Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Anyone tried dispensing with a metal/plastic hinge altogether and just using a couple layers of EDPM instead as a hinge point?

Certainly possible ... But that demands “a Test” ...

I'm really leaning this way, assuming I can make a really light hatch (very little wood, just foam, GG, fabric, and fiberglass tape on the edges. Probably need wood on the top and bottom edges of the hatch though.

Wood , maybe not , the skinned foam is pretty strong ... Now you got me thinking about a fabric hinge ... easy enough to sew together two long strips of heavy canvas down the middle with a heavy poly thread, glue it up and that seam becomes the hinges ... Perhaps another drawing is in order..

I really think this is a good idea, simplicity rules. People have been using strips of leather for hinges for probably thousands of years. I (on my next build!) might try that. I would suggest that at the upper edge you might want some sort of pin or dowel to prevent sideways torque, if that makes any sense?
On my first (and current) build I used a simple nickle silver piano hinge fastened thru a strip of inner tube which was glued down with rubber cement. No problems so far but it's early yet!

I couldn’t help but do a drawing ...

At work we frequently replace the canvas reinforced rubberized belts that are used as conveyors. The are usually about 4 or 6 inches wide (eyeball IIRC). Very tough. Let me see if I can scrounge a scrap that I could offer up for someone to test if interested; in fact I think there is a length taken off recently laying on the floor of the shop right now.