Want a Better Camping Experience? DO THIS!

[@drivin69]

the mean bean camper... ya respect.. wow.. we love a 1 two 2 gal sprayer for the garden we shower with it.. just leave it in the sun heat... pull the trigger and shower.. works great.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I thought this camper would be more your style! We did go on the wimpy side, and picked up the bean stock. But at 15 inches of clearance it has been towing everywhere we want to go. Every year we say we are going to pick up a garden shower and paint it black, but we’ve never done it. Here in the lower 48 I have had trouble finding tree limbs tall enough to hang the solar shower. Even the roof rack of the teardrops a little low to get enough pressure. On those days I think I would probably be better off with the garden sprayer.

[@drivin69]

@@PlayingwithSticks its not the camper i am impressed with its the great time and locations,, wow i mean what can i say ... respect those mountain cliffs and water shed mountain train landscapes you all camp at respect... but nice choice with the camper,, all fiberglass thickly insulated camper is a nice one,,, fist bump... we like these for showers its only enough for one.. but it heats right up a black one may scold you it will hot hot for sure...mabey 2 if we camped with the hole family 2 or 3 would be perfect...one for the dishes is a must.. 3 good meals mabey 4 depending how many plates you wash & rinse.....www.amazon.com/ITISLL-Hand-held-Pressure-Adjustable-219NR1-5/dp/B089GND2HV/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2UZMURAKQK065&dchild=1&keywords=garden+sprayer&qid=1628866001&sprefix=garden+sprayer%2Caps%2C1058&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSjZPTUVHUU5MNDRWJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDUzMTIxMlVFN0s5STRORlpETiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTA5MTMwMlBUWlBFNkhHNDBESSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[@LDaw_96]

Bean is my dream rig. Some day it will be mine.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Trust me, it won’t disappoint! You have to hear May talk about it. One of these days I might have to interview her. And PS, we must be kindred spirits because it was our dream rig as well.

[@christianhamnesjohnson1831]

Realy like your videos. I have a a teardrop camper here in Norrway 👍

[@PlayingwithSticks]

How fun! I can only imagine all the beautiful places you are seeing. We made it out your way years ago. Such a beautiful country! Wish we would’ve had more time there.

[@hlnbee]

22% Norwegian DNA!

[@bikingal4283]

just rewatched this and had to comment on how adorbs the kids are, and so well mannered... asking "please" for you to open the door so he can help you clean ...what a sweet child and so well spoken... ya'll are amazing parents...I'm getting a teardrop this summer and can hardly sleep at night thinking about it... and staying up watching you guys

[@DDMSteveB]

Here for the Bean content. Glad you are loving it as much as I do! It’s something to see the finished product in hand. There are so few that can even compare.

[@theoutdoordad7395]

Wet wipes or a soapy paper towel can make a world of difference if you can’t shower. Cleaning feet and precooking some meals are super helpful. Prepacked storage cubes for clothes and cooking supplies help a lot.

[@BRP42]

“Rolling in the mud and barking at the moon?” Camping with you must be an adventure! Lol. You look fine to me… I mean for a mud soaked, moon barker. ❤️

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Haha. Sometimes I'm glad the camera doesn't pick up the soiled clothing as well as it looks in real life. Sometimes when we go to the stores, I think people think our family is really struggling.

[@TandBKount]

This is one of the best and concise videos on YT! Thank you!

[@vazquezherb1]

Would love to see a break down of your Bean trailer with all the option you chosen and any of the DYI you added yourself. Your family style camping seems to fit my family style. Ty in advance.

[@jennstuart2031]

Excellent! Yes on the socks and shoes in sandy areas. Yes on washing your feet before you go to bed. Makes you feel like you had a whole shower. Fun to see your boys getting bigger and how you include them!

[@66racer]

Most of our trips are weekends, I'm lucky to have 3 nights in our travel trailer but totally agree. Organization is key. Even on short trips when you have less time to figure things out at camp

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Really good point here. We agree, we started doing this for shorter trips the last couple of years and it has really made an impact on those trips as well.

[@carriemainquist757]

Another great video. I really appreciate learning what has worked for you from your travel experiences. Staying organized, staying clean, keeping a routine sounds simple but its true! There is nothing worse than a messy car & camper, dirty clothes or no shower, and being off schedule. Great common sense reminders - liked the socks tip too!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you enjoyed this Carrie. As much as we created this for the community, we also made this one for ourselves. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves what brings us the most joy out here and keeps us having a good experience. We know it is routines, but just like any routine we find we need gentle reminders to keep it up.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Great stuff! There are definitely some adjustments needed in the transition from “weekend warrior” to regular/long term/full time campers. It feels good to spend more and more time in the teardrop; staying clean, comfortable, and healthy is a big part of that. Thanks guys!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Like you said there were some adjustments needed. But, overall we were surprised how easy the transition was. We were actually nervous to be spending a few months straight in a teardrop. But, it has been better than our regular shorter trips. How is the Bushwacker holding up? We get quite a few people asking about them.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@PlayingwithSticks I hope we’ll get to show folks soon! It requires a lot of TLC, but I was happy to be able to afford an equipped TD on a monk’s salary😂

[@camaroacrossamerica7266]

THANK YOU..THANK YOU ...THANK YOU. Im new to car camping and camping in general. Im 59 and a widow. Ive wanted to do this type of camping for years. I have a dodge magnum ive started using to car camp this year. Even though ive only gone twice so far. Im headed to Taos nm in 2 weeks. I live in nm btw. Im doing it on the cheap. Ive only discovered your videos a few weeks ago. Your easy going honesty and thoroughness to cover things ive not thought of has helped me learn a ton. Keep up the great help!! Looking foward to you upcoming tips snd adventures too!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Big fans of the camaro. Our family had two growing up. My mom's was a classic. Mine was a wimpy 305 91 RS. But, I had some good times with it. A dodge magnum sounds like a great little car camping setup. Also big fans of New Mexico. My cousin and I used to backpack there when we were young. Some great wilderness areas you have all around you. Glad you are enjoying the videos.

[@camaroacrossamerica7266]

@@PlayingwithSticks thx youd probably enjoy my fb page camaro across america then. A few years after my wifes passing i did our dream i drove it across the US. 39 states, 20,000 miles over 4 months. Did all kinds of amazing car guy things and dream spots. I didnt get a teardrop though. Did it in hotels.Wish i had though. Anyway enjoying the videos

[@sunnymonkey2389]

You went over areas I have wondered about often. Thank you for creating this video and sharing with us of what you and your family do in order to stay on your routine too. Awesome video! 👍👍💕

[@dustinjohnson1410]

Good shout out for camp food. I love to experiment with cooking at camp, especially with a Dutch oven. I love fajitas, roasted chicken, pot roast, chili, fresh cornbread and other meals from scratch. After all, I usually have lots of down time when camping and you can't eat hot dogs and mac and cheese everyday (unless you are 6). I hope to expand my experiment with camp food once I get into my own family teardrop next year.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Your food of choice sounds amazing! Just the sound of cornbread makes me want to go into town right now and pick some supplies up. We have been experimenting this summer with the skottle. Super fun. Most things have turned out very successful actually better than anything we’ve had out here. But for some reason we can’t figure out how to make some tasty eggs. I haven’t given up yet though. And good point on the age 6 comment. I think we were trying to live with a six year old diet too much out here when we first started camping. It got old really fast!

[@pjrodriguez9755]

Agreed! The biggest things for me are 1) hygiene! Shower every night, whatever it takes! 2) exercise 3) good meals, not garbage. But just a shower is such a huge difference!

[@maykouhansen6713]

Great tips! I really love the shower outside and cooking home foods while camping! I have been trying to get a workout routine for the last few years but have yet to actually start.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

It’s pretty hard getting a workout routine with the kids around. I totally feel for you.

[@darylhawkins4658]

Great video. Prior to leaving I swing by Taco Bell and pick up a dozen soft tacos. I eat some on the first night when I arrive. Eat the rest as snacks. It works for me.

[@moshesmoving]

Lovely family vibes. Making memories for the kids.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you like that. That’s always been our biggest goal. Quality family time and giving the boys the chance to grow up a little closer to the earth.

[@rabbi6225]

Aside from breakfast we eat clean while camping. My wife and I both enjoy the cooking aspect of camping. We mostly use paper plates. But they get recycled for starting the campfire. I saw a video where a guy at the beach used baby powder to clean his feet before putting on his socks. It absorbed the moisture and made it easy to rub the dirt and stuff off.

[@mikemead2315]

Yeah. Agree. I was really feeling unhealthy on long camping trips. Begrudgingly abandoning my “101 hot dog recipes” and eating normal healthy meals was the best thing I ever did. The 12v fridge supported the food for healthier eating as the ice-cooler wasn’t doing it (I don’t think hotdogs needed cooling - aren’t they just petroleum byproducts, parts-is-parts, and salt!? Can’t rot just like lunchmeat. But yummy 😋). The next major improvement was washing the body. The changing/shower/sponge tent, tons of washcloths, and changing some cloths and socks every day. Washing cloths was never a problem, because laundromats were usually near buying food. Exercise. Good one.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I should’ve mentioned the fridge Mike. You’re absolutely right that’s when our eating habits really improved out here. We also started doing more frequent solar showers lately. A world of difference in terms of sleep and just how you feel all day long. Big hot dog fans here. But with the Asian influence in the family we pack more spam than hotdogs. Haha!

[@mikemead2315]

@@PlayingwithSticks Love Spam 😋. Can’t eat spam or hotdogs anymore due to the salt 😢. Bummer. Yeah. A better shower routine before bed would really be a great feeling, and it would keep bedding clean too. But I usually waited until mid day when it was warmer (winter in Arizona: 72 during afternoon, but got cold fast when sun got low then 33 at night).

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@mikemead2315 That is the issue we run across in Alaska. Whenever I am ready for the shower, my solar shower feels like water from the creek. It has been great down here. We have been getting relatively hot showers right before bed.

[@mikemead2315]

@@PlayingwithSticks That desire for a hot shower when I want is the reason I bought the instant hot water heater, and I envision a real benefit as profound as the 12volt fridge. Hopefully the benefits will outweigh the pain of setup and storage area - its kind’a takes up a lot of room. Thinking of more quick connects like you showed us on the unit you showed. Thanks!

[@CelebrateEverything]

Your videos are SO delightful!!!

[@kcb5336]

Just discovered the channel. Excellent content! Great advice. That’s a cool exercise thing too.

[@juanitarivas5810]

I love it! We love our RV adventures, we are learning to last longer boondocking, I agree Routine is so important with 2 kids + a dog in our case.. if the kids rest well, they are in a better mood , makes it easier on us, Food also, eating good food keep us feeling good, and ready to jump back to life at “home”. Love seeing you all 🥰

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Good point on routine for kids. We should have mentioned that. Miss you guys! Thanks so much for all the encouraging words and resources you have been providing May. I know she really appreciates it.

[@googlek1]

Never got the chance to ask... how do you like the Bean camper... and how is it different from Escapod Topo?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Huge fan of the Bean! It’s the trailer that we had narrowed down for our family. The Escapod is a great trailer for most people, but there were a few features the being offered that was a better fit for us. Mainly the fiberglass design and the 15 inches of ground clearance. 15 inches is more than enough to get us anywhere we want to go. But low enough that the galley is still at a nice usable level for cooking. With all the rough roads we take, we worry about those high and low frequency vibrations overtime vibrating out the screws, the glue, etc. With the fiberglass design, you’re basically getting a future proof Trailer like a Scamp or Casita that can handle those vibrations. Plus the added benefit of no water intrusion. And then this feature was not on our list, but after having it for two months it would be hard to go backwards. And that is the extra foot of head clearance you have inside the cabin versus other teardrops on the market. Not tall enough to stand up in, but tall enough to partially stand to put on clothes and just feels amazing when lounging around watching a movie or sleeping. There’s a ton of other little things we love about the trailer, but those are the main ones. I’m really excited to try out the fiberglass Escapod Topo 2. Seems to have many of the same features. The only thing that worries me a little bit is that the clearance is even higher than the Topo 1. But I think they’ve incorporated lower items into the design of the galley to balance it out.

[@googlek1]

@@PlayingwithSticks You so answered my question. I love the design of Escapod but had the same reservations. Which is why I've been focusing more on the Bean. The prices have jumped for most campers and that's been one of the biggest factors for me. Thank you so much for your thoughts and time. By the way... I'm still smiling about you getting ready to wash dishes in the kids bath water.

[@gearlist]

Great ideas, thanks for sharing Drew!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you enjoyed them. Love your channel logo by the way!

[@gearlist]

@@PlayingwithSticks thanks!! 🏕️🏕️

[@TheGratitudeAttitude]

Wonderful to see you all enjoying God’s gift of creation 🍃 what a mighty little teardrop! When did you decide to get a new one?!!! ~ Maria

[@adventuresonwheels5272]

I love your videos, you’re a beautiful family and really brings an idea about what camping is for families. Thanks a lot for sharing this great energy and experience guys! Cheers from Baja México 🇲🇽 Let me know if you ever come down here, it’ll be great to host you at Baja Serena Rv Park and show you the South Baja environment!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Oh wow! We would love to visit Mexico some day. Thank you!

[@adventuresonwheels5272]

@@PlayingwithSticks lot’s of places to visit! I know about there are many warnings regarding safety, but I also know by the people who arrive to our campsite, who mostly come from US and Canada but also Germany, that they hadn’t lived a bad experience at all, and some times they said the bad times where actually out of México, and you can find lots of opinions about this subject. But from my experience, we embrace tourism and we’re welcoming people and always willing to help. Bad moments and crazy people happens everywhere, here as well - we’re not an exception. So if you guys or anyone from this great community would ever like to visit México you’re going to be on the 90% side on the wow experience. Baja it’s pretty famous and well known among overlanders, but mainland in México is something else: a bunch of montains, forests, jungle, waterfalls, high altitudes, deserts, culture, amazing cuisine -I could extend hours and hours on this. And well, my intention is not to promote the country, but enrich the experience of camping / boondocking in more and more places. I believe that as long as we behave, understand or respect the culture, plus always try to leave the place better than we find it, I’m pretty sure we will be welcomed like everywhere. Sorry for all this extended opinion. Cheers!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@adventuresonwheels5272 Don't be sorry. This is great. I love your take on things.

[@sierramantrvlnus]

Another great Video. I do bring my everyday food, to cost save and not turn my belly upside down. An maybe some black Licorice as a treat.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I haven't had black licorice in years. I talk about my grandparents quite often in the videos. My grandpa would bring black licorice and black jack gum on our camping outings. He loved his aniseed. Great memories!

[@sierramantrvlnus]

Black Jack Gum! Oh my goodness. I sure used to love that.

[@laurabeckwilson6963]

Thanks for the video. You have a beautiful family. I feel blessed watching your family grow on your videos over time. I know you've talked about you up coming travel to Thailand I wish you all the best.

[@weekendwithernie]

Huge thanks to May! So glad to know I'm not the only one who brings a charcoal mask + full facial routine into the woods :)

[@PlayingwithSticks]

She is going to love seeing this comment! Glad you shared this.

[@weekendwithernie]

@@PlayingwithSticks also love the exercise piece! We sometimes bring kettlebells and a TRX along 😊 Thanks for another awesome video; happy travels!

[@maryhu_creates]

Love this video! Have been watching your videos ever since quarantine started as sort of an escape from my indoor life. Actually ordered the Bean Stock in January and we are picking up soon! Super excited and hoping to take it out with our toddler. Love seeing your family do what I thought would be impossible, it’s really inspiring! Love that May was using a face mask! Is that the Boscia face mask? Anyways super excited to follow you all into your next journey as well!

[@jamespaul2587]

Thanks for another great video Drew. I remember car camping several years ago, and one of the sites nearby had two families, and they had a chicken roasting in an electric rotissery oven with a complete set of matching Lagostina pots and pans nearby. It seemed funny at the time, but I'm sure it tasted better than wieners and beans! Lots of great ideas here, and May is definitely beautiful with or without the mud mask, or whatever that scary thing was!

[@skipsamples2647]

Appreciate the video and it makes sense. Routines keep you balanced with your "other" life. Did I miss something as I do not see any comments with the info on the home gym. Like the idea. Thanks again.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Are you referring to a link to the home gym. I think I put it in the description. I may have accidentally put it below some other information. Unfortunately when I asked for a discount code that was months ago. Seems at the moment they have no promotions. However, they did give me a code for $25 off that I put in the description. If you wait, it seems to go on sale quite often. Sometimes up to 40% off.

[@ranielm2024]

Hoping to get a tear drop someday soon. Appreciate all the tips you've been sharing.

[@BirdPhish]

Love watching your videos! Always learn so much from your videos and this is yet another fantastic set of tips and advice nicely presented. Thanks for sharing!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you enjoyed this one! We had a question for you. How do you take down your batwing awning on a windy day? We’ve really struggled with this and have found no solution.

[@BirdPhish]

@@PlayingwithSticks OMG so many stories with the awning and wind to tell just from our recent 6 week trip alone. Too much to fit here lol...but I will say it can be a very scary situation dealing with wind and awnings and there's no really good solution I've found either... To make it a little less scary though I ALWAYS try to set up camp so the awning is on the downwind side....you do not want the wind trying to lift the awning when it's not lashed down. Wind direction is my fist consideration now setting up camp especially if there is any chance of wind ( I used to always think "point my solar panels south" when setting up camp but not any more).. If it's not needed try to anticipate your departure and take it down early when the wind is calm...Possibly place some strategic bungy cords as you are taking it down to keep things from flapping around too much.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@BirdPhish Great suggestion on setting up camp based on wind direction. Like you we always think sun first. But, after our last wind experience I can see us changing that strategy in the future. Thank you for sharing.

[@joycemoses2411]

Smart advice!!! I try to dehydrate some of our meals before leaving for camping. I never thought about shopping for groceries as a reset...great point. May looks beautiful even in her cleanings routine! Your little boys are so adorable! Thank you for sharing your advice!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We have never tried the dehydration route. We have only dehydrated fruits. Where would one start? Any suggestions for easy dehydrated meals? I shared your sweet comment with May. Thank you!

[@joycemoses2411]

@@PlayingwithSticks It is awesome to prepare a portion of your meals at home....saves time, water, and fuel at your camping spot. With dehydrating, avoid using oils/butters/dairy/cheeses in your meals. Wait until you are at your camping spot to add those yummy ingredients (to prevent food spoilage). My favorite is making mashed potatoes! So fresh, nothing like the store bought "instant" potatoes. Once the potatoes are fully cooked at home, spread the potatoes on parchment lined dehydrating sheets to dry. Once dried, you can break up the potatoes into bits, but I prefer to use my food processor to make the potatoes into powder for better storage. (Sometimes the dehydrated food edges become sharp and will cut the storage bag.) At your camping spot, add boiling water just to cover the potatoes, wait five-ten minutes, and add toppings as you wish. I think your little ones would love the potatoes. This works for white or sweet potatoes. I have dehydrated spinach, carrots, green beans, and peas. I would suggest that you cook your vegetables until almost done then dehydrate. You should always cook any meat/poultry completely done before dehydrating. I like to dehydrate pasta. Cook the pasta almost done then dehydrate on parchment lined sheets. At your camping spot, add just enough boiling water to cover the pasta. Use a cooking container that has a lid and can be insulated with a towel or foil. The only fuel that you are using is the fuel to boil the water. (You are NOT simmering the pot on the stove). Wait approximately ten minutes and the pasta will be done. With pasta, you may need to drain some of the water off. With vegetables, I usually do not have to drain the water....the water is restoring the vegetable. I have used a thermos bottle to place the dehydrated foods and then add the boiling water. So many options for having awesome tasting food!!! The You Tuber "Amanda Outside" has dehydrated some of her meals. I have learned so much from Backpacking Chef Glenn. He backpacks all over the world. He has written two books which are EXCELLENT resources. You can find him on Facebook: Backpacking Chef and website: backpackingchef.com. He prefers to make his own healthy meals rather than purchase the not-so-healthy and expensive meals for sale. I hope you are able to check out his sites. He has personally answered several questions for me. He is so knowledgeable!!!! My husband health conditions (Type 1 Diabetic, Celiac Disease, low fodmap) makes it almost impossible to dine in a restaurant and/or consume packaged meals, so Backpacking Chef has been a life saver. He seems like a really nice guy, like you.

[@robertengstrom1183]

Good to see the family starring now as well. 2 questions. 1 How do you like your Bean? 2 You claimed in another video that some teardrops are overpriced. My impression is that Bean and Vistabule, while expensive give good value for the money. Do you think I'm wrong? Nevermind. I read your answers to other viewers where my questions were answered. Tks for another great video.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

1. Absolutely love it! I knew I would. But I can say without a doubt May loves it just as much as me. And that was definitely a surprise. She considers it her little micro home. For me it was the fiberglass to prevent water intrusion, prevent bolts/glue/etc. from coming apart from low/high frequency vibrations on all the rutty trails we drive, the 15" of clearance to get over any terrain we encounter (but still low enough to cook comfortably). And as a bonus we are finding we love the extra 1 foot of headroom compared to other trailers. And we are still in favor of trailers without sinks and water tanks. 2. Yes, I believe unfortunately there are a lot of teardrop manufacturers out there that are overpricing their trailers. And you are absolutely correct. Vistabule and Bean are using components that justify the cost. It seems crazy to folks who are new to teardrop pricing. But once you start pricing out these builds and see what you end up with you realize these prices are fitting in terms of what you get. Not only does Vistabule and Bean have quality components their designs and finish work are tough to put a price on. I just stepped into a Vistabule yesterday. Yes, on paper it is just like any other teardrop. It has an axle, windows, doors, etc. But when you see it in person it is leaps and bounds ahead of most traditional teardrops on the market. And with both of these brands the resale is incredibly high. The owner of the Vistabule said that they still see some of the earlier Vistabules (Build number 100 and less) still selling for slightly less than new or sometimes even the same as new.

[@ChukesOutdoorAdventures]

Great video thanks for all the tips!!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Sending vitamin D your way! We are getting way too much of it down here. Haha

[@josephmaschari1073]

Good video, You have great tips, keep them come.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks Joseph, will do!

[@azsunscards1912]

Great video! Routines are key especially with kiddos and nap times. Feet and white shoes get wrecked in AZ haha not enough rain

[@FreysOnTheSide]

Have to say Dude, your resent videos are crazy dialled. Love watching your stuff.

[@jennyleef1775]

Great tips as usual. I was only wondering the other day whether you guys were still planning to go to Thailand. Especially with the growing issue with Coronavirus. Even here in Australia we are having a bad time at the moment, yet it's nothing compared to other countries. Keep enjoying your camping and I'll keep my eye out for your continued preparations for heading off to Thailand. Take care.

[@erinmumford6370]

What the sponge bath attachment? That’s awesome!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Pretty neat isn’t it? We will be highlighting this in a video sometime. It is the geyser shower. A great way to get clean, have some warm water on you, but minimizing the water usage.

[@mikemead2315]

Exercise. Good one. I feel like I exercise, but really hiking and some mild sprints are not very complete. I was thinking of some kind of detachable chin-up bar mounted from the hitch, but a lot of metal used for nothing else. Interesting exercise setup you got there. I need to look into that.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I like the idea of the chin up bar. Unfortunately with my shoulders I can’t do mini exercises anymore where I’m using my own bodyweight. I’ve been a big fan of therapy bands for the last 15 to 20 years. What I was finding though is that the bands were hurting my arches mid workout. This is why I was looking for some sort of band system with a platform. Maye says I should take it with me to Thailand, but I think it’s a little too big to put in my plane bag. I remember seeing another brand or two that had two small individual foot pads instead of one large square. I think I’ll have to look into them because I’m pretty sold on the concept. I think my favorite thing about workouts with these platforms is I finally have the ability to do a lot more leg workouts. I always had trouble finding enough tension with my bands to do that previously.

[@mikemead2315]

@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks. That makes it sound even more interesting.

[@cherylbarrett3443]

I do like the Bean trailers, but the weight is a major commitment.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

You nailed it. That is our only negative with this trailer, the Escapod, really any of these higher end teardrops. I even ran into someone yesterday with a vestibule and he said it was 1500 pounds dry. Not only does this dictate what type of towing vehicle you need. You also get a really big gas mileage reduction when driving higher speeds. We told Mark, the President of Bean that we’d be interested in a Bean Trailer that had the same clearance, Galley space, and cabin space as their current models. But was only made of a fiberglass shell like a Scamp, meaning no inside composite material to add rigidity for the rooftop tents, stand on fenders, etc. unfortunately he felt there wasnt a market for that. I’m still secretly hoping to convince him there is. Haha. Because truly these Bean trailers are amazing. Imagine if we can get one down to about 1000 pounds. A teardrop trailer with an extra foot of head height, fiberglass walls for no water intrusion, no worries about high and low frequency vibration pulling apart the bonds that you have with wood construction, and 15 inches of clearance that you could get over almost anything. And last but not least, it would be able to be towed by your daily commuter! Really, there is no market for that? Me and a joke that he needs to look a state or two over. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of people in Colorado that would lineup for that based on what we saw them driving and towing this summer.

[@mark-di5pf]

@@PlayingwithSticks hmmm, 1650 lb is too much? I am not sure it is a Bean at a 1000-1200 lbs. I am not crazy about the compromises in size, capability and durability needed to get to that number. As I see it, the paths to a 1000lb trailer are, less materials(smaller trailer), cheaper, less durable materials(wafer thin aluminum or composite skins and flimsy walls) or very expensive materials( aluminum frame, High tech composites). For now I think I will leave the 'can be towed by a vehicle with 1500lbs of tow capacity' to someone else. Hey new slogan for Bean "Stocky, Beautiful and Proud " :)

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@mark-di5pf 1650 is actually great! I am being nit picky here. You are right, it really wouldn't be a Bean in the Bean's offroad sense. But, still the Bean has so many great human factors. The headroom, the color scheme, the pass through galley, the ease of maintenance, etc. Nobody is making a teardrop like that. Not even traditional teardrop manufacturers. In my mind if Scamp can create a 1,000-1,200lb trailer that lasts for decades, Bean can make a 1,000-1,200lb trailer and continue to keep it the same size and have the same amenities minus the offroad beefiness. I know it is a pipedream, but a man can dream :) But, with all that said. I am a guy that nit picks everything. If all I can find wrong with the Bean is weight, that is saying a lot!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@mark-di5pf I can see it now "Lean Bean" Haha!

[@mark-di5pf]

@@PlayingwithSticks I like it!

[@mark-di5pf]

nice projection set up. You just need the Jiffy pop!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Before Covid we could find jiffy pop in every grocery store. Now we can’t find it anywhere. This week we’re excited to try making popcorn on the Skottle.

[@s.porter8646]

We have a MyPod, smaller cousin of your teardrop, love it, the wife and I have a divide and conquer and a WE do...also, is theres a running route...its so nice just sitting back and breathing, not, really stressing...one thing we do differently is we cook a weeks worth of food...vegan, so no need to cook. Great bids, keep posting and you are doing great parenting.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Love the MyPod. We were hoping to film one in California this winter, but they didn't have any on the lot. Great suggestion cooking for a a week's worth of food. We are typically big meat eaters. BUT, we could definitely go a week on vegan Indian food!

[@s.porter8646]

@@PlayingwithSticks its not for everyone (vegan) works for us health wise, and long term food prep is easier. MYPOD amazing camper, unless its above 90 the fan is great, we have a tiny heater, but our dog is great heat. If you get a chance to try the Mypod, you'll dig it. Or if your in Washington well loan you ours.

[@K_H-Channel]

I see you have a roof top tent on the teardrop. Is it better than sleeping in the teardrop? Is that why you have it?

[@Spreedem]

I would imagine Alaska if full of bears, everything I read says to cook your food and store all things that smell good away from where you sleep. How do you manage that specially on long term getaways? We just got our TD and are excited for our first trip to Yosemite and trying to prepare for it and I've definitely have used a lot of your recommendations to be ready, definitely appreciate you and your family, stay safe happy travelers.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We just had this question today from someone else. It is one of those videos we have been reluctant to make because the practice is slightly different from Alaska to the Lower 48. If you send us an email at [e-mail] we would be glad to share our thoughts. I just don't want to put conflicting information out here and get people confused. Your first trip sounds great! May and I were just talking today about needing to get to Yosemite at some time. You are going to have a blast!

[@jamespaul2587]

@@PlayingwithSticks Drew, I think bear safety would be a very interesting video for your viewers, accompanied by a disclosure that "your bears may vary". I've often camped in northern Ontario, with Killbear being a family favourite, every time we go they have notices of active bears in the park and we often see the bear cages/traps they use to relocate them... no bears are actually killed in this park although I've heard they sometimes use rubber bullets to try and drive them away!

[@garretlewis4103]

Glad to hear you mention Thailand. We were wondering what was going on there.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Last week I was telling my dad it was a 50/50 chance we get in early September. This week I am saying a 25% chance. The window continues to shrink, but we are hopeful it will all work out. So many unknowns with their current Covid situation. If all goes as planned we will be heading over in a few weeks.

[@thomasfleckenstein8378]

How well does the Wilderness tow? Bought a Wilderness just over a month ago and am renting a teardrop for two weeks in Colorado in September / October.

[@BrianHSC]

Hey, great video. Question. Griddle shown at 1:36, what is it and where did you get it?

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Great info 👍

[@belle01923]

Have you had any issues with the kitchen cabinets from moisture?

[@nutthrower4415]

are you using the BEAN now? Been thinking about those but kind of spendy to start off with on a Teardrop, seem nice

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Yes. We reached out to them to see if they would let us take our dream camper for a spin. Surprisingly they threw us the keys and said take it out until you head out for Thailand in September. So yes, we are kind of living the dream right now. We originally had the same thought as you. But then we made our first video with Jordan at Valiant Trailers. That video was pretty popular so we started getting a lot of questions about offroad trailers. And at the time we didn't know a whole lot about that niche of teardrop. So we started researching offroad trailer components and pricing. That is when Bean first hit our radar. Initially we thought they were selling an overpriced teardrop, but after comparing brands and components we realized they were actually underpricing their trailers compared to the competitors that were using the same components (very similar to Valiant, but they produce a squardrop). And this is especially true with the Bean Stock model that we gravitated to. There is no other trailer on the market with those components for under $17,000. And then you factor in the fiberglass design (no water intrusion, built to last generations) and then you have an almost priceless build. Like you, these teardrop prices were quite shocking to us. However, we are starting to look at small camper trailer purchases a bit different than we did in the past. We now see them as more of an investment than a money pit. Meaning, typical RVs cost a lot, break down a lot, and have poor resale value. Where small camper trailers on the other hand are typically built to last, have minimal maintenance, and when you are ready to sell it you can get almost as much as you paid for it. For us though, at this stage in life it is less about resale and more about getting a trailer that will last. We have been in enough and owned enough to now know what we like. It is definitely fiberglass and it is definitely a teardrop. At the moment Bean and Escapod are the only ones producing trailers that meet that requirement. Unfortunately Escapod's is coming in at like $40K.

[@nutthrower4415]

@@PlayingwithSticks thanks so much for taking the time to reply so soon. Have watched many of your vids, so hold your opinion very high. We are looking for a bear bones tear drop. We don’t need the bells and whistles many have. No water tank needed, no stove, got our own. The one options that always throws me a curve is electrical additions needed. Batteries, what size, they give choices but I have no idea. Anyway that’s our dilemma. Yeah would-love to hear your advice but realize I’m asking more then I should. Am I getting to you? 😂😂 you’ve done more then enough and I again thank you We are late starters, pushing 70 but willing to take the plunge, beats putting up our tent 😄 Thanks again

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@nutthrower4415 These are the questions we love! Shows how nerdy we are. Love helping people find their first or dream small camper trailer. If your heart is not set on a teardrop shape I would suggest a squardrop in terms of most affordable and bare bones. I would start with Hiker and Runaway. Both bear bones and competitive pricing. If you are set on a teardrop shape, we get it, we love the shape as well, that is a bit tougher. Meaning finding something bare bones. Most of the bare bones teardrops are coming form local builds in your area. The larger scale or more well known teardrop companies tend to throw in most of the bells and whistles. The most affordable we have found is from Tiny Camper Company. I am not sure about the quality as I have never seen one in person. I wish I knew more bare bones options, but unfortunately I can't think of any off the top of my head. Typically the best bare bone builds can be found in your backyard. I would suggest googling teardrop trailers in your state and see what pops up. If you have seen our videos you probably noticed our teardrop is bare bones as well. Our 4x8 homebuilt has no water tank, no stove, but it does have electricity. And we were over the moon happy with that basic little trailer. As for electrical we are still fans of a basic AGM battery. Does well in all weather conditions and doesn't cost much. We would suggest a small AGM battery and then for any additional power you need we would suggest picking up a small portable power station. The AGM should be more than enough. The only reason you would need more is if you are running electric blankets or heaters. The small power station is great to have because it allows you to chase the sun during the day with a portable solar panel. And you can use the power away from your camper if need be. Hope this helps. If you have more questions just let us know.

[@HMartinHoffman]

Look forward to another episode! In the meantime, have y’all come across a basic camper that can be stored in garage that can ALSO double as a toy hauler, ( one bike)? Thanks!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Yes, we have a video on that. Well, I am not sure if it can be stored in a garage in terms of height? kzbin.info/www/bejne/omnZcqOYfLqdpdE

[@HMartinHoffman]

@@PlayingwithSticks - Thank you, Drew… I remember watching this video - yes, it might be a bit tall, but worth a look!

[@m.d.1873]

Thank you. Invest in a berkie for Thailand.

[@AlejandroGonzalez-AGS]

I always learn more watching your videos…they help me a lot. I did not see a link but it was instant must have….what brand (and link please) is that square green tent you have on the outside of the teardrop? I have a T@G and would suit perfectly! The kids are growing fast….stay safe. Cheers!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We absolutely love that side entry tent. However, it’s a prototype from Bean Trailers that we are testing out for their future Bean owners. What you are seeing is sidewalls that attach to a 23Zero Peregrine Awning. It is a really neat design. Basically it’s a tent that goes up in about two minutes or less that is attached to your existing batwing awning. I wonder if there are other companies making something like this that you can purchase. Unfortunately I don’t know of any at the moment.

[@juanpinto5743]

@@PlayingwithSticks I think TuffStuff makes an awning that you can add walls to basically make a small side tent (maybe 8x8 or 10x10).

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@juanpinto5743Thank you for sharing this Juan.

[@tgfcujhb7583]

A packet of baby wipes are my camp shower, wipe yourself down before you go to bed and you'll feel fresh and clean 👍👍takes up less space and weight than water.

[@jom9049]

Thank you May and family for the ideas to feel refreshed in an organized camp. I am curious about your wok in the background. Is that all one-piece or two separate pieces? What brand did you land with?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Okay, ,it is expensive but absolutely one of our favorite pieces of gear. It is called a Tembo Tusk Skottle. There are videos on how to make them yourself. Basically they are an old plow disc turned into an amazing cooking device. Functions and cleans up just like stainless steel. It eliminated all the extra pans we used to carry. And you can bake with it too! If you venture down the Skottle hole and find you want to pay that really high price. Let us know, we can probably reach out to them and get some sort of discount for you. May and I hurt a little paying so much for it. But, after using it for 2 months straight full time we would suggest it to everyone.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We have video coming out tomorrow about how we landed on Bean. 1 piece fiberglass that was a big part of the reason! The video is neat because we basically say the base model is more than enough for most people and has the same components as their higher end models.

[@mrdave22]

well done. try face pulls for those shoulders. great for proper external rotation. thanks for sharing, thumbs up

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I’m going to have to Google that. That’s a new term to me. Thank you!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Just Google it. I do a lot of different angles of rows, but nothing up to the face like that. So glad you shared this.

[@mrdave22]

@@PlayingwithSticks for a video may i suggest athlean x on youtube. he is very knowledgeable. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3rUZnZ4bq-Zgac

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@mrdave22 Good video. Right off the bat he pointed out the difficulty I would have with bands. I find that with many of my lifts. That I don't get the full range of the exercise. That is definitely one of the downfalls of the home band routines.

[@mrdave22]

@@PlayingwithSticks i'm glad his information blessed you.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

"camp food?" This one always gets me. To me, camp food is "MRE's". If you have a kitchen, cook real food, cooking on a barbecue is fine, but its one of the reasons i like wood stoves, with ovens. Because I can cook normally. As well pre-prepairing food or pre-prepping meals, for example making chilly at home, portioning it out into different tupperware containers, then one site, doing up some rice, re-heating the chilly in a small pot, layering the chilly over rice, in a very short time you have a full meal, that you can hand off to kids. Keeping some MRE's on hand is great for emergencies while camping, but at the same time, essentially preparing your own home made MRE's is a great option too. Now to this, there are "sous vide" style bags. vacuum sealable bags that you can store food in. but people never think of the fun way of using these when camping. So you make chicken fetachini Alfredo, put it in the bag, vacuum seal it. at the camp site, you put a pot on, start boiling water, drop the bag into the water... about 8-10 min later pull it out, open the bag and have a meal. it really does cut down on cleanup.

[@jessys9868]

A shower makes it perfect!

[@kadogshowtv7222]

Thank you for sharing

[@maryzenor1829]

Thanks for the tips! Can you tell me the name and where you found that sponge bath hose. It looks great!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

It is the Geyser Shower. You can find them at REI or online. Great little shower. But the few folks we know who have had them have had minor issues like us. Broken plastic components, etc. But, the company is quick to fix it and when it works it works!

[@kimberlylatham1294]

What projector set up do you have?

[@boskostoybox]

I would suggest water shoes if you're just going to hang around the camp site

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That is a really good suggestion. And it never crossed our mind.

[@boskostoybox]

@@PlayingwithSticks i have a pair of Whitins from Amazon. So comfortable.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@boskostoybox Love the prices on those!

[@boskostoybox]

@@PlayingwithSticks curious to see your thoughts on them. Perfect camping shoes.

[@cozyflannel]

It probably seems silly but bugs and bug bites often are the thing that can bring down my time outdoors. My skin reacts to it so badly and, this time of year, no amount of sprays and pants and sleeves can save me 😩

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We completely get you there. Our oldest son's first few years of life were all about avoiding bugs. He was very reactive to any kind of bite. It really dictated where, when, and how we camped. We truly feel for you.

[@Lilone671]

Love video

[@metaxaanabeer]

all I can add to this video is a "home" food recipe that is easy to pull off while camping. This might get long: In a saute (fry) pan saute all together some chopped red pepper, chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, oregano, S&P and at the last minute minced garlic. Now add two of the small tins of premium tuna in olive oil (its the drained oil you saute with) and a drained tin of clams. Stir and mix, break up the tuna. Now a jar of either white seafood sauce or failing that a jar of 3 cheese Alfredo sauce. Low simmer. Meanwhile you have been boiling a pot of orrechiette pasta. This is important as oriechette look like chopped off dwarf ears so kids love eating The Ears of Charlie Twofish. No need for a cooler or fridge before you make it up as both the red pepper and the green onion will last a week before you make it if you don't leave them in the sun.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We will be trying this soon. We have most of the ingredients on hand right now. We’ve never use that style of pasta before. We see it in the stores but never knew when to use it. I agree Cumbe and the kids are going to love it!

[@metaxaanabeer]

@@PlayingwithSticks Eating ogre ears...what kid wouldn't. Meanwhile all that seafood goes into them that you might never be able to get them to eat. Probably not an issue with your kids but even so. We've done it with Dungeness crab, local spot prawns, salmon...individually. Whatever you want, the tinned stuff is great out camping tho.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@metaxaanabeer We haven't had seafood in a long time. Being out of AK has been really fun. But we are definitely missing our comfort food.

[@DanielMiller82]

Again... another video with no mention of your awesome new tow vehicle!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Are you saying I need to make a video about the tow vehicle? OK, I’ll do it! It’s been amazing by the way.

[@rebeccadewaele1875]

Im laughing because i can totally relate to what you said the first 30 seconds

[@jj2024-themorethemerrier]

Did I hear you say you’re moving to Thailand…?!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Crazy huh? God willing, we will be leaving in two weeks

[@jj2024-themorethemerrier]

@@PlayingwithSticks that’s great! I have quite a few friends God’s taken to Thailand, they mostly work in the north. A big adventure ahead of you guys - but y’all love adventure already so I’m sure you’ll adjust well 😊 God bless! And I look forward to videos from your future motorbike 😉

[@dantheman9135]

Fun

[@joshua.harazin]

Shoulder Strugs. The official exercise of the 1996 US Olympic gymnastics team.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

Exercise while camping - Really? well i guess, if you aren't hiking to gather wood, chopping and processing fire wood. If your not putting up a 250 pound tent. spending days "improving" the camp. etc. Really in some cases you can be burning 3200+ cal a day just on camp routines. But for those that just use trailers and such... during summer there isn't a lot to do that burns calories i guess.

[@martinfransman7584]

Isn't he supposed to promote teardrop campers I'm just asking 🤔

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I’m guessing you have me confused for someone else. This channel is all about small camper trailers, the gear, and the lifestyle. Yes, we have some Teardrop videos out there, but if you look at our feed there is scamps, vintage trailers, pop-up trailer is, you name it. If it is small, we want to learn about it!

[@2-old-Forthischet]

No kids, paper plates and full hookups, but not for much longer. Push ups, crunches and planking. Simple.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Love it! I miss the push-ups. My shoulders can’t handle it anymore.

[@2-old-Forthischet]

@@PlayingwithSticks I'm an old fart and about 9 months ago, my doctor told me that my sugar numbers are too high now after being borderline for many years so went on a mostly plant based diet. I couldn't even do one normal push up then so did sissy pushups from my knees. Now, about 8 months later, I can do normal push ups again. Just these simple exercises and modified diet (I still eat Twinkies) I've lost almost 40 pounds and am on the road to eliminating many of my pills!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@2-old-Forthischet Love hearing stories like this! That is incredible.

[@2-old-Forthischet]

@@PlayingwithSticks both of my parents were diabetic. I'm trying to avoid that.

[@hlnbee]

Ah, to be young again!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

:)

[@KevinSmith-os5yz]

We've howled at the moon, haven't barked at the moon,hmmmm

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Haha! I’ve never been good at using common phrases. Especially when the cameras on.

[@jamespaul2587]

@@PlayingwithSticks well you do have 2 puppies now Drew, barking seems like an appropriate phrase

[@martinfransman7584]

Who does this guy thinks he is

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Drew. Just Drew.