Happier Camper Creates Tiny Customizable Trailers for Big Adventures
Modular Design Opens Infinite Opportunities to Customize Your Next Travel Trailer
Image Caption: Image Courtesy of Happier Camper
Freedom and flexibility. That is the philosophy that drives design and innovation at Happier Camper, a company that specializes in building lightweight travel trailers. And while those RVs might be small in stature, they’re big on features, functionality, and fun.
Founded in 2014 as an RV renovation company, Happier Camper soon pivoted to designing and manufacturing its own travel trailers. From the beginning, the goal was to make camping as accessible as possible by delivering a model that is both simple to use and highly customizable. This approach struck a chord with customers, who have been clamoring to get their hands on one ever since.
The company’s small travel trailers feature classic designs that somehow manage to look both modern and retro at the same time. The campers are small enough to be towed behind just about any kind of vehicle but include features that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find on towables of this size. That includes a kitchenette and a toilet, which are often missing on small RVs.
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Adaptiv Design
To maximize the use of floor space inside its diminutive travel trailers, the team at Happier Camper developed what they call the Adaptiv System. This modular approach to interior design starts with a honeycomb fiberglass floor that allows pre-fabricated components to snap securely into place. This gives owners a great deal of flexibility to adjust the floorplan to suit their needs or free up space by removing items altogether.
Happier Camper gives customers a number of choices when it comes to the Adaptiv components used inside their RVs. For instance, there are modular cabinets and a countertop that fits on top. A bench and couch—both of which convert into beds—are also available, as is a table and a cooler for storing food and beverages. The kitchenette and dry-flush toilet are also Adaptiv modules, but unsurprisingly their placement is limited to locations that connect with the trailer’s drainage system.
Because they are so easy to remove, Adpativ modules aren’t just limited to use inside the camper. All of the benches, cabinets, and chairs can be relocated outside for an outdoor meal or use around the campfire. When you’re ready to call it a night, it takes just a few minutes to put everything back into place and convert the trailer for sleeping.
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Two Trailers to Choose From
Happier Camper’s travel trailer line-up includes two models—the HC1 and the Traveler. Both share common design elements that indicate they come from the same manufacturer, including a similar look and the use of the Adaptiv System for customizing the interior. They also utilize a similar fiberglass platform that is lightweight, durable, and towable by small SUVs and even some family sedans.
Beyond that, however, the two RVs are very different in terms of size and features. Here’s what each trailer brings to the table.
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Happier Camper HC1
The HC1 is Happier Camper’s first travel trailer and has remained a mainstay in the company’s lineup since 2015. This model has a dry weight of just 1,100 pounds and is 13 feet in length, making it easily towable behind just about any car that has a hitch. The RV is so small, in fact, that it fits neatly into a single parking space.
Access to the HC1’s interior comes via a side door and a massive rear hatch, which opens to reveal 42 square feet of living space. That’s enough room to comfortably sleep a family of five. Two large panoramic windows provide plenty of natural light during the day, while built-in LED lighting illuminates the cabin at night. The trailer’s double-walled fiberglass construction helps maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature in both cool and warm conditions.
The camper’s Adaptiv modular floor allows owners to configure their HC1 in an almost endless number of ways. The base model ships with four Adaptiv modular cubes, along with a variety of cushions, a table, a nightstand kit, and an assortment of floor panels. Optional components include a kitchenette, pantry, fridge, and a dry-flush toilet. Owners can also choose to add a larger table, storage pouches, integrated Bluetooth speakers, and an awning with an exterior bar.
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The HC1 comes equipped with a five-gallon freshwater tank and gray-water tank. A four-gallon “road shower” tank is an optional add-on, as is an air conditioning unit and heating system. The camper is solar-ready and can be paired with lithium batteries to provide power while boondocking. An optional off-grid power system adds an inverter to the trailer, allowing campers to plug directly into 120-volt AC outlets. As you would expect, the model ships with built-in shore power for plugging in at most campsites.
Happier Camper touts the HC1’s versatility as one of its biggest strengths. The travel trailer can be used not only for camping but as a mobile office, guest room, or even a retail or promotional space. Its retro-inspired design gives it a fun and approachable vibe, while the RVs customizable interior encourages creativity in its layout.
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Happier Camper Traveler
The newest addition to the Happier Camper catalog is the Traveler—a larger and more fully-equipped alternative to the HC1. Stretching 17 feet in length and a dry weight of 1,800 pounds, this trailer remains lightweight and easy to tow. It also comes with several amenities that are optional upgrades or are not available on its smaller sibling.
The two most noticeable additions to the Traveler are the inclusion of a kitchenette—complete with two-burner stove and a sink—and a bathroom equipped with a toilet, sink, and shower. The standard model also comes with a solar panel, lithium battery pack, and an inverter to keep electronic devices charged while on the road. An internal cooling system comes built-in, as does an awning and a water heater. This model features 17-gallon fresh and gray-water tanks, with the option to add a blackwater tank for the toilet, which can operate as either dry-flush or plumbed.
Happier Camper’s installed its Adaptiv System in two separate living spaces located at either end of the trailer. The Traveler ships with eight modular cubes, eight cushions, and a full-size mattress topper. A double tabletop and a cooler cube are also included, along with iPad docking mounts and four Adaptiv floor panels. These components provide even more versatility both inside and out.
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Unlike the HC1, the Traveler does not include a large rear hatch but does have a single side door and five panoramic windows. Interior lighting comes courtesy of an integrated LED lighting system, which illuminates the 85 square-foot cabin. Built-in shelving and cabinets provide ample storage, with Adaptiv cubes providing additional space as needed.
Thanks to its larger size, the Traveler is even more versatile and comfortable than the HC1. Its additional space makes it a good option not just for camping but also a viable option for use as a food truck, office space, or tiny home. And because it comes with more standard features, it can accommodate off-grid camping for extended periods of time.
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In High Demand
The HC1 and the Traveler are perfect examples of modern travel trailer design. The two RVs offer creative floor plans and use lightweight—yet durable—materials, making them easy to pull behind a tiny tow vehicle. This approach clearly appeals to RVers, as Happier Camper indicates that it currently has a waitlist that stretches into 2023.
To find out more about these unique campers, visit the company’s website or Camping World, which is selling the HC1 and working on integrating the Adaptiv system into future offerings. At HappierCamper.com, you’ll not only find complete specs for both models, but more details on the Adaptiv System and how to order a travel trailer of your own.
