Skip to main content

Shell on wheels: This egg-shaped camper wraps modern comforts in retro style

There’s a subset of tiny houses that include mobile tiny houses, and the Barefoot Caravan fits the bill. It almost looks like something our grandparents might have had hooked up to their cars, but apparently they do make ’em like they used to.

At least, in Britain, they do. Solicitor Cathy Chamberlain wasn’t able to find the camper of her dreams, so she designed her own, along with some students at Coventry University. Motorcycle and sidecar company Watsonia Squire helped put it in production, and now she’s selling the curvy campers to like-minded individuals.

“It was a weekend camping trip which inspired me, when I got cold and wet. It goes dark and everybody gets a bit damp. I thought, ‘Why is there not a trendy caravan?’” she tells Yahoo. “I wanted to make it look nice from the outside as well as the inside.” She’s been taking hers around to festivals and getting lots of attention. Indeed, retro-style campers are definitely having a moment, as evidenced by Relic Trailers and gussied-up Airstreams. Of course, for those who want to live off-grid and on the road in something more futuristic-looking, there’s always the similarly egg-shaped Ecocapsule.

Barefoot-Caravan-006
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It took Chamberlain three years to get her design right. It’s over 16 feet long, and the fiberglass body, which is a single piece, comes in duck egg blue, Cotswold cream, or graphite gray. Inside, in about 105 square feet of living space, there’s small fridge, cooktop (but no oven), and sink; a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink; heating system; LED lights; seats that convert into a six-foot-by-six-foot bed; and room for a wardrobe. There are also some cubbyholes and cupboards for storage, and the countertops are real wood. 

Owners get to choose a few of the details to fit their preferences, like the color of the kitchen units and upholstery and the fabric for the curtains. “It is done to the standard that you would want to have your own home,” says Chamberlain. “Ideally, this caravan is made for a couple, or a couple with a small child,” she tells Caravan Finder. She pictures as a weekend-getaway mobile, as opposed to something like Tiny Heirloom’s structures, which are mini luxury homes on wheels that are meant to be lived in by families 24/7, 365 days a year.

The price for the little camper comes to about $34,000, which might be a bit steep if you’re just using it for the occasional camping trip. Still, it’s a pretty cute contraption to have yoked to the back of your car.

 
Jenny McGrath
Former Senior Writer, Home
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Tineco vacuum nearly $300 off for Prime Day — use this code for extra savings
The Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 cordless vacuum cleaner cleaning a spill.

In one of the most attractive vacuum deals that you can shop for Prime Day, Amazon has slashed the Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 to its lowest-ever price of $319 from its sticker price of $599. However, we've got a code for you to be able to get the cordless wet-dry vacuum cleaner with an extra 5% off — just enter TIN25PDPR during the checkout process so that you'll only have to pay $303, for total savings of $296. That's an excellent offer that you wouldn't want to miss, and you better hurry if you want to take advantage of it as it may not remain available until the end of the shopping holiday.

$303 at Amazon

Read more
Tineco’s docking vacuum has a special Prime Day price, but you can get it cheaper
A Tineco Pure One next to its charging base.

Vacuums feel like they're getting more and more expensive, and not just robot vacuum and mop combos, but ordinary hand vacs. You can go to Walmart and see bagged, corded vacuums that cost hundreds of dollars. It doesn't have to be that way. Tineco's Pure One vacuum brings power and convenience for the same price that other vacuums have, but with new features instead of going backwards into the world of cords and bags. Usually $459, it is down to $319 for Prime Day (that's a savings of $140 already) and we're happy to report you can get an extra 5% off with the code TIN25PDPR on Amazon. Tap the button below to see the vacuum yourself and snag this great deal, or keep reading for what makes this vacuum truly unique.

BUY NOW

Read more
This AI mower finally got a discount — grab it before it’s gone
m800 doing work on the lawn

If you’ve been holding off on getting a robot mower because you can’t stand the idea of burying boundary wires or babysitting your lawn from a clunky app, Prime Day is delivering for you once again. The Yardcare M800 Plus is one of the most intelligent, user-friendly smart mowers you can buy and now it's on sale. Pick-up the M800 Plus for $719.99, a savings of $180 (regular price $899.99).

A smarter way to mow

Read more