Mini Campers

[Black_Fly]

Wife and I are considering a small camper trailer. We looked at several, and most are poorly made and priced like cars. We found a couple used NuCsmp TABs/TAGs online, which seem to be well made, but also seem too small for two people. We’re driving to Columbus to look at new NuCamp trailers tomorrow, mainly to see what the options are. I’m ok with erecting a tarp and using the camper mainly to sleep, but room to sit indoors on a stormy day would be nice.

We looked at Forest River, Encore, Coachman, Coleman brands. Used “teardrop” campers for sale online are rarely posted by private sellers.

Anyone have lightweight camper brand insight or a recommendation?

 

[stripperguy]

My SIL is a registered. Car dealer here in NYS
He and I regularly buy rebuild and sell wrecked cars motorhomes trailers.
Behind the wallls, all are made of toothpicks, from high end Newmar to el cheapo Thors
Don’t ever buy new, you’ll lose 50% in two years.
A hard top pop up will give the best bang for the buck
I’ve been doing this stuff for over 15 years…

 

[Black_Fly]

We had this piece of junk for 10 years. Ontario forest roads and all. Made to look tough but wasn’t. We busted everything! It was also a pain to set up, especially in the rain for a few hours on the road.

I’m looking for a bit more comfort to sleep, set up my Coleman stove, set up a tarp, sit in folding chairs at a stream side campsite. I know some.

 

[dutchlennart]

Lovely canoe, no clue about the trailer

 

[Black_Fly]

Really, the peripherals of these things are the weakest parts. I don’t need no shower, but wife does. Blackwater sucks to deal with and a big jug works for me in lieu of a faucet. I may have to make concessions to plumbing appliances and their maintenance.

 

[GeoBoy]

Take a look at Aliner, they make the Ascape ST that doesn’t need to be popped up. Their pop ups are very nice though.

 

[ppine]

I like having an Rpod. compact and fits everywhere.
Substantial trailers are made by companies like Nash, Arctic Fox and Outdoors RV. Their small trailers are around 18 feet.

 

[Gamma1214]

I think Scamp (Boler?) is still making trailers. I looked at a couple for my daughter before her career plans changed and they seem to hold their value pretty well.

My first trip to Canada, I ran across a family of 5 towing one behind a tiny car. Looked like a pretty efficient set-up.

 

[Black_Fly]

We like this TAB 320 Lite. This is the smallest TAB model. Built by Amish in Ohio. We went to Mark Wahlberg's (yes, the actor) Airstream RV dealership south of Columbus. They have nothing but Airstreams and NuCamp teardrops. We looked at all the models, including the TAGs (crawl in sleeper trailers). This is an aluminum frame camper (no matchsticks).

We can either try to find a used one or blow some retirement $. They do hold their value well.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

We have had a Scamp 16 foot model since 2022 and have towed it for 11,034 miles in both the US and Canada. It is holding up well, considering the milage and some of the rough washboard roads that I have been detoured on. We have had one cabinet door break a hinge, the refrigerator hold-down bolts came loose, and numerous loose screws have been found. That is not too bad for a camper covering many miles.

I am satisfied that the fiberglass-shelled campers typically hold up better than the stick-built campers although all campers have their problems. How long do you think your house would last if subjected to earthquakes for days on end? The fiberglass ones also hold their value well; I could sell mine for nearly what I paid for it, but I don't plan to anytime soon.

We also use it in times of power outages, such as the week after after Hurricane Helene roared through. With propane heat, stove and refrigerator plus LED lights running off the battery, we started calling it the "Escape Pod". A handy backup to have around.

 

[ppine]

I have tried everything. Truck camper, travel trailer, pop up trailer, hybrid trailer and now 2 travel trailers. Canvas on a pop up or hybrids is too hot, too cold and too loud. Truck campers make the rig top heavy and are bad in the wind. Hard side bumper pull trailers are great. The smaller ones fit everywhere and are easy to pull.

 

[Black_Fly]

The one both me and the wife like best is the 360 model, which is crazy expensive new. I’m checking used models, which are rare. Can’t believe the prices. I did check out some fiberglass models - Casita is in Texas with no dealerships. They seem to build to order. There are a couple others, but unless you settle for something local, you’re either buying sight unseen or driving a looong way to just look.

There’s a used 360 at Mark Wahlbergs that they didn’t show us. I’ll call and try to see if it’s worth another drive. I can safely say we won’t be spending $50K on a trailer.

 

[Neophyte]

I like the idea of a small camper like that until I start looking at prices. That cools my excitement rather quickly.

 

[RBourg]

Not mini, but not large either are the Escape 17 and 19. We were fortunate enough to find one used several years ago before price increases and tariffs. They are nice to use and tow very well, available in different configurations with a slew of options and customizations.

 

[NikonF5user]

Road Toad is among the lightest and most utilitarian small camper trailers. I have a 4 cylinder Subaru Crosstrek and have been debating getting a trailer - have done a TON of research and have centered on that brand - but it doesn't have all the "bells and whistles" of some of the others. It's light enough to be towed by the Crosstrek plus is large enough to sleep two (or in my case it would sleep one with lots of room for outfitting). I would carry the canoe(s) on the car rather than on the trailer. They have two models - the Abode (which is a bit more equipped) and the Totes (which is basically fully unequipped). One thing I like about the Totes is the ability to customize it - if I do pull the trigger that is probably the way I will go (although they are close in price and weight - so it may depend on how much tinkering I feel like doing). In any case, the price recently went up quite a bit - and it does not seem like prices are going down on anything - so I am not sure I'd wait if buying new...

 

[GeoBoy]

Another nice travel trailer is Taylor Coach, https://taylorcoach.com/.

 

[ppine]

Used trailers all the way. I shop hard. Found a good rPod for 8,000 dollars. I did some work on it over the winter. It is worth 11k.

It seems that a lot of people drive small SUVs like Subies and do not own a truck. That explains the high interest level in small compact trailers. The rPOd weighs 2600 pounds dry. I pull it with a Ram diesel. The truck gets 23 mpg and about 18 mpg pulling the trailer.

I have a large RV that is 29 feet. It is a deluxe rig a Nash and it weighs around 7000 pounds. Truck pulls it no problem but it does not fit everywhere.

Now that I am 75 I am tired of crawling into little tents and sleeping in the back of my truck. A trailer even a small one is very civilized. It is much warmer, it has lights for dark times of year. I go out about every 3-4 weeks on a trip, most of the year except the dead of winter.

 

[Odyssey]

I grew up just outside a small village in the middle of farm country. I married the girl who lived way across the fields, so not quite next door, but in those days and rural vibes it may as well have been. Her eldest brother hung out with Wayne, rain or shine, winter and summer. They rode BSA's in summer and Skidoos in winter. I came across Wayne several years ago and was invited along with my brother-in-law to hang out with Wayne, just like the old days. Except times had changed; kids and grandkids, mortgages and marriages. We sat in Wayne's driveway sipping on brown pops and pondered two things, namely, where did the years go and, what's that tent trailer doing set up tucked amongst those trees in the side yard. Wayne said "that's our get-away, every weekend, and often, even for stay-cations. The wife and I tell the grown kids to take care of the place from Fri evening to Mon morning while we're "away". No phones, no television, no hassles. We even have a fire pit and bbq. Luxury. We do have to sneak in the house for bathroom visits, but everything comes with a price. "
Wayne taught me some perspective.

 

[riverstrider]

In 2019 I bought a small Aliner Scout because I needed something light enough to tow with my Subaru Forester. It had no plumbing or gas hookups, low maintenance, just what we wanted. We use a large screenhouse to hang out in and cook in. We use the campground facilities, but if we are off-grid we have a small portable toilet and solar shower. If I buy a new larger Aliner, I will choose a model with the fold-out dormers.

Another brand that caught my eye, and that a friend of mine owns is TrailerManor. There is no pop-up camper quite like it. Lightweight but well-built, with a lot of room (depending on the model). I've only ever seen one of them for sale used. Owners rave about them. The only black mark on these for me and my wife is the need to climb up into and down from the bed.

 

[stripperguy]

There’s tons of links to guys that build their own teardrop trailers on the cheap. I would imagine if you can build a boat you can surely build a little trailer. Like I said upthread, I work on lots of rigs, there’s no magic behind the walls. A bit of foam, some glass and resin and you’ve got a shell that weighs little and can take a beating. Add your necessities and BAM!! You’ve got a lightweight robust low cost trailer.