A Perfect Weekend Getaway: The Ideal Micro-Camper You Can Tow with Your Daily Driver
If you’re looking for the perfect weekend getaway, we have just the thing for you. Meet the one-person teardrop trailer that combines all the advantages of a towable, making it the ideal micro-camper that can be easily towed with your daily driver, even if it’s a busted-up Toyota.
President Chay, also known as Chay Denne, and his small team from South Carolina, U.S., have been building various creations for years. From the famous Krabby Patty car from SpongeBob to a 1991 Ford bus conversion, a two-person trailer slash tiny house, and even a homemade electric skateboard that reaches speeds of 40 mph (64.3 kph), Chay has done it all.
Chay firmly believes that anyone can achieve their dream towable if they put in the effort, do their research, and get their hands dirty. And his latest project, the micro-camper, is here to prove just that.
Designed to be lightweight and affordable, this micro-camper is essentially a teardrop trailer. It is specifically designed for single-person use and offers the basics in terms of comfort for a weekend getaway. With a bedroom, an entertainment center, and a fold-out kitchen for minimal cooking, it has everything you need. However, due to its compact size, it can only be used at camping sites that provide grid hookups and additional bathroom facilities.
While there are some flaws in the build, such as the lack of bathroom facilities and the limited waterproofing on the underside, the micro-camper serves as a showcase for what can be done. It’s a reminder that improvements can always be made to “the recipe” where necessary.
The foundation of this micro-camper is a Haul-Master utility trailer with a 1,090-lb (494-kg) capacity, which costs just $400. The entire shell of the trailer is made of thin plywood to keep the weight under 300 lbs (136 kg), making it legal to be towed by a small passenger car. With dimensions of 80 inches in length and 40 inches in width (203 x 101 cm), it’s perfectly sized for your adventures.
Insulation is provided by spray foam between the two sheets of plywood on the roof, while black truck bedliner ensures waterproofing throughout. Although the walls are thin and lack insulation, they do feature screens for the door and small side window. To accommodate the electrics, they are mounted on the roof.
In conclusion, this micro-camper is a testament to the possibilities that lie within DIY projects. With some creativity and determination, you can create your dream towable and embark on unforgettable weekend getaways. So why wait? Start building your own micro-camper today!
Sources:
– YouTube/President Chay
INSIDE the trailer, there’s an entertainment center at the foot of the bed, which also takes up most of the space inside. The small side window allows fresh air in, but there’s no vent in the roof that would create a cross-breeze and help with keeping temperatures down. You also get LED lights and outlets and a few small shelves for storage.
Because the interior is so cramped, the kitchen is located outside, on the side of the trailer with no windows. It’s a fold-out galley, essentially a box you can unlatch so that it drops into position, offering access to a rudimentary integrated sink and a cooktop you can plug into the nearest outlet.
When not in use, the kitchen latches back on, taking up less space in travel mode. It offers basic functionality, but if you’re only out for a couple of nights, it might just do.
These past few years have seen an incredible proliferation in mobile homes, mostly for long-term or permanent residency, DIY builds, and alternative housing solutions for land and water use. This micro-camper, while far from a perfect build, aims to show that you can go against the grain and not buy new, especially when “new” almost always means overpriced due to heightened demand.
It shows that you can have more with less, in the sense that you could still be a weekend warrior with smaller expenses, on the condition that you be willing to do the work yourself.
At the same time, it shows that downsizing can be whatever you feel best suits you. So, if your idea of going off the grid is staying at a campsite in what some commenters have (somewhat rudely) described as a rolling coffin, this build is here to serve as your daily dose of motivation. Or, you know, it could be only fun escapism.
