Brian Seeley and his wife own Aero Teardrops, LLC, a small company in Portland, Ore. Their company not only builds stylish teardrop trailers, but they also just became the Portland dealer for Adventure Sole Rooftop Tents. Seeley's company offers the 5x10 "Steel" model ($11,500) and the 5x8 "Broadway" ($9,500) model and both can be ordered directly from their website.
Brian was kind to answer a few questions about Aero Teardrops for the Tiny Yellow Teardrop and the latest issue of Tiny House Magazine.
Tell us a little about Aero Teardrops and why you think they are unique.
Our trailers are a blend of ‘50’s nostalgia with just the right amount of modern features. They’re a great mix of vintage diner meets modern technology and comfort. Inside, the cabin of our teardrops feel nice and airy—not like an old, dark, wooden boat cabin.
Our goal is to create a room where people can spend time relaxing. By using a mattress that folds into a couch, it allows the cabin to be multi-functional. If it’s raining, windy, or you just want some time alone, you can sit on the couch and read. With the addition of our interior table, you can easily play a board game or enjoy a meal no matter what the weather’s doing. This also allows you to expand the months you feel comfortable camping!
Part of what our family always enjoys while camping is cooking. To make this easier, we designed almost a full-depth countertop in our galleys, like you have in your kitchen at home. We’ve found that having a nice big area to prep meals in without having to shuffle stuff around is a lot less stressful.
A few other great features we offer that our family loves:
- A children's bunk in our 5x10 model that allows a child under 5’ tall to sleep comfortably inside the teardrop
- USB ports and a small phone/glasses shelf near the head of the bed for you to easily charge your phone while sleeping
- Stereo speakers both inside the cabin and in the galley
Why do you think teardrops have become so popular?
Teardrops have become popular because people are thirsty for adventure but are tired of tent-camping. At the same time, they don’t want to be tied down by a large RV and all of the payments and maintenance that comes with them. Teardrops are lightweight and can be towed with most cars, which means that they don’t have to buy a separate, larger vehicle to tow with.
The nostalgic look of the teardrop camper makes them popular as well. So many people have come up to us in campgrounds and at trade shows and told me about the teardrop their grandparents had when they were kids. It hearkens back to a simpler era, where extravagant wasn’t necessary for great family fun.
Can you tell me the different ways that your customers configure their galley?
Our galleys can be configured many different ways. We tend to leave the upper cabinets the same in most of our builds to make sure that there is plenty of storage. Under the counter, in addition to the large standard drawers, customers can add a sliding stove drawer with a built-in two burner stove. We can also add a pull-out cooler drawer for a 50 quart cooler. All of our galleys also come standard with a pull-out drawer for a five gallon water jug that tucks inside a cabinet, although customers can request that this be just a regular cabinet instead. Our galley design allows us to be pretty flexible with custom requests.
What other requests do customers have when ordering their trailer?
One of the most surprising requests that I have had was to leave out the Bluetooth stereo system. A Pioneer Bluetooth stereo system is a standard option on both of our models and has no additional cost. I have also had requests for a sink in the galley. Although this isn’t an item on our option equipment list, we will quote and install sinks on a case-by-case basis. Another item that customers request is a plug-in refrigerator.
What do you like about teardrop trailers?
I like how they make camping easier for “regular” people. My wife and I love that we can keep our camping gear in the teardrop and just load food and clothes in it and hit the road. For us, it’s really brought the enjoyment and relaxation back to camping.
Where do you like to go camping and what location is on your bucket list?
We often go camping on the Oregon coast and the high desert of Central Oregon. We love the beautiful scenery. Our favorite Central Oregon campground is located in The Cove Palisades State Park near Madras. One of my bucket list trips is to take a road trip around the continental U.S. Part of that trip would include a long stop at the Grand Canyon. Another trip on my bucket list is a trip through Alaska. We’re currently developing an off-road/overlanding version of our 5x8 model and a trip to Alaska would be just the thing to test the durability! Once it’s proven itself on the rugged terrain of Alaska, we may have to take a trip to South America too.
