In our journey to downsize, we looked at quite a few small travel trailers. The number one requirement was the camper had to be lightweight. Specifically, we were looking for travels trailers under 3,500 pounds. Between all the research, visiting dealers and attending RV shows, we got to check out quite a few small travel trailers under 3,500 lbs. This is a round up of some of our favorite small travel trailers.
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Small Travel Trailers Under 3,500 lbs (A-Z)
Alto Teardrop Camper Trailer by Safari Condo
The Alto by Safari Condo is by far our favorite teardrop camper. Kait’s aunt and uncle own the R1713 and let us film a walk-through of their teardrop trailer. We’ve met a few architects that love this small travel trailer for its unique design.
GVWR: 2,500 lbs
Website: http://www.safaricondo.com/en/
Basecamp Aluminum Travel Trailer by Airstream
The Basecamp joins Airstream’s line of aluminum travel trailers. This small camper comes with a decent sized wet bath and a wrap around window in the galley.
GVWR: 3,500 lbs
Website: https://www.airstream.com/
>>Airstream Basecamp for Rent<<
Cricket Off-the-Grid Camper Trailer by TAXA Outdoors
We briefly thought about the Cricket for full time RV living and quickly dismissed the idea. It is still a pretty cool lightweight trailer that’s great for those off-the-grid adventures. This small travel trailer’s big selling point is the “NASA inspired design”.
GVWR: 2,500 lbs
Website: https://taxaoutdoors.com
HC1 Fiberglass Camper by Happier Camper
The HC1 is the Lego of small travel trailers. This fiberglass camper is so modular, you can make it into almost anything you want. We haven’t seen any other lightweight campers quite like the HC1.
GVWR: 3,500 lbs
Website: http://happiercamper.com/
Lance 1475 Travel Trailer by Lance Camper
Before Lance released the 1475, we considered towing the Lance 1575 behind a Jeep Wrangler. This small travel trailer doesn’t have any slides. The most notable feature are the large windows by the swivel chairs.
GVWR: 3,500 lbs
Website: http://www.lancecamper.com/
>>Lance Travel Trailers For Rent<<
Other Small Travel Trailers
There are a few more travel trailers worth looking into if you’re in the market for a small towable RV.
Bigfoot RV is based in British Colombia, Canada. They manufacture fiberglass travel trailers and truck campers for four season camping. The smallest travel trailer has a dry weight of 3,179 with a GVWR of 4,300. The video walk-through below is the 25B21RB model.
GVWR: 7,500 lbs
Website: http://bigfootrv.com
Bean Trailer is based in Utah. They are new to the travel trailer scene making trailers with a fiberglass shell that have a GVWR of 1,500-1,700 lbs depending on the configuration.
Website: http://www.beantrailer.com/
Casitas is based in Texas. They have been making lightweight travel trailers since 1983.
Website: http://casitatraveltrailers.com/
Oliver Travel Trailers is based in Tennessee. They make double-hulled fiberglass travel trailer that are heavier than other options listed in this post. If staying under 3,500 lbs isn’t a criteria for you, then check out the Legacy Elite II travel trailer.
GVWR: 7,000 lbs
Website: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/
Scamp is based in Minnesota. They make fiberglass campers to order at the factory and use only suppliers based in the U.S.A.
Website: http://www.scamptrailers.com/
Rent a Small Travel Trailer
Layout, length, GVWR. There is quite a bit to consider when shopping for a small travel trailer. Visit the manufacturer and take a factory tour. Check out trailers in person at an RV Show. Try out a few travel trailers see which one is the right fit for your travel needs. Find a Small Travel Trailers For Rent.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 12, 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
One thing I noticed when comparing small campers lately:
Teardrop (not sure of the brand/model, but it was quite attractive to the eye – I only saw it at a campground and then very quickly in a dealer showroom): This had only a bed in the cabin, a low ceiling, and a kitchen in the back. I don’t like the kitchen in the rear, because that would make it tough in the rain, especially with high winds, and unpleasant in the winter. These seemed pretty expensive for what little you get, and it’s nice to be able to stand up in a camper. Easy to pull, though.
Prolite has some nice layouts and some lightweight units, although their ceiling are too low. I have heard that the construction is very basic, and may not last as long as others, especially the molded fiberglass units like Scamps and Casitas.
Aliner/Chalet. These seem very roomy once they are opened, and opening them is very easy – they can be literally be opened and be fully set up in a minute or two if you don’t want to disconnect one from your car. The high center ceiling makes them feel very big, even though they taper to a lower level at the ends. They feel very solid and sturdy – sturdier than most lightweight trailers, and sturdier than many bigger RV’s. They’re low when they travel, so they are easy to pull. Downside is that you do have to pop them up, even though it’s quick, and more significantly, the downsides are that interior storage above waist level is limited, and there are moving parts, so they will wear out or need repair.
Tent Trailer: These old standbys have a lot going for them, especially for those without much towing power or those on a limited budget. They are easy to find in the $1500 to $3000 range used (be careful to look hard if you buy one to make sure there’s nothing wrong with it). They give you more living space per dollar and per pulling pound than any of the hard side trailers. Many like the tent enclosure, because you can hear nature, which is why we go camping (although people can hear you, which gives little privacy). The downsides are that set up is more complicated – they do have to be detached from the car, so they are not good for one night stays, storage is limited unless you get a large model, they have moving parts, and the moving parts are built to be lightweight, rather than sturdy, so they break more easily and need more repairs. Still, they are quite comfortable once set up.
My husband and I are looking for a small camper trailer in which you can stand up inside with an outdoor kitchen. I’ve found Rockwood Geo Pro G125RK, Tigermoth, Luna and TAB. Ultimately we wanted a basic indoor bathroom as well but that seems to be above our budget so we’re considering an outdoor potty with a privacy tent. Can you suggest any others I might have missed in my research?
Hi Sonya,
We haven’t paid much attention to the smaller trailers where you would have an outdoor kitchen so I don’t believe we can be much help there.
Hi,
My wife and I are retired and have thought to sell our quite compact fiberglass trailer in a few months. It does have a marvelous outdoor kitchen a large comfortable bed, and an indoor shower, toilet and sink. it is called a “Genesis 912”. It is undergoing some nice upgrading of the solar, etc and I could send some pics if you are not in a rush to buy. I understand this may not work ,timewise ,for you but I though I would let you know about these models anyway.
best to you , Doug Johnson
Hi Doug. I’d be interested in looking at some pics. Where are you located?
Nice trailer recommendations. By the way, may I know what towing parts you think is great to use with it? I’m still undecided what to purchase but I’m currently looking at Blue Ox towing hitch.
Excellent work and Well worth a read. Got great insights and information from your blog. Thanks.
My wife and I decided to enter the tiny trailer scene with a “tall” teardrop trailer, one we can stand in. Obviously, we don’t have all the bells and whistles inside, but that’s pretty much the point of owning a tiny trailer. We have kind of a crush on the Airstream Basecamp, though. It’s small yet has that classy classic look. I’m enjoying your blog and how you’ve developed a good energy with it. I did write a blog article that focused on what maybe you’d call the micro trailer niche, where I interviewed tiny trailer owners as to why they went ultra small. https://www.greengoddessglamping.com/2018/08/why-such-tiny-trailer-teardrop-owners.html
Missing Escapade campers made in Minnesota
What do you know about “T@B”’s?
You should check out the Egg Camper. They’re made in Michigan, just outside of Grand Rapids. Unibody fiberglass construction, engineered by a former boat manufacturer. When we camped at an RV park, the gentleman next to us had one. I was commenting how cute the trailer looked from the outside with its yellow awning, it really looked like an egg! He let us take a look inside. It was so well-thought out on the interior. Easy to clean boat quality fiberglass. The bed was east-west, instead of north-south to save on space. Wet bath was roomy. Just the cutest little camper. Only 1,700 lbs dry weight. You can tow it with an SUV. He’s had the Egg Camper since 2014 and absolutely loves it.
What about the Bowlus Road Chief?
You left a number of great trailers off of your list, including the A-Scape (by A-Liner), the “Lil Snoozy,” the Runaway, the Lil Guy, the Travel Lite Express 14, The R-Pod…and more that are targeted for your age, wealth (or lack of it) and skill level.
Why no mention of the Nu-camp 320 series or the 400? They all fall within the targeted weight range and, by the looks of these other campers, are equally, or better, constructed. The problem with most of these trailers mentioned here is availability. I live in the Panhandle region of Florida and you are lucky to find anything beyond the behemoths that people seem to want in this area with the possibility of a few T@Bs. I am very interested in the Alto, but the price of one combined with the costs of traveling expense (are they only sold in Canada?) makes it way out of my league. I wouldn’t even know where to travel to see some of your other suggestions, certainly not within 500 miles of me. The Lance looks interesting, but judging by the video, the build quality doesn’t seem up to the T@B. I currently own the 320 s and tow it easily with a Toyota 4Runner. You can configure it for a North/South bed arrangement or an East/West. A 320 s is well below the 2,000 lb. mark. If I ever get the money together, I would trade the 320 s in for a T@B 400. Having owned a Nu-camp Cirrus truck camper before downsizing to the 320 s, I have been made very familiar with it’s components used in the 400, as the Cirrus had the same construction, windows, flooring, Alde heating system, and the nifty fold down sink in the bathroom. I wish campers like the Aldo were more accessible, as the videos of them frustrate me knowing they just aren’t available for me to even look at in person.
The build quality of the Lance should not even be questioned by someone who obviously has not done their homework! I will leave it at that…
I bought an Alto…it completely rocks! I get that it sucks they don’t have a dealer here in the US– but Safari Condo is happy to connect interested people with the nearest Alto owner so folks can see it before they buy it. Alto owners are always happy to gush about their snails. Happy Shopping!!
I am fortunate to live within 5 miles of the Canadian border (Washington state), so British Columbia is pretty darn close to me. A few days ago I went to visit a Canadian RV dealer that had the Alto Safari Condo line available to view (strictly as display models), and I was very impressed with with I saw and was able to see, touch, feel, and sit in. High quality construction, excellent fit and finish, and thoughtful touches throughout. It has the most comfortable camper dinette seats I have ever sat down upon, and the sofa area that converts to a queen size bed is also very comfortable for this hard mattress loving guy. You don’t feel confined in the Alto … plenty of room for one/two, plus a child (or dog, like me). The Alto is nicest thing I have seen so far, and fits nicely into the weight and hitch weight restrictions imposed on me by my tow vehicle.
In comparing the two models, I preferred the fixed roof version. For me, the extendable roof would let in too much morning light, and you don’t get as much over counter storage, either. In fact, if you selected the microwave option, its placement is on a four-legged pedestal on the counter; that was kind of weird to me.
Lead times are incredibly long; I was told if I wanted to order one, my expected delivery date would be February, 202o. It would be container shipped from Quebec (where they are manufactured), and sent to the Canadian RV dealer. Base price on the Alto 1743 (fixed roof) is $36,300 CDN (dollar references hereinafter are all CDN). To that you have to add freight charges of $4,500, dealer prep of $750, and a US export charge of $750.
Then comes the (long) option list, which includes things like the TV/DVD player, wiring for cable, a central privacy curtain, microwave oven, etc., etc. Depending upon what you select, you can significantly add to the overall cost.
I was fortunate to meet a Canadian owner visiting our area, who was parked along the beach last weekend. He thoroughly loves his trailer, and mentioned that he and his wife use it about 50 days/year. They indicated it’s primarily a two season trailer, but in my area of the Pacific Northwest, I could probably get away with a usable season of Mar 31 – Oct. 31. With the options and configuration he selected (including freight), he paid $56,000 CDN for his unit. Converting that to US dollars equates to approx. $41,000 … kinda pricey. Even the base model – with no additions – is going to put your initial investment at about $31,500 USD.
So far, the Alto is at the top of my list, but I am also looking at T@B (320 series – 400 hitch weight is too much for my tow vehicle), and the Little Guy series, as well.
If you can’t find a local US Alto Safari Condo owner to pester for a peek, many of the Canadian dealers have them as display models. If you ever get yourself close to Canada, it would be worth the visit. Then again, there are enthusiast groups in the US, too … along with a Facebook group.
Love the videos, especially the Alto review.
We own a Tesla Model X and are looking at the best option for towing. We are looking to rent an Alto 1713 like your relatives have. We haven’t been able to find any here in Florida. Any recommendations?
Contact Safari Condo, maker of the Alto, and they can put you in contact with owners in your area. There is also a Facebook group that you can follow. We bought an Alto. There is a wait involved, and a road trip to pick it up. We used the wait to time exchange rates to leverage our payments and make them go further, and the road trip was an excellent opportunity to get to know our new little camper. The Facebook group has all sorts of great recommendations on how to do it.
There are Alto owners who tow with a Tesla. AFAIK the only place to rent one is in Durango CO.
What would you recommend for a middle age couple (both about 5’7″) and two young labradors? I want to use my Mercedes 2006 ML350 4Matic (gas) to tow. We’ve always gone tent camping & love BLM land. It would be great to have a shower capability & possibly Heat/AC so we could go in the winter too.
Thank you,
Fred & Gladys (really)
Hey guys – because RV/trailers are such a personal choice, we don’t make recommendations to people. Our advice is to go shop around and see as many as you can. Eventually one will stand out above the rest. I also have no idea what the tow capacity is for your Mercedes so make sure you research that and take it into consideration (with the trailer fully loaded, water, gas, etc.).
We’re in the same boat Elyse. The GLK 250 diesel, 2 adults and 2 dogs.
My husband and I have a 16 foot Casita spirit. 1970 pounds. We travel with 3 dogs. We love the design- no wasted space. Shower, toilet, fridge, sink. Room for a microwave. TV is wall mounted on a swivel.
Are there any lightweight (<3,500lb) travel trailers that don't require the people to crawl over each other when getting into or out of bed? I don't mind crawling in or out. But when the bed is oriented across the trailer, someone is going to have to crawl over their bed mate. Getting up in the middle of the night to pee? Tough luck.
Why don't customers call out the manufacturers for turning a blind eye to this inconvenience?
Yes…we found this one but didn’t like the quality of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pncnTv8Pg7Q
The big reason why most manufacturers do have a North/South bed is because of how small these trailers are. Having the bed up against the wall is the best use of space, rather than needing an area to walk around each side.
The R model altos sleep in the bumper to tongue orientation on a king size bed. Getting in and out is even easier if you sleep with only one cushion at the top and leave it in twin bed configuration at the bottom. A very versatile little trailer.
We have a T@B travel trailer, a little over 2000 pounds, 15 feet long including the tongue. The dinette makes up into a large bed but a number of owners have made modifications so there are two single beds with a walkway between. I wish manufacturers would recognize that lots of people would like this configuration in a small camper.
Great summary of options under 3500 lbs. Now that we only have one kid living at home we have gotten rid of our HUGE SUV and daydream of camping in something that our Wrangler and Crossover can tow. Thanks for the links, have a feeling the yard work is going to have to wait!
My wife and I looked at all of the trailers mentioned plus many more and wound up with a Vistabule. Hands down the most space-optimized package we found, incredibly efficient and at 1600lbs very easy to tow. I definitely recommend adding it to the list!
This is my favorite for aesthetics.
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/recreational-vehicles/clc-teardrop-trailer.html
My 6’3″ husband tells me I can build it for when I want to run away and go solo.
I am so happy to see you guys downsized. Your old RV seemed very “grandma in Florida” whereas the new one is more “young people hitting the trail”.
Your final step will be when you start modding out an off road truck with camper shell!!!
Thanks Cathy! That’s quite the tiny trailer. Just find a friend who’s taking their RV camping and hook that up to it! Funny, we’ve actually talked about looking at putting together a truck camper for our next rig.
We built a teardrop a number of years ago, designed by my engineer husband. We were able to pick up period reproduction hardware from a local enthusiast who had purchased the extrusion molds- lots of fun, easy to tow. Our daughter & he are going to refinish it & she will be using it with her Subaru.
We bought a Gulfstream Vista cruiser 17 RWD a year ago and love it. We have a Honda Ridgeline V6 to pull it. The trailer is lightweight and we get up hills very easily. Best of all the quality of the trailer is high, much like the Lance trailers.
That’s fantastic – always great to find something that really works for you and is high quality.
In July, 2015 we purchased our very first RV – a Scamp 19 ft. “fifth wheel.” Because of its ball-type hitch which is sort of a cross between a goose-neck and fifth wheel hitch, purists frown upon calling it a fifth wheel. But, considering its interior layout, those familiar with RV’s would surely consider it to be a fifth wheel.
We absolutely love ours. It’s light (under 3,000 pounds), easy to tow, has a wet bath (though somewhat cramped), an ample dinette area and plenty of storage. With over 45 nights in it thus far, we find it to be plenty spacious for two people – especially the bed area (just huge the way we have it set up). However, when the time to take off full timing comes in two years, we will be upgrading to something larger, likely a smaller Class A.
Good luck with your new rig!
We’ve seen a couple of those Scamps – back when we lived in a sticks and bricks, one of our neighbors had one. Makes me wish I had kept my truck! I’ll be curious to see what you think if you end up moving to a Class A or something similar. Thanks Peter!