This year saw the introduction of some of the most compact, lightweight camping trailers we've seen in our decades of covering new RV launches – a veritable forest of vehicle-based fast and light backpacking options. In fact, we set out to put together a list of the smallest, most innovative RVs in general, both motorized and towable, and quickly found it filled with smart, tiny trailers. The majority of these trailers weigh under 1,000 lb (454 kg), good for towing with small crossovers and cars as well as electric vehicles, and the smallest of the bunch weigh in around 500 lb (227 kg), light enough for some motorcycles and three-wheelers.
Some of them are rugged off-roaders suited up for shadowing the burliest Land Cruisers or Rovers into the depths of the wild, while others are simpler road tourers built to support the great American (or European, Australian, Asian, African ...) road trip. At least one includes an RV box that cleverly decouples from its frame to work as both camper and utility trailer. These are our favorite teardrops, tiny trailers and micro-caravans of the year.
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![The Kleox weighs 463 pounds and has a gross vehicle weight rating of 1,650 pounds]()
February 23, 2022Teardrop trailers are among the simplest RVs, but for some they're not quite simple enough. Kleox fits that category, and it's solved the issue by stripping its Shelter teardrop down to the simplest form, a sort of ultralight hard-wall tent on wheels. -
![Similar but different: The new P19 Shorty gets its own smoothed out shape]()
December 06, 2022Polydrops made an immediate name for itself by reimagining the teardrop trailer as a polyhedron. Now, in an effort to offer a lighter, more aerodynamic drop-sized camper for EVs, it's deleted some of the "poly" to create the sleek, 640-lb P19 Shorty. -
![Making base camp with the Beaver Built Wapos trailer]()
June 08, 2022Beaver Built has crafted a tiny, rugged box trailer that builds into a full micro-camper via bolt-on accessories. The trailer can simply battle scree and dust on its way to delivering adventure goods or it can serve as a complete base camp. -
![The two-sleeper Mohican is among the simpler small camping trailers out there]()
May 10, 2022Hotomobil has a deep lineup of bold campers, both motorized and towable. One that leaps off the pages of its photo gallery is the Mohican small trailer, a mini-camper with boxy shape, bright dual-tone paint and a space-optimizing slide-out kitchen. -
![It's not clear if the Jeep Edition Addax trailer will have available rooftop tent options, but it's shown here with an OVS Bushveld fold-out hardshell]()
November 07, 2022The all-new Addax Overland trailer is a military-grade off-road hauler and micro-camper. It looks intriguing for any serious overlander or backcountry camping enthusiast ... so much so that it debuts as an officially branded Jeep trailer. -
![The Camp Cube separates two perform the functions of two trailers in one package]()
August 08, 2022The new Camp Cube brings serious dual-function practicality. The tiny trailer functions more like a pickup camper, working as a complete camper with hard-floor bathroom and kitchen on weekends, and a cargo trailer during the week. -
![This little camper duo might look tiny, but with a Skycamp 3.0 on the trailer and a Skycamp 3.0 Mini on the Hyundai Venue, it sleeps up to six people up high]()
May 09, 2022The Adventurer from Road Warrior Campers debuts as one of the tiniest cargo/camper trailers on the road. Well under 10 feet long and just over 500 lb on the scales, the trailer comes ready to be towed by a larger motorcycle, trike or small car. -
![Carbon Lite explores an ultralight carbon fiber teardrop with its Rift lineup]()
September 21, 2022Carbon Lite Trailers uses carbon fiber construction to create a simple utility/camping teardrop so lightweight it can be pulled by a motorcycle as well as an EV. Called the Rift, the trailer easily shifts between cargo hauling and camping. -
![Forma trailer making home out of the wild]()
September 19, 2022Forma Campers has rolled out what we can only call an origami-drop, a uniquely creased small trailer set up like a teardrop. Its spacious interior and large gullwing door create a base camp that's ideal for dining, working remotely and enjoying a view. -
![Oiled red cedar and a colorful aluminum skin lend to the Skyview trailer's distinctive looks]()
October 26, 2022Snowboard manufacturer Never Summer has introduced the stylish little Skyview camping trailer, a teardrop that doesn't quite drop or tear. The distinctively rustic midcentury modern camper works as either a summer or midwinter mobile retreat.
