Ultralight RV?

[Dale Wambaugh]

<p style=”text-align: right;”>We added a small teardrop trailer this summer to allow reduced contact travel. A DRY 6” memory foam mattress, LED reading lamps, insect screens and a nice galley space. 860 pounds.</p>

 

[Ryan Jordan]

That’s light! Awesome galley. Show pics of the inside – is the bed convertible to a seating area?

Have you had to “cook in the rain”? What’s that like?

[Dale Wambaugh]

I need a fisheye for the interior. Lots of leg room, but shy on shoulder space. It’s a hard tent with a very nice mattress.

I have a big Kelty shade tent that fits over the galley area. It uses tent style shockcorded poles vs a market style canopy and the sides extend down a couple feet. It has seam sealed fabric and a good set of guy lines. It can be picked up and put over a typical campground table  I add a folding table for more cooking space and it is adjustable so it can be used for dining       too

I also have a little pop up shelter and a porta potty for an “instant sanican”. That really reduces contact risk.

The interior is varnished of like the galley with some basic overhead cabinets at the foot end. There is a 10” roof hatch , sliding windows and a couple 3” cowl vents, all with screens. This rig is 4×8 and just 46.5” across inside. You need to like your room mate a lot! I use a simple down comforter with a duvet cover for bedding

The mattress folds in thirds and you could sit on it like a couch, but it is just too inviting to stretch out to read or listen to a radio.

It wired for 12vdc, USB, and a 120vAC pass through from an extension cord to the campsite power. There is a 12v deep cycle battery and a small maintenance type charger under the galley.

I found the axle was shot after buying it and swapped it out for a Timbren axle-less suspension. Timbren is the only way to go if you build a teardrop.

I would get a 5’ wide version if doing it again. The 4’ width is very easy to tow and within the same width as my RAV4. That’s nice when in close quarters. I don’t need mirror extensions and it will park in a typical garage.

 

Tight clearance on the Friday Harbor run.

 

[Matthew / BPL]

I’ve always found teardrops to be a really interesting option. Thanks for sharing photos of yours. I’d love to see more!

[Dale Wambaugh]

There is one outfit that is making carbon fiber hybrid tent-teardrop that is under 300 pounds with a $25,000 purine tag. https://www.earthtravelerteardroptrailers.com

Chesapeake Light Craft makes boat kits based on the stitch and glue method and offers a teardrop kit that is like a Starwars fighter. https://www.clcboats.com/teardrop

You need to watch these things or they will own you. There is a tendency to start adding this and that until it’s not simple or light.

These little trailers are great for what I call base camp travel, where you do day trips from a central point. My international travel has gone that way too.

I’m happy to say that the  same techniques used for ultralight hiking apply to RV’s and onebag style travel: less is more, lightness is freedom.

 

[Curt Peterson]

I looked into tear drops a few years ago. You’re a tougher PNW’er than I am, Dale! Just couldn’t make it work in my head for our soggy 7-8 months out here. I went with a step up in space but not much in weight. Flipped the axle for tons of clearance & real tires for crappy forest roads. Pulled the sink & stove. They were weak or a hassle. Pulled the fridge. Definitely worse than just a good cooler. Tons of little mods because I like to tinker. Haven’t put it on a scale but I think it’s down to 900 something pounds & feels like a palace.

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