How a sceptic fell for the CarbonTear: Redefining luxury in trailer travel

I wasn't a fan of trailers for several reasons. First, I couldn't manoeuvre them properly. On the road, you need to remember not only about speed limits like for lorries but also the fact that you're towing a trailer. On some bumps, turns, or junctions, this is very important.

Additionally, camping trailers scared me with their size and lightness—literally. I always imagined that in the wind on an uneven road, such a trailer would just fly away. I even feel that I have a slight phobia.

"You’ll see how it drives, but I won’t tell you anything more," said the friend who encouraged me to borrow his CarbonTear trailer, which he had tested himself. I looked at it and thought, "It's so nice that I’ll give it a try." So, I arranged for a test drive.

I've already written an extensive article about CarbonTear trailers in the form of an interview with Piotr Goral, their creator. Despite the name, the construction is made of steel and wood, namely the chassis is steel with independent suspension, while the body is largely made of ash wood.

The whole thing resembles early teardrop designs from the 1930s when Americans began to travel without relying on motels. The trailer is finished with aluminium details. Everything harks back to the pre-war period.

The idea of the classic teardrop is to travel with a small trailer equipped with two or three sleeping places and a kitchenette in the rear, like in the boot of a vehicle. Inside, there are several shelves and cabinets – that's it. You drive, pull a small, lightweight trailer with your car, stop anywhere, and rest anytime. You don't take a teardrop to campgrounds, though you can, of course, but you don't stay in one place for several days; instead, you wake up every day and continue driving.

Hence, a lot of attention is paid to the driving characteristics of CarbonTear trailers when building them. In such a trailer, how it drives is more important than how you live in it.

After hooking the trailer to a Volkswagen Tiguan, I anxiously set off on my first trip. Around town, the only inconvenience was the creaking coming from the tow ball and a slight play felt during braking and acceleration. Other than that, it was no big deal.

Over time, the CarbonTear won me over more and more as a vehicle. It drives - however that may sound - wonderfully. The suspension with independent wishbones, double shock absorbers per wheel, and coil spring is fantastic.

How the CarbonTear handles road bumps or faster tight turns amazed me but also relieved my associated fears.

Concerns related to driving the vehicle and trailer combo diminished with each passing hour, but the ones related to manoeuvring remained. The CarbonTear is small enough to fit in many places yet large enough to be easily seen in the mirrors. Volkswagen's TrailerAssist system proved to be a great help.

The CarbonTear GR Gravel, the specific model you see in the pictures, measures 4.8 metres in length, 2 metres in width, and the same in height. It weighs 850 kg, with a permissible mass of 1100 kg. Usually, it's higher, but in this version, it has been lowered so it can be towed by many cars without additional licenses.

An important aspect is the large ground clearance of 40 cm, which gives a sense of security when driving off paved roads. The last thing that will happen is the trailer's chassis hitting an obstacle on the road. There's also no worry about braking because every CarbonTear has an overrun brake, regardless of GVWR.

CarbonTear offers a unique atmosphere for two reasons. Firstly, it charms me with its simplicity. In my opinion, it's not a substitute for a traditional camping trailer but for today's trendy rooftop tents. The only difference is that we have several cabinets, a kitchen, and entering the interior is much easier.

The mattress is 1.95 metres long and 1.4 metres wide. It’s just right for a couple or maybe a small child. Inside, there are more cabinets than needed, as well as good lighting and sound systems. The latter is remarkably good for a trailer, but the creator places it in the premium class, so that’s understandable.

To maintain the 1930s atmosphere, a retro-style radio player has been installed, though it still has a USB port and Bluetooth module. There are plenty of USB ports in other parts of the trailer as well - both inside and out.

Inside the trailer, it's neither cramped nor too low. It's comfortable, even more so than an average rooftop tent, and thanks to the doors that open on both sides, you can quickly get out. Thanks to thick walls and small windows that can be covered, I felt much more isolated from the surroundings than in a tent, which gives a sense of security while travelling.

Locking yourself inside, the trailer becomes impregnable by traditional methods, as certain travellers found out when sleeping at a French car park, who could have had uninvited guests at night. The problem is that sleeping in the trailer during higher temperatures in summer, the ventilation turns out to be insufficient, and you need to leave the door ajar – the roof window is not enough. In this scenario, another problem appears: the side awnings are too narrow.

You can buy mechanical ventilation (along with heating), which solves the problem. The trailer's insulation is incredible. On a cool night, I slept in just my underwear without a sleeping bag and it wasn’t cold.

However, what gives the most positive impressions is the external workmanship of the trailer. You not only see the wood but also smell its scent, so those who like that can fall in love. The sound system plays phenomenally after closing the doors, because the acoustics of a room without corners are incredible. The lighting is pleasant and non-straining, although the buttons to turn it on could be darker as they are somewhat bothersome at night.

Despite not being very thick, the mattress turned out to be surprisingly comfortable, and it is covered with a pleasant, non-staining fabric. It has such a texture that entering the trailer straight from the beach won’t result in sand being everywhere. There’s a large storage compartment under the mattress from which you can pull out a table and sit on a rainy day. Outside, there’s also an awning with dimensions of 2.5 x 2.5 metres.

The atmosphere outside the trailer is created by its shape, which draws attention. The model I tested had an elegant but unnoticeable colour. On the other hand, a red, white, yellow, or bright blue one would be a real hit wherever it appears. However, even the test model drew enough glances from people whose looks clearly asked, "What is that?"

However, thoughts and whispers quiet down once the rear hatch opens. This way, we show off the kitchen with a large countertop for meal preparation, a two-burner stove, and a sink. The trailer has clean water (about 60 litres) and a grey water tank (30 litres), and it also features a boiler that heats the water for the sink and the shower, which you connect to the external socket. The battery has 120Ah and provides 12V power or can be connected to a 230V power supply.

The kitchenette has not only its own lighting but also a sound system, although, unfortunately, it lacks volume control and a radio. However, we mostly listen to music via Bluetooth today, so such things are at hand on our phones.

The sink and stove are, of course, compact. You can wash one small dish in the first and put two trim pots on the stove. However, the idea of a teardrop is not to prepare meals on the spot – it’s more of an emergency solution or to prepare a quick breakfast before continuing the journey.

The rear section also has cabinets (below) and shelves (above). The lower sliding drawers hold a lot of items. At the front of the trailer, there is also a roomy, aluminium, ventilated container – intended for a refrigerator and a few trinkets like tools. Thanks to the unpainted walls and cover, the contents are insulated well from sunlight. Unfortunately, the lid of this box leaning against the trailer's front wall causes paint damage, but this problem has already been solved in the latest trailers.

On the outside, there is also a roof rack made of polished aluminium tubes, on which a tent can be mounted, adding extra sleeping space for 2-5 people. Of course, it's worth noting the weight of such a tent and, thus, the regulations, as trailer-related rules can be complicated. The roof rack expands CarbonTear's possibilities for family travel.