When I first saw a teardrop trailer on the highway, I did a
double-take. It was so small that I couldn’t imagine how an
average-sized person from Wisconsin could even get through the door.
Once inside, how could anyone do anything other than lay down prone on
the bed?
Later, while we were on vacation up north, a general store was giving
one away in a contest. That was my first opportunity to look inside a
teardrop. My impression didn’t improve when I couldn’t figure out how
to close the clamshell to the kitchen. Defeated, I went inside and
asked the clerk to show me how.
That’s about the time I got online and started researching what else
was available. Surely, there were bigger ones with more amenities.
Soon, I found Little Guy Trailers, a seller of beefed up, bigger
teardrops that would definitely be an improvement over a tent.
Interestingly, these teardrops were built by Amish workers in Indiana
by a company called nuCamp. Recently, Little Guy and nuCamp went
separate ways. I’m not quite sure what that means for the future.
The smaller ones are called T@gs and have the clamshell design. Underneath the clamshell is the outdoor kitchen.
From the floor plan, you can see that almost the entire interior is
taken up by an admittedly spacious bed. Other than some storage, there
isn’t much we could do with that space on a rainy day, except sleep.
And if it rains, cooking outside under the clamshell and optional tarp t
doesn’t seem very appealing to us. This is the perfect minimalist
small camper trailer, but we aren’t that hardcore at this point.
Then we discovered the T@b. The T@b takes teardrops to an entirely different level.
This is the T@b Outback S. There is plenty of room to sit at the
table and read a book. You can see from the diagram that it includes an
indoor kitchen and a tiny bathroom with a shower. A person 5′ 9″ or
smaller can even stand up in this version. The Outback can be outfitted
for going deep into the backcountry with pitched axles, off-road
tires/wheels, roof rack and cargo basket, and diamond plate tongue box.
We had an opportunity to tour the T@b Outback S at a local dealer in
Madison. I have to admit that I was very impressed by the modern design
and amenities. Properly equipped, the T@b Outback includes an
innovative heating/hot water system, air conditioning, stereo system,
propane burner stove, and refrigerator.
What were the cons? First, the price.
With all of these amenities,
the asking price was pushing 25k or higher. Second, I’m just under six
feet tall, and I can’t stand up straight inside the T@b. In fact, I
would probably have to sit on the toilet to take a shower. Third, the
table and the bed are the same. To set up the bed, the table has to
come down. To set up the table, one has to break down the bed. Not
necessarily a deal killer, but something to consider. Finally, I had
concerns about its aluminum construction (potential for leaks) and
inside condensation.
The manufacturer is releasing a new model, the T@b 400, which
addresses some of my concerns. It will have a separate bed and table,
along with increased interior height, European design, and additional
amenities, including a solar power option. However, these new features
come with an increased cost and added weight, putting it in competition
with the smaller Airstream models. If I am going to pay in excess of
$35,000 for an aluminum, heavier trailer, I would probably pick the
Airstream Basecamp or Airstream Bambi 16.
Both models have a classic look that is appealing and lots of
windows. Airstream has an excellent reputation for build quality.
However, the cost, weight, and aluminum materials have us leaning in
still another direction.
If not aluminum, then what? What trailer is less expensive, lighter,
and made of materials less likely to leak? The short answer is a
molded fiberglass trailer and the subject of the next post.
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