Let’s hold onto summer for a bit longer, shall we? Actually, many of these tiny fiberglass trailers can probably insulate you pretty well from the impending winter.
Fiberglass trailers first became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but since then several dozen companies and manufacturers of fiberglass trailers have been developed.
A fiberglass trailer is usually built out of two parts. A top part and a bottom part. Each created from a mold or form and then attached together. The benefits of this is there are fewer parts to create and replace and the insulation is more effective.
Fiberglass trailers have become popular in the last few years for their low weight, access, options for customization and their cute, bubble shape.
For a smaller trailer (13-16 feet long), there is not a lot of opportunity for a large amount of design changes. The typical layout is usually a small dinette which becomes a bed, a small kitchen area, maybe a second seating or dining area and sometimes a small bathroom with shower. However, small fiberglass trailers do have all the amenities available to larger RVs including flat screen TVs, air conditioning and heating, awnings and solar panels.
Some of the most widely known fiberglass trailers are the Casita, Scamp and the Oliver. But there are also lesser known trailers like the Trillum, the EggCamper, the Oxygen and the Burro.
As a tiny house, there are still space challenges, but storage design keeps getting better. The newer designs have storage under the seating areas, in above compartments, small closets and in the bathroom. The biggest benefit of having one of these trailers as a tiny house is that you have the freedom of pulling your lightweight home with you wherever you go.
Cherie and Chris, of Technomadia, live full-time in Orion, their Oliver trailer
Hillary of thistinyhouse travels and blogs about her 50 square foot fiberglass trailer
Bruce lives full time in an RV in Yuma, AZ, but has traveled all summer in a 16-foot Scamp
Pete Jolly refurbished a 1950s Willerby Vogue
Monica lives full-time in her 16-foot Scamp with her dog
Johnny B. is a comedian living full-time out of his Casita
And, if the nomadic lifestyle is to your liking…
Courtesy of EggCamper
By Christina Nellemann for the (Tiny House Blog)
I have been wondering when an entry about fiberglass trailers would come up! Egg trailers, as we affectionately refer to them, are used by many as more than just weekend accommodations. I plan to live in my 1981 13 foot Burro (double fiberglass walls with batt insulation between the walls)for months at a time when I have sold my current house. I am surprised that the article did not reference the largest forum for these trailers: http://www.fiberglassrv.com
There is a tremendous wealth of information and support for living with fiberglass trailers on FGRV forum.
Hi Anne,
Congrats on your new journey! I am on the forum occasionally, let’s chat!
Christina,
Thanks for including fiberglass trailers in the tiny house blog.
Anne, We would love to do a post on you and your Burro when you sell your house. Keep us posted.
I do have a link to the fiberglass RV website. In the post, click on the link in the second paragraph. They do have a great forum.
Thanks so much for this article, and for including us and our beloved Oliver Travel Trailer. We’ve been living in ours full time since we picked it up at the factory in July 2008, and loving it! (Our last home on wheels was even smaller – a 16′ Tab clamshell).
– Cherie
I know this post is old but I wanted your opinion on the Tab? They are coming out with a bigger model. I cannot afford an Oliver even though I know they are well made. I saw a very nice Tab in person and they seem well made. Did you have any issues with your old Tab?
Brian, take a look at the T@B 400 from NüCamp RV. It’s a little larger than the standard T@B.
No mention of fibreglass trailers is complete without including the Boler. They’re a classic! My 13′ Boler is not currently roadworthy so it’s up on blocks with a huge deck that extends to the edge of a small ‘cliff’, kind of like being in a treehouse. I’ve modified the interior for more storage space and a better single person setup. The deck is eventually going to get a bolt together winter porch that can accommodate a wood stove but in the meantime has a small roofed section that can be tarped in various configurations.
Thanks alice. Yes, I also love the boler. We mention it in this post:
http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house-concept/teardrops-tiny-trailers/
Cherie, Thanks for the tour of your Oliver at Burning Man! 🙂
Hi, does anyone know of any manufatorers who will make an aluminum or fibreglass shell-camper(fundamental frame and siding), so that I can finish the camper and do the interior myself?? All I need is a good shell with a bathroom/toilet, and connections(electrical, etc)..?? I read in the past that French yaht manufatorers would make the shell and sell it so that the buyer could finish the boat to his own needs. Why can’t camper/RV makers offer this to the public??
Hi William. Kent recently did a post on the Retro Traveler trailer. They do custom trailers that are under 2,000 lbs. They might be able to work with you.
http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house-concept/retro-traveler-1200/
Christina,
Sorry I missed the link in the second paragraph. I’m sure to have lots to post when I get on the road!
William,
I have seen posts from a couple of people that recently purchased a fiberglass “shell” attached to the trailer from EggCamper at a basic price so that they could finish the interior themselves. Pictures of finished EggCampers are shown in Christina’s article. Contact information at http://www.eggcamper.com
We have an Eggcamper and returned in August from a 10,683 5 week trip to N. CA, WA and OR. It was great and with a screen room was very comfortable.
I just purchased an 83 burro and want to add an airconditioner and heater to it. Does anybody have any good ideas?
Noel
Noel, sorry for the long delay, but I just now saw your posting.
If you have any concerns with a fiberglass trailer, http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/ is the place to go. Hundreds of friendly, experienced egg owners answer your questions or point you to an answer.
For 20 years we have traveled from N to S, E to West in our 16′ SCAMP up to 30 days a couple of times yearly — and we LOVE the SCAMP. Would purchase the same again — however age is requiring us to depart with ours. Sad decision. We have a/c, electric heat, microwave, refrigerator, toilet only in bath — been out in 100 degree to windchill of zero and stayed comfortable — would have the same again. –Polly
I made a 18, 700 mile, 111 day trip the Spring & Summer of 2011 towing a 17′ Escape 17B Fiberglass Trailer behind a Toyota RAV4. A journal of the trip is indexed at http://www.lakeshoreimages.com/2011trip001.html.
Had a great time & can recommend fiberglass “eggs” as a great way to see the country!
William Wood – I just read in tiny house blog about a couple brothers that are putting together teardrop camper kits . here is the link: http://tinyhouseblog.com/uncategorized/teardrop-trailer-kits/
I know you were asking about a bathroom , they may be able to work with you on something or might be able to point you to someone who can .
Jon
The only brands currently being made are:
Bigfoot – Armstrong, British Columbia
Casita – Rice, Texas
Eggcamper – Grandville, Michigan
Escape – Chiliwack, British Columbia
Lil Snoozy – St Matthews, South Carolina
Little Joe – Henderson, Colorado
Outback – Calgary, Alberta
Parkliner – Gibsonville, North Carolina
Scamp – Backus, Minnesota
Trillium – Florence Arizona
The place they are made is important because typically one either drives to the factory to pick up or pays $1.5 per mile delivery charges.
We just started a complete reno of a 1987 Casita, practically re-building from scratch after buying one in pieces. Unfortunately, Johnny B’s blog appears to be invitation-only so we were not able to explore the link.
I love older trailers I would like to buy some.
Please someone help. I have a 1972 compact jr fiberglass mold camper. I have been struggling to find blue prints for the interior. Any hints.
Very cute style. Very tiny but has a perfect space enough for the family.
Those that travel lightly by themselves or with one other person may question the need for a camping trailer or RV at all. You already have a vehicle with a perfectly good roof and enough room for two people to lay down in, why spend thousands on a separate vessel.
I didn’t know that fiberglass trailers are low weight and have easy access. I would love to get a trailer that I could haul around with my family’s minivan. I hope that I can find one near me that is big enough to carry everything I need but also not too heavy.
Fiberglass trailers are indeed an excellent option for their low weight, easy access and unlimited options for customization.