The comfort and convenience of camping with an RV trailer is one of the best ways to make amazing memories with your family and friends. And with the ability to be able to tow an RV with your small pickup or a larger SUV is over-the-top amazing! If you’ve never been able to experience the adventures of RVing because of the towing capacity of your vehicle, your dream can now become a reality. We now have compacted a list of the 5 best travel trailers under 3,000 pounds GVWR
What puts an RV on the list: Even after selecting the filter “less than 3,000 lbs,” when searching for a lightweight camper, there are 800+ travel trailers to choose from, and to be honest, it’s overwhelming. This is why we’ve listed five of the best ones by taking into consideration the overall user rating, the expert recommendations, and the fantastic feature sets available.
The Top 5 Best Travel Trailers Under 3,000 Pounds:
- Jayco Jay Flight SLX Travel Trailer
- KZ Sportsmen Classic Travel Trailer
- Jayco Hummingbird Travel Trailer
- Aliner Ascape Travel Trailer
- Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro Travel Trailer
#1. Jayco Jay Flight SLX Travel Trailer
The Versatile Family RV!
View All Jayco Jay Flight SLX Travel Trailer Floorplans!
| No. of Floorplans | Unloaded Weight | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 2350-7445 lbs | 3-9 | 16-36 feet |
Why we recommend the Jayco Jay Flight SLX travel trailer: Jayco’s Jay Flight series have truly proved themselves as the all rounders with Jay Flight SLX 145RB having a floorplan which is under 3,000 pounds GVWR. While there’s no other choice other than the Jay Flight SLX if you’re very specific about the weight, there are others which are slightly higher but are still either under 4,000 or 5,000 pounds, which is still easily towable.
Feature-wise, you won’t a lot of differences across the 17 floorplans. It’s the same maple cabinet doors, the same fully integrated A-frame and laminated countertops. The only differences you’ll notice are between the 7 foot and the 8 foot models wherein the longer ones have slightly upgraded amenities. If you wish to take it up a notch further, there are many expansions available such as compliance with Canadian RV standards if you’re traveling to the Great White North, an upgraded 15,000 BTU A/C or the baja edition package which adds a slew of different features!
Key Features:
- 17 different floor plans available
- Pleated window shades
- Mission-style maple cabinet doors
- Jayco-made window treatments
- J-Steel jackknife sofa
- DiamondFlor vinyl flooring
Virtual Tour:
#2. KZ Sportsmen Classic Travel Trailer
Keeping It Simple!
View All KZ Sportsmen Classic Travel Trailer Floorplans!
| No. of Floorplans | Unloaded Weight | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 2126-2840 lbs | 3-5 | 15-21 feet |
Why we recommend KZ Sportsmen Classic travel trailer: Usually popular for the Spree, KZ is a company that has actually made a few ‘underdog’ travel trailers too, the sportsmen classic being one of them. It’s still got enough happy users, and is not to be overlooked. After all, it’s difficult to find a camper that can offer so many light weight floorplans such as the Sportsmen Classic 135RB and the Sportsmen Classic 150BH.
This camper has a lot to say when it comes to features, too. On the outside, you won’t need to worry about the occasional bump and dent as it’s exclusive tough shield metal combined with the front diamond plate can tank those hits and then some. Once you’re inside, it will feel just like home as KZ has left nothing else to desire from an RV of this size. Whether it’s a proper refrigerator, A/C, upgrade options, TV, awning or safety measures, it’s all here!
Key Features:
- 7 different floor plans available!
- Power Awning w/LED Light Strip
- Exterior Speakers
- Front Diamond Plate
- LED Interior Lights
- Digital TV Antenna
Video Overview:
#3. Jayco Hummingbird Travel Trailer
Airy and Affluent!
View All Jayco Hummingbird Travel Trailer Floorplans!
| No. of Floorplans | Unloaded Weight | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1545-2990 lbs | 2-4 | 18-19 feet |
Why we recommend the Jayco Hummingbird travel trailer: Jayco’s Hummingbird series are specifically designed to be as lightweight as possible, offering quite a few floorplans which are under 4,000 lbs and along with the Hummingbird 10RK floorplan which is extremely lightweight and, needless to say, under 3,000 pounds. It still spans 13 feet which is still quite roomy considering it can house 2 people. If you are ready for a more spacious variant at the compromise of a few hundred pounds on the gross weight, you can check out it’s other floorplans such as the Hummingbird 16FD too!
You’ll find that this camper won’t be compensating a lot even after it’s small size. It has all the basics covered from standard security measures to a 2-burner cooktop. To make the feature list a bit longer they’ve also managed to fit in some marine-grade exterior speakers, a folding 2 cubic feet picnic table, solar prep, countertops among many other features! What’s more, is that you make the deal even better with its tons of options available that add new features or boost the ones already there. All in all, we’d definitely recommend the Hummingbird for anyone looking for an under 3,000 pound travel trailer or even a lightweight travel trailer in general.
Key Features:
- 8 different floor plans available
- Wall-to-wall Armstrong® vinyl flooring
- LED lighting throughout
- Decorative window treatments with pleated nightshades
- Self-adjusting electric brakes
- Furrion Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Virtual Tour:
#4. Aliner Ascape Travel Trailer
For Those Who Need A Quick Ascape From The Busy Life!
View All Aliner Ascape Travel Trailer Floorplans!
| No. of Floorplans | Unloaded Weight | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1170-1630 lbs | 2 | 13 feet |
Why we recommend the Aliner Ascape travel trailer: Aliner, now that’s another name which often gets shadowed by the big dogs. But it’s still a great manufacturer with some great units to speak of, the Ascape being one of them. With 5 floorplans, all of which are under 3,000 pounds GVWR, it’s the best camper in the market right now if you’re looking for sheer amount of choices so you have things to compare before buying anything. We specifically liked the Ascape MT and the Ascape Camp since they are the lightest but are still 13 feet long which is quite decent, to say the least.
As far as features go, the Ascape actually has some features which you would otherwise find on some premium-grade travel trailers such as the 16,000 BTU Atwood furnace and a front mounted solar panel. Keep in mind though, that a lot of features of this travel trailer varies across different floorplans so be sure to check them out to see which one is the best for you!
Key Features:
- 5 different floor plans
- Atwood 16,000 BTU Furnace in plus, ST and camp floorplans
- Two Burner Range Top in plus, ST and camp floorplans
- Carefree 5′ Awning (optional for ST, camp and MT, standard on plus)
- Front Mounted Solar Panel (plus only)
- Coleman Mach 8-9200 BTU Roof Mounted A/C (optional on MT)
Video Overview:
#5. Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro Travel Trailer
Lightweight Traveling Made Easy and Affordable!
View All Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro Travel Trailer Floorplans!
| No. of Floorplans | Unloaded Weight | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1133-3161 lbs | 2-4 | 11-21 feet |
Why we recommend Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro travel trailer: The Flagstaff E-Pro is basically the tiny version its popular cousin in the sub-5000 pounds category, the R-Pod. The It’s 7 floorplans range tip the scales from the ultra lite 1133 pounds of the Flagstaff E-Pro 12RK to the 3161 pounds of the Flagstaff E-Pro 14FK. These are the dry weights, and converting them to GVWR will make only 2 of these floorplans as the ones that are technically under 3,000 pounds.
The Flagstaff E-Pro has lots of features such as the Wi-Fi boosters and the outside speakers that make it great for tailgating, but if you want to relax a bit after a long journey to the campsite, it has a lot of the conveniences of a good quality travel trailer on the inside as well. A good few examples include. Plus, as with any other travel trailer, you could also improve its features or add new ones using expansions and upgrades. All in all, we find the Flagstaff E-Pro a very well-rounded and feather light travel trailer!
Key Features:
- 7 different floor plans available
- Nitro Filled Radial Tires
- Outside Speaker
- Wifi Ranger* Wifi Booster
- Roller Shades
- Roof Mount Solar Prep
Video Overview:
Check out these similar RV reviews!
Top 5 Best Travel Trailers For Large Families
Top 5 Best Travel Trailers Under $20,000 On A Budget!
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The next time you’re at your dealer confused on if your pickup vehicle could tow a travel trailer or not, be sure to refer to this list to get a head start on some of the easily towable ones out there!
BEFORE you head to a dealer to see these trailers, download your FREE RV Buyers Worksheet for help keeping track of:
- The feature must-haves that are important to you and your family
- Which brands or manufacturers you like
- Budgeting tools including a payment calculator resource
- Multiple well spaced pages with room for lots of your notes
- BONUS Resources: Trade-in values, tow vehicle ratings, and finance options
Share with us your favorite travel trailers under 3000 pounds in the comments below!