As the teardrop trailer continues to ride a wave of reinvigorated popularity 'round the world, we continue to see new, unusual alternatives to the original form, from rugged, aerospace-grade squaredrops to curvy cubes. The latest spin comes from Latvian startup Forma campers, which strays away from the original arch-back design while maintaining a size, layout and base weight comparable to more traditional tears. We can only think to call it an origami-drop, wearing a suit of faceted aluminum over top a two-person mattress-lined interior and rear hatch galley. Its spacious interior and large gullwing door combine to create a hard-walled base camp that's ideal for sleeping, dining, working remotely on the road, and simply sitting back and taking in the view.
The 13-foot-long (4-m) Forma doesn't exactly look like any other camping trailer we recall seeing in the past, but it does remind us of a combination of a few. The general shape reminds us most of the FIM Migrator. The faceted flanks bring to mind the Polydrops EV trailer. And the odd angles running every which way look like something the cosmic minds behind Taxa Outdoors might have conceived. We especially like the juxtaposition of outward-angled front and inward-angled rear facet alignments.
Forma applies a lightweight construction to make its trailers a viable option for drivers of compact and/or electric vehicles. The sandwich panels feature a 1-mm aluminum exterior skin covering over 28-mm insulation. Forma skips the aluminum chassis in favor of the tried-and-true strength of galvanized steel, partnering up with chassis specialist AL-KO. Powder-coated steel fenders top the 16-in wheels. The listed base weight is 1,212 lb (550 kg), while the GVWR is 1,650 lb (750 kg).
The unique Forma look gets some help from the oversized gullwing entry in attracting attention. It was this combination that stopped us dead in our tracks and pulled us in to Forma's booth at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon a few weeks ago.
Rather than the narrower gullwings used on a few other teardrop-size trailers, including the previously linked Polydrops P17A and FIM Migrator, Forma's gullwing door stretches from just behind the front edge of the trailer to over top the single axle. This makes for a particularly wide, comfortable entryway and an indoor/outdoor seat for one or two people to use while enjoying the natural scenery, perhaps with a cup of morning coffee.
The Forma sleeper cabin is cozy and functional, and the highlight is the drop-down tabletop in the center of the overhead cabinetry at the rear. It serves as a small dining table and a laptop desk and simultaneously accesses a pass-through to the kitchen to make serving food and beverages easier. The mattress measures 55 x 79 in (140 x 200 cm) when laid flat and also folds up via its multi-panel design. Blinds, 12-V/230-V/USB outlets, a roof vent and white/red LED lighting are also standard.
The galley follows Forma's lightweight design mantra, packing only a sink, stainless steel worktop, Baltic birch cabinetry, white/red LED lighting and electrical outlets as standard equipment. It also includes a dedicated space for a cooler or fridge/freezer; buyers can add a fridge and stove from Forma's option sheet or bring their own. An 80-Ah 12-V battery and 230-V shore power hookup supply electrical power, and an upgrade to 165-Ah battery, solar charging and inverter is available optionally.
The Forma camping trailer made its official debut at the Caravan Salon at a special starting price of €16,900 (approx. US$16,950) before VAT. Options include a diesel heater, Bluetooth audio system, front utility box, roof rack and GPS tracking security system.
Source: Forma Campers
