My best friend is a Winnebago RV'er and took a tent to a nearby nat'l park for better gas mileage. I got better MPG's towing my trailer than he got burning diesel in his RV hauler. I unloaded my motorcycle, made the bed, set up my awning and then helped them set up their tent... Breaking camp took me 20 minutes. Going home with a tailwind, I averaged 28 mpg! Another aspect of my lil camping trailer is security! When I go hiking or riding the bike, I can lock up everything. I've had stuff stolen when 'gone to the store' before...
@@PlayingwithSticks , Since adding the 6x8 awning, and the 6" memory foam tri-fold mattress, I'm enjoying my tiny home/toy hauler even more! my 24" TV doesn't compare to your projector but the 6" Jenson 3 ways turn it into a theater! Videos like yours make these DIY campers a never-ending adventure!
My wife, 3yr old daughter and I just did a 5 week long trip camping out of our Outback. We had all our stuff crammed in our car and on our roof rack. We slept in the car with a blow up bed. Every camp site we got to we’d take everything out and set up. It was about an hour and a half of setting up. We had all sorts of stuff to keep up busy. We brought a projector/screen, guitars, art supplies. My wife made jewelry. We had everything ( and more )that was in this video except the tear drop trailer. Now we are in the process of starting to build our own camper trailer. We got a free 7x5 trailer from family in Washington that we brought back down to San Diego. We had to get the hitch installed in Washington. By the way if you live in Spokane don’t ever go to Snows Auto, they do terrible work. I have to fix a ton of stuff they didn’t put back correctly. Anyways can’t wait to finish it and get back out there. Thank you for sharing your video!
That sounds like an amazing trip. With that setup many people would feel sorry for you. Glad to see you have similar views to us in that you found it enjoyable. Good luck on the build. Sounds like a great little project! Love West Coast travel by the way. You will have such beautiful and fun destinations to take your new trailer to.
I am a minimalist by nature and my ideal camping trip was done on a motorcycle with a couple of friends. I got too old and out of shape to camp and hike, but I missed it terribly. At first I felt like a sell-out for buying a teardrop size camper. Now I realize it was the best decision ever. my wife is now willing to go too and I get to share the outdoors with my grandson and my dog.
You sound a lot like us. Big fans of overland bike travel and avid backpackers. When we got the teardrop we were kind of hush hush about it as well. Now we scream our love for small camper trailers from the rooftops, well more like mountaintops up here!
One of the greatest joys in my camping is this: when I set-up a site, it's all there. There's a living room a kitchen and a bedroom. When I tear down, there's nothing left...you can barely see that we were there. Teardrops are attractive precisely because they emulate this sort of option while adding significantly more comfort (countertops, enclosed sleeping space...etc.). Class C's and fifth wheelers want an apartment. It's possible that these folks want to be outdoors, but they definitely want the option to be indoors. It's a different philosophy altogether and I'm not here to yuk on someone else's yum. At the end of the day, getting out on the road with a 40 foot 5th wheel is better than not getting out at all but, for me, I'll take the teardrop on a fire trail (towed behind a normal car) over the mobile apartment at a KOA every day of the week. As always, thanks for the video.
We completely agree with the whatever gets you out there is the way to go 40 foot or 10 foot. Wish we had more fire trails up here. Not like the Lower 48 in terms of forest service roads and fire trails. Roads are a bit few and far between up here.
Honestly, everything you say is so spot on. I need to simply get out there and you are the one who has reassured me I only need a small teardrop as I want to be outside in nature and not carry around a gas guzzling cash machine. No bathroom, no tanks to dump, no nasty hoses… only a side tent for privacy and a portable toilet. Thank you so much!
We subscribed because your comments are more real than any of the others. Been camping for 30 years from minimal to motor homes. Your comments don’t skip the real truth like everyone else does. Great job.
Thank you. That comment means a lot to us. The "realness" sometimes gets folks a little heated. We thought if we were going to put these videos out there we need to be as real as possible, because that is what we would hope others would do for us. It has been great too having real conversations in the comments. We had some ideas that we thought were spot on, but folks have shared alternatives with us that really changed our mind on some of the things we thought we had figured out.
Oh but it DOES. To each his own, true. I have an 18'- small in the RV world, but it is self-contained and I'm not spending time setting up everything, sometimes in the pouring rain. I still enjoy a waterfront site. Just sitting outside with coffee made in an electric percolator. LOL.
You hit the nail on the head brother.....Nothing beats sitting out in nature with just a mesh net for mosquitos. The smells, sounds and sights like God intended for us to live...City living is just a another jungle with concrete on top of it, people tend to forget that.
Thanks for telling it like it is! The best part of teardrop camping is setting up camp. Its like playing house. I love cooking in the little kitchen and watching the boys and my husband relax and chat. We love the "go where the day takes you" living and staying up late around camp fire and star gazing. My husband and I sleep in the teardrop and the boys and our dog tent camp beside us. I love falling asleep to the muffled conversations from their tent. It is family life at its finest!
What you described is music to our ears. May and I were just talking about how much we miss this. With our boys being so young we tend to go to bed, or at least May does, a lot earlier. This has decreased that quiet time around the fire and the beautiful midnight Alaskan sunsets. Can't wait for the day the boys are in the tent and we are in the teardrop. Currently it is the boys and May in the teardrop and dad in the side entry tent. They wake up every morning saying how hot they were and I wake up saying how cold I was. But, I do have the better views out my screened Clam walls :)
You are in the midst of those wonderful snuggle years when the kids make the schedule. Enjoy each stage. They are all wonderful! (We are trying a clam tent our next trip, you inspired us.) Hi to Mae! She is a sweet mom.
Couldn't agree more! setting up, cooking, breaking down etc is all the so much fun! We love our teardrop and all of the comfort gear that we have acquired! We have a Camping and right away loved the side entry tent so we got one for each door, then on to a Clam screen room for summer, a Clam ice house for winter, a Joolca hot shower, we've got some great options to choose from for each trip! It's the best playhouse ever!
As a person who's tent camped off and on most of my 63 yrs of life, the preparing, lugging, setting everything up leaves me feeling wiped out. I've been daydreaming of owning a teardrop for a while. I've finally ordered one and I'll be ready to go next spring! I'm so excited and can't wait. I've never cared to own a larger unit with the many luxuries involved. I like roughing it, but that's just me and of course to each his own. I've camped with my kids since they were very young and now my grandson is my camping buddy. I'll even try going solo as my husband could care less about camping! Now that I know this is going to happen for me, I've found your videos and just want to say thanks for all your tips etc. Your family is adorable! Northern Michigan isn't quite like Alaska but it's beautiful with great camping areas!!
We have heard great things about Northern Michigan. Beautiful area! You made a great choice of you and your grandson. A teardrop really leaves it up to you to decide how much work you want to do. If we wanted to we could just roll into camp and hop in bed. If that is your style one thing we often suggest to people is getting a mattress for your teardrop that is small than the floor's footprint. This way you can step in your teardrop and not have to take off your shoes outside, you can keep a night stand, and even a small portable toilet next to your bed. The toilet beings you can't stand up is a little awkward, but we know multiple people in their 60s who feel this is the best option for them. A great channel if you don't know about it is Hang'n with Herky th-cam.com/channels/deAbiqg9p5GqVSlKTndUXQ.html We love how they set up their interior. Similar to what we are describing above. Excited you have joined the Playing with Sticks family Marianne. Looking forward to hearing from you once you get your trailer.
Ahh thank you. Been giving the little guy hugs all day. Lately he has been such a big fan of fishing we can't pull him away from the water. As a dad, I can't help but just want to squeeze the little guy for having a passion for something that really gets me going as well. Thanks again for the really sweet comment.
Well said. Just back from a trip, during which a friend walked onto our site and chuckled saying "you are always working on something". Like you, I enjoy the set up and tinkering that comes with tiny camper camping.
Bonjour, Je suis française et je vous découvre dans cette vidéo. J'adhère complètement à votre réflexion. J'ai troqué mon camping car pour une teardrop pour les mêmes raisons que vous. I like it 🥰 Merci pour le partage 🙏
Love this video! You are so honest and most people wont admit what a pain it is to haul, store, maintain, wash a class A. Not to mention the gas! Thank you!
So delighted that TH-cam suggested I watch this! I’ve got camping in my blood. Even the homes I had with a yard, I set up and slept in my tent when I needed to chill. I’m older, having had back surgeries so I have been researching beds on wheels. Never knew about class A,B, C. Can’t decide if I should haul with my 2009 AWD SUV or sell it for a camper van. Your video made my decision much easier. I have not been my easy going self since living in this lifeless condo. The only cure for my happiness is camping and I will search for a teardrop now. Thank you for this video and thanks to everyone here for your comments!
Wow, this is one of those comments that makes this TH-cam thing all worth it! Your search for the perfect teardrop will be a tough, but fun one. There are so many great options out there, it really is hard making a decision.
Haha. Many of the viewers of this channel do both. Sometimes I find as people, we become proud of our simple pursuits almost to the point of ruining experiences. I think there is a time and place for backpacking and I think there is a time and place for small camper camping. If you force yourself to do one or the other I think you’re missing out on opportunities. I think if many of us are honest with ourselves know one size fits all approach is going to make us happy forever. Variety is the spice of life!
Good job. We have been camping in a teardrop for over 2 years in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. We love it, we can get places other campers can't go. We have a travel trailer that just sits in the yard. When we did go with that we found all we did was use it for the bathroom and sleep in it, the rest of the time we were outdoors. We have the bigger Clam and it works out great. The bathroom stuff is a on going project. We are in our 60's and have meet people older than us that are traveling fulltime in teardrops, so you don't have to be young to enjoy the good life. Keep up the good work.
These types of comments inspire us. Really neat to hear about the other folks you have met along your journey doing this lifestyle full time. Your trips sound amazing! When we hear folks are traveling in these areas we always like to give the Black Hills a shoutout. It is one of our favorite midwest destinations. As is Wyoming and Montana.
I have been camping for many years in different variations of tents, or a bivvy. I now have a square back teardrop, which is essentially a bed with a slide out kitchen. I LOVE my teardrop camper. I set up an awning off the side for shelter to the door I use. After pulling up and deciding where to face the door, setting up the awning, pulling out my camp chair, getting the kettle on for a cuppa coffee/tea etc. I'm done in about 10 mins, it's great! I would not be bothered to have a huge RV, 5th Wheeler, caravan or camper van. You're exactly right, I'm out there to be outdoors... I too would get cabin fever inside. I have plenty of shelter if I need it, I can put sides on my awning - to keep out wild weather. Camping is about keeping it simple - and as I said - I love my teardrop, it's the best option I have used so far. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I'm subbed. :-D
Fun meeting folks on here with similar camping habits to us. Someday we hope to have a squardrop like yours that is a little less in terms of setup time. Like we mentioned we enjoy the setup, but there are times where we are going across the State and stop for multiple one night stays. These are the stays you wish you had a teardrop with the built in awnings and easy to attach sidewalls. Plus would also be nice to have an attached kitchen.
I agree with you when you say people in big RVs tend to spend their time inside the RV and miss out of the beauty of the outside. I love the idea of having a little tear drop but don't have one. For the moment I will be sticking with my little instant up tent or my swag. Yes there is "work" involved in setting them up and since having knee replacements I'm not allowed to kneel so have to use a camp stretcher, so a little added work but still worth it. I get to enjoy the campsite within about 15 minutes. I am pleased you were able to find a way for you and your wife to enjoy camping and get out to enjoy nature. My husband comes camping sometimes but really doesn't enjoy it, hopefully one day when he retires and hopefully that'll be soon. :)
Big fans of the instant up tent as well. Lately we have been telling folks if we could find a bed for our instant up tent that is as nice as our teardrop bed we may have to consider more tent camping again. Currently as I (Drew) am sleeping in the side entry tent due to the growing family I have been using an aerobed. It is really comfy for me, even after multiple days, but it doesn't quite cut it for May. It is a really fast setup like yours. 30 second instant up tent with a 45 second aerobed with covers already attached before inflating. Like we said I love the work, but I also like some parts of the camp setup to be quick and easy. It is more of the creative work that I enjoy the most. Picking a flat area, a good place to hang the hammock, etc.
So True, Less is almost Always more when it comes to the pursuit of camping. Camping isn't about finding as much comfort level as one must, but challenging your comfort level to explore, discover & push boundaries of what one can do while camping. Excellent video, keep up the good work & Carpe' Diem !
So true....its alot of work to pack everything in a tiny camper. Then unpacking everything and opening everything up. Then put everything away the next day. I just did all this at Yellowstone last week. Luckily I have kids big enough to help lol. It was actually father son time. Passing down knowledge.
Sounds like an amazing trip. Can't wait to do more of the father son trips when the boys get older. I bet you are getting excited as the Overland West Expo is right around the corner. We were hoping to make it down there, but probably will have to wait for next year.
You all prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..? I somehow lost the account password. I love any tips you can offer me
@Thiago Lian i really appreciate your reply. I found the site thru google and Im trying it out atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
I agree with all you said and have felt those things living on a cabin in the woods with no water and an outhouse etc. very fulfilling Travelling solo i have some concerned re a lot of set up in regards to leaving if need be and safety so am sorting through all that So far I camped out of an suv and loved the simplicity safety etc Nice video Nice working it out for all in the family:)
Good point on leaving your items out. It does make you a bit uncomfortable. That is why we tell folks don't bring anything with you that would make you cry if it walked off. This is our philosophy and it has given us great peace of mind when fishing, hiking, and berry picking. The cabin sounds so fun! We were just talking about this today. That a cabin TH-cam channel would be really fun as well.
We have a small fiberglass camper and I love it. We think of it as the bunkhouse. My goal is for my family to spend as much time outside away from screens as possible. We take a screen room and pop it wherever makes the most sense based on camp layout. Also, you can go so many places or squeeze into the last tent site at a place with a small camper vs the extremely large RVs. Love this video!
Love that style of camping. Funny that today we have to battle a bit with getting our kids away from the screens. I wonder what families were battling with when we were all kids? I know my parents fought a lot of little battles to ensure we had the chance to get outdoors and stay outdoors long enough to learn some great skills. So glad they pushed through and found a way for us to have fun outdoors at such a young age.
We have a 17' fiberglass Casita travel trailer and absolutely LOVE it. We can go everywhere the big rigs go but they can't go everywhere I can go. Camp takes 30 minutes to set-up and while I am enjoying an finely handcrafted microbrew from the comfort of my champ chair, I get to watch the guy in the big rig across the road from me putter for two more hours. Dragging a furnished apartment into the woods so the spouse can play house is ridiculous.
Love the 17' Casitas. Perfect size. Small, but big enough to have a table that doesn't need removed every time you want to use the bed. Hard to beat the lifestyle of towing a fiberglass trailer.
Ive watched several of your videos before and have looked into all the different types of RV camping. A 20 year old van to fifth wheels, travel trailers, and tear drops but none ever seemed like a good enough choice. Bigger RVs make me feel like I am secluded from nature despite it being right outside the rig. Smaller trailers always had this feeling of "whats the point", due to it feeling like its basically "a set up tent" that you tow. But your videos and the way you and your family talk/enjoy your teardrop has finally convinced me. This IS the way to go for me. Thank you for sharing and bless you and your family.
Make sure you check out the Scamp videos as well. A 13-16' fiberglass trailer is a great fit in-between the teardrop and larger RV style camping. Also very minimal maintenance. So great to hear these videos are helpful for you Mathew!
Hi Drew! Hope you all are safe and healthy! We couldn’t agree more and could never deny that basic camping is difficult...but truly rewarding! With children the set up and take down process can be tricky and hard but again totally worth it! Nothing can compare to the quality family time exploring the outdoors anywhere you choose! After being winterized, yesterday I opened the camper and started preparing it for the season. Hard as the work was to put the 37in military tires back on it was completely satisfying walking around it to once again see and appreciate the accomplishment of what we did with so little!
You said it perfectly. It is difficult, but rewarding! Love that you stuck with the military tires to keep some of it's original charm. And you are right about the kids. Just with the addition of our newest child setup and take down got one child tougher :)
I moved to Kodiak a couple years ago with a teardrop I built but never used. My family and I have been out a few times and I agree completely with you and your wife's thoughts about camping. Just enough FUN work for me and a lot relaxing for her. Stumbled onto your channel a few weeks ago. Thanks for the ideas, tricks, and recommendations! Glad to hear you made it out recently. We did too! Nick
A teardrop would be a fun little trailer to take all over the "Emerald Isle". We typically come down to Kodiak early June with our RAVN Miles. Unfortunately with everything going on with RAVN we probably won't be making it down this year. Glad you were able to get out Nick!
Thank you. I always enjoy being reminded of the blessings I have. It doesn't take a whole lot to enjoy this beautiful life we were given. I really is the simple things. But, at the same time it doesn't take a whole lot to easily take for granted all the blessings we have as well. We are truly living the dream! Hope you are living your best dream as well. Thanks for the really sweet comment.
Hi, I've watched your videos for a long time and learned a lot from your journey. Because I'm currently planning an extended trip to Alaska, I recently re-watched this video. I decided to subscribe just to say "thank you" for your input over the years (and that is a bigger action than it sounds, because I almost never subscribe to any channels). The quality of your posts (like this video) has been consistently relevant over time and I appreciate the effort that requires. If I had a growing family like yours I would have bought a teardrop years ago (just to have a place to get out of the rain and wind when the weather turns bad for days); but because I'm primarily overlanding alone, I'm still able to pack everything I need (including a mountain bike and kayak) in or on the racks of my lifted Subaru Outback Onyx. Best wishes to you and your family during the new year. 🌈
Great honest video thanks so much for sharing! Just picked up a 2016 Silver Shadow Teardrop myself. I have had tents, pop up, pull behind trailer's of different sizes and even a class C. A lot of people say I am going backwards I say I am going back to the basics!
I subscribed a while back and have watched pretty much every video you uploaded. I have to say that this is my ABSOLUTE favorite! Not only was it funny and entertaining, it was so useful to hear the real side of traveling like this with a significant other. I learned about the type of gear you use, but also what kind of things that go through your mind when the three of you are out there! Your "tell it like it is" approach is refreshing and more educational than the typical how to videos. Thank you!
Love “How to do the basics”. I think these acts are taken for granted by those watching camping videos, so highlighting them is valuable “new” or remembered “oh-yeah!” knowledge. Thanks!
It can be a challenge for us determining what type of video content to highlight. We want to grow with and learn from the veteran campers, but we also want to speak to the newbies and those on the fence of purchasing a small camper trailer. Glad you, a "veteran" appreciate these basic videos as well.
Playing with Sticks, You are on the right track! Basically, I am a newbie again with my “need” for a small camper to continue. I am learning a lot. Hope I can add a little in related areas. Yeah....your video path is right up my alley. Thanks!
You found outdoor bliss in your early years: Congratulations! We've have been enjoying that lifestyle for many years (we are in our 60's). Be safe out there.
Thank you! In all honesty we found it quicker than most because growing up our grandparents worked hard to ensure we took part in their outdoor lifestyle. We are so thankful they spent so much time getting us involved in what they loved. Awesome running into folks like you who are enjoying this same lifestyle as much as us. You stay safe as well Ted.
Camping with a family is always going to be work. I solo camp with a teardrop. Setup is parking, hookups, setting out chairs and rugs, and then relaxing. With the pandemic I’m adding a cassette toilet and a pop up privacy tent. But bad weather just means I crawl inside with a good book or a video. The most work is cleaning up the trailer when I return. Great video, thanks!
Solo camping. I sometimes miss those days :) My wife would agree with you in that the cleaning up tends to be the toughest. This is not the most minimalist thing to do, but what has really helped us is to have a set of everything that lives permanently in the trailer (clothes, utensils, books, bear spray, etc.).
We have owned four RV’s. Don’t miss selling any of them. Just bought our first teardrop. ‘21 T@G. So excited about this because it’s going to be like glamping tent style. Minimal.
I don’t EVER want to mess with a tent, that is the reason I purchased a teardrop trailer. I pull it with my little 2003 Mazda 3. I would open up the trailer and go to sleep. The next morning it was time to set up the picnic table, organize the back of the pick up with the coolers and get the chairs out. I love it.
That sounds like a great setup Jan. Love that you can tow your trailer with such a small vehicle. The benefits of that combination are pretty amazing. I think if we didn't have kids we would probably have a lot more days out without the tent going up. But, with the kiddos we learned quickly to get that tent up fast because we never know when the swarm of mosquitoes will hit.
Playing with Sticks I camp at the state parks and have not had any problems with mosquitoes. I got rid of my screen room with my tent. I wonder if the park service maintains the bug population near the camp sites.
@@meadowlarkgal25 They may have good airflow. If there is a breeze we do just fine, but in the wooded areas where it is tough to get a small breeze through it can get pretty bad up here quick.
This has helps me alot with the decision to get a teardrop, I want something simple like camping but comfortable nights sleep this the best of both worlds!! Thank you so much!!
@@PlayingwithSticks perfect match really, we are limited where I am to purchase one so after restrictions lift we may need to travel to find a good teardrop to suit our needs 😀
I just posted a slideshow video of a teardrop rally. They were pretty cool to look at, but I need something just a tad bigger. I did own a Scamp and loved it! That was perfect for me and everything was ready to go when I pulled into the campsite. I also have a CLAM and love it. So easy to set up.
We like to have the best of both worlds. We currently own a teardrop and a 13 foot trailer. Our trailer is very similar to the Scamp in that everything was in it and ready to go. Also you can't beat a warm coffee from the interior range, standing room for changing clothes, and a nice little area to use the bathroom. But, what we still notice is we spend more days using our teardrop than using the 13ft trailer. I think this is because we take more 3-5 day adventures than we do week or longer adventures.
Know what you want. Know what the price is. Pay the price. I always wanted to own the dirt so I have an off grid cabin. Yes it's work too but comfortable. Love it.
May also has that internal desire to own some dirt. When the economy struggles up here form time to time with oil and now tourism her first thought is always scooping up some off grid property at a low cost. Not the greatest thing to do, gaining from other's struggles. But, also a practical time to invest. Hope you get plenty of time this summer to utilize that cabin. And the beauty of the cabin vs. small camper is you have 4 seasons to enjoy yours!
Love your plan. We have a large clam we camp with cots but plan to get teardrop soon. We do have a nightime potty . Our clam had optional panels and floor. We use both.. Keep it up. We camped,hiked,traveled every summer,spring, with our son. He is techie but not like his friends. At 17 he would rather go hike in the woods on a Sat than sit around.
We truly hope our boys will turn out like yours. We try our hardest to stay away from the screen time and inspire more with natural activities. I know at some point they are going to get it all from their friends. But we are hoping we have instilled a strong love of the outdoors in them that wins over.
Very well said!!! We got our teardrop to get out and be a part of nature. And nature can be challenging at times! That’s okay. It is all a part of the experience.
It CAN be challenging. This weekend the weather was great, which should have posed no challenges. But the first day out the great weather got us playing a bit too long and it was a scramble before sundown to get everything setup for the evening. Setting up camp around midnight isn't always the most fun experience. But, waking up to mountains and rivers outside our door made it all worth it.
I'm a bit late finding your channel and commenting - ALL camping takes planning and effort. The great part about camping is that we can choose our adventure. It's fun to get away from home and experience the outdoors more closely than our day to day lives. A great Big Fancy RV takes planning & effort in other ways that differ from Tent Camping & small trailer camping. You did a great job showing the fun (challenges) w/ small trailer camping.
Camping in a Teardrop isn't for everybody and that's fine. I remember a few years ago, camped just outside Yellowstone and we were parked next to some big RV's. I said to my wife, "I'm sure glad we don't own one of those big expensive beasts, what a headache just to maintain it". Later I heard one of those RV owners comment to his wife, "Can you imagine trying to sleep in that tiny little thing?" No doubt, we were both happy with our personal choices for camping, as we should be.
Great video, I've owned and RV and it's not a camping experience. Just got my first teardrop and it's perfect. Just like tent or car camping, but with amenities you come to enjoy of an RV. Kitchen, comfortable bed to stay toasty warm in.
This is the reason why I got the smallest RV with full kitchen and bathroom, a Starcraft 14RB. To me it's either go camping for the sake of camping, or RV and have all the amenities. Here in Toronto, it gets pretty cold in the winter and unless are willing to deal with walking in snow shoes through a few feet of snow and have a hot tent and a wood burning stove, it's pretty bleak. Having a nice heated place to chill and relax and still be able to do all the outdoor activities until it gets too cold is soo nice. I get that you have a family to take care of and I think for you the teardrop has it's place. If it were me though, I would go the overlanding route. You have basically the same setup as a teardrop but now you're opened to even more accessible terrain. It would require you to ditch both the car and the trailer and swap to a truck or suv, but in my opinion, it's a better overall setup but to each his own.
We completely agree on your overland comment. We are slowing working over into that direction. We have the Jeep, our family has outgrown the little 4X8 teardrop. We are ready for a newer teardrop that can get off the beaten path and support a rooftop tent for the growing family.
My setup and gear is almost identical as yours, even that blue 5 gal. water container, tables and stove. I got a black rugged 4x8' sleeper teardrop and I'm pulling it with only a 2017 Ford Fusion sedan. I've gone as remote as Chaco Culture National Historical Park (not an easy drive), and made it alright. Started in 2018 and have travel thousands of miles for almost 2 consecutive months at a time with basically zero experience and learning as I go. It is a little bit of work and a learning curve but not hard at all. This by far has been the most satisfying experience I've ever had. The only somewhat difficult parts are, water and food management, parking in reverse (since I rarely detach from the car) and setting up the awning from the camper on a windy day..lol. I Boondock most of the time and finding those ideal spots can be a challenge, but it can be solved with a little bit of research and planning ahead of time.
Your setup and your lifestyle sounds a lot like us. We are still working on the water and food management as well. Fortunately for us, not a whole lot of wind near most of our boondocking sites up here.
Great video. I agree with your points. I loved tent camping, but my husband wanted a bathroom, so we just got a T@B 320 cs-s, which has a hard-sided bathroom, bed and what I personally love, the kitchen in on the outside, back of the trailer :) Great compromise for us. Thanks for the great content.
Your trailer is envied by us and many. Such a great little design. Nice to have the best of both worlds. Modern comforts, but small enough to keep you outdoors.
@@kelliyeowell5691 It takes a while. And then once you figure everything out a new toy comes along and then you need even more power. If it were us we would say keep it simple and just use lights, electric blankets, and charging cell phones, computers, etc. Or go really big, because if you go in-between you always find you need more power when a new toy comes around. Just our 2 cents on that one.
Small trailer camping is ‘backpack car camping” compared to a big class A. The work is part of the experience, and you can get to places you never could with a big rig. You did a great job of explaining it.
It really is backpack car camping isn't it? Unfortunately we continue to find year after year that our backpacking pots and pans continue to shift and slide into the cracks of our Coleman stove. Time to upgrade our cooking gear to "car camping" gear. We are really glad to hear our story made sense. It often makes us feel a little nicer knowing we aren't the only ones having these thoughts.
Playing with Sticks I’ve had my rig set up in my backyard the whole lockdown. When I go out there my wife says “you going out to play with your toys”. It exactly like you described.
Great video. I'm with you, I have a truck with a pop up tent and one of the most enjoyable aspects is sitting up camp and doing the little rituals of preparation. Your son is adorable by the way.
Is your tent separate from your truck? Or is this a tent on a rack you built over your truck? Both sound like great options. Thanks for the sweet comment about our little guy.
@@BrianGlassEOD Wow, that is great. I have never seen one extend out like that. Looks like it would give you great rain coverage when sitting under it in your camp chair.
We just pulled our t@g out of the garage and gave it a thorough cleaning. Off to the State Park next Sunday. We have a similar setup to yours. I think the best part of camping is cooking outside. And eating outside!
I’ve always tent camped but recently enjoyed a few days at beach with family in their new camper trailer. The set up was 15 min and had all amenities of home. I did find that we spent more time inside than I would have liked, as it was very cold and raining, but enjoyed the dry warm area to play board games, as opposed to dealing with damp sleeping bags. I discovered at 70 that I have a bit of a claustrophobia problem once encased in bottom enclosed bunk area. Having the ceiling 2 feet above my head was a major problem but didn’t want to disrupt the children sleeping above me. After positioning myself with head at the opening to bed I was able to sleep but was a weird experience. I’m looking at a teardrop for a cross country trip with my brother, who has a truck camper, this summer.
Unfortunately I have been claustrophobic since birth. So is the majority of my family. They can't believe that I love sleeping in a teardrop. But, it is strange once you get inside one and lay down you realize there is so much space above your head. But, like you If I sleep backwards in my teardrop with the cabinets over my head I get that same uneasy feeling. The only time I have to do this is when I am too lazy to unhitch and the upward slope is on the backend of the teardrop.
I've spent the majority of my time in the teardrop in Utah. Not that we aren't 'ready' for rain but it's not a part of our process. Your video makes it apparent that we may need to consider other options when we travel more with the trailer.
Glad it got you thinking Andrew. For us it is about the rain, but it is even more about the bugs. One of our little guys is pretty allergic to everything that bites. We learned quickly to create a little outdoor/indoor world for him. And setting all this up is really fun. It is like building a fort!
I used to own a 36 ft fifth wheel with slideouts. I only slept in it. I cooked outside, sat in a chair outside, found things to do outside. Now I tent camp. I found that Setting up camp is one of the more enjoyable parts of camping. For me anyway.
It is funny because at first we thought we wanted to escape the setup. But, now we find ourselves going backwards. Like you we may end up in a regular tent sooner than later.
Awesome! Glad to hear this was helpful. We think the teardrop is the perfect next step for car campers. And hopefully your last step if you are anything like us. They just fit our lifestyle so well!
We have a small teardrop; nucamp 400 BDL (15' of living space) we've had for over a year and our longest trip was three months from Florida to Alaska and back. It was just my wife and I and our Australian Sheppard. While we did numerous shake down trips to prepare, we quickly found on our long trip we had over packed. This is important, because this initially impacted the way we packed and how we setup and broke camp. As our trip went on, we reorganized and eventually used our Thule Luggage Container as storage for stuff we didn't need. We normally tried to spend at least two days at each location and initially would setup our nucamp awning, lay out our indoor/outdoor carpet and pull out our heavy camping chairs. Added to this we would disconnect from our TV and do all the trailer hookup stuff. Very time consuming when we wanted to do other stuff. So, before putting up the awning we did a weather check. If the weather forecast was good, no awning. For chairs, we picked up two very light weight chairs that when collapsed were small. These were quick and easy to set up. If we didn't plan to drive around our stop, we kept our TV connected. For trailer hookups, we just used electric and water and didn't bother with sewer until the morning we were leaving. We developed check list for setup and breaking camp, who did what - my wife took care of everything inside and I did everything outside. Our efficiency improved and we normally could from waking up, be on the road within 45-mins and that included time for coffee. Bottom line, we prioritized what was important to what was nice to have. Constantly reviewing what you pack is key; too may RVers/campers carry too much stuff and all that stuff distracts from the real reason you are traveling/camping. Best of luck. Stay safe
Sounds like a great trip you had from Florida to Alaska. I bet it wasn't the most pleasant in terms of comfort, but it sounds like you learned a lot along the way. Like you we do a 2 night minimum as well, as it is not worth all the work to just pack up again the next morning. Our systems are changing weekly, we still haven't got it all figured out, not even close. But, each week is easier than the week before it. And we have been doing this non-stop in the summer with the same camper for over three years. You would think we would have figured it out by now. I think having a new kid every other year is part of the required changes though.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you for the reply. It was just my wife and I, so having young children definitely makes things more interesting and challenging. We have to say, on our long trip there never was an uncomfortable night in the trailer. Now, there were some sketch RV parks in the BC and the Yukon but they were probably sketch because we were at the end of the season so maintenance etc., wasn't as important. Safe travels and hope our paths cross on the road.
Do what makes you happy. If it makes you and your family happy and more comfortable to do camping that way, by all means, go ahead. I’m taking so many tips from your page since we are planning to get one soon.
Glad the videos are helpful for your Barbara. When you do get one let us know what you get. One of our favorite things is just finding out what everyone is using.
Couldn’t agree more, I feel like I’m in a miniature retirement unit in a big van, love doing “the work” and often still looking for things to do days later...gotta be outdoors...
Love the miniature retirement unit comment. We just took out our remodeled 13 ft trailer this week and we said the same thing. We said it felt like we were renting a AirBNB tiny home. Finally had the chance to bring the hammock to setup, but we had so much fun hiking, eating, and playing by the water we never even had the chance this week to decorate the campsite.
Hi Drew! We are in a tiny camper by choice. I think you hit all the points in this video. In addition to camping we enjoy road tripping having a tiny camper brings simplicity to road tripping. We have had pop ups and also did van camping. We don’t see ourselves making any changes. I love when someone says that thing look claustrophobic and I say “ you know what’s claustrophobic? Payments on a big old motor home :). We are living like no one else and that’s our secret. Love your channel ! Herky Says HI
That financing comment on claustrophobic was great! We were reading some Airstream forums the other day. Don't read into this anyone, we are not getting an Airstream :) Not that we wouldn't love one. And one of the running jokes on there is that Airstream owners are experts in caulk because they have to caulk their trailers so many times over the span of their ownership. They said that typical RV owners are not experts in caulk because about the time the caulking goes bad the entire trailer starts to fall apart. And instead of learning about caulk they start signing financing papers for their next RV. I know this is a little blown out of proportion, but I thought it was funny the things you hear in different travel trailer communities. Hey Herky! It has been a while. With keeping up with the boys and all the comments (which has been such a blessing, both of them) we haven't had as much time to watch our favorite channels.
I've camped as a young kid with my family, and now with my family over the span of nearly 40 years. The important thing is getting out and interacting with nature in whatever way that makes you/your family/group happy. There are advantages and disadvantages to every type of camping, so in turn there is no "perfect" way of camping. Having done everything from tent camping to driving a motorhome, there is a good amount of work in all of them, just in different ways.
Love this perspective Mathew. You are so right in terms of the work. Someone also pointed out with the larger RVs there still is work, but more of it takes place at home which we don't all get to see.
@@PlayingwithSticks It's quite true. One of the appeals of a motorhome is that your camping experience essentially starts once you're on the road. That moves a lot of the work that others do at the campground to the home.
Small trailer camping? Can pull with almost any car or even a motorcycle trike. Have to figure out gear. What works for you. Would say try to get the best from the get go. Gear just has to work very well in the field. Your experience is that much more fun when gear is working! Camping with less is the best! NOT BRING THE HOUSE. Good video happy camping!!
We wished we had learned from our mistakes. However, we continue to purchase gear that 1 year later we end up upgrading. I think we are starting to come around to the idea of buy once, cry once.
Love it. We have a 39’ class A and because we may be past the younger yrs, we also like to get away small-so we use my Honda Pilot with the tent attached. So we have a nice futon to sleep on inside the car but we have the outside tent to stand in to change, use the restroom or get out of the rain/wind if necessary. Kind of the best of both worlds. Cuz we are definitely not taking the class A on the beach, where I love to be. 😜
We like your style. We also own a larger 13' camper. This is for the longer more comfy road trips. When we want the action and tougher places to get to we bust our the teardrop. Really like the idea of a tent attached to a vehicle. Thanks for sharing Dawn.
Thanks Peter! Any word on when yours will open up? Some of our favorite camping memories were in the Canmore, Banff, Jasper area. We just adore that part of Alberta.
They are amazing aren't they! We originally loved them just because of the cost and how bare bones they are to make them fit your style. Now that they are making a composite version we are pretty over the moon about what they are doing a Runaway.
Yep, ours is the new 2020 composite that weighs a lot less. We’ve installed solar panels and a solar charger/generator. Told the hubby I was tired of sleeping in a tent on the ground! Have a fun and safe summer!
We were ready to give up tent camping to get comfort but didn't want the rv because we live to be outside. Mission Overland trailer owner now. Kinda a square drop but definitely still teardrop category. We love it!!!!
Preaching to the choir! One thing I enjoy when backing my teardrop in and leveling is the lack of yelling. Seems a lot of bigger units need yelling to accomplish the same thing.
That is true, there is quite a bit of yelling. From the more classy large RV owners we have adopted the 2 way radio approach. Pretty nice when you know you are picking through a small boulder field behind you.
Very nice video Drew... all so true about camping in a teardrop! I am glad you are able to start camping... here in upstate NY camping is supposedly "open" but not until tomorrow and only for ppl who had previous reservations ... which left those of us who "follow the sun" in planning camping trips in the dust. (Chris and I camp often & with spontaneous plans =) So we are still waiting. I hope NYS Parks Dept. will soon realize that this time before school lets out is the quietest time for camping. Sigh... It looks like the Clam we both bought last year was a great decision. We've only taken ours out once to make sure it works... we can't wait to really put it to work!!! I love your teardrop "epiphany"... the cover of that magazine definitely is inspiring! Ours was watching Mandy Lea's early vlogs. Many blessings to you, May and your little ones. ~ Maria
Thank you! Wow, that previous reservations is a really interesting mandate. I don't know how we feel about that. You guys, that Clam is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that. We are really excited to try to do the bathroom curtain modification to the Clam as well as adding an awning to the front door. Yes, Mandy's early vlogs increased our excitement for tear dropping as well. We loved seeing her just doing her thing. Taking photos, hiking around, just a slower alternative pace of life. Thanks for the blessings Maria! Blessing to your and yours as well! We really hope someone is able to convince your Park Department to change their interesting guidance. We get it, but at the same time, we don't really get it.
@@PlayingwithSticks "We get it, but at the same time, we don't really get it." haha same here, Drew! I was on hold today with Reserve America for probably an hour... (at least I got my dishes done and countertop cleaned LoL) They told me that Gov' said new reservations can start on June 11 =) Still though, we're missing "magic time" which is before kids are released from school. They'll be distance learning until the middle of June in this area... after that... the campgrounds get really busy especially on weekends. I need to learn more about boondocking sites. Goals!
@@TheGratitudeAttitude That is kind of what started us on the boon docking course originally. There were often booked campsites in our favorite areas, which helped us realize there were other amazing "FREE" campsites all around there.
So many ways to camp. I have a 23 gmc motorhome, and love it because it's small and parks anywhere. We don't set up much at campsites because we're always on the go. It's a traveling coach. Even if we have a camp spot we leave in the morning to the beach, and park there. Make breakfast at the beach. We look around and big trailers and rvs and all the stuff they set up and think 'why all the junk'
I love your easy lifestyle camping set up!!! Im about to show my wife this video and she is gonna believe in the small camper teardrop set up and not the big RV style. Thank you.
Awesome! A great compromise between teardrop and RV is a fiberglass trailer like a Scamp or a Casita. We are currently out in a pop-up camper and would suggest that as well. Has a lot more setup required, but it would eliminate all the need for side entry tents and outdoor gear.
Really a balance each person needs to find with what they consider too much work. The experience that they want. I’ll gladly admit that I kinda like rolling into camp, popping up my aframe, grabbing a chair and being bored lol. Glad you guys finally can go out. Here in Illinois we can start camping this weekend, we are going to try our first boondocking trip 🙏🏻
After this week of camping I am starting to feel bored would be okay as well :) It was quite busy at the campsite taking care of the family. You guys are going to have a blast boondocking! There is something about finding a "free" campsite that takes the camping experience one step further. The A frame style trailers are gaining popularity up here. The ones folks have up here have very nice ground clearance. Hopefully sooner than later we will be able to take one out for the channel.
Playing with Sticks ha, I wish it were free, but no. Illinois is slim pickings as we don’t have much in the way of national and state forests. We do have land in WI that is free but, given the state of things, we are staying local. We are dry camping at a state park. Boondock practice I guess you can say lol. Looking forward to the days when it’s safe enough to travel farther for the real thing 👍🏻 Aframes are great. The simplicity and hauling ease of a teardrop, combined with the space of a travel trailer. Just enough but not too much to overwhelm 👍🏻👍🏻
Great thoughts! Another huge plus in my mind to small campers is being able to use the vehicle you already have! I am a single mom. I wanted to camp but couldn’t justify a truck so I bought a Scamp.
Yes! We couldn't agree more. Scamp was our limit as well in terms of weight for our little Toyota Matrix. Now that we have towed the teardrop year after year we know this is the lifestyle we enjoy. Now thinking about upgrading our vehicle feels a little more justifiable. An for us an upgrade is purchasing a $5,000 Jeep :) Now were are able to tow a Scamp full loaded and feel 100% comfortable we are being easy on our tow vehicle. But, when we used the Matrix it was as easy as spreading the water around the Scamp in multiple containers. Same amount of water that we had in the water tank, but by moving it around it evenly distributed the weight and allowed the little 4 cylinder to tow over hills and pass other cars.
great video and great points. We have owned our teardrop for 2 years and will never go with a larger RV. It takes a while to get it down to a science, but we have just a few main things we deal with: the awning, the Clam shelter, some camp chairs, and our prep table., Our kitchen is already ready to go thanks to the T@g. We love the time outdoors and are never bored. Even when it rains.
Tonight I was watching this video and my wife was sitting next to me kinda listening while she worked on her computer. She is now hooked to your channel and she wants to see more of your videos. So thank you for this video. I am a OZtent camper and she wants to be a Scamp camper, but we will probably go with the teardrop as our couples camping vehicle.
Glad she is enjoying them as well. Once my wife got hooked on these small camper trailers life got a lot more fun! An Oztent off the rails of a teardrop will give you the fun overland setup you need, the comfy bed you both need, and the standing room (living room) she needs. If you get the right connected outdoor space it feels a lot like a Scamp, but with the benefits of a smaller trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks I didn't think of that. It would make a great dressing room/ bathroom to have off the side of the teardrop, especially if I get the optional sides added.
For me, Part of the 'Joy of Camping' is Not having all the comforts of home. "Roughing it" a little... After tent camping all my life, my tiny camper is way cool! Awning sets up in 10 min. Folding chairs, table, cooktop, another 10 min. My firewood from home is easier than braving ticks and snakes while looking for firewood! Instead of then 'sitting under the awning, I fire up my scooter and go exploring! Telescoping rod/reel, tackle, drinks and snacks packed in the bike! I'm dry and secure now, in spite of the weather and can 'break camp' in less than a 1/2 hour...
Man, excellent video and wonderful insight. It's a good reminder that, often, the most meaningful experiences in our life are the ones we worked for. I'm as guilty as anyone for wanting to avoid any kind of work during my leisure time, especially since my career is a very physical one. But when I really think about it, when it comes to camping, the things I get the most enjoyment out of are things like setting up the tent, building a fire, and so on. We've been considering buying a camper in the next year or two, and likely will get something small and portable. Thanks for this video. I'm glad I came across it.
"Maybe we often try too hard to create an outdoor experience for ourselves that is TOO comfortable". Right on! I'm the type who makes fun of people in RVs, watching TV and getting fat. I'm 64, and retired, and still not ready to embrace the lifestyle my folks loved with their 25 foot trailers and class A RVs. I'm just starting to think about "upgrading" to a teardrop (squaredrop) from a pop-up truck camper.
Our house is divided on this one. For me I sometimes wonder if a pop-up truck camper would be best for our family. But, my wife is all about the cute factor. And I will admit I have a bit of an infatuation with small camper trailers, especially vintage trailers and modern trailers built from older designs. Even though a teardrop is a bit more hassle in terms of towing, it also has so many benefits, especially if you are towing it with your daily driver.
True! We are headed to the Kenai for 4 days of TENT camping next week. Holy cow. It will be a ton of work. I’m excited for it! Sure, a teardrop camper would be great. But we only have tents. Thanks. (Campgrounds are packed everywhere.)
Sounds like you have a great trip planned. We have been hitting up our favorite boondocking sites the last couple of weeks. It is crazy that even mid-week everything is full. The first week it was a bit tough camping side by side in our favorite solitary locations. But these last two weeks we have gotten used to it. It has actually been quite fun seeing how others camp, sharing stores, fishing tackle, etc.
I love how you have a little compound that you can change anytime you want. I have a tesla model S and with the seats down, it is like driving a teardrop
My best friend is a Winnebago RV'er and took a tent to a nearby nat'l park for better gas mileage. I got better MPG's towing my trailer than he got burning diesel in his RV hauler. I unloaded my motorcycle, made the bed, set up my awning and then helped them set up their tent... Breaking camp took me 20 minutes. Going home with a tailwind, I averaged 28 mpg!
Another aspect of my lil camping trailer is security! When I go hiking or riding the bike, I can lock up everything. I've had stuff stolen when 'gone to the store' before...
Mileage and security. Both great advantages. I would love to take a motorcycle on my trips. You are living the dream.
@@PlayingwithSticks , Since adding the 6x8 awning, and the 6" memory foam tri-fold mattress, I'm enjoying my tiny home/toy hauler even more! my 24" TV doesn't compare to your projector but the 6" Jenson 3 ways turn it into a theater! Videos like yours make these DIY campers a never-ending adventure!
My wife, 3yr old daughter and I just did a 5 week long trip camping out of our Outback. We had all our stuff crammed in our car and on our roof rack. We slept in the car with a blow up bed. Every camp site we got to we’d take everything out and set up. It was about an hour and a half of setting up. We had all sorts of stuff to keep up busy. We brought a projector/screen, guitars, art supplies. My wife made jewelry. We had everything ( and more )that was in this video except the tear drop trailer. Now we are in the process of starting to build our own camper trailer. We got a free 7x5 trailer from family in Washington that we brought back down to San Diego. We had to get the hitch installed in Washington.
By the way if you live in Spokane don’t ever go to Snows Auto, they do terrible work. I have to fix a ton of stuff they didn’t put back correctly.
Anyways can’t wait to finish it and get back out there. Thank you for sharing your video!
That sounds like an amazing trip. With that setup many people would feel sorry for you. Glad to see you have similar views to us in that you found it enjoyable. Good luck on the build. Sounds like a great little project! Love West Coast travel by the way. You will have such beautiful and fun destinations to take your new trailer to.
I am a minimalist by nature and my ideal camping trip was done on a motorcycle with a couple of friends. I got too old and out of shape to camp and hike, but I missed it terribly. At first I felt like a sell-out for buying a teardrop size camper. Now I realize it was the best decision ever. my wife is now willing to go too and I get to share the outdoors with my grandson and my dog.
You sound a lot like us. Big fans of overland bike travel and avid backpackers. When we got the teardrop we were kind of hush hush about it as well. Now we scream our love for small camper trailers from the rooftops, well more like mountaintops up here!
One of the greatest joys in my camping is this: when I set-up a site, it's all there. There's a living room a kitchen and a bedroom. When I tear down, there's nothing left...you can barely see that we were there. Teardrops are attractive precisely because they emulate this sort of option while adding significantly more comfort (countertops, enclosed sleeping space...etc.).
Class C's and fifth wheelers want an apartment. It's possible that these folks want to be outdoors, but they definitely want the option to be indoors. It's a different philosophy altogether and I'm not here to yuk on someone else's yum. At the end of the day, getting out on the road with a 40 foot 5th wheel is better than not getting out at all but, for me, I'll take the teardrop on a fire trail (towed behind a normal car) over the mobile apartment at a KOA every day of the week.
As always, thanks for the video.
We completely agree with the whatever gets you out there is the way to go 40 foot or 10 foot. Wish we had more fire trails up here. Not like the Lower 48 in terms of forest service roads and fire trails. Roads are a bit few and far between up here.
Honestly, everything you say is so spot on. I need to simply get out there and you are the one who has reassured me I only need a small teardrop as I want to be outside in nature and not carry around a gas guzzling cash machine. No bathroom, no tanks to dump, no nasty hoses… only a side tent for privacy and a portable toilet. Thank you so much!
We subscribed because your comments are more real than any of the others. Been camping for 30 years from minimal to motor homes. Your comments don’t skip the real truth like everyone else does. Great job.
Thank you. That comment means a lot to us. The "realness" sometimes gets folks a little heated. We thought if we were going to put these videos out there we need to be as real as possible, because that is what we would hope others would do for us. It has been great too having real conversations in the comments. We had some ideas that we thought were spot on, but folks have shared alternatives with us that really changed our mind on some of the things we thought we had figured out.
I think I get you. Camping doesn't feel like camping in a fully decked out rv.
You got it Alexander.
Oh but it DOES. To each his own, true. I have an 18'- small in the RV world, but it is self-contained and I'm not spending time setting up everything, sometimes in the pouring rain. I still enjoy a waterfront site. Just sitting outside with coffee made in an electric percolator. LOL.
You hit the nail on the head brother.....Nothing beats sitting out in nature with just a mesh net for mosquitos. The smells, sounds and sights like God intended for us to live...City living is just a another jungle with concrete on top of it, people tend to forget that.
Glad you could relate Marco.
Thanks for telling it like it is! The best part of teardrop camping is setting up camp. Its like playing house. I love cooking in the little kitchen and watching the boys and my husband relax and chat. We love the "go where the day takes you" living and staying up late around camp fire and star gazing. My husband and I sleep in the teardrop and the boys and our dog tent camp beside us. I love falling asleep to the muffled conversations from their tent. It is family life at its finest!
What you described is music to our ears. May and I were just talking about how much we miss this. With our boys being so young we tend to go to bed, or at least May does, a lot earlier. This has decreased that quiet time around the fire and the beautiful midnight Alaskan sunsets. Can't wait for the day the boys are in the tent and we are in the teardrop. Currently it is the boys and May in the teardrop and dad in the side entry tent. They wake up every morning saying how hot they were and I wake up saying how cold I was. But, I do have the better views out my screened Clam walls :)
You are in the midst of those wonderful snuggle years when the kids make the schedule. Enjoy each stage. They are all wonderful! (We are trying a clam tent our next trip, you inspired us.) Hi to Mae! She is a sweet mom.
Yes, nesting is the perfect word to describe it.
Couldn't agree more! setting up, cooking, breaking down etc is all the so much fun! We love our teardrop and all of the comfort gear that we have acquired! We have a Camping and right away loved the side entry tent so we got one for each door, then on to a Clam screen room for summer, a Clam ice house for winter, a Joolca hot shower, we've got some great options to choose from for each trip! It's the best playhouse ever!
As a person who's tent camped off and on most of my 63 yrs of life, the preparing, lugging, setting everything up leaves me feeling wiped out. I've been daydreaming of owning a teardrop for a while. I've finally ordered one and I'll be ready to go next spring! I'm so excited and can't wait. I've never cared to own a larger unit with the many luxuries involved. I like roughing it, but that's just me and of course to each his own. I've camped with my kids since they were very young and now my grandson is my camping buddy. I'll even try going solo as my husband could care less about camping! Now that I know this is going to happen for me, I've found your videos and just want to say thanks for all your tips etc. Your family is adorable! Northern Michigan isn't quite like Alaska but it's beautiful with great camping areas!!
We have heard great things about Northern Michigan. Beautiful area! You made a great choice of you and your grandson. A teardrop really leaves it up to you to decide how much work you want to do. If we wanted to we could just roll into camp and hop in bed. If that is your style one thing we often suggest to people is getting a mattress for your teardrop that is small than the floor's footprint. This way you can step in your teardrop and not have to take off your shoes outside, you can keep a night stand, and even a small portable toilet next to your bed. The toilet beings you can't stand up is a little awkward, but we know multiple people in their 60s who feel this is the best option for them. A great channel if you don't know about it is Hang'n with Herky th-cam.com/channels/deAbiqg9p5GqVSlKTndUXQ.html We love how they set up their interior. Similar to what we are describing above. Excited you have joined the Playing with Sticks family Marianne. Looking forward to hearing from you once you get your trailer.
What a cute little kid, hey dad, give him a big hug. You know your a lucky guy.Keep on camping!
Ahh thank you. Been giving the little guy hugs all day. Lately he has been such a big fan of fishing we can't pull him away from the water. As a dad, I can't help but just want to squeeze the little guy for having a passion for something that really gets me going as well. Thanks again for the really sweet comment.
Well said. Just back from a trip, during which a friend walked onto our site and chuckled saying "you are always working on something". Like you, I enjoy the set up and tinkering that comes with tiny camper camping.
Bonjour,
Je suis française et je vous découvre dans cette vidéo. J'adhère complètement à votre réflexion. J'ai troqué mon camping car pour une teardrop pour les mêmes raisons que vous. I like it 🥰
Merci pour le partage 🙏
Love this video! You are so honest and most people wont admit what a pain it is to haul, store, maintain, wash a class A. Not to mention the gas! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
So delighted that TH-cam suggested I watch this! I’ve got camping in my blood. Even the homes I had with a yard, I set up and slept in my tent when I needed to chill. I’m older, having had back surgeries so I have been researching beds on wheels. Never knew about class A,B, C. Can’t decide if I should haul with my 2009 AWD SUV or sell it for a camper van. Your video made my decision much easier. I have not been my easy going self since living in this lifeless condo. The only cure for my happiness is camping and I will search for a teardrop now.
Thank you for this video and thanks to everyone here for your comments!
Wow, this is one of those comments that makes this TH-cam thing all worth it! Your search for the perfect teardrop will be a tough, but fun one. There are so many great options out there, it really is hard making a decision.
never give up, never surrender. back surgery be damned....get that pack back on your back. say No to trailers
Haha. Many of the viewers of this channel do both. Sometimes I find as people, we become proud of our simple pursuits almost to the point of ruining experiences. I think there is a time and place for backpacking and I think there is a time and place for small camper camping. If you force yourself to do one or the other I think you’re missing out on opportunities. I think if many of us are honest with ourselves know one size fits all approach is going to make us happy forever. Variety is the spice of life!
I love this. This is way better than a large RV
Glad you enjoyed it. The large RVs have their place. But, for our current lifestyle, we agree that the small camper is the way to go.
Good job. We have been camping in a teardrop for over 2 years in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. We love it, we can get places other campers can't go. We have a travel trailer that just sits in the yard. When we did go with that we found all we did was use it for the bathroom and sleep in it, the rest of the time we were outdoors. We have the bigger Clam and it works out great. The bathroom stuff is a on going project. We are in our 60's and have meet people older than us that are traveling fulltime in teardrops, so you don't have to be young to enjoy the good life. Keep up the good work.
These types of comments inspire us. Really neat to hear about the other folks you have met along your journey doing this lifestyle full time. Your trips sound amazing! When we hear folks are traveling in these areas we always like to give the Black Hills a shoutout. It is one of our favorite midwest destinations. As is Wyoming and Montana.
I have been camping for many years in different variations of tents, or a bivvy.
I now have a square back teardrop, which is essentially a bed with a slide out kitchen.
I LOVE my teardrop camper. I set up an awning off the side for shelter to the door I use.
After pulling up and deciding where to face the door, setting up the awning, pulling out my camp chair, getting the kettle on for a cuppa coffee/tea etc. I'm done in about 10 mins, it's great!
I would not be bothered to have a huge RV, 5th Wheeler, caravan or camper van.
You're exactly right, I'm out there to be outdoors... I too would get cabin fever inside.
I have plenty of shelter if I need it, I can put sides on my awning - to keep out wild weather.
Camping is about keeping it simple - and as I said - I love my teardrop, it's the best option I have used so far.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I'm subbed.
:-D
Fun meeting folks on here with similar camping habits to us. Someday we hope to have a squardrop like yours that is a little less in terms of setup time. Like we mentioned we enjoy the setup, but there are times where we are going across the State and stop for multiple one night stays. These are the stays you wish you had a teardrop with the built in awnings and easy to attach sidewalls. Plus would also be nice to have an attached kitchen.
I agree with you when you say people in big RVs tend to spend their time inside the RV and miss out of the beauty of the outside. I love the idea of having a little tear drop but don't have one. For the moment I will be sticking with my little instant up tent or my swag. Yes there is "work" involved in setting them up and since having knee replacements I'm not allowed to kneel so have to use a camp stretcher, so a little added work but still worth it. I get to enjoy the campsite within about 15 minutes. I am pleased you were able to find a way for you and your wife to enjoy camping and get out to enjoy nature. My husband comes camping sometimes but really doesn't enjoy it, hopefully one day when he retires and hopefully that'll be soon. :)
Big fans of the instant up tent as well. Lately we have been telling folks if we could find a bed for our instant up tent that is as nice as our teardrop bed we may have to consider more tent camping again. Currently as I (Drew) am sleeping in the side entry tent due to the growing family I have been using an aerobed. It is really comfy for me, even after multiple days, but it doesn't quite cut it for May. It is a really fast setup like yours. 30 second instant up tent with a 45 second aerobed with covers already attached before inflating. Like we said I love the work, but I also like some parts of the camp setup to be quick and easy. It is more of the creative work that I enjoy the most. Picking a flat area, a good place to hang the hammock, etc.
So True, Less is almost Always more when it comes to the pursuit of camping. Camping isn't about finding as much comfort level as one must, but challenging your comfort level to explore, discover & push boundaries of what one can do while camping. Excellent video, keep up the good work & Carpe' Diem !
You said it much better than us. Thank you for sharing.
So true....its alot of work to pack everything in a tiny camper. Then unpacking everything and opening everything up. Then put everything away the next day. I just did all this at Yellowstone last week. Luckily I have kids big enough to help lol. It was actually father son time. Passing down knowledge.
Sounds like an amazing trip. Can't wait to do more of the father son trips when the boys get older. I bet you are getting excited as the Overland West Expo is right around the corner. We were hoping to make it down there, but probably will have to wait for next year.
You all prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow lost the account password. I love any tips you can offer me
@Colt Aarav instablaster ;)
@Thiago Lian i really appreciate your reply. I found the site thru google and Im trying it out atm.
Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Thiago Lian It worked and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy!
Thank you so much you really help me out!
I love the work that camping takes, you feel accomplished when you look around, it is you built you own house. I get you man!
👍
I agree with all you said and have felt those things living on a cabin in the woods with no water and an outhouse etc. very fulfilling
Travelling solo i have some concerned re a lot of set up in regards to leaving if need be and safety so am sorting through all that
So far I camped out of an suv and loved the simplicity safety etc
Nice video
Nice working it out for all in the family:)
Good point on leaving your items out. It does make you a bit uncomfortable. That is why we tell folks don't bring anything with you that would make you cry if it walked off. This is our philosophy and it has given us great peace of mind when fishing, hiking, and berry picking. The cabin sounds so fun! We were just talking about this today. That a cabin TH-cam channel would be really fun as well.
I hear you re peace of mind
Very wise:)
We have a small fiberglass camper and I love it. We think of it as the bunkhouse. My goal is for my family to spend as much time outside away from screens as possible. We take a screen room and pop it wherever makes the most sense based on camp layout. Also, you can go so many places or squeeze into the last tent site at a place with a small camper vs the extremely large RVs. Love this video!
Love that style of camping. Funny that today we have to battle a bit with getting our kids away from the screens. I wonder what families were battling with when we were all kids? I know my parents fought a lot of little battles to ensure we had the chance to get outdoors and stay outdoors long enough to learn some great skills. So glad they pushed through and found a way for us to have fun outdoors at such a young age.
We have a 17' fiberglass Casita travel trailer and absolutely LOVE it. We can go everywhere the big rigs go but they can't go everywhere I can go. Camp takes 30 minutes to set-up and while I am enjoying an finely handcrafted microbrew from the comfort of my champ chair, I get to watch the guy in the big rig across the road from me putter for two more hours. Dragging a furnished apartment into the woods so the spouse can play house is ridiculous.
Love the 17' Casitas. Perfect size. Small, but big enough to have a table that doesn't need removed every time you want to use the bed. Hard to beat the lifestyle of towing a fiberglass trailer.
Ive watched several of your videos before and have looked into all the different types of RV camping. A 20 year old van to fifth wheels, travel trailers, and tear drops but none ever seemed like a good enough choice. Bigger RVs make me feel like I am secluded from nature despite it being right outside the rig. Smaller trailers always had this feeling of "whats the point", due to it feeling like its basically "a set up tent" that you tow. But your videos and the way you and your family talk/enjoy your teardrop has finally convinced me. This IS the way to go for me. Thank you for sharing and bless you and your family.
Make sure you check out the Scamp videos as well. A 13-16' fiberglass trailer is a great fit in-between the teardrop and larger RV style camping. Also very minimal maintenance. So great to hear these videos are helpful for you Mathew!
Hi Drew! Hope you all are safe and healthy! We couldn’t agree more and could never deny that basic camping is difficult...but truly rewarding! With children the set up and take down process can be tricky and hard but again totally worth it! Nothing can compare to the quality family time exploring the outdoors anywhere you choose! After being winterized, yesterday I opened the camper and started preparing it for the season. Hard as the work was to put the 37in military tires back on it was completely satisfying walking around it to once again see and appreciate the accomplishment of what we did with so little!
You said it perfectly. It is difficult, but rewarding! Love that you stuck with the military tires to keep some of it's original charm. And you are right about the kids. Just with the addition of our newest child setup and take down got one child tougher :)
I moved to Kodiak a couple years ago with a teardrop I built but never used. My family and I have been out a few times and I agree completely with you and your wife's thoughts about camping. Just enough FUN work for me and a lot relaxing for her. Stumbled onto your channel a few weeks ago. Thanks for the ideas, tricks, and recommendations! Glad to hear you made it out recently. We did too! Nick
A teardrop would be a fun little trailer to take all over the "Emerald Isle". We typically come down to Kodiak early June with our RAVN Miles. Unfortunately with everything going on with RAVN we probably won't be making it down this year. Glad you were able to get out Nick!
You got it made my friend! Little camper, pretty wife and super cute kid! Live the dream! Sometimes we don't know how lucky we are!
Thank you. I always enjoy being reminded of the blessings I have. It doesn't take a whole lot to enjoy this beautiful life we were given. I really is the simple things. But, at the same time it doesn't take a whole lot to easily take for granted all the blessings we have as well. We are truly living the dream! Hope you are living your best dream as well. Thanks for the really sweet comment.
You weren’t given a beautiful life, no one is. You worked for it. Always remember that.
Hi, I've watched your videos for a long time and learned a lot from your journey. Because I'm currently planning an extended trip to Alaska, I recently re-watched this video. I decided to subscribe just to say "thank you" for your input over the years (and that is a bigger action than it sounds, because I almost never subscribe to any channels). The quality of your posts (like this video) has been consistently relevant over time and I appreciate the effort that requires. If I had a growing family like yours I would have bought a teardrop years ago (just to have a place to get out of the rain and wind when the weather turns bad for days); but because I'm primarily overlanding alone, I'm still able to pack everything I need (including a mountain bike and kayak) in or on the racks of my lifted Subaru Outback Onyx. Best wishes to you and your family during the new year. 🌈
It has to be what you and your family enjoy. You guys always look happy to be camping together. Side benefit for me, I get to enjoy your videos!
Thank you. We always appreciate the sweet comments like these.
Great honest video thanks so much for sharing! Just picked up a 2016 Silver Shadow Teardrop myself. I have had tents, pop up, pull behind trailer's of different sizes and even a class C. A lot of people say I am going backwards I say I am going back to the basics!
That is neat to hear your progression, wait regression 😄
I subscribed a while back and have watched pretty much every video you uploaded. I have to say that this is my ABSOLUTE favorite! Not only was it funny and entertaining, it was so useful to hear the real side of traveling like this with a significant other. I learned about the type of gear you use, but also what kind of things that go through your mind when the three of you are out there! Your "tell it like it is" approach is refreshing and more educational than the typical how to videos. Thank you!
Wow, thank you! We really appreciate this comment.
Don't have my teardrop yet. But totaly understand the need to do things around the camp for a little while until I feel settled. Nice video, thanks.
You are most welcome Kevin. Hoping you get that teardrop sooner than later!
Love “How to do the basics”. I think these acts are taken for granted by those watching camping videos, so highlighting them is valuable “new” or remembered “oh-yeah!” knowledge. Thanks!
It can be a challenge for us determining what type of video content to highlight. We want to grow with and learn from the veteran campers, but we also want to speak to the newbies and those on the fence of purchasing a small camper trailer. Glad you, a "veteran" appreciate these basic videos as well.
Playing with Sticks, You are on the right track! Basically, I am a newbie again with my “need” for a small camper to continue. I am learning a lot. Hope I can add a little in related areas. Yeah....your video path is right up my alley. Thanks!
You really described my dilemma in a nutshell. Teardrop is sounding better and better.
You found outdoor bliss in your early years: Congratulations! We've have been enjoying that lifestyle for many years (we are in our 60's). Be safe out there.
Thank you! In all honesty we found it quicker than most because growing up our grandparents worked hard to ensure we took part in their outdoor lifestyle. We are so thankful they spent so much time getting us involved in what they loved. Awesome running into folks like you who are enjoying this same lifestyle as much as us. You stay safe as well Ted.
Camping with a family is always going to be work. I solo camp with a teardrop. Setup is parking, hookups, setting out chairs and rugs, and then relaxing. With the pandemic I’m adding a cassette toilet and a pop up privacy tent. But bad weather just means I crawl inside with a good book or a video. The most work is cleaning up the trailer when I return. Great video, thanks!
Solo camping. I sometimes miss those days :) My wife would agree with you in that the cleaning up tends to be the toughest. This is not the most minimalist thing to do, but what has really helped us is to have a set of everything that lives permanently in the trailer (clothes, utensils, books, bear spray, etc.).
We have owned four RV’s. Don’t miss selling any of them. Just bought our first teardrop. ‘21 T@G. So excited about this because it’s going to be like glamping tent style. Minimal.
I enjoy your vids so much, and appreciate all of your knowledge sharing with us. Thank you !!!
Thank you David!
I don’t EVER want to mess with a tent, that is the reason I purchased a teardrop trailer. I pull it with my little 2003 Mazda 3. I would open up the trailer and go to sleep. The next morning it was time to set up the picnic table, organize the back of the pick up with the coolers and get the chairs out. I love it.
That sounds like a great setup Jan. Love that you can tow your trailer with such a small vehicle. The benefits of that combination are pretty amazing. I think if we didn't have kids we would probably have a lot more days out without the tent going up. But, with the kiddos we learned quickly to get that tent up fast because we never know when the swarm of mosquitoes will hit.
Playing with Sticks I camp at the state parks and have not had any problems with mosquitoes. I got rid of my screen room with my tent. I wonder if the park service maintains the bug population near the camp sites.
@@meadowlarkgal25 They may have good airflow. If there is a breeze we do just fine, but in the wooded areas where it is tough to get a small breeze through it can get pretty bad up here quick.
This has helps me alot with the decision to get a teardrop, I want something simple like camping but comfortable nights sleep this the best of both worlds!! Thank you so much!!
You nailed it with that description. It is basically camping, but with a bed as comfortable as home. A bed on wheels and an outdoor living room!
ABird from Oz... We're on the same page. I'm ready to purchase a teardrop, no doubt about that. Want to keep that footprint as small as possible.
@@LuvNatTurner 100% agree feels like the best choice! 😍
@@PlayingwithSticks perfect match really, we are limited where I am to purchase one so after restrictions lift we may need to travel to find a good teardrop to suit our needs 😀
have u considered the starcraft 14rb? It's just slightly bigger but has all the amenities, full kitchen and washroom.
I just posted a slideshow video of a teardrop rally. They were pretty cool to look at, but I need something just a tad bigger. I did own a Scamp and loved it! That was perfect for me and everything was ready to go when I pulled into the campsite. I also have a CLAM and love it. So easy to set up.
We like to have the best of both worlds. We currently own a teardrop and a 13 foot trailer. Our trailer is very similar to the Scamp in that everything was in it and ready to go. Also you can't beat a warm coffee from the interior range, standing room for changing clothes, and a nice little area to use the bathroom. But, what we still notice is we spend more days using our teardrop than using the 13ft trailer. I think this is because we take more 3-5 day adventures than we do week or longer adventures.
We’re about to buy our first teardrop camper because of y’all. We are so pumped! I hope to end up in Alaska someday 😃
Love hearing that! There’s plenty of room for you in Alaska come on up!
Know what you want. Know what the price is. Pay the price. I always wanted to own the dirt so I have an off grid cabin. Yes it's work too but comfortable. Love it.
May also has that internal desire to own some dirt. When the economy struggles up here form time to time with oil and now tourism her first thought is always scooping up some off grid property at a low cost. Not the greatest thing to do, gaining from other's struggles. But, also a practical time to invest. Hope you get plenty of time this summer to utilize that cabin. And the beauty of the cabin vs. small camper is you have 4 seasons to enjoy yours!
Love your plan. We have a large clam we camp with cots but plan to get teardrop soon. We do have a nightime potty . Our clam had optional panels and floor. We use both.. Keep it up. We camped,hiked,traveled every summer,spring, with our son. He is techie but not like his friends. At 17 he would rather go hike in the woods on a Sat than sit around.
We truly hope our boys will turn out like yours. We try our hardest to stay away from the screen time and inspire more with natural activities. I know at some point they are going to get it all from their friends. But we are hoping we have instilled a strong love of the outdoors in them that wins over.
Very well said!!! We got our teardrop to get out and be a part of nature. And nature can be challenging at times! That’s okay. It is all a part of the experience.
It CAN be challenging. This weekend the weather was great, which should have posed no challenges. But the first day out the great weather got us playing a bit too long and it was a scramble before sundown to get everything setup for the evening. Setting up camp around midnight isn't always the most fun experience. But, waking up to mountains and rivers outside our door made it all worth it.
I agree that "work" is part of the fun and reason for camping. It's part of the zen!
Isn't that funny, "It's part of the zen!" Sounds like an oxymoron, but so true.
I'm a bit late finding your channel and commenting - ALL camping takes planning and effort. The great part about camping is that we can choose our adventure. It's fun to get away from home and experience the outdoors more closely than our day to day lives. A great Big Fancy RV takes planning & effort in other ways that differ from Tent Camping & small trailer camping. You did a great job showing the fun (challenges) w/ small trailer camping.
Fun to see you got to watch this video Tim. This is a video that people usually don’t find until after they’ve seen quite a few of our videos first.
Camping in a Teardrop isn't for everybody and that's fine. I remember a few years ago, camped just outside Yellowstone and we were parked next to some big RV's. I said to my wife, "I'm sure glad we don't own one of those big expensive beasts, what a headache just to maintain it". Later I heard one of those RV owners comment to his wife, "Can you imagine trying to sleep in that tiny little thing?"
No doubt, we were both happy with our personal choices for camping, as we should be.
What a great scene you painted. So true. I'm very glad we were not all created to think the same way.
Great video, I've owned and RV and it's not a camping experience. Just got my first teardrop and it's perfect. Just like tent or car camping, but with amenities you come to enjoy of an RV. Kitchen, comfortable bed to stay toasty warm in.
This is the reason why I got the smallest RV with full kitchen and bathroom, a Starcraft 14RB. To me it's either go camping for the sake of camping, or RV and have all the amenities. Here in Toronto, it gets pretty cold in the winter and unless are willing to deal with walking in snow shoes through a few feet of snow and have a hot tent and a wood burning stove, it's pretty bleak. Having a nice heated place to chill and relax and still be able to do all the outdoor activities until it gets too cold is soo nice. I get that you have a family to take care of and I think for you the teardrop has it's place. If it were me though, I would go the overlanding route. You have basically the same setup as a teardrop but now you're opened to even more accessible terrain. It would require you to ditch both the car and the trailer and swap to a truck or suv, but in my opinion, it's a better overall setup but to each his own.
We completely agree on your overland comment. We are slowing working over into that direction. We have the Jeep, our family has outgrown the little 4X8 teardrop. We are ready for a newer teardrop that can get off the beaten path and support a rooftop tent for the growing family.
My setup and gear is almost identical as yours, even that blue 5 gal. water container, tables and stove. I got a black rugged 4x8' sleeper teardrop and I'm pulling it with only a 2017 Ford Fusion sedan. I've gone as remote as Chaco Culture National Historical Park (not an easy drive), and made it alright. Started in 2018 and have travel thousands of miles for almost 2 consecutive months at a time with basically zero experience and learning as I go. It is a little bit of work and a learning curve but not hard at all. This by far has been the most satisfying experience I've ever had. The only somewhat difficult parts are, water and food management, parking in reverse (since I rarely detach from the car) and setting up the awning from the camper on a windy day..lol. I Boondock most of the time and finding those ideal spots can be a challenge, but it can be solved with a little bit of research and planning ahead of time.
Your setup and your lifestyle sounds a lot like us. We are still working on the water and food management as well. Fortunately for us, not a whole lot of wind near most of our boondocking sites up here.
Great video man ! Love how passionate you are.
You and your family are fun.Thanks and good luck on your adventures.Just purchased a used Little Guy and your videos are helpful.
Balance, so critical to a healthy life
Great video. I agree with your points. I loved tent camping, but my husband wanted a bathroom, so we just got a T@B 320 cs-s, which has a hard-sided bathroom, bed and what I personally love, the kitchen in on the outside, back of the trailer :) Great compromise for us. Thanks for the great content.
Your trailer is envied by us and many. Such a great little design. Nice to have the best of both worlds. Modern comforts, but small enough to keep you outdoors.
@@PlayingwithSticks Still figuring out battery life, etc., because we love dry camping
@@kelliyeowell5691 It takes a while. And then once you figure everything out a new toy comes along and then you need even more power. If it were us we would say keep it simple and just use lights, electric blankets, and charging cell phones, computers, etc. Or go really big, because if you go in-between you always find you need more power when a new toy comes around. Just our 2 cents on that one.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks :)
One of the best, honest videos I have seen so far, to prepare myself for the outdoor adventure . Thank you! Greetings from Germany
Great to here! Hello from Alaska!
Small trailer camping is ‘backpack car camping” compared to a big class A. The work is part of the experience, and you can get to places you never could with a big rig. You did a great job of explaining it.
It really is backpack car camping isn't it? Unfortunately we continue to find year after year that our backpacking pots and pans continue to shift and slide into the cracks of our Coleman stove. Time to upgrade our cooking gear to "car camping" gear. We are really glad to hear our story made sense. It often makes us feel a little nicer knowing we aren't the only ones having these thoughts.
Playing with Sticks I’ve had my rig set up in my backyard the whole lockdown. When I go out there my wife says “you going out to play with your toys”. It exactly like you described.
Being outdoors is camping out. You are so right. Thanks for the post.
Glad it resonated with you Jon!
Great video. I'm with you, I have a truck with a pop up tent and one of the most enjoyable aspects is sitting up camp and doing the little rituals of preparation. Your son is adorable by the way.
Is your tent separate from your truck? Or is this a tent on a rack you built over your truck? Both sound like great options. Thanks for the sweet comment about our little guy.
Playing with Sticks it actually an AT Overland Habitat. I used to do a lot of tent camping but just can’t take sleeping on the ground anymore
@@BrianGlassEOD Wow, that is great. I have never seen one extend out like that. Looks like it would give you great rain coverage when sitting under it in your camp chair.
We just pulled our t@g out of the garage and gave it a thorough cleaning. Off to the State Park next Sunday. We have a similar setup to yours. I think the best part of camping is cooking outside. And eating outside!
We like the ability to warm up some coffee inside our campers, but other than that we completely agree...keep the food outside!
Your family is wonderful. Love this video. It is better than tent camping anytime. I hope to share my experiences soon.
Glad you enjoyed this one Jean! And yes, looking forward to hearing/seeing your experiences.
I’ve always tent camped but recently enjoyed a few days at beach with family in their new camper trailer. The set up was 15 min and had all amenities of home. I did find that we spent more time inside than I would have liked, as it was very cold and raining, but enjoyed the dry warm area to play board games, as opposed to dealing with damp sleeping bags. I discovered at 70 that I have a bit of a claustrophobia problem once encased in bottom enclosed bunk area. Having the ceiling 2 feet above my head was a major problem but didn’t want to disrupt the children sleeping above me. After positioning myself with head at the opening to bed I was able to sleep but was a weird experience. I’m looking at a teardrop for a cross country trip with my brother, who has a truck camper, this summer.
Unfortunately I have been claustrophobic since birth. So is the majority of my family. They can't believe that I love sleeping in a teardrop. But, it is strange once you get inside one and lay down you realize there is so much space above your head. But, like you If I sleep backwards in my teardrop with the cabinets over my head I get that same uneasy feeling. The only time I have to do this is when I am too lazy to unhitch and the upward slope is on the backend of the teardrop.
I've spent the majority of my time in the teardrop in Utah. Not that we aren't 'ready' for rain but it's not a part of our process. Your video makes it apparent that we may need to consider other options when we travel more with the trailer.
Glad it got you thinking Andrew. For us it is about the rain, but it is even more about the bugs. One of our little guys is pretty allergic to everything that bites. We learned quickly to create a little outdoor/indoor world for him. And setting all this up is really fun. It is like building a fort!
I used to own a 36 ft fifth wheel with slideouts. I only slept in it. I cooked outside, sat in a chair outside, found things to do outside. Now I tent camp. I found that Setting up camp is one of the more enjoyable parts of camping.
For me anyway.
It is funny because at first we thought we wanted to escape the setup. But, now we find ourselves going backwards. Like you we may end up in a regular tent sooner than later.
I heard that😊
Butt, I kinda like the security, comfort and simplicity a smaller camper offers.
Happy trails✌
Nice technical and philosophical discussion. Peace!
Glad you enjoyed it Kent! It was a fun video to make.
I’m like you! I enjoy the work involved with camping. We are currently car camping but looking to expand to a teardrop. This video was helpful! Thanks
Awesome! Glad to hear this was helpful. We think the teardrop is the perfect next step for car campers. And hopefully your last step if you are anything like us. They just fit our lifestyle so well!
I admire your family. I am trying to purchase a teardrop and it’s great getting all the advise that you have to share. Thank you.
Glad to hear this Jarrod! Thank you.
We have a small teardrop; nucamp 400 BDL (15' of living space) we've had for over a year and our longest trip was three months from Florida to Alaska and back. It was just my wife and I and our Australian Sheppard. While we did numerous shake down trips to prepare, we quickly found on our long trip we had over packed. This is important, because this initially impacted the way we packed and how we setup and broke camp. As our trip went on, we reorganized and eventually used our Thule Luggage Container as storage for stuff we didn't need. We normally tried to spend at least two days at each location and initially would setup our nucamp awning, lay out our indoor/outdoor carpet and pull out our heavy camping chairs. Added to this we would disconnect from our TV and do all the trailer hookup stuff. Very time consuming when we wanted to do other stuff. So, before putting up the awning we did a weather check. If the weather forecast was good, no awning. For chairs, we picked up two very light weight chairs that when collapsed were small. These were quick and easy to set up. If we didn't plan to drive around our stop, we kept our TV connected. For trailer hookups, we just used electric and water and didn't bother with sewer until the morning we were leaving. We developed check list for setup and breaking camp, who did what - my wife took care of everything inside and I did everything outside. Our efficiency improved and we normally could from waking up, be on the road within 45-mins and that included time for coffee. Bottom line, we prioritized what was important to what was nice to have. Constantly reviewing what you pack is key; too may RVers/campers carry too much stuff and all that stuff distracts from the real reason you are traveling/camping. Best of luck. Stay safe
Sounds like a great trip you had from Florida to Alaska. I bet it wasn't the most pleasant in terms of comfort, but it sounds like you learned a lot along the way. Like you we do a 2 night minimum as well, as it is not worth all the work to just pack up again the next morning. Our systems are changing weekly, we still haven't got it all figured out, not even close. But, each week is easier than the week before it. And we have been doing this non-stop in the summer with the same camper for over three years. You would think we would have figured it out by now. I think having a new kid every other year is part of the required changes though.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you for the reply. It was just my wife and I, so having young children definitely makes things more interesting and challenging. We have to say, on our long trip there never was an uncomfortable night in the trailer. Now, there were some sketch RV parks in the BC and the Yukon but they were probably sketch because we were at the end of the season so maintenance etc., wasn't as important. Safe travels and hope our paths cross on the road.
I envy you. Pure and simple. Envy. Keep doing what your doing. We love it.
Thanks so much. We will do our best to keep them coming!
Do what makes you happy. If it makes you and your family happy and more comfortable to do camping that way, by all means, go ahead. I’m taking so many tips from your page since we are planning to get one soon.
Glad the videos are helpful for your Barbara. When you do get one let us know what you get. One of our favorite things is just finding out what everyone is using.
I love my 4x8 with a side tent, the set up is part of the fun
Hey, a fellow 4X8 owner!
I really enjoy your videos, candid & honest style! Blessings to you and your family!!!
Thank you Mirna! That means a lot to us.
Got my vote!!! Happy Family!
Couldn’t agree more, I feel like I’m in a miniature retirement unit in a big van, love doing “the work” and often still looking for things to do days later...gotta be outdoors...
Love the miniature retirement unit comment. We just took out our remodeled 13 ft trailer this week and we said the same thing. We said it felt like we were renting a AirBNB tiny home. Finally had the chance to bring the hammock to setup, but we had so much fun hiking, eating, and playing by the water we never even had the chance this week to decorate the campsite.
Hi Drew! We are in a tiny camper by choice. I think you hit all the points in this video. In addition to camping we enjoy road tripping having a tiny camper brings simplicity to road tripping.
We have had pop ups and also did van camping. We don’t see ourselves making any changes. I love when someone says that thing look claustrophobic and I say “ you know what’s claustrophobic? Payments on a big old motor home :). We are living like no one else and that’s our secret. Love your channel ! Herky Says HI
love your comment on whats really "claustrophobic"
That financing comment on claustrophobic was great! We were reading some Airstream forums the other day. Don't read into this anyone, we are not getting an Airstream :) Not that we wouldn't love one. And one of the running jokes on there is that Airstream owners are experts in caulk because they have to caulk their trailers so many times over the span of their ownership. They said that typical RV owners are not experts in caulk because about the time the caulking goes bad the entire trailer starts to fall apart. And instead of learning about caulk they start signing financing papers for their next RV. I know this is a little blown out of proportion, but I thought it was funny the things you hear in different travel trailer communities. Hey Herky! It has been a while. With keeping up with the boys and all the comments (which has been such a blessing, both of them) we haven't had as much time to watch our favorite channels.
I've camped as a young kid with my family, and now with my family over the span of nearly 40 years. The important thing is getting out and interacting with nature in whatever way that makes you/your family/group happy. There are advantages and disadvantages to every type of camping, so in turn there is no "perfect" way of camping. Having done everything from tent camping to driving a motorhome, there is a good amount of work in all of them, just in different ways.
Love this perspective Mathew. You are so right in terms of the work. Someone also pointed out with the larger RVs there still is work, but more of it takes place at home which we don't all get to see.
@@PlayingwithSticks It's quite true. One of the appeals of a motorhome is that your camping experience essentially starts once you're on the road. That moves a lot of the work that others do at the campground to the home.
Small trailer camping? Can pull with almost any car or even a motorcycle trike. Have to figure out gear. What works for you. Would say try to get the best from the get go. Gear just has to work very well in the field. Your experience is that much more fun when gear is working! Camping with less is the best! NOT BRING THE HOUSE. Good video happy camping!!
We wished we had learned from our mistakes. However, we continue to purchase gear that 1 year later we end up upgrading. I think we are starting to come around to the idea of buy once, cry once.
Love it. We have a 39’ class A and because we may be past the younger yrs, we also like to get away small-so we use my Honda Pilot with the tent attached. So we have a nice futon to sleep on inside the car but we have the outside tent to stand in to change, use the restroom or get out of the rain/wind if necessary. Kind of the best of both worlds. Cuz we are definitely not taking the class A on the beach, where I love to be. 😜
We like your style. We also own a larger 13' camper. This is for the longer more comfy road trips. When we want the action and tougher places to get to we bust our the teardrop. Really like the idea of a tent attached to a vehicle. Thanks for sharing Dawn.
Its fun. I cant wait until the campsites open up in Alberta. 🇨🇦 I love your youtube channel.
Thanks Peter! Any word on when yours will open up? Some of our favorite camping memories were in the Canmore, Banff, Jasper area. We just adore that part of Alberta.
Great video! I love the “work”! See you soon.
Thank you! Appreciate the comment.
Love our small Runaway camper!
They are amazing aren't they! We originally loved them just because of the cost and how bare bones they are to make them fit your style. Now that they are making a composite version we are pretty over the moon about what they are doing a Runaway.
Yep, ours is the new 2020 composite that weighs a lot less. We’ve installed solar panels and a solar charger/generator. Told the hubby I was tired of sleeping in a tent on the ground! Have a fun and safe summer!
Playing with Sticks would like to see your review on them!
We were ready to give up tent camping to get comfort but didn't want the rv because we live to be outside. Mission Overland trailer owner now. Kinda a square drop but definitely still teardrop category. We love it!!!!
We would swap out our teardrop for your Mission Overland trailer any day. Looks so fun!
@@PlayingwithSticks we are enjoying it! Hope to drive it to Alaska and Yukon when we retire 🙂
Preaching to the choir! One thing I enjoy when backing my teardrop in and leveling is the lack of yelling. Seems a lot of bigger units need yelling to accomplish the same thing.
That is true, there is quite a bit of yelling. From the more classy large RV owners we have adopted the 2 way radio approach. Pretty nice when you know you are picking through a small boulder field behind you.
What a fantastic video. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it Ronald. It was one of those topics we think and talk about a lot. Thought it was time to share it with the larger community.
Very nice video Drew... all so true about camping in a teardrop! I am glad you are able to start camping... here in upstate NY camping is supposedly "open" but not until tomorrow and only for ppl who had previous reservations ... which left those of us who "follow the sun" in planning camping trips in the dust. (Chris and I camp often & with spontaneous plans =) So we are still waiting. I hope NYS Parks Dept. will soon realize that this time before school lets out is the quietest time for camping. Sigh... It looks like the Clam we both bought last year was a great decision. We've only taken ours out once to make sure it works... we can't wait to really put it to work!!! I love your teardrop "epiphany"... the cover of that magazine definitely is inspiring! Ours was watching Mandy Lea's early vlogs. Many blessings to you, May and your little ones.
~ Maria
Thank you! Wow, that previous reservations is a really interesting mandate. I don't know how we feel about that. You guys, that Clam is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that. We are really excited to try to do the bathroom curtain modification to the Clam as well as adding an awning to the front door. Yes, Mandy's early vlogs increased our excitement for tear dropping as well. We loved seeing her just doing her thing. Taking photos, hiking around, just a slower alternative pace of life. Thanks for the blessings Maria! Blessing to your and yours as well! We really hope someone is able to convince your Park Department to change their interesting guidance. We get it, but at the same time, we don't really get it.
@@PlayingwithSticks "We get it, but at the same time, we don't really get it." haha same here, Drew! I was on hold today with Reserve America for probably an hour... (at least I got my dishes done and countertop cleaned LoL) They told me that Gov' said new reservations can start on June 11 =) Still though, we're missing "magic time" which is before kids are released from school. They'll be distance learning until the middle of June in this area... after that... the campgrounds get really busy especially on weekends. I need to learn more about boondocking sites. Goals!
@@TheGratitudeAttitude That is kind of what started us on the boon docking course originally. There were often booked campsites in our favorite areas, which helped us realize there were other amazing "FREE" campsites all around there.
So many ways to camp. I have a 23 gmc motorhome, and love it because it's small and parks anywhere. We don't set up much at campsites because we're always on the go. It's a traveling coach. Even if we have a camp spot we leave in the morning to the beach, and park there. Make breakfast at the beach. We look around and big trailers and rvs and all the stuff they set up and think 'why all the junk'
Love your style Trent. I like the idea of moving the camper to different locations for different scenery and needs.
I love your easy lifestyle camping set up!!! Im about to show my wife this video and she is gonna believe in the small camper teardrop set up and not the big RV style. Thank you.
Awesome! A great compromise between teardrop and RV is a fiberglass trailer like a Scamp or a Casita. We are currently out in a pop-up camper and would suggest that as well. Has a lot more setup required, but it would eliminate all the need for side entry tents and outdoor gear.
Really a balance each person needs to find with what they consider too much work. The experience that they want. I’ll gladly admit that I kinda like rolling into camp, popping up my aframe, grabbing a chair and being bored lol. Glad you guys finally can go out. Here in Illinois we can start camping this weekend, we are going to try our first boondocking trip 🙏🏻
After this week of camping I am starting to feel bored would be okay as well :) It was quite busy at the campsite taking care of the family.
You guys are going to have a blast boondocking! There is something about finding a "free" campsite that takes the camping experience one step further. The A frame style trailers are gaining popularity up here. The ones folks have up here have very nice ground clearance. Hopefully sooner than later we will be able to take one out for the channel.
Playing with Sticks ha, I wish it were free, but no. Illinois is slim pickings as we don’t have much in the way of national and state forests. We do have land in WI that is free but, given the state of things, we are staying local. We are dry camping at a state park. Boondock practice I guess you can say lol. Looking forward to the days when it’s safe enough to travel farther for the real thing 👍🏻
Aframes are great. The simplicity and hauling ease of a teardrop, combined with the space of a travel trailer. Just enough but not too much to overwhelm 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks so much for taking the time to provide this information. I can handle this type of "work". I'm ready to purchase my teardrop trailer!
Yes! Welcome to the club Rhonda. You are going to love it.
Great thoughts! Another huge plus in my mind to small campers is being able to use the vehicle you already have! I am a single mom. I wanted to camp but couldn’t justify a truck so I bought a Scamp.
Yes! We couldn't agree more. Scamp was our limit as well in terms of weight for our little Toyota Matrix. Now that we have towed the teardrop year after year we know this is the lifestyle we enjoy. Now thinking about upgrading our vehicle feels a little more justifiable. An for us an upgrade is purchasing a $5,000 Jeep :) Now were are able to tow a Scamp full loaded and feel 100% comfortable we are being easy on our tow vehicle. But, when we used the Matrix it was as easy as spreading the water around the Scamp in multiple containers. Same amount of water that we had in the water tank, but by moving it around it evenly distributed the weight and allowed the little 4 cylinder to tow over hills and pass other cars.
great video and great points. We have owned our teardrop for 2 years and will never go with a larger RV. It takes a while to get it down to a science, but we have just a few main things we deal with: the awning, the Clam shelter, some camp chairs, and our prep table., Our kitchen is already ready to go thanks to the T@g. We love the time outdoors and are never bored. Even when it rains.
Thanks for sharing Richard! You sound a lot like us, but you have the benefit of the galley kitchen. Wish we had a proper kitchen.
Tonight I was watching this video and my wife was sitting next to me kinda listening while she worked on her computer. She is now hooked to your channel and she wants to see more of your videos. So thank you for this video. I am a OZtent camper and she wants to be a Scamp camper, but we will probably go with the teardrop as our couples camping vehicle.
Glad she is enjoying them as well. Once my wife got hooked on these small camper trailers life got a lot more fun! An Oztent off the rails of a teardrop will give you the fun overland setup you need, the comfy bed you both need, and the standing room (living room) she needs. If you get the right connected outdoor space it feels a lot like a Scamp, but with the benefits of a smaller trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks I didn't think of that. It would make a great dressing room/ bathroom to have off the side of the teardrop, especially if I get the optional sides added.
For me, Part of the 'Joy of Camping' is Not having all the comforts of home. "Roughing it" a little... After tent camping all my life, my tiny camper is way cool! Awning sets up in 10 min. Folding chairs, table, cooktop, another 10 min. My firewood from home is easier than braving ticks and snakes while looking for firewood! Instead of then 'sitting under the awning, I fire up my scooter and go exploring! Telescoping rod/reel, tackle, drinks and snacks packed in the bike! I'm dry and secure now, in spite of the weather and can 'break camp' in less than a 1/2 hour...
I don’t heart many comments John but this one got a big heart! You sound like our type of guy.
Great video! We’re about to purchase our first teardrop. ✌🏻
No matter what you pick you are going to love it! But, out of curiosity what are you going with?
@@PlayingwithSticks we went with the Nucamp Tag XL Boondock.
Man, excellent video and wonderful insight. It's a good reminder that, often, the most meaningful experiences in our life are the ones we worked for. I'm as guilty as anyone for wanting to avoid any kind of work during my leisure time, especially since my career is a very physical one. But when I really think about it, when it comes to camping, the things I get the most enjoyment out of are things like setting up the tent, building a fire, and so on. We've been considering buying a camper in the next year or two, and likely will get something small and portable. Thanks for this video. I'm glad I came across it.
Fun to hear you can relate Ryan. When I made this video I actually wondered if nobody would be able to relate.
"Maybe we often try too hard to create an outdoor experience for ourselves that is TOO comfortable". Right on! I'm the type who makes fun of people in RVs, watching TV and getting fat. I'm 64, and retired, and still not ready to embrace the lifestyle my folks loved with their 25 foot trailers and class A RVs. I'm just starting to think about "upgrading" to a teardrop (squaredrop) from a pop-up truck camper.
Our house is divided on this one. For me I sometimes wonder if a pop-up truck camper would be best for our family. But, my wife is all about the cute factor. And I will admit I have a bit of an infatuation with small camper trailers, especially vintage trailers and modern trailers built from older designs. Even though a teardrop is a bit more hassle in terms of towing, it also has so many benefits, especially if you are towing it with your daily driver.
True! We are headed to the Kenai for 4 days of TENT camping next week. Holy cow. It will be a ton of work. I’m excited for it! Sure, a teardrop camper would be great. But we only have tents. Thanks. (Campgrounds are packed everywhere.)
Sounds like you have a great trip planned. We have been hitting up our favorite boondocking sites the last couple of weeks. It is crazy that even mid-week everything is full. The first week it was a bit tough camping side by side in our favorite solitary locations. But these last two weeks we have gotten used to it. It has actually been quite fun seeing how others camp, sharing stores, fishing tackle, etc.
I love how you have a little compound that you can change anytime you want. I have a tesla model S and with the seats down, it is like driving a teardrop
Yes, a mobile compound is a great term for it. And the Tesla is exactly that. Just with a much better battery.