Best Travel Trailers Under 3,000 Lbs

‍Picking the right travel trailer can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t want to start with the largest travel trailer on the market.

We’ve reviewed the 11 best lightweight travel trailers under 3000 lbs, including key specs and pros and cons. Here’s our top five choices:

• TAXA Mantis Trek
• Vistabule Teardrop
• Happier Camper HC1
• Gulfstream Coach Ameri-Lite 16BHC
• Jayco 2021 Jay Flight SLX 7 195RB

Our rankings have reviewed the best data available for each lightweight travel trailer, and cover the highs and lows of each option so you can choose from the best travel trailers under 3000 lbs that will suit your needs.

‍Best Travel Trailers Under 3000 Lbs

TAXA Mantis Trek Camper - Family Camper Trailer

Summary

The TAXA Mantis is a lightweight option that caters to larger families or groups. The kitchen is stocked better (including a two burner stove, countertop space, more storage, and a fridge), and there are multiple beds to accommodate more sleepers.

Although it’s a compact camper trailer, this is a great choice for a more comfortable camping experience. It doesn’t have the slide-out side sections, but since it’s longer those aren’t as necessary.

Specs and Price

The TAXA Mantis Trek has a dry weight of nearly 2,900 pounds. It is 19 feet long and has a sleeping capacity of up to four people.

Pricing for the Mantis Trek starts at $46,000. You can buy one from the TAXA website.

Pros

• Camper trailers are inherently smaller and lighter
• Can fit four snugly yet comfortably
• Packs in the basic essentials

Cons

• Not much room on the inside
• Not as much equipment, such as a dedicated bathroom
• Expensive for its size

Vistabule Teardrop Trailer - Trailer with the Best Views

Summary

The Vistabule Teardrop leans into the classic streamlined aluminum aesthetic. The large windows are its main selling point, which give you a great view; in addition to the large side-panel windows, there are also large windows at the front and rear.

The inside is a bit on the small side, but the bed converts into a couch to double as living space, and the galley kitchen opens up at the rear with all the basics and plenty of storage. Optional tent accessories can further extend your living and dining space from the side and the rear.

Specs and Price

The Vistabule Teardrop has a dry weight of 1,300 pounds. It is 14 feet long and can sleep up to two people.

Pricing for the Teardrop starts at $24,000. You can buy one from the Vistabule website.

Pros

• Able to be towed by mid-sized or smaller vehicles
• Great views from the panoramic windows
• Nice design aesthetics
• Packs a lot into a compact space

Cons

• Rear access kitchen is not as user-friendly
• Tent expansions are extra add-ons

Happier Camper HC1 - Highly Customizable Camper Trailer

Summary

The Happier Camper HC1 has a modular interior, which means you can customize the layout based on how many people you are traveling with or the features you would like to incorporate. The Adaptiv modular system lets you choose from options like beds, storage, kitchen, and bathroom units. Plus, it’s an ultra lightweight trailer trailer, which means nearly any vehicle can tow it.

For those who want even more options, the HCI comes with two premium trim models. The HC1 Studio has a fully-installed bathroom, and the HC1 Venture is built for great usability as a small business post. These give the HC1 an extra edge for travelers who want additional comfort, or who want to work on their side hustle as they go.

Specs and Price

The Happier Camper HC1 has a dry weight of 1,100 pounds. It is 13 feet long and can sleep up to five people, depending on the model.

Pricing for the HC1 starts at $25,000. You can buy one from the Happier Camper website.

Pros

• Modular design offers flexible interior setup
• Options for a full bathroom and kitchen

Cons

• Fixtures are not permanent, and finishes are not as premium
• Venture model is not a true RV

Gulfstream Coach Ameri-Lite 16BHC - Spacious Lightweight Travel Trailer

Summary

The Coach Ameri-Lite from Gulfstream is a good mid-sized option with a queen bed and two bunks, which means plenty of space for the whole family.

It also has a sizable dedicated bathroom with toilet and shower, and lots of overhead storage space. The kitchen has a sink, microwave, and two burner stove, and the bed converts into dining space as well.

Specs and Price

The Gulfstream Coach Ameri-Lite has a dry weight of 2,600 pounds. It is 19 feet long and can sleep up to four.

Pricing for the Coach Ameri-Lite starts at $13,000. You can buy one from the Gulfstream website.

Pros

• Fully-stocked kitchen
• Plenty of sleeping space
• Instant name recognition

Cons

• Mid-sized travel trailers can be a bit cramped at capacity

Jayco 2021 Jay Flight SLX 7 195RB - Luxury Travel Trailer

Summary

As with most models, there are multiple floorplans for the Jayco Jay Flight. It offers more deluxe accommodations for those who want a quick and comfortable getaway for two - or you can convert the dinette space into bunk beds to bring two more along for the journey.

The kitchen includes amenities like a microwave, range vent, and fridge; and the bathroom has a dedicated shower and toilet. There’s plenty of overhead and closet storage as well.

Specs and Price

The Jayco Jay Flight has a dry weight of 2,600 pounds. Its exterior length is 18 feet, and it can sleep up to four.

Pricing for the Jay Flight starts at $23,000. You can buy one from the Jayco website.

Pros

• Full-sized luxury travel trailer
• Dedicated shower and toilet in the bathroom
• Lots of overhead storage
• Multiple floorplans

Cons

• A bit on the heavier side

TAXA Cricket - Minimalist Camper Trailer

Summary

The TAXA Cricket is an excellent pop up camper choice for those who want a rugged outdoor adventure. It’s light enough to be towable by almost any vehicle, and expands to provide plenty of space once you reach your destination.

It offers most basic amenities for modern camping, and can even be upgraded with features like a toilet and refrigerator. The kitchen makes the best use of the small space with a covered sink that doubles as a counter, and storage is simple crates for easy loading and unloading. Two can fit in the main living space and bed area, while two more can slide into ceiling-mounted berths.

Specs and Price

The TAXA Cricket has a dry weight of 1,800 pounds. It is 15 feet long and has a sleeping capacity of four.

Pricing for the Cricket starts at $35,000. You can buy one from the TAXA website.

Pros

• Super lightweight model with compact design
• Able to be taken to more destinations than larger options
• Basics can be augmented with premium features

Cons

• Minimalist experience may turn some campers away
• Lack of counter space and storage can be problematic

Jayco Jay Sport Camping Tent Trailer - Cheapest Expandable Camper Trailer

Summary

The Jayco Jay Sport is a unique entry here, in that you can select from multiple sizes and trim lines. This pop up camper has expandable tents that include two sleeping areas at the front and rear, with plenty of living and cooking space inside once it’s unpacked. All models have pop-out sleeping bunks and a galley kitchen.

Specs and Price

The Jayco Jay Sport has a dry weight of 1,600 pounds or 2,400 pounds, depending on which floorplan you choose. It can be up to 18.5 feet long and has a sleeping capacity from five to eight people.

Pricing for the Jay Sport starts at $9,500. You can buy one from the Jayco website.

Pros

• Multiple sizes and trim lines available
• Various floorplan options
• Galley kitchen is well equipped
• Plenty of sleeping space

Cons

• A bit longer than other lightweight travel trailers

Oregon Trail’r Do-Drop - Lightest Travel Trailer

Summary

The Oregon Trail’r DoDrop is a teardrop trailer, which are much smaller than most other trailers. It offers the bare minimum of space and equipment, which can be perfect for those who enjoy roughing it alone or with a partner. The narrow profile is also ideal for taking your travel trailer way off the beaten path, including on the beach or deep into the bush.

There’s not much here in the cabin besides room for a bed and some storage, but the interior is well crafted, and there should be plenty of space for your accessories and equipment once you get where you’re going.

Specs and Price

The Oregon Trail’r DoDrop has a dry weight of 550 pounds. It is 7 feet long and can sleep up to two people.

Pricing for the DoDrop starts at $8,500. You can buy one from the Oregon Trail'r website.

Pros

• Teardrop design is highly aerodynamic
• Great for solo trips

Cons

• Very rugged camping experience
• Not much room for more than one or two people
• Accessories and equipment are extra

Airstream Sport 16RB - Classic Travel Trailer Nostalgia

Summary

Airstream is one of the most well-known names in travel trailers. The Sport has a larger trimline above 3,000 pounds, but the smaller version offers plenty of amenities like a fully-stocked kitchen, lots of storage, and an all-in-one bathroom. The dinette also converts to more sleeping space as needed.

Specs and Price

The Sport 16RB has a dry weight of 2,850 pounds. Its exterior length is 16 feet, and it can sleep up to four people.

Pricing for the Sport 16RB starts at $49,000. You can buy one from the Airstream website.

Pros

• Nostalgia factor
• Lots of kitchen and bathroom amenities
• Dinette converts to more sleeping space

Cons

• Heavier and more expensive than other options

United RV iCamp Elite Camper - Retro Travel Trailer

Summary

The iCamp Elite by United is a fun-looking entry that serves good function as well. It has a modular bathroom for versatility, and the dinette converts to a king-sized bed at night.

One main appeal for the iCamp Elite is its retro styling (including two vibrant exterior color packages). It comes in two neon trim options with white aluminum siding. Both make excellent use of the compact space, with kitchen and bathroom at the front and sleeping space at the rear.

Specs and Price

The United iCamp Elite has a dry weight of 2,400 pounds. It is 14 feet long and can sleep up to three people.

Pricing for the iCamp Elite starts at $11,500. You can buy one from the United website.

Pros

• Retro styling
• Excellent use of compact space
• Less expensive option

Cons

• Modular bathroom is a bit cramped

Casita Spirit Deluxe Small Travel Trailer - Cozy and Comfy Travel Trailer

Summary

The Casita Spirit Deluxe is the perfect blend of space-saving design and comfort. The overhead cabinets on Casita travel trailers run along almost the entire inside space, and it comes with a full-sized shower and a wardrobe closet.

You can also choose the Spirit Standard option, which does not have the inside bathroom but does offer bunk beds to accommodate up to five people. Both options come with dinette seating and a well-stocked kitchenette.

Specs and Price

The Casita Spirit Deluxe has a dry weight starting at 2,200 pounds. Its exterior length is 17 feet, and it can sleep up to five people.

Pricing for the Spirit Deluxe starts at $31,000. You can buy one from the Casita website.

Pros

• Lots of overhead cabinet space
• Full-sized shower

Cons

• Trim lines force you to choose between storage and sleeping space

Why Should I Buy a Travel Trailers Under 3,000 Pounds?

One of the most important considerations when choosing your travel trailer is the tow vehicle.

Some trailer buyers may not have an oversized vehicle with the towing capacity that can handle a heavy trailer, and they might not have the finances to buy a new vehicle in addition to their travel trailer.

By choosing from a variety of small lightweight travel trailers under 3000 lbs, you open up the option for more types of tow vehicles to tow your lightweight travel trailer. This lighter weight can be towed by lighter SUVs and even some sedans.

Additionally, travel trailers can be expensive, for both the initial purchase and the ongoing fees. Insurance, license and registration, fuel and power, regular maintenance, and supplies are just a few costs to consider.

A lightweight travel trailer under 3,000 pounds will likely be a bit smaller, and will keep some of those costs down. This makes owning a travel trailer more accessible for first-time buyers or veteran travel trailer enthusiasts.

If you are a first-time buyer, you also might not be thinking about a long-term trip. You probably want a lightweight travel trailer that can give you a taste of the lifestyle without committing too much time or energy to the pursuit.

A smaller travel trailer can accommodate you on shorter trips, which can help you learn about what you would need for longer excursions. Most manufacturers will also provide a list of upgrade features you can include if you like, letting you choose only the premium features that are most important to you.

One more plus is the ability to go different places with a lightweight travel trailer. Larger trailers require more space and more hookups, which limits the kind of locations where you can stop. A smaller, lighter travel trailer can go further off the beaten path, granting greater adventures to all travelers.

Common Types of Travel Trailers

Since we’ve looked at travel trailers under 3,000 pounds, we won’t consider the larger versions like toy haulers or fifth wheel trailers. Instead, we’ve focused on the smaller model types.

Here’s a brief description of each of the three classes we’ve considered here.

Camping Trailers

The first class we’ll look at will be camping trailers, also called expandable trailers. These are built to be much smaller in profile than typical travel trailers or RVs while on the road, but can expand to accommodate its passengers when you arrive at your campsite. Additionally, small trailers up with a pop up roof will mean better fuel economy for your tow vehicle.

Many come with premium amenities, and some are simply an expandable tent - it all depends on the type of camping experience you want.

Lightweight Travel Trailers

The next class is lightweight campers. These travel trailers are capable of being pulled by smaller vehicles, like small SUVs or even some sedans.

The benefit of these travel trailers is the lighter tow weight, which adds to fuel efficiency and better handling for the tow vehicle. Some of these ultra lightweight travel trailers are even less than 1,000 pounds! However, this does not mean that you have to sacrifice on some luxuries.

Travel Trailers

This “medium” class of travel trailers are also pulled behind your vehicle, but they can accommodate more people at once, or accommodate passengers for longer periods of time.

These travel trailers are more comparable in size to a small RV, and usually have more amenities due to their larger size. They also require a larger tow vehicle.

Dry Weight vs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

As we look at the stats on each of our reviewed travel trailers, it’s important to keep something in mind related to its weight.

A travel trailer’s dry weight refers to the weight of the travel trailer without any passengers, luggage or supplies, or necessary fluids. This is a commonly accepted baseline used to assess the unloaded vehicle weight of a travel trailer.

The GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, is the total weight that that particular vehicle is safely rated to carry by the manufacturer. The difference between the GVWR and the dry weight is the total allowable weight of any passengers and cargo the travel trailer will carry at any given time.

For example, if the dry weight of a travel trailer is 2,000 pounds, and the GVWR is 3,000 pounds, the difference of 1,000 pounds is the maximum amount of people, luggage, and supplies that the travel trailer can accommodate.

For the purposes of this group of reviews, we will consider the unloaded vehicle weight (dry weight) only. The GVWR will vary based on the model and added accessories.