Outdoors

Murdered-out Bean off-grid teardrop brings new attitude to the wild

Murdered-out Bean off-grid teardrop brings new attitude to the wild
The all-black Black Bean stands out a little better when rolling over desert salt
The all-black Black Bean stands out a little better when rolling over desert salt
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The all-black Black Bean stands out a little better when rolling over desert salt
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The all-black Black Bean stands out a little better when rolling over desert salt
Bean Trailer presents its latest limited edition, the rugged Black Bean
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Bean Trailer presents its latest limited edition, the rugged Black Bean
The optional solar panel fits the trailer like a glove, but it also pops off to free up the window and create better positioning
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The optional solar panel fits the trailer like a glove, but it also pops off to free up the window and create better positioning
Bean has upsized the galley workspace and refrigeration
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Bean has upsized the galley workspace and refrigeration
The fold-and-slide stove fits vertically next to the fridge and then flips up to work on the side of the trailer or under the tailgate (it's on a separate slide so cooks won't have the fridge in their way)
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The fold-and-slide stove fits vertically next to the fridge and then flips up to work on the side of the trailer or under the tailgate (it's on a separate slide so cooks won't have the fridge in their way)
The Torva sink is larger and deeper than the usual Be
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The Torva sink is larger and deeper than the usual Bean sink
Drop the sink lid in and you have a full-width worktop
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Drop the sink lid in and you have a full-width worktop
Bean shows the Black Bean teardrop trailer at the 2021 Outside Adventure Expo in Salt Lake City
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Bean shows the Black Bean teardrop trailer at the 2021 Outside Adventure Expo in Salt Lake City
Note how the wall below the optional stealth window is straighter than the curved sides, adding some extra length
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Note how the wall below the optional stealth window is straighter than the curved sides, adding some extra length inside
Bean's latest limited edition, the Black Bean starts at $37,900
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Bean's latest limited edition, the Black Bean starts at $37,900
The galley cabinet s include a passthrough to the interior cabinets
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The galley cabinet s include a passthrough to the interior cabinets
The large front storage box has fridge-sized storage on one side, a two- or four-battery electrical system on the other
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The large front storage box has fridge-sized storage on one side, a two- or four-battery electrical system on the other
Inside the Black Bean teardrop trailer
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Inside the Black Bean teardrop trailer
Bean includes drawers below the cabinets for added storage organization
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Bean includes drawers below the cabinets for added storage organization
Key holder and foldaway cupholder
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Key holder and foldaway cupholder
Paper towel holder on the tailgate
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Paper towel holder on the tailgate
An available foldaway single-burner stove complements the main dual-burner
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An available foldaway single-burner stove complements the main dual-burner
View gallery - 17 images

Bean trailers are among the friendliest, curviest towables on road and trail, but the latest model gets a little extra spice and edge. The limited-edition Black Bean arrives blacked-out from wheels to roofline, flashing a wicked look that's complemented by extra off-grid capability. The nasty new teardrop has an increased ground clearance, upsized off-grid lithium battery and room for two fridge/freezers. Roll it deep into the wilderness and stay off-grid a little longer — just be sure to park it in the shade.

The 15.8-foot (4.8-m) Black Bean drew us in with its sheer-black suit when we walked past Bean Trailer's stand at the Outside Adventure Expo earlier this summer, but the new limited edition actually has more of a tuxedo motif ... at least when you look at it from behind or above. A marine-grade white gelcoat roof provides a stark contrast with the black body, making the model pop that much more.

Bean Trailer presents its latest limited edition, the rugged Black Bean
Bean Trailer presents its latest limited edition, the rugged Black Bean

From the side view, though, the 15-in wheels, 30-in all-terrain tires, stand-on fenders, tinted windows and black end caps lend a stealthy, all-black look, leaving the metal table rail and white propane tank looking extra bright in contrast. And the styling looks particularly impressive against the sun-drenched white of the Bonneville Salt Flats just hours from Bean's Salt Lake City HQ (pictured at top).

For those that don't dig the black look, Bean also offers the Black Bean in white, grey and olive green, as well as customizable color options for an extra $1,000. Each color represents a Raptor coating on the single-piece fiberglass body, which speaks to a hardwearing all-terrain design that contributes to the trailer's increased capability, which goes along with added storage and uprated equipment.

The off-road-ready Black Bean gets a lift around its Timbren 3500 torsion suspension, offering 20 full inches (51 cm) of ground clearance, 3 in (8 cm) more than Bean's Meaner Bean off-road trailer. The steel chassis takes on a full powder coating, and the trailer hooks up to the tow vehicle with a Cruisemaster DO35 multidirectional articulating coupling.

Another major addition comes up front, where Bean has worked in a full-width, Armadillo-coated storage box as standard. The new box comes with a slide-out tray sized to fit a 71-L Dometic CFX3 75 dual-zone fridge to give the trailer extra refrigerated space in combination with the 52-L Dometic fridge in the galley.

Bean shows the Black Bean teardrop trailer at the 2021 Outside Adventure Expo in Salt Lake City
Bean shows the Black Bean teardrop trailer at the 2021 Outside Adventure Expo in Salt Lake City

The other side of the large front chest houses the uprated electrical hardware, which starts with a 210-Ah lithium battery pack instead of the basic 100-Ah AGM battery that comes on the Meaner Bean. The electrical suite also includes a charger and Victron battery management system and can be upgraded to a 420-Ah lithium battery with 2,000-W inverter and the ability to output power to work as a home backup supply during power outages.

The available LightLeaf solar panel is curved to match the front of the trailer and doubles as a protective cover for the optional front window, preventing kicked up rocks from cracking the glass during off-road towing. The panel plugs into the battery via a port on the top of the front storage box and can also remove from the trailer to realign with the sun.

The optional solar panel fits the trailer like a glove, but it also pops off to free up the window and create better positioning
The optional solar panel fits the trailer like a glove, but it also pops off to free up the window and create better positioning

An available 1Up dual-bike carrier rides atop the front box for convenient mountain bike hauling.

Around the other end of the trailer, Bean focuses on giving nomadic chefs more space to work with. The countertop runs the full width of the galley with help from a flush cover atop the larger, deeper Torva sink.

Bean has long saved countertop space by using a slide-out stove, and it takes the concept a step further with a fold-and-slide 22-in Partner Steel stove that tucks away neatly next to the fridge/freezer and folds up and out, positioning so it's facing inward or outward, for use under the tailgate or on the side of the trailer. The latter position frees up access to the entirety of the galley countertop. A side table attaches to the rear side of the trailer for more prep space.

The fold-and-slide stove fits vertically next to the fridge and then flips up to work on the side of the trailer or under the tailgate (it's on a separate slide so cooks won't have the fridge in their way)
The fold-and-slide stove fits vertically next to the fridge and then flips up to work on the side of the trailer or under the tailgate (it's on a separate slide so cooks won't have the fridge in their way)

The upper galley cabinets include a handy pass-through from galley to cabin. The interior itself gets some new trim options and includes a 58 x 78-in (147 x 198) mattress, remote-controlled fan and lighting, drop-down cupholders, cabinets and drawers, and an optional 58 x 23-in (147 x 58-cm) bunk bed to sleep a child or pet. The main bed can also transform into a bench for use with the available pop-up dining table.

The Black Bean retails for a hefty $37,900, and additional options include heat, an instant hot water system, and iKamper and Tepui rooftop tent models. For those interested in a closer look, the 19.5-minute video below provides a walkthrough of Black Bean features and options that's even more thorough than the one we received at Outside Adventure Expo.

Black Bean – Best Teardrop Camper of 2021 (Off-road trailer, Travel Trailer, Camping)

Source: Bean Trailer

View gallery - 17 images
6 comments
6 comments
Dug
This is my first time seeing the phrase "murdered-out".
I hope it doesn't catch on.
Nobody
I have camped for years in cabin cruiser boats, in motor homes, in small trailers, large trailers and even tents. Each form of camping has its place, but I see no attraction for a teardrop camper especially a black one. When most of the facilities are outside, you have to stay outside with all the extra seats and tables that you pack along. While some may see this as getting back to nature there are several drawbacks when it comes to inclement weather, insects, and in some places wild animals. When we want to rough it, we take our pickup loaded with our motorcycle, a two man tent and a thick air mattress with sleeping bags. But this only works well in the mountains in the summer. We stay at camping areas in national parks with picnic tables, restrooms and shower houses. We set up the tent, unload the motorcycle and cruise the scenic mountain roads during the day. There are always small eating places along the road so we don't have to cook. There are usually many hiking trails along the way. If I want to take a trailer, I would want one with all the facilities inside and enough room to stand up. With a teardrop camper all the conveniences are just too inconvenient. There are many ways to camp so If the teardrop looks like it would fit your style in rough country, I would advise you not to get the black one.
ash
black is really inefficient for thermal load, unless you are keen on passive heating
Nelson Hyde Chick
By the time humanity has swelled by billions more there will be no wilderness to take this out in to enjoy the non existent wildlife.
DuncanConner
@Nelson Hyde Chick, your statement is ridiculous. If you think we are running out of wilderness you must live in a large city and not get out much. First, and foremost, there is more forest land today in the US than 100 years ago. You need not look very far to find wilderness, again, unless you live sheltered in a city. BLM controls millions of wilderness acres. Even China, one of the most populated countries on the planet, is mostly wilderness. Please get out more often and know what you're talking about.
DuncanConner
@Nobody, yes, and when you have your facilities on the INSIDE people tend to stay INSIDE and miss the point of going out into the wilderness.