The best small pull behind campers you can buy new right now run from about 1,180 pounds (the Tiny Camper Co. Kong LT and the Happier Camper HC1) to about 4,400 pounds (the Winnebago Micro Minnie). Teardrops like the nuCamp TAG XL suit couples, the Scamp 13 and Happier Camper fit a toilet into a tiny shell, and the TAB 400 adds a full wet bath.
Large motorhomes are great, except when you consider the cost and lack of fuel efficiency. That’s why many campers and glampers are gravitating toward small pull behind campers.
Small pull-behind campers are known for being compact. The lightest ones can be pulled by many cars, vans, and small SUVs and fit into the tightest of parking spaces.
If you’re looking for the best pull-behind camper trailers to buy, this article is for you. Here is a list of 10 small camper trailers, including their features and starting prices, to help you in the buying process. And if you’d like to try one before you buy, check out our inventory of trailers for rent to find the one that’s best for you.
Small pull behind campers at a glance
- Lightest picks: the Kong LT 4×8 and Happier Camper HC1, both about 1,180 pounds dry.
- Smallest with a toilet: the Happier Camper HC1 (portable toilet included) and Scamp 13 layouts with a toilet and shower.
- Full wet bath: the nuCamp TAB 400, at 2,885 pounds dry.
- Off-road builds: the Kong, Taxa Cricket, and Bean Meaner Bean.
- Budget: published starting prices run from $8,500 to $41,230.
- Towing rule: match your vehicle to the loaded trailer weight, not the dry weight.
What are Small Pull Behind Campers?
Small pull behind campers are designed to be compact. So most manufacturers leave a full bathroom out of their smallest teardrops and squaredrops.
That doesn't mean you're out of luck. Instead of a full bathroom, you'll often find an outdoor shower, a spot for a portable or cassette toilet, or a compact wet bath, where the toilet and shower share one small room. On this list, the Happier Camper HC1 comes with a portable toilet, some Scamp 13 layouts include a toilet and shower, the inTech Luna offers an optional cassette toilet, and the nuCamp TAB 400 has a full wet bath. For more options, see our list of small campers with bathrooms.
Renters we talk to are often surprised by how little they miss an indoor bathroom on short trips to campgrounds with bathhouses, and how much they miss it on boondocking trips.
That being said, here is a list of 10 small pull-behind campers you can buy this year. You’ll find some familiar brands, but there are also smaller builders creating some world-class small trailers.
Advantages of Small Pull-Behind Campers
Small pull-behind campers offer numerous advantages for travelers. They are lightweight, making them easier to tow than their larger counterparts, which helps fuel efficiency and puts less strain on towing vehicles. These campers also require less space at campgrounds, allowing access to more remote or smaller camping sites. For first-time RVers, small pull-behind campers provide a manageable way to experience RV life without investing in a large motorhome. Their compact size also means they’re often more affordable and require less maintenance, making them a cost-effective choice.
These campers offer just enough amenities for comfort, including sleeping areas, compact kitchens, and even small bathrooms in some models. They are perfect for weekend getaways or short trips, giving travelers flexibility and convenience. If you’re looking for easy mobility, lower costs, and the freedom to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations, a small pull-behind camper is an excellent option.
Tips for Choosing the Best Small Camper
When selecting the right small camper, several factors should guide your decision. First, consider the towing capacity of your vehicle. Ensure that the camper’s weight, fully loaded with gear, stays within your vehicle’s limits to prevent overstraining the engine or brakes. Next, think about the space and layout you’ll need for comfort. Some campers maximize space with clever storage solutions, while others offer more open floor plans. Decide whether a bathroom or indoor kitchen is essential, as smaller models often omit these features to save on weight.
Also, consider the build quality and materials of the camper. Is it built to withstand different weather conditions, and does it have proper insulation? Check for features like solar panel compatibility, off-road capabilities, and the presence of an awning or outdoor space for added comfort. Finally, think about how you’ll use the camper: Will it be for weekend trips, or do you plan to live in it full-time? Answering these questions will help narrow down the best camper for your needs.
1. Tiny Camper Co. Kong LT 4×8
The Kong LT 4×8 from Tiny Camper Company shares a lot with the builder's popular Rugged Rhino: it's a tough little squaredrop for rough roads.
- Length: 12 feet
- Height: 76 inches
- Weight: 1,180 lbs (Kong LT 4×8); the standard Kong 4×8 is 1,270 lbs
- Bathroom: None listed
- Price: From $8,500
- Best for: Budget-minded couples who want an off-road squaredrop
As evident from the name, this small trailer camper is made for heavy-duty purposes. If your glamping spot is deep in the woods, you can take it off-roading on 31-inch mud-terrain tires with an independent or axle-less suspension (depending on the build), Jeep-style fenders, and a steel roof rack. The rear galley has a prep shelf, a spice cubby, and a removable electrical panel. The maker notes its site was being updated for 2027 models, so confirm specs and pricing when you order. We've seen squaredrops like this become the go-to for anglers and hunters who want to sleep right at the trailhead.
2. Happier Camper HC1
The Happier Camper HC1 is a compact trailer with a modular interior you can rearrange to suit the trip.
- Length: 13 feet 5 inches overall
- Height: 7 feet 8 inches (6 feet 1 inch inside)
- Weight: About 1,180 lbs dry (Classic); about 1,280 lbs (Premium)
- Sleeps: 4, or up to 5 with the bunk/couch
- Bathroom: Stowable portable toilet included; shower is an optional upgrade
- Price: From $39,950 (Classic)
- Best for: Small families who want a light trailer with a toilet and room to stand
If you’re looking for one of the smallest pull behind campers that still sleeps a family, the HC1 is hard to beat. Its estimated tongue weight is only about 110 to 150 pounds. The maker still tells buyers to confirm their tow vehicle's ratings against the finished trailer weight, since options add pounds. We've seen modular interiors like this win over buyers who want one trailer that can switch between a family setup and a couple's setup.
3. Scamp 13
The Scamp 13 is a classic fiberglass trailer, and it's one of the smallest campers you can get with a toilet and shower.
- Length: 13 feet
- Height: 7 feet 6 inches to the top of the trailer (8 feet 7 inches with A/C)
- Weight: 1,600 lbs dry (Standard/Deluxe); 1,250 lbs (LITE); 1,986 lbs (X)
- Sleeps: Up to 4
- Bathroom: Standard Layout 2 and Deluxe Layout B have a toilet and shower; other layouts can add a portable toilet
- Price: Not published online; call Scamp's sales department for current prices, or build a quote online
- Best for: Couples and small families who want a bathroom in the smallest possible shell
Scamp builds several versions of the 13, from the stripped-down LITE to the off-road X. A refrigerator is standard on the Standard, Deluxe, and X, and the Deluxe adds a furnace and a big rear bed. In our experience, buyers who plan to use the bathroom often should look closely at the layout first, because the bath takes up a big share of the floor in a 13-foot trailer.
4. nuCamp TAG XL
The 2027 nuCamp TAG XL teardrop puts a big bed up front and a full kitchen out back.
- Length: 13 feet 7 inches
- Height: 6 feet 9 inches
- Weight: 1,655 lbs dry
- Bed: 70 x 78 inches
- Bathroom: None (external shower)
- Price: Not listed online; ask a nuCamp dealer
- Best for: Couples who cook outside and want A/C in a classic teardrop
The rear galley has a stainless steel sink and a two-burner stove, and a 6,000 BTU air conditioner comes in the base package. If you want the same look with a wet bath, nuCamp's TAB 400 is further down this list.
5. Aliner Classic
Aliner has set the bar for hard-side A-frame pop-up campers for years, and the Aliner Classic (rear sofa/mattress) is the one most people picture.
- Length: 15 feet
- Height: 64 inches closed; 97 inches inside at the peak when open
- Weight: 1,725 lbs dry
- Beds: 46 x 76-inch front bed and 60 x 76-inch rear bed
- Bathroom: None (no toilet or shower combo is offered on the Classic; an outside shower is standard)
- Price: Not listed online; request a quote from a dealer
- Best for: Drivers who want a low trailer on the road and standing room at camp
Folded down, the Classic rides low behind your tow vehicle, which cuts wind drag on the highway. At camp, the hard walls rise into an A-frame with room to stand. We've heard from A-frame owners that setup gets quick once you've done it a couple of times.
6. inTech Luna
The 2027 inTech Luna is a compact travel trailer with a real indoor kitchen.
- Length: 15 feet 6 inches
- Height: 7 feet 2 inches
- Weight: 1,775–1,850 lbs dry (2,400 lbs GVWR)
- Sleeps: 2
- Bathroom: Optional integrated cassette toilet; no shower listed
- Price: Starting MSRP $28,000
- Best for: Couples who want an indoor kitchen and A/C under 2,000 pounds
Inside, you get a two-burner cooktop, a 40-liter refrigerator, and an under-mounted sink, with a microwave as an option. An 8,000 BTU wall-mount air conditioner handles hot nights.
7. Taxa Outdoors Cricket
The Taxa Cricket is a small pull-behind camper good for off-roading, built to handle the outdoors.
- Length: 15 feet
- Weight: 1,800 lbs dry
- Sleeps: Two adults and two children
- Bathroom: None built in; the storage tower has space for a cassette toilet
- Price: Starting at $34,500 (2025 model)
- Best for: Off-road couples with young kids
But it has got superior features and amenities, courtesy of its NASA-inspired design. The roof pops up at camp to give you more headroom. In our experience, that extra headroom matters most on rainy days, when everyone is stuck inside.
One of the highlights of the Cricket is its all-weather interior kitchen with a two-burner stove and a covered sink. So meal prepping should never be an issue.
The interior has a bed for two adults and berths for two kids, plus under-bed storage and a storage tower with two milk crate drawers. Adding an air conditioner is optional, but it is designed for cross ventilation with five swing windows and five mesh windows in the upper tent sides, ensuring comfort throughout the trip.
8. Bean Meaner Bean
The Bean Meaner Bean (the most off-road-capable sibling of the popular Mean Bean) is small yet designed to handle the roughest of treatments.
- Length: 14 feet
- Height: 81.5 inches lowered; 85 inches with the roof rack system
- Weight: 2,000 lbs dry
- Sleeps: 2 (58 x 78-inch queen mattress)
- Bathroom: None listed
- Price: From $39,995
- Best for: Overlanders who need serious ground clearance
With 21 inches of ground clearance, Bean's trailing-arm air suspension, and 29-inch all-terrain tires, the Meaner Bean will take you a long way past the pavement.
It’s constructed using a one-piece molded fiberglass shell with composite walls and floor, and the original owner gets a lifetime structural warranty.
Inside the camper, you’ll find a front storage box, a laminated interior cubby, and a large under-sink cabinet. So you can carry some extra clothes or gear to the spot.
The camper trailer comes with low-profile roof rack mounts and crossbars, so you can carry your mountain bikes or other outdoor gear, and a taller roof rack system is an option.
9. nuCamp TAB 400
The 2027 nuCamp TAB 400 (stylized as T@B) is the biggest teardrop-style trailer on the list. But at 18 feet 3 inches, it should suit your need for a small trailer.
- Length: 18 feet 3 inches
- Height: 8 feet 11 inches
- Weight: 2,885 lbs dry
- Beds: 55 x 79-inch main bed plus a convertible dinette (a bunk floor plan is available)
- Bathroom: Wet bath with cassette toilet and shower
- Price: Not listed online; ask a nuCamp dealer
- Best for: Couples planning longer trips who want a full bathroom
TAB 400 has got all the bases covered. As you enter the trailer, you’ll find a queen-size sleeping area, a wet bath, a galley, a dinette, and plenty of storage space. The sleeping and dining sections are separate, and you can turn the dinette into a second bed.
This small camper trailer is also equipped with comfort features like an Alde heating and hot water system and a 10,500 BTU Cool Cat air conditioner and heat pump. It has an external LP hook-up too, so you can run a grill off the trailer's propane system.
The TAB 400 is ideal for those who want to go on an extended camping trip. A large solar panel and a standard 100Ah lithium battery with a 1,200-watt inverter help you stay off the grid longer, and a 400Ah lithium upgrade is available.
You have two floor plans to choose from: the standard TAB 400 and the TAB 400 with Bunk. So you get to pick the one that suits your crew.
10. Winnebago Micro Minnie
The 2026 Winnebago Micro Minnie is the largest camper on this list.
- Length: 21 feet 11 inches to 23 feet 11 inches
- Weight: 3,821–4,436 lbs, depending on floor plan
- Sleeps: 3 to 5
- Bathroom: Indoor bathroom; layout varies by floor plan
- Price: Starting at $41,230 (before freight, taxes, and dealer fees)
- Best for: Families with a midsize SUV or small truck who want a real travel trailer
At up to 23 feet 11 inches, this is undoubtedly not the smallest of the camper trailers on this list. But at 7 feet wide, the Micro Minnie is narrow enough that you don't need extended mirrors, and Winnebago pitches it for midsize SUVs and small trucks.
You can expect the features a family camper offers, including a refrigerator, microwave, furnace, and air conditioning. The kitchen is roomy compared to the teardrops on this list.
This Winnebago camper trailer has also focused on outdoor living, with a powered patio awning with built-in LED lighting.
If you opt for this trailer camper, you’d have a lot of options at your disposal. The Micro Minnie is available in 11 floor plans, all of which vary in layout, guest capacity, features, and cost. Renters we talk to who step up from a teardrop to a trailer this size say the indoor bathroom and dinette are what they notice first.
How to Select the Best Pull Behind Camper?
If you’ve read this far, it’s understandable that the list can be overwhelming. All of the camper trailers are compact and high on utility.
To pick the best of the lot, here are a few things you should consider:
- The purpose
Are you buying the camper trailer for off-roading? Or do you intend to take it only to the RV parks with paved roads? The pull behind camper trailers in each case will vary.
Models like the Kong, Taxa Cricket, and Meaner Bean are built to handle rough terrain. Such trailers are also called overland trailers. They typically have upgraded suspension, all-terrain tires, extra ground clearance, and tough shells.
You usually won’t find those features in road-focused campers like the Scamp 13 or TAB 400. Therefore, you should always buy with a purpose.
- The size
You’ll be buying a small pull-behind camper, but balancing size with comfort is recommended. After all, you wouldn’t want to travel in a trailer where you’re crammed the entire time.
To select the right size, count the number of campers you have for the trip. The smallest camper trailers are built for two adults, so they'll be fine if you plan to take a trip with your partner. If you're traveling solo, you can go even smaller.
However, they will not be appropriate for most families with children. So you’d need a relatively bigger trailer, like the HC1, Scamp 13, or Micro Minnie.
Calculate the square footage of the trailer and check if that’d be enough to accommodate everyone.
- The storage
Storage space is just as crucial as trailer size. That’s because a lack of it can give you headaches throughout the trip.
So when prospecting, check the racks, shelves, and cabinets and make sure they’re large enough to accommodate all your belongings. Some trailers have external storage and under-bed storage as well. These come in really handy if you carry more-than-usual accessories.
- Your lifestyle
How you live inside the RV would determine which type of RV you need to buy.
For example, are you someone who likes to cook their own food during the trip? Then a trailer with a well-equipped kitchen, like the Luna's indoor galley or the TAG XL's rear kitchen, is a must.
Does it become hard for you to adjust to higher temperatures? Then consider a pull-behind camper with air conditioning, such as the TAG XL, Luna, or TAB 400. Are you someone who likes to buy stuff during the trip? It’s better to invest in a trailer that has more storage units.
You need to take these small things into account when selecting a pull-behind camper trailer.
- The towing vehicle
Before you choose a camper trailer, you need to look at the towing vehicle first. Most campers make the mistake of generalizing towability. But the key here is to be specific.
Ideally, you should invest in a camper trailer that your car, van, or truck can tow with room to spare. Your vehicle's maximum trailer weight is the weight of a fully loaded trailer it can tow, so compare it with the camper's loaded weight (gear, water, propane, and options), not its dry weight. The trailer's tongue weight also counts against your vehicle's payload. Plan on tongue weight of roughly 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer weight. In our experience, leaving a healthy cushion below your limits makes hills, wind, and braking far less stressful than towing right at the max.
The other things you need to consider are the drive system (4WD vs AWD vs RWD) and transmission. Our list of good RV tow vehicles and our tips for towing a travel trailer cover the basics.
Camper trailers have recommendations on which type of vehicles are suited for towing them. So be specific, check your owner's manual, and select a trailer accordingly.
- The budget
Last but not least, it’s the budget that matters. The starting prices published for the campers above run from $8,500 for the Kong LT to $41,230 for the Micro Minnie, and several makers only quote through dealers. The price will further increase depending on the options you add.
It’s recommended that you balance budget with features and plan for the long term rather than buying on price point alone. If you're shopping by weight instead, see our picks for the best campers under 2,000 pounds and lightweight travel trailers under 3,000 pounds.
Small pull-behind campers offer a fantastic way to explore the great outdoors without sacrificing comfort or convenience. Their lightweight design, ease of towing, and range of features make them ideal for both novice and seasoned adventurers. Whether you seek a compact getaway or a family-friendly option, there’s a small camper to fit your needs.
Instead of buying a brand-new camper trailer, why not rent one at a fraction of the cost?
Outdoorsy has RVs listed for rent all across the US, and many owners offer RV rental delivery to your campsite. We've watched plenty of would-be buyers settle on a model after a single rental weekend.
About this guide
Originally written by Outdoorsy author Jen Young. Updated in November 2026 by the Outdoorsy Editorial team. Facts in this guide were checked against official and primary sources, linked throughout. Makers change specs, floor plans, and prices often, so confirm the current figures with the manufacturer or a dealer, and check your vehicle's towing and payload ratings, before you buy.
