If you want to take your RV deep into a National Forest or down a seven-mile dirt road on Bureau of Land Management land, you’ll need something small. A Class A motorhome won’t fare well on roads requiring high-clearance vehicles or on paths with low-hanging limbs.
A 40-foot fifth wheel wouldn’t do any better. Your best bet is to check out these ten tiny trailers, which we think are the best in 2023.
They’ll offer you the off-road capabilities you’re looking for without sacrificing too many of the amenities that make RV camping comfortable. Let’s take a closer look!
What Is a Tiny Trailer?
A tiny trailer is usually a teardrop or travel trailer under 20 feet in length. Popular brands include Airstream, Winnebago, Lance, Escape, and Casita, which cater to campers looking for smaller RVs. Tiny trailers won’t have all the amenities you’ll find in a larger travel trailer or fifth wheel. Sometimes they’re not much bigger than a truck camper.
So prepare to give up some amenities to save space.
If you’re looking for a tiny trailer you can tow with a smaller vehicle; you’ll have fewer options. But you still have choices. Lightweight trailers usually mean no full bath, no full kitchen, and less furniture. However, they still include all the essentials for a fantastic getaway.
What Are Features to Look for in a Tiny Trailer?
When you’re looking for a tiny trailer, the main thing you want to consider is the use of space. Will the area meet your needs? If you have children, is there enough sleeping room for everyone? If you want to haul your kayaks and bicycles, is there enough storage? Everyone travels differently, and since tiny trailers are already limited in space, the use of the interior and exterior are crucial.
You also want to look for the quality of the build. Many off-roaders enjoy tiny trailers because they’re easier to maneuver on rugged terrain. But you don’t want one dip in a dirt road to break an axle. Research the track record of the brand and model.
Prepare to pay extra for boondocking or off-roading packages to improve your experience. Often, tiny trailers will cost as much, if not more, than a standard travel trailer because the quality of craftsmanship is higher.
10 Best Tiny Trailers in 2023
With lengths from 15 feet, 11 inches to 23 feet, two inches, and weight under 5,000 pounds, these tiny trailers offer everything you need for an adventure. From wet baths and galley kitchens to bunk beds and more, these are the ten best tiny trailers in 2023.
1. Airstream REI Special Edition
About: The front kitchen sits perfectly underneath the panoramic window for spectacular views. A wet bath is in the unit’s center, and lounge space is in the rear. Two benches and two tabletops can convert from an entertaining, dining, or workspace to a sleeping area.
Specs: The exterior length of the Airstream REI Special Edition trailer is 16 feet, 2 inches, with a GVWR of 3,500 pounds. There’s an 800-pound cargo-carrying capacity and a 24-gallon gray and water combo tank. The X-package provides a 3-inch lift, off-road tires, aluminum wheels, and stainless steel stone guards.
Features: The rear hatch door makes loading and unloading gear straightforward. The raised coin flooring creates a rugged look while protecting the interior. Even in its 16-foot frame, the Airstream REI Special Edition has a full wet bath, an optional microwave, an electric refrigerator, a two-burner cooktop, and a stainless steel sink. The trailer also includes a water filtration system.
MSRP: starting at $52,900
Pro Tip: Fan of Airstreams? You’ll love these 5 Most Unique Airstreams of All Time.
2. Travel Lite Rove Lite Ultra
About: Available in four floorplans, the Travel Lite Rove Lite Ultra trailer features an aerodynamic teardrop design. The aluminum chassis makes this extremely lightweight, and the hydro-lite construction is impervious to water with its Azdel composite and seamless poured resin fiberglass roof and moisture-blocking no-substrate fiberglass sidewall. Each unit has a dinette or sofa that you can convert into a sleeping space, while the 16RB has a dedicated 54 by 75-inch bed in the front.
Specs: The GVWR of the three models is 2,500 pounds, while the longer 16RB is 3,500 pounds. The three 16 feet by 6-inch units have varying cargo-carrying capacities from 654-798 pounds. The 18-foot, 9-inch 16RB has a cargo-carrying capacity of 1,480 pounds. All models have a 30-gallon gray tank, a 10-gallon fresh water tank, and a 5-gallon black tank.
Features: The Travel Lite Rove Lite Ultra trailers are for even the smallest vehicles to tow. A 200W solar panel comes standard and an on-demand tankless hot water heater. The kitchen has a two-burner stove, stainless steel sink, and a 12V refrigerator. The three 16-foot, 6-inch models feature a wet bath, while the 18-foot, 9-inch unit has a full bath in the rear.
MSRP: starting around $26,000
3. Jayco Jay Feather Micro
About: The lightest travel trailer by Jayco, the Jay Feather Micro units, all weigh less than 5,000 pounds. The 199MBS sleeps up to eight people, the 166FBS and 173MRB sleep up to three people, and the 171BH sleeps up to five people. All floorplans have a full bathroom in the rear and a full kitchen in the center. The front features a living space that you can convert into a sleeping area or a dedicated bed.
Specs: These lightweight trailers have an unloaded vehicle weight of 3,775-4,575 pounds and range from 19 feet, 8 inches to 23 feet, 2 inches in length. The 16FBS is the smallest unit with a cargo-carrying capacity of 970 pounds and a GVWR of 4,995 pounds. The 199MBS is the largest unit, with a cargo-carrying capacity of 1,175 pounds and a GVWR of 5,750 pounds.
Features: All models feature a 55-gallon fresh water tank, an on-demand tankless water heater, a power roof vent, 16-inch Goodyear off-road tires, and an enclosed underbelly. The standard kitchen appliances include a three-burner cooktop, microwave, refrigerator, and sink. Two floorplans, the 171BH and the 199MBS feature bunk beds.
MSRP: starting at $35,993
4. Winnebago Hike 100
About: The RVBusiness and RV News award-winning Winnebago Hike 100 has five floorplans that sleep two to four people. They all have a front wet bath and kitchen, and rear lounge and sleeping space. The H1316SB and the H1316TB feature a back door to load and unload equipment and gear.
Specs: All five floorplans are 15 feet, 11 inches in length, and have a GVWR of 4,200 pounds. They all have a 10-foot awning, 25-gallon fresh tank, and 31-gallon fresh water tank. Both the H1316DB and H1316FB have a loft bed in the rear to provide additional sleeping space but also to provide space for an outdoor kitchen.
Features: All Winnebago Hike 100 models have one 200-watt solar panel and side-mount portable solar prep, enclosed tanks with 12-volt tank pad heaters, and one-piece radiant-foil insulation. It’s easy to stay longer and camp throughout the year with these upgrades. In addition, the Winnebago Hike 100 provides ample space to bring your toys with the 2-inch accessory receiver and side-mounted roof ladder.
MSRP: starting at $46,135
5. nuCamp Tab 400 Teardrop Camper
About: The Tab 400 Teardrop Camper is nuCamp’s largest teardrop model. It has dual sleeping areas with a rear bed underneath a stargazer window. A front dining space converts to a second sleeping area. The boondock package includes 15-inch sport rims, off-road tires, a pitched axle, and an aluminum utility platform.
Specs: This teardrop is 18 feet, 3 inches and has a dry weight of 2,840 pounds. It comes with a 22-gallon fresh water tank, an 18-gallon gray tank, and a 12-gallon black tank. The interior height is 79 inches.
Features: The base package includes electric brakes, an exterior shower, and a media center with a TV. The convenience package adds amenities like dual pane windows, a solar roof package, a Nautilus water management system, and a central air conditioning system. The Tab 400 also has a wet bath and galley kitchen, including a sink, two-burner stove, and refrigerator.
MSRP: around $37,000
Pro Tip: Not sure if a small camper is right for you? Check out These Small Travel Campers That May Change Your Mind.
6. Lance 1475 Travel Trailer
About: The RV Magazine award-winning Lance 1475 travel trailer replaces the dinette with two reclining chairs and a small table in one floorplan and a sofa in the other. Both models have a front queen bed with storage above, a galley kitchen, and a full bathroom. The enclosed underbelly and insulated and heated tanks allow owners to camp year-round.
Specs: This 19-foot, 8-inch travel trailer has a GVWR of 4,500 pounds and a cargo-carrying capacity of 1,275 pounds. All three tanks have a total of 26 gallons. Two or three people can sleep comfortably on either floorplan.
Features: Standard equipment in the Lance 1475 travel trailer includes a dual-pane skylight, ducted heat, a radius shower, an exterior wash station, a Truma Combi water heater, and a MORryde pull-out storage tray. Owners can add a 190W solar panel, a lithium battery, a backup camera, a lift kit, a slide-out, or more options.
MSRP: around $63,000
7. Escape 17B
About: The Escape 17B features three floorplans, the F1, F2, and F3, that sleep up to four people. The F1 model has a small dinette seating two in the front and a larger dinette seating four in the rear. A wet bath and a small kitchen round out the floorplan. The F2 replaces the rear four-person dinette with a bed, while the F3 replaces the front dinette with a bed. The bed in the F2 sleeps two, and the bed in the F3 sleeps one.
Specs: The overall length of the Escape 17B is 17 feet, 8 inches, with an interior height of over six feet. The GVWR is 4,000 pounds. Owners have ample room in the tanks, with 20 gallons in the fresh water tank, 13.2 gallons in the black tank, and 26 gallons in the gray tank.
Features: The Escape 17B has two roof vents, a 3-way refrigerator, stainless steel sink, a two-burner stove, and a front window with a rock shield. On the outside, the Escape 17B has electric brakes, rear, and front stabilizer jacks, a 10-foot manual awning, and is on a 3500-pound torsion rubber ride suspension. Owners can upgrade certain features, like installing a microwave or spray foam insulation underneath the trailer.
MSRP: starting at $34,720
8. Oliver Legacy Elite
About: The fiberglass Oliver Legacy Elite comes in one standard floorplan. A sizeable rear dinette easily converts into a sleeping space at night. Another smaller dinette for two is across from the entry door and kitchen. A wet bath is in the front.
Specs: The Oliver Legacy Elite travel trailer measures 18 feet, 5 inches in length, has a dry weight of 3,700 pounds, and has a GVWR of 5,000 pounds. The trailer is 13 feet, 7 inches long, and 6 feet, 6 inches wide. It seats six people and sleeps up to three.
Features: Standard features include an exterior wash station, a 5,000-pound Dexter leaf spring axle, an 11,000 BTU air conditioning unit, and a 24-inch flat-screen LCD television. The kitchen has a two-burner stove, a two-way refrigerator, and a microwave. Owners can add the Lithium Pro Package, the Solar Pro Package, the Electronics Pro Package, or the Outdoor Pro Package for even more amenities and features.
MSRP: around $50,000
9. Casita Spirit
About: The difference between the standard and deluxe models of the Casita Spirit is the standard comes with front bunk beds for additional sleeping space, and the deluxe comes with a front wet bath. Both units have a booth dinette in the rear that converts to a 54 by 76-inch sleeping area. The side dinette converts to a single bed. Because of these separate sleeping spaces, a couple could leave the rear room as a bed and use the smaller dinette for eating.
Specs: The Casita Spirit packs a lot into its 17-foot frame. It has a dry weight of 2,210 pounds and an interior height of 6 feet, 2 inches. It sleeps up to five people. The Deluxe model has a dry weight of 2,480 pounds and sleeps up to three people.
Features: The marine-grade, two-piece fiberglass shell construction makes Casita one of the highest-quality travel trailer brands in the industry. It’s also on a heavy-duty steel frame. The fiberglass furniture keeps the trailer lightweight, so you don’t need an expensive truck to tow it. Even though the Casita Spirit is only 17 feet long, it has approximately 50 cubic feet of storage space.
MSRP: starting at $30,996
10. Vintage Trailer Works XTR Off-Road Teardrop
About: The least expensive and most unique tiny trailer on the list is the Vintage Trailer Works XTR Off-Road Teardrop Trailer. Unlike the other brands with floorplans for owners to choose from, the Vintage Trailer Works team builds custom trailers. Owners start with a base and add amenities and optional features from a spec sheet. These aren’t fully customizable, but owners have dozens of options.
Specs: Frames vary from 4 by 8 feet to 5 by 10 feet. A twin mattress will fit in the 4 by 8-foot units, and a queen bed will fit in the 5 by 8, 5 by 9, and 5 by 10-foot units. Standard 30 by 10.5 by 15-inch tires are on all off-road teardrops, but there is an option for owners to swap out for 33-inch tires.
Features: The base features include Firestone all-terrain tires, a 3500-pound FlexiRide torsion axle, and 11-gauge steel tubing. The rear hatch consists of a floating shelf and countertop, but owners can upgrade to additional cabinetry and a cooler slide-out. Owners can also add a roof rack or awning to their unit.
MSRP: starting at $10,795
Are Tiny Trailers Worth It?
For boondockers and campers who enjoy off-roading, a tiny trailer may be the perfect fit. These offer the essential amenities for a weekend adventure or week-long vacation. Some tiny trailers can even accommodate a family. Many options are also by brands well-known for quality and longevity.
So the next time you’re wondering if a tiny trailer has enough room for you, check out these options. You might be surprised at how cozy these accommodations are.
Is there a tiny trailer that caught your eye? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
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