Teardrop-Inspired Carapate Camper Is a Fresh Take on Vintage Off-Grid Styling

If you’ve never heard of this crew, you are not alone. Carapate Aventure is a rather fresh travel trailer manufacturer that brings a different approach to this sort of lifestyle. While Carapate has been around since 2017, it was only in 2018 that their first prototype hit the market and commercial sales soon followed in 2019.

Now, Carapate likes to boast that its creations are inspired by the American teardrop camper. Inspired is the proper word because the Carapate habitats look very little like their U.S. counterparts. But, to see just how close the designs may be, we can take a look at this team’s flagship trailer, the, well, Carapate.

Just to give you a simple idea of what to expect, this travel trailer comes in with a starting price of 17,600 EUR (19,362 USD at current exchange rates) and can accommodate two adults and one child or a pet. And while nearly 20 thousand dollars isn’t a price that many teardrops carry, this bugger does seem to be able to achieve a tad more than your average camper.

Overall, Carapate is set upon a galvanized frame with a braked axle setup and a max authorized weight of 800 kg (1,763 lbs). Since the living space is mostly wood, empty, a Carapate comes in with a 560 kg (1,234 lbs) weight. Since the manufacturer does not mention the building process, it’s all we really have. But, we do know that this habitat is suitable for year-round use, yet I think this really depends on the climate you’re traveling through.

As for the features and amenities you can find available, you’ll have access to everything a normal teardrop would offer, but everything is jumbled up all over the place. For example, the kitchen or galley is set up on a slide-out drawer mounted at the front of the camper and extends outward from the side. Because of this, some of the galley features are also accessible from the inside, if the drawer is shut. The downside is that this feature is optional.

Inside the habitat, things may seem a tad different from other campers, mainly because of the shape of the Carapate. The shell boasts one entry door, three panoramic windows, a skylight, two storage cupboards, and one technical cupboard with controls to your life systems.

The big deal about this crew is that each Carapate is created to be as modular as possible. This means that the sleeping mattress also doubles as seating during dining, and at the front, where the children’s bedding can be positioned, the space can just be used as a tabletop space with storage underneath. To help reduce weight, some overhead storage spaces are completed using textiles that can be moved around to optimize your gear for the activities you plan during a particular weekend.

As for other systems you may want or need, Carapate Aventure offers something known as “backpacks,” which are basically entire systems sold as options for your home. Want some AGM batteries and battery charger or LED lighting? You have to grab the Spark package. Want solar power? Sun is the package for that. What about a rooftop tent? Yup, there’s an option for that too. If you’re going to run into the colder months with this travel trailer, you may need to pick up the Webasto heater, part of the Winter option. How much you’ll have to pay for these options is not specified. However, I requested pricing via e-mail, but I’ve yet to receive that document.

Sure, all that’s going to run you extra, so at the end of the day, the price isn’t very teardrop trailer-like. The design is also different from traditional campers, but if there is one thing this crew hit a home run in, it’s in offering a modern trailer with a rustic feel. Looking for a new habitat? How does the Carapate stand up to your expectations?