Camper designs are terrible

"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario) 04/30/2020 at 12:11 • Filed to: Camping, Campersitelock

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I basically want a camper that is a mobile sleeping area, not an apartment on wheels. When I go camping I like being outside most of time, besides when I am sleeping. I really would want a camper with an outdoor kitchen under the awning and just sleeping space inside. This doesn’t really exist as far as I can tell.

Sure you can get small 2-person campers with out door kitchens like this Sunray.

Or you can get a pop-up (not that I am opposed to a pop-up) but you have to set up your entire kitchen once on site and don’t have the advantages of a hard side.

The only other options seem to be behemoths that are 30+ feet long that have an out door AND an indoor kitchen.

So I decided to design what I think would be an ideal hard side camper. It would only be about 20 feet long so it would still be very manageable compared to the 30+ footers.

This would be the ideal camper for a family in my opinion. You have sleeping space for 5-6 people, a toilet, and the kitchen is outside under the awning.

I actually think it wouldn’t be too difficult to make this from a 20 foot enclosed utility trailer.

kanadanmajava1 > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:44

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In Finland campers are (still) quite common but the kitchen is always inside them. I have never seen ones like in your pictures.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:44

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...ignore everything I just wrote in this comment that I’ve now deleted because I misread it :P

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/30/2020 at 12:46

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Well now I’m curious as to what you said lol

Jim Spanfeller > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:46

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I think the reason most camper kitchens are on the inside is so that you can comfortably cook when it’s raining. That said, it would be nice to cook outside when the weather’s nice, so I wonder if there could be a way to make the kitchen accessible from both the inside and outside? Perhaps a hard awning on the outside like you suggested, and some sort of opening screen on the inside so you don’t have to let bugs and whatnot in the camper when cooking outdoors. The challenge is how the internal screen would work... There’s probably enough room to make it swing upwards and lie flat against the roof, though it would be a bit awkward to do that while other people are in the camper. Or it could use some sort of garage-style segmented door?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:47

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“’you have to set up your entire kitchen once on site’

I’m confused as to what you mean by this? One of those little Sunray campers, for example, should have locking cabinet doors so you can leave all your items in them all the time? The fridge and such would be the same, at least every door or appliance in most campers has a lock or latch so the doors don’t just fly open while driving...?

What would there be to set up other than a table and some chairs, the rest of your stuff would be secure in whatever cabinet/drawer you left it in?

Not trying to be critical or anything, I think I just misunderstand what you mean? :)“

That was what I said, haha, but I didn’t notice your comment on ‘setting up the kitchen’ was SPECIFIC to the pop-ups (missed that) and thought you meant the small outdoor kitchens like on the Sunray as well :)

Ready for an adventure! > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:51

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Teardrop camper yo! Look on Facebook marketplace. There are a lot of them unfinished so you can place things where you want them...

We are looking for one as well, to pull around behind our Jeep on the Great American Wild West Tour...(not an actual tour, we just wanna go do it)

Just Jeepin' > Ready for an adventure! 04/30/2020 at 12:54

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Came here to po int out the same. I actually like being indoors even when I’m campi ng , so I want something tall , but teardrops are a very useful design.

Thomas Donohue > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:56

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That’s a lot of sleeping space without any room to eat/sit/etc.  Why not get a 22' that has convertible tables where you have the bunks and the queen, and just leave them down all the time?  

benjrblant > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:57

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Have you considered something like a kimberly kamper? it’s probably more overland-ey, but they’re pretty rad.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 12:57

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Problem Solved:

Gone > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:03

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On and off I look at <=5k GVWR campers. Not sure we’d use it enough to be useful and n othing has piqued my interest enough to buy anyways .

Winnebago has a Minnie Drop that is close to what you’re looking for - the 190BH. It also has the Hike 172BH with t he same floorplan.. .

https://winnebago.com/models/product/towables/travel-trailer/minnie-drop

https://winnebago.com/models/product/towables/travel-trailer/hike

There’s also the E-Pros which all have outside griddles, all under 5k GVWR.

https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/flagstaff-e-pro

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 04/30/2020 at 13:04

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That’s not camping. That’s wilderness survival.

DipodomysDeserti > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:07

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They’re terrible because they’re made for people that want to stay indoors while they camp.

Gone > benjrblant 04/30/2020 at 13:15

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Saw some when I was in Australia, pretty neat looking. Waiting for them to come to the US. Was supposed to be this year what I remember , but COVID ruins everything. Hope they bring over the Kruiser line.

Thomas Donohue > Ready for an adventure! 04/30/2020 at 13:19

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You can sleep 5 or 6 in those?   That was one of his requirements.

shop-teacher > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:19

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“I actually think it wouldn’t be too difficult to make this from a 20 foot enclosed utility trailer.”

Bingo.  I aspire to do something similar too.  

nerd_racing > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:30

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I almost bought a sunray like that. Then I read about their build quality and passed. I just put a deposit on a Forest River No Boundaries 10.6 camper. It was used and CHEAP. Picking it up next weekend hopefully. It has a slide out with the kitchen stuff on it.  The compartment next to the slide out is a pantry.  

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > benjrblant 04/30/2020 at 13:31

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I have seen those, they are pretty sweet. I don’t think they are sold in the US though

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 04/30/2020 at 13:35

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Fair.

nerd_racing > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:41

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Look at the intech rv Flyer Explore. Add a nice rooftop tent and you have all the sleeping area you’d need.  The foxwing awning covers the kitchen area. 

https://twoscruffynomads.com/2019/03/08/intech-flyer-explorer-2018/

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Ready for an adventure! 04/30/2020 at 13:47

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Teardrops are awesome (obviously for a small family). Will most likely end up with one as our toddler gets a bit bigger and we get back to camping more. I see them listed used quite frequently for around $5k which is a good deal less than what they go for new.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > nerd_racing 04/30/2020 at 13:49

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Ohh...I like that. That looks like A LOT of weight though for that slide out track. I hope those rails are really over sized.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Thomas Donohue 04/30/2020 at 13:51

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I never eat much inside when camping unless it’s absolutely terrible outside (like rainy, cold, and howling wind terrible). The queen could be a convertible table though too. The main thing I like is the outside kitchen. I end up using the portable stove and cook outside anyways, but it would be so much easier for it just to be there already.

HammerheadFistpunch > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 13:53

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You need to check out the aussi and south african offerings. Small, rugged, based entirely on a slide out kitchens. I saw a UEV490 out on the road and they are being sold here (for a crap ton of money)

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Ready for an adventure! 04/30/2020 at 13:54

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I like teardrops, but those are a little small for a family. 

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > shop-teacher 04/30/2020 at 13:59

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It would be better built too

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Jim Spanfeller 04/30/2020 at 14:01

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I usually cook outside unless it’s raining sideways. An outdoor kitchen with an awning is much more my style. A double sided kitchen is a neat idea though.

nerd_racing > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:03

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It has a support leg. Mine has a normal cooler and I’m probably going to ditch their cook top for my weber Q grill. I have a sweet griddle setup for it.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > HammerheadFistpunch 04/30/2020 at 14:05

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Yea, the stuff from Australia is pretty slick. Didn’t know you can get them stateside, but if they are that expensive too it would be a no go anyways.

SiennaMan > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:24

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In my mind that’s the strongest argument for building it yourself. You’re not going to cut corners on your trailer’s build quality to save $2/unit.

The only negative is it’ll be a lot of time compared t o plopping down money.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:39

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That illustration is basically the Caravan I had grown up as a kid sans the fancy outdoor cooking . It came with an enclosed canopy you’d erect to have additional sleeping/cooking/relaxing area outside of the Caravan.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 04/30/2020 at 14:43

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I have when I am by myself. But I don’t go anywhere by myself any more

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 04/30/2020 at 14:47

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I don’t mind setting up an outdoor kitchen and that’s why I’ll probably end up with a pop-up first. Having an outdoor kitchen that’s already to go with no set up would be nice though. And the inside kitchen rarely gets used when I go camping.

gmctavish needs more space > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:47

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Funny to see someone complaining about aspects of a camper being inside, but I live somewhere where it rains a huge amount. I guess you can have the kitchen outside in places with nicer weather.

duurtlang > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:50

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We have these here in Europe. This is the first manufacturer I looked at. For 2 people, but still. 600 kg empty weight, so towable by the smallest subcompact. Inside/outside kitchen.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 14:56

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Yeah the tent that came with the caravan was a 20x10 so you had plenty of room for activities.  

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > gmctavish needs more space 04/30/2020 at 15:04

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When we go camping we are outside almost the entire time besides when we are sleeping, even when raining we usually still hang out under the awning at least.

shop-teacher > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 15:17

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Definitely.  If I ever actually do it, I’ll be doing it with an all aluminum trailer too.

Kiltedpadre > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 16:44

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They aren’t super common, but there are some pop-up campers with hard sides.

gmctavish needs more space > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/30/2020 at 21:36

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I mean when I go camping I’m outside the whole time since I only have a tent, so if I had a camper I don’t know what my habits would be like. But one of the reasons I’ve wanted a camper is to more com fortably camp in the quieter/rainier season. Basically everything except June-August.

sn4cktimes > Ready for an adventure! 05/01/2020 at 00:50

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We also have a teardrop. We pull it with a Juke, and when the Eagle proves reliable enough we’ll tow with that too

sn4cktimes > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 05/01/2020 at 00:52

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Outside kitchen was one of the biggest reasons we went with a teardrop. My family had a tent trailer when I was a kid and I hated when we had to cook inside. 

Ready for an adventure! > Thomas Donohue 05/02/2020 at 09:08

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I didn't catch the 5-6 people sleeping requirement..my bad