Small Travel Trailers Under 5,000 Pounds: 9 Still Being Built

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I’ve towed two trailers myself, a Forest River XLR Viper toy hauler and a Forest River Vibe travel trailer, and the number I learned to care about wasn’t the length. It was the weight. This list is every small travel trailer I could confirm is still being built today that stays under 5,000 lb fully loaded (its GVWR, the most it’s rated to weigh with water and gear), using the maker’s own current numbers.

Last checked: October 29, 2026. The old version of this page had 18 entries. Several are gone, were one-off builds you couldn’t buy, or I couldn’t confirm. The specs on the rest had drifted, mostly heavier.

Quick comparison

Trailer	Dry weight (maker)	Loaded (GVWR)	Length	Price / where to buy
Timberleaf Kestrel / Pika / Classic	860 / 970–1,025 / 1,500 lb	Not published	11’6″ / 11’10” / 14′	Factory: $9,950 / $16,950 / $27,950
Happier Camper HC1	about 1,180–1,280 lb	3,500 lb	13’5″	Factory: from $39,950
Scamp 13 / 16 / 19 fifth wheel	1,250–1,986 / 1,900 / 3,100 lb	2,200–3,500 / 3,500 / 4,000 lb	13’–13’5″ / 16′ / 19′	Factory: from $18,295 / $27,395 / $40,595
nuCamp TAG XL / TAG XL LITE (2027)	1,655 / 990 lb	Not published	—	Dealers
Aliner Classic	1,725–1,810 lb	3,000 lb	15′	Dealers
Wolf Pup LP models (2027)	1,994–3,129 lb	3,790–3,910 lb	12’5″–22’1″	Dealers
Escape 13 / 17 / 19 / 21	1,850 / 2,290–2,640 / 3,150 / 3,465 lb	2,500 / 3,500 / 4,400 / 5,000 lb	13’8″ / 17’8″ / 19’6″ / 21’4″	Factory: from $26,520 / $42,750 / $51,750 / $56,250
R-Pod RP-171 to RP-194 (2027)	2,529–3,649 lb	4,029–4,785 lb	19’–22’2″	Dealers
Coleman 13B, 13R, 13S, 13T, 17B, 17R, 18OG (2027)	2,483–3,530 lb	3,500–4,938 lb	Varies (17B 20’2″, 17R 20’5″)	Dealers

All prices are in US dollars. “Loaded” is the maker’s GVWR, or its empty weight plus cargo capacity where it lists those instead.

The trailers

1. Timberleaf (Kestrel, Pika, Classic)

Handmade teardrops from Colorado and the lightest trailers here. The Kestrel is 860 lb and $9,950, the only one on this list under $10,000 new. The Pika ($16,950) gives you more room; the Classic ($27,950) is the full-size version at 1,500 lb.

2. Happier Camper HC1

A retro-modern fiberglass trailer with a big rear hatch. Happier Camper estimates it at about 1,180–1,280 lb depending on options, with a 3,500 lb GVWR, and 13’5″ overall. From $39,950.

3. Scamp

Molded fiberglass from Minnesota, and every model is 6’8″ wide:

Model	Length	Starting dry weight	GVWR	Starting price
13 (Lite / standard / X)	13′ (X: 13’5″)	1,250 / 1,600 / 1,986 lb	2,200 / 2,200 / 3,500 lb	$18,295 (Lite) / $22,395 (standard)
16	16′	1,900 lb	3,500 lb	$27,395
19 fifth wheel	19′	3,100 lb	4,000 lb	$40,595

The 13′ Lite drops the water and propane systems to get down to 1,250 lb. The 13′ X is the off-road version, with 18″ of ground clearance and Timbren suspension. Scamp says a Ranger- or Tacoma-size pickup can pull the 19′ fifth wheel.

4. nuCamp TAG

One of the best-known small teardrops. For 2027 nuCamp lists the TAG XL at 1,655 lb dry (the Boondock package is an option) and the stripped-down TAG XL LITE at 990 lb. nuCamp doesn’t publish a GVWR; the TAG XL’s axle is rated 2,200 lb, so it sits far below the 5,000 lb line. Dealer-sold; nuCamp doesn’t publish a price.

5. Aliner Classic

A hard-sided A-frame: the roof panels fold flat for towing and lift into an A for camping. Aliner lists 1,725–1,810 lb dry depending on layout, a 3,000 lb GVWR, 15′ and 78″ wide. One 2026 unit at a Pennsylvania dealer listed an MSRP of $38,722 and an asking price of $25,999, so dealer discounts are real here.

6. Forest River Wolf Pup

Only the six lightweight “LP” floorplans stay under 5,000 lb loaded. In 2027 they run from the 9CELP (1,994 lb dry, 3,790 lb loaded, 12’5″) and 12SBLP (2,309 / 3,820 lb, 14’6″) through the 14BHLP and 14RKLP (2,604 and 2,654 lb dry, 17’3″–17’4″) to the 16LP (3,039 / 3,900 lb, 21’7″) and 17LP (3,129 / 3,910 lb, 22’1″). The 14BHLP, 16LP and 17LP have bunks; the other three have a front bedroom only. The 16BHSW, 16CM, 16DB and 16FQW are under 4,000 lb dry but rated 5,526–5,575 lb loaded, so they’re left off, and the 17JW, 17SC and 18PB are heavier still.

7. Escape

Molded fiberglass from Chilliwack, British Columbia. Four models fit under 5,000 lb loaded:

Model	Size (L x W x H)	Dry weight	GVWR	Sleeps	Starting price (USD)
13	13’8″ long	1,850 lb	2,500 lb	—	$26,520
17	17’8″ x 6’8″ x 8’6″	2,290–2,640 lb	3,500 lb	4	$42,750
19	19’6″ x 7′ x 8’10”	3,150 lb	4,400 lb	5	$51,750
21 (21C / 21NE)	21’4″ x 7’4″ x 8’10”	3,465 lb	5,000 lb	4–5	$56,250

The 24 is 4,600 lb dry, but its GVWR is 6,000 lb, so loaded with water and gear it’s well over 5,000 lb. I left it off.

8. Forest River R-Pod

Five of the thirteen 2027 floorplans are under 4,000 lb dry: the RP-171 (2,529 lb, 19′), RP-180 (2,974 lb, 20′), RP-190 (3,049 lb, 20’4″), RP-194 (3,404 lb, 20’6″) and RP-192 (3,649 lb, 22’2″). Those five are rated 4,029–4,785 lb loaded. The other eight are rated 5,554–6,229 lb loaded, so they’re left off.

9. Coleman

Coleman-branded trailers are built under license by Keystone. Seven 2027 Coleman floorplans stay under 5,000 lb with their full cargo capacity, by Keystone’s own numbers: the 13B and 13R (about 2,500 lb, 3,500 lb loaded), 13S (2,795 / 4,000 lb), 13T (2,940 / 4,880 lb), 17B (3,071 lb, 20’2″) and 17R (3,061 lb, 20’5″), both 4,300 lb loaded, and the 18OG (3,530 / 4,938 lb). One dealer listed a 2027 17B with an MSRP of $33,995 and an asking price of $22,999. (The Coleman Lantern name now belongs to Keystone’s bigger 30–38 ft trailers, which are far over 5,000 lb.)

Dry weight is not what you’ll tow

Dry weight is the trailer empty, as it left the factory, and it’s the number the brochures lead with. That’s why this list goes by the loaded rating instead. Add water (about 8.3 lb a gallon), propane, a battery and a weekend’s gear, and you’re several hundred pounds heavier. Tongue weight then comes out of your tow vehicle’s payload, not its tow rating. Check the yellow payload sticker in your driver’s door jamb before you shop. That’s the number that runs out first.

Taken off this list

• Jayco Jay Sport: Jayco paused fold-down production in January 2019.
• Wolf Pup 18TO: no longer in the Wolf Pup lineup (see the current Wolf Pups above).
• Wolf Pup 16BHSW, 16CM, 16DB, 16FQW and the 18RJBW toy hauler: under 4,000 lb dry, but rated 5,526–5,755 lb loaded.
• Escape 24 and 5.0 fifth wheel: rated 6,000 and 5,500 lb loaded.
• Little Guy Mini Max: I couldn’t find new units newer than model year 2024.
• iCamp Elite, Timberline (Homegrown Trailers), Wanderlust Vintage Trailers: I couldn’t confirm any of them are still building.
• The bicycle camper and the Terrapin: one-off builds, not trailers you can order.

Rent one first

A travel trailer rented for a median of $125 a night across Outdoorsy listings in ten big rental markets we checked on October 20, 2026. If you already have the truck, a weekend tells you whether you like towing and backing it before you buy one.