Showing posts with label storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storage. Show all posts

Featured Teardrop: Drifthouse Campers

I love to see when small companies take the teardrop design and turn it on its head…er…roof. Drifthouse does this with its new Adventure Trailer where you have the choice to stand up and cook inside.


While this is not a typical teardrop trailer, the Drifthouse Adventure is a microlite camper that only comes in at 1,250 lb. Inside is a kitchenette with a sink, faucet and drain, and a Murphy bed that converts to seating with a small folding table.



On the exterior of the camper is a customizable space to store bikes and other outdoor gear. The trailer also has a screened door and windows. The trailer keeps things simple with a rubber floor, roller shades and a pretty pine interior. The Adventure Trailer is also completely solar powered with Goal Zero.



The Drifthouse campers are still in production, but this trailer is being sold for $6,250. If you are interested in purchasing one, you can contact the company at their website.



Photos by Drifthouse

Sylvain's Little Guy Shoe Storage Hack

I really love it when owners of manufactured teardrop trailers do their own hacks. Sylvain Rioux (desktoprover on the Little Guy Forums) of Canada sent me a great storage solution for shoes (and other dirty items) that are usually stored on the ground under a teardrop trailer.


JhnR of the Little Guy Forums used a cement mixing tub for his "Sylvain Shoe Hack"

Sylvain screwed two 58 inch aluminum U bars (channels) underneath his trailer that hold two 30 liter Sterlite bins for shoes, tools, cleaning cloths, etc. There is a bin inserted under each side of the trailer while at camp and removed during transit. He used self drilling screws to screw the 1x1 1/8 inch and 1/8 inch thick channels into the underside of his Little Guy Silver Shadow. The channels can be found at various hardware stores or ordered from Online Metals.




Photos by Sylvain Rioux and JhnR



Friday Teardrop Photo


Shoes just seem to be too large for the teardrop trailer. I usually store my shoes either under the trailer or on the fenders. I've actually seen some teardroppers build fender boxes that hold shoes and other small items that can be outside, but should stay protected.

I do envy teardrop trailers with separate compartments for shoes. Where do you keep yours?

What's on our teardrop trailer interior shelf?

I thought I would do a little video on what we carry on the interior shelf of the bed area in the Sunflower. This area tends to be the most widely used (besides the galley) and holds those little items that we seem to need every time we go camping.





It's also the most difficult area of the trailer to keep organized. Usually after every trip, I have to take everything off the shelf, clean it and re-organize it. It also tends to be a catchall area for everything from dirty tissues to wallets and keys. I think this is the cleanest it's ever been!

What do we keep in the teardrop galley?

The galley of a teardrop is what sets this type of trailer apart from every other trailer. The galley is usually small, but can be extremely efficient and well designed. While the Sunflower is a commercial trailer, I really like the galley. It's open and clean and I can see nearly everything. We don't keep very much in it as you can see below.



Our stove is a Coleman grill with one burner. We've cooked everything from steak and fish to pancakes and eggs. The little legs keep it wedged under the galley shelf during transportation. I do put little rubber skids under the legs to keep it from sliding.


This little sunflower is a wooden trivet that we use to put hot pans or pots on. Hot cast iron will burn or melt wood and plastic picnic tables.


Our cutting boards fit perfectly into the galley shelf. I've mentioned this before, but the smaller one is actually a divider that goes into a spiral binder.






Our various cups, plates and crockery are all plastic for travel reasons. Most of them I got from a thrift store, and we have enough to feed four to five people. The fish plates are used as serving plates, and they don't fit the Sunflower theme very well (I won them during a contest at a picnic).




In two blue toy boxes we carry olive oil, spray oil, salt, pepper, spices and some hot sauces.


We also carry a small spray bottle filled with soap and water to do quick dish washes while eating on the road.


Hot coffee on a cold morning while camping is very important to us. This French press by Thermos makes at least four small cups of coffee.



Two essential items on the shelf are paper towels and aluminum foil....


...and two spatulas—one plastic and one metal.


In our two red dishpans, we carry everyday kitchen items like...


...our cast iron pan which I rescued from a rust-covered life in someone's yard,


a small bag that holds plastic grocery bags for garbage,


our two oven mitts, 


an extra bottle of propane,


and some dish towels and rags for cleaning up.


The only (and very small) drawer holds not only our cutlery, but a few tools and odds and ends like...


...the dish soap and sponge,


various kitchen tools like a good knife, peeler, can opener, bottle opener and tongs.


Of course, we have enough spoons, forks and knives for several people including two grapefruit spoons.


We've also crammed in some lighters with fuel, scissors, a mesh strainer and a pen.


We also have some emergency matches, and a clothespin always seems to come in handy.


In our one cabinet (along with the battery) we have our various pots. Personally, I think we have too many, but they all serve different needs. This one is usually reserved for our shower setup.


This pot has a locking lid and holes for draining pasta and vegetables. We carry a measuring cup inside of it.


This pot has two lips for pouring out water or hot milk into coffee and hot chocolate.


This is a bowl we use for mixing breads and eggs or for holding a salad. It was left behind in a campground bear box.


This pot is primarily used for heating up water on the campfire. It's become a little black.


Last of all is our open storage area. This area holds the two dishpans, the main propane tank, a 2.5 gallon water container and a plastic bin for dry goods. The plastic bin is handy in that it can be taken out of the galley and moved to a picnic table for quick access.


The plastic bin (which we've had for nearly 13 years) usually carries coffee, hot chocolate, a container of sugar, honey, plastic bags, creamer, rice or pasta and some storage containers. On a short or long trip—this thing is stocked full.

Looking back at the photos—it seems like a lot of stuff! However, when they are neatly organized and stored away, all the items don't seem like too much to carry around in your own mobile kitchen.

Friday Teardrop Photo


This is my closet in the Sunflower—after a few days of camping. I'm not always as diligent as I should be about keeping my clothes organized in a closet this size. After just a day or two, I have to pull everything out, fold and re-organize. It's a challenge working with a small space and you've just seen my dirty laundry—literally.

Featured Teardrop: Viper Caravans

Being able to go off-roading seems to be getting more and more popular with teardrop trailer owners. Face it...campgrounds are getting more popular and getting off-road is very appealing for those interested in peace and quiet.


I recently found the Viper Teardrop camper from a builder in Jacksonville, Florida. The brightly colored designs won't be very stealthy in the forest and desert, but the high clearance, storage options and organized galley will make living off-road a little more comfortable.


The 8x4 Viper off-road model has Landcruiser wheels and tires, LED lights, a one piece fiberglass body, and a sleeping compartment with vented windows and two doors. Extras include a 15 gallon water tank, interior personal reading lights, a slide out stainless steel three burner stove and sink combo, a storage toolbox, electric or hydraulic brakes, alloy wheels, a TV/DVD/CD combo or an outdoor tented room.



The basic model weighs less than 500 lbs. and because of those Landcruiser wheels, costs around $13,500 brand new. The loaded version is $16,500. However, if you don't want to go off-road, you can still have the same design for a base price of $9,500.





Photos courtesy of Viper Teardrop