Cooking Inside
The Teardrop trailers I’ve seen (I think it was on the Travel Channel) seemed to have the “kitchen” kind of outside on the rear of the trailer. They lifted up a section like a hatchback on a car. One reason I want a popup is to cook inside when it’s raining. I realize that might require an electric stove rather than a propane, because of the carbon monoxide potential, unless some sort of venting is provided.
Solutions to tear drop cooking.
– Last Updated: Jul-28-09 10:40 PM EST –
pop up shades:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2720192860050436027KRbLqO BTW shower and toilet behind the curtain.
Even a simple tarp:
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1375720107050436027fTHLlx
Or SUV tents:
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2390054530050436027fXiaFg
Our teardrop and many others are designed when the hatch on the rear is opened the hatch lifts up over the cooking area like a hatch on the back of a SUV or mini van does when open. I never got wet cooking in rain storm . Simple design,simple solution,simple add ons.
Common addition to teardrops:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/551544318MOYgEc?start=12
Got questions about tear drops send me an e-mail from here.
billinpa
smell
If you cook indoors teh smell is going to permeate every thing in the small confines of a trailer. My Big Brother use to always cook outside to avoid that problem. That being said a pot of coffee indoors would be welcome…
I agree
Cooking in an rv is not ideal. Heck the travelers with the mega rvs still cook outside it. Billinpa has solutions as do the videos I linked above. One is the Travel Channel story little red. Hard to beat pushing by hand to adjust trailer and ability to park inside a standard garage.
Had the pop up too…
and hard sided travel trailer,and still went the tear drop route. Hard side was heavy requiring bigger vehicle,more money,more gas,and hard on the vehicle. Pop up was easier on gas but a PITA when it rained. You have to seal the tent end seams or they leak,just like a tent. If you fold it up wet,the tent fabric made everything wet inside,and you had to reset up to dry out when home.They also are not good in cold weather as tent ends have no insulation value. They also sweat when cold outside,and warm inside. They get moldy inside. In a wind storm an open pop up will flip over{personally got close,and seen others that did}. In bad storms you should fold up a pop up{that’s in the manual}. Both pop up & hard side require leveling & set up, water & electric. Teardrop was park,and maybe a short piece of 2X6 under a tire to level and could be pushed into place by hand. Only setting up SUV tent or pop up shade was extra chore,but only 10-15 minutes at best.
A teardrop has many advantages. Light weight,easy on gas when towing. Minimal set up. All camping gear goes inside teardrop,and not in car. No need for heater in winter camping to sleep. 15 lb propane tank for cooking lasted 2 seasons. Easier to drive in traffic. Doesn’t require extra,or large mirrors on vehicle. Resale value stays very high. Easy to store in winter in utility shed,barn,or garage. Bad wind storms never bothered the teardrop because of low,small surface area. Cooking didn’t smell up the interior,or heat it up in summer. I can think of more but I think you get the point. If I ever get enough money gathered again,first thing I am doing is replacing my Teardrop. It was the most fun of all the trailers when camping. Always had company asking to see it and made lots of friends when camping. If any down side to a tear drop is the lack of privacy,because everyone wants to see inside. The standard question would be, “can you really sleep in that thing”? Happy camping no matter what you decide.
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/1095997476050436027czJTlQ
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1143964594050436027lQDlhG
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2678880710050436027rRhdKI
billinpa
how much does your teardrop weigh?
60-1000 lbs.
– Last Updated: Jul-29-09 9:54 AM EST –
Watch my video link in above post.
Hey, Lred, here's my teardrop:
http://coolkayaker1.blogspot.com/2009/05/toys-for-rainy-day.html
P.S. Really too bad this is not on the Advice column and thus archived, as there is so much great info here, Lred for future "searchers" on Pnet, or for us to kink to someone. Perhaps Brent would switch it over to Advice for us/you.
Mine weighed…
– Last Updated: Jul-29-09 12:20 PM EST –
750 lbs empty, about 900 loaded with camping gear and 10 gallons of water in holding tank. Mine was a top of the line manufactured teardrop. My buddy with the home built weighed 525 empty,and about 650 loaded with gear & also 10 gallon of water.
There is one consideration if towing a teardrop with a small car. The tear drop must not weigh more then the total weight capacity that the tow vehicle. Meaning passengers,fuel,and luggage,etc. Other wise you may have to install trailer brakes. Example: I think a Civic & Corolla can tow 1000 lbs and you should be able to tow without brakes and include passengers,or luggage. If you have a car with a 750 lbs tow rating or less,you would need brakes on the trailer,but can still tow one as long as you don't exceed the load weight limit of the car. In saying that ,that means no passengers or load in the car if towing.{4 passengers at 150 lbs + 150lbs luggage would equal approximately 750 lbs,and the highest weight trailer you could tow,but should have trailer brakes} I would suggest a manual shift over an automatic in smaller cars. I have see Civics,Corollas,Kias,and the like towing them,not impossible but common sense must be used.
{Disclaimer!!! Do not take what I said as gospel,consult your cars owner manual for weight limits,and towing limits,and PLEASE follow them,there is a reason for them, for your & others safety}
billinpa
my 2 cents
I cook in my camper all the time; it’s got a full kitchen with a ventilation system. When I had just a pop-up the smells would hang around as it didn’t have a real ventilation system it would also fog up the windows with condensation if it was cold out. (That’s not a problem with the hard side camper, its insulated). Check used prices as you can pick up a good one for next to nothing now days. Heck you can get NEW ones next to nothing now days… also with pop-ups you still have to air them out and put them up dry if t was raining when you left the camp ground. However that said they are a waaaay better then sleeping in a tent on the ground!! Just think of it as a tent on wheels. One other thing about pop-ups is that you really can’t leave them stocked as they need to be closed up. With a hard side camper you can leave it stocked and pretty much ready to go. However hard side campers do weigh more and require a bigger tow vehicle.
That sounds like an interesting job
I hope you had good backups for when you inevitably pushed the limits!
Maybe the solution for the OP is to buy a plywood teardrop trailer. I saw one at an outdoors/RV expo. It weighed only 600 lbs.
Just when I thought I saw it all NM
So whatcha gonna get Lred?
duct tap camper…
is just the ticket for a budget minded that want an RV. You can make a frame out of anything,would be waterproof,and very light weight. You can even duct tape your boats on top.
billinpa
that IS light!
I think the Aliners are a bit heavier.
Yes…
Ex Girlfriends Aliner Classic was near 1800lbs.
billinpa
So whatcha gonna get Lred?
Lred?
Hey cool Doc…
let her alone,she is currently building a duct tape teardrop. LOL
billinpa
Still thinking - and saving
Unfortunately, no nearby dealers of A-Liners or Chalet. I don’t think the Teardrop (or DuctTape Camper) will meet my needs. I want a place where my fellow campers/climbers/paddlers can hang out and play Bananagrams while it rains or is cold or buggy outside. As for Conversion Van, most of the ones I’ve seen are too low to the ground for the places I go, plus I really can’t afford to have two motor vehicles and driving a conversion van around all the time would be even less economical than my current vehicle.