Lightest Camper Plans?

[Brendie]

Hello! Been looking at the old vintage plans area. I do have a step-by-step tutorial/plan that I bought. I want to integrate a few parts of it into my plans. But, I was wondering:
Which camper/trailer is the LIGHTEST one? I mean with all the add one like mattress, single burners, sink (depends on model), cabinet doors, etc. You know, everything you add past the base weight. Or just give the base weight but please say it is the base weight or fully packed.
Trust me when I say I can make it comfortable for me...
NOTE: Not really interested in Foamies.

[dogcatcher]

Search "Pico Light" and read the "foamies" section of the forum.

[Brendie]

Search "Pico Light" and read the "foamies" section of the forum.

Thank you for your response.
Guess I forgot to mention that I don't want to build a foamie. Heard that cabinets, inside table (small one put away when not used), small shelves are kind of hard to make stable with foamies.

[printer]

Hard? What is this hard you are talking about?

[Brendie]

Hard? What is this hard you are talking about?

Never mind.
Just going to do more research on my own.

[Pmullen503]

You should start by making a list of "wants" and "needs". Then find a plan and build material that gets you there.

There is no such thing as a full featured wood bodied 5x8 trailer with a smooth, hard exterior and all the comforts of home that weighs less than 800 lbs.

So start with an aluminum frame and foamy construction. See if you can get all your "needs" and as many of your "wants" as possible. If that's Ok then start building. If not, then you have to start going through the lists and weight targets to come up with more realistic goals.

[Brendie]

I don't want all the comforts of home in one (that defeats the purpose of camping besides enjoying the outdoors), I'd stay home instead of camping in a tent. Just wanted to get an idea of how much campers weighed with or without all the added stuff that people use. If they used vintage plans for this.
If I wanted all the comforts of home I'd buy an RV.

[Pmullen503]

My foamy, 4x4x10 with zero accessories on a harbor freight trailer, is around 600 lbs empty. So no galley or cabinetry etc. Just a big foam box to carry kayaks on top and a small motorcycle inside that I use to get back to the put in point when I drop off the rig at the take out point when kayaking rivers. I can throw down a thermorest pad and a sleeping bag and sleep in it when I need to.

If I built another I could probably shave off 50 lbs. by using lighter doors a lighter floor. I think that's pretty typical. An aluminum frame would be lighter still.

So that's a starting point. But you can add weight quickly that's why I suggested the "needs and wants" list if you need to keep the weight under a certain figure.

[QueticoBill]

Pmullen gives a good "typical" baseline. But not knowing even what size you have in mind makes it difficult, let alone budget.

Here's one that is under 300 pounds empty: https://www.designboom.com/design/earth ... 5-20-2019/

Less esoteric, the CLC seems to in the 375 pound range and is quite spiffy. Calling Friz.

You don't like foamies but what about aluminum trailers? They seem to save 100 pounds or so but many here have reservations about longevity. Maybe used a week a year in fair climate and stored in a garage its not an issue. Used year round in a mixed climate and stored outside, may be an issue.

I would guess that most hard sided home builts in the 5 x 8 size range empty are at least 700 pounds and can be under 1000 pounds without extrodinary measures.

Best wishes with your research and planning!

[pchast]

If you look at conversion plans for van camping, you'll see many cabinets made with foam.
The few I've watched used screening glued to both sides of the foam to make stronger
structures.

[rjgimp]

If you look at conversion plans for van camping, you'll see many cabinets made with foam.
The few I've watched used screening glued to both sides of the foam to make stronger
structures.

I watched a video of a guy in CA building foam cabinets to put in his VW van and he actually set one on the ground and jumped on top of it a couple times. He was no Sumo wrestler but still... that's plenty strong as far as I'm concerned!

[GPW]

Now then , It would be considered natural that someone with no knowledge or experience with Foamies would be somewhat hesitant … Remember back when Foamies started … Brendie just needs to do more reading …

[friz]

I used to own a foamy airplane. Rand KR2. Foam and fiberglass is a pretty light and strong combo.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Brendie]

Pmullen gives a good "typical" baseline. But not knowing even what size you have in mind makes it difficult, let alone budget.

Here's one that is under 300 pounds empty: https://www.designboom.com/design/earth ... 5-20-2019/

Less esoteric, the CLC seems to in the 375 pound range and is quite spiffy. Calling Friz.

You don't like foamies but what about aluminum trailers? They seem to save 100 pounds or so but many here have reservations about longevity. Maybe used a week a year in fair climate and stored in a garage its not an issue. Used year round in a mixed climate and stored outside, may be an issue.

I would guess that most hard sided home builts in the 5 x 8 size range empty are at least 700 pounds and can be under 1000 pounds without extrodinary measures.

Best wishes with your research and planning!

Well, I want a 4x8. But, some of those vintage plans are just so cool that I was curious about the weight. That ultralight teardrop (feathers) is awesome & $10,000. For the 'better' one $30,000. CLC campers are nice too. Nice price for a kit & great deal. I may get one of those just to say 'I put it together, like a model car...'. Then see if I can tweak it a bit. Then paint it so it doesn't look like every other CLC kit out there.
Anyway, thank you for the information. & your input.

[dogcatcher]

This link shows a man making a bicycle sidecar using PVC pipe as the frame, then covering the frame with newspaper mache. Adding wood and chicken wire for structural support and finally covering with fiberglass. https://ratrodbikes.com/forum/threads/l ... ect.26096/

I have also seen cardboard deer blinds that were finished with fiberglass cloth and resin, the technique requires sealing the cardboard, or the cardboard will soak up the resin and result in it being heavy. A better idea would be to make a wood frame and then stretch the cloth and staple in place with a good soaking of fiberglass resin, This is actually a boat building technique, we had one back in the 1950's, 1/2x1/2 stringers around a frame, covered with canvas then painted with an oil base house paint, Looked like an extra wide canoe.