Lightweight travel trailers under 1,500 pounds are easy to tow, which spares you from having to invest in a large truck to enjoy the RV lifestyle.
They are especially handy for people who already drive a mid-size SUV or a car with a towing package. Though finding the right one for your family’s travel style can be a little bit of a challenge.
If 1500lb is the maximum amount of weight your can or SUV can safely pull, finding the right camper for your family’s travel style can be a little challenging.
There are a lot of options to consider, which might leave you wondering what are some of the best RV trailers under 1,500 pounds.
The InTech RV Flyer and the LG My Podtop are on this crowded list. However, there are certainly a lot of other intriguing options.
With an eye toward value and lightweight towability, we decided to take a good look at the cream of the crop to help you find the best camper trailers that weigh under 1,500 pounds or less.
This included looking for models that matched different travel styles and niche interests, as well as material build quality.
Here are 10 of the best camper trailers under 1,500 lbs. excellent choices for people who have light-duty tow vehicles.
1. The InTech RV Flyer
The InTech RV Flyer is an impressively customizable RV that can be set up with a dry weight as low as 1,450-pounds, though you can still deck it out with optional extras which can tip the scales as high as 2,020-pounds.
With this level of customization available it’s best to work directly with the manufacturer as they can walk you through your options to make sure that you get the travel trailer of your dreams with the technical stats that pair perfectly with your preferred tow vehicle.
One of the great things about the InTech RV Flyer is the fully welded cage frame and rugged tires.
It gives it the durability to go off-road when towed behind a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Other optional extras to consider include the double rear doors, a slide-out kitchen, an awning, a roof rack, and an air conditioning system with heat.
It can also be engineered to serve as a functional toy hauler with enough storage room to bring a pair of dirt bikes or perhaps a small ATV.
You will also appreciate the storage space offered by the InTech RV Flyer. The front tongue box provides you with a place to keep boots and other soiled items so you don’t end up bringing dirt into the main living area.
The interior also has a lot of thoughtful storage areas. Just make sure that when you are loading it up, that you don’t push the overall gross vehicle weight above the maximum towing capacity of your tow vehicle.
2. The LG My Pod
A lot of boxy travel trailers feel like you are towing a brick behind you, which can have a major impact on smaller tow vehicles.
The LG My Pod is a teardrop travel trailer with impressive aerodynamics that makes its already impressively lightweight frame feel almost feather-like behind your car or SUV.
The interior of the My Pod is admittedly a little small. Though it is well-appointed.
There’s enough room for two people to sleep comfortably, and it even has an entertainment center to let you watch a movie on a rainy day.
You can also appreciate that it comes with a built-in air conditioning system as part of the standard model.
This isn’t always the case with the My Pod’s shoulder-to-shoulder competitors.
If you want a little more living space, or just somewhere to take off your dirty boots before climbing into the sleeping area, then you should select the upgraded optional tent. It gives you a veritable porch and essentially doubles your living area.
3. The Pika
The Pika is a heavy-duty yet lightweight teardrop travel trailer. It starts out with a base dry weight of just 1,025-pounds with a wide range of optional extras that can add weight or keep it light and lean.
The all-welded 54-inch by 96-inch frame gives you enough interior sleeping space for two, while also being able to support a rear kitchen hatch.
One of the things you might appreciate about the Pika is the optional suspension system.
At your preference, it can be equipped with a Standard suspension package, All-Road package, or Off-Road suspension package to pair with just about any tow vehicle you want.
4. The Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 12RK
The Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro is a sturdy teardrop travel trailer that only has a dry weight of just 1,252-pounds and a hitch weight of only 152-pounds.
This makes it a great option for a lot of small to mid-size SUVs.
If you are the kind of person who likes to boondock off the grid for a day or two, you might also like the 20-gallon fresh water and 6-gallon gray water storage tank that comes standard with this compact teardrop travel trailer.
It gives you enough water storage to do basic things like wash dishes and clean your hands without having to haul water in your tow vehicle.
Just keep in mind that the water tanks will increase the gross weight of the Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro.
A single gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds, so a full fresh water tank can add 168 pounds when pulling it down the road.
5. The 2020 Jayco Hummingbird 10RK
True to its lightweight name the 2020 Jayco Hummingbird has a dry weight of just 1,570-pounds.
Though it also has an impressive amount of storage space and a cargo capacity of up to 430-pounds.
Just double-check the towing capacity of your vehicle before packing it to the gills, as this trailer fully loaded can have a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 2,000-pounds.
Assuming your tow vehicle can safely handle towing this much weight, you’ll be treated to a teardrop travel trailer that feels surprisingly spacious.
The bed inside can sleep a couple comfortably, and has a lot of thoughtful net bags to let you store and grab personal items.
The kitchen in the rear hatch of the 2020 Jayco Hummingbird 10RK is nicely decked out.
It comes with a microwave, as well as a single basin sink, and a sturdy RV absorption refrigerator.
Though this particular floorplan does not include a gas range, which is available in other floorplan models of the Hummingbird.
6. The 2021 NuCamp Tag
The 2021 NuCamp Tag is a compact teardrop travel trailer with an ultralight dry weight of just 1,284-pounds.
This along with a hitch weight of just 130-pounds puts it comfortably in the towing range of most mid-size and even a few small SUVs or sedans with a towing package installed.
Just bear in mind that when fully loaded the gross vehicle weight can get as high as 2,020-pounds.
One of the things to love about the NuCamp Tag is that it has a ton of great optional extras and different configurations.
If you like to camp off the grid, then you’ll want to invest in the special “Boondock” package which beefs up the travel trailer with the kind of special features you need for off-road performance.
7. The Taxa Outdoors Tiger Moth
If you are looking for a lightweight yet highly durable travel trailer that is comfortable with living off-road, then you are going to love the Taxa Outdoor Tiger Moth.
It starts out with a dry weight of just 1,310-pounds, but with a cargo capacity of over 900-pounds, it is possible to load this compact travel trailer up with a gross vehicle weight of 2,200-pounds.
This means you will want to be careful not to overpack if you have a tow vehicle with a limited maximum towing capacity.
What you get on the inside is innovative durability. The Tiger Moth has a powder-coated steel frame that adds to the long-term value, as well as enough sleeping space for two.
Though it can be reconfigured to sleep up to 5 people with the inclusion of the upper tent portion.
Optional extras to consider include a 5,000 BTU air conditioner, as well as heavy-duty loading bars and additional cargo space.
When you work directly with the manufacturer you can customize a lot of the Tiger Moth’s features to match a wide range of camping styles.
8. The Forest River – Flagstaff E-Pro E12RK
The Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro E12RK is a teardrop travel trailer that is compact, yet also offers a lot of conveniences.
It has an impressively lightweight frame that translates into a dry weight of just 1,252-pounds.
Though it also has a robust amount of storage potential in a 710-pound payload capacity Just bear in mind that if you stuff it to the max with camping equipment the Flagstaff E-Pro can tip the scales with a gross vehicle weight of up to 1,962-pounds.
If you like to camp in hot, humid locations, you will love the 13,500 BTU air conditioner.
The kitchen stationed in the rear hatch also keeps the heat produced by cooking meals from affecting the temperature inside the two-personal sleeping compartment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Can I Safely Tow?
Start by checking the maximum towing capacity of your intended tow vehicle.
Then multiply that number by .8. By reducing your effective towing capacity by 20% you will have power in reserve for doing things like merging onto a highway pulling the travel trailer up a steep hill.
Staying within 80% of your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity also reduces the risk of developing a dangerous trailer sway problem.
How Much Can A Mid-Size SUV Tow?
The average towing capacity of a mid-size SUV sits around 3,500 to 3,700-pounds.
Though there are certainly some robust models that can tow over 5,000-pounds and some lesser models that can only tow up to 1,500-pounds.
If you have a small SUV or a mid-size SUV with limited maximum towing capacity, sticking to the models on this list will give you the best chance of finding a travel trailer that you can safely pair it with.
Conclusion
There certainly are a lot of great lightweight travel trailers under 1,500-pounds. Just keep in mind that the more cargo you load into a compact travel trailer the more the gross weight goes up.
If you aren’t sure how much your intended tow vehicle can pull, you can always check the owner’s manual.
Many automotive manufacturers also post their tow statistics online, just make sure you are factoring in the make, model, and trim level of your vehicle.
Once you have your towing statistics in hand and you’ve limited yourself to a maximum weight limit of 80% of the maximum capacity, you can start to sort through the best travel trailers on this list based on your preferred camping style.
If you are looking to get off the grid for a few days of rugged boondocking, then the Taxa Outdoors Tiger Moth and the Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 12RK might be two of the best travel trailers under 1,500-pounds for you.
Just bear in mind that if you overload them the gross vehicle weight can push upwards of 2,000-pounds.
If you are looking for a lightweight sleeping compartment with some optional outdoor living space, then the LG My Pod with its expandable tent might be the best travel trailer under 1,500-pounds for you.
It has sleek aerodynamics towing down the road, which makes its already impressive lightweight feel even lighter.
Yet it’s also comfortable and arguably roomy when you set up camp at the end of the day.
