Traveling around with a trailer on your truck or SUV is a great way to explore new areas and make memories. However, it is important you get a travel trailer that can actually be pulled by the vehicle you already have. Here is a list of trailers that are under 4,000 pounds: dry weight.
| Dry Weight | Gross Weight | Length | Cost | |
| R-Pod RP-171 | 2,342 lbs | ~3,342 lbs | 18 ft 4 in | $20k |
| Cricket Camp | 1,500 lbs | ~2,500 lbs | 15 ft | ~$20k |
| Timberleaf Teardrop | 1,400 lbs | ~2,400 lbs | 15 ft | $19k |
| Happier Camper HC1 | 1,100 lbs | ~2,100 lbs | 13 ft | ~$25k |
| PaloMini 177ORVBH | 3,866 lbs | 7,403 lbs | 27 ft | $22k |
| Summerland Mini | 3,420 lbs | ~4,500 lbs | 21 ft 5 in | $19k |
| Vista Cruiser 17RWD | 2,567 lbs | 3,980 lbs | 20 ft | $15k |
| Airstream Sport 22FB | 3,634 lbs | 4,500 lbs | 21 ft 8 in | $52k |
| Clipper 17BHS | 3,217 lbs | 3,725 lbs | 21 ft 4 in | $16k |
| Mantis Trek | 3,020 lbs | ~4,020 lbs | 18 ft | $29k |
| Aliner Classic | 1,590 lbs | 2,500 lbs | 15 ft | $21k |
| Coachmen Viking | 2,509 lbs | 3,662 lbs | 16 ft 4 in | $12k |
Benefits of Lightweight Travel Trailers (under 4,000 Pounds)
So, why would you need or even want a travel trailer that is underneath 4,000 lbs?
Well, lightweight trailers are great for the owners. The lighter your trailer, the less it drags down your gas mileage. This will be able to save you some money while you are traveling, especially if you want to take a roadtrip across the country. The lower the weight, the easier it will be on your vehicle.
A 4,000 lbs trailer can be pulled by a decent sized SUV, which might not be true if you had a massive, heavy trailer.
The hitch weight will not be as much so it will be easier on the hitch of your SUV or truck. There are even some teardrop trailers that can be pulled by cars.
Trucks and SUVs with a tow capacity of at least 4,000 pounds
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Ford Expedition
- Ford F-150
- Nissan Frontier
- GMC Canyon
- Dodge Durango
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
There are some other vehicles that can do this just for the record. Also, newer vehicles are more likely to actually live up to the labeled tow capacity. To see a full database, click here.
Always double check your towing capacity before purchasing an RV. In fact, we recommend not buying one that is the maximum your vehicle can tow. Ideally, you want to stay about 80% of your tow capacity.
Forest River R-Pod Travel Trailer
Let’s start out with someone simple: The Forest River R-Pod RP-171 is a safe bet for anyone who wants something a little smaller and it just trying out travel trailers for the first time. It has all the basic needs for a travel trailer and it has a simple design.
The RP-171 trailer has a dry weight of 2,342 lbs with a hitch weight of 242 lbs. The length of this trailer is 18’ 4”. It has a queen size bed in it and the dinette as well so you should be able to fit two adults and up to two kids.
It does not have a shower either. So you’ll either have to park somewhere that has a shower or get creative. You could also forgo showering because hopefully, you’ll be out in nature. It does have a toilet so you do not have to experience anything unpleasant involving that.
This trailer is definitely more for the casual camping. With my family, I used to go camping with a lot of family friends and we would bring something similar to this. There was a showering place right in the park we were in so everything worked out fine. If you aren’t going too rural with your camping, this will work fine.
Taxa Outdoors Cricket Camp Trailer
The cricket line of trailers are very unique trailers. They are meant to be rugged and lightweight. These trailers were inspired by a NASA design. The integrated plumbing and electrical system are designed to keep you off the grid as much as you can for a few days. They hold 2 adults and 2 kids. It’s perfect for the family of four.
These trailers are not big but they hold their own. These trailers have a dry weight of 1450 lbs and a height of 15 ft. It has about 6 feet of standing room inside of the trailer. The windows are tempered and the frame is steel. It is meant to withstand the outdoors.
Built with NASA design
The Cricket Camper model has a more modern, edgy look that would probably appeal to a lot of people in our current age. This is not conventional. It does not have a shower on the inside of the camper. There is an exterior shower. So if that is not your thing, you might want a bigger trailer. This is for someone who really wants to be outside and actually is outside.
Timberleaf Teardrop Trailers
The Timberleaf teardrop trailer is sleek and classy. It has a modern, clean look. It is a teardrop trailer so it holds maybe 2 people to sleep on a Colorado queen mattress. You can pop open the back for a sink, a paper towel holder and couple of drawers for your toiletries.
This trailer is 15 ft in length and it comes in at a dry weight 1,400 lbs. The tongue weight for the hitch is 150 lbs. The height of the inside cabin is 36” so you’re not gonna have much room move around and chill. It’s mostly for sleeping,
The water hooks up on the side by the wheel for your sink.
I love this trailer. Can be pulled by a smaller SUV and you can take it out on a trip, go hiking or do any outdoor activity, and then go rest for the night. It is a nice, small headquarters to come back to and do quick essential morning things before you head out for the day and enjoy nature!
Happier Camper HC1
I think a word to describe this one would be: cute. It has that classic beach vibe, almost like a VW Van. In fact, that is exactly how I would describe this trailer. There are a ton of colors to choose from as well.
This little trailer is 13 ft from tail to tongue. The trailer is also very lightweight at 1100 lbs dry weight. The back opens really wide and there are a lot of configurations for the trailer as well. You can have one with a sink and a toilet.
You can forgo all of the bathroom things and have it completely stripped down to just hold your dirt bike or kayak. You can create one with lots of sleeping space if that is your thing.
This is the VW Van of travel trailers.
I think that this is a fun trailer. I would love this for like day trips or even trips to the beach. Because the options are so versatile, there are so many ways to enjoy this kind of trailer. If I lived closer to the beach, I would buy one and take it out with me to a rural beach area.
2019 Palomino PaloMini 177ORVBH
The Palomino PaloMini 177ORVBH is a great trailer if you need some extra storage, or you want something to haul up some outdoor toys as well. On the front of this trailer is a big, open space. It’s called a storage deck and it has ramps. It’s a 9′ by 7′ area, so there is lots of space.
The dry weight of the trailer is 3,866 lbs which is cutting it close to the 4,000 weight limit.
Now, it can weigh up to 7,000 pounds. That’s a lot, and it is way over the ideal limit for a small trailer. This trailer is great for people who like to brings lots of gear with them, and things like 4-wheelers and dirt bikes.
You should know that if you are going to bring some 4-wheelers or anything like them, it’s going to add to the weight. So this trailer can get pretty heavy, depending on how you load it.
But, if you don’t load up the storage deck with bikes and things, that weight will come down.
Inside the trailer, there is a queen size bed, overhead storage, and a good size kitchen.
In the back there is a bathroom. There’s bunkbeds in the back area of the trailer which is great for kids.
It is currently priced at $22,611. Click here to learn more.
2018 Keystone Summerland Mini1850FL
This Keystone is remarkable. For such a small, lightweight trailer, you get so much. It can sleep 6 people, which is nice.
Before we get into to much detail, let me tell you the basics. The weight of the trailer is 3,420 lbs unloaded. You should count on adding around 1,000 lbs for your trailer, once it is fully loaded.
Once you enter into this travel trailer itself, you will see a couch that turns into a bed, and a nice sized dinette on your left.
The kitchen is a good size for the needs of the trailer.
The rear holds not only one double bed, but two. There is an over double bed, so it’s like an adult version of a bunk bed. This can make for some tight quarters but it makes it so there can be sleeping room for 6 people and enough space to move about in the kitchen area.
There is a full bathroom as well, which is a feature that not a ton of the trailers on the list have.
The total cost is $19,704 currently but this website often has deals. Click here to check it out.
2019 Vista Cruiser 17RWD
The Vista Cruiser is a great trailer for those who really need a trailer that will not weigh more than 4,000 lbs
The door to enter is near the rear of the trailer, which is a little unique. When you enter, you will see a door at the very back the dinette. There is also some extra storage there, which is great for kitchen needs, or anything else.
The kitchen itself is a bit spread out. The layout of this trailer is a bit untraditional. Directly across from the door is the refrigerator, while the burners and the sink are on the direct right-hand side of the door when you come in.
There is also a full bathroom, which is always going to be a good thing.
The bed is in the front, and has room overhead for storage. The bed is a full size. There is only a sleep capacity for 3 people, so this smaller trailer would be good for a small, adventerous family, or a couple who wants to travel in comfort.
It’s a bit cheaper than the other trailers on this list, at around $15,000 brand new. To purchase, you can use this link here.
2019 Airstream Sport 22FB
The Airstream is the most desired kind of trailer. This Airstream Sport 22FB is light-weight enough to be included in this list, but it is the most expensive trailer.
The dry weight of the Sport 22FB is 3,634 lbs with a gross weight of 4,500 lbs. Though it goes a little bit over that 4,000 lbs limit, there are a lot of perks to getting this model imparticular.
This trailer sleeps
The bed is in the front, the part near the hitch, and its a pretty good aize. It’s 54″ by 78″ so it is definitely big enough for two people. There is also a seperation curtain so there can be more privacy.
The storage for this trailer is on the outside, where there is plenty of storage.
The price to purchase this Airstream is $52,000. To purchase it, or to take a deeper look, click here.
Prices might vary on the year as well. Airstreams usually keep their value, so the prices might not drop drastically, unlike other trailers.
Coachmen Clipper Ultra-Lite Travel Trailer 17BHS
When looking for a lightweight trailer you often have to sacrifice the number of people that you can sleep inside the camper. The length of the trailer is 21 ft and 4 in and it comes to a weight of 3217 pounds of dry weight. The gross weight of 3,725 pounds. But you can sleep up to five people in this camper.
There is a set of bunk beds, a separate full bed, and dinette. This gives you plenty of space to sit around as you travel. The kitchen
The bathroom has a toilet and a thirty-six-inch tub. It has plenty of storage, especially for water capacity. Freshwater capacity is 33 gallons, grey water capacity is 25, and black water is also 25 gallons.
The fridge size is 3 cubic feet and is a two way fridge. The power awning that allows you to take the fun outdoors with you so that you are able to spend some time outside. Overall, you have plenty of possibilities but the highlight of this camper is the large amount of sleeping space.
Mantis Trek
The Mantis Trek is the perfect lightweight camper for adventures. The Mantis is a NASA inspired model that weighs 3,020 pounds and is 18 feet long. This way the trailer even when loaded, is around 4,000 pounds and its short enough that it will fit into a standard length garage as well.
The trailer is a great fit for a small family as it can sleep for people so perfect for a couple and two kids. The creator of the Mantis Trek is a former senior architect at NASA so every inch of space is well used. With this well used space the Mantis has a full-sized bed that converts in a sofa a set of bunk beds that sits at the front of the trailer.
Additionally, you get a shower, counter space, a refrigerator, and closet. This trailer is built for lightweight convenience. So whether you are storing the travel trailer, or using it on the go you have plenty of options and uses for it.
Aliner Classic Travel Trailer
When you are looking at small campers there is really
Coming in at a dry weight of 1,590 pounds, and a gross weight of 2,500 pounds. So overall a light trailer for you to cart around with a load of useful options still.
The Classic Aliner is really adaptable so you have a lot of potential options for add-ons or other advancements. Just looking at the standard model though you have a rear bed or sofa.
The kitchen is condensed into a small area with the fridge being placed underneath the stove burner and single sink combo. Between the rear bed and front seats you can sleep 4 people total.
The Classic Aliner is really good at using outdoor space in addition to it limited space.
You have the option to get an awning to extend your camping fun to the outside the trailer as well.
The standard model comes with an outside shower, 2 burner stove, 3 slider windows, and an 11-gallon freshwater tank. There are quite a few extra options that you can get such as the alternative sofa or bed action, or stereo options.
Coachmen Viking Ultra-Lite Travel Trailer
The Viking Ultra-Lite 14R has a dry weight of 2,509 pounds and a gross weight of 3,662 pounds. It does not sleep many at only 3 people their isn’t much space for sleeping bodies.
The camper does have plenty of other options though.
For one it has a tub toilet combo in the bathroom. Which means you won’t have to worry about washing somewhere else or washing outside than this is a good option for you.
The seating doubles as storage around the dinette, so you can store whatever you want while enjoying yourself in the dinette area. There is even a wardrobe in the rear of the trailer.
There is a double burner and sink combo in the kitchen with overhead storage for storing your food supplies. The limited sleeping space in the trailer is caused by only having a sofa and the dinette area for seating and sleeping.
There is no bed option for the trailer so you’ll have to sleep on the sofa or in the dinette. Which of course limits you to three places to sleep. So avoid this trailer if your family is larger than three.
RV Weight Terms to Know
What is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, GVWR?
GVWR stands for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and refers to the maximum weight allowed of both your RV and cargo. Cargo needs to include the weight of your belonging, camping gear, passengers, and anything in your tanks (fresh water tank, grey tank, black tank). I always recommend traveling with near empty, if not empty, tanks.
What is Unloaded Vehicle Weight, or UVW?
Dry weight is also referred to as UVW, which refers to the weight of the trailer or RV alone. This does not include cargo, propane tanks, or another upgraded accessories.
What it Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC)
Cargo Carrying Capacity refers to the most weight that you can pack into your RV. This includes all your personal items and any water in your tanks. The CCC is determined by subtracting the UVW from the GVWR.
What is Tongue Weight (TW)
Tongue weight or TW is the amount of weight an RV puts on the towing vehicles’s trailer ball. It is calculated by subtracting the weight of the towing vehicle from the weight of your vehicle and the trailer combined.
Related Reading: Choosing the Proper Weight Distribution Hitch for Your RV
Do Slide-Outs Increase the Weight of an RV?
Slide-outs are great additions to an RV as they increase the amount of space or square footage inside, but they do increase the weight quite a bit. On average an RV slide-out will add an additional 800 pounds. If you have multiple slides, then this increases significantly.
Do some research before purchasing as how much your vehicle can tow, the GVWR, UVW, and CCC.
Final Thoughts
To find the best travel travel that fits your family and towing vehicle, be sure to double check all numbers and floorplans before making a decision.