Teardrop and Fiberglass Camper Comparison: Pros and Cons

Now that we have been camping in our 1982 Burro fiberglass camper for a few months, we can do a comparison between the teardrop trailer and our small fiberglass standy. 

We have been camping in Sunflower, the teardrop trailer, for more than 10 years and while it has been so great for us, we were looking for a trailer we could stand up inside and cook inside out of the weather. During some of our teardrop trailer trips, we have experienced desert wind, thunderstorms, pouring rain, and even snow. While it doesn’t stop us from camping, it has either cut some trips short or has made them more difficult than usual.

The Burro (named Wonky Donkey for its not so straight lines), is a 1,100 lb. fiberglass trailer from 1982. We spent about six months fixing it up and turning into a basic, but comfortable camper for weekend or week-long trips. 

It has a deep-cycle battery that runs our lights and a two burner stove that runs off propane. We also have a 10 gallon water tank with a pump faucet and sink, but no shower or toilet. Other than that, we have kept the trailer just as simple as the teardrop by using solar devices to charge our phones and cameras and doing most of our cooking outside on a portable Coleman stove when the weather permits.

So, with a little experience in this new trailer we feel we have a good sense of what makes up the pros and cons between the teardrop and the Burro.

Teardrop trailer pros

Better insulation

Because the teardrop is made of wood with interior insulation, it is much better than the Burro at keeping in heat or keeping out cold. In addition, because the teardrop bed area is so small, it heats up much quicker on a cold night.

A better outdoor cooking space

Because we prefer to cook outside, having the teardrop galley already set up for preparation space is useful. All we do is pull out our stove on a picnic table and use the galley for chopping vegetables or setting up the ingredients.

Lighter and easier to pack up

The teardrop is only 850 lb. and we can actually pick it up and move it around or pull it onto our hitch. Also, because it is smaller and we have been using it for so many years, it is so much quicker to pack up. We have clocked our pack up time to about 10 minutes on a good day.

Teardrop trailer cons

No escaping the wind and storms

While camping in the teardrop, there have been a few times where the weather has either driven us to shelter into the tiny bed area or has forced us to eat at a restaurant since we couldn’t cook outside. When the weather is great, the teardrop is the best camper ever. When the weather is bad, it’s a real challenge.

No or limited views

Much of the time our teardrop trailer “living room” is outside and our views are amazing. When we are inside the trailer, our views are non-existent unless we have the doors wide open. While we are inside the Burro, we can pull back the curtains and enjoy views from the bed or the dinette without having to go outside or be exposed to the elements.

No standing up or interior room

Of course, one of the main reasons to get a standy trailer is so you can stand up inside of it. It’s probably the biggest complaint that most people have about teardrop trailers. There is no headroom and no space inside to put on clothes.

Fiberglass camper pros

We can stand up and move around inside

When we first stepped inside the Burro, we were amazed at how much headroom the tiny trailer had. With its raised trolley roof, the interior has at least 6’2” of headroom in the middle of the trailer. With its less than 13-foot interior space, we can actually move around each other (within reason), change clothes, cook, eat, make the bed, and other chores that can be more challenging in the teardrop.

More storage space for clothes and gear

Along with the extra space comes additional areas for storing gear and clothing. In the teardrop we have been extremely minimal for many years. It works great at keeping camping simple, but we do have to store more stuff such as camera gear inside the car. We now have a hanging closet and easier storage under the bed.

We can cook inside or outside

With just a few Burro trips under our belts, we have cooked both inside and outside the camper. Having that choice is so nice when the temperature drops, the wind picks up, or we just don’t feel like going outside in our pajamas to make coffee. The interior stove is not as powerful as our Coleman, but it does heat up the Burro quickly on a cold morning.

Fiberglass camper cons

No insulation

Because the lightweight Burro is made of two thin pieces of fiberglass, it has no insulation, so it gets darn cold inside in the early morning. We have been experimenting with various blankets and some heaters so this is still a work in progress. However, this can also be a pro since as soon as the sun hits the Burro, it warms up very quickly on a cold morning.

Takes a little longer to set up and take down camp

We are teardrop trailer professionals and can pack up for a trip or pack up camp very quickly. There is a bit of a learning curve with a larger trailer and it takes us a little longer with the Burro. For example, we need to fill up the water tank before taking off, and pack outdoor items away inside the under seat storage area in the correct order.

We are not used to an actual door

With the teardrop we have gotten used to ducking our heads while getting in and out of the doorways. Now we have to get used to stepping up and down out of the Burro. I think the Wonky Donkey has a bit of a lift on the axle, so the step down is taller than most fiberglass campers. While carrying out pots, pans, and ingredients for outdoor cooking, we have to be sure to watch our step and not get frustrated with the constant in and out, in and out.

If you are not sure of what type of tiny trailer to get, check out this video by YouTuber Playing With Sticks to see another teardrop trailer and fiberglass trailer comparison.

1982 Burro Fiberglass Trailer Tour [VIDEO]

A video tour of "Wonky Donkey", a 1982 13-foot Burro fiberglass trailer.

Teardrop Trailer Trip to Benton Hot Springs and Boundary Peak

For the Labor Day Weekend, we took off for the very edge of the California/Nevada border and had a semi-relaxing few days at Benton Hot Springs. Highway 120 on the way to Benton (from beautiful Mono Lake) is an excellent highway for towing. It's free of any traffic, has some great boondocking spots, and a few roller coaster ride hills.

One day was spent attempting to hike to the top of the tallest mountain in Nevada—Boundary Peak. At 13,147 feet, it is actually more difficult to get to than many tall peaks in the area. You first have to drive an old dirt mining road up several thousand feet just to reach the trailhead. The steep trail then goes up to about 10,500 feet before it reaches a tallus field. This tallus field is where I had to bail out. With one step forward, I would slip about three feet back. My friends continued on, but also had to quit the hike when the trail got too sketchy and dangerous. Maybe that's why the mountain only has a few hundred visitors a year, and a small fraction of them ever reach the top.

The rest of our time was spent relaxing in the private hot pool of our Benton campsite. Benton Hot Springs sites each have their own pool constantly filled with natural, hot water.

His and Hers Minimalist Teardrop Trailer Dopp Kits

Our teardrop trailer dopp kit used to be a single box where we kept shared toiletry items. My husband and I finally realized that we would always be yelling back and forth between campground showers as to who had the soap, toothpaste, bath scrubby, etc. So, I decided to get us each our own his and hers dopp kits.

The blue and pink color coding has nothing to with our gender, but I just happen to like hot pink (matches my camping jacket) and he likes blue. I picked up two soft-sided toiletry bags from Amazon that fit perfectly on top of each other inside our clothes cabinet. The brand is Yeiotsy, but I don't think this particular type is available anymore. You can pick up something similar.

In addition to getting new kits, we got rid of our traditional towels and went with lightweight sports towels which dry a lot quicker. They are also color coded to match the kits...of course. :-) The kits fit a variety of toiletries, a bath scrubby, and first aid supplies. The towels are so small that they also fit inside each kit.

The 5 best condiments to take on a camping trip

When we go out on a teardrop camping trip, we are limited by space. Our food takes up the majority of the galley area, but we do find room to take a few items that add a little more spice to our meals. There are a few handy condiments that always make it along on every trip, and each can do double or triple duty.


Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Rather than soy sauce, we bring a small container of Bragg's Liquid Aminos. The sauce tastes just like soy sauce, but without all the sodium. We use the aminos in everything from marinades to salad dressing to fried rice.


Cholula Hot Sauce

We really can't go on any camping trip without Cholula Hot Sauce. It's not overly hot and has a really nice, piquant flavor that goes great with everything from eggs and burritos to corn on the cob. We prefer the original flavor.


Kirkland Signature Imported Pesto

I put pesto on everything from pasta to sandwiches. It's also great in potato salad, on wraps and even on scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, it does need to be refrigerated, so it's a condiment that we have to keep in the cooler. We bring a small container of the Kirkland Signature Imported Pesto from Costco since the original container is too large.


Kikkoman Seasoned Rice Vinegar

You can tell we like our Asian flavors. We love to bring along a bottle of Kikkoman's Seasoned Rice Vinegar for everything from quick pickles to salad dressing. It's also a good marinade for fish.


Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce

No camping trip is complete without burgers or steak. We like to generously dose our meat with Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce. The sauce is also another great marinade for ribs or skirt steak.

Wedding Anniversary Trip to Oregon

When my husband and I got married 15 years ago, we did not have a teardrop trailer. As big fans of tent camping, we never even considered a tiny camper until several years later. After nearly 10 years of teardrop camping, the Sunflower is still an excellent wedding anniversary (or belated honeymoon) getaway.

Our latest trip was a 10 day trek to the Oregon Coast and Northern California to escape the heat of the desert interior. We took a similar trip many years ago and didn't have to book any of our campsites. Unfortunately, the number of people visiting this area has increased and campgrounds fill up very quickly. We ended up having to book sites at several KOA campgrounds and hope for the best.

We were pleasantly surprised by a few of them. One night was spent at the KOA near Mount Shasta and one at the KOA in Grants Pass, Oregon. The Grants Pass location actually had their own wonderful swimming holes. We'll be going back to that one.

The Bandon/Port Orford KOA was a quiet, tree-filled delight close to windy Cape Blanco and Bandon restaurants. It was a perfect place to enjoy the coast without getting blasted by wind or cold. We also stayed one night at the Heceta Head Lighthouse (where we originally proposed to each other) and were lucky our tiny trailer fit down their tiny road.

The last locations included Whaleshead Beach Resort near Brookings and the Redwood Meadows RV near Jedediah Smith State Park and the Del Norte Redwoods. While the Redwood Meadows was conveniently located near the redwood hikes and Smith River swimming holes, it was packed full of larger RVs. We were a curiosity in that campground. We had visited Whaleshead before and stayed in a rental cabin that overlooked the coast. This time, our campsite was meant to be for a larger RV, but had plenty of room for us.

Out of all the places we stayed, we were consistently the smallest trailer around.

Memorial Day Shakedown Trip

Last weekend we took off in the Sunflower (with our Stargazers friends) for our first summer teardrop getaway. Our shady campsite at Rye Patch Reservoir was only a few hours from our home which makes for a good shakedown trip.

A shakedown trip is an opportunity to get all your camping mistakes out of the way. Having the teardrop trailer tucked away for the winter will make you a little rusty in the camping department—not matter how long you've been camping. During this trip we realized what we are missing, what needs repairing and what supplies we need to stock up on.

The trip was also a nice time to enjoy our teardrops after a long, cold winter. We hiked in flooded canyons and played some late night games. We still sleep like we're dead to the world and have a few new recipes under our belts. We also ran into another teardropper with a simple trailer named the Mini GetAway.

4 Ways to Save Water While Teardrop Camping

The majority of our teardrop camping time is spent in dry campsites. This means we don't have access to (or want to pay for) hookups like electricity and water. In fact, because our camper is so small, we don't really need to have hookups. Our deep cycle battery takes care of most of our electrical needs, we don't have a toilet or shower to dump, and we are super efficient when it comes to water.

While camping we usually have access to campground faucets, lakes and spring water. However, we can only carry so much with us in our one gallon galley container and our five gallon Aquatainer. Over the years we've found several ways to save water while teardrop camping—especially in desert or high-drought areas.

1. Don't wash dishes

When we have little access to water, we don't actually wash our dishes. Instead we use a spray bottle filled with a little bit of water and Dr. Bronner's soap, spray the dirty dishes and then use a paper towel to wipe them off. This gets off most of the worst offending foods, but very greasy dishes will need to be washed. If we do need to wash dishes, we use just a cup of two of hot water and a soapy sponge to scrub up and then a few cups more of warm or hot water to rinse.

2. Cook foods that don't require water

While camping we don't make too much pasta, rice or other dishes that require water. We tend to grill meat or vegetables on the stove or over the fire, and make dishes that use very little water like couscous or instant mashed potatoes. We also use our grill multiple times without having to clean it.

3. One pot showers

I've already done a post on my minimalist camp shower. We used to set up elaborate showers with solar shower bags, but I've come to the conclusion that simple is better. I take a small metal cooking pot and fill it with about four cups of water, heat it until warm on the stove, and take it and another cup into the camp shower. I've found out that it takes about 1.5 cups of water to get wet and soap up and another 2-3 cups to wash off the soap and shampoo.

4. Drink beer

Drink enough water to keep yourself hydrated. After that, drink beer. :-)

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day VW Thing and Teardrop Trailer

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day wanted to inspire makers of all things to continue creating—no matter how imperfect their creation was. Last fall, the cleaning product company took to the streets (starting in the Chicago Randolph Street Market) with the world's first auto pop-up workshop.

The workshop is a transforming Volkswagen Type 181 "Thing" towing a shiny teardrop trailer. The Thing transforms into a public maker space where visitors can throw their own pots or design their own textiles. Of course, the teardrop has a sink with Mrs. Meyers soaps where makers can wash their messy hands.



To learn more about the Mrs. Meyers #MakeAndTell campaign, visit their website.

Barnwood Teardrop Trailer for Sale

If you don't mind looking like the Clampetts while you're camping, this handmade barn wood teardrop trailer will be perfect. Made from barn wood, nicely aged galvanized metal and reclaimed pipe, this teardrop only comes in at 1,000 lb. You gotta love those feed bucket fenders.

It has a basic bed area with storage at the foot and head and a basic galley with cabinets, but no stove or sink. This teardrop is for sale in the Sacramento, California area for $4,800.

December Cool Tears Magazine

The December issue of Cool Tears and Tiny Campers is now available online. This issue features the awesome Rockin' Raisin by Mike and Casie Bazay that has room for their whole family. Other stories feature the Tiny Camper Company and a teardrop that celebrates the University of Michigan.

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