Dreaming of hitting the open road with all the comforts of home but without the hefty price tag of a full-sized RV? Many outdoor enthusiasts, just like you and me, yearn for a tricked-out Sprinter van or a rugged Tacoma truck camper. However, for those of us with full-time jobs and realistic budgets, these aspirations often remain just that – dreams. This is where the beauty of alternative options comes into play, and for weekend adventurers seeking simplicity and affordability, teardrop travel trailers are emerging as a top contender.
Recently, I discovered Hiker Trailer, a company that is redefining the teardrop trailer market by crafting exceptionally well-built and surprisingly affordable towable campers. Unlike many teardrop trailers that command eye-watering prices of $20,000 or more, Hiker Trailers typically come in well under $10,000, with many models hovering around the incredibly accessible $5,000 mark. Intrigued by this compelling combination of quality and value, I reached out to Hiker Trailer to experience one firsthand. My wife and I have spent the last three months putting a Hiker Trailer through its paces, and here’s what we discovered about why it might be one of the Best Teardrop Travel Trailers for your needs.
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On the Road with the Hiker Trailer: Towing and Handling
My initial encounter with Hiker Trailer was at the previous year’s Overland Expo West. Interestingly, their headquarters are conveniently located in Denver, Colorado. During a trip to Jackson Hole in February, my wife and I made a detour to Denver to pick up a demo unit. (For those considering a purchase, Hiker Trailer now offers a rental program, allowing you to try before you buy). We tested the five-by-eight-foot Deluxe model, their mid-tier and most popular option. The base price for this model starts at a mere $4,700 and weighs in at a feathery 780 pounds, making it towable by a wide range of vehicles, even a Subaru. However, our demo unit was generously equipped with additional features – solar panels, an awning, a heavy-duty axle, a rear galley-style door, and roof rack components – which increased the weight to 1,300 pounds and the price to approximately $9,000.
Towing the Hiker Trailer was remarkably straightforward, akin to pulling a small U-Haul trailer. We experienced absolutely no fishtailing, and driving a Toyota Tundra with its substantial towing capacity, we often forgot we even had a trailer attached. The only minor challenge we encountered was backing up. The Deluxe model, while compact, is relatively long for a teardrop and can be prone to jackknifing due to its single axle. However, should you find yourself in a tricky backup situation, the trailer’s light weight allows for easy unhitching and manual maneuvering.
Exterior Features: Compact Design, Maximum Utility
The Hiker Trailer exterior included solar panels and a Rhino Rack awning system, enhancing its off-grid capabilities.
The rear swing-out door of our test model unveiled a surprisingly spacious storage area, easily accommodating a fully equipped camp kitchen alongside several large Rubbermaid bins. Beneath this door, an integrated receiver hitch provided the perfect attachment point for a Thule bike rack, which we utilized for a weekend of mountain biking adventures in Utah.
The roof was equally well-equipped, featuring a roof box and racks that securely transported our skis on our journey to Jackson. These were mounted on a robust Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform, which also served as the foundation for a Rhino Rack Foxwing 270-degree swing-out awning, providing ample shade and weather protection. Our Foxwing awning came with the Tapered Zip Extension accessories, effectively tripling our living space with zip-on tent walls that created a sheltered enclosure. The awning and walls proved highly resistant to rain, and the awning itself offered welcome shade during sun-drenched desert afternoons.
For off-grid power, the trailer was equipped with two 20-watt Zamp solar panels mounted on the front storage box, complemented by a 40-watt portable Zamp panel kit for flexible deployment at our campsite. All solar panels connected to an inverter and charged a battery that powered the trailer’s electrical system.
Interior Comfort: Cozy and Functional Living Space
The rear hatch kitchen area of the Hiker Trailer provides a convenient cooking and food preparation space while camping.
The interior of the five-by-eight-foot Hiker Trailer is centered around a comfortable queen-size bed featuring a four-inch memory-foam mattress. We found it to be remarkably comfortable, nearly on par with our bed at home. Paired with a down quilt, sheets, and a small portable space heater, we remained comfortably warm while camping in snowy conditions and near-freezing temperatures in Montana, Utah, and Arizona, despite the trailer’s lack of wall insulation. The exceptional sealing of the trailer and doors effectively kept out the elements, necessitating cracking a window or utilizing the included venting fan at night to manage condensation. While not specifically designed as a winter camper, the Hiker Trailer is certainly capable of handling cold temperatures and offers a significantly more comfortable experience than a traditional tent.
Integrated lights in the rear hatch and above the bed, powered by the solar panels and the car battery, provided convenient illumination. The ability to simply flip a switch to cook or read at night, without the need for a headlamp, was a welcome convenience. A power strip in the rear hatch and USB ports above the bed further enhanced the functionality, making it easy to charge phones, cameras, and computers. While gadget charging never depleted the battery, running the space heater did drain it one night. For campsites with electrical hookups, the system can also be plugged into shore power.
Teardrop Trailer Market: How Hiker Trailer Stacks Up
The market offers a plethora of high-quality camping trailers, ranging from rugged off-road expedition trailers like the Moby XTR (starting at $18,500) to luxurious options like the Airstream Sport 16 (starting at a hefty $44,383). However, when considering amenities and intended use, the closest competitors to Hiker Trailer include Colorado TeardropsBasedrop, Timberleaf Camping Trailer, Sylvan Sport Go, So-Cal Teardrops 509 Sierra, and American Teardrop Falcon. The average base price of these competitors is around $12,031, with only the American Teardrop Falcon approaching Hiker Trailer’s affordability with a starting price of $7,445. Crucially, none of these competitors offer significantly more amenities (such as a sink or standing room) than the Hiker Trailer model we tested, and in some cases, they offer less. The Sylvan Sport Go, while innovative and versatile, starts at $9,995 and lacks hard-sided walls. While adding accessories to a Hiker Trailer, like a solar system or roof rack, can increase the price, this is true across all brands. Hiker Trailers maintain a compelling price advantage within the best teardrop travel trailers category.
The Verdict: Is a Hiker Trailer Right for You?
Throughout our testing, I continually evaluated where the Hiker Trailer fits within the broader spectrum of adventure vehicle options beyond its direct competitors. If you already own a truck, a slide-in camper from 4WheelCampers might offer greater versatility and more living space (including standing room), but it comes at a significantly higher cost. A camper shell combined with a sleeping platform or rooftop tent provides some of the benefits of a Hiker Trailer, albeit with fewer amenities and less dedicated storage.
Ultimately, the deciding factors for me were organization and ease of use. We parked our fully-loaded Hiker Trailer in our driveway, always ready for spontaneous getaways. This level of preparedness is simply not achievable with a truck and rooftop tent setup, which requires constant reloading of bedding and camping gear. While a fully-packed slide-in camper could theoretically remain on a truck, it would negatively impact fuel economy. Building out a camper van is another option, but it entails the maintenance and expense of an additional vehicle.
In simpler terms, if you prioritize frequent camping trips, desire a setup that is both user-friendly and easy to tow, and want to avoid breaking the bank, the Hiker Trailer presents itself as an exceptional option. For those seeking the best teardrop travel trailers that balance quality, affordability, and adventure-ready features, the Hiker Trailer deserves serious consideration.
