Henry Rifle Forums

Might be awhile then. Looks like it's a little warmer over there, we're supposed to get down to the lower teens the next few days over on this side of the Cascades. At least since I've retired I don't have to be at my old elementary school spreading sand and deicer around at 6AM.

dave77 wrote:Might be awhile then. Looks like it's a little warmer over there, we're supposed to get down to the lower teens the next few days over on this side of the Cascades. At least since I've retired I don't have to be at my old elementary school spreading sand and deicer around at 6AM.

It got down in the teens last night but I suspect in a week we will be getting back into the 40's.

I’m really curious about the teardrop campers. I used to do a lot of tent camping a few years ago, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve strayed away from it. If I go back to camping, I don’t think it will be with a tent.

The teardrops seem to be very efficient, and good for pulling- don’t need a big ol’ truck. The one reservation I do have is that they seem to be very expensive for their size. Full-size campers with a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom seem to cost the same, or even less.

ditto1958 wrote:The one reservation I do have is that they seem to be very expensive for their size. Full-size campers with a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom seem to cost the same, or even less.

the reality is, comparatively, the demand for teardrop size campers is pretty small .... consequently, most companies can't produce them in sufficient numbers to take advantage of volume price discounts .... as but one example, in the opening post in this thread, it was noted this company has, " thirteen employees and build six and a half trailers a month." .... for such a small production to pay the bills, they have to have a high profit margin on each unit sold .... they buy their parts in very small quantities which increases cost .... workers must be capable of carrying out many task which necessitates higher labor cost .... when it comes to building small campers, small companies have a tough road to go

Teardrop trailers are just like anything else made -you can buy a cheap one or an expensive one. My first one cost $4,500, this one cost $35,000. But the first one just had a bed and nothing else. The new one has everything except a TV and it could have had that.

This link is a good read and includes links to most of the teardrop manufacturers today.
http://campingearth.com/blog/teardrop-campers/

ditto1958 wrote:I’m really curious about the teardrop campers. I used to do a lot of tent camping a few years ago, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve strayed away from it. If I go back to camping, I don’t think it will be with a tent.

The teardrops seem to be very efficient, and good for pulling- don’t need a big ol’ truck. The one reservation I do have is that they seem to be very expensive for their size. Full-size campers with a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom seem to cost the same, or even less.

Most full-size campers or trailers are made to RV standards and are considered to have a life of four to ten years. After that they need work on the seams and the thin plywood starts to come apart. Electrical and plumping starts breaking and items need to be replaced.

If a pickup camper was made to marine standards they would cost much more.

Airstream trailers are one exception and they are designed to last a lifetime. They are made to marine standards which is designed to be in wet places and always in the sun. Dampness and sunlight are the enemies of trailers and campers. A camper left outside in the open in Seattle will be toast in ten years even if it was never used.

Camp-Inn trailers were at one time the most expensive teardrop you could buy. But now others have upped their game and compete with them.

You can still get a teardrop for the price of an equal camper.

Thanks for the post and tour.

You are correct that most RV's are basically stapled together out of inferior materials.

Some Truck campers are built to a higher standard. My FourWheelCamper and All Terrain Campers are. They have aluminum frames and are designed for offroading. They use marine grade electrical components and such.

I hope you get much use out of your new camper. I like basic no frills campers. My pop up truck camper has made a big difference in my retirement. With the solar system keeping the battery charged the fridge stays loaded and cold for months on end. Just throw some clothes in the truck and head out. The furnace makes it easy to camp more in the off season and we run to local spots often that I would not get close to in the summer. We use it frequently. Camp set up takes minutes.