The Top Campers Under 2,000 lbs for Your Next Adventure | I Heart RVing
You’re ready to hit the road and start to explore…. You just have to decide which travel trailer checks all the boxes for you. If you’ll be living in your rig for weeks or months on end, you may want a larger RV that feels almost like home. But if you like to get off the main highways or just want to save on gas and tow with your current vehicle for a short getaway, you will probably want to choose something much smaller and lighter. Travel trailers under 2,000 lbs fit the bill perfectly and can still get you where you’re going, comfortably, and often for much less.
Small and lightweight, travel trailers under 2,000 lbs offer several benefits. For instance:
- They make the most of the available space and provide essentials for sleeping, eating, and seating—some even include kitchens and bathrooms.
- They cost less to buy, maintain, and tow and can often be pulled with your current vehicle, even if you have a mid-size SUV or minivan.
- They provide greater fuel economy due to their lighter weight, lower height, and often aerodynamic design.
- They are easier to store.
- They’re easier to maneuver, including towing, turning, parking, and backing into spots.
- They can often go places larger RVs can’t.
It’s imperative to decide what’s most important to you before choosing which travel trailers under 2,000 lbs might best suit you and your lifestyle. Even lighter travel trailers can still be a big-ticket item, so before you commit, consider the following:
Trailer Weight: You already know you want to keep it under 2,000 lbs. In this category, there are several choices, and some can come in as low as 1,000 pounds. Start by looking at your current vehicle to see how much you can tow. (The info should be in the owner’s manual.) Then, give yourself extra room as most trailers show their dry or unloaded weight.
When hitting the road, you’ll want to ensure you have additional towing capability for your gear, clothing, food, water, and other necessities. The general recommendation is to keep the trailer’s dry weight below 75% of your total towing capacity to ensure your vehicle can handle the weight. For instance, if your vehicle has a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds, the dry weight of your chosen trailer should be only ~1,500 pounds. Otherwise, you may need to look at a larger (potentially less gas-mileage-friendly) towing vehicle.
Facilities: If you know you’ll be camping near restroom facilities (such as at campgrounds), one thing you can leave off the list is a bathroom. On the other hand, if you’ll be spending most of your time boondocking or prefer more privacy, the lack of a toilet may be a dealbreaker.
Several of the smaller travel trailers don’t include a bathroom. Others have just enough space for a toilet. This is because facilities take up space and add a lot of weight. You can, however, still find travel trailers under 2,000 lbs with cassette toilets and exterior showers that will serve your needs when on the road, especially if you tend to travel mostly when the weather is warmer.
Terrain: Do you want to take your camper off the beaten path? Of course, your trailer probably won’t be tackling the 4×4 trails, but there are options that provide greater durability with good all-terrain tires to take you away from it all via dirt or gravel or less maintained roads to your ultimate destination.
Quality: Newer companies are bringing innovative designs and exciting options to the market. Do, however, beware before buying. Some of the new companies have stellar reputations. Others may be more fly-by-night operations that are here today and gone tomorrow. Before you put down a big chunk of change, do your homework to ensure it’s a reputable company with positive reviews. Some places to look for information on a new (or old) trailer brand include:
- RV Forums or reviews on the web, Facebook, or YouTube—or better yet, in person from people you know
- BBB (Better Business Bureau) Profile
- Warranty policy—look past any fancy wording to see what protections the warranty really provides in case something goes wrong.
Top Travel Trailers Under 2,000 lbs
Often referred to as lightweight, lite, or ultralight, these types of trailers are designed to be pulled behind your vehicle and can range from traditional campers to popups to teardrops and more. Keeping the above considerations in mind, some of the travel trailers under 2,000 lbs that are worth checking out more closely include:
- Flagstaff E-Pro 15TB offers a small but comfortable and walkable travel trailer. The layout can go from two twin beds to a king bed to a dining area. Plus, it offers a bathroom with shower, micro kitchen, entertainment options with TV and WiFi Booster to help you stream your favorite shows even from the road, and great outdoor space with an awning. It’s also extremely lightweight and can be pulled with an SUV, small truck, or minivan.
- Luna Light from inTech is innovative in the way they maximize the small space with well-thought-out features. The weight is perfect at around 1,450 to 1,630 for towability. While it doesn’t have bathroom facilities, the teardrop design provides an impressive outdoor kitchen with a sink, stove, refrigerator, and even room to store goods.
- Happier Campers provide a retro look on the exterior with modern-day conveniences. The unusual design allows you to completely customize it to fit the needs of each trip and can sleep up to 5! It also starts at just 1,100 pounds, so it’s easy to tow and maneuver. There are even options to add a dry flush toilet, stovetop, fridge, tailgate tent, and more to fit your travel needs.
- Beanstalk Bean Trailers are designed for the modern minimalist. With a dry weight of 1,650 lbs, these small teardrops offer a surprising number of features, including a rear kitchen space with room for a pull-out stove and cooler or fridge, roof racks for attaching outdoor accessories, and unexpected storage space for such a tiny unit.
- Safari Condo F1743 is another lightweight option at just 1,765 pounds but with many added comforts, including a queen-size bed, dining area, comfortable bathroom cabinet with flush toilet and interior shower. It even has a wardrobe to store your clothing and gear and can sleep up to 4. In addition, the large windows make the space seem even lighter and roomier.
Depending on your needs, your wants, and even your preferred destinations, there are several options for travel trailers under 2,000 lbs to suit your needs. The next big question: where do you want to explore first?
