While on a recent teardrop trailer trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, I ran into a Texan named John who travels around the country for work. He lives simply out of a camping trailer I had never seen before. His Roll-A-Home camper is small enough to be towed behind his small sports car, yet it expands and pops up into a structure that is large enough to stand up in.
This camper is more than a glorified tent, though. When folded down, the trailer is towable behind a small car or a motorcycle, yet everything inside is still accessible in the 18.5 cubic feet of cargo area. The trailer body is constructed out of fiberglass and also doubles as a luggage rack. The tent is made with breathable, waterproof and UV resistant fabric and when erected the entire tent is 88 inches high and clears the ground. Both the standard (47 x 78 inches) and wide bed (73 x 80 inches) models include five double zippered screen windows and a screen door. Setup only takes a few minutes.
The entire structure also has lighting, independent rubber torsion bar suspension, plugs for 110 volt or 12 volt appliances and slide outs and external shelters are available to extend the space. The weight for the standard model is 325 lbs. and 385 lbs. for the wide model. The cost for the standard trailer is $4,499 and the wide bed is $4,999. Optional features such as a storage box, screen room, spare tire or carpet are extra.
Photos by Roll-A-Home and Christina Nellemann
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
This is fantastic. We have actually been displaced temporarily from our home for a few weeks due to flood m/mold issues. We had a neighbour lend us her families Tent Trailer for our yard! It has been an amazing experience for the old n young; not the teens lol!
This is a convenient camper above! What I really learned about living in a trailer, is the family and I really do only need the necessities! Its amazing what self-discovery that takes place when we’re taken from all the ‘wants of the world’ 😉
Ultra cool tent trailer. Really nice for those who like to travel light and fast.
Hi! I have a Subaru Forrester. Does anyone know of a lightweight trailer that I can tow with my Subaru? Thanks!
Jenny, these are the lightest weight tent type trailers I have seen, although the Sylvan Sport Go campers come very close. http://www.sylvansport.com/
If you are seeking something in a travel trailer line, you might try the Toad Campers, manufactured in NC. http://www.toadcampers.com/
Hope this is helpful.
I just ordered a T@B trailer to be built for me and its due around end of Sept. The Amish people make the entire trailer out of Ohio. I visited the plant and given a tour that was very enjoyable and not rushed. I purchased the S-floor plan that includes all comforts including a shower and toilet inside. Around $18,00.00 out the door. Most vehicles can tow due to its light weight. Check Model out and I think you will love it. Kenny
The T@B website is http://tab-rv.com/
Jenny, according to the Subaru website the Forester towing capacity is 2,700 lbs. This is dry weight, so anything you add to the trailer (water, equipment) will add to the weight. You should be able to tow any T@B or teardrop trailer. Maybe even a small Scamp or Casita.
My fam spent a weeklong tent-camping vacation at around July 4th every year when I was in Elementary school in the 1960’s at Lake Arrowhead north of Myrtle Beach. One year this fam of four pulled in next to our campsite with VW bug towing a 5th wheel type camper. The Dad pulled in, and without stopping performed a 360 turn to park the camper. Funniest thing I had ever seen. My Dad’s mouth hung open watching the whole act. It was similar to the one in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56XL0TysIn0 Enjoy!
This 5th wheel trailer is way cool! My searches found that the trailer was apparently designed (or modified) for other cars, too. One post mentioned a guy who modified an older model Ford Bronco to tow a full-sized 5th wheeler in this fashion ( http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f59/do-think-this-would-work-with-a-scamp-5th-35403.html ). Unfortunately, I did not find any more detailed information about the concept than the VW video itself. If anybody finds more details about the product/history/concept, please post.
Hi, Jenny. The Forester has a pretty good tow capacity. But even an old MGB could tow one of these: the LeeSureLite, made up here in Canada. http://www.leesurelite.com
I’ve seen these at trade shows and they set up in seconds. Designed for motorcycles, any car (even a Smart Car or Yaris) could tow one.
Hi Jenny.
I pull my Roll A Home with either my Subaru Outback or Honda Gold Wing Motorcycle. Routinely I carry 2 folding chairs, 2 small folding tables a DVD player, digital TV and a heater. I can plug them in if at a campground or run off their internal batteries.
Indoor / outdoor carpeting outside on the ground helps keep the trailer cleaner..The wide RAH trailer has a king-size bed & mattress
This is a fine way to travel and camp.. reminds me of my adventurous mum who would drive from Toronto to Cape Breton and camp on the shore..she had made a tent/awning that clipped onto the back of her car.. this was in the 70’s!
Strange this is special for you. 😛
In europethis is a very common whay to travel.look for example for holtcamper, the ‘better’ type of folded tents.
There are MANY European things we simply cannot get here in the US. It’s a shame; in many ways you seem to be much more innovative than we are.
Very nice but hardly rare. Had a Heilite made in the 60’s that any car could tow and when I traveled across the country on my motorcycle I saw TONS of bikes pulling popup trailers. They are light and easy to set up and you can move them around by hand .
http://compactcampingconcepts.com/ There are some similar to the one above but these you can adapt to ones needs.
http://www.timeouttrailers.org/Pages/default.aspx It reminds me of the Time Out Trailer.
If this looking interesting to you, Google “overlanding” and “roof top tents”. Living out of a properly equipped car can be more luxurious than many people would ever dream of (and you usually get to see a lot of nature at the same time, so it’s a win/win).
I tow a Jayco tent camper with mY subaru outback for over 8 years now. The gross weight is close to 2,000 lb. The camper comes with electric brake, so handling is never a problem. Easy on the milage too.
Check out this Danish company that makes some neat “tent wagons”: http://www.camp-let.com/en/
We have a Roll-A-Home. Have had it for about 5 years. This year has been slow for camping for us, but am going out on Labor Day Weekend.
So set it up today to check everything. This took about 3 minutes to do.
It is so water and air tight that the linens, stored on the bed, still smell fresh. But I am washing them anyway 🙂
WE have a Subaru Outback and we tow a motorcycle camper–the Time Out–it tows great and has a queen size bed–very comfortable–
We took it to Michigan from Florida–it sets up and down pretty quickly and worked well for us–