The Best Half-Ton Towable 5th Wheel Campers

Contributor

Stephanie Hatley

Favorite Trip

Staying at Watchman Campground inside Zion National Park was one of the best experiences of my life! We also love Acadia, and my kids are begging us to return to White Sands.

Home Base

North Carolina

Favorite RV

Our family travels in a 2022 Grand Design Reflection 28BH, but we hope to one day own an Airstream!

About Contributor

Originally from NC, our family has traveled America since September 2021 in our fifth wheel, visiting 29 states and over 50 national park units. We love the roadschooling adventure, learning more about ourselves, our country, and other cultures. Our favorite memories are at Zion and Acadia, where the sweeping beauty has captured our hearts!

Are you looking for a camper you can tow with a light-duty truck? We have some good news if you think you’re limited to just travel trailers! Over the last several years, RV manufacturers have realized the need for lighter, smaller fifth wheels. Today, we list the best half-ton towable 5th wheel RVs with residential amenities and floor plans to help you find your dream home on wheels.

Key Takeaways

  • Half-ton towable fifth wheels are designed for towing with trucks like the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500, offering residential amenities without requiring a heavy-duty upgrade.
  • The article features top brands and highlights floor plans under 12,000 lbs GVWR and 2,000 lbs pin weight, which are ideal for families, couples, and solo travelers.
  • With configurations ranging from bunkhouses to rear kitchens and opposing slide-outs, these fifth wheels deliver comfort and spacious living without exceeding most half-ton truck payload and towing limits.

What Is a Half-Ton Towable 5th Wheel?

Family outside half ton towable 5th wheel camper
Image by Camping World

Let’s briefly discuss payload capacities and what “half-ton towable” means. It’s critical to understand the best vehicles for towing, as you may or may not get by with the truck you have.

Trucks have always been classified by their payload capacities—how much they’re rated to haul (not tow). Traditionally, half-ton trucks safely carried 1,000 pounds (i.e., half a ton). However, modern trucks still categorized as “half-tons” can haul much more than that, with payload capacities on popular models like the F-150 and Silverado 1500 exceeding 2,300 pounds (depending on trim). 

The key takeaway is finding a fifth wheel with a pin weight and GVWR well below your truck’s maximum payload and towing capacities. 

This article highlights 5th wheel brands with floor plans with GVWRs under 12,000 pounds and pin weights under 2,000 pounds. This keeps them under the standard towing and payload capacities for the current model year of popular half-ton trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and others.

Best Half-Ton Towable 5th Wheel Brands

These are the best half-ton towable 5th wheel brands, and they provide spacious rear kitchens, bunkhouses, opposing living room slide-outs, ample storage, and more. Let’s dive in!

Keystone Cougar Half-Ton Towable 5th Wheels

Cougar 23MLE-half-ton-towable-5th-wheel
Image by Camping World

Specs

  • Length: 27’11” – 35’8″
  • Dry Weight: 7,570 – 9,428 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,545 – 2,655 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 4 – 10

Keystone has an entire line of half-ton towable fifth wheels, offering various floor plans for all travelers. Whether you’re a solo camper who only needs the essentials or a family of six who needs more sleeping space, the Keystone Cougar Half-Ton line has something for everyone.

The smallest camper, the 23MLE, features a rear L-shaped kitchen,  a single slide-out, and a spacious living area for one or two people. The largest camper, the 32BHS, features a private rear bunkhouse and three slide-outs to ensure adequate space for a large family.

I also love the opposing slides in the 26RKE, 27SGS, and 29RLI because they open up the living area for entertaining or lounging. Entertainers will love the huge L-shaped sectional and bar stool seating of the 26RES. It’s perfect for hosting guests and feels more like a small apartment than an RV.

Jayco Eagle HT

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Specs (for the select models)

  • Length: 29’4” – 34’8”
  • Dry Weight: 8,000 – 9,565 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,575 – 1,935 pounds 
  • Sleeping Capacity: 4 – 10

The Jayco Eagle HT line also offers several half-ton towable floor plans, although not every model in this lineup remains under the weight threshold. The 29DDB is the longest model with a GVWR under 12,000 pounds and features a rear bunkhouse with double-over-double bunk beds. There’s also a spacious U-shaped dinette to comfortably seat a family. The 26REC is the shortest half-ton towable fifth wheel in the Eagle HT line. Still, it has excellent standard amenities like theater seating, a dinette, an L-shaped kitchen, an entertainment center, and abundant storage.

RVers with pets will love the interior space of the 25RUC and 27MLC, which feature floor plans without a kitchen island or a countertop sticking out into the living area. For people who want room for their dogs, these layouts are ideal. In addition, the 27MLC has a huge L-shaped kitchen that wraps along the entire rear wall around to the entry door on the camp side.

RVers who prefer a more residential feel will appreciate the 28CRT, 29RLC, and 30CRT’s kitchen island and multiple seating area floor plans. These half-ton towable fifth wheels also have plenty of storage space.

Forest River Arctic Wolf

27SGS Images by Camping World

Specs (for the select models)

  • Length: 29’11” – 38’3” 
  • Dry Weight: 7,893 – 9,914 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,931 – 2,372 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 4 – 10

The Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf fifth wheel line includes five half-ton towable campers. Floor plans vary, with options that feature a kitchen peninsula, an optional rear second bedroom with a queen bed, a bunkhouse (or two!), and more. The 27SGS is the shortest and lightest option at just under 30 feet. Thanks to opposing slide-outs, it offers a spacious rear living area despite its shorter length.

The largest and heaviest model, the 331BH, is one of the two bunkhouse floor plans that features an additional rear half bath, a loft, an outdoor kitchen, a kitchen island, a hutch, and a huge pantry. It’s an excellent 5th wheel for families, offering private sleeping spaces, a comfortable kitchen, and plenty of storage.

The 285OPT half-ton towable 5th wheel is one of the more unique floor plans. The rear bunkhouse has three bunks and a small dinette to convert into a fourth sleeping area. But Forest River has created an optional floor plan that transforms this rear space into a second bedroom with a queen bed, overhead storage, and a wardrobe. This layout is fantastic if you have older children or enjoy traveling with another couple!

East to West Tandara

22RK Images by Camping World

Specs (for the select half-ton towable 5th wheel models)

  • Length: 27’3” – 33’2” 
  • Dry Weight: 7,724 – 9,639 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 2,081 – 3,616 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 5 – 9

East to West’s Tandara lineup offers five half-ton towable 5th wheel floor plans, ranging from the simple 22RK to the spacious 28RL. The 22RK features a rear wall kitchen, a booth dinette, and a sofa in the living area while remaining under 28 feet. It offers a whopping 3,616 pounds of cargo carrying capacity and plenty of storage capability for extended trips. 

The 27BH-OK is the only family-friendly floor plan with double-over-double bunks in the rear bunkhouse. The kitchen and living spaces are also good-sized for a family to enjoy meals or a movie night.

The 28RL and 28RL-OK floor plans are the most spacious. They include opposing slides in the rear living area, a kitchen island, theater seating, a sofa bed along the rear wall, a freestanding dinette, a double-door pantry, and an entertainment center with an electric fireplace. I love the storage capacity of these two half-ton towable RVs as well.

Grand Design Reflection 100 Series

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Specs

  • Length: 26’11 – 32’3”
  • Dry Weight: 7,000 – 8,400 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,995 – 2,995 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 3 – 10

The Grand Design Reflection 100 Series features four half-ton towable 5th wheels. In fact, the 24RL has a pin weight of under 1,000 pounds, easily staying within the parameters of a light-duty truck’s payload capacity. This camper features a spacious L-shaped kitchen, theater seating, and a booth dinette—all of the basics for a comfortable weekend camping trip.

The 22RK is the smallest model, and the floor plan also has a limited living area that includes a booth dinette, rear kitchen, and theater seating in a small space of under 27 feet. On the other end is the 27BH—the largest of the 100 Series—with its rear bunkhouse, L-shaped kitchen, U-shaped dinette, and tri-fold sofa.

Finally, the 28RL feels like a small apartment with a kitchen island, opposing slides, and a hutch with a coffee bar. It’s also the only fifth wheel in this line with two slide-outs.

Jayco Eagle SLE Half-Ton Towable 5th Wheels

28BHU Images by Camping World

Specs

  • Length: 29’3″ – 34’8″
  • Dry Weight: 7,690 – 8,420 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,575 – 1,610 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 4 – 8

The Eagle SLE is another Jayco line with the best half-ton towable fifth wheels, although it only has two floor plans. The 28BHU is under 35 feet and has double-over-double bunks in the rear bunkhouse, an L-shaped kitchen, a U-shaped dinette, and a tri-fold sofa. This is another lightweight fifth wheel camper for a family that needs ample storage and interior space.

The smaller 24MLE also features a spacious interior, thanks to the rear L-shaped kitchen. It also has a booth dinette, a hutch, a large pantry, and a tri-fold sofa for additional sleeping space. This camper also has a second slide-out in the front bedroom, creating a more comfortable space and increasing the storage of the wardrobe.

Keystone Cougar Sport

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Specs

  • Length: 25’11” – 31’11”
  • Dry Weight: 6,885 – 7,646 pounds
  • Cargo Capacity: 1,615 – 2,026 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: 6 – 10

Finally, the Cougar Sport is the second Keystone line to make our list of the best half-ton towable 5th wheels. This is also a smaller line with only three floor plans, but each is very different. The 2100RK features a kitchen along the rear wall, a booth dinette, and a sofa. At just under 26 feet long, this small 5th wheel may feel cramped due to the layout and smaller length. However, it could be an excellent option for a solo traveler or couple who wants to take a handful of camping trips during the year.

The 2400RE is three feet longer and features an L-shaped kitchen, a corner entertainment center with hidden storage, and a booth dinette and sofa in a slide-out. I also love the coat bench at the entryway—an excellent storage option for jackets and shoes.

Finally, the 2700BH is the Cougar Sport’s bunkhouse model, similarly laid out as many others in this list. It has triple bunks, an L-shaped kitchen, a tri-fold sofa, and a U-shaped dinette. This floor plan will likely feel the most spacious because of the kitchen/living area design.

Half Ton Towable Fifth Wheel Comparisons

These lineups also boast top-selling half-ton towable 5th wheels:

Which Half-Ton Truck Can Tow the Most?

The 2025 Ford F-150 leads the competition in towing capacity. With the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and max trailer towing package, this light-duty truck can tow up to 14,000 pounds. The regular cab, 2WD, 5.0L V8 engine models have the highest payload capacity of up to 3,325 pounds. With these numbers, certain Ford F-150 trucks can tow 5th wheels even heavier than the ones on this list.

Is There a Minimum Truck Bed Length for 5th Wheel Towing?

While there isn’t a minimum truck bed length for towing fifth wheels, there are certain factors to consider when choosing bed size. If you select a short-bed truck, you’ll likely need a sliding hitch to prevent damage when turning. You must look at long-bed options if you prefer a fixed hitch.


If you own a mid-sized truck and think travel trailers are your only option, we hope this list of the best half-ton towable 5th wheels has broadened your search. While travel trailers make great campers for many travelers, they aren’t the perfect fit for everyone. So check out these fifth wheels without upgrading your tow vehicle.

If you’re looking for more towable options, browse these articles!

Do you own a half-ton towable 5th wheel? We’d love to know in the comments below!

Author

  • Stephanie Hatley Headshot

    Originally from NC, our family has traveled America since September 2021 in our fifth wheel, visiting 29 states and over 50 national park units. We love the roadschooling adventure, learning more about ourselves, our country, and other cultures. Our favorite memories are at Zion and Acadia, where the sweeping beauty has captured our hearts!

    View all posts

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