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The Best Lightweight Travel Trailers Under 3,000 Pounds
One of the barriers to starting to RV for many people is their vehicle. Most people own an SUV, crossover, minivan, or midsize pickup that can tow a moderate amount. However, many travel trailers can get pretty heavy, and that means your everyday vehicle likely isn’t rated to tow the weight.
Rather than purchase an entirely different vehicle just to tow your RV, use what you have. Contact your vehicle manufacturer to see whether your car can be equipped with a hitch. It may not be a costly or timely adjustment to alter your vehicle to tow. You’d be surprised how useful it can be. Tow a small cargo trailer to move your house without hiring movers. Or tow a jet-ski or ATV out for a joyride. But our favorite use has to be to pull an RV.
Lightweight Travel Trailer (Image: Getty)
There’s nothing more freeing than towing your home behind you. The possibilities for fun, adventure, and vacation memories are endless once you hitch up and hit the road. Are you pining for a hitch yet? Let’s look at the RVs, including new and used travel trailers, available for lightweight towers.
There are many towable travel trailers that have very low dry weights. They’re lightweight and nimble, making them perfect introductory RVs for entering the RV lifestyle. To help narrow down your options, I’ve rounded up a few lightweight travel trailers with a dry weight of fewer than 3,000 pounds. That means most crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and smaller trucks should have no problem trailering them!
Jayco Lightweight Travel Trailers
Focused on designing and building RVs with exploration in mind for over 50 years, Jayco continues to satisfy the needs of every RV enthusiast. When it comes to family, fun, and relaxation all wrapped up in a lightweight travel trailer package – Jayco is the gift that keeps on giving.
Jayco Jay Flight SLX 195RB
Jay Flight Lightweight Travel Trailer (Image: Jayco)
The Jayco Jay Flight SLX 195RB is a simple rear bath unit that features a queen bed, a camp side dinette, and a kitchen across from the dinette. There’s also a nice wardrobe by the entrance door at the rear of the camper. Jayco builds quality campers, and the Jay Flight SLX is a long-running model. This particular floorplan measures almost 22 feet in length and weighs just 2,890 pounds, meaning your crossover or SUV should be able to handle this travel trailer with no issue.
Jayco Hummingbird 17RB
Hummingbird Lightweight Travel Trailer (Image: Jayco)
The Hummingbird 17RB is another lightweight model from Jayco. This unit features a 60 by 74-inch bed, a camp side dinette, and a kitchen across from it. Its layout is pretty similar to the Jay Flight SLX discussed above, but this model features a linen closet and a full bathroom at the rear of the unit. Not to mention, the Hummingbird also has a slide-out, which gives the RV a more spacious feel when parked. You’ll be surprised at how much you enjoy a little extra kitchen space. The Hummingbird 17RB measures nearly 20 feet in length and weighs 2,865 pounds, meaning it’s suitable for SUVs, small trucks, and many crossovers. Explore the range of floorplans available in the Jayco Hummingbird.
Forest River Lightweight Travel Trailers
Keeping the interests, budget, and lifestyle of the RVer at the forefront, Forest River delivers lightweight travel trailers to satisfy every customer. Whether you’re looking to hit the road for recreation, transportation, or hauling, you’re sure to find a Forest River travel trailer to check every box.
Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro 19FD
Flagstaff E-Pro Lightweight Travel Trailer (Image: Forest River)
The Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro 19FD is a unit that has a unique layout with a 73-inch sofa and a 54 by 72-inch Murphy bed. The bed’s foldaway feature makes the interior RV feel spacious and multipurpose during the day. The dinette and kitchen area are across from each other–a smart design. This travel trailer also comes with an exterior gas grill. You’d be surprised at how much you’ll use an outdoor kitchen in a smaller RV. The Flagstaff E-Pro 19FD is a lightweight travel trailer weighing in at 2,829 pounds and has a length of 20 feet. Like the others on this list, towing it with an everyday crossover, SUV, or smaller pickup truck should not be an issue.
Shop Forest River Flagstaff E-Pros
Forest River R-Pod 180
R-Pod Lightweight Travel Trailer (Image: Forest River)
The Forest River R-Pod 180 is an excellent, lightweight travel trailer with everything a couple could need for a weekend warrior camping getaway or a longer trip to a wonderful wild landscape. Across from the entry door, on the off-camp wall, is a slide with the cooktop, sink, prep space, and refrigerator. The 75 by 24-inch dinette is great for game nights or having fellow campers over. There’s a large queen bed at the front of the unit and a wet bath along the rear wall. With a dry weight of only 2,950 pounds and an overall length of 20 feet, the R-Pod 180 should be a cinch for your crossover, SUV, minivan, or small truck to tow. Check out other lightweight travel trailers perfect for couples.
Small Lightweight Travel Trailers
Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to small lightweight travel trailers. Less to tow, less to maintain, and less to clean means more time for adventures, fun, and making memories. RV owners often find peace of mind by towing smaller travel trailers instead of the bigger ones, especially when navigating certain roads and paths. Whoever said good things come in small packages must have been referring to travel trailers.
Happier Camper
Who doesn’t aim to be a happy camper? Why stop at being a happy camper, though, when you could be the happiest? Thanks to Happier Camper, that goal is more achievable than ever. Responsible for revolutionizing the lightweight travel trailer industry with its trademarked modular Adaptiv system, Happier Campers can quickly and easily become whatever you need them to be. Coming in at a dry weight of 1,000 pounds and a shell length of 10 feet, it’s hard not to be happy about this one. The modern design certainly doesn’t hurt either.
Taxa Outdoors Cricket
If you’re looking for lightweight and rugged, sophisticated design and bold purpose, then look no further. The Taxa Outdoors Cricket is the ideal lightweight travel trailer for your next adventure. At 15 feet in length and weighing only 1,800 pounds, there’s still room to sleep two adults and two children. The pop-up roof is optimized for ventilation without sacrificing protection. As a bonus, it fits in a standard garage.
First-time RVers are often apprehensive about RVing, thinking their tow vehicle isn’t up to the task. You’d be surprised at how light and nimble today’s RVs are. Manufactured with lighter weight materials, and designed to be aerodynamic, today’s towable travel trailers are getting increasingly easier to pull. It doesn’t take much to tow 3000 pounds down the road, you could even tow with a minivan. With that, you have a full kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom wherever you park it–a real tiny home on wheels.
Choose one of the lightweight travel trailers above or connect with a Personal RV Shopper to find the perfect RV. If your current RV isn’t lightweight, sell or trade it in for one that is. Camping World has options to suit every RV enthusiast! Fill out an online credit application and get pre-approved today.
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