The Bean Stock 2.0 Teardrop Camper Replaces Its Kin: Off-Road Adventures Start at $16K

Folks, the name Bean Trailer is sure to sound familiar to some of you, especially if you follow autoevolution. After all, this crew has been on the market since 2016 and, since then, has created quite a cult following for itself. Why and how? Well, their newest Bean Stock 2.0 is sure to bring you up to speed nice and easy.

Now, one of the main aspects of camper living that pushes most folks away is nothing other than price. Well, one way Bean is making sure their machines are seen hitched up behind your vehicle is by hitting the industry where it hurts: the price for one of these babies.

According to the manufacturer's website, the Stock 2.0 starts off at no more than $16,000 (€14,600 at current exchange rates). In this day and age? Sign me up! Best of all, this price includes nearly everything you need to hit the road the moment you've signed the necessary documents.

For this sort of cash, future owners will be looking forward to a chassis with a Timbren 2,000 lb HD suspension with 15-inch wheels and 27-inch radial tires. Electronic braking, safety chains, and a 7-pin wiring harness are also part of the magic here. But, if you feel like your travels are going to be off the proverbial road, upgraded suspension options exist, one of which adds an extra 4 in (10 cm) on top of the 17 in (43 cm) of standard ground clearance.

From here, Bean throws on that shell we see, giving this camper its iconic and timeless looks; the teardrop camper shape has gone without change for decades. But, the real ticket item here is the fact that what we see is a one-piece fiberglass shell, meaning the elements have nowhere to seep into your construction.

As a bit of homework, I invite you to look into why this unit still has the molding trim around the outer edge and why the interior also includes trims.

Honeycomb sidewalls are also part of the magic here, ensuring this puppy is as light as possible. Dry, we're looking at a weight of 1,175 lbs (533 kg), light enough for just about everything from small SUVs to even being hitched up behind a massive motorhome.

However, there's one massive change that the Stock 2.0 showcases that teardrops are typically known for, a rear outdoor galley. For the 2.0, the Bean has eliminated this feature from the rear of the camper, and in doing so, it has created an interior living space that's larger than what we can typically find in such models.

Judging by the images in the gallery, Bean includes a sort of worktable or shelf where the digital nomads amongst us can still keep their jobs and ensure the costs of living for the next leg of the journey are covered. This is also the place where future owners can store goods and gear and manage electrical power needs.

If that's the case, where's the galley and all its features? After all, we have to eat, drink, and even shower, if only occasionally. Well, my exploration into this model has revealed that the port side of the unit is where Bean decided to add the galley.

However, to include this setup into your lifestyle, you'll need to pay extra. The most basic table package is going for a solid $895 (€817), and everything else will end up costing extra, too. Hey, there had to be a downside somewhere. Be sure to check out the long list of extras you can add, too.

Regarding electrical, Bean takes the time to prewire the 2.0 for an electric and solar generator and throws in a Goal Zero Yeti inverter, solar panel port, and shore power connection. Bring your portable solar panel, and let's get moving!

Now, curiosity killed the cat, but I'm still alive, so I decided to see just how much a Stock 2.0, which lives up to my needs, would run me. By the time I was done adding a 3,500 HD Timbren off-road suspension, a full galley setup, like the one we see in the gallery, an awning, a roof rail system, an awning, two solar panels, and several others, I had created a monster priced at $26,444.

Sure, that's about $1,444 over what I'm willing to pay for something like this (average of $25K), but not all teardrops can achieve what the Bean stock 2.0 can, especially if you pump a tad of cash into a new unit and take it to the next level.

At the end of the day, how much money you throw at your future Bean Stock 2.0 is up to you, but Bean does offer a solid base upon which we can build, and that alone is worth the $16K. Just a little something to think about.

P.S. With the arrival of the Bean Stock 2.0, the Bean Stock 1.0 has been discontinued.