Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

As I read through previous posts, the Kelty Tailgater gets good reviews but that was mostly 5-6 years ago and they seem to be discontinued. Any new recommendations? The Ez Up stuff looks functional but not lightweight. Would be nice to have something like that Kelty, which looked like a nice design.

I feel you pain. Kelty used to make this one too. It was called a carport and this was the medium size.




I used it as a privacy tent in the morning and then moved it over the galley.
I got it in 2005 so the are scarce now.
You might find something on ebay.

We set up a canopy then L and I move it to the rear of our square back. With the edge of the canopy over the top of the back roof we can lift the back hatch. We use a wrap around screen and walls to give a 10x10 room at the back. It makes quite a safe sun, wind and rain shelter.

Tt

Thanks guys, the hunt is on.

We use a Kelty Car Tarp, no longer being made. It is attached to Kedar rail on the top of the tear. This is easy to do with any suitable tarp.

Shadow Catcher wrote:We use a Kelty Car Tarp, no longer being made. It is attached to Kedar rail on the top of the tear. This is easy to do with any suitable tarp.

The "no longer being made part" is the challenge. I'm hoping for something with a nice design, easy up, easy down and that looks nice as well. Looking high and low

as far back as 1866 when Charlie Goodnight developed/invented the CHUCK BOX which converted a ranch wagon to a CHUCK WAGON there has been a need for a fly over the tailboard to protect the cook and the process of cooking



this need continued into modern times w/ the advent of the internal combustion engine powered chuck wagons



some of the flies were just the wagon sheet flip'd to the rear of the wagon



i'll be right back

sw

Excellent history lesson, thank you for this!

We have two Tailgators, one in our teardrop and one stored away as a backup. They come up on eBay about every six months.

If I were looking for a galley shelter now, I would buy one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZKYSCOM/?coliid=IFSGOWPHC46S8&colid=3DIEP78B3UWPM&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

There are several brands that are apparently exact shelters so prices vary. What I like about them is the fact that they have clips instead of sleeves.

Tony

tony.latham wrote:We have two Tailgators, one in our teardrop and one stored away as a backup. They come up on eBay about every six months.

If I were looking for a galley shelter now, I would buy one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZKYSCOM/?coliid=IFSGOWPHC46S8&colid=3DIEP78B3UWPM&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

There are several brands that are apparently exact shelters so prices vary. What I like about them is the fact that they have clips instead of sleeves.

Tony

Thanks T - I saw this one poking around. Thanks for the endorsement. Always good to know something works!

Thanks for the endorsement.

It's a limited endorsement since I have yet to actually put my hands on one.

T

some flies were elaborate custom made structures for wagons that set up on ranches at the gather/branding time where food was not only prepared butt served as the center of life when the cowboy wasn't "in the saddle"



as seen above w/ some no longer manufactured/sold solutions most TTTnTD campers not only want the protection from sun wind and rain... they want to make a reasonably artistic statement where their solution is appealing and inviting from a distance



folks w/ TTTnTD's are going to continue their quest of some artistic solution for wind sun and rain protection which will in many cases involve some form of providing privacy

since the chuck wagon was created from an already existing farm/ranch/freight wagon the means of storing and carrying poles was an external appendage of sorts frequently high on the side and consisted of a couple large hooks for racking the poles

IMHO racking cedar or pine poles on the side wouldn't quite be in order for today's TTTnTD's

SO... A solution to the OP's problem must begin in the planning stages of the build

consideration must be included as to how you plan to provide the needed/desired protections and where/how you plan to carry the poles necessary to support the structure whatever it may be/become

another consideration could be how you wish to attach/secure the structure to the trailer if you do

i'm seeing an under floor tray/compartment for the poles a/o the folded structure/fly

it could even be under the trailer frame in the elements ±

RV's use an extruded aluminium track that the awning bolt rope threads thru to maintain a waterproof attachment point on the vehicle

the track can be had by the foot or by pre cut lengths

using the track/bolt rope method would give the fly some added stability

a fly off the side or over the hatch or both could provide the desired protection

most big truck(18-wheeler) tarp manufacturers create custom tarps as their bread n butter

they have sturdy materials on hand and sources for most anything else one might desire

another source is the canvas products manufacturers that supply traditional/historical activities

i will be interested to see what thoughts others come up with

sw

OK, but my original request was all about a completed build and lack of :-) I really do like that Kelty Tailgater design and Tom pointed me to the other one, as well. That looks like it'd do the trick, while I continue to monitor eBay for the elusive Tailgater.

DoctahDeane wrote:OK, but my original request was all about a completed build and lack of :-) I really do like that Kelty Tailgater design and Tom pointed me to the other one, as well. That looks like it'd do the trick, while I continue to monitor eBay for the elusive Tailgater.

sorry couldn't help stirring the pot since there are likely some reading along who might be enticed to try n create some of the stuff that gets suggested here

sw

swoody126 wrote:

DoctahDeane wrote:OK, but my original request was all about a completed build and lack of :-) I really do like that Kelty Tailgater design and Tom pointed me to the other one, as well. That looks like it'd do the trick, while I continue to monitor eBay for the elusive Tailgater.

sorry couldn't help stirring the pot since there are likely some reading along who might be enticed to try n create some of the stuff that gets suggested here

sw