DIY Teardrop Trailer Better Than Any Bug Out Bag
Every survivalist has a bug out bag ready to go, but have you considered building your own DIY teardrop trailer to bug out in? With your own DIY teardrop trailer, you can:
● Bug out with an actual shelter to live in, not just a kit of supplies.
● Store way more supplies than you could ever hope to carry on your back.
● Stay safe and dry with a something much sturdier than a canvas tent.
● Save money and build to your exact design.
● Grab and go for camping trips at a moment’s notice.
A DIY teardrop trailer is also great for camping and building it yourself helps you save money. Buying a finished teardrop trailer might cost around $4,000 but a do it yourself version might cost half of that.
Plus, when you build a do it yourself teardrop trailer you have the final say in the design of the trailer and in exactly what materials you use.
Image from Tacticaltv on Wikimedia Commons
Why A DIY Teardrop Trailer?
There’s lot of reasons to own a teardrop trailer, and even more reasons to DIY it. First of all, teardrop trailers are a great grab-and-go option for camping. You don’t have to worry about pitching a tent, you’ll have space to store your equipment, and you won’t have to sleep on the ground.
Even the easiest tent is much more complicated to set up than taking a teardrop trailer out with you. In a tent, you’ll have to worry about rain and you’ll be sleeping on the ground unless you bring even more equipment with you. A do it yourself teardrop trailer keeps you off the ground and dry even in wet weather.
A DIY teardrop trailer is lightweight which means that you don’t need a heavy truck or SUV to haul it. Since you’re building it yourself, you could choose something with more off-road capability if you plan to get out deep in the wilderness.
DIY teardrop trailers are also very secure. You can lock your tent zipper but anyone who really wants to try can easily get into a canvas tent. A teardrop trailer has metal or wood sides that give you a lot of added protection.
Best of all, you can keep your DIY teardrop trailer fully stocked and ready to go at a moment’s notice, which makes it really easy to get out of town quick whether you have a whim to go adventuring or whether all hell breaks loose and you need to get out of Dodge now.
Image from Don Stucke on Wikimedia Commons
Find Some Plans
You can cut out a lot of work by getting a kit that has all the pieces and part you’ll need inside. There are several advantages to taking this route. First, you’ll save time even though you will likely spend a little more money. Second, you’ll get step by step instructions and most often you’ll have a company you can call if you have questions during your build.
You can also find lots of different options for plans from scratch online, with different options, sizes, materials, and designs. If you know what you’re doing, you can make a hybrid diy teardrop trailer based on a few different plans you like.
Basic or Deluxe?
There’s two ways of thinking about a teardrop trailer. You either want a bare bones, minimalist trailer without a lot of frills that can be completed quickly and cheaply, or you want a Pinterest-worthy hand made RV to spend a lot of time in.
Before you start, think about how often you’ll use your diy teardrop trailer and exactly what purpose you want it to solve. If you feel better having one or want a nicer setup in case you need to bug out but don’t plan to use it much, you’ll want something pretty cheap (but durable). You’ll need space to sleep and a basic camp kitchen, and that’s about it.
If you see yourself taking out your diy teardrop trailer for camping and hunting trips or plan to enjoy it often, it’s worth thinking about some of the more luxurious designs available. For example, you could outfit your trailer with solar panels to power small appliances or even add heating or cooling. These features are more expensive, but they can make your trailer more enjoyable.
Image from Ken Ratcliff on Wikimedia Commons
Basic Features
The basic design of a diy teardrop trailer starts with a trailer. You build the camper on top of it, with a sleeping area (normally to fit two people) and use the space at the back for a galley kitchen.
If you’ll be going it alone, you can consider making the sleeping area narrower and using the extra space for storage or more luxurious items like a tv or entertainment center.
The galley kitchen opens up to storage and usually a space for a camp stove. You could also go with a barbeque. Some DIY teardrop trailers have a collapsable galley that you can pull out and set up when you get to camp for more space. If you plan to be somewhere with a water hookup, you can even rig a little sink in the back.
How to Stock A Bug Out DIY Teardrop Trailer
Of course it will be great to get some mileage out of your DIY teardrop trailer, but let’s talk about the inevitable: you’ll need to keep it stocked and ready to go in case you need to get out of town in a hurry.
Here are some of the basic items you’ll need for survival in any bug out situation:
1. Water or a personal water filtration system (or both)
2. Food – Keep nonperishable foods in your galley kitchen
3. First Aid Kit- Basic kit, plus over the counter meds, bug spray, and sunblock. Check out this article for some OTC medication advice for your bug out bag: http://www.patriotheadquarters.com/over-the-counter-medications-for-your-bug-out-bag/
4. Weapons- Personal Protection and Hunting
5. Maps, IDs, Travel Info- No Google when the grid goes down. Here’s more great advice on what kinds of maps might be helpful if GPS no longer works: http://www.patriotheadquarters.com/evacuation-route-maps-consider/
6. Tool KIt- Keep it simple to save room but cover the essentials
7. Blankets and Extra Clothes
8. Paracord
Ultimately, the items you stock your DIY teardrop trailer will be up to you. Make sure you’re ready when the time comes!
I want to build one so kool