Despite being a longtime tent camper and a lover of the outdoors, I have never been a huge fan of the packing/unpacking process. In fact, it is one of the largest deterrents to getting on the road. Over the years, I have developed a personalized camping storage system that I am rather proud of. However, I have always wanted a simpler solution that would allow my family to get on the road quicker and more consistently.

So, as I thought through options that would suit us best, I considered a variety of them…mountain homes, RVs, sprinter vans, A-frames, etc. To be clear, I don’t think anyone needs any of these to get outside and quite frankly, cost was a large factor in my decision making. The point is – I considered a variety of factors and here, I describe the top eight reasons we decided to purchase a teardrop trailer.

1 - A teardrop was our “non-refundable deposit” to get outdoors

There is something about putting money down that keeps you accountable to your commitments. Whether it is a gym membership, Netflix subscription, or new kitchen appliance – if you buy it, you ought not to waste it. For me, a teardrop represents that “non-refundable deposit.” Sure, I could book a tent site or Airbnb, but I find them to be easily revokable and as a creature of comfort, I have had too many instances where I wish I would have taken a trip but instead let complacency win.

A teardrop trailer was a financial commitment that would force our family to do what we enjoy, with less hassle and preparation. Gear on board, check. PJs on board, check. Ready to go.

2 - A teardrop was one of the cheaper options…

I know what you are probably thinking: “A teardrop is not cheap.” And you are correct. It certainly was an investment, but relative to other options, a teardrop was much more affordable. Considering our family needs, mountain homes in Colorado range from $700k to $2 million, RVs from to $35k to $300k, sprinter vans from $50k to $120k. At $10k to $30k, a teardrop made much more sense and an investment that we were willing to make. Obviously, it is still not a small amount of money. Ultimately, each family or individual needs to carefully consider their own financial situation.

3 - A teardrop is detachable

Couldn’t you just purchase a rooftop tent? Wouldn’t that be more affordable and still meet your needs? Yes and no. Rooftop tents generally cost around $2k to $4k, so they are much cheaper. However, one of the appeals of a teardrop is that you can detach after arriving to camp. No moving things around in order to get to your next destination. Want to go on a hike, get to the river, explore downtown shops? No problem, you are one disconnect away from getting on your way. I am sure there are probably exceptions to the typical rooftop tent or truck bed system, but that would probably have involved more setup than we would have liked.

4 - A teardrop encourages outdoor living

A teardrop isn’t for everyone. As I mentioned above, there are no shortage of options that provide more comfort and convenience. However, my own sense is that if I had an RV, I would find myself spending more time inside than I would like. For me, the whole point of the outdoors is to be outdoors and a teardrop trailer forces you to be outside without abandoning the comfort that it provides for sleep or during inclement weather. Not to mention, if you want to go inside to take a nap or play cards, you still can!

5 - A teardrop is relatively easy to maintain

Every homeowner knows that there is no end to the list of home improvement and maintenance projects. Something about spending significant amounts of spare time away from my family to fix up a home or vehicle was something I did not want to commit to. With a teardrop trailer, I felt comfortable knowing that there would be no shoveling, paint work, oil changes, or transmission issues that I would need to lose sleep over. Sure, it is not completely immune from maintenance on the bearings or tires, but it is less work than most. I will write a separate entry in the future on why we went with a one-piece fiberglass trailer, but in short, I tried to find a simple trailer that would be leak-free, winterization free, and easy to clean…and I think I found the perfect one.

6 - A teardrop fits our tow vehicle requirements

Honestly, this probably deserves to be higher on the list. We own a Kia Carnival FWD — no roof racks and a 3,500 lb. towing capacity. As you can imagine, this limits our options quite a bit. Our teardrop, which has a dry weight of 1,175 lbs., gives me peace of mind. We can tow comfortably with plenty of margin, even enough to add a rooftop tent in the future if needed.

7 - A teardrop fits inside our garage

Something I wanted to avoid was paying $200/mo to park in an RV lot. In addition, I wanted the freedom to clean and organize the trailer at my leisure. At 14’ 1/4” L x 7’ 4” W x 83” H, this trailer fits into our garage super well and once again, gives me peace of mind.

8 - A teardrop is charming

Lastly, a teardrop is just charming. For me, practicality always comes first (or at least I think it should), but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a trailer that looks “cute.” Our teardrop trailer literally looks like a cartoon vehicle rolling down the road. I love that it’s fun and screams adventure.

Top 8 Reasons We Bought A Teardrop Trailer