Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Came across the Image Trailvan the other day. As I've pondered building a Grasshopper like trailer with a poptop, a hybrid soft / hard sided design like this maybe the best of both worlds. Compact, lightweight and more than just room for sleeping

Looks pretty neat...at some point, though...it would appear that a hybrid could get too complicated to be practical.

Yes, this would be a complicated undertaking to build from scratch. Not much in the way of off-the-shelf components available.

Although I'm always up for an interesting challenge Maybe I'll set the bar really high and woodstrip the sides

Looks like the Swiss army knife of TTT's hahahahahaha

Yep, now there's an eyefull!!!

Mike...

Hi Shaney

Refer: - Newbies introduce yourself… Hi all the way from South Africa.

One of my “Warrenisms” is, if it’s designed with more than one use it’s a gimmick. Call me old fashioned, I’ll take that as a compliment.

In SA there are mainly 2 generic “off road” designs. Off road caravans & off road trailers. The one in your posting is the latter.

It be neither a caravan (with the benefits of being solely a caravan) nor a trailer again with the accompanying benefits of being just a trailer. At best, (in my view) you land up with all the downsides of both the generic types, and only a few of the benefits of the two generic types.

Having said that, these are my comments of the unit.

Well constructed, works well in warmer climates, built with first rate materials (Military spec rip-stop canvass, vacu-bond construction ETC, well designed for 4x4 use and rugged.

The down side is very pricey for what you get, (Don’t do the Rand – Dollar thing), far too much to pack in & out and folding a wet tent (the foldout canvass bit) into bedding somehow never sits well with me.

In this corner of terror-firma, we have what amounts to nature’s self-declared criminal, called a baboon. They are very quick learners, and operate during the day. I’ve personally witnesses the aftermath after a troop of these guys ripped apart the canvass of a “pop top” to get at what’s inside. (Ya won’t be a-snoozing inside for a very long time either as they ain’t exactly potty trained!)

We also have hyenas. Now a hyena is a scavenger par-excellance that operates at night. To do this properly, it has been provided with the most powerful bite of all mammals and an acutely developed sense of smell. It can detect the scent of yummi-yum-yum inside sealed containers, from amazingly far distances. It has no problem with tearing apart whatever you’ve not properly packed away to get at it. An’ don’t think you’re going to do the “I’m the dominant species” with these guys, they comfortably chase off lions.

Oh, on top of that, we have rhinos. Half blind & v-e-r-y aggressive, a rhino is nature’s self-appointed fire fighter. So sitting close to your campfire on a chilly, starry night may not be the best idea unless you don’t mind being crashed over by what amounts to a bulldozer with tude’, driven by a maniacal blind guy. (So you either sit far away from your fire and pretend you’re nice & warm or get into bed and still pretend you’re nice & warm sleeping under a canvass roof).

For these reasons, a camper trailer deployed in its intended environment such as nature reserves where the animals are at liberty to visit you when it suits them, wouldn’t imbue me with a nice warm fuzzy feeling of security. Every time I left it unattended or went to sleep, I’d close it up tighter than Fort Knox. (Pack-it-out-pack-it-in-pack-it-out…EISH)

Back to my Warrinism… If you into having an elegant campsite with all the bells n’ whistles & looking the part (a South African peculiarity I’m afraid), this might just be the ticket. Me, myself & I prefer a caravan to go caravanning a trailer to pack things in and just the bare basics to carry, pack & keep clean.

But that only be the opinion of an antiquated querky ol’ twit.

Regards
Warren

schaney wrote:

and still had to strap on a few cansisters on the back

Warren, thanks for a difference view of dealing with "wildlife" than I normally see. Here the worst I normally deal with is mosquitos.

As far as outfitting a camper I agree with a "basic" approach, although I do like pop-ups/outs as a way to expand space with a very low weight penalty.

wow neat concept, one of my close friends has been looking at a hybrid tent trailer that can also be used as a utility trailer. I like seeing all of the different designs but they all seem way overpriced.

http://www.sylvansport.com/it.html

Mmmm,

I must say, that I have actually stood in one of those not so long ago, and I think it is one of the best off-road trailers on the market. Yes, it's pricey, but still a very good design.

I agree with Warren about the baboons. I have also seen what they can do. But almost all commercial trailers in South Africa has pop-tops. And there is much to be said for the pop-tops as far as heat dissipation is concerned. The flaps can be opened, and the trailer cools off quite a bit in the harsh South African sun! However, the baboon-factor is a real one.

Still, all in all I think the trailvan has made excellent use of the limited space available.

My 2c worth...

I agree with the premise that if it can do too many things, it won't do any of them well.

Also, if you've never built a tear before, keep it simple. I found at least 20 minor changes I made to tear no. 2 as a result of having built the first one and traveled with it. Many of them are not even noticeable to the average person (like the 26# scooter battery instead of the 65# car battery) and the welded peripheral frame with no x-members and no bolts (to save weight). And 4 windows instead of 2 (I sleep head to the back).

I had a walk through their factory a couple of months ago. Very well made indeed. Wish we could get them or the Conqueror series here in North America!

Jim

Sleeping in a tent / or a off road tent trailer in the African bush sounds sooooooooooo romantic...

But afore you trot off all bright eyed an squrril tailed have a gander at what I'm on about first...

An remember, climin trees ain't beyond these guys ability



Yummy yum-yum rubber!!



Dem Stones dem Stones Dem Firestones...


Anyone wanna be desert?


My point about lockin up tighter'n Fort knox... Methinks has bin made

Africa... not quite so romantic.....
Warren

Warren.

sitnievasnie wrote:Sleeping

Holy cr@p! I think I would has lost a load!

That "Defender" looks like it's barely holding its own, yet alone defending anyone.