A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a futuristic camper coming from an independent trailer builder that’s doing things a little differently. That company, inTech, has another camper that legitimately surprised me. The 2023 inTech Luna is a teardrop camper trailer that feels bigger than it really is. It’s a fresh take on an old concept and one I wish more camper builders did.
It has now been about two months since I descended into Tampa, Florida to attend the 2023 Florida RV SuperShow. Despite the time, I still have a bunch of neat RV designs in my back pocket that I’ve yet to write about. I even got to see the neat way that Prevost builds its coach buses. Some of my favorite camper builders from the show were independent companies. The RV industry is dominated by the likes of Thor Industries and Forest River, who for the most part build similar campers. If you want to see something far out, I’d say focus on the independents. These companies often fall into niche categories like overlanding trailers or artsy teardrops.
Among those companies is inTech. Founded in 2010, the company initially hit the ground running by selling fiber optic splicing trailers to telecommunications companies. The company later built custom car haulers before getting into campers. I’ve already written about the Sol Dawn, a travel trailer that looks like it comes from the future and boasts an aluminum frame, light colors, a one-piece fiberglass roof, and a gigantic window to see the world through.
My other favorite camper from inTech’s display in Florida was the 2023 Luna.
This little guy measures 15.5 feet long with a 13.75-foot box. And at 6.95 feet tall in its base form, it can fit in many garages. People often choose teardrop-style campers because they don’t weigh a whole lot–this one is just 1,775 pounds to 1,850 pounds and they don’t tower above the tow vehicle, which is great for fuel economy and can make for an easier drive. I can tell you it’s much more fun to tow something small than the nearly 40-foot beasts my family loves.
A Little Teardrop History
Teardrops are steeped in history. As a number of teardrop manufacturers will tell you, back in the 1930s, magazines for do-it-yourselfers published plans for teardrop trailers. The teardrop camper was an economical trailer that you were able to build yourself with cheap materials. You then had a camper to sleep in as you searched for work or relocated during the Great Depression.
Ultimate Toys, a producer of teardrops, specifically points out a 1936 issue of Mechanics and Handicrafts and its article titled, Building a Teardrop Sleeper Trailer for $50.00. After World War II, teardrops exploded in popularity. Soldiers coming home wanted to go camping and they built teardrop trailers out of surplus materials. Teardrops were made using everything from Jeep wheels to aluminum scavenged from warbirds.
The teardrop remained strong in popularity until about the late 1950s when vehicles like the motorhome started gaining traction. They’ve made a comeback in recent years and the reasoning of today is not much different than back then. Teardrops are small, tend to be easier on the wallet, and often have a style that hints at the designs of the 1930s.
A Futuristic Teardrop
The inTech Luna, however, takes the teardrop concept and gives it modern flair. Just like with the Sol Dawn, the Luna features what inTech calls Tilt-Forward Design. In other words, the front roof of the camper sticks out further than the floor does. That’s the opposite of the norm and it’s a design that seemingly inspired the Jayco Jay Feather Volare. From there, the camper takes on the traditional teardrop shape.
Aside from inTech’s funky design, this trailer also touts the company’s characteristic build. It features an aluminum frame with an aluminum tube skeleton welded to it. Fiberglass exterior skin coats the walls and insulation comes from Bubble Foil R7.
Like with inTech’s other campers, the Luna comes with a one-piece fiberglass roof. One thing that I like about inTech is that it doesn’t pay based on the completion of campers like many other manufacturers do. That way, the company believes, workers will spend more time getting things right rather than trying to speedrun something that’s expected to last.
Now, last time, a reader did point out that inTech’s design is not totally bulletproof. Aluminum frames may not rust out in a year, but they can have their faults. Not all aluminum frames can support a weight distribution hitch. Some inTech owners have also reported stress cracking in their aluminum frames. So, that’s something to watch out for. Thankfully, this little teardrop is putting about 270 pounds on your hitch, so you probably won’t need to worry about a weight distribution hitch.
Moving inside, the awesome feature to me is once again the panoramic window.
I’ve long not been a fan of short teardrops because they generally make me feel pretty cramped. Not being able to stand mixed with a lack of large windows can make you feel like you’re sleeping in a box. This is so much different. Sure, I couldn’t stand, but I didn’t feel like I was taking myself hostage.
The interior here was pretty clever in how it tried to emulate a larger camper. In the camper’s bed folds up into a pair of benches that you can move around the cabin. The large panoramic window sits just above pair of nightstands and a central cabinet. In back, there’s a television, air-conditioner, and an electric fireplace.
The central cabinet actually hides a trick feature. Flip the top up and behold, you get to watch TV while you’re on the cassette toilet! Just be sure to close the shades on the huge window first.
To find the kitchen, you’ll have to exit the camper and pop the rear hatch. Back here, you get a farmhouse sink, a microwave, a cooler-style refrigerator, and a two-burner stove. Water comes from an 8.5-gallon tank. This camper does not come with any form of shower, but I could see a faucet attachment handling that duty to make an outdoor shower.
I should also note that like the Sol Dawn, the Luna is available with a lift kit and knobby tires. The regular Luna sits 11.5 inches off of the ground while the Rover model sits 15 inches off of the ground. Do be aware that the off-road version doesn’t come with underbody protection, just the extra lift and tires.
Overall, I dig it! I am genuinely smitten by the work of inTech. If I were in the market for a teardrop, a Luna would definitely be in consideration. There is but one catch, and it’s that the starting price is $28,771 before discounts. I’ve featured new campers that offer similar interior room and sometimes even standing space for less than that. And used, you can get way more camper. Clearly, inTech is positioning itself into the luxury end of the teardrop market. For me, having that panoramic window might be worth the price of entry alone. That’s how much I loved it.
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Are the fenders and the black metal bits steel (or least likely aluminium?)? Won’t that + the aluminium frame accelerates corrosion? I thought soot on aluminium welding is a no no?
I love love love RV’s. We had a rad Livin Lite 10.0 Aluminum frame canvas top pop up. 1000lbs – we towed it with a Mazda 5 and a Kia Soul. I loved the simplicity of that thing – It was basically just the best family tent you could buy in which no one had to sleep on the ground. I was so bummed then they went under. A perfectly simple product.
The big window and no AC on this teardrop is a bit of a concern. I love the fiberglass roof. After having dealt with a nightmare of a rubber roof Keystone travel trailer, I’m now fully devoted to the fiberglass stuff and the independent manufacturers.
As a long time travel trailer camper, I will say that panaramic windows are NOT as wonderful as you think. All that glass makes for a very hot trailer. Seriously, if its sunny out and you have all that glass, its a suana in no time unless you are in complete shade.
Like that outdoor kitchen. I wonder how big of a fresh and grey water tank it comes with.
Everything is a tradeoff. To inTech’s credit, the panoramic window is canted with an eyebrow above it so during high noon the window will be shaded partially.
That beautiful window will be a giant heat magnet during winter camping. But that’s why dog invented insulated curtains and magnets.
Well $50 in 1945 is about $831.03 in todays dollars. While much fancier I’d rather build my own for under $1,000 and rough it.
That was $50 in in 1936 which is $1,090, still a bargain in comparison.
How tall is the ceiling in these? I think that you said, you couldn’t stand in it. Is there a height limit for the bed?
Love the RV reviews!
Love the double doors! I’m also a huge fan of Al frames (when constructed correctly, which these appear to be).
Hands down, the best small campers for 1-2 people come from Aliner. Folds down for low-profile towing and storage. Pops up so that you can actually stand inside. The versions with fully hard sides are dang weatherproof.
I think the A-frame pop-ups get overlooked because when they came out they were quite expensive compared to a similar sized traditional (soft side) popup. But now that the compact trailer space has moved up-market, there’s a lot of good options out there.
I’ve had my share of travel trailers and never thought these were cool. One of my neighbors had one of those gnarly looking jacked up off-road trailers that is as totally impractical as this teardrop. He recently replaced it with a new conventual 18′ travel trailer. I guess to some folks they look interesting, at least until they have to live with it.
Please include metric units!
This means nothing to almost all of the world. 15.5 feet something, 13.75-foot that, 6.95 feet tall […] just 1,775 pounds.
When reading an article, I don’t want to have to stop and go convert every mentioned unit. Doug DeMuro puts metric in his videos, why can’t you put it in your articles?
Kind regards,
98.5% of the world.
Hmm. I’m miffed no one uses the units of measure rod, hogshead, coomb, furlong, poncelet or league anymore.
Come to think of it, metric and imperial measurements are so 20th century. I propose a new, universal unit of measure: The standard Olympic swimming pool. It encompasses distance, weight, volume and temperature. Time unit would be in Michael Phelps’ world-record 400-meter individual medley.
Even better, fuel consumption becomes a unitless number, as it’s Olympic Pools per Olympic Pools.
Not even sure why the website put it as a response to another comment.
Well therein is the catch – you can have something you can stand up in, shower, and cook indoors for a lot less. The only advantage is towability with these little things, which is a fine attribute, but which also makes it quite a niche product. At that price, the value proposition is low, in my opinion. The big window is the gimmick.
Don’t forget storage. If you can put your camper in a garage, carport, or shed, it will last a lot longer!
I am a fan of the idea of teardrop campers, but I can see where playing twister to get dressed might lose its appeal.
Does this have its own battery? Just wondering how the microwave was powered.
Also, please replace ‘before’ with ‘remember’ in the 3rd sentence under the picture of the kitchen so I can stop my eye from twitching. Thank you
Presumably through a 30amp hookup or inverter.
I think “before” was supposed to be “be sure” and spell check got Mercedes.
OH NO! I fixed that embarrassing error. Thank you very much!
The camper does have an onboard battery and you could probably power the microwave through an inverter. However, the microwave is a 1300W unit so cooking for more than a few minutes or so would probably suck down the battery. I reckon the microwave is best used when hooked up to shore power or a generator.