Pop up campers under 2,500 lbs are a great idea for those wanting to upgrade from tent camping, but don’t have the space or budget for a large trailer or RV. There are many benefits when it comes to lightweight pop up campers, from their ability to be towed by a wide range of vehicles, and their low maintenance due to being so compact.
Although smaller pop up campers may not have all the amenities of larger trailers, they still don’t compromise on the essentials. We’ve got together a list of 7 pop up campers under 2,500 lbs that still manage to tick plenty of boxes.
7 pop-up campers under 2,500 lbs:
1. Coachmen Clipper Sport 108ST
Weight: (UVW) 1,863 lbs
The Clipper Sport 108ST is a pop up camper offering ultimate versatility when it comes to storage and sleeping arrangements. The two queen-sized bed bunks at either end of the camper provide ample space to sleep 4 people, and with a convertible dinette, there is even space to bring a few friends on vacation too.
There is also plenty of storage throughout the Clipper Sport 108ST, with areas such as the dinette, doubling up as storage space underneath the bench. The kitchen is beside the dinette seating area and contains a three burner stove top and sink. Although the kitchen isn’t huge, for such a lightweight pop up camper, it contains everything you need for camping trips.
In terms of the bathroom setup, the Clipper Sport 108ST doesn’t have a bathroom built inside the camper. Coachmen instead offer an optional bathroom package with a cassette toilet. As there is plenty of walking space throughout the 108ST, the camper can remain light and open, especially important when there are multiple people inside.
2. Aliner Family
Weight: (UVW) 2,000 lbs
The Aliner Family is an a-frame pop up camper with great space-enhancing dormers at each end. With an easy setup thanks to supportive gas struts and being so lightweight, the Aliner Family is a fantastic pop up trailer option. Living up to its name, the Aliner Family is perfect for multiple people.
With a high rise bunk bed, convertible dinette, and additional smaller bed opposite the sink, the Aliner Family can sleep up to 7 people. Aliner are known for their innovation, and the Aliner Family doesn’t disappoint. Although not the optimum choice for everyone, the kitchen is actually outside the camper, in the form of a slide out.
The kitchenette slide out features a 12V DC refrigerator and two-burner stove top with the sink remaining inside the camper. This is great for those wanting to save internal space and who don’t mind sometimes braving the elements when cooking outside. The bathroom in the Aliner Family is composed of a swivel cassette toilet, stored away neatly in what looks like a storage area.
It can often be hard to find a lightweight pop up camper that also contains a bathroom, so this is a stand out feature of the Aliner Family. The Azdel material Aliner use for the Aliner Family is a thermoplastic composite material, offering impressive durability, keeping your camper in better shape and for far longer.
3. Forest River Flagstaff T12RBST
Weight: (UVW) 2,120 lbs
Another a-frame camper on our list, the Forest River Flagstaff T12RBST, offers generous storage areas, including an EZ-reach storage trunk at the front of the trailer. Having such a great external storage area means any adventure gear or equipment can be kept in one place, away from the living and walking space.
The large flip-up bed also features additional storage and with a convertible dinette, there is room to sleep additional people too. The kitchen in the Flagstaff T12RBST is practical, with a three-burner stove top, sink, microwave, and refrigerator. For those wanting to cook and socialize outside, there is an external gas griddle and worktable.
The bathroom is composed of an internal cassette toilet and the additional hot water package includes an external hot water shower. With windows all around the Flagstaff T12RBST, the space is light and airy within, providing the ideal space to relax and enjoy the wonders of nature with the familiar comforts of home.
The Forest River Flagstaff T12RBST has a vacuum bonded fiberglass roof and an E-coated tubular steel frame ready for all the family camping adventures to come.
4. Forest River Flagstaff 206M
Weight: (UVW) 2,223 lbs
Although the Forest River Flagstaff 206M is one of the heavier pop up campers on our list, it still only weighs in just above 2,000 lbs and has a lot to offer. With a galley-styled walkway through the middle of the camper, the Flagstaff 206 has a spacious layout, great for when multiple campers are on board.
At either end of the camper, there are two comfortable beds, perfect for sleeping up to 4 adults. The kitchen has generous counter top space; a feature hard to find with pop up campers of this size. There are even two different cooking options in the Flagstaff 206M. The first option is an internal three-burner stove top and the second is an outdoor griddle.
This provides the flexibility of heading outside for family dinners or staying inside when the weather is less favorable. Although, during particularly hot or wet days, the awning can be used to create shade and coverage. The Flagstaff 206M offers an abundance of internal storage, and with an EZ-reach storage trunk too, there’s plenty of space for adventure gear and extra camping equipment.
The Vinolon Supreme tent material provides fantastic durability, and with a power roof lift, four stabilizer jacks, and sand pads, the Flagstaff 206M is robust enough to tackle plenty of adventures. Forest River offer different optional extras with the 206M, one of which is a 40W solar panel.
Adding a solar panel would enhance the Flagstaff 206M and allow campers to stay out in the wilderness for longer, whilst remaining topped up with power.
5. Opus OP Lite
Weight: (UVW) 2,380 lbs
The OP Lite is a great example of the lightweight, innovative, pop up campers Opus are known for. Although the OP Lite is compact, it still offers impressive features like the Air Opus inflating tent system, which allows the camper to inflate in less than 90 seconds with just the touch of a button.
Once inflated, the ceiling height is 8ft, this helps create an open space that doesn’t feel cramped or too small in any way. The 6 large windows in the Opus Lite help create fantastic air circulation, and with built-in screens, you can enjoy the fresh air without risking any bugs getting inside the trailer.
The exterior of the Opus Lite is sleek, modern, and built to last through the toughest terrain. The galvanized steel chassis, twin shock absorbers, Lock’N’Roll hitch, and enhanced suspension system, are all you need to head out off-road, knowing the OP Lite can handle it. With such rugged capabilities, the interior provides a light, airy and contemporary contrast.
Inside the Opus OP Lite is a large bed, a convertible plush leatherette seating couch, LED lighting, and even a 2 speaker entertainment system. The kitchen is on the outside of the camper in the form of a slide out. This allows the interior to remain spacious and a great area for friends and family to socialize.
In the kitchen slide out, there is a 12V fridge/freezer, four-burner stove top, sink, LED lights, and plenty of storage. The OP Lite is designed to sustain 2 days of off-grid camping, but as there is a solar panel port already installed, it’s easy to opt for the additional ZAMP 140W solar panel to stay charged up to camp for longer.
6. Turtleback Trailers Getaway
Weight: (UVW) 1,160 lbs
The lightest pop up camper on our list, the Turtleback Trailers Getaway, provides an ultimate off-road camping experience. The Getaway is built to withstand harsh and challenging terrain, with a steel box frame, and off-road tires. Even though the Getaway is such a lightweight camping trailer, it has an impressive payload capacity of 840 lbs.
The main storage area in the Turtleback Getaway is a large box, which with the help of gas struts, opens to reveal ample space for belongings and additional equipment. The storage box can also still be accessed under the bed even if the tent is open. With three different packages available with the Getaway, you can choose the components best suited to you and your needs.
An upgrade from the T1 to the T2 package will enhance the Turtleback Getaway with a spare tire, single battery, ProWatt 1000W inverter, Red Arc Manager 30, additional charging ports, and an upgraded roof rack. These additional features will provide great off-grid ability, allowing you to stay charged up and out in nature for longer.
7. Taxa Outdoors Cricket
Weight: (UVW) 1,800 lbs
Being only 15’ in length and weighing under 2,000 lbs, the Taxa Outdoors Cricket is the ideal pop up camper for those looking for luxury on the road in a compact garage-friendly size. With a full-size bed and two optional berths, the Cricket can sleep two adults and two children. There is even the option of hanging hammocks on the ceiling for a bit of fun or a daytime nap.
The kitchen in the Cricket has a two-burner stove top and a sink with simple, but effective, crate storage. There is further storage space underneath the bed and plenty of crate storage draws throughout the camper, housed in warm birch wood cabinetry. The Taxa Outdoors Cricket can be towed easily thanks to its aerodynamic shape and lightweight build.
The volume and placement of the several windows is an impressive design feature as it creates cross ventilation throughout the trailer. The swing windows really help bring the feeling of the outdoors into the interior space and keep the air light and fresh. Although there is no toilet or shower in the Taxa Cricket, there is the optional extra of a portable toilet and portable shower tent.
FAQs
Can you pull a pop top camper with a Honda CRV?
Honda CRVs are a popular choice of SUV when it comes to towing campers and trailers. They do, however, have considerably low towing capacity, meaning they can only tow lightweight trailers. Providing they are within the maximum Honda CRV towing capacity, pop top campers can be towed by a Honda CRV.
Can a Honda Accord tow a pop up camper?
Newer Honda Accord models from 2020 onwards are not designed to tow anything and so do not have the towing capacity required to tow a camper. Previous older models of Honda Accord, on the other hand, have various towing capacities and may be suitable for towing pop up campers.
What is the smallest Jayco pop up camper?
The lightest Jayco pop up camper is the Jay Feather Micro. The smallest floorplan available in the Jayco Jay Feather Micro, is the 12SRK, weighing only 1,585 lbs. There are another four floorplans in this series, the heaviest of which is 4,695 lbs.
What is the smallest Coleman pop up camper?
The smallest pop up camper available from Coleman is the Coleman Destiny Series. The Coleman Sedona is the lightest model in this series, weighing just over 1,600 lbs. The Sedona can be towed by a variety of vehicles due to being so lightweight, and also has a simple setup.
Closing Thoughts
The technology and creativity of the Opus OP Lite is hard to match. With such a blend of convenience and luxury on offer, the OP Lite is the ideal camper for those not wanting to be held back anymore when it comes to camping trips. Going off-grid is such an adventure and with a 20 lb propane tank, 20-gallon water tank, and the ability to add a solar panel, the OP Lite offers the perfect package.
I would also invest in the additional Air Annex option, which provides extra space if the weather is wet, and even offers a shaded space for the summer season.
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(featured image: forestriverinc.com / Flagstaff Hard Sided)
David is an accomplished mountain endurance athlete who has completed over 25 ultra marathon races (follow on Strava). He is most proud of his finish at The Drift 100 – a high elevation, 100 mile winter foot race that zigzags along the Continental Divide in Wyoming. In the future he hopes to compete in the ITI 350 and ultimately the full 1,000 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational that follows the same path as the historic dog sled race.