Featured Teardrop: Tiny Camper Company

There are not many teardrop trailer builders who go from hobbyist to philanthropist in just a few years. Joe Tyquiengco of Tiny Camper Company went from building teardrop trailers for himself and a few clients to providing several campers a year to homeless U.S. veterans. The company has also raffled off their trailers to raise money for sick children.

The Tiny Camper Company, based in Florida, is a family-run business that builds several different types and sizes of teardrop trailer. The trailers veer toward the styles of the 1930s to 1960's with retro details and classic lines.

Currently the company has six teardrop designs, including the Canned Spam standy trailer which is tall enough for someone just under six feet. Each trailer can include options and upgrades like AC and heat, front cargo or roof racks, TVs, hanging cabinets, and painted frames. The campers range from $2,750 to $5,300 without the upgrades.

For a straightforward teardrop trailer with galley, the Simple Sleeper and the Simple Sleeper Basic are built on 4x8 trailer frames and both weigh under 700 lb. They each have a NOCO Marine Electric 110 volt outlet and a back shelf. The Koa Teardrop is a simple design with a galley and two doors on a 4x8 trailer frame. Each of these campers can be upgraded to a 5x8 trailer frame for $750.

If you like nostalgia in your camper, the Retro Vintage Teardrop has a 1930s vibe with vintage Ford fenders and tail lights. The Retro comes standard on a 5x8 trailer frame. The Serro Scotty Replica has white aluminum, a squared off rear galley and only weighs 750 lb.

For issue #51 of the Tiny House Magazine, I interviewed Joe about his new 5x8 Canned Spam standy trailer as well as his Trailers for Troops program. Every year, he and his Trailers for Troops representative and manager, Micah Jones, choose several homeless veterans to receive a pro bono teardrop trailer. Many of these veterans are either living in their cars or on the street and suffer from PTSD-induced illnesses. The teardrops give them a more secure and comfortable way of life.

Photos by Tiny Camper Company