Small pop up campers are awesome RVs that don't require large towing vehicles or a lot of storage space at home.
But, not all small pop up campers are the same. Some of the tiny pop up campers are nothing but tent sides and a sleeping pad with no other amenities included.
What's the point? That's more like glorified tent camping.
For this list, we put together 13 of the best small pop up campers that don't skimp on features and amenities. You can expect full kitchens, furnace and AC, heated mattresses, and even bathrooms with these little pop up campers.
Types of Small Pop Up Campers
When you hear the term: “small pop up campers“, what do you think of?
For many people, small pop up tent trailers are what come to mind. But there are actually many different types of small pop up RVs. Here are some of the most common types of pop up campers.
- Hard Sided Pop Up Camper: A pop up camper with hard walls. These campers come in a-frame shape and also rectangular/box shaped.
- Small Pop Up Tent Trailers: These are the typical pop up campers you see with a box for a bottom and canvas sides and walls.
- Pop Up Truck Campers: There are no pop up truck campers on this list, but these are a type of camper that slide into the bed of a pickup truck. The top part pops up for additional headroom.
- Pop Top Campers: These campers have pop tops but aren't in a traditional pop up camper shape. These include pop top trailers, pop top teardrops, and more.
How Much Do Small Pop Up Campers Weigh?
In general, pop up campers can weigh anywhere from around 900 pounds to upwards of 5,000 pounds. The small pop up campers in this list are all under 3,000 pounds of dry weight.
There are two main weight designations to pay attention to when looking at how much small pop up campers weigh: dry weight (or UVW) and the GVWR or GCWR.
Dry weight stands for how much the camper weighs without any added cargo or fluids, like fresh water.
GVWR or GVCR stands for how much the camper can weigh when it is fully loaded down with equipment and water. When matching up a camper to your tow vehicle, you want to be sure that the GVWR is less than your maximum towing capacity.
Download this FREE ebook learn 60+ ways to earn an income from anywhere!
What Is the Smallest Pop Up Camper Available?
The smallest pop up camper on this list is the Meerkat, and yes, it has a bathroom. Or at least it comes with a camping toilet. So not a full bathroom, but a toilet nonetheless! This camper weighs in at only 900 pounds dry weight. That's so lightweight for all the amenities!
Tip: Don't forget these absolutely essential pop up camper accessories.
13 Best Small Pop Up Campers For Sale Today That Don’t Skimp on Amenities
The small campers in this list all come with everything you need for a great camping trip and that includes: ample sleeping space, storage space for your belongings, and cooking and food prep space.
Some come with bathrooms or toilets and some have that as an additional option. There's a section dedicated to small pop up campers with bathrooms, although camping toilets are an option on many others too.
Related: 11 Pop Up Campers Perfect for Winter Weather Camping
1. Aliner Ranger 10: Front Kitchen
| Dry Weight: | 1,225 lbs |
| Length: | 12′ 8″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 175 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $20,000 |
The Aliner Ranger 10 is a lightweight pop up camper that’s incredibly versatile and includes everything you need for camping, aside from a toilet.
This tiny pop up camper is so cute and the hard sides make it a lot easier to regulate temperature. You’ll be much more comfortable in a hard sided pop up camper than a canvas walled camper in extreme heat or cold.
The Aliner Ranger 10 comes with two different floor plans: a front kitchen floor plan or one with a front bunk.
The front kitchen floorplan is the most desirable in my opinion, but to each their own! Each model has interior storage, a dinette, and a sink, stove, and refrigerator.
2. Rockwood Tent 1640LTD: Cheap Pop Up Camper With Amenities!
| Dry Weight: | 1,465 lbs |
| Length: | 12′ 4″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 162 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $12,000 |
The Rockwood Tent series is a brand of lightweight and versatile pop up campers from Forest River.
The 1640LTD is the smallest and most lightweight of the Rockwood small tent trailers. This camper doesn’t skimp on features, though!
This small tent trailer has everything you need for a great camping trip, aside from a bathroom, of course.
Inside, you’ll find interior storage, two beds, a dinette, a sink, and a cooktop.
This camper has a roof vent fan and a 20K BTU furnace for keeping the temperature comfortable. The mattresses on the bunk ends are heated, too!
Check out this article to learn more about the full line of Rockwood pop up campers.
3. TAXA Outdoors Cricket Tiny Pop Up Camper
| Dry Weight: | 1,753 lbs |
| Length: | 15′ |
| Hitch Weight: | 245 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $29,000 |
The Cricket by TAXA Outdoors has generated a lot of buzz (or should I say chirp?) and for good reason! (sorry not sorry about the terrible pun)
The Cricket is an adorable, capable, and versatile tiny pop up camper that’s perfect for the off-grid camper. This tiny pop up can be towed by most 4-cylinder engines and will easily fit in a standard garage.
The TAXA Cricket has a two burner stove, sink, furnace and water heater, air conditioning, and more. This camper can sleep two adults and two children and has a portable camping toilet as an added option to make it fully self sustaining.
This isn’t the cheapest small pop up camper, but it’s worth every penny.
Psst… Don't head to camp without knowing how to level your camper! Learn how to properly level a pop up camper here.
4. Coachmen Clipper Express 9.0TD Mini Pop Up Camper
| Dry Weight: | 1,418 lbs |
| Length: | 14′ 2″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 194 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $11,000 |
The Coachmen Clipper Express 9.0TD is a unique pop up camper that looks different than any pop up camper you’re probably used to!
This small pop up camper is more reminiscent of a teardrop camper with added amenities. This small pop up camper is super lightweight and cheap, too!
The Coachmen Clipper Express 9.0TD has a queen sized bed, interior seating, a sink and furnace, and a countertop with storage. There’s just enough room to sleep and to cook inside the camper, making it a perfect small camper to pull behind your mid sized SUV.
This is a perfect spot to hang out on a rainy day, too. The 9.0TD has a stereo, an air conditioner, fridge and furnace, too. As a bonus and added option, you can get a Thetford portable camping toilet for a totally self sustaining pop up camper.
5. Safari Condo Alto R1713
| Dry Weight: | 1,825 lbs |
| Length: | 17′ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | n/a |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $46,000 |
The Safari Condo Alto R1713 is a unique teardrop shaped pop up camper with so many amenities – including a toilet and black water tank – and it’s under 2,000 pounds!
This camper has a king sized bed that can convert into two single beds and a front dining area that can form another single bed, too.
The table can convert from a two seat to a five seat dinette, and the camper also has a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, cooktop, sink, and storage.
This camper is so lightweight because it is made out of lightweight aluminum. It has a roof vent fan, a water heater and furnace, and so much more.
6. Meerkat Pop Up Trailer
| Dry Weight: | 900 lbs |
| Length: | 13′ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 100 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $24,000 |
Have you heard of the Meerkat Trailers? These neat little pop up trailers are unlike any other pop up you’ve seen before!
Named “Meerkat” after the circular pop up section so you can stand up and look around like a meerkat looking out of a burrow, these unique pop up campers have everything you need.
Meerkat pop up campers come with a camp stove, a sink with manual pump, a fridge, interior storage, seating, a Fan-Tastic fan, and a portable camping toilet.
There is a rear dinette that converts into a bed and drawers and cabinets throughout.
If you’re looking for a unique and lightweight pop up camper, the Meerkat is a great choice!
This camper can fit in a standard garage, and you can easily push it into place by hand once you unhitch from your vehicle. So cool!
7. Flagstaff 206LTD Pop Up Campers
| Dry Weight: | 1,608 lbs |
| Length: | 14′ 4″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 195 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $13,000 |
Like the Rockwood pop up campers, Flagstaff pop up campers are made by Forest River RV.
The Flagstaff 206LTD pop up tent camper comes with two bunk end beds, a dinette that converts into another sleeping area, plenty of cabinet and counter space, a cooktop, fridge, and sink. There’s also a 9’ exterior awning!
There’s plenty to love about this small pop up tent camper. The only thing missing in my opinion is a portable camping toilet.
8. Jayco Jay Sport 10SD
| Dry Weight: | 1,720 lbs |
| Length: | 13′ 6″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 145 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $10,000 |
Jayco is a well known and well loved name in the RV industry for their well built and long lasting RVs. The Jayco Sport 10SD pop up tent camper is no exception! With a full bed, queen bed, and dinette that converts into a bed, you can fit your whole family in here comfortably. This camper has a carryout stove, a kitchen with cabinet, sink, and cooktop, and plenty of storage inside.
Small Pop Up Campers With Bathrooms
The small pop up campers listed above are great and everything, but they don’t come with bathrooms!
Some come with portable camping toilets either standard or as an added option, but for those of us who need a little more than that? We’re in luck, too.
Small pop up campers with bathrooms and showers are a bit more expensive than other models and they tend to weigh a bit more, too. Here are some great options!
9. Aliner Expedition
| Dry Weight: | 1,850 lbs |
| Length: | 18′ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 240 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $30,000 |
I just love the Aliner campers. They’re so bright and airy and I love that you get the benefits of a pop up camper but with hard sides!
The Aliner Expedition has two dormer pop outs for additional room, too.
This camper has two floorplans: one with a permanent bed and convertible dinette, or one with a sofa bed and convertible dinette. Each floor plan has a permantent toilet. There isn’t a shower in this one and the toilet isn’t super private, but it’s still a win in my book.
10. Aliner LXE
| Dry Weight: | 1,795 lbs |
| Length: | 15′ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 180 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $30,000 |
Yup, another Aliner. But this one has a shower AND toilet!
This Aliner LXE camper has a sofa that converts into a huge bed, tons of storage, a table, refrigerator, stove and sink, and a small wet bath. It also has a dormer for extra headroom!
This small hard sided pop up camper is lightweight enough to pull with most small to mid-sized SUVs, yet it has everything you need for full-time RVing if that’s your jam.
11. TAXA Outdoors Mantis
| Dry Weight: | 2,972 lbs |
| Length: | 19′ |
| Hitch Weight: | 435 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $40,000 |
The TAXA Outdoors Mantis is another awesome camper from TAXA – this time in a bigger profile with a bathroom included. But it’s still a pop up camper, and it’s still relatively lightweight.
This is more like a pop up travel trailer, honestly.
This camper has a wet bath with casette toilet and shower, a Truma furnace/water heater combo, sink, two burner stove, an AC, a folding couch/bunk system, and convertible dinette. There is plenty of storage in this camper and the top pops open for interior head space. This rugged pop up camper is ready for off-roading with the family in tow!
12. Flagstaff 228D Pop Up Camper With Optional Bathroom and Shower
| Dry Weight: | 2,439 lbs |
| Length: | 17′ 6″ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 263 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $19,000 |
This Flagstaff 228D pop up camper from Forest River comes with two bunk end beds, a convertible dinette, and a convertible gaucho couch bed for plenty of sleeping space. It comes with two cabinets, a fridge, sink, and stovetop, and an optional wet bath with a cassette toilet and shower.
This small pop up camper has an exterior griddle and 11’ awning, too. It’s a great option for camping or traveling with your family while being fully self contained with your own bathroom and shower. The addition of the cassette toilet and shower means the camper is heavier due to the additional water weight, but having your own bathroom is worth it!
13. TrailManor 2518KB
Model Shown is the 2720QB Option
| Dry Weight: | 2,580 lbs |
| Length: | 18′ |
| Dry Hitch Weight: | 295 lbs |
| MSRP: | Starts Around $35,000 |
Last but not least, I really wanted to include a TrailManor on this list. TrailManor pop up campers are more like pop up travel trailers than anything else. They are hard sided extendable pop up campers that extend both upwards and outwards. They truly feel like a travel trailer on the inside!
While none of them are as small and lightweight as tent campers, this is the smallest and most lightweight version. And yes, it comes with a bathroom.
The TrailManor 2518KB has a king bed, a double bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom with a shower. This camper also has a convertible dinette and plenty of interior and exterior storage. It folds down so tiny and compact that it feels like like towing a tent trailer.
Lightweight Pop Up Campers Are Versatile and Fun
The small pop up campers included here are lightweight, versatile, and so much fun!
If you want to upgrade from tent camping or get into the RV life, you'll be beyond pleased with any of these small pop up campers.
Free Printable RV Checklist Bundle
I put together an Ultimate RV Checklist bundle of 8 RV checklists! If you'd like the bundle, just put in your name and email below and I'll send them right over!
Carrie Wilder
Carrie has a passion for location independence and nomadic lifestyles. After traveling full-time in an RV and living the van life, she created Making Money and Traveling to help others make the switch to a remote lifestyle. Learn more about Carrie on the About page or connect on social media below.Â
Download this FREE ebook learn 60+ ways to earn an income from anywhere!