In the two years since Dean Wiltshire decided to launch his Boulder based business Colorado Teardrop Trailers, he has gotten used to the stares when people see his miniature works of art. “They stop people in their tracks, that’s for sure,” says Wiltshire. What started out as a personal mission to build his own camper has turned into a full-fledged business, with business doubling each year.
Drawing on a lifetime of working with his hands, and a passion for designing, he started with a steel chassis, some wood, and an aluminum skin. The end result is a camper that weighs as little as 858 pounds and can be pulled behind any vehicle with a trailer hitch. The most basic Teardrops provide room for little more than a rolling queen-size bed and a galley for camp cookware, but that’s just the beginning.
Wiltshire currently offers three models, and each one is a custom build from beginning to end. “Part of the beauty of creating these is to meet with the buyers and build a platform for their adventuring,” says Wiltshire.
He has created everything from a writer’s retreat complete with desk, to a retirement road tripper complete with outdoor shower. With three models and prices running from $10,300 to $16,100 they won’t tap out your trust fund. Colorado Teardrop Trailers also rents all summer long at coloradoteardropcamper.com.
If you are looking for something a bit larger, Hallmark Campers in Fort Lupton has been making popup campers that fit on the back of pickup trucks since 1969. They can go anywhere you can get your truck, and offer the ability to get off the grid yet still relax in comfort with a cold one.
With a fiberglass shell encasing a full kitchen, windows, a queen-sized bed and indoor seating, these popups offer many of the conveniences you would expect at home. Toss in the ability to stash bikes, stand-up-paddleboards, or kayaks on the rooftop rack and you can have the ultimate adventure escape parked in your driveway awaiting you all summer long.
Hallmark also offers custom builds with a variety of options to make your popup camper unique. Prices start at $17,995 and go up depending on the size, and features you request. HallmarkRV.com
—Hudson Lindenberger
