What teardrop to buy?

roguebooks

Hello all, my name is Mike. My wife and I are looking for a new adventure. I began searching a few years ago for a teardrop, and at one time considered purchasing a Camp-in model. The idea of climbing basically into a bed, especially on a rainy day, did not sit well with either of us.  And cooking outdoors is something I do often both at home in Florida and at our cabin in Michigan, and wasn’t too thrilled with continuing the practice with a teardrop. This past early spring I began searching for a molded fiberglass trailer and used the Fiberglass RV Community extensively. After exhausting my search over the past week I revisited the idea of a teardrop. Previously my wife was not a fan of the form, and she is vintage in much of her thinking regarding aesthetics. I, on the other hand, am an old salty dog, used to roughing it, being outdoors and going places the herd does not. Now I am vigorously researching the differences between the new LG 21’ Max (actually three feet longer than I want), the nuCamp T@B 400 (too modern for my wife), the nuCamp T@B 320-U Outback (what I most want if the bed/table can work/not thrilled with headroom of 5’-9”), and the nuCamp T@B 320-S Outback (not really needing the bathroom and again the poor headroom clearance of 5’-9”).

In the process of looking our requirements have become quite clear: 

1. We need an RV that we can pull off the road, or into a rest area, or a Walmart parking lot and immediately go to sleep for a bit. A pop-up camper is not suitable.

2. I want to be able to go off-road if I so desire. Therefore a trailer not well-made and with enough ground clearance is out as well. 

3. We need at least a full-size bed. For over thirty years we have had nothing bigger and can live and sleep in a small space together.

4. Important that the trailer can be modified to solar.

5. Important to have a two-inch trailer hitch in back for my bike rake (been informed that this might not be a good idea so looking into other options).

6. Black water tank is not important to us (unless there is a bathroom).

7. Having a separate dinette would be preferable, but if the 320’s can be used as a full bed with still a bit of seat to sit at table in the morning while wife sleeps then all is good (please advise).

Sorry for the long intro. I could go on… Any good and thoughtful help and suggestions will be appreciated.

Sharon_is_SAM

Regarding having a separate dining area:  if you are somewhere for at least a few days, having the attached tent doubles your floor space and headroom.  We set up a table and chairs in addition to the Lagun mounted on the side of the Tab and you have a living/dining room without taking down the bed.

KBaggins1

All T@B's now come with the marine washroom as far as I know. I looked inside a clamshell model yesterday and among the 320 models I think it has the most room inside. Maybe you could option one of those out with an Outback axle? Another trailer line you might want to check out is the Prolite. Super light weight trailers built with modern construction. The new big little guy trailer is interesting but it is heavy.  

roguebooks

SAM said:

Regarding having a separate dining area:  if you are somewhere for at least a few days, having the attached tent doubles your floor space and headroom.  We set up a table and chairs in addition to the Lagun mounted on the side of the Tab and you have a living/dining room without taking down the bed.

Totally agree that the tent option is the way to go to add more room and is another reason I like these trailers. Actually might be a way back into the 320-U except for that problematic 5'9' headroom.

roguebooks

KBaggins1 said:

All T@B's now come with the marine washroom as far as I know. I looked inside a clamshell model yesterday and among the 320 models I think it has the most room inside. Maybe you could option one of those out with an Outback axle? Another trailer line you might want to check out is the Prolite. Super light weight trailers built with modern construction. The new big little guy trailer is interesting but it is heavy.  

The clamshell are the units with outdoor kitchens, right? Which is a no for me. I looked at the Prolite and it has no style compared to the T@B's. Plus my wife would not like it at all. I have enough truck TV for any LG or T@B.

db_cooper

Airstream Basecamp hits most of your requirements from what I can tell.  We'll built and good departure angles.

roguebooks

db_cooper said:

Airstream Basecamp hits most of your requirements from what I can tell.  We'll built and good departure angles.

I totally checked them out in the initial stages of my search beginning last spring and there were far too many problems with me to want one. I wanted one, but not the trouble for the price.

Sharon_is_SAM

You are not standing up inside for too much.  You sit for meals and to shower.  

roguebooks

Thanks

Roamey

Have you considered the Alto?
http://m.safaricondo.com/en/caravanes_F1743#anchor_page

roguebooks

Roamey said:

Have you considered the Alto?
http://m.safaricondo.com/en/caravanes_F1743#anchor_page

Yes. Not for us. Aluminum for one reason, and then others. But thanks. We are pretty set now on one of the units listed in my intro. Actually, as of today, I am working with a knowledgeable sales rep near the factory.

marknjudy

How about Gulfstream Vintage series? They come in many lengths from near T@B size to big big. 

roguebooks

marknjudy said:

How about Gulfstream Vintage series? They come in many lengths from near T@B size to big big. 

Personally went and looked at them last week and though they were cute the construction was cheap and suspect at best. I know they are popular, but remember I have looked and priced fine FGRV's such as the Oliver Elite. I know quality, just frightened by the price. The Vintage series is around $20,000 which sounds good, but you get what you pay for. 

marknjudy

I wondered. I haven't seen them personally. I just spend time looking at video of various campers. I will trust you on that based on your research and first hand experience looking at it. 

db_cooper

The Oliver looks nice but yeah, too much.  When we first started looking, we thought we wanted a fiberglass egg like the Scamp or Casita, but they felt really sterile inside.  The T@b most certainly fixes that problem, but a little more space like the eggs have would be nice.  The new Parkliner model is a bit better esthetically, but ground clearance isn't good.  It's all one big compromise.

roguebooks

I have been waiting to look at the new Parkliner, but have basically given up on my search for a FGRV. Just doesn't feel right inside most of them (other than the Ollie). My hunch is if my wife and I can live with a 42" wide sleeping surface (keeping the table up or even using the twin bed option) while traveling to a destination then the Outback model in the T@B 320-U or T@B 320-S will be our first choice followed by the T@B 400 and then the LG MAX Rough Rider. But what do I know? Just a hunch. In two or three weeks we are leaving our cabin and driving to Ohio on our way home to Florida to meet with a rep and look at all three. 

db_cooper

The T@b Outback hits most of your marks. We're really happy with ours overall.  Great for boondocking with our dual GC batteries. A little cramped, bang my head occasionally, but that's about the only complaints I have.  I'm 5'10, if I was a little taller I'd probably not bang my head as much, but I'm so close I always forget.

The quality is definitely there, and with all the windows, it's a nice place to hang when the weather is crappy. Good luck with your search.

roguebooks

Did you get the solar option db_cooper?

db_cooper

No solar, bought ours used, but so far have just used a generator a few times winter camping.  Plan to get a solar suitcase eventually.  We try to move every 3 or 4 days to empty tanks and recharge.  The dual Golf Cart batteries have no problem lasting that long, and nice to have the propane fridge and heat.  

Photomom

My husband is 6'5" and is either sitting or lying down when he's in the T@B. We have an awning which we use for cooking, eating, and relaxing.

jgram2

It is to laugh-just search on 6' and read the results! Most are or become fine with the height of the T@B, but it surely is a personal accommodation.

Sharon_is_SAM

Curious what you thought of the Little Snoozy?

jimdermodycdn

Google Hymer North America, interesting German trailer that is going to be built in Kitchener ON Can. Should be available for 2018. Also the Airstream Nest. Likely the same time frame (both more money than the T@B). That said we love our T@B S Max, so far it fits us great. I wanted an indoor kitchen for those nasty mornings when I need a coffee before facing the world. We are fully kitted with an great outdoor kitchen from our years of tent camping.  We use our old tent for extra room. My wife who is an early riser uses it for her morning yoga. T@Bs are great but there is no room for downward facing dog or other yoga poses. I get to sleep in and she has a large comfy space for her morning routine. Remember it is all about compromise when you are looking at tiny trailers. Without compromise you end up in a 30 to 40 foot behemoth like so many people here. Don't discount the joy of an indoor toilet in the mountains at 0300 dark.
Cheers and happy choosing.

roguebooks

SAM said:

Curious what you thought of the Little Snoozy?

I liked the way it was built but did not like the outside form at all as it came to a point. My wife wouldn't even look at the inside. Said she would not have a spaceship parked in her drive.

roguebooks

We did look at the Hymer, jimdermodycdn. Liked it, as well as another European trailer I cannot remember the name of this morning. Your bathroom point is a good one. Might make me edge toward the T@B 400, but I do not like all the extra weight on tongue. Great comment regarding wife and yoga. Made me smile. I too must have an indoor kitchen for my morning coffee as well as a small space to sit and drink it while reading a book in a Walmart parking lot waiting for my wife to wake up so we can hit the road again. The tents and awnings will definitely make the entire camping experience a dream when we get to the final destination.  

KBaggins1

When we got our T@B Max-s model 3 years ago it was one of three models of tiny trailers that we had seen. The others were the two Alto models, we visited the factory showroom near Quebec City to have a look at them. We were very impressed with both the fixed roof and the collapsing roof model Alto. The fit and finish is great and the construction methods are state of the art aluminum and composites. What we did not like was the pricing scheme, you started with a base trailer and then added everything. So about 33000.00 CDN for what we wanted. The minumum wait for either Alto trailer is over a year unless you find a demo.
    The indoor kitchen argument is something we went through. In my wifes case, she has tea in the morning. I wanted a clamshell for the extra room. She was also worried that resale for the clamshell might be less.
     So we got the indoor kitchen model and she would light up the propane stove to boil water for her tea. We have never cooked anything on that stove, we always use our portable BBQ. And we decided a plug in kettle would be more convenient than lighting up the stove so the stove has not been used in over a year now. A Kuerig could be plugged in to make coffee inside. Neither of us drink coffee though.
      As far as space for sitting and reading a book inside a Max-s model- with the bed down you do not have room for a comfortable chair. The useable space is 21" by 45". Our fold down chairs are 24" wide.
      It is mostly a matter of personal preference in selecting a trailer. After having lived with our T@B now for 3 years we still like it. But we have gone to great lengths to make it more livable- better bed, inside microwave, PahaQue tent and towing with a full size van to fit all the things we take with us. It is kind of a hobby to look at the rash of new small trailers being introduced almost daily.For us it always boils down to one small irritating flaw with most of them- the bed is arranged so that one person gets to crawl over the other to get out of bed. Our trailer does not have that flaw. 

Ratkity

I use my stove just for what you described @KBaggins1. Making coffee. I was stuck inside once and made a quesadilla and heated up tomato soup in the microwave. That was nice. I love the microwave, but that's the way I "cook". I leave the cooking to my friends and sister hehe. I usually make dessert to bring. 

Now that I have a tad more counter space, I was thinking of putting a little K machine in there or my old Starbucks machine. Neither of them have a reservoir that holds water all the time (they can be emptied easily), and both have an auto-off. I always have tea on hand for the tea drinkers. BTW, you can get tea in K-cups, but if your other half already has a routine and a morning tea flavor, then the nice electric kettles with auto-off are wonderful! 

Not all electric kettles are alike. Sis had one melt on her. She uses the stainless one (she makes French Press coffee). I haven't had any issues with any of the electric kettles I've used. Worn out a couple. We had a contest on what boiled faster. She said her handy Coleman burner. I said kettle. Kettle won! hehe (not by much). Of course, the Coleman can be used boondocking. 

@roguebooks, I'm glad you are putting things side-by-side in your research. My sister has the Alto with vertical window slide up and solar. She loves it. Just heat pump, so she has to supplement for under 40F. Her HW heater electric board went out right after they picked it up from Canada. She got it fixed locally and the Alto folks quickly reimbursed her and were very customer responsive. There is an 18 month wait for one!! Sis had Outback and loved it for 2 years. Her BF that is over 6 ft wasn't as thrilled, but made due for sis (what they do for luv!). If the 400 was out at the time, they'd be having trouble deciding between the 400 and Alto. 

Best of luck to you figuring out what you need and what you can live without!! I could even live without a shower and potty, using double-doody bags and unscented wipes. The toy hauler didn't have an option like that, but it's ok! You are doing great weighing options. I'm actually very curious what you end up with!!! Keep posting. Your comparisons are helpful for others here.

Roamey

Since we are talking trailer comparisons, perhaps I can get a question answered. There are trailers larger and more comfortable for less money than the T@B with refrigerators that work and screens that keep the bugs out and bathrooms you can actually use. The mantra I hear over and over is that they are "cheap". All "light" trailers use light weight plastics, panels, and materials. Specifically, what is superior about the T@B construction?  Or do we really like our T@Bs because they are cute, small, different, and easily personalized?

skwhee

@Roamey
-Adzel construction, means composite construction that will not rot, or mildew.
-Light ply cabinetry, not vinyl covered particleboard.
-Dovetail cabinetry, not stapled. 
-Innovative designs, other manufacturers follow by a season or two.
-CNC cut cabinetry for precision fit. To our knowledge only two RV manufacturers currently use CNC machines. Others cover the gaps with moldings.
-Quality materials overall
-Excellent warranty service
-Superior customer service

roguebooks

@Roamey, I cannot personally attest to the quality of the T@B because i have never been in one. But they appear to be of high quality. What I can say about the other less expensive, cute and ugly stick built RV's out there, they are most definitely NOT of high quality and respectfully also lack style and good taste IMHO. If I discover that the T@B 400 is basically a product with superior marketing, and not of the quality I think it is, I will make a point of letting you, and others, know.

foxden

Cute, small and different initially drew me to the T@B, particularly when comparing to anything else in this size range.  I didn't want anything above the 15 foot range so choices were limited.  I actually liked the look of the Casita but no way did I want carpet on the walls and ceiling.  But as I am really getting a closer look at my T@B (while wedged in behind the sofa to hook up my camera) I realize that the quality isn't just the visible part.  The craftsmanship, even the parts hidden behind or under something, is unusual.  It can make some modifications a little harder because there are no gaps in insulation, between cabinets, behind sitting areas, etc to make the work easier.  But I will take that kind of construction any day!  The more I know, the more I like it.