Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Everyone check this out. Very innovative idea on a slide out. Caught my eye. The slide out is genious. The rear galley looks amazing with the curved drawer front. I'm really into this design. Let me know what you guys think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH5h0qU4EQ4

I like it!

I wonder how it is waterproofed when the slideout is open.

My thoughts exactly. I cant imagine it being much different than a slide out on a trailer. That is a big slider though a couple feet. I also wonder if you inhibit accessing the interior with the slide out closed. I like it though, If i build a smaller one I will have this design running in the back of my head.

It looks interesting, but I wonder how they overcame the different mattress platform heights from their box-in-a-box design. I'm assuming the mattress is in two pieces with two different heights that stack in the innerbox when it is in travel arrangement.

I think Zach hit on the real concern.

absolutsnwbrdr wrote:I wonder how it is waterproofed when the slideout is open.

I've been kicking around ideas for a slideout for many years, but haven't come up with a good way to do the seals that sealed in both the open and closed positions.

Use a labyrinth seal when extended a compression seal when closed.

Shadow Catcher wrote:Use a labyrinth seal when extended a compression seal when closed.

I had to look up what a labyrinth seal was. Turns out I used a form of one on my hatch seals.

The sealing conundrum on a slide-out is not along the top and sides, but along the bottom. If you do as some RVs, and have the slide-out supported by slides mounted on the underside of the frame then you're okay. If you try to have the slide mechanism concealed within the slide-out and compression surface would interfere with the mechanism. It is also a similar challenge if the slide is mounted on the exterior of the slide-out.

Perhaps simplicity is the answer. The boxes for a teardrop-sized slide-out could be made relatively light which would mean that slides would not be necessary. You could make a flange around the inside of the slideout that would fasten to the sidewall and support the cantilever of the slide-out. Then you could use compression seals on the flange to seal the slide-out.

I wish I had the graphic skills to show what I'm talking about.

What does this huge complexity gain you? The teardrop will be heavier, weaker and less waterproof than if it was just built with a longer fixed body, and a longer body can be made to look better than a shorter one. OK, the Gidget will be easier to fit in a garage, but is 18-24" of length that significant?

Seems to me it may be a case of: "If it has a slide-out, it must be better".

After studying some pictures a bit more, I tend to agree with you. You do get a nice little skylight, but that could have been incorporated into the roof without the slideout. If anything, the slideout reduces the cargo capacity when closed.

I guess its more my camping situation, but when friends come along on trips my teardrop is usually packed full of gear!

I guess since its sliding out over the trailer it does seem like a waste of space. But I guess if you where actually extending the slide out over the trailer, say the galley slid out to give more cabin space then it would be a worth while design. Extending your platform. Unless you wanted to put a detatchable tongue box and then slide it out, there really is no benefit storage wise. I just havent seen a design like this, thought you guys might be interested. Swap this idea around and i think your on to something.