By now, you’ve caught on that the world is full of RV and camper brands promising to be the next best thing. Well, this time around, a South African brand named Jetstream is taking the timeless teardrop camper and putting its own spin on it, and if I may say so myself, a Jetstream is something else.
Now, this South African brand is breathing new life into the teardrop camper by taking a slightly different approach to building it. For example, teardrop campers are traditionally made using a wooden frame upon which insulation and an aluminum skin are placed to create the habitat or shell. The only fiberglass that you might find on some is an outer skin.
However, Jetstream ditched these building materials in favor of a monocoque construction for their units. Yes, what you see is just one massive piece with no joints, no seams, and the strength of an “ostrich egg.” That last bit is Jetstream’s words about their units, and if you’ve ever messed around with an ostrich egg, you know darn well just how strong they are.
Photo: Jetstream Teardrop Trailers
What material does Jetstream use for this endeavor? None other than good old tried and tested fiberglass. This also means that these babies are rather light. According to the manufacturer’s website, the Standard Classic unit they build weighs just 530 kg (1,168 lbs)—not bad at all for an under-the-radar crew.
Aside from being light, fiberglass has another benefit: that of fighting off the elements; composite materials are just good at that. Heck, with proper love and care, fiberglass campers have even been found in working order after 40 to 50 years of sitting around in a garage. Funny enough, that’s about how much fiberglass industry experience Jetstream also brings to the table, and they are constantly upgrading their units, so be sure to check in with this crew periodically.
As a result of the use of fiberglass, a Jetstream unit comes across with a seamless exterior, one that has the ability to handle countless add-ons. This includes a nose-cone storage box, multiple awnings, spare tire mounts, and rooftop tents, just to name a few. All that’s then placed on top of a chassis with an off-road-loving suspension system with eight leaves. Be sure to check out the list of options Jetstream also has in store here, and don’t be shy to take a peek at some of the more equipped units available; the XT Xtreme is one you must explore.
Photo: Jetstream Teardrop Trailers
For the remainder of this introduction to Jetstream’s work, I’d like to invite you to pretend that you own one of the units you see in the gallery and are now in the middle of nowhere with your family or significant other, getting ready to settle down for the next few days.
Once you’ve taken the time to stretch your legs, it’s time to set up your campsite. It’s at this stage that we’ll be able to take in one of the most beautiful teardrop galleys I’ve seen in years; because of the use of fiberglass and a monocoque design, the galley is all one piece, too, with cabinets and cubicles integrated into its shape.
Full integration seems to be the name of the game here because we can also spot the cooktop nestled beautifully into the countertop, the fridge, and the sink as well. The galley also expresses small differences as you work your way up the Jetstream model lineup. Do take a moment to picture yourself whipping up a meal here.
Photo: Jetstream Teardrop Trailers
With bellies full, it may be time to take a nice little siesta, and to do that, you can climb into a rooftop tent if you have one added to your dream unit, or just swing open the side doors and rest up on that bean-to-beam mattress. But before you do, you may want to grab a book from the fiberglass storage bins. An entertainment center is also found inside.
Now, while you’re sleeping, most campers are still working their magic in the background, capturing energy from the sun and storing it in batteries. While solar panels aren’t standard in a Jetstream, they do have batteries, a BMS, and countless sockets all over. In all, just 50 liters (13 gallons) of freshwater is found, so you may need to bring more along for longer trips.
Yet, there’s one big catch to the fiberglass magic we see here: It’s from South Africa. This means that even if you end up dishing out around $12,300 (at current exchange rates) for a Standard Classic teardrop, you’ll still need to pay a bit more to get it to your home country, not to mention cover any import taxes. But South Africans can get their hands on these babies for a minimum of 215,500 Rands.
If I may offer a bit of personal opinion on the matter, I don’t think that this is the last time we’ll ever hear of a fiberglass teardrop camper hitting the market. I mean, just look at it; it’s marvelous!
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