rear view of airstream x rei base camp travel trailerScott Seiver

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

The Best Small Camping Trailers

These mini trailers allow anyone (driving almost any vehicle) to be a weekend adventurer.

Road trips and overlanding are more popular than ever — but not everyone can afford (or wants to) own an RV, an Airstream Classic or a custom-built overlanding rig. Small travel trailers can be a great option for a weekend traveler who wants the convenience of adventure on a (at least relatively) more reasonable budget.

These small camping trailers don’t require a full-size truck to tow them (GVWR under 5,000 pounds); a mid-size truck, SUV or even in a sedan (in some cases) will do. And they can typically fit in an average-sized home garage.

Best Classic Small Camping Trailer

Airstream Bambi

Airstream

Airstream Bambi

The Bambi is Airstream’s lightweight, single-axle trailer which strikes a perfect balance between size, style and comfort.

Specs

Length 253 inches
Weight 5,000 pounds
Sleeps 4

Pros

  • Elegant Airstream style
  • Several amenities crammed into small footprint

Cons

  • No trailer backup tech
  • Bathroom situation can be awkward

No surprise that the road-tripping icon has a line of lightweight single-axle trailers. Along with Airstream’s classic design, Bambi models feature neutral interior colors, stainless steel appliances, plenty of windows, and a retractable awning. The entry-level Bambi 16RB measures about 16 feet long, and has a maximum GVWR of 3,500 pounds.

Best Affordable Small Camping Trailers

Polydrops P19 Shorty

Polydrops

Polydrops P19 Shorty

Polydrops is famous for their cool space capsule-like trailers. The P19 shorty is its basic, affordable trailer option.

Specs

Weight 640 pounds
Length 140 inches
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Super lightweight and aerodynamic for EV towing
  • Convertible table can make bed a work space

Cons

  • Amenities beyond bed are very basic
  • Limited storage options

The P19 shorty is Polydrops’s basic affordable trailer option. It’s durable with a rust-free frame, insulated for all four seasons. It’s an awesome option for towing with an EV with a weight of just 640 lbs. It provides sleeping accommodations for two. But the accommodations beyond sleeping are on the spartan side.


SylvanSport GO

sylvansport go camping trailerSylvanSport

SylvanSport Go

The SylvanSport GO is a pop-up camper that can expand into a versatile tent, serve as a gear hauling solution or both.

Specs

Length 140 inches
Weight 840 pounds
Sleeps 4

Pros

  • Compact and lightweight for towing
  • Sleeps four adults

Cons

  • Setup can take 10-15 minutes
  • No built-in electrical

The SylvanSport GO may not look like much of anything in road mode, but it’s basically a Transformer — a boring trailer that transforms into a tent camper/utility hauler/equipment rack. Measuring less than seven feet long, the pop-up tent setup expands to accommodate two XL-twin mattresses or one king. Also, it’s extremely lightweight at just 840 pounds.


Scamp Travel Trailers

Scamp Travel Trailer

Minnesota-based Scamp builds affordable, lightweight camping trailers that are designed to be affordable and easy to use.

Specs

Length 156 inches
Weight 1,500 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Several lengths and layouts
  • Even 13-foot can be fitted with shower/bathroom

Cons

  • Plumbing system needs to be winterized
  • No off-road suspension option

Because Scamp trailers are sold factory direct, each order is essentially a custom build. The small trailers fit four, come in 13-, 16-, and 19-foot lengths, and are available in Standard or Deluxe trims — which really just means, bathroom or bunk beds? The GVWR for the 16-footer is 3,500 pounds, but Scamp says all sizes have been designed to be towed by small vehicles.

Best Small Off-Road Camping Trailers

Colorado Campworks NS-1

colorado campworks trialerColorado Campworks

Colorado Campworks NS-1

The Colorado Campworks NS-1 is a rugged but compact off-road camping trailer that is ready for action with BG Goodrich KO2 tires and 18 inches of ground clearance.

Specs

Length 156 inches
Weight 1,750 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • 100 percent electric
  • Very off-road capable

Cons

  • Price has gone up dramatically
  • No cheaper base model

Built for overlanding with a small footprint of barely nine feet, the Nomadic System One (NS1) is 100 percent solar-powered for on-demand hot water and induction cooking. Rugged but towable with a sub-2,000-pound dry weight, other features include a galley, a winter-ready structure and exterior mounts for gear. It comes in one fully stocked version with several color options.


Taxa Outdoors Woolly Bear Overland

Taxa Outdoors

Taxa Outdoors Woolly Bear Overland

The Woolly Bear is one of Taxa Outdoors’s more affordable camping trailer options. The Overland version adds a reinforced frame, electric brakes, a Timbren Axle-less suspension and nearly three inches more ground clearance.

Specs

Length 136 inches
Weight 1,400 pounds
Sleeps 3

Pros

  • Overland version even tougher for off-roading
  • Storable in a standard garage

Cons

  • Rooftop tent sold separately and expensive
  • Plumbing won't work in cold winter temps

Taxa Outdoors’s Woolly Bear was the ultimate mobile campsite for two We say was because the brand came out with a more robust Woolly Bear Overland. It packs a full-size kitchen, a pull-out cooler drawer, ample storage and a platform for a rooftop tent within a package that weighs just 1,400 pounds and is only five feet wide.

Best Small Camping Trailers With Bathrooms

Airstream Basecamp REI Co-op Special Edition

airstream basecamp trailer at nightScott Seiver

Airstream REI Co-op Special Edition Basecamp Travel Trailer

This trailer is a special edition collaboration between Airstream and REI Co-op. It comes in two floorplans and marries classic Airstream style with an outdoors twist.

Specs

Length 192 inches
Weight 2,700 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Sleeping capacity accommodated 3 in our testing
  • Well-organized layout with plenty of storage

Cons

  • Upgrades may not justify the steeper price point

Airstream’s compact Basecamp model is made for traveling beyond the beaten path on all sorts of adventures, fitting two adults with ease. The REI co-branded special edition elevates things with bespoke design features for an added bit of outdoorsy delight.


Happier Camper HC1 Studio

Happier Camper HC1 Studio

The HC1 is Happier Camper’s small, retro-modern trailer featuring their modular Adaptiv system that uses lego-like blocks.

Specs

Length 161 inches
Weight 1,800 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Studio version includes bathroom and kitchen
  • Several colors available

Cons

  • Not designed for off-road use

Built for long-term travel, this 1,800-pound camper packs in all the essentials you’d find at home: a bathroom equipped with a dry-flush toilet and a shower, a full kitchenette with a dual-burner stove, battery-powered fridge and sink, and Happier Camper’s Adaptiv system, a partially modular layout that allows for the unique configuration of furniture. A Premium Package adds more features like solar power.


Winnebago Micro Minnie

Winnebago Micro Minnie

The Micro Minnie is Winnebago’s double-axle compact trailer that offers several amenities within a compact footprint for towing.

Specs

Length 233 inches
Weight 3,360 pounds
Sleeps 3

Pros

  • Narrow for ease of towing
  • Large fridge and three-burner stove

Cons

  • Longer than other small camping trailers

The ever-familiar Winnebago offers the Micro Minnie. These trailers are small in size but offer plenty of room for families. Even though it’s a double-axle camper (most small camping trailers use a single axle), the Micro Minnie is just seven feet wide — but smartly laid out. Sleeping quarters accommodate up to five, and windows on either side provide a nice cross-breeze on cool nights. Other amenities include USB ports and WiFi connectivity.

Best Small Pop-Up Camping Trailers

Taxa Outdoors Cricket

Taxa Outdoors

Taxa Outdoors Cricket

The Cricket is Taxa Outdoors’s lightweight and rugged camping trailer with a pop-top roof and a modular floorplan.

Specs

Length 180 inches
Weight 1,753 pounds
Sleeps 2+2 children

Pros

  • Several mesh windows provide cross-ventilation
  • Optional raised sleeping births for children

Cons

  • No fixed toilet

With a NASA-inspired design, the 15-foot Taxa Outdoors Cricket was built to handle the outdoors. Lightweight and rugged, the small trailer can sleep two adults and two children, features a modular design, innovative storage solutions inside and out as well as lots of windows for cross ventilation. It includes an integrated plumbing and electrical system with an optional air conditioner.


Dub Box

Dub Box

The Dub Box is a retro-style camping trailer with a strong essence of vintage Volkswagen Microbus. It’s truly customizable with a range of sizes, floorplans and color options.

Specs

Length 193 inches
Weight 1,413 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Pop-up roof is available as an option
  • Sweet vintage style

Cons

  • Not ready for off-road use

Not a familiar name, sure — but in terms of design, if you don’t think Volkswagen when you think of road camping, are you even thinking? The Dub Box, which sits about 16 feet long and has a 2,314-pound GVWR, will definitely make people do a double-take. Other standard features include a kitchen with a two-burner stovetop and fridge, LED lighting, and room for a double-sized mattress. A pop-up rooftop, you ask? Of course, that’s an option.

Teardrop Camping Trailers

nuCamp Tab 400

nuCamp

nuCamp Tab 400

The Tab 400 is a teardrop-shaped camping trailer from NuCamp that packs big trailer amenities in a classic teardrop style.

Specs

Length 219 inches
Weight 2,831 pounds
Sleeps 3-4

Pros

  • Pitched axle and off-road tires for off-pavement use
  • Optional hidden bunk compartment for towing

Cons

  • On the heavier side for a small camping trailer

The nuCamp Tab 400 features an old-school teardrop design but with new school amenities, like instant hot water and air conditioning. A compact 18 feet in length, the Tab 400 still offers a dedicated queen-sized bed sleeping space, a spacious kitchen with storage, a three-person dinette area, and a wet bath. You can also tack on a Boondock off-road package and a Lithium power package.


Timberleaf Classic Teardrop

Timberleaf Classic Teardrop Trailer

Timberleaf’s Classic Teardrop trailer marries the classic silhouette with exquisite craftsmanship and modern amenities. Three suspension options allow it to accommodate a wide range of customers.

Specs

Length 168 inches
Weight 1,500 pounds
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Beefed up off-road suspension is available
  • Homey wood finishes

Cons

  • Pricier than other trailers in their lineup

The Classic Teardrop Trailer by Timberleaf features one of the largest skylights of any teardrop-style trailer on the market. At 10 feet in length, there’s plenty of usable space for a queen-size mattress, storage shelves, and an equally laid-out kitchen galley. The camper can also be customized with All Road and Off Road packages depending on your needs. Timberleaf also sells smaller Kestrel and Pika models.

The Small Camping Trailer We Wish Existed

Airstream Studio F.A. Porsche Concept Travel Trailer

a car and a van parked on a rock in a foggy forestCourtesy

Airstream Studio F. A. Porsche Concept Travel Trailer

Specs

Length 197 inches
Sleeps 2

Pros

  • Looks incredibly cool

Cons

  • Doesn't exist in real life

Airstream and the design firm Studio F.A. Porsche presented a “what if” collaboration, the Airstream Studio F.A. Porsche Concept Travel Trailer. It’s essentially what would happen if Porsche used its sports car sensibilities to design and build an Airstream. It’s a small 16-foot trailer about the size of the Bambi. It crams everything you’d want into that small footprint with some innovative features like a rear-opening hatch, an adjustable suspension for lowering into a garage and a smooth aerodynamic outer shell.

, ,