Friday Teardrop Trailer

This unusual looking teardrop trailer by Trekker Trailers is called the Simple Sleeper. The little bump out (in lieu of a galley) holds the foot area of a long bed that can also become a lounger during the day.

Photo by Trekker Trailers

Friday Teardrop Photo

This photo is actually of me in my first teardrop trailer, a Little Guy Rascal I purchased on craigslist in 2006. Our first trip was a December journey into Death Valley. Even when the daytime temperatures got into the 70s, at night it hovered around 30 degrees...hence the hat and the double feather comforters. The orange giraffe lived in the Rascal for a while and loves national parks.

How do you sleep in a teardrop trailer?

The main purpose of a teardrop trailer is to have a soft, warm, comfortable place to sleep while in the outdoors. This is the question we are asked the most: How well do you sleep in a teardrop trailer? When it comes to our own experience, the answer is: "Very well, but it takes some time."

What I mean is that sleeping in a teardrop trailer takes some practice. I don't sleep very well the first night out on a trip, but after a few nights, I'm sleeping like a baby. My husband is the same way. The first night we are getting used to being in a more cramped space, figuring out the number of blankets we need for the night temperatures, getting used to campground and nature noises and jockeying for our own space in the trailer.

We each have our own side of the bed. Since my husband is taller, he sleeps on the left hand side of the bed where his feet won't hit the 120V/12V plug that sits on wall down near my side of the bed. He also needs less blankets than I do and I need to have the window on my side cracked open. Once we have these little, picky issues figured out...we're fine for the rest of the trip.

If you want a good night's sleep in a teardrop trailer, practice for a few nights in your driveway or a nearby campground. It will take some time to get used to and you may need to make some adjustments to your typical way of sleeping. Also make sure you have what you need for comfort close by. For us, this means facial tissues, drinking water, eye drops and chapstick.

If you don't get a great night's sleep...teardrops are ideal for after lunch naps.


Photo courtesy of Oregon Trail'R

Teardrop Trailer Camping with Children

My husband and I don't have children, but I always admire teardrop campers who bring their small children to gatherings or on regular campouts. While camping can be simple, it gets a little more complicated with children included – especially in a very small trailer. I decided to ask the parents and grandparents on the Teardrops n' Tiny Travel Trailers forum about how they camp with their own little ones and what things they keep in mind when packing up the teardrop for the whole family.

Where do the children sleep?

"I am getting ready to spring camp with my wife and our three-year-old daughter in our Five Wide Platform Little Guy. We have glamped in it recently to see how we fit. My daughter uses about half of the queen sized bed and must be re-positioned during the night for our comfort. I see napping during the day as the way to supplement our somewhat broken sleep during the night. I am concerned about rattlesnakes here in the Southwest as being a danger to talk to them about. They are excited about camping and I think this is going to be most enjoyable."

Tucguy
Tucson, Arizona

[Mark Janke of Overland Trailer built a 10 foot long trailer with a bunk bed for the "Assistant to the Senior Manager" who celebrated her one month birthday in a teardrop trailer.]

"The little Assistant to the Senior Manager celebrated her one month old birthday on a camping trip in the jPod. Since this family arrangement is new to us, Senior Management and I thought it would be wise to camp someplace near our home-base and someplace that had bathroom facilities. Little baby did well. She woke up once in the night and I got to change a diaper in the jPod. I am thankful for the Fan-Tastic roof vent that I installed when building the jPod. It pulls enough air to make the windows whistle. It also pulls enough air to flush the soiled diaper smell out of such a small space! Without that fan, teardrop camping with a new baby would be too much of an adventure for us."

Overland Trailer
www.overlandtrailer.com

"We put our three girls in one tent and the boy in his own right next to them so they can talk."

rowerwet
Merrimack River Valley

How do you keep them entertained?

"The campground we plan on going to with just our kids and the teardrop has playgrounds and a beach. My kids have never been bored at a beach."

rowerwet
Merrimack River Valley

"A bicycle, small car/truck toys, use of the campground playground and Saturday morning cartoons while I showered kept my 4 1/2 year old great nephew occupied."

Verna
Indianapolis, IN

"I've seen a group of kids spend five days digging a hole. I've seen a five-year-old perfectly entertained with a spoon and a bucket for a full day. You don't need to bring every toy, or buy a ton of stuff. They have imaginations. With that and attention from their parents, they will have fun. Have a backup plan in case the weather goes bad, but keep it a secret. If you tell them you brought the iPad, they will want to play with that instead of being outside."

Socal Tom

"Camping is simple! Keep it that way! Kids will find lots to do on their own in almost any circumstance."

Vedette
Westbank, British Columbia

How do you avoid the "yucky food" face?

"Food needs to be familiar. To get kids ready for camping out, cook a few times in the backyard using your camp cooking gear to make sure you can turn out kid-friendly foods outside of your own kitchen. Everyone needs to start the day with some protein. Sugary cereal leads to a sugar crash and whiny-ness."

Catherine+twins
Northern New Mexico

"We make sure there are snacks but don't offer them all the time, meals are a group effort, we all chip in for food and then one person does the shopping."

rowerwet
Merrimack River Valley

"I made sure I had food that he would eat, and he played so much that he was hungry. And he fell asleep quickly, too."

Verna
Indianapolis, IN

Some (extra) tips…

"When you arrive at camp everyone has a specific job to do so you can settle in very quickly. Even very small children can be given a camp setup chore to do. We can bug out of a camp area fast too because everyone has a task to complete."

Teardrop Nanny
Northwestern Coast of California

"At night I tie a string with a glow stick on it around their necks. You always know where they are. Haven't lost one yet."

cherokeegeorge
La Crescenta, California

"For us camping is about keeping them covered with sunscreen, making sure they are eating enough, and then following them with a camera for all the memories."

rowerwet
Merrimack River Valley

Photos by vwool, Overland Trailer and 48Rob

Five Best Teardrop Beds

There are really only two main living parts to a teardrop trailer: the galley and the bed. The bed is where you can really create a special look for your teardrop trailer as well as the place you want to make soft and comfortable. It's also the place where you are most likely going to be storing your clothes, personal and bath items, books and other entertainment. Organization in the bed area is key so that you don't find yourself sleeping with your clothes, books, iPad or hiking gear.

Here are the five best teardrop trailer beds I have found over the years that utilize both beauty and functionality in a darn small space.

This darling bed was in the teardrop formerly owned by my friend, Kay (Kayperkay on TNTTT). Her teardrop was so wide that the bed ran along the short edge of the teardrop.  She was actually able to have room inside her bedroom for a closet. I always loved the boudoir look of her bed.

 

This is the bed of the L'il Bear rental teardrop by Vacations in a Can.
I especially love the adjustable, personal reading lights.

 

The Big Woody Teardrop company has some great styling with their teardrop beds. Their storage cabinets are huge and you can even fit a small child in a bunk bed at the foot of the bed.

 

The beautiful new Vistabule teardrop by the Minnesota Teardrop Trailer company has one of the most functional interiors I've seen in such a tiny trailer. The bed can be folded up into a couch and you can eat inside the bed area. There is tons of storage and some great windows.

 

This is a screen shot from a news piece on the teardrop trailer built by Mary and Myron of North Dakota. Their bed area is small, but has always been one of my favorites: from the handmade quilt to the beautiful, custom cabinetry, this teardrop deserves the attention is got.