Built up with an eye toward yacht construction, equipped for boundless onshore exploration, and styled like nothing else out there, the all-new ALD09 teardrop from Georgia's ROC Trailers looks to leverage lightweight composite design toward more functional EV camping. It's built to be towed by both EVs and small gas vehicles, leaving less of a trace on camping adventures. A long list of options lets buyers turn it into a personalized micro-home for tow-anywhere tiny living.
The first time we came across ROC's original OTD10 teardrop (pictured just below), it was clear the company wanted its trailers to stand out, coloring them accordingly. It took the next step with its second trailer, the ASD10, which stands out a little more thanks to the same kind of multi-color patterns adorning a gentler teardrop shape brought to a sudden end by a vertical rear wall.
ROC pulls out all remaining stops with the new ALD09, leaving tear-shaped curves in the past entirely in favor of rough-hewn angles carved and sculpted with little discernible pattern at all. The body looks like something a child might have drawn while learning his shapes, but it definitely stands out in the pack, even a pack of other hard-angled off-road squaredrops and faceted prisms.
ROC makes this off-kilter design more practical by leveling out the long, sloped roof with an optional rack meant to carry a rooftop tent or other cargo without gravity constantly tugging at it. We thought the unique roof design might drop the ALD09 down to the lowest stature in ROC's lineup, but the new trailer stands at the same even 6 feet (1.8 m) as the original OTD10 (both measurements include the roof racks).
Where the trailer diverges for more versatile towing is in its lighter, simpler build. With a gross vehicle weight as low as 2,000 lb (907-kg), it's more compatible than heavier trailers with the growing market of hitch-equipped electric vehicles and hybrids. To reach that weight, ROC leaves the old alu-skinned wood frame structure in the past in favor of an insulated fiberglass-composite construction it says is inspired by yacht design.
Given the ALD09's final look, we have to reason that ROC was thinking all "Cybertruck" when it sketched it out on the drafting board, but with the Musk-truck stuck in a near-terminal state of "coming soon," it had to instead hitch it to the Rivian R1T for debut. With 20 inches (51 cm) of ground clearance it's ready to overmatch the topped-out air suspension of either truck.
ROC's angular design results in what appears a claustrophobic galley below the flat, flip-open tailgate. ROC alleviates the problem by spreading equipment around with an available tongue box with fridge/cooler slide and a deployable side table for holding a portable stove. In this way, the compact inset galley itself is limited to just a long stainless steel worktop, a few drawers and cabinets, and an available sink.
The ALD09 comes standard with a single entry door, but buyers can add a second to have a dedicated entry for each of the two campers that will call the trailer home. The interior is the basic teardrop-style layout with a near-queen 57 x 80-in (145 x 203-cm) mattress, LED lighting and 12V/USB outlets. The shelf over the foot of the bed converts into a small solo bed for a child or pet, giving owners 2-person+ sleeper capabilities with or without the available rooftop tent.
ROC debuted the ALD09 during this year's four-show Overland Expo series and is advertising it now for a starting price of $17,000. The trailer comes standard with LED lights, a MaxxAir fan, electric brake hubs and exterior lighting. It's an off-road-ready build from the jump, featuring a steel frame with rock sliders, General Grabber all-terrain tires on 16-in steel wheels, reinforced fenders and 20-in ground clearance as part of the standard kit. A 2-in hitch receiver is also standard.
Those looking for more features will need to dip into the long options list, which includes the tongue box with or without fridge slide, an Iceco fridge, a Cadac dual-burner stove, an off-grid power package, the kitchen sink with 57-L water tank, and various RTT and awning selections.
Source: ROC Trailers
