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.
There are few things as iconic and welcoming as a classic, teardrop trailer. The thought alone conjures up images seeped in nostalgia and comfort, ones that seem to revel in a design that hasn’t vastly changed since the camper’s initial introduction in the late 1930s. And while we can’t deny the relentless allure of perching a tent beneath the night sky, we also can’t resist the minimalist aesthetic and no-frills functionality afforded by the High Camp Teardrop Trailer ($15,895).
Related: The Trekking Summer 2014 Outdoor Gear Guide
With the Teardrop Trailer, owner and builder Dennis Caron set out to improve upon the design of classic camper models after making a cross-country excursion with his wife in the mid-’90s. He had qualms regarding the galley layout of other models, so he set out to redesign his own, complete with automotive-style gas struts and three-burner cooktop. The outside of the trailer is more Airstream-esque than anything else, but the aluminum design and the beautiful birch interior help envelop the camper with a sense of streamlined minimalism. The galley features a slide-out, stainless-steel Coleman cooler and the aforementioned stove, not to mention plenty of storage compartments for stowing your equipment and LED lighting to illuminate the space as you cook.
However, there’s more to the Teardrop Trailer’s design than just the kitchen. Brushed-nickel reading lights conveniently shed light upon the sleeping quarters — which houses a queen-size mattress and a multi-speed ventilation fan for increasing airflow — while the headboard provides even more storage space. Optional accessories, such as a custom iPad mount and water heater, push functionality even further. It’s all built within an eight-week span, too, utilizing local welders, millers, and Caron’s own handiwork. Now, you just need a place to go and the right vehicle to haul it.
Check out High Camp Trailers online for more information, to place an order, or to peruse the company’s broad swath of custom accessories.
