7 Best Pop-up Campers Including Hybrids!
Thanks for your support! If you make a purchase using our links in this article, we may make a commission. And, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure here.
If you are looking for pop-up campers, you’re in the right place! When you conduct your search for a pop-up camper, it’s crucial to find ways to narrow your search. Otherwise, you will be left searching for weeks and months before you get close to a purchase.
Finding a compact, lightweight camper with all the amenities of a larger travel trailer can be challenging. As you extend your list of requirements, your options for RVs will naturally lessen. This is especially true for smaller camper options.
One feature you may be searching for that’s a non-negotiable is a bathroom. Not all pop-up campers come with bathrooms due mostly to space limitations. However, for those looking for a lightweight camper trailer with a bathroom, some of these pop-up options fit the bill.
Maybe you’re looking for a small camper to get you off the beaten path and just need the bare necessities. Looking for a pop-up camper but want a little more security and insulation? Hybrids or hard-sided pop-up models are perfect. Either way, there is a pop-up option for you.
Pop-up campers may not be a huge chunk of the RV sales market, however, for those interested we got you covered!
What Exactly Is Are Pop-Up Campers?
A pop-up camper is a type of towed recreational vehicle that can be collapsed for easy storage and transport. When one is set up, it provides a significant amount of interior space compared to its size when collapsed. As a result, these trailers usually are much lighter than the alternatives.
So, they make good choices for people who do not have a very strong tow vehicle. They are also generally cheaper and smaller options. Not everyone needs or wants a 40′ fifth wheel or a dedicated tow vehicle for their RV.
The pop-up market has evolved and there are now more options than the traditional canvas top with two extending ends. Hybrids that combine pop-up and hard-sided have become popular as well as teardrop-style trailers with soft-sided pop-out
If you are working within a budget, planning on traveling solo or in a small group, or don’t have or want a large tow vehicle, a pop-up camper may be best for you.
7 Best Pop-Up Campers Including Hybrids!
Without further ado, here it is, our list of 7 of the best pop-up campers including some not-so-traditional options. Which one will fit your needs the best?
1. A-Liner Family
Our Pros and Cons
✅ Includes a nice, high-rise bunk
⛔ Outdoor kitchen only
- Length: 18’ 0”
- UVW: Less than 2,000 pounds
- GVWR: 3500 lbs
- CCC: 1500 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 190 lbs
- Sleeps: 4
If you are looking for one of the popup campers with a decent sleeping capacity, then the A-Liner Family is one of the best options for you. This trailer can sleep up to four people, making it large enough for a significant portion of families.
It is 18 feet long, which is a decent size for a popup camper, so it is a little more spacious than you might expect. However, despite that, it is still incredibly light and does not exceed an unloaded vehicle weight of 2000 pounds.
Although this trailer has sleeping spaces for four people, it is not necessarily ideal for a couple. That is because it has four separate beds. As a result, you will not be able to sleep in the same bed with your partner unless you want to try sharing a twin bed.
Additionally, the trailer has more storage than you would expect for a camper of this size. There is storage under all the beds, and there is a large storage container in the corner for you to use.
Making room for beds takes up space and in this case, it means no indoor kitchen. There is, however, a slide-out outdoor kitchen with a stovetop and 12-volt fridge.
2. Viking 2107LS
Our Pros and Cons
✅ 2 Queen Size Beds
⛔ No Bathroom
- Length: 13′ 2″ Closed 20′ 5″ Open
- UVW: 1801 lbs
- GVWR: 2938 lbs
- CCC: 1137 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 208 lbs
- Sleeps: 6
Viking pop-up campers have been around for a while and are loved by the pop-up community. The Viking lineup has lots of floorplan options depending on your needs.
The Viking 2107LS has a lot to offer in a compact package. Two Queen beds offer comfortable sleeping for 4 adults any really comfortable for 4 kids. There is additional sleeping for 2 more with the dinette folded down.
There is no bathroom on this particular floorplan which may not suit everyone. However, it does give room for the open floor and two large beds.
A small but very functional kitchen includes a stovetop, sink, and small portable fridge. If lots of sleeping area is important to you, this might be your floorplan.
3. Coachmen Clipper 860LS
Our Pros and Cons
✅ Inexpensive and lightweight camper
⛔ No kitchen
- Length: 11′ 2″ Closed 13′ 6″ Open
- UVW: 1577 lbs
- GVWR: 2942 lbs
- CCC: 1365 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 203 lbs
- Sleeps: 4
The Coachmen Clipper 860LS is closer in size and weight to what you should expect from most popup campers. It is only 13 feet and 6 inches long when open, and it has an unloaded vehicle weight of just 1577 pounds.
This camper might be small but it boasts two large beds. You will find a large queen-sized bed in the front and the other sleeping space is in the form of opposing benches that convert into a large bed.
If you’re looking for a small camper with just the basics to use as a home base for exploring this model from Coachmen will work nicely.
4. Rockwood Highwall 277
Our Pros and Cons
✅ Rare pop-up with a slide
⛔ Heavier model pop-up
- Length: 19′ 3″ Closed 25’ 9” Open
- UVW: 3,334 lbs
- GVWR: 3880 lbs
- CCC: 546 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 380 lbs
- Sleeps: 6
The Rockwood Highwall 277 is an excellent popup camper for families. It can sleep up to five people, and it is relatively spacious. It is 25 feet and 9 inches long, and it has an unloaded vehicle weight of 3334 pounds.
The trailer has two large beds available at either end of the camper. One is slightly larger than the other and is meant to be the master bed. However, the other is large enough for two people to sleep in, especially if they are children.
There is also a U-shaped dinette that one person can sleep on. So, if you have three children, you will all be able to sleep in the trailer without any issues.
The rest of the trailer is filled with things that will make your day-to-day life more comfortable. There is a bathroom that has a toilet and shower, perfect for families.
The kitchen is impressive for a popup camper of this size. It features a three-burner stovetop, an oven, and a sink. So, you should be able to prepare most meals that you can dream up.
If you prefer to cook outside, there is a slide-out kitchen outdoors. This kitchen comes with a stovetop and a gas grill. So, you can have a cookout with your family as the day comes to a close.
5. Intech Flyer Explore
Our Pros and Cons
✅The cargo capacity is incredible for the Flyer’s size
⛔Water heater, shower, toilet, heater, and A/C are all ordered separately
- Length: 14’ 0”
- UVW: 1940 pounds
- GVWR: 2990 lbs
- CCC: 1050 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 250 lbs
- Sleeps: 2
Intech is a trailer manufacturer that does not get as much attention as many of the other brands. However, it is still a great manufacturer of pop-up campers that would be considered hybrid.
The Fyler Explorer is 14 feet long, and it weighs 1940 pounds. It is large enough for two people and great for solo travelers. It can be had as basic as you want and optioned out with full amenities if you prefer.
You can choose a small outdoor kitchen with a two-burner stovetop, a sink, and a 12-volt fridge. There is also plenty of storage in the trailer that is tucked away in different compartments. So, you can pack for most of the things you will want to do on your trip without any issues.
The open floor space allows for storing bikes, kayaks, and small motor sports vehicles. This unique camper is your own little personal toy hauler.
6. TrailManor 2518KB
Our Pros and Cons
✅ Hard-sided pop-up with full-height roof
⛔ Higher priced in the pop-up category
- Length: 18′ Closed 25″ Open
- UVW: 2580 lbs
- GVWR: 4580
- CCC: 2000 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 295 lbs
- Sleeps: 6
Trailmanor has taken a pop-up camper and a travel trailer and combined them to offer some unique options. The 2518KB is a great floorplan for families with sleeping for 6.
These things are kind of like the transformers of the RV world. You have a compact, low trailer for towing and storing and a full-size hard-sided trailer when set up.
On top of that, you get all the things you would expect in a traveler trailer but perhaps not in a pop-up. A King-size bed plus two double beds allows sleeping for 6 people. There is a nice-sized dinette, a small kitchen, and a bathroom with a shower!
These style camper trailers are more pricey and a little heavier, although still managable with an SUV but you do get more for that money.
7. OPUS Off-Road OP4
✅Auto-inflating pop-up saves a lot of time during setup
⛔Mattresses are a little on the thin side
- Length: 17′ Closed 20′ 2″ Open
- UVW: 3,100 lbs
- GVWR: 4200 lbs
- CCC: 1100 lbs
- Tongue Weight: 400 lbs
- Sleeps: 6
The final popup camper we will be looking at is one from Opus. Opus is one of the most innovative off-road camper manufacturers in the world. The Opus Off-Road OP-4 is an incredible combination of off-road characteristics, off-grid living, and comfortable style.
It can sleep six and the auto-inflation pop-up system works while you’re setting up camp so you don’t have to focus on the popup side and can get everything else ready.
The inside is absolutely cavernous and even though popups are tight spaces, you’ll never feel like you’re getting claustrophobic.
Its off-road capabilities are bar-none, including 10″ electric drum brakes, galvanized steel chassis, aluminum outriggers, an independent trailing arm, and coil springs with twin shocks. It will go anywhere, take a beating along the way, and look no worse for the wear.
Benefits of Pop-Up Campers
If you are new to the world of trailers and RVs, it might be overwhelming having so many choices available to you. You do not need to just think about which brands to purchase from, but you also need to figure out what type of trailer you want to buy.
That will not be possible if you do not know the benefits of each type of trailer. Popup campers are not for everyone, but they have some things that make them unique and popular in some circles.
The first and most obvious reason to purchase a popup camper is its size. Popup campers are much smaller than your typical RV, and as a result, they don’t require large tow vehicles. Many of them weigh less than 2000 pounds, and almost none weigh more than 4000.
Additionally, popup campers have the unique feature of being foldable. Foldability allows the campers to be condensed into a much smaller size than when they are expanded. Again this is beneficial for towing but also for fitting into smaller campsites and for storage when not in use.
Since they are often smaller with minimal kitchens and small bathrooms if equipped, the price of popup camper trailers is able to be kept low. First-time buyers will appreciate this as well as small families or singles.
Final Thoughts About Pop-Up Campers
Whether or not you end up purchasing one of the options listed above, there are some great pop-up campers to choose from. Bang for your buck, these compact camper trailers are one of the best ways to get into RVing.
Pop-up campers are smaller making them easier to travel with. Their size, maneuverability, and weight make them excellent options for many people.
The RV community ranges from families living full-time in 38′ fifth wheels to retired couples touring the nation in 45′ motorcoaches. Pop-up campers have a place among these giants and they can be a perfect fit for the right person.
Why are you interested in popup campers? Are you interested in any of the trailers listed above? Where do you plan on going for your next trip? Let us know in the comments!
Related Reading:
– Everything You Need to Know About Popup Camper Rentals ~ PLUS Discount Code!
– Top 15 Things to Know Before Buying a Pop-Up Camper
– How Much Does a Pop-Up Camper Weigh and Can You Haul It?
– Can You Use a Pop-Up Camper in the Winter?
Source: https://rvblogger.com/blog/best-pop-up-campers-including-hybrids/
