10 Lightweight Popup Campers Under 2,000 Lbs And 1000 Lbs

The Clipper isn’t just a camper. It’s a promise of freedom wrapped in a sleek, lightweight package.

Flip open its sturdy door and step into a world of comfort. The Clipper’s well-designed interior features a queen-size bed, promising sweet dreams under the starry canvas of the night. The dinette converts into a bonus bed—perfect for those unexpected guests or the little adventurers tagging along.

And who said you can’t cook a feast on the road? With a kitchenette complete with a two-burner stove, fridge, and sink, the Clipper has you covered. Your favorite home-cooked meals, are now on the go.

Let’s talk towing. The Clipper’s lightweight design means it’s easy on your vehicle, letting your family sedan play the role of a rugged SUV. No hassle, just the open road and the call of the wild.

But the Clipper isn’t merely about practicalities. It’s the backdrop to your untold stories. It’s the smell of coffee brewing on a chilly morning, the laughter shared over a board game at the convertible table, and the silent awe of watching the sunrise paint the sky.

The Coachmen Clipper is your trusted ally on the road less traveled. So, are you ready to pack your bags, hit the road, and carve your path through the wild with the Clipper at your side? Adventure is calling, and it sounds a lot like the roar of your engine and the whispering wind.

8. A-Liner Scout (1,395 lbs)

The A-Liner Scout has a one of a kind build with the advantage that it provides more shelter from the forces of nature.

It possesses a hard side making it impervious to nasty weather and providing protection for the Air Conditioning Units. When you go inside the A-Liner Scout, you will find a portable, compressible bed, a small dining area, storage, and counter space.

The Scout, she’s a stunner. With a distinct A-frame design, she sets up faster than it takes to brew your morning coffee. No more wrestling with tent poles. Just pop her open and, voila, your home in the wilderness is ready.

Compact? Yes. But boy, she’s roomy! The interior houses a comfy dinette that morphs into a cozy bed, perfect for your post-hike slumber. The large windows flood the space with light, making it feel open, inviting, and perfectly attuned to nature outside.

Don’t let her modest 1170 lbs. weight fool you. The Scout’s built tough, her hard-sided exterior braving all weather conditions. No more fretting about unexpected showers or gusty winds. And the best part? Even your trusty family sedan could tow her with ease.

But the real magic of the Aliner Scout is how it brings you closer to the wild. It’s waking up to the sound of loons on the lake, the scent of pines in the air, and the sight of mist rising from the water.

The Aliner Scout isn’t just a camper. It’s your key to unlock the hidden corners of the world. Are you ready to hitch up the Scout and chart your course into the great unknown? Because nature’s calling, and your next adventure is just around the bend.

9. Sylvan Sport GO

The Sylvan is light and portable. Despite its relatively low weight, it contains a foldable table, an expansive bed, and storage that is zippable.

Its low weight means that it can be hauled in a vehicle and there will still be space left over. This popup camper can only accommodate 1 or 2 sleeping persons, however.

Compact yet mighty, the Sylvan Sport GO is a transformer—seriously, like Optimus Prime. It goes from a travel trailer to a tent camper in minutes. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of campers. It’s the kind of flexibility that lets you carry kayaks for a midsummer river float or bikes for that dreamy forest trail.

Inside, the camper morphs into a dreamy sleep space, accommodating up to four adventure-loving souls on comfy self-inflating mattresses. The skylights? They’re your private stargazing dome.

And let’s not forget that the GO is a featherweight, tipping the scales at a mere 840 lbs. Your average family car? It’ll tow this baby like a dream, no fancy truck needed.

Whether you’re craving the salty ocean air, longing for the rustle of woodland leaves, or itching to climb the rocky mountain trails, the Sylvan Sport GO is your trusty sidekick. It’s ready to go where you go, do what you do—ready for any adventure you can dream up.

Are you ready to let the Sylvan Sport GO take you to places you’ve only dreamt of, under skies you’ve never seen? The open road beckons. Your adventures await. Let’s GO!

10. Rockwood Freedom 1640 LTD (1465 lbs)

This pop-up camper belongs in the top rankings when categorizing pop-up campers. It weighs less than 1,500 lbs but it contains two slide-out beds on both sides, provides room for up to 5 people to sleep, a sink, a sitting space that can be converted to a bed, a space to cook and some models have AC units. 

Wake up in the Rockwood Freedom 1640 LTD, savoring hot coffee as the sun dances on the wilderness at your doorstep. This compact pop-up camper is your gateway to infinite adventures and an unexpected spatial marvel.

Setting up the 1640 LTD is a breeze, making it your instant on-the-road home. Inside, you’ll find a cozy queen-sized bed flanked by ample storage space. The equipped kitchenette, complete with a three-burner stove and a portable fridge, is ready for your culinary exploits, while the dinette effortlessly transforms into a secondary sleeping area.

The in-built fan and furnace ensure year-round comfort, no matter the weather. With a dry weight of just 1468 lbs. and a hitch weight of 162 lbs., it’s an easy tow for most SUVs, simplifying your adventures.

The Rockwood Freedom 1640 LTD is your private oasis amidst the uncharted expanse of nature. This easy-to-tow, feature-rich pop-up camper invites you to explore the wild, offering the tranquility of a mountain or the serenity of a forest, wherever you park it.

At day’s end, it welcomes you back, providing comfort and warmth. Ready to hitch up your Rockwood Freedom 1640 LTD and heed the call of the wild? The great outdoors is calling your name.

How are popup campers categorized by their sizes?

Generally, pop-up campers may be categorized by their weight classes into small; medium, and of course large. Your choice of a pop-up camper should be determined by your vehicle size/capacity; the size of your pocket and the number of persons to sleep in the available space.

The bigger the size of the pop-up camper, the bigger its towing capacity as well as its price and sleeping capacity.

• Small pop-up campers: Generally, their weight is lesser than 1,000 lbs and so, they can fit into a small vehicle. Some of them may even be hauled by a bike! It can accommodate up to 2 people.
• Medium pop-up campers: They are between 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. They are a wonderful fit for small families because although small, it offers a sleeping room for large enough for two persons with a kitchen area.
• Large pop-up campers: They have more weight as they are more than 2,000 lbs. As such, they might need a bigger vehicle to haul it. However, they provide bigger spaces and as such, are suited to larger families.

Important Popup camper weight terms

One of the major advantages of a popup camper is that it is not as heavy as other RV types.

As such, if you’re buying a pop-up camper, it is crucial to know the weight terms and their meanings as there are a lot of weights and terms so as to be able to haul your popup camper securely. Some of the weight terms are:

• Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio: This means the weight that a vehicle can carry. It consists of the hitch weight and vehicle carrying capacity.
• The vehicle carrying capacity also comprises of pets, passengers, and gear stored in the popup camper. It is very essential while loading the vehicle, to reserve space in the vehicle.
• Unloaded Vehicle Weight: This means the weight of the vehicle before it is loaded with anything. Basically, it is the weight of the vehicle at the manufacturer’s place with a full tank.
• Gross Axle Weight Rating: This accounts for the maximum weight that a pop-up camper is able to carry. This includes water, gear, and pop-up camper. If this weight is exceeded, the pop-up camper can collapse.
• Cargo Carrying Capacity: This means the extent of water, gear, and other things that can be packed. It is recommended that before placing anything in the camper, it is best that everything is weighed.
• The essence of this is to keep everything within the proper capacity.

Prior to buying a pop-up camper, take into account the towing/hauling capability of your present vehicle:

It is true that pop-up campers are lightweight. However, it is still essential that the towing ability of your pop-up camper is confirmed. The towing ability of the vehicle includes the pop-up camper and what is in the vehicle.

In doing this, do not rely solely on the opinion of the sales representative or the vendor from whom you bought the popup camper, do a personal check on the vehicle towing assessment yourself.

This may be done by looking at the manual or calling the car dealer by using the vehicle identification number. In this internet age, finding the vehicle towing rating may be done by checking the internet for the same.  

It is vital that you check the vehicle towing rating to know its Cargo Carrying Capacity after discovering the hitch weight (ie as implied from the name, the weight on the hitch from the camper) as well as the unloaded vehicle weight.

It is not advisable to exceed 9-15% of the hitch weight, unloaded vehicle weight, and cargo in the popup camper.

To put this in perspective using quick calculations: If your vehicle has a towing capability of 3,500lbs and your popup camper has a weight of 2,482 lbs while your hitch weight is 250 lbs, what you have left for cargo is 768lbs.

Are trailer breaks crucial to have?

Remember that at the beginning, it was advised that a pop-up camper of up to 3,500 lbs should not be hauled up a vehicle.

In addition, it is advisable by expert travelers that where a pop-up camper of up to 3,000 lbs is used, it is necessary to install trailer brakes. This article has this advice, however: that trailer brakes should be used for a pop-up camper of up to 2,500 lbs for safety.

Therefore, if your pop-up camper does not have a trailer brake controller, it is easily solved as it can be installed. This is a simple matter and can be installed without difficulty by a person dealing in recreational vehicles or by a mechanic or by a facility. 

If you want to find out the weight of the basic features of a pop-up camper when you receive the same from the maker upon receipt of the shipment, you may do so by checking its Unloaded Vehicle Weight. What is included in the basic features of a pop-up camper?

Such features as air conditioner, awning, water heater, mattress pads, fans, lights, outside grill, propane tank, fire extinguisher, curtains, and shades among others.

If you may, you may include such things as a bicycle, rack, water hose, electric cord, chairs, cooler, outside folding table, extra shelving among others. Note, however, that these are not the basic features neither are they necessary but optional.

What are the advantages of owning a Pop-up Camper?

There are several advantages associated with purchasing a pop-up camper. Some of the advantages are:

• They are not as heavy as other RVs: As earlier stated, pop-up campers do not weigh a lot. This will not lead to the slowdown of a vehicle.
• They are much smaller: Pop-up campers are small and as such, space will be left in the vehicle for a person to sleep. Further, its size will be of help to persons that do not have recreational vehicles or Sport Utility Vehicles
• It is cost-effective: Pop-up campers are generally affordable. Another way pop-up campers encourage cost-effectiveness is that it can be hauled into ordinary vehicles thus obviating the need to acquire a bigger vehicle.
• It saves gas traveling distance: This flow from the fact that pop-up campers do not have much weight or size. A necessary consequence of this is that the gas mileage or the effect of the traveling distance on the amount of gas used by your vehicle will be reduced drastically.
• Affords you the opportunity and time to reconnoiter: Another plus in favor of a pop-up camper is that it can be left behind affording you the time and opportunity to explore and make new discoveries, return backing to your camping site, and not need to set up again. 
• Easier to pack as it is collapsible: A pop-up camper is easier to pack and is collapsible. This saves time and energy. Further, it will reduce the amount of gas used on the road.

Before you purchase a Pop-up camper:

Take note of the following important questions that you must consider before you purchase a pop-up camper:

• What is the weight of the pop-up camper in comparison to the hauling capacity of your vehicle?
• How much room will be left for sleeping space?
• Does it come with a kitchen build? What sort?
• Does it have a lavatory or shower?
• How long does it take for it to be assembled?
• Can it be taken with you to rough terrains?

Required Pop-up Camper Accessories 

In recent times, Pop-up campers are manufactured to include all the required accessories. However, you have to make sure that you have stabilizer jacks and leveling blocks in addition to your Pop-up campers.

• Stabilizer jacks: Why do you need this? First, you should understand that every pop-up camper has two stabilizers incorporated into it. But for small campers, which we had recommended in this article, it does not have front stabilizers. As a result, a jack stand is necessary to stabilize the interior of the camper.
• To use the stabilizer jack, it is important that initially, you tilt the pop-up camper from one side to the other. It is also important to remember that stabilizer jacks are not meant for leveling the Pop-up camper. ‘
• Leveling blocks: This is also known as wheel chocks. As the name implies, it is meant to ‘level’ the trailer speedily. Also, it is placed beside the wheel of the camper to prevent it from moving or rolling away.

How can you take care of your Pop-up camper?

• Keep the Pop-up canvas clean: The importance of this cannot be over-estimated. If the Pop-up canvas is not kept clean, it might lead to its damage. If it is not cleaned regularly, fungi such as mildew and mold may grow on it.
• Generally, a Pop-up canvas should be cleaned with the cleaning product endorsed by the manufacturer.
• If this cannot be done, a mild detergent or soap can be used. However, in cleaning the Pop-up canvas, it should be done gently so that it does not lose its impermeable quality.
• Where mildew or mold has started growing on the Pop-up canvas, a mildew remover can be used to stop its spread.
• Clean the interior:  This is equally important to avoid the growth of mildew and mold which has a tendency of thriving in the interior of a Pop-up camper because of the compression of air within the camper. This can also be avoided where there is proper air circulation. 
• As with the Pop-up canvas, the interior should be cleaned with the endorsed cleaning products or with a mild detergent or soap. In the event that mildew or mold had already started growing, mildew remover can be used to stop the spread.
• Ensure the Pop-up camper is dry: Mold and mildew flourishes in the wet or damp areas. This may be prevented by ensuring that the Pop-up camper is completely dry after cleaning or before stowing it away to be stored. Pop-up camper should be made completely dry irrespective of how long it may take for the camper to be completely dry.
• Vinyl cleaner for vinyl windows: Vinyl cleaners should be used for vinyl windows. As has been repeated, it is best that the vinyl cleaning products endorsed by the maker of the Pop-up camper should be used.
• This should be done to avoid the loss of the impermeability of the Pop-up camper.
• Prevention is better than cure: This timeless saying also applies to Pop-up camper. It is always better to prevent than to cure. It will cost you less to prevent a dripping camper than to seek to fix the source or cause of the drip.
• Stow and maintain your batteries properly: In doing this, ensure that your batteries are neither overcharged nor undercharged. Again, where the batteries have not been used in a while, its level begins to go down.
• The battery percentage may reduce by 5 or 8% monthly. Therefore, when you are going camping, make sure that your battery is fully charged. This should be done to avoid battery failure while camping.
• It should be noted that Pop-up campers work best with dry camping. Dry camping necessarily needs either a generator or a DC battery. For that reason, maintaining your battery is crucial.
• Prior to stowing, ensure that your tanks are drained: Cleaning the tank is a preventive measure to avoid the spoilage of your pop-up camper.
• Another preventive measure is ensuring that the tanks of the pop-up camper are drained- especially if you are not embarking on another camping expedition within a short period.
• As most pop-up campers come with a fresh and grey water tank, ensure that both of these are drained to inhibit the development of bacteria or algae.
• Examine the tires: The essence of this is to ensure that these tires are not deflated, although the Pop-up camper tires are not big. As such, before embarking on any camping expedition, examine the tire to ensure they are inflated. This may be done using a tire pressure regulator.

Conclusion

The popup campers listed above are extremely lightweight weighing less than 2,000 lbs.

Some might believe that this low weight hampers their abilities to offer full amenities or that there have to be massive tradeoffs, the truth is, it is possible to take a lightweight popup camper on a camping trip and still have everything you need to make the camping trip fun.

There’s a whole world out there waiting for you. Forests teeming with life, serene lakes mirroring the sky, towering mountains challenging the clouds, endless roads just begging to be traversed. And your faithful companions on this incredible journey? The Rockwood Freedom 1640 LTD, Sylvan Sport GO, Aliner Scout, Coachmen Clipper, Forest River Flagstaff 206, Coachmen Clipper Express 9.0TD, and the TAXA Outdoors Cricket.

These aren’t just campers—they’re your mobile homes-away-from-home. Each one is equipped with comforts and conveniences that make your outdoor explorations memorable, from cozy beds and handy kitchenettes to compact designs that make towing a breeze.

Whether you’re a solo traveler chasing solitude or an adventure-seeking family making lifelong memories, there’s a camper tailored to your needs. And regardless of your destination, these faithful companions promise to keep you cozy and comfortable.

Think of the sights you’ll see, the experiences you’ll enjoy, and the stories you’ll be able to tell. Imagine sipping coffee as dawn breaks over a majestic mountain range, or watching shooting stars streak across the sky from your cozy bed. That’s the magic these campers bring to your adventures.

So, are you ready to answer the call of the wild? The road is open, the horizon is endless, and the possibilities are infinite. Pack your bags, hitch your camper, and let the spirit of adventure lead the way. Because life’s greatest adventures aren’t found in our comfort zones—they’re out there in the wild, and they’re waiting for you. Let’s go!

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