Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hear me out. There is no small number of van campers and even pickup shell campers that don't need, or even want an additional space to sleep in, but a standard length van like mine for instance, leaves a LOT to be desired if I were to attempt to integrate a shower INSIDE the camper and while I ostensibly have a kitchen cabinet it is really nothing more than a box in which to house my cooking stuff, and a counter to work on. No sink, no, nothing...

My thoughts wandered again as then tend to do, and went straight back to foamies...

Your typical single space Ensuite / Privvy tent is 3.5 feet square.

What if we take a regular Harbor Freight 4x8 trailer, and half it up so one each half is 4x4, some more, some less, and make it pup up like a TrailManor hard side pop up camper. I am sure there are others, but basically double in height by popping up insualted hard sides.

Make one side a wet bath with a seat in the middle, over the axle (this is where the fresh water tank will live. Again maybe more, not sure just thinking out loud as it were, but a nice EASY to set up private out of the elements place to take a shower, do your business and get changed without expsing yourself to a, well basically a tent... The other side basically a Teardrop kitchen on steroids with a nice big top opening fridge on a pull out, counter surface area, sink, stove etc... And plumb it all with an on demand propane water heater plumbed hot and cold with mixer taps on both sides...

Give the trailer enough tire and ground clearance to bounce around anywhere you would be willing to take a 4x4 camper van.

Gray water handling of course is a constant what to do about it but that can be figured out.

So stroke of genius or should I get checked for just a stroke?

Actually, that makes a certain amount of sense. Plus you could unhitch your kitchen/bath if you needed to get somewhere for a day trip that you wouldn't want to take a trailer. Seems like a more flexible setup than trying to cram everything into the camper van.

Pmullen503 wrote:Actually, that makes a certain amount of sense. Plus you could unhitch your kitchen/bath if you needed to get somewhere for a day trip that you wouldn't want to take a trailer. Seems like a more flexible setup than trying to cram everything into the camper van.

No doubt, and a much roomier kitchen than if you did it in a regular teardrop.

So would the kitchen be inside, fully enclosed too? Might be nice in really nasty weather.

So, your bathroom and kitchen would be in a trailer, pulled by the van and you'd sleep in the van?

As I debated a van platform for my next build, one of the benefits was using the doors as shower walls, be it back or if possible side. Easy enough to put a tarp style roof over for inclement weather and extend covering to the ground if needed. I do like a warm area when showering.. I know sounds like a tent off the back of the van and mostly it is, but a nice sized one! For that matter just setting up a tent off the back (or side, seconding as an awning) works just as well.

I'm setting up the shower off the back of my rig and now wish I had bought the 270 awning so I'd have a cover there..

Pmullen503 wrote:So would the kitchen be inside, fully enclosed too? Might be nice in really nasty weather.

That is what I am thinking, Keeping the camper (person) and dinner out of the elements as you prepare dinner...

RJ Howell wrote:As I debated a van platform for my next build, one of the benefits was using the doors as shower walls, be it back or if possible side. Easy enough to put a tarp style roof over for inclement weather and extend covering to the ground if needed. I do like a warm area when showering.. I know sounds like a tent off the back of the van and mostly it is, but a nice sized one! For that matter just setting up a tent off the back (or side, seconding as an awning) works just as well.

I'm setting up the shower off the back of my rig and now wish I had bought the 270 awning so I'd have a cover there..

So this was my setup at the TX Renaissance Festival last month.



The gray tent is a Joolca Ensuite Double where my shower / changing room is. I could easily drop a Buddy Heater, or a pre warmed Coleman gasoline heater in the dry side to be able to have a nice warm shower. Toilet is inside the van as I did not want to have to exit the van at 2 A.M. dealing with the Colitis...

I was thinking of ways to reduce setup time / effort once I get into camp.