogs as ever! Peter! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Interesting. A lot more “wild west” in the states.
There are vehicles in U.K. that are rated for towing that are not rated for towing here. I had read it is due to the integration of the tow vehicle’s electronic safety braking controls to also control trailer braking. Makes sense. Thanks!
Oops, I think my message came across wrong. I wasn't suggesting going over the towing capacity. Just not trying to be a minimalist. Basically don't worry if you are bumping up close to your capacity. We found with these little trailers that hitting the capacity or going 50-200 lbs less really doesn't make that much difference in terms of towing. Always fun to hear how folks are doing things in your neck of the woods.
That is what we have gathered as well Mike. It doesn't seem to be about hurting your transmission. It is more about the stopping distance.
Scepter 5 gallon jugs are the correction for my own years of mistakes!
I'm getting a Prius and a 1,300lbs tear drop is the max it can haul excluding equipment. So these videos are really gonna help me out living my nomad dream. Thank You Sir for your time making these.
Glad these are helpful.
I use the 7-gallon Reliant jugs and replace the fragile plastic spouts with brass ones from Menards. Same thread and they never leak or break.
You were the first person to mention this tip. Thank you 🙏
I'd add a picture to my comment but I don't know how :(
Me neither. It’s a feature I wish I as available
Love your videos. Thanks for all the great work. You rock!
I love your videos, tons of real life experiences shared, thanks a lot. I always wonder why just a few comment about adding shocks to the trailers, no matter the size of the trailer. For just a little money you seriously improve ride quality, tire wear and overall safety, both on higher speed highway and even more on off road conditions... just consider: there is NO car at all without shocks installed factorywise...
It will rain the night before you go home. Absolutely. You are right.
I’m always so grateful for your videos, Drew. After seeing your video on the Bean and going through one at Overland Expo East we pulled the trigger on a Beanstock. We’re going to pick it up in May. Thanks for all your video help!
Great video. I’m going to try putting reflective tape on all the things John hits his head on.
Poor John!
GOTTA AGREE!🤕😣😅
The most common issue I have with trailer lights is corrosion on the copper connectors inside the tongue end Plug. I keep one of my wife's sandpaper-like fingernail files in the truck. By whittling down the sides on one end, it will fit between the two blades and a few strokes restores a good contact. Thanks for the video.
I always keep my trailer attached to my jeep. It keeps it close and has auxiliary power through the electrical connector. As far a hitting the tongue when walking over it, we lay boards a vertically so you run into the board first. We have a 15 gallon water tank built under the counter. We carry additional 2.5 liter water containers that we place on the tailgate. They have a spout and are disposable. Canister poddy. Good advice on the lights, I have always carried the additional set of lights (never had to use them). I also carry a winch that is bolted to a plate that has the insert for my receiver hitch. Rain, rain, go away. Moving and camping bring out the rain...
Lots of add on tents and shelters out there....find one that fits over your whole trailer so you can go from the kitchen to inside of the camper.
I wish I knew when we started to not get too caught up with all the appliances in our aframe. Made things much more complicated. Over the past two years, we’ve learned not to use the fresh tank system, and choose to stay winterized year round. Which means no fussing with the hot water heater either 👍🏻 dropping those two ‘convenience’ features of our camper means we can break camp later, no dumping any of that water as part of tear down. We use a combo of Coleman jugs (ours have never leaked 🤷🏼♀️), store bought gallon jugs, and solar showers. And if we want the water hot, the stove takes care of that. Simple, easy...
I wish I’d known too to not temp down our absorption fridge ahead of time. I had this idea that it was somehow better than a cooler, which I eventually found wasn’t so. We still use our camper fridge but I don’t mess with trying to get it to temp at home. We load the cooler up and later transfer our food at camp when the fridge gets cold enough. Really saves a step and saves time too. Gets us outdoors quicker 😁
Thank you for sharing all this. We have had similar thoughts about appliances. Mainly our thought has been to remove them so we can get extra space for a bunk or storage. Good point on the absorption fridge. We have never used one, but I assume there are a lot of people on here who do.
@@PlayingwithSticks we are still used to tent camping I guess lol, all the appliances just seem to be too much. Ours came with an oven too that we’ve never used, probably never will 😂
@@midwesta-framer649 The oven one is a great example. We love watching trailer remodel videos. We get a kick out of one theme we keep seeing. That is the couples getting excited because their oven had never been used. May and I laugh and say you probably won't use it either. When we got our vintage trailer that is what got us excited, that shiny new oven. Have we used it, nope!
The appliances are one of those things I was really excited about, and then the reality of using them made me regret focusing on them.
I was especially unprepared for the reality of an absorption fridge as well.
Granted it usually works ok in the places we camp, but ultimately we've abandoned using it as the whole reason to have a fridge is to not need a cooler and ice.
We now use a 12v high efficiency compressor fridge. They are kinda expensive, but in the long run we'll spend less than we would with coolers.
Campground ice is expensive, so too is throwing out food that got too warm or got wet that shouldn't.
That said there is one appliance I don't think I could do without in a camper any more - a furnace.
Water jug: I've got a couple of those 5 gallon Primo jugs like you see on water coolers. I've also got a USB rechargeable Primo pump that goes on the opening. I've had the water freeze solid in the jug but so far no cracks or breakage. Once it thaws it's as usable as ever.
That sounds like what we need. The fact that your froze and is still useable is a good sign. Thanks for sharing Allen.
For travel water you can get them 5 gallon blue water jugs and a hand pump dispenser they’re readily available in most stores but not many people think to use them, I like the spring water from Berkeley springs wv, I’m sure there’s other local spring water available
Lesson #1: When the sun goes down, put on your headlamp. Results are amazing. No more deep bone bruising.
On the subject of Lessons Learned, I'm much more interested in what you've learned with that Jeep Liberty. They have a checkered reputation, but a very good size/utility quotient. Any advice, problems, issues?
Good point on #1. Now on the Jeep, this is kind of a long answer. Like you we know Jeeps can be hit or miss. Our family has had great luck with Jeeps new and used (all basic Cherokees). This Liberty definitely has its issues. My biggest concern with Jeeps are the transmissions. No issues yet. When I look up all the negative issues on the Liberty that give it such a bad rating, it usually comes down to the windows and the rims. And both are awful. We currently only have two windows that can properly roll up. Even when getting new motors the issue creeps back in on many people. This spring we may actually just disengage the windows that we don't use frequently. And every Liberty on the road has corroded rims. Just awful quality. BUT this vehicle had less than 50,000 miles because it was pulled by an RV and cost $5,000. So like most of our vehicles we take the risk. There may be hassles, but even if the transmission goes out and a number of other things go bad you still are out less than a new vehicle. And if they don't go out you just saved yourself an amazing amount of money to use on the next vehicle you take a risk on. We love the towing capacity and the passing power. What we don't like is a number of things. Glove box is ridiculously small and so is center console. The back storage area holds half the amount of gear our 4 cylinder Toyota Matrix can hold. I think this would be a good vehicle for a single person or a couple. But I wouldn't suggest it for a family. We chose it and would probably choose it again based on our frugal nature. Our family also owned one of these brand new. They drove it up to 100,000 miles and had no issues. I think they may have been one of the lucky ones. Hope that helps.
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the Dometic water jugs. I love them! Especially with the faucet.
I actually picked one up this summer. I want to love it, but I have had struggles with mine since the beginning. I am so glad you chimed in here about it. I wanted to know if others were having the same issue as me. My issue is that the water from washing and our hands easily gets on the on/off button. When that happens we find it very difficult for the sensor to properly engage. Meaning sometimes we want on and it won't come on. It takes many hits when our hands are wet. We try light touch, firm touch, etc.
Great advice! Thank you!
You are most welcome Mark!
Interesting thing I've seen people do for water is put a large PVC pipe on the roof of the vehicle (paint it black if you want hot water, leave it white if you want cold) and then put a cap on one end and a spigot on the other. it's gravity fed so it's great for showers and filling containers and it's up and out of the way.
Always a great idea! Spreads out weight too.
Make sure it is rated for drinking water if not just using it for showers. Some plastic pipe is made to eliminate plastic degradation (caused by UV, heat, chlorine, etc.) from leaching into the water.
We have seen a lot of these homemade road showers. But never even thought about using it for drinking water. Great idea. And I really like Mike’s follow up comment to this.
Again, without you putting this in here, I wouldn’t even of thought about that a day ago. Thanks Mike!
Love the idea of the glow in the dark tape.
For the water jugs I have gone to smaller containers. I prefer the 1 litre/32 oz Nalgene water bottles, the Contigo 710 ml/24 oz bottles (Costco sells them in 3 packs) and Camel water bottles. I carry them in a liquor store 6 wine bottle bag. Some I freeze for the cooler (a large pieces of will ice melt slower than Ice cubes). Bonus: if you boil water, and put it in to a Nalgene bottle (and it HAS to be a Nalgene bottle, because of other plastic bottles may melt) then you have a hot water bottle for the bed that will still be warm the following morning. Warning: Might be to hot for a child, possible burn risk to a child or those with limited heat sensing capabilities.
Great tips you have here. I really like the idea of going smaller with the water containers. We have unintentionally been doing that lately due to our larger containers leaking. It has been a really nice change. Great tip on heating the water as well. Thanks for sharing Sheila.
I made a comment on here that I realize I need to clarify. The comment was aimed at reducing weight of your trailer's tongue. I mentioned that on my teardrop I moved the weight towards the back. I mentioned this because when I first owned the teardrop I purposely kept all the weight over the axles and the tongue because I had read so much information about how weight in the back could be dangerous, basically causing sway. But, what I didn't realize is that a lot of weight over the tongue can also cause you issues. So I moved a lot of the weight back and got some great results. Now, most traditional teardrop owners do have their weight in the back due to the galley. And they don't have to be as careful about this due to the small size of the trailer's footprint. However, as your trailer increases in size it is best practice to keep the weight over the axles or evenly distributed throughout the trailer. Well, at least that is what we have found on the Scamp and the Vintage trailer. I will try to post in the community tab a really neat video I found on a model demonstration of how weight distribution impacts the safety of your trailers. In the meantime here is a link to a video similar to the one I want to show you th-cam.com/video/18-eXStOQDw/w-d-xo.html
This may not be the same video but it’s a great demo of weight distribution and trailer sway. Super important lesson because sometimes people try to minimize tongue weight and don’t realize that you actually do need some tongue weight.
th-cam.com/video/6mW_gzdh6to/w-d-xo.html
best example for the effects of bad weight distribution: th-cam.com/video/18-eXStOQDw/w-d-xo.html
@@user-nu8vz5bz7w Thank you. This is great. Very similar to the video I was referring to. If I can't find the other one that uses a few more weight placement options this will definitely get my point across.
@@juanpinto5743 Thank you! Not the exact video. But gets the point across very well. If I can't find the other I will put this one in the community feed.
Great videos Drew thanks for posting! I'm new to teardrop camping but come from a minimalist backpacking background so having a teardrop is luxurious by comparison! lol.
Good explanation of do and don’ts
My husband saves up 2 liter bottles. That way we can fit them under seats and in spaces between gear. So far it works pretty well. They are sturdy and never leak.
Your centre of balance is really tail bias with where the axle is on your trailer, 70% over the axle and the rest forward is ideal for a balanced trailer so I can see why the load feels better in your set up.
Love the videos 😊
Yes, someone understands me! I usually get a lecture in these comments when I make that statement. Appreciate the kind words.
Great video! This information can make the difference between a good experience and the best experience. 👍🙏🏼
You said it perfectly. These really aren't ruin your day issues, they just make camping a little better. I think that is why these are the ones I put off for so many years. I just shrugged them off as inconvenient. But, now looking back I wish I would have dealt with them a bit earlier.
Something I've always had great luck with Was the old Coleman soft-sided 5-gallon containers . I'm sure that Text Sport and Auburn smack them now but I found the Coleman's to always be okay no matter where they're made . Better if you can find us made but they're clear or at least Translucent so you can see if there's any Funk growing inside . They're soft So they seem to give when they fall or get hit . They're soft sided so they're not as tough as The hard-sided ones But I find that I don't really need that toughness if they're well packed . They also take up less space when they're not as full . There are drawbacks Like they're not as strong And eventually They'll wear out If you try to drag them across the parking lot . But they work well . Boy that was long But I've really had good luck Them and I've been using them since the 80s .
You make a great point on the benefit of a clear container. We really appreciate you sharing this. About two years ago we were leaning towards the see through soft sided containers, but then completely forgot about it. Thank you for reminding us.
06.06.24. I didnt catch when you made this but i overlaid all your tips on my 14 years of teardropping and every one i was: YEP! YEP! YEP! The primary one was that i should have bought a little Clam popup. The shin bruise, the wet gear, the height of the hitch. Does this still hold true for your family? And your constantky changing variable is your children keep growing. Physically and intellectually.
Thanks!
I like your style of camping. Thanks for all the information.
It really is a fun way to get outside. Glad you are enjoying this content Joseph!
Rotopax for the Water cans! they are a tad pricey, but you're in extreme elements and you get what you pay for! These will last you a life time.
Thank you. We have got an overwhelming response suggesting Rotopax.
Great channel! have car camped for ever. But I am a new bee to camping teardrop. My very fresh DIY camper is better than most factory built that I see you review. That ,makes me smile BIG! I get most of my new learned knowledge from you, so thx. Keep em coming
first of all !! thanks for sharing!! I got my 5 gal heavy duty water jug from a emergency store supply! also check the internet for heavy duty water jug! thanks again and Best to ll of you!!
We use those $3-$5 solar garden lights to mark our tent and shelter stakes - just push 'em in the ground when you set up and they light up automatically at night. I'll be they would work really well for the trailer tongue too.
We use a box store water jug as well, but you can unscrew the spigot from the main cap to store it on the inside for storage when it's not in use. It helps our spigots stay unbroken and in good shape for years!
Thanks. I enjoy your videos. Roto Paks are great for fluids plus they can be attached to the camper of truck
Sceptre water jugs are the best. Military spec and ate not going to break. Replacement caps alwaus available. I get mine from the lexington container store.
Great video as always. To the water container I’ve just been just buying the 2 to 1and 1/2 gallon 1 time container. That said most places I’ve gone had water near by if not in our camp site. Oh our car electric and the smaller hitch slot the biggest lift I could find was 5 inches needing 8. I found a ball with 2inch lift but the threads were to big so I drilled out the hitch and now it’s perfect driving down the road. I did call the maker of hitch and told then teardrop weight and size and they said it was ok to drill. The teardrop pulls so much better down the road now.
Thanks for sharing this Troy. Finding the right hitch height and length can be pretty tricky. We had quite the runaround trying to get our jeep setup for towing. But, like you said once you get it it tows so much better.
AWWW! LOOK AT THE BABY!
I usually keep $5 bills in my stock because I got shortchanged for a $50 and was returned change for a $20 . Truckers often are tired have a lot on their mind and just don't always pay attention to change. All $5 you never get screwed out of more than $4 .
Yeah. I purposely never spend $1s and $5s and stick a enough for a tank-full of gas worth in my truck. Saved me many times though not for gas.
Great approach!
Lol been driving trucks and towing for a long time and hitches and tongues still get me ALL the time and HOLY SHIT does it hurt, you do it two or three times in a row before you start purposely avoiding it lol. For a water jug, just go buy one from a sporting goods shop that has a big screw on lid and a spout at the bottom that lets water out when you push the button, the ones they use at sports games. Those are great, we’ve had ours for like 15 years
Cornelius kegs for water man. "Homebrew Kegs". "Corny Cans"
Affordable stainless steel. Available in a variety of sizes.
Easy to clean. Pump compatible, pressurize or gravity feed.
Rotopax water and fuel containers are what you are looking for.
Bill
Thank you Bill! Sounds like it. You are probably the 10th person to suggest them. We really appreciate you feedback.
We have a solar powered motion activated light on our deck at home ! One of those mounted to your tongue box might help you save your shins at night ! It was under$10.00 from Menards !
A little security too.
Really like this idea Mark. Especially the price!
I thoroughly enjoy your videos. We've been teardrop camping for about 3 years and you are spot on. Thank you for taking the time and energy to make these videos! I know it's a bit of a sacrifice, especially when you're camping.
Thanks Lee! We really appreciate that you recognize the work. You are right. It can be quite tough. The video I posted two weeks ago was by far the easiest video I have ever made. And this is because I was solo camping. Running the camera and chasing the boys keeps my hands full.
I,ve used all sorts of water carriers + The best for me are the sort that are normally used for benzine. Black hard plastic 10 liter + although you can get bigger one,s I find that I don,t mind going for more water when we need it.
I love my Reliance 7 gal jug. Never failed
Love hearing this. Especially beings the price is right!
Agree.gotta love trailer hitches that stick out,usually someone's extra long. Ontario actually has bypass that say if not used take it off,especially mall lots.....surprise....check out Reliance,heavy duty armour and sceptre military clones. Stay safe!!!!
Thank you for sharing Reliance. We actually have them in the stores up here. But I didn't consider them because they were so affordable. I just assumed I would have the same issues with them as I do my Coleman jugs. Great to know I don't have to spend an arm and a leg.
@@PlayingwithSticks there are about 3 grades of strength, quality.enjoy. by the way I really enjoy seeing young ones venture out do early and doing it all makes for a well rounded child that isn't addicted to TH-cam.......
dude I've been many hours even days researching proper towing vehicle going from medium size suv's to a 8.1L Chevrolet LOL.... and then I saw your philosophy of frugal camping, light travel and a TOYOTA MATRIX pulling your small trailer and just click to me. Awesome man!
Isn't it neat! I just love how you can use a smaller daily commuter vehicle as your tow vehicle. No extra tow vehicle, insurance, maintenance, depreciation, etc. I started this because of my frugal mindset, but have come to find the simplicity is even better than the cost savings.
I too live in AK in the Interior and have always used the $12 water jugs from Sportsmans. But i got sick of the spouts going bad so i went to the Redcamp on Amazon. Expensive as 5 gal is $35 but once you see one you'll probably agree they are worth the money.
Thank you for sharing this Shawn. You are the first person to mention Redcamp. Always fun running into fellow Alaskans on here.
Vp racing jugs come in white and the threads in cap fit regular garden bib faucet. Has ridden in truck bed hundreds of days and is still like new.
You are the first to mention this Richard. Thank you for sharing.
Great video. I hope some new owners find it and save themselves a lot of headaches.
That is always our hope. I know we are preaching to the choir quite often. But, if just one person benefits from one of these tips then it was all worth it.
We use the five gallon jug for spring water it’s more round but you can buy a hand pump that sits on the top and it flows out like a sink. We have been using it for months and had no issues yet I love it.
What brand is your 5 gallon jug?
Love the idea of a hand pump.
There are two of them! This is a beautiful video, as well as truly informative
Vinyl covered padding for the tongue. I sometimes prefer a trailer board kept in good condition over trailer lights. Loved the info, nicely presented. You'd be the right person to weld yourself an Oz style off road trailer (but not so heavy) . UK
Great suggestion on the vinyl covered pad. So simple, but never would have thought about that. Yes, that off-road trailer sounds like a great project to tackle. When the boys get a little older I would love to tackle that. What kind of trailer are you towing there in the UK Malcolm?
@@PlayingwithSticks We have a small caravan, but I have a utility trailer that I'd like to make into a general camper. (removable)
After bending our trailer jack getting on the ferry we are big fans of the “ultimate trailer jack” ......great video thanks for the tips
Great to hear from you guys! We have been so busy with life lately we haven't had the chance to watch any of our favorite channels! Thank you for sharing this. Since having this do you miss the wheel for rolling it around?
Thanks for the insight. Truly appreciate the information.
I'm thinking of getting a bladder type water container. They store flat when empty so you can keep an extra one on hand, and come with grommets for lashing to a tree, etc.
Good thought. I like the idea of using the grommets to hang it. Thanks Carolyn.
Dumpster diving nets you food grade buckets. Get food grade liners if you don't want to do the work of sanitizing as you should. There's smaller square ones
Good ones!
Love the resourcefulness here.
Great lessons learned! I agree that quality products pay off in the long run. We camp light and often buy backpacking gear to keep the camp bins lighter. Safe travels
I love your username. Looks like you got two videos up. Excited to see where you head with your channel. Safe travels to you as well.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you! I appreciate b the encouragement. It's definitely a nice platform for the creative side, we'll see how it goes.
good vid thumbs up, thanks for sharing. i've tripped over guylines on my tents a million times (in a row) so i feel for the bymping into the hitch, glow in the dark sticks or solar light strings is a good solution.
I really like that solar light strings idea. I didn’t even know they existed. We had originally thought about a traditional yard solar light, but the strings sounds much better. Thanks for sharing Dave!
I slide each of my guy lines down bright ugly lime-green pool noodles. You can still use them as noodles after you get home but they sure show up easily even in the dark, and are soft if you clothesline yourself.
@@UtahTabby brilliant!
Another awesome video Drew! Jealous of the views you get to enjoy 😃. For water jugs, I use a Rock Slide Engineering EZ Rack spare tire kit that like it sounds, easily attaches to your spare tire. I then use it to attach two Roto Pax water jugs or any other type of Roto Pax containers I need for that trip.
This is a great tip! You are the first to share something like this. And yes, we are really counting our blessings lately in terms of the views that we get to see everyday. Knowing we will get less of these views soon, we are really savoring every moment.
I've said this before on another of your videos. We have a vintage Trillium trailer. Having a good shelter/dining tent makes a HUGE difference. I would buy one like yours, but didn't know about them when we got our Eureka Northern Breeze a few years ago. 12x12x7 (And it came in handy last fall. We set it up in our back yard so we could have sheltered but ventilated socially distanced outdoor visiting space. We'll be setting it up again in the spring!)
I think last time we chatted with you we probably said the same thing, "WE ARE JEALOUS." Would love to have a Trillium trailer. Love hearing how you are making your shelter multi-purpose.
I built a chain vise that plugged into a 2" tow recepticle. Don't know how many busted shins you get before learning to stay away from it. But, I know from the scars exactly how high it sat. Bastard hurts!
Ouch! I feel your pain. Not near as bad as yours though. A vice has some pretty sharp angles on it.
Lots of good advice in this video. As for weight distribution, the advice is good although European caravanners are aware (or should be!) that placing too much weight to the rear of your caravan (aka camping trailer/RV) is a recipe for an out of control sway/snaking disaster! Our (Europeans) trailer axles are normally positioned more to the centre than North American trailers and both minimum as well as maximum tongue weights on our towbars and trailer drawbars is very important. A teardrop trailer similar to a North American one will of course behave similar to what is described in this video.
Thank you. You are absolutely right.
LMFAO about the tounge box in the night thingie. I've been there and done that.
Yay, I am not the only one!