The Luxurious Amish Addition: T@G Teardrop
Scott Hubble And nüCamp Share Finely Designed, Luxurious Trailers For Camping Trips Providing A Bed, Sink, A/C, Plus Other Amenities
Imagine what an Amish workshop must look like. Full of antiquated tools of various ancient trades, the hard working people live a lifestyle hundreds of years old in places like Pennsylvania and Ohio. And what they churn out to buggy around is certain to be set on wooden wheels and have a hitch for a horse.
That is a fair assumption, until you see the actual work product of more than a hundred traditional Amish workers in Sugarcreek, Ohio. Every year, the predominantly Amish company of men and women steeped in tradition pumps out thousands of ultralight teardrop campers and truck campers, finished to exacting standards, for distribution across the United States.
Scott Hubble, the CEO of nüCamp Pleasant Valley Teardrop Trailers, described his company as a departure from the mainstream RV industry, not only because of the pool of Amish workers in his workshops, but also because of the innovative direction the company is taking ultralight teardrops.
"Function really trumps everything at the end of the day," Hubble said of the company’s design principle. "It could be the prettiest thing in the world, but if you don't have a lot of functions (plumbing, etc) then you could just be in a hard sided tent."
The T@G teardrops are a big departure from the original teardrop idea. They offer considerable luxuries compared with the old plywood boxes that original DIYers hacked together in their garages decades ago. The T@G has an 11 gallon fresh water tank, a large bed area, sink and stove combo in the rear galley, air conditioning, a 12-volt cooler, 19" entertainment center, spice rack and rail.
The company was founded in 2005 as Pleasant Valley Teardrop Trailers. The market responded and demanded more teardrops. In 2010 the founder of the company struck a distribution deal that allowed the operation to really ramp up. The company also added truck bed campers, which expanded its reach into another bustling market.
The T@G is aimed at anyone who is looking to get out and go camping, but doesn’t want to invest into a huge SUV or pickup truck,” Hubble said. Obviously, anyone that has a heavy concern for the environment appreciates the T@G. The T@G is for the person that wants to get out with nature, be active, go anywhere they want and live free.”
Because most makers of teardrops and kits have focused on creating more compact versions of the classic design with bare amenities, Hubble and his design crew saw an opportunity in the market.
Alan Miller, the head of research and development at nüCamp, said the entire design process usually lasts between 4 and 6 months. That is from concept origination to concept vehicle on the factory floor. There are a lot of tough decisions to be made in that time frame, because designing a high function vehicle in a small space involves tradeoffs.
"Number one - there is a lot of style that goes into it - we were after a very modern contemporary looking style," Miller said. "[It includes] a real wood veneer, so you get the real wood feel to the entire unit. Everything is naturally finished, it's not paint, so it has a natural feel to it.”
Oh, and about those Amish workers fabricating these unique trailers: They are installing Ohio Amish rich wood cabinetry throughout the cabin. Other features include a 19 inch TV entertainment system with a premium blue tooth speaker set, an innovative aluminum architecture on the exterior, and a diamond-plated front guard.
“Whether you climb inside or pop open the back hatch, you’ll see 100% real birch wood,” Hubble said. “There’s no pressed wood, mdf, particle board, etc…rather, we use hardwoods and plywoods in our builds. Coupled with the product itself, we are able to employ some of the finest Ohio Amish craftsmen – individuals that have worked in furniture for years. You won’t find that in many other operations.”
In the end, the T@G may not be exactly what most folks think of as a traditional teardrop trailer, but that's the whole point of the concept, the designers concede. Since the idea for the teardrop was hatched in the 1930s, a variety of designs have been put forward, and even now the market is seeing a resurgence of interest in these lightweight trailers, some combining overland technology like jeep-grade tires and serious suspension kits. Where there is an opportunity there is usually an innovator trying to serve those customers.
nüCamp is trying out a new market niche with an RV that has the basic form of a traditional teardrop, but is loaded with luxuries usually reserved for boxier trailers or motor homes. And this vision – a vision of the future, if you will -- is being realized by a team of worker in the heart of Amish country.
David Irvin
A graduate with a Masters Of Science from the University Of North Texas, David has written on many beats including crime and business for such outlets as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Montgomery Advertiser & USA. He enjoys RVing and surfing the Internet.
Make Sure To Check Out:
nüCamp Pleasant Valley Teardrop Trailers, which manufactures the highest quality recreational vehicles and truck campers available in North America. The dedicated craftmen and women at the nüCamp RV fabrication facility are located in Sugarcreek, Ohio.