Hello from Maine

[gearsoup]

New member here, wanted to drop in and say hello!
45 y/o, teenage kids, work from home, love the outdoors
I've been tent camping for many years with my kids, but my wife has never joined us. She has back/neck problems and if she doesn't get a good nights sleep...well, things are going to be a bit rough (happy wife, happy life?)
I thought about getting a cot or air mattress, but those things really start to add on to the bulk of what you need to pack, unpack, setup, tear down and pack back up. Over the years, I've managed to reduce the amount of stuff we bring (car camping) so I didn't want to reverse direction and start expanding how much we pack.

On a recent outing, I met a family who had a square drop trailer (more of an overland style) and it sparked an idea with me. I've never wanted a large tow-behind (size, cost, "too comfortable", etc.) But this I thought, this might be the ticket.

I started looking at prices of good units and let's just say, I was a bit surprised at the high cost. So....let's just build one, it's just a box on a trailer, right?! (no, I know it's a lot more than that, it's my sarcasm talking)

Looking to learn a lot from you folks over the coming weeks/months/years!

 

[Centerlane]

I think I've $8200.00 in mine.

Free labor
It all adds up quickly.

 

[QueticoBill]

Yup. A plywood tent. Welcome and good luck.

 

[S. Heisley]

Welcome!

 

[Tony Latham]

Build what you want but a great galley takes the work out of camping.

And squarebacks generally lack for much of a galley.

Tony

 

[gearsoup]

Yeah, I hear you there. It's still a huge step up from tent camping and lugging everything around in tote boxes, unpacking at the picnic table and "making do" with the arrangement. I'm certain this isn't going to be my first and last camper, but I think I can squeeze a decent galley into a 5x10 squareback. I'll have to put the fridge in the front (in a tongue box), but with heavy duty sliders it's easily accessible.

 

[Tony Latham]

I can squeeze a decent galley into a 5x10 squareback.

If you throw the question out, many on this forum will tell you that an angled camper is more complicated to build than a curved one. Curves are easy, stronger, and less prone to leak.

But build what appeals to you.

Tony

 

[gearsoup]

Yeah, my biggest reason for thinking about going with a squareback is I want to build a mount for my dirtbike to load on the back. There's something about the aesthetics of a tear drop that just beg for it to be towed behind a '56 Chevy, not a Tacoma and dirtbike hanging off the back. But, that's just me..

 

[Tony Latham]

Well... curves look good behind Tacomas too.

Tony

 

[pchast]

Welcome! Plenty of good ideas here to learn from.