Skip to main content

Trekking: Yes, the roof of this camper moonlights as a boat

Man isn’t meant to stay indoors — our weekly “Trekking” column can attest to that. It’s a column dedicated to the adventurer inside of all of us, the one pining to ditch the office humdrum for a quick surf session or seven-week jaunt in the Grand Tetons. One day we may highlight an ultra-light stove and the next a set of handmade canoe paddles. Life doesn’t just happen inside the workplace, so get outside and live it.

The notion of the American Dream, oft defined by economic and social opportunity, has never been anything short of alluring. It’s what many of us strive to achieve in our day-to-day lives, a sense of stability and peacefulness that’s as picturesque as the small house and white picket fence we tend to associate with it. Achieving it in these days of political turmoil and economic strife, however, seems easier said than done. Thankfully, the same isn’t necessarily true of the Portland-bred camper with which the concept shares its name, aka the American Dream Trailer ($8,900+).

Related: The Pendleton Limited Edition is built for the outdoors (not your budget)

The American Dream TrailerUsing a 1961 teardrop trailer for inspiration, husband-and-wife duo Paul and Tyla Dahlman have helped forge a modern replica with a penchant for authenticity. The 650-pound, fiberglass trailer takes a cue directly from the original’s design, and relies on a local metalsmith and fiberglass company to manufacturer the same glass windows and molds that defined the original. The entire building process takes five to six weeks, but the end result is a compact towable that sleeps two and houses a small cooking and storage galley in the rear for food preparation, complete with room for customization.

The real kicker of the American Dream Trailer isn’t the checkerboard floor, though, or the  two-tone color scheme and optional galley table. The trailer’s biggest selling point lies in the secondary roof, which conveniently functions as a small rowboat when it’s not securely attached to the top of the trailer’s lightweight frame via a set of five hood latches. How and where you want to use the trailer, well, that’s totally up to you.

Visit The American Dream Trailer Company online to request an estimate. Each camper is custom built to order, and takes roughly six to eight weeks for delivery.

Brandon Widder
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brandon Widder is a journalist and a staff writer for the Manual and its brother site, Digital Trends, where he covers tech…
The 10 best movie duos of all time: Our top picks
You can't have one without the other
Dumb and Dumber

Two is better than one. It makes perfect mathematical sense, but it also fits the cinema screen to perfection! Most of the best films of all time have been enhanced by having multiple great lead actors and characters. When the chemistry is electric between a dynamic duo, the stars feed off each other and exponentially lift the potential of the story.

The brilliance of having iconic movie duos means that the two people transcend genre and category. Science fiction movie fans may have a blast at a romantic comedy because of a great duo. A perfect pairing might spice up a tired old franchise that needs a change of scenery. Whatever the reason for implementing a duo, it almost always works. These are the best movie duos of all time.
10. Deadpool and Wolverine - Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine | Final Trailer | In Theaters July 26

Read more
What are small batch cigars? How are they different from premium cigars?
A pile of small batch cigars

If you're new to the world of cigars, you'll notice right away there are so many terms to learn. From Fumas to hand-rolled, and premium to bundles, there are a variety of cigar types to learn, on top of all the various forms of tobacco. One such type, small-batch cigars, is a bit different than the rest. Although the reason for that is fairly simple, it still begs the question, what are small-batch cigars, exactly? How are they any different from premium cigars or the rest of the industry? Are they made differently? We hear you, we see your questions, let's tap some of that growing ash off the end of our lit stogie and take a closer look.
What are small-batch cigars?

The answer is very simple. Small-batch cigars are made in small or limited quantities, hence the name. In other words, they're made in much smaller batches or groupings than commercial blends. That also means that they're often constructed with rare or unique types of tobacco. So, in that sense, you could think of them as craft cigars, sort of like craft beer. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the manufacturer or the company making them is small. Some of the biggest brands in the cigar world also provide small-batch cigars.

Read more
Gladiator 2: Everything we know so far
The movie is set more than 20 years after the first film
Paul Mescal in Gladiator II.

Now that we've returned to the world of Dune, Gladiator 2 may be the biggest sequel coming in 2024. The movie, which comes more than 20 years after the Oscar-winning original, has already been the subject of controversy, thanks in large part to the Jay-Z song used in the movie's first trailer.

Ridley Scott has returned to direct the sequel and is describing the movie as one of the "best things" he's ever made. Whether that's all talk or is actually true remains to be seen, but we've got a rundown of everything you need to know about the sequel, including what the movie is actually about.
What is the plot of Gladiator 2?

Read more