camping trailers

[JackW]

Anyone else towing a small camping trailer behind their Land Rover?

I just bought a fiberglass Boler (13' egg-shaped house trailer) and I'm driving up to pick it up this week. It only weighs 1000 lbs and should tow easily behind my D-90. I've heard there are a bunch of Land Rover/Boler combinations up in Nova Scotia but I haven't seen any down here. At least I plan on being warm and dry at MAR this year.

 

[jmoore]

I don't think I have a photo of it handy, but we bought a popup about 5 years ago and have used it like mad! The first year we moved to NY we towed it 2500 miles all over the atlantic Providences. That was an incredible trip! We love to camp in the adirondaks, vermont, new hampshire, MA and Maine. It sets up quickly and we keep all our camping gear in there an ready to go. As you said, it's nice to stay warm and dry and it's good too to have a loo in the middle of the night when you've had a few beers!

 

[DJG]

It's funny this topic came up. I was looking around last night at some camp trailers and thought this one was pretty cool. Good for a couplpe anyway.

http://www.tinycamper.com/

 

[Robbie]

awesome little camper. i've been looking at teardrops and smaller campers since this past MAR. i've fallen in love with the T@B but it is so damn expensive for such a small trailer: http://www.tab-rv.com/

 

[DJG]

How much do the T&B trailers go for?

I was surprised at how much the teardrop ones are. I've just started looking at trailers so i'm very green as far as what you get for your money. To me $10-15k seems like a lot, but who knows.

 

[D Chapman]

For 10-15k you can have a used Airstream. I too think the teardrop is WAY overpriced.

 

[DJG]

airstream would be nice.

As far as this type of trailer goes, what do you look for in a used trailer when shopping around? Axles, moisture tests???

 

[D Chapman]

I guess, check for rot, condition of tires, electrial, and make sure the bearings sound good.

 

[discorovr]

We have an old airstream that I'm planning doing some work on this summer and bring to MAR. I got new tires put on last summer but haven’t done anything with the interior.

They are awesome, shiter, shower, stove, couch... about everything that will make a rainy weekend in the mud even more enjoyable.

 

[D Chapman]

We have an old airstream that I'm planning doing some work on this summer and bring to MAR. I got new tires put on last summer but haven?t done anything with the interior.

They are awesome, shiter, shower, stove, couch... about everything that will make a rainy weekend in the mud even more enjoyable.

You should just give up, and sell it to me.

 

[Robbie]

How much do the T&B trailers go for?

I was surprised at how much the teardrop ones are. I've just started looking at trailers so i'm very green as far as what you get for your money. To me $10-15k seems like a lot, but who knows.

new T@Bs are running anywhere between $11k - $18k. but that is crazy money for these little trailers. they do have a nice little following though: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/tabtrailers/

airstreams are awesome, but i want something small. don't have room to store anything big. the bambi would probably fit the size, but that thing costs an ass load too.

couple sites found:
http://www.vintageshastas.com/Vintage_Other/Teardrops/Teardrops.htm

cool thing would be to build your own.

 

[frickjp]

At least I plan on being warm and dry at MAR this year.

Nice. Thanks. You've practically insured a sunny, warm weekend.

 

[JackW]

Nice. Thanks. You've practically insured a sunny, warm weekend.

That was my evil plan - a dry MAR - who would believe it......

Actually there are a lot of small light vintage travel trailers out there - from Shastas and Scottys to the "canned hams" of the fifties and the teardrops. Some have a all-aluminum construction like an Airstream - look for Silver Streak, Barth and a couple of others - most of the others have an aluminum skin over wood stud construction.

There are also a number of small fiberglass trailers such as Boler, Scamp, Burro, Casita, Perris Pacer and Trillium. Most of these are either 13' or 16' long and weigh between 900 and 1600 lbs - perfect for towing behind a Land Rover. I found a 1978 Boler 13' that weighs 1050 lbs that I can tow with my D-90 or either of my Series trucks.

There are lots of websites for these little trailers - and vintage trailer rallies all over the country that owners can attend and see what ideas other owners have had to modify there trailer to make it more useful. Land Rovers and small camping trailers are a perfect match - I know I don't want to try to tow anything over 1400 lbs and even the smallest 16' Airstream Bambis are over that (and out of my price range).

Check out Ebay - most of these small trailers can be had between $600 and $3500.

I think we need to have a trailer show at MAR this year - might be fun.


I think the Tabs are too much $$$$ - and the new Airstream Basecamp - while very nice - is way too much money - I saw one of those with a $27,000 price tag on it. A very nice fully restored Boler can be had for under $4000.

 

[garrett]

i remember checking out those T@Bs when the first came out. i like the version with the kitchen outside the trailer with the flip up cover. silver on silver.
the Airstream Bambi is the way to go, but they are serious coin and hold their value. so don't expect to pick one up very cheap.

JB and i went to an expo in DC last week and saw these: www.campausa.com very nice setups for sure. and at $15K not out of line for the product you are getting.

 

[emmodg]

http://egoventures.blogspot.com/2007/03/30000-tent.html

Looks cool, that's abou it.

 

[JackW]

Here's a shot of the D-90 and the Boler at the Chesapeake bay Bridge on the way home from New Jersey - tows like a dream at 70 mph....

I want to paint it to match the Rover - Conniston Green/White - if the wife approves...

 

[deeker]

I have towed a medium sized pop-up around with a Freelander for two or three years borrowed from my in-laws. It was great at the MAR two and three years ago, stayed dry, off the ground, place to hang stuff to dry, etc. I tented last year and got wet, stayed wet...

A used pop-up should be pretty inexpensive, but not as simple to use as a Boler or TAB. Check that the fabric is in good condition.

 

[draaronr]

i remember checking out those T@Bs when the first came out. i like the version with the kitchen outside the trailer with the flip up cover. silver on silver.
the Airstream Bambi is the way to go, but they are serious coin and hold their value. so don't expect to pick one up very cheap.

JB and i went to an expo in DC last week and saw these: www.campausa.com very nice setups for sure. and at $15K not out of line for the product you are getting.

15k for a tent, with a shower, you are such a snob Garrett.

 

[JackW]

The really, really nice thing about the Boler...on the way back from picking it up in southern New Jersey we stopped at a state park in southern Delaware - it was 11:00 at night, 42 degrees and pouring down rain. I backed into a camping spot with an electrical box, plugged in the extension cord, turned on the interior light, plugged in the little ceramic electrical heater and the trailer was warm and toasty in about ten minutes. It poured rain all night but we stayed warm, dry and comfortable sleeping in something more like a bed than a cot (or on the cold ground). The next morning we got up, unplugged the trailer and drove off to find a Hardees for some biscuits.

No worries about folding up a wet tent while it was still raining, getting thoroughly wet while I strapped it to the roof rack, setting up camp in the rain or being cold - what a great introduction to trailer life! - Plus I still got 22.5 mpg towing the trailer...

 

[draaronr]

The really, really nice thing about the Boler...on the way back from picking it up in southern New Jersey we stopped at a state park in southern Delaware - it was 11:00 at night, 42 degrees and pouring down rain. I backed into a camping spot with an electrical box, plugged in the extension cord, turned on the interior light, plugged in the little ceramic electrical heater and the trailer was warm and toasty in about ten minutes. It poured rain all night but we stayed warm, dry and comfortable sleeping in something more like a bed than a cot (or on the cold ground). The next morning we got up, unplugged the trailer and drove off to find a Hardees for some biscuits.

No worries about folding up a wet tent while it was still raining, getting thoroughly wet while I strapped it to the roof rack, setting up camp in the rain or being cold - what a great introduction to trailer life! - Plus I still got 22.5 mpg towing the trailer...

tdi powerplant I see in that text.