BOULDER, Colo. — A Boulder man wants to make exploring the outdoors as easy as possible for you as he forges a new path in eco-friendly camping.
You're in good company this week with Colorado Teardrops.
On a road trip through the Rockies one year, Dean Wiltshire quickly realized large campers or small tents aren't always good for everywhere you want to go.
"Along the drive, I realized the world needed a hard shell, small, light [camper] not requiring a big truck so they could go explore," Wiltshire said.
The former software developer got to work on a design fit for all adventures.
He said it starts with a 3D computer-aided design.
"And you make models of people, and you bend them and you fold them and you put them down there," he said. "And, then you have to get inside."
The finished product became Colorado Teardrops, a company in Boulder turning transformable trailers into full, capable outdoor living spaces.
"First of all, they're fully insulated," Wiltshire said. "So, they're made for four-season camping here in Colorado, where we have extreme weather."
Their models come complete with all the comforts of home. Even their smallest camper folds out into a queen-sized bed and configures into a kitchen in the back.
"I have my barbecue typically, and my camping stove right here," Wiltshire said, demonstrating the Canyonland design. "And I can entertain or have a bar here, and this is for a cooler to slide out."
"Here we're in happy hour mode," Wiltshire said, showing the inside. "We have a nice comfortable couch and a table."
There are bunk beds in the bigger models.
The company recently unveiled an electric trailer to assist travelers with electric vehicles.
"We have this trailer we call the Boulder that's full of lithium batteries to charge the vehicle while under tow," Wiltshire said.
You can enjoy the finer parts of nature, packed with all your necessities, and leave the weight of your worries behind.
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