Great video. One of main reasons for a track of the trailer being the same as your tow vehicle is that your not trying to drag a tonne plus through soft fresh ground, it just follows the track of your vehicle and doesn't act like a sand anchor. Thus taking a lot of stress off the tow vehicle.
It is great to see so many more great new camper designs available and there were definitely something nice features on this one. I like how you compare to other similar options on the market. Well done Drew!
Brad, thank you so much! I was just telling May beings we have not had the chance to get to our local coffee shop we just need to send you some random photo. Now, I have to think about what that location would be. I'm thinking some exotic food or destination. I'll come up with something fun. Today we grabbed our once a week coffee from a chain called Amazon. It is very similar to the design and branding of Starbucks around the world. Pretty decent coffee too. Thanks as usual for the support. You better not do this too often or I may retire early from your tips and stop making these videos 😂
@@PlayingwithSticks You are very welcome! A random mystery pic! I will be interested to see what you come up with! So where does a rich outdoor loving off grid camper retire too?! 🤔
May and I said if we weren’t volunteering over here we’d start traveling countries tip to tail living out of a little camper. She keeps talking about Australia I think she wants to make a trip into the outback someday. East only talks nonstop about the island of Madagascar. So I’m guessing we have to go there too. For me Canada and Alaska Summer, fall, winter, spring. I think this itinerary is going to take us some time. Glad we got an early start thanks to your coffee money!
@@PlayingwithSticks I love what you and May are doing! You and your family are making such great memories! Traveling the world in a small camper would be amazing too. I was camping in Glacier NP several years ago and met a couple from Australia. They were amazed that here in the States that you could travel just a few hours and be in a completely different geographic area. At that time they said you could go to a national park in Australia and not see anyone else for days!
@@jgrant4520 Glacier sounds amazing! I bet that was a great trip. And it is so true. Last summer we were amazed how quickly the landscape changed within an hour of driving.
Australian offroad gear is getting massive in the USA just the American big trucks are starting to get real popular here . Also with the Canvas , if it has Australian made Dynaproof canvas. Mildew is not a big problem, yes it may happen and it will clean up and not stain with Vinegar/water. Unlike other cheap canvas where you get that black mildew spots
Nice to know that here in oz we are doing stuff right. Thanks for that. I also must say you have a lot of good things to say that are spot on, some of which I also think, re: slide out kitchen, seating that converts into bed, for two. Keep it up. Additionally, price while a consideration should be checked against quality, availability of parts, bang for buck, etc. Like a Bruder (probably one of the most expensive but what you get is a Rolls Royce of campers) compared to others that are way cheaper. But then many people are all about the money, anyway its their money.
I know ZERO about trailers. I just find this content entertaining and I live in NYC and dream about getting back to nature. Of the trailers here, my newbie first impression would choose the Meerkat. It's simple and adorable.
The Australian trailers blooooooow most American trailers waaaaaay out of the water, so it’s good to see more Australian designs in the USA like trailing arm suspension, pushing the walls out towards the axles for more interior room, airbag self leveling suspension, RedArc battery systems, Cruise Master DO35 hitches, etc. Another good trailer that is similar is the TetonX trailer.
TetonX is no longer small to fit in traditional garages. I am talking about their flagship hybrid trailer that they made major updates in late 2021 and have a long wait list. It is 92" tall now. I was bummed because it fit a lot of my criteria but I have a short garage (standard in my area) with a 80" entry height.
The price of the Australian trailer bloooooooows most American trailers away also. He says 32K at Off Road RV for the trailer but if you go to Off Road RV they say 50K for the trailer. The MeerKat starts at 27K. While I really like the trailer there is no way I am paying 50K plus for a camp trailer. Ooops that 50K Aussie money, 35.5K or there abouts US.
Yes, you could own 3 trailers for that price when you are comparing to diy. Great point here. I can't resist "Hickory, Hickory, Hickory...." One of my bucket list items is to yell Hickory in an Indiana gym. It's the little things. Haha.
@@TobyCostaRica I bought the trailer in February of 2021 and rolled it out of the barn in September of 2021. Roughly seven months of after work and weekends. I can’t say how many hours but I can say it was an enjoyable build. Good luck and thanks for the question.
Just the outside alone is satisfying! I could already see camping completely outside! lOL!I would be confident setting this up by myself. However, I might be better off with the meerkat. No work at all! Lol!
Isn't it neat! I would say it is about 95% identical to the ever popular Eriba Puck from Europe. The puck is an older trailer with a really strong cult following. I am so glad you mentioned the Dub Box. I almost forgot about that trailer. They were planning on releasing a slightly larger version this spring. I will have to go and see if it ever came out.
I'm with you on canvas. Drying them out stinks and I prefer the bear protection of hard sides. However, this thing is well built and well thought-out and high end. Wish there was more hard sides built like this. I agree too about dinettes. that is the best conversion I have seen too, and I especially like that you could leave it made. But, even on this trailer, I'd leave that a bed made with pillows, ready for us to crash. Needs kids bunks.
I agree on all points Justin. Especially the kids bunk part. I don’t know if you made it further into the video where I highlighted the other similar trailer with the bunks. I think it would be really easy for them to integrate something like that into their 2.0 design if they ever do. We are currently working on a trailer and we are finding that composite tilt up sides don’t add as much weight as I thought they would. I think it’s very possible to make a trailer like this, with hard sided walls, and not add a ton of weight or extra work to the setup process. And then it would be a bit more bear ready for your neck of the woods.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yes I did make it to the end and agree that it seems like something they could add easily. We are really like minded. Excited to see what you are working on.
Thank you for sharing this! It's very encouraging to see practical camper trailers. I don't need a freakin' oven and giant TV and "living room" area in a camper. I'm there to camp, not watch sitcoms 😉
We had a traditional pop-up camper for years and I hear ya on the canvas issue but they definitely have a place, just need to take care of them. I imagine being Manufactured in Australia is a big part of the high cost but it does look like it is really well built. Hope all is going well in your part of the world. Looking forward to the next Far East excursion. ✌️
Great points on the traditional pop-ups. After seeing my father's pop-up condition after roughly 40 years of ownership and 20 years of use I sing a different tune about canvas. It is a bit of a liability, but if taken care of it will outlast all your camping seasons. My dad's looks like it easily has another 40 years in her. All is good over here. It is the middle of rain season, so it is quite amazing too see the land come to life. We will be heading back to the States for camping in a little over two weeks. So some North American content is on it's way. Great seeing you on here!
Another great video. I agree with all your pros and cons for sure. Huge water capacity! Not sure I would want to haul around that much for any length of time. Expanding the cabin width over the tires does help with storage space. Still don't care for a side kitchen especially on slides like that. My refrigerator slide has actually tweaked a little bit already. I say ditch all of these new trailers with canvas , and get a seventies Style Apache hard sided trailer!
Don't mention the Apache! I don't know if you heard us talking about this in other videos. But we almost bought one TWICE! And both times they were sold out from under us as we were driving across Alaska to buy them. It's a cut throat used market up there. haha. We have been eyeing the apache ever since our love for composites and pop-ups came to be. Such a great marriage of the two. The only issue I saw in Alaska was bugs. Where the walls joined there is a small crack. So basically 4 long running small cracks throughout the trailer. I had some ideas though of how to alleviate them. Not pretty, not easy, but they would work. My favorite model fo the apache had a slide out kitchen that could be used inside and outside. Something like that alleviates that awning need during inclement weather. Good seeing you on here. We are less than 3 weeks from being on your side of the country. We are even making a run out to Oregon this summer. Woot woot!
I think I suggested an Apache club that might be an avenue for looking at the trailers. Always like your videos, hope to see more of the surroundings before y'all leave for home. Safe traveling my friend.
True but it doesn't hurt to have the extra capacity, after all it's an adventure camper. Sure, one may carry it on separate containers if needed, but if it's already built in, even better. You can never have too much water.
Verticality is underestimated by some. Prefer a minivan to a Subaru (or most so-called SUVs) for one single aspect: the interior height. The ability to move around is joyous. I can always be buried in a Subaru when I’m dead. I’m guessing the same preference for verticality translates to teardrops.
Practical. That was the word I was looking for to describe this trailer! The word essential/s kept coming into my head, but I knew that there was a better word. Thank you.
It just keeps getting better. We are falling in love with what we are doing everyday, the people, and obviously the beautiful countryside. But, we head back to North America in 2 weeks for our "summer" camping. I can only imagine Thailand in the 80s. I often picture it as the Laos of the 2000s. Count yourself blessed for getting 2 opportunities to see what you saw. I am a bit jealous.
We have a neighbor from the Philippines who is just like you. Loves her spicy food, but can't' handle it anymore. From time to time she gets a wild hair and wakes up miserable. But then she forgets about it and gets herself some more tom yum a few weeks down the line. .
@@JackFalltrades Love it! We are finding the Tom Yum tastes quite different from region to region here. It is fun to get a bowl anytime we are in a new location.
@@JackFalltrades We spent a month in Cebu. Beautiful island. I can't remember if I said that to you already. I know I shared it with one other person on here.
I like everything being flush on the outside...slippery in the wind while towing. That awning looked really, really lightweight though...like anything more than a breeze from a passing crow and you'll be taking that thing down and then what do you do? I agree, thumbs down with the fabric sides...design something that folds for standing room but is hard sided. Thanks for sharing Drew!
Good point on the slippery in the wind. Yes, that awning did look really lightweight. That is a great point. I know you have put awnings to the test. You camp in some pretty tough terrain.
Great tour! Looks beefy and functional! I like that you can stand up in it. The entry way felt sort of tight when he walked through. I like the window design.
I love your reviews on the practicality of these different trailers. I would love to see you do a review of and hear your opinion of the AntiShanty trailers as I am highly considering one. I do believe they will be at overland expo in Colorado next month. Thanks!
Just my view, this thing would be great once you arrive at your destination, but driving around on a extended vacation towing this thing around would take the fun out of the entire trip for me. Of course if you are the type of person who enjoys hauling a boat on a trailer day after day then go for it.
Yes, towing a trailer isn’t for everyone. Even for us it’s not a most preferred method, but from a financial standpoint and a convenience standpoint it often makes sense. Another thing to take into consideration is tearing down camp every time you want to take a day trip from Basecamp. This means taking down the awnings, levelers, etc. With the trailer you just leave it there and takeoff with your tow vehicle
Curuous of what your thoughts are on the A Liners? They are compact, have solid sides, and seem to be a good camper? You are certainly way more of an expert and would live your opinion! Thanks!!
Huge fans! The only reason we don’t own one is I find they come in a little too heavy for my towing needs. And May says they are ugly ha ha. But seriously, for the last two or three years I’ve been trying to get my hands on one, but every time I do May says please don’t. She’s pretty picky it’s not just a liners it’s like 90% of the trailers out there. But I say all this to say coming from me I’m a big fan. I saw a really small one this summer that I really liked. I cannot remember the model but it was tiny and the weight was nice and light. I’m thinking it wasn’t even from the brand a liner. It was some sort of a frame, chalet style trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you very much!!! Im leaning towards the A Liner and knowing you are a big fan makes me more comfortable with the purchase. Lets face it, you are super knowledgable, super honest, and fabulous at sharing information!!! Your recommendations go a long way!
I love this trailer. But I'm getting a Crosstrek Wilderness this year. What would be the best trailer for me, my 80lb Rhodesian Ridgeback and a future girlfriend. Definitely want a galley with a sink. I got my eyes on a MeerKat. Thank you.
its funny i keep looking back at the Snowcoach MVP, and thinking, something like that, with a few small modifications, adding a diesel heater, mounting point for a powerpack/battery bank, just a small bit of insulation. and you could have a snowmobile/atv pullable mini teardrop rv. with just the most basic insulation, a 3kw heater has enough btu to heat it from -40c to 15c, and given the amount of fuel those things use, you could go 2-3 days on a single tank heat wise. its more then enough room to sleep 1. its about large enough for a wide single, a rear galley, heater, seat/fold down as a bed. It would be perfect taking along as an emergancy shelter for snowmobile runs, 2 people COULD though cramped, shelter inside it, or 1 person could sleep comfortable, so if someone was wounded, or got wet, and was at risk of hypothermia, they could be put in there, while others set up more traditional tent shelters around it or even adjoined to it. at 9' long and 4' by 4' box, you could sacrifice 2 feet in the rear for the heater, and a mini galley including say, a 27.5L mini fridge/cooler, small slide out for a little 2 burner coleman stove, a little slot for a water tank. still gives you 7' for a combo sitting/sleeping area. (well maybe 6 1/2 feet but still)
Have you reviewed Hiker Trailer tear drop campers? They have factories in Colorado & Indiana. They are a budget friendly option and I'm very interested on your opinion of their trailers.
Unfortunately we’ll never get our hands on a Bruder probably. But in terms of how it stacks up to the competition, on paper it’s ahead of everyone. Bean in North America just introduced their cloud suspension system which is moving in that direction. Why I like the Bruder is that it’s the best of both worlds off-road and comfort. It’s able to get down to a comfortable height for using the galley kitchen and entering the cabin but raises up nice and high for travel. And then with the independent adjustments you can level off easily at camp. It’s definitely for the person who wants the best and is willing to pay too dollar for it.
@@PlayingwithSticks we've also done some research and our homework on the brooder versus all the other trailers and in all honesty the brooder is the best I think personally out of a lot of the trailers due to the testing that they do with the brooder I haven't seen any other trailer companies do that type of testing that Bruder does I mean Bruder puts it literally to the max of testing I mean come on 30 40 Mi an hour 50 beating the living crap out of it and it kicks ass and takes names ...all other trailers are nice but I don't think they can top brooder in all honesty yes the price is a little spendy but then again look at the quality of work that goes into it versus the other tailors plus if i got it id make ut my own or i could just vuild 1 like it lol
The Meerkat looks like they just took an old Eriba Puck and renamed it. I have an Eriba Puck (70s) and it is almost identical. Seating, cabinets, pop up roof - all exactly the same. I need to find someone to refurnish mine since the humidity here has caused damage.
Good eye Suzanne. You are exactly right on with that statement. It is not only like they used the Puck as reference to create their trailer. It is almost an identical match. I love that little trailer. A bit jealous that you have one in hand, even with the refurnishing needs.
Pretty cool trailer. As I have said before, I am not a big fan of the on board water. (From a simplicity, low maintenance stand point.). Knew it was going to be pricey when you said it was made in Australia. BTW…..Our first camper was a pop up.
In terms of price I honestly thought it was going to be much higher. Just the import taxes alone I thought would’ve placed this $10,000 higher than it is. With that said though it’s still a very expensive trailer. I was also surprised about the amount of water on this trailer. Not ideal for towing obviously, but you can tell these Australians really go camping. That is not set up for just a weekend warrior that is set up for an adventure. That’s neat that you came from a pop-up. It’s so funny most my adult life I’ve sneered at pop-ups because they were just so common at the campsite during my upbringing. But with time I’ve really come to see the value in them. They may not be the most glamorous campers on the market, but they make a ton of sense.
I got the chance to tour one last summer. I love the weight I love the multi use functionality. The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was a set up and take down time. Someday I need to get one on the channel I think it’s a great little trailer.
Good vid. The wife and I decided to purchase an enclosed cargo and convert to a toy hauler camper. I was going to build a trailer from scratch but metal prices are ridiculous. Cheers
I think that is a great route. That is kind of how we are setting up our cargo trailer. Not specifically for the big toys, but for bikes, hauling materials, etc. But still having a comfortable living space. I hear you on those metal and wood prices right now. It is crazy!
Hey Drew. Great subject… however, when I watched this video/tutorial I have to admit that my first idea was …( can I include any of these ideas in my next build)?🤔
Are you just trying to say what I like to hear? This is what I tell May every time I release a video like this. They are neat trailers and I know there is someone who will want to pick one up tomorrow. But my real intention is to help people understand what is out there. Use that knowledge when looking at other trailers they are considering. And then at the highest level using this information to potentially help them build their own trailer. Wait until you see ours. Will it work, I have no idea? But it is a really neat and obvious hybrid of my three favorite trailers. This build actually included one of the features. But I won't say which one to keep the hype up. Haha. .
@@PlayingwithSticks oh boy! What’s up Drew? Hey man you’ve touched the full attention button man. I was wondering some months ago when I became a fan of you: this guy really knows what he wants, likes and dislikes because of he has a bunch of experience, plus as family they’ve found their common experience point - therefore I was thinking back then about when would you be bringing your own project? - so I saw that coming and I’m thrilled man. Even that I’m in diapers in this trailer world I see lots of similarity with what you share and what I want and considering that I’m in the desert side, yet, bases are the same: practical, isolated, functional, small, easy to maintain or be fixed and mostly a DIY, family of 4. (hot and dusty in my side instead of cold and wet from yours I believe)… and always ready to pick up and fun. So now you have an idea of how interested I am to see your project coming alive. Bring it on man! Cheers guys. -Asa from Baja.
@@PlayingwithSticks watching your video and seeing what they do down under….🤔maybe I should deconstruct my 4x8-1/2 and make it 5x9! Or start a new one? ( your mind plays tricks…)
@@davidf9630 It is so tough isn't it? When I am designing my dream trailer I find myself going back and forth. I'm always worried about my "two-foot-itis" Will I build the trailer a bit too small and want more later? But if I build it bigger well I struggle on the trailer, parking, garage, etc? For me I think the width and length cause me much more thought than the components and usability of the trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks right now I’m looking at my teardrop and asking myself “should I deconstruct, or start new?” “Sell the old one (7th inning stretch)?” But I think my daughter wants it… I don’t KNOW 🤷🏻♂️
Camp365 is the way to go for standing and I pull it with my Toyota Sienna and fits way better in garage. Takes 10 minutes to set up. But interesting trailer in this video.
Love hearing feedback on trailers from owners. Thank you for sharing this about the camp365. I think there’s a lot to be said about the simplicity of that trailer as well. To me that’s one of its best features,
@@PlayingwithSticks So true. We have takin a ton from your videos and applied it to our Camp365. My favorite part is the modularity of it. You can take the sink with or leave it behind and replace the space with something else. You can have the burners or bring your camping stove and use the slide out space for whatever. You can even use the fresh and grey tank space as a beverage carrier with ice in there. Our family of 6 loves it! We did a 36 day trip in it with 6500 miles and boondocked all along the way. We were in snow, cyclone, heat, 15 degree temps, etc. So fun! The Iceco fridge/freezer and bluetti and panels you guys suggested was awesome. Not to mention the propane fire pit we learned from you guys as well. Thanks for the great content. We appreciate and love it.
@@RicheeParks Love hearing this! 36 days? That is incredible! I'm jealous. We get to do some long trips, but having 2 more people with us sounds great. Sounds more like a party. That modularity component of the trailer does make a ton of sense. I find our camping needs shift from trip to trip. So it is always nice to have a trailer that can shift with those ever changing needs.
There is a camper from allroad (china). Many companies around the world importing them under many names. Amour x10 , valkyrie x1, kaweka spot x and allroad am02. Can you try and review it? Has bed upstairs looks great.
I'm surprised you didn't mention a couple of A-Frame trailers out there. I don't even know if they still make them. I always wanted one because I liked the idea of solid walls. Addendum: I looked it up after I wrote this. Apparently, there are like 7 of them out there. The most famous that I know of is the A-Liner.
sadly even the ruggedized versions of the A-Frame trailers don't seem to hold up to washboard roads or much overland driving and the cabinetry starst to separate from the walls... lots of reviews of them on pop up portal.
You forgot "A-liner" style again. There is a real benefit to hard side popups. Aliner, rockwood, and a few other companies make these. They have the benefits of the low profile allowing you to garage them. though some can be long. At the same time they don't suffer the mold and damage issues canvas suffers. they are also good for single or 2 person camping, where as many other systems are made for big families which not everyone needs.
Why do I keep doing that? It is crazy too because it sits in my top 5 trailer list. The only reason we have never owned one is either due to being on the heavy side for our tow vehicles or the fact that May calls them "ugly." How dare she! Haha. May and I toured a really neat A frame trailer this summer. I took a picture, but can't find it right now so I don't remember the brand. But it was tiny. It was the smallest layout I have seen. I remember the weight being very low as well. Supe rcut little setup for this single retired la0dy. But would make a nize cozy two person camper as well. With our crazy little family I think I could modify it to fit all four of us.
@@PlayingwithSticks A-frames shed snow. less buildup of heavy snow on the roof meaning they are less prone to problems there. (you don't need to shovel a roof and sweep solar panels after 3 feet of snow gets dumped on you). Now for cuteness factor, look up the Hi-Lo Wanderer 18'. Its a SQUARE popup. Rather then having fold out parts or slide outs, it just pops straight up. This means you dont have to worry about a lot of things when you set it up. if you can park it, you can pop it. You have a little queen bed, kitchenette with 2 burner stove, little fridge, sink, fairly large prep area, and a dinette. that's convertible. This gives you 1 fixed bed, and 1 convertible bed if/when you need it. because its zero slides, it does give you the option to pull over to the side of the road and popup to cook a quick meal. THOUGH that being a set up for outdoor cooking as well, that you can set up away from the trailer is an option too.
First love your channel! That being said I cant stand the prices of these little trailers! Ten seconds in and I knew it was going to be $45-50K. In the NE USA, we don't really have awesome overlanding trails and campsites rather we are confined to state parks. I would love something that isn't so built for Colorado off roading, but something that isn't built like a matchbox like a big name pop up! For $12K you just can't beat the sleeping and habitable space of a popup though, which is where I might have to head with a family, but we'll see!
Oh wow! I didn’t realize their larger version wasn’t almost double the price. Typically the large versions from any manufacture go up quite a bit in price. Thanks for sharing Jason.
Oh wow! I didn’t realize their larger version wasn’t almost double the price. Typically the large versions from any manufacture go up quite a bit in price. Thanks for sharing Jason.
Huge fans. I don't know why I forgot to mention it in the comparable trailer section. I have been trying to buy one for the past 3 years. The only reason we don't own one is weight. Every one I found was a little too heavy for my tow vehicle. My current tow vehicle though would be able to handle it well. Although they are simple pop-ups they do weight quite a bit. The A-frames check all the boxes. Low profile for towing, garage able, standing height, composite materials to prevent water damage. They are great all around trailers.
Good and fair review. I'm with you, canvas has problems and upkeep. I like the idea of the Meerkat. I'm still in the market and going to decide what to do when I get this year's taxes out of the way. Hang in there Drew. Good to see you as always.
HI Jeff! That Meerkat was such a neat trailer to stumble across. The Meerkat is also one of those trailers that looks just as good or better in person. That is not always the case with small camper builds on the market. Especially as they scale their growth. In a couple of months you should get a peek at our newest trailer. It is a bit of a prototype, but I have a feeling you may like it. Not sure how to get it to the masses yet. But if there is a will there is a way. And if we can make that happen it would be easier on the pocketbook as it would be a diy kit.
@@PlayingwithSticks Can't wait to hear what you have in store. And it sounds like it will be in plenty of time for my own decision as to what to buy and how it will fit my needs. Thanks for all your work and for keeping all of us informed.
Did somebody point out that a single axle trailer doesn’t have a wheelbase? Wheelbase is defined as the distance between axles, one axel means no wheelbase. I think you mean TRACK, track is the distance between wheels on an axle.
Thank you! I appreciate the correction. Once the camera is rolling On often struggle to recall the most simple vocabulary. To be honest I never knew the term was track though. I always said wheel to wheel. Quite embarrassing 😳 Thank you.
Yes good point Justin. When I see a company add 44 gallons of water to a trailer this small it tells me they are not aiming it at weekend warriors. This would be for someone truly using it in the Bush of Australia far from usable water sources. I'm guessing it would make a pretty awkward towing experience, but probably is a life saver for the folks truly using this trailer for what it is designed for.
Yes. Unfortunately though there’s only a few that make it over to the North American market. At the moment I can only think of these guys in Opus. But I think there’s one or two more.
@@PlayingwithSticks The RV divisions here are the following: Campertrailers; Hybrid Caravans; Caravans on road, dirt road and extreme off road; Class C and to lnow many Class B conversions; Coach and Bus Conversions ; a Super C manufacturer. Then the many Expedition Motorhome manufacturers
The only thing I hate from these reviews is that they never give the prices. I know prices change, but you can always say, "as of this time, the price was _______." That would really help people who are looking to buy.
We always include the price in every video. I completely understand why you would want it that’s why we put it in there. I think you may have missed it we put it with text I don’t physically say it because the prices are always changing
@@PlayingwithSticks All I see is the price of the Sniper X9 in the text, but you feature more trailers in the video. I was interested in the Opus 2, but I'll go to their site and hope they list it. A lot of sites don't even list prices unless you register by e-mail and then get spammed.
Pull-out kitchen gripe is bogus - if you have inclement weather, that kind of trailer doesn't have interior that doesn't require it to be expanded before use.
I think you’re not following me. I’m not talking about indoor kitchens I’m talking about an outdoor kitchen with a galley hatch. Sorry sometimes I use the same narrative I’ve used in many videos so I don’t explain it very detailed. We are all about outdoor cooking. Check out a teardrop trailer‘s kitchen area, this is more the style I’m referring to
@@PlayingwithSticks i did it based on an exchange rate from the interwebs so who knows..i missed your figure in the description i wasn’t challenging your figure sorry
Yeah $32k is bit much with that setup & having to cover up the slide out kitchen. If they made a quick fold out awning, like 30 seconds, then it might be in the running. I’d rather have a bean for the price.
I'm right with you there. It is so close. I think it is just really hard to beat the benefits of a teardrop galley kitchen. The newer kitchens look appealing on paper. But leave you a bit wanting in terms of performance.
Sorry it has been a long time since we shot this video, so I don't remember the price. But we have never missed a price on a video. It will be in there somewhere.
To close to the person? Or too close that you can't see the trailer? My goal is to get more wide b-shots this summer. I typically have a few in all videos. I was unable to get them in this video because it was a last second shot. I literally shot this video in one take, grabbed some tight shots and never got time to step back before heading out. Thanks for the feedback.
@@PlayingwithSticks I meant too close to anything. I recommend to pan out more so viewers get an idea of the layout. All we're seeing is just close ups of items.
Yes this would be aimed more towards Teardrop and squaredrop enthusiasts who are looking for just a little more space to change clothes and have breakfast
Personally i'm not a total fan of the 10 pound propane tanks. Yes they are easier to move (especially with my back), but 16 pounders are easier to get. as well many places offer swapping of tanks in the 16 pound range. Petro-canada for example lets you drive up, pull off your empties, pick up new tanks and drive off, no wait, no filling, no worries about over or under filling. lets also note, these units do not come standard with AC or Heat. This can limit their uses. Though again, canvas popups are not well insulated, so neither AC nor heat are efficient in them, that is something you need to consider when taking these into the outback for heat, or into upper USA/Canada for the cold.
Good point on the 16ers Jennifer. I also found the last couple of years that many propane refill stations will not refill just a small 5 or 10lb propane. It is not worth their time and effort I guess. As for insulation I've changed my tune on this a bit over the years. I still would pick an insulated trailer over uninsulated any day. Almost no need for AC and heaters. I find a fan an an electric blanket are plenty good. However, back to my point before I rabbit trailed there. Most of the heaters on the market, including your basic Buddy heater are just too powerful for these little spaces. So an uninsulated trailer actually does quite well with these heaters. Yes, there is obvious energy waste, but in terms of comfort I find a heater is just right late fall and mid-winter with these uninsulated or poorly insulated setups. With my insulated trailer I end up having to open the doors and windows wider than I need for safety just to lessen the amount of heat. It actually gets quite overbearing.
@@PlayingwithSticks "most heaters" except there are small 2kw (6800 BTU) heaters, for that size. they sip fuel, and will heat a little camper very nicely. HOWEVER... without a pass-through galley, you end up very limited in what you can cook or such if there is bad weather. And standing outside during a blizzard to cook might not be fun. And cold MRE's are kinda blah.
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I really appreciate how thoughtful and informative your comments are. These are wonderful and helpful videos. Thank you!
Great video. One of main reasons for a track of the trailer being the same as your tow vehicle is that your not trying to drag a tonne plus through soft fresh ground, it just follows the track of your vehicle and doesn't act like a sand anchor. Thus taking a lot of stress off the tow vehicle.
Not gonna lie - your playlists are why I hit the subscribe button. Everyone of your videos is a treasure trove of resources...
Thanks Ted. That means a lot to me.
It is great to see so many more great new camper designs available and there were definitely something nice features on this one. I like how you compare to other similar options on the market. Well done Drew!
Brad, thank you so much! I was just telling May beings we have not had the chance to get to our local coffee shop we just need to send you some random photo. Now, I have to think about what that location would be. I'm thinking some exotic food or destination. I'll come up with something fun. Today we grabbed our once a week coffee from a chain called Amazon. It is very similar to the design and branding of Starbucks around the world. Pretty decent coffee too. Thanks as usual for the support. You better not do this too often or I may retire early from your tips and stop making these videos 😂
@@PlayingwithSticks You are very welcome! A random mystery pic! I will be interested to see what you come up with! So where does a rich outdoor loving off grid camper retire too?! 🤔
May and I said if we weren’t volunteering over here we’d start traveling countries tip to tail living out of a little camper. She keeps talking about Australia I think she wants to make a trip into the outback someday. East only talks nonstop about the island of Madagascar. So I’m guessing we have to go there too. For me Canada and Alaska Summer, fall, winter, spring. I think this itinerary is going to take us some time. Glad we got an early start thanks to your coffee money!
@@PlayingwithSticks I love what you and May are doing! You and your family are making such great memories! Traveling the world in a small camper would be amazing too. I was camping in Glacier NP several years ago and met a couple from Australia. They were amazed that here in the States that you could travel just a few hours and be in a completely different geographic area. At that time they said you could go to a national park in Australia and not see anyone else for days!
@@jgrant4520 Glacier sounds amazing! I bet that was a great trip. And it is so true. Last summer we were amazed how quickly the landscape changed within an hour of driving.
Australian offroad gear is getting massive in the USA just the American big trucks are starting to get real popular here . Also with the Canvas , if it has Australian made Dynaproof canvas. Mildew is not a big problem, yes it may happen and it will clean up and not stain with Vinegar/water. Unlike other cheap canvas where you get that black mildew spots
Nice to know that here in oz we are doing stuff right. Thanks for that.
I also must say you have a lot of good things to say that are spot on, some of which I also think, re: slide out kitchen, seating that converts into bed, for two.
Keep it up.
Additionally, price while a consideration should be checked against quality, availability of parts, bang for buck, etc. Like a Bruder (probably one of the most expensive but what you get is a Rolls Royce of campers) compared to others that are way cheaper. But then many people are all about the money, anyway its their money.
Thanks!
Wow Laurie! We feel so blessed by this gesture. Thank you so much. May says thanks too!
I know ZERO about trailers. I just find this content entertaining and I live in NYC and dream about getting back to nature. Of the trailers here, my newbie first impression would choose the Meerkat. It's simple and adorable.
The X9 Travel Trailer would be a good matchup with a 2022 bronco 2 door sasquatch
An amazing matchup! I can picture it now.
Wow, this has so many nice features, it's amazing.
The Australian trailers blooooooow most American trailers waaaaaay out of the water, so it’s good to see more Australian designs in the USA like trailing arm suspension, pushing the walls out towards the axles for more interior room, airbag self leveling suspension, RedArc battery systems, Cruise Master DO35 hitches, etc.
Another good trailer that is similar is the TetonX trailer.
I like how you said that "pushing the walls out towards the axles for more interior room." Great point! And yes, a lot of similarities to the TetonX.
Yes they do!!
TetonX is no longer small to fit in traditional garages. I am talking about their flagship hybrid trailer that they made major updates in late 2021 and have a long wait list. It is 92" tall now. I was bummed because it fit a lot of my criteria but I have a short garage (standard in my area) with a 80" entry height.
That is an odd move isn’t it? I wonder what that gave them in terms of benefits. I’m going to have to go check it out. Thanks for sharing.
The price of the Australian trailer bloooooooows most American trailers away also. He says 32K at Off Road RV for the trailer but if you go to Off Road RV they say 50K for the trailer. The MeerKat starts at 27K. While I really like the trailer there is no way I am paying 50K plus for a camp trailer. Ooops that 50K Aussie money, 35.5K or there abouts US.
That’s salty. $32k is why I built my own, check out the quality and space for under $10k. Understanding not everyone can build their own! Be well Drew
Yes, you could own 3 trailers for that price when you are comparing to diy. Great point here. I can't resist "Hickory, Hickory, Hickory...." One of my bucket list items is to yell Hickory in an Indiana gym. It's the little things. Haha.
How much time did you spend planning and building, sourcing parts, etc?
@@TobyCostaRica I bought the trailer in February of 2021 and rolled it out of the barn in September of 2021. Roughly seven months of after work and weekends. I can’t say how many hours but I can say it was an enjoyable build. Good luck and thanks for the question.
32k that’s insane
I'm with you on the canvas that's why we got a Hive. Still waiting for it to get to us but can't wait.
I like the narrow fenders, and the wider trailer gives far more interior room.
Just the outside alone is satisfying! I could already see camping completely outside! lOL!I would be confident setting this up by myself. However, I might be better off with the meerkat. No work at all! Lol!
Please do a video with TC Teardrops soon! they are so impressive with all their innovations. Plus I love the starting price.
Sounds like a good plan. I had planned on going over in October to join Matt from Freys On the Side. But I’m still working out my itinerary.
That Meerkat looks cool. Looks like the dub box or happier camper
Isn't it neat! I would say it is about 95% identical to the ever popular Eriba Puck from Europe. The puck is an older trailer with a really strong cult following. I am so glad you mentioned the Dub Box. I almost forgot about that trailer. They were planning on releasing a slightly larger version this spring. I will have to go and see if it ever came out.
@@PlayingwithSticks would look nice being pulled by the electric VW coming to America soon!
@@CandycaneBeyond That would be an amazing pairing. I had no idea an electric VW was coming. How fun!
Now that's what I'm looking for ! Love it ty 😊
I love seeing when a trailer is the right match or someone. Thank you for the feedback.
I'm with you on canvas. Drying them out stinks and I prefer the bear protection of hard sides. However, this thing is well built and well thought-out and high end. Wish there was more hard sides built like this. I agree too about dinettes. that is the best conversion I have seen too, and I especially like that you could leave it made. But, even on this trailer, I'd leave that a bed made with pillows, ready for us to crash. Needs kids bunks.
I agree on all points Justin. Especially the kids bunk part. I don’t know if you made it further into the video where I highlighted the other similar trailer with the bunks. I think it would be really easy for them to integrate something like that into their 2.0 design if they ever do. We are currently working on a trailer and we are finding that composite tilt up sides don’t add as much weight as I thought they would. I think it’s very possible to make a trailer like this, with hard sided walls, and not add a ton of weight or extra work to the setup process. And then it would be a bit more bear ready for your neck of the woods.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yes I did make it to the end and agree that it seems like something they could add easily. We are really like minded. Excited to see what you are working on.
Thank you for sharing this!
It's very encouraging to see practical camper trailers.
I don't need a freakin' oven and giant TV and "living room" area in a camper.
I'm there to camp, not watch sitcoms 😉
AGREED!
We had a traditional pop-up camper for years and I hear ya on the canvas issue but they definitely have a place, just need to take care of them. I imagine being Manufactured in Australia is a big part of the high cost but it does look like it is really well built. Hope all is going well in your part of the world. Looking forward to the next Far East excursion. ✌️
Great points on the traditional pop-ups. After seeing my father's pop-up condition after roughly 40 years of ownership and 20 years of use I sing a different tune about canvas. It is a bit of a liability, but if taken care of it will outlast all your camping seasons. My dad's looks like it easily has another 40 years in her. All is good over here. It is the middle of rain season, so it is quite amazing too see the land come to life. We will be heading back to the States for camping in a little over two weeks. So some North American content is on it's way. Great seeing you on here!
Another great video.
I agree with all your pros and cons for sure. Huge water capacity! Not sure I would want to haul around that much for any length of time. Expanding the cabin width over the tires does help with storage space. Still don't care for a side kitchen especially on slides like that. My refrigerator slide has actually tweaked a little bit already. I say ditch all of these new trailers with canvas , and get a seventies Style Apache hard sided trailer!
Don't mention the Apache! I don't know if you heard us talking about this in other videos. But we almost bought one TWICE! And both times they were sold out from under us as we were driving across Alaska to buy them. It's a cut throat used market up there. haha. We have been eyeing the apache ever since our love for composites and pop-ups came to be. Such a great marriage of the two. The only issue I saw in Alaska was bugs. Where the walls joined there is a small crack. So basically 4 long running small cracks throughout the trailer. I had some ideas though of how to alleviate them. Not pretty, not easy, but they would work. My favorite model fo the apache had a slide out kitchen that could be used inside and outside. Something like that alleviates that awning need during inclement weather. Good seeing you on here. We are less than 3 weeks from being on your side of the country. We are even making a run out to Oregon this summer. Woot woot!
I think I suggested an Apache club that might be an avenue for looking at the trailers.
Always like your videos, hope to see more of the surroundings before y'all leave for home.
Safe traveling my friend.
@@sierramantrvlnus Thanks for the kind words and travel blessings. We appreciate it!
True but it doesn't hurt to have the extra capacity, after all it's an adventure camper. Sure, one may carry it on separate containers if needed, but if it's already built in, even better. You can never have too much water.
Verticality is underestimated by some. Prefer a minivan to a Subaru (or most so-called SUVs) for one single aspect: the interior height. The ability to move around is joyous. I can always be buried in a Subaru when I’m dead.
I’m guessing the same preference for verticality translates to teardrops.
Very practical layout.
Practical. That was the word I was looking for to describe this trailer! The word essential/s kept coming into my head, but I knew that there was a better word. Thank you.
That trailer is great!
I agree! My wife would say about the trailer "Too boy." Haha.
The x9 trailer or x 12 is just what we need but Sniper seems to have dropped off the edge of the world 😢
How is Thailand? I loved my times in country. I was there in 1984 & 1988.
It just keeps getting better. We are falling in love with what we are doing everyday, the people, and obviously the beautiful countryside. But, we head back to North America in 2 weeks for our "summer" camping. I can only imagine Thailand in the 80s. I often picture it as the Laos of the 2000s. Count yourself blessed for getting 2 opportunities to see what you saw. I am a bit jealous.
We have a neighbor from the Philippines who is just like you. Loves her spicy food, but can't' handle it anymore. From time to time she gets a wild hair and wakes up miserable. But then she forgets about it and gets herself some more tom yum a few weeks down the line. .
@@JackFalltrades Love it! We are finding the Tom Yum tastes quite different from region to region here. It is fun to get a bowl anytime we are in a new location.
@@JackFalltrades We spent a month in Cebu. Beautiful island. I can't remember if I said that to you already. I know I shared it with one other person on here.
Love your channel-currently in a large camper, thinking about downsizing
I saw a nice Canadian built square drop on fb but they don't make them anymore
I must of missed the toilet segment, check out the Intech Luna Rover, we love ours
Big fans of the Rover. We filmed one this summer with a lady who lives in hers full time.
I like everything being flush on the outside...slippery in the wind while towing. That awning looked really, really lightweight though...like anything more than a breeze from a passing crow and you'll be taking that thing down and then what do you do? I agree, thumbs down with the fabric sides...design something that folds for standing room but is hard sided. Thanks for sharing Drew!
Good point on the slippery in the wind. Yes, that awning did look really lightweight. That is a great point. I know you have put awnings to the test. You camp in some pretty tough terrain.
Sure ...but every Australian camper I've seen and loved ...NOT available in USA unless you pay an extra $5000.00 for shipping
Sounds like a hole in the US market…..if made a different, but comparable, one.
Great tour! Looks beefy and functional! I like that you can stand up in it. The entry way felt sort of tight when he walked through. I like the window design.
I love how you refrained from calling it "too boy." Haha. Those arctic tern windows are great! They cost a pretty penny, but they are well worth it.
Love your tours. Very comfortable to watch. Plus it's outdoors stuff. All good.
Thank you! One of these days I would love to highlight what you do if you are ever up for it.
@@PlayingwithSticks Sounds like fun! Where are you located?
I love your reviews on the practicality of these different trailers. I would love to see you do a review of and hear your opinion of the AntiShanty trailers as I am highly considering one. I do believe they will be at overland expo in Colorado next month. Thanks!
I would echo Brandon’s desire to have you review the AntiShanty!
Glad I saw your comment about a show being in Colorado! I'm going to look into this!
Yep we will be Overland Mountain West Expo. I think it’s gonna be a fun time!
From a distance I’m a big fan of them too. I will see what I can do to make sure I get a walk-through done in Colorado the end of August.
Consider it done!
Well, I’ll do my best to make it happen.
I love these, just waiting for your next post :)
The suspension is an issue the axle independent wheels and they go out alignment easy
Just my view, this thing would be great once you arrive at your destination, but driving around on a extended vacation towing this thing around would take the fun out of the entire trip for me. Of course if you are the type of person who enjoys hauling a boat on a trailer day after day then go for it.
Yes, towing a trailer isn’t for everyone. Even for us it’s not a most preferred method, but from a financial standpoint and a convenience standpoint it often makes sense. Another thing to take into consideration is tearing down camp every time you want to take a day trip from Basecamp. This means taking down the awnings, levelers, etc. With the trailer you just leave it there and takeoff with your tow vehicle
I don't understand, are you comparing it with tent camping, or motorhome camping? Either way, it's a valid point, everyone has fun their own way.
Curuous of what your thoughts are on the A Liners? They are compact, have solid sides, and seem to be a good camper? You are certainly way more of an expert and would live your opinion! Thanks!!
Huge fans! The only reason we don’t own one is I find they come in a little too heavy for my towing needs. And May says they are ugly ha ha. But seriously, for the last two or three years I’ve been trying to get my hands on one, but every time I do May says please don’t. She’s pretty picky it’s not just a liners it’s like 90% of the trailers out there. But I say all this to say coming from me I’m a big fan. I saw a really small one this summer that I really liked. I cannot remember the model but it was tiny and the weight was nice and light. I’m thinking it wasn’t even from the brand a liner. It was some sort of a frame, chalet style trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you very much!!! Im leaning towards the A Liner and knowing you are a big fan makes me more comfortable with the purchase. Lets face it, you are super knowledgable, super honest, and fabulous at sharing information!!! Your recommendations go a long way!
I love this trailer. But I'm getting a Crosstrek Wilderness this year. What would be the best trailer for me, my 80lb Rhodesian Ridgeback and a future girlfriend. Definitely want a galley with a sink. I got my eyes on a MeerKat. Thank you.
its funny i keep looking back at the Snowcoach MVP, and thinking, something like that, with a few small modifications, adding a diesel heater, mounting point for a powerpack/battery bank, just a small bit of insulation. and you could have a snowmobile/atv pullable mini teardrop rv. with just the most basic insulation, a 3kw heater has enough btu to heat it from -40c to 15c, and given the amount of fuel those things use, you could go 2-3 days on a single tank heat wise. its more then enough room to sleep 1.
its about large enough for a wide single, a rear galley, heater, seat/fold down as a bed. It would be perfect taking along as an emergancy shelter for snowmobile runs, 2 people COULD though cramped, shelter inside it, or 1 person could sleep comfortable, so if someone was wounded, or got wet, and was at risk of hypothermia, they could be put in there, while others set up more traditional tent shelters around it or even adjoined to it.
at 9' long and 4' by 4' box, you could sacrifice 2 feet in the rear for the heater, and a mini galley including say, a 27.5L mini fridge/cooler, small slide out for a little 2 burner coleman stove, a little slot for a water tank.
still gives you 7' for a combo sitting/sleeping area. (well maybe 6 1/2 feet but still)
Are electric brakes available?
I do not know this answer, but typically for a trailer of this size they are. I would be surprised if they don’t come standard.
Have you reviewed Hiker Trailer tear drop campers? They have factories in Colorado & Indiana. They are a budget friendly option and I'm very interested on your opinion of their trailers.
Hi have you herd of Bruder trailors like to see yr views n what u think of it n how it is better or worse then the other trailors
Unfortunately we’ll never get our hands on a Bruder probably. But in terms of how it stacks up to the competition, on paper it’s ahead of everyone. Bean in North America just introduced their cloud suspension system which is moving in that direction. Why I like the Bruder is that it’s the best of both worlds off-road and comfort. It’s able to get down to a comfortable height for using the galley kitchen and entering the cabin but raises up nice and high for travel. And then with the independent adjustments you can level off easily at camp. It’s definitely for the person who wants the best and is willing to pay too dollar for it.
@@PlayingwithSticks we've also done some research and our homework on the brooder versus all the other trailers and in all honesty the brooder is the best I think personally out of a lot of the trailers due to the testing that they do with the brooder I haven't seen any other trailer companies do that type of testing that Bruder does I mean Bruder puts it literally to the max of testing I mean come on 30 40 Mi an hour 50 beating the living crap out of it and it kicks ass and takes names ...all other trailers are nice but I don't think they can top brooder in all honesty yes the price is a little spendy but then again look at the quality of work that goes into it versus the other tailors plus if i got it id make ut my own or i could just vuild 1 like it lol
When they said the trailer take a few second but saved the awning setup for the 10 min time😅
Just put a quick setup awning on it.
Well done videos my friend….doing research on teardrops and I find your videos very helpful. Thanks for the content
Glad these are helpful Adam! Thank you.
The Meerkat looks like they just took an old Eriba Puck and renamed it. I have an Eriba Puck (70s) and it is almost identical. Seating, cabinets, pop up roof - all exactly the same. I need to find someone to refurnish mine since the humidity here has caused damage.
Good eye Suzanne. You are exactly right on with that statement. It is not only like they used the Puck as reference to create their trailer. It is almost an identical match. I love that little trailer. A bit jealous that you have one in hand, even with the refurnishing needs.
I'm at the point where I'm just going to build my own!
Surprised the TetonX Hybrid wasn’t one of the 5 comparable trailers. Would love to see you review it!
Thank you for reminding me. I don’t know why I keep forgetting that one. I will do my best to track it down this fall.
🤙 lot of interesting trailers in this one
Glad you liked them.
Pretty cool trailer. As I have said before, I am not a big fan of the on board water. (From a simplicity, low maintenance stand point.). Knew it was going to be pricey when you said it was made in Australia. BTW…..Our first camper was a pop up.
In terms of price I honestly thought it was going to be much higher. Just the import taxes alone I thought would’ve placed this $10,000 higher than it is. With that said though it’s still a very expensive trailer. I was also surprised about the amount of water on this trailer. Not ideal for towing obviously, but you can tell these Australians really go camping. That is not set up for just a weekend warrior that is set up for an adventure. That’s neat that you came from a pop-up. It’s so funny most my adult life I’ve sneered at pop-ups because they were just so common at the campsite during my upbringing. But with time I’ve really come to see the value in them. They may not be the most glamorous campers on the market, but they make a ton of sense.
He also talked about handing coffee out through the window you can’t do with the bed up
Love this unit but where is the toilet?
I can't remember. I assume it had a little casette toilet right? It has been so long since I made this video that I can't remember.
Probably outside in the shower
This is just like my Coachmen Clipper 9.0, but different. And on steroids.
We thought the same thing. I really like the clipper design. Just enough to get the job done, nothing more.
excellent video, appreciate it.
Do y’all know of any small trailers suitable for disabled (wheelchair dependent) campers?
Dude slide out kitchens are SO overrated. Completely agree with your stance on it.
My current rv has an inside kitchen but 4 months a year I set up an outside kitchen so I don't need to run the AC
Would love to see your thoughts on the Sylvan Sport Go.
I got the chance to tour one last summer. I love the weight I love the multi use functionality. The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of was a set up and take down time. Someday I need to get one on the channel I think it’s a great little trailer.
Great video
Good vid. The wife and I decided to purchase an enclosed cargo and convert to a toy hauler camper. I was going to build a trailer from scratch but metal prices are ridiculous.
Cheers
I think that is a great route. That is kind of how we are setting up our cargo trailer. Not specifically for the big toys, but for bikes, hauling materials, etc. But still having a comfortable living space. I hear you on those metal and wood prices right now. It is crazy!
Hey Drew. Great subject… however, when I watched this video/tutorial I have to admit that my first idea was …( can I include any of these ideas in my next build)?🤔
Are you just trying to say what I like to hear? This is what I tell May every time I release a video like this. They are neat trailers and I know there is someone who will want to pick one up tomorrow. But my real intention is to help people understand what is out there. Use that knowledge when looking at other trailers they are considering. And then at the highest level using this information to potentially help them build their own trailer. Wait until you see ours. Will it work, I have no idea? But it is a really neat and obvious hybrid of my three favorite trailers. This build actually included one of the features. But I won't say which one to keep the hype up. Haha. .
@@PlayingwithSticks oh boy!
What’s up Drew?
Hey man you’ve touched the full attention button man.
I was wondering some months ago when I became a fan of you: this guy really knows what he wants, likes and dislikes because of he has a bunch of experience, plus as family they’ve found their common experience point - therefore I was thinking back then about when would you be bringing your own project? - so I saw that coming and I’m thrilled man.
Even that I’m in diapers in this trailer world I see lots of similarity with what you share and what I want and considering that I’m in the desert side, yet, bases are the same: practical, isolated, functional, small, easy to maintain or be fixed and mostly a DIY, family of 4.
(hot and dusty in my side instead of cold and wet from yours I believe)… and always ready to pick up and fun. So now you have an idea of how interested I am to see your project coming alive.
Bring it on man!
Cheers guys.
-Asa from Baja.
@@PlayingwithSticks watching your video and seeing what they do down under….🤔maybe I should deconstruct my 4x8-1/2 and make it 5x9! Or start a new one? ( your mind plays tricks…)
@@davidf9630 It is so tough isn't it? When I am designing my dream trailer I find myself going back and forth. I'm always worried about my "two-foot-itis" Will I build the trailer a bit too small and want more later? But if I build it bigger well I struggle on the trailer, parking, garage, etc? For me I think the width and length cause me much more thought than the components and usability of the trailer.
@@PlayingwithSticks right now I’m looking at my teardrop and asking myself “should I deconstruct, or start new?”
“Sell the old one (7th inning stretch)?”
But I think my daughter wants it…
I don’t KNOW 🤷🏻♂️
Camp365 is the way to go for standing and I pull it with my Toyota Sienna and fits way better in garage. Takes 10 minutes to set up. But interesting trailer in this video.
Love hearing feedback on trailers from owners. Thank you for sharing this about the camp365. I think there’s a lot to be said about the simplicity of that trailer as well. To me that’s one of its best features,
@@PlayingwithSticks So true. We have takin a ton from your videos and applied it to our Camp365. My favorite part is the modularity of it. You can take the sink with or leave it behind and replace the space with something else. You can have the burners or bring your camping stove and use the slide out space for whatever. You can even use the fresh and grey tank space as a beverage carrier with ice in there. Our family of 6 loves it! We did a 36 day trip in it with 6500 miles and boondocked all along the way. We were in snow, cyclone, heat, 15 degree temps, etc. So fun! The Iceco fridge/freezer and bluetti and panels you guys suggested was awesome. Not to mention the propane fire pit we learned from you guys as well. Thanks for the great content. We appreciate and love it.
@@RicheeParks Love hearing this! 36 days? That is incredible! I'm jealous. We get to do some long trips, but having 2 more people with us sounds great. Sounds more like a party.
That modularity component of the trailer does make a ton of sense. I find our camping needs shift from trip to trip. So it is always nice to have a trailer that can shift with those ever changing needs.
There is a camper from allroad (china). Many companies around the world importing them under many names. Amour x10 , valkyrie x1, kaweka spot x and allroad am02. Can you try and review it? Has bed upstairs looks great.
I'm surprised you didn't mention a couple of A-Frame trailers out there. I don't even know if they still make them. I always wanted one because I liked the idea of solid walls.
Addendum: I looked it up after I wrote this. Apparently, there are like 7 of them out there. The most famous that I know of is the A-Liner.
sadly even the ruggedized versions of the A-Frame trailers don't seem to hold up to washboard roads or much overland driving and the cabinetry starst to separate from the walls... lots of reviews of them on pop up portal.
You forgot "A-liner" style again.
There is a real benefit to hard side popups. Aliner, rockwood, and a few other companies make these. They have the benefits of the low profile allowing you to garage them. though some can be long. At the same time they don't suffer the mold and damage issues canvas suffers. they are also good for single or 2 person camping, where as many other systems are made for big families which not everyone needs.
Why do I keep doing that? It is crazy too because it sits in my top 5 trailer list. The only reason we have never owned one is either due to being on the heavy side for our tow vehicles or the fact that May calls them "ugly." How dare she! Haha. May and I toured a really neat A frame trailer this summer. I took a picture, but can't find it right now so I don't remember the brand. But it was tiny. It was the smallest layout I have seen. I remember the weight being very low as well. Supe rcut little setup for this single retired la0dy. But would make a nize cozy two person camper as well. With our crazy little family I think I could modify it to fit all four of us.
@@PlayingwithSticks A-frames shed snow. less buildup of heavy snow on the roof meaning they are less prone to problems there. (you don't need to shovel a roof and sweep solar panels after 3 feet of snow gets dumped on you).
Now for cuteness factor, look up the Hi-Lo Wanderer 18'. Its a SQUARE popup. Rather then having fold out parts or slide outs, it just pops straight up. This means you dont have to worry about a lot of things when you set it up. if you can park it, you can pop it.
You have a little queen bed, kitchenette with 2 burner stove, little fridge, sink, fairly large prep area, and a dinette. that's convertible.
This gives you 1 fixed bed, and 1 convertible bed if/when you need it. because its zero slides, it does give you the option to pull over to the side of the road and popup to cook a quick meal. THOUGH that being a set up for outdoor cooking as well, that you can set up away from the trailer is an option too.
First love your channel! That being said I cant stand the prices of these little trailers! Ten seconds in and I knew it was going to be $45-50K. In the NE USA, we don't really have awesome overlanding trails and campsites rather we are confined to state parks. I would love something that isn't so built for Colorado off roading, but something that isn't built like a matchbox like a big name pop up! For $12K you just can't beat the sleeping and habitable space of a popup though, which is where I might have to head with a family, but we'll see!
Great video. THE BIG Problem with Sniper (AU) trailers . Cooking etc is on the "WRONG SIDE" it sgould be on the "Curb Side" for US Market.
Another great review 👏
Thank you Cindy! Good to see you on here.
How well does that inflatable camper do in the wind?
Are you referring to the Opus camper? This camper uses a tilt top system, no inflation needed.
@@PlayingwithSticks opus
Those small propane tanks are a no go! I want standard propane tank for low cost easy swap in USA!
The swap ability is nice.
32k for the x12 is a great price. Cheaper than conquerer 390 Plat. And better features imo
Oh wow! I didn’t realize their larger version wasn’t almost double the price. Typically the large versions from any manufacture go up quite a bit in price. Thanks for sharing Jason.
Oh wow! I didn’t realize their larger version wasn’t almost double the price. Typically the large versions from any manufacture go up quite a bit in price. Thanks for sharing Jason.
My little Range Rover Evoque can tow 5500 lbs!!! Wow this thing is light!
Wow, that’s some impressive towing capacity
@@PlayingwithSticks i didnt know that it was till i learned more about towing capacity now i find it hard to believe my car is so small!
Thanks for the video, y'all are amazing. What are your thoughts on an A-frame style of camper like Aliner?
Huge fans. I don't know why I forgot to mention it in the comparable trailer section. I have been trying to buy one for the past 3 years. The only reason we don't own one is weight. Every one I found was a little too heavy for my tow vehicle. My current tow vehicle though would be able to handle it well. Although they are simple pop-ups they do weight quite a bit. The A-frames check all the boxes. Low profile for towing, garage able, standing height, composite materials to prevent water damage. They are great all around trailers.
Good and fair review. I'm with you, canvas has problems and upkeep. I like the idea of the Meerkat. I'm still in the market and going to decide what to do when I get this year's taxes out of the way. Hang in there Drew. Good to see you as always.
HI Jeff! That Meerkat was such a neat trailer to stumble across. The Meerkat is also one of those trailers that looks just as good or better in person. That is not always the case with small camper builds on the market. Especially as they scale their growth. In a couple of months you should get a peek at our newest trailer. It is a bit of a prototype, but I have a feeling you may like it. Not sure how to get it to the masses yet. But if there is a will there is a way. And if we can make that happen it would be easier on the pocketbook as it would be a diy kit.
@@PlayingwithSticks Can't wait to hear what you have in store. And it sounds like it will be in plenty of time for my own decision as to what to buy and how it will fit my needs. Thanks for all your work and for keeping all of us informed.
Did somebody point out that a single axle trailer doesn’t have a wheelbase? Wheelbase is defined as the distance between axles, one axel means no wheelbase. I think you mean TRACK, track is the distance between wheels on an axle.
Thank you! I appreciate the correction. Once the camera is rolling On often struggle to recall the most simple vocabulary. To be honest I never knew the term was track though. I always said wheel to wheel. Quite embarrassing 😳 Thank you.
Good channel
44 gallons seems like a lot of water weight to haul around.
Yes good point Justin. When I see a company add 44 gallons of water to a trailer this small it tells me they are not aiming it at weekend warriors. This would be for someone truly using it in the Bush of Australia far from usable water sources. I'm guessing it would make a pretty awkward towing experience, but probably is a life saver for the folks truly using this trailer for what it is designed for.
You'll need it to be off grid a few weeks.
I usually travel with my tank empty and fill up near my destination
I need one of these, so I can leave my wife!!😂🤣😂
I have a feeling if you ask her she may buy you one to get the ball rolling😂
@@PlayingwithSticks didn’t have to, I went and got me one. She asked me what I needed it for, and I said, for getaways!! 🤣😂
What is the price of the trailer?
Currently $32k plus shipping
@@PlayingwithSticks Holy 🤬 that’s higher than giraffe butt.
I’m not sure what this comment means but I’m assuming it has to do with price! Haha
What REDICULOUS price tag are you putting on this thing?
It should be in the video. We include prices in every video
This is one of many camper trailers that are manufactured in Australia
Yes. Unfortunately though there’s only a few that make it over to the North American market. At the moment I can only think of these guys in Opus. But I think there’s one or two more.
@@PlayingwithSticks Opus is actually English. Patriot Campers, Kimberley Kampers are some more
@@robertryan7204 Thanks for sharing those other two. I thought the Opus was manufactured in China, but designed in Australia.
@@PlayingwithSticks From what I know it is English. Manufacturing in China sounds right
@@PlayingwithSticks The RV divisions here are the following: Campertrailers; Hybrid Caravans; Caravans on road, dirt road and extreme off road; Class C and to lnow many Class B conversions; Coach and Bus Conversions ; a Super C manufacturer. Then the many Expedition Motorhome manufacturers
The only thing I hate from these reviews is that they never give the prices. I know prices change, but you can always say, "as of this time, the price was _______." That would really help people who are looking to buy.
We always include the price in every video. I completely understand why you would want it that’s why we put it in there. I think you may have missed it we put it with text I don’t physically say it because the prices are always changing
@@PlayingwithSticks All I see is the price of the Sniper X9 in the text, but you feature more trailers in the video. I was interested in the Opus 2, but I'll go to their site and hope they list it. A lot of sites don't even list prices unless you register by e-mail and then get spammed.
That makes sense. Yes I leave those prices in their original videos
Pull-out kitchen gripe is bogus - if you have inclement weather, that kind of trailer doesn't have interior that doesn't require it to be expanded before use.
I think you’re not following me. I’m not talking about indoor kitchens I’m talking about an outdoor kitchen with a galley hatch. Sorry sometimes I use the same narrative I’ve used in many videos so I don’t explain it very detailed. We are all about outdoor cooking. Check out a teardrop trailer‘s kitchen area, this is more the style I’m referring to
@ $33,000 usd
I got $32,000 from them. Maybe it raised in one day huh? Or did I accidentally write the wrong amount in the description?
@@PlayingwithSticks i did it based on an exchange rate from the interwebs so who knows..i missed your figure in the description i wasn’t challenging your figure sorry
Thank you Mike. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t quote the wrong price on here.
Yeah $32k is bit much with that setup & having to cover up the slide out kitchen. If they made a quick fold out awning, like 30 seconds, then it might be in the running. I’d rather have a bean for the price.
I'm right with you there. It is so close. I think it is just really hard to beat the benefits of a teardrop galley kitchen. The newer kitchens look appealing on paper. But leave you a bit wanting in terms of performance.
I musta missed the price that he said he would touch on later........
Sorry it has been a long time since we shot this video, so I don't remember the price. But we have never missed a price on a video. It will be in there somewhere.
@@PlayingwithSticks Bummer....
@@RiverRatWA57 Bummer as in the price was too high? Could you remind me what it was? I felt like it was maybe near $40K?
It's in the video description. 32k in July 2022. Website now says 50k 🤔
Seems like a rich man's version of the "Clipper 9.0TD"
Good eye. Yes very similar
With these prices. I'm stealing my kids Legos and building my own camper. Wish me luck
Right? If you look way back in our community feed we have a really neat post to a video or someone built an entire caravan out of Legos.
@@PlayingwithSticks dang it. Once again I think of the perfect idea last. Fuuuugggg
😂
3:58 so obviously Aussies are way smarter than US folks :D
Good grief, this thing is $45K!!!
Nothing to comment on really - just sayin" Hi!
That is saying a lot Tom. To be honest that means more than just a response to the video content. Thank you!
Camera is too close.
To close to the person? Or too close that you can't see the trailer? My goal is to get more wide b-shots this summer. I typically have a few in all videos. I was unable to get them in this video because it was a last second shot. I literally shot this video in one take, grabbed some tight shots and never got time to step back before heading out. Thanks for the feedback.
@@PlayingwithSticks I meant too close to anything. I recommend to pan out more so viewers get an idea of the layout. All we're seeing is just close ups of items.
Thanks for the feedback Kelly. I agree.
Cool but seems like a sleeping box…. Only very small area tha you can stand in….
Yes this would be aimed more towards Teardrop and squaredrop enthusiasts who are looking for just a little more space to change clothes and have breakfast
Personally i'm not a total fan of the 10 pound propane tanks. Yes they are easier to move (especially with my back), but 16 pounders are easier to get. as well many places offer swapping of tanks in the 16 pound range. Petro-canada for example lets you drive up, pull off your empties, pick up new tanks and drive off, no wait, no filling, no worries about over or under filling.
lets also note, these units do not come standard with AC or Heat. This can limit their uses. Though again, canvas popups are not well insulated, so neither AC nor heat are efficient in them, that is something you need to consider when taking these into the outback for heat, or into upper USA/Canada for the cold.
Good point on the 16ers Jennifer. I also found the last couple of years that many propane refill stations will not refill just a small 5 or 10lb propane. It is not worth their time and effort I guess. As for insulation I've changed my tune on this a bit over the years. I still would pick an insulated trailer over uninsulated any day. Almost no need for AC and heaters. I find a fan an an electric blanket are plenty good. However, back to my point before I rabbit trailed there. Most of the heaters on the market, including your basic Buddy heater are just too powerful for these little spaces. So an uninsulated trailer actually does quite well with these heaters. Yes, there is obvious energy waste, but in terms of comfort I find a heater is just right late fall and mid-winter with these uninsulated or poorly insulated setups. With my insulated trailer I end up having to open the doors and windows wider than I need for safety just to lessen the amount of heat. It actually gets quite overbearing.
@@PlayingwithSticks "most heaters" except there are small 2kw (6800 BTU) heaters, for that size. they sip fuel, and will heat a little camper very nicely. HOWEVER... without a pass-through galley, you end up very limited in what you can cook or such if there is bad weather. And standing outside during a blizzard to cook might not be fun.
And cold MRE's are kinda blah.
About 20k more than what’s it’s worth!
looks like there is no hitch for bikes. - a downside for me
$45k wat.
Ouch. Yes, that is expensive.
Super cool but too much $$$,..just purpose build from the ground up with a cargo trailer and unistrut 🤠
It is hard to beat a cargo trailer in terms of cost and value.
For 32 grand I’d rather just get a new car or truck.. holy frick. Or a lift and a rack and a rooftop tent and a whole new engine and etc…
👍
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Cool but not $32K cool