Small Fifth Wheel Campers We Love

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!

The best 5th wheel RV brands are often known for spacious, residential interiors and luxury amenities suited for full-time RV living. However, they’re generally heavier than travel trailers, requiring a big truck with higher towing and payload capacities. If you’re in the market for a small fifth wheel camper that doesn’t require a heavy-duty truck, you’re in luck. Here’s a collection of small fifth wheel campers we love!

Who Might Like a Small Fifth Wheel?

Truck towing small fifth wheel
Photo by Camping World

Many travel trailer owners often transition to a fifth wheel. These campers are easier to tow and generally provide more interior space and residential features. There’s a small learning curve when transitioning from towing a travel trailer to towing a fifth wheel, but we’re sure you’ll love the better overall RV camping experience.

To select a fifth wheel that your vehicle can safely tow, you must know its towing capacity and be familiar with RV weight ratings. Here are a few trucks that may be able to tow the following small fifth wheel campers:

  • Ford F-150 and F-150 Lightning
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  • GMC Sierra 1500
  • RAM 1500
  • Toyota Tundra
  • Rivian R1T
  • Nissan Titan

Technician Tip: Tow packages vary. Always check your vehicle’s weight ratings or consult an RV sales expert to ensure you can safely tow your desired RV.

The Best Small Fifth Wheel Campers

In the world of fifth wheels, it’s common to find models over 40 feet and far less common to find them under 30 feet. To narrow the field, we’ve selected small fifth wheels under 33 feet and weighing less than 9,600 pounds dry. With that selection criteria in mind, here are some of our favorite small fifth wheel campers:

Keystone Cougar Sport 2100RK

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Specs

  • Length: 26’3”
  • Dry Weight: 6,720 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,175 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6 

The Cougar Sport 2100RK features a spacious living area. I love how the kitchen stretches along the entire rear wall, providing plenty of meal prep space. It’s easy to turn around and serve dinner at the booth dinette or hand someone a cup of coffee on a reclining chair. This layout flows so well!

The front bedroom has excellent storage in a camper this small. There are nightstands, overhead cabinets, and a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe closet. Whether you’re camping for a weekend or planning a cross-country road trip, you’ll have great storage for clothes and gear.

Heartland Eddie Bauer Signature 2500RK

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Specs

  • Length: 28’9”
  • Dry Weight: 8,725 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,877 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

You’ll love the L-shaped kitchen in the Eddie Bauer Signature 2500RK. This small fifth wheel feels much larger because of the layout. With ample countertops, you can store a coffee maker, Instant Pot, or any other RV kitchen appliance without feeling like you’re taking up meal prep space.

The kitchen flows nicely into the living area, with a booth dinette and theater seating. I love the additional hutch in the living space, which provides a place for a coffee bar and extra storage for kitchen utensils and camping gear.

In the front bedroom, you’ll find a queen bed with standard storage options. But you’ll also find a closet with washer and dryer hookups and a second slide-out with a dresser. I love the extra storage in this bedroom!

Cruiser RV Essence 25RK 

Cruiser RV Essence 25RK fifth wheel
Photo by Cruiser RV

Specs

  • Length: 28’9”
  • Dry Weight: 7,808 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,372 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

This small fifth wheel resembles the Eddie Bauer 2500RK with a roomy rear living space and an L-shaped kitchen. It also features a hutch, booth dinette, and theater seating. However, the Essence 25RK has an extra pantry for food storage. This camper is also lighter than the Eddie Bauer 2500RK, providing a similar floor plan for owners of vehicles that may only be able to tow 9,000-10,000 pounds.

The front bedroom doesn’t have the extra slide-out with a dresser, which is one reason it’s a lighter fifth wheel camper. But there is a closet with washer and dryer hookups. The Essence 25RK also features an outside refrigerator, providing easy access to grab a beverage while enjoying a campfire.

Keystone Cougar Sport 2700BH

CougarSport2700BH_SMJ02096
Photo by Camping World

Specs

  • Length: 32’3”
  • Dry Weight: 7,655 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,395 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 10 

For larger families, the Cougar Sport 2700BH sleeps up to four more people than the Cougar Sport 2100RK while still coming in with a dry weight under 8,000 pounds. This bunkhouse fifth wheel floor plan situates the bunks along the rear wall, shifting the kitchen to the center while retaining the spacious primary suite at the front. 

How does it sleep up to 10? Well, you won’t find many other small fifth wheel campers that boast triple bunks – and each is a double bed that can sleep two or give a single sleeper extra space to spread out. The sofa also converts into a comfortable sleeping space.

The 12-volt refrigerator uses less power, allowing you to dry camp longer if you enjoy getting away from crowded campgrounds. You’ll also love the ample counterspace that stretches along the campside, where parents can easily keep watch of their kids playing outside.

Jayco Eagle HT 28CRT

Jayco Eagle HT 28CRT fifth wheel
Photo by Jayco

Specs

  • Length: 32’11”
  • Dry Weight: 9,515 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,960 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

The Eagle HT 28CRT is the largest small fifth wheel camper on our list. With added length and opposing slides, this 5th wheel features a huge rear living area. You have a tri-fold sofa, theater seating, and a large entertainment center with an electric fireplace.

I also love that this is one of the few Jayco 5th wheel floor plans with the dinette that includes two freestanding chairs on one side and a bench on the other. The kitchen boasts an island with a double sink, standard appliances, and ample storage options with overhead cabinets, drawers, and a pantry closet. The front bedroom has excellent storage as well, with a third slide-out with a linen closet, wardrobe, and dresser.

While this small 5th wheel offers the most space at 32’11”, it’s also the heaviest because of its three slides. You’ll likely need a heavy-duty truck with increased towing capacity or an excellent tow package to safely pull the Jayco Eagle HT 28CRT.

Keystone Cougar 23MLE

Keystone Cougar 23MLE fifth wheel
Photo by Camping World

Specs

  • Length: 27’11”
  • Dry Weight: 7,778 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,200 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6  

The Keystone Cougar 23MLE is similar to the Eddie Bauer 2500RK with an L-shaped kitchen, booth dinette, and storage hutch. But this small fifth wheel camper replaced the theater seating with a tri-fold sleeper sofa, increasing its sleeping capacity to six. There’s also an additional pantry closet next to the hutch for extra storage.

Another significant difference between these two floor plans is that the Cougar 23MLE moves the washer and dryer closet from the bedroom into the bathroom for a linen closet. However, this 5th wheel still has a second slide-out with a wardrobe in the front bedroom.

East to West Tandara 22RK

East to West Tandara 22RK fifth wheel
Photo by East to West

Specs

  • Length: 27’3”
  • Dry Weight: 7,724 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,170 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

If you want a king bed, the Tandara 22RK offers that luxury in a small fifth wheel. The front bedroom has standard storage options, such as under-bed storage, overhead cabinets, and an additional wardrobe closet. 

This Tandara fifth wheel camper resembles the Keystone Cougar Sport 2100RK because the kitchen counter stretches the entire rear wall. There’s a great flow between the kitchen, dining, and living area, with a booth dinette and theater seating.

Forest River Arctic Wolf 27SGS

Photo by Forest River

Specs

  • Length: 29’11”
  • Dry Weight: 7,893 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,525 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

The kitchen peninsula is perhaps the most unique feature of the Forest River Arctic Wolf 27SGS. This design separates the kitchen from the rest of the living area, where you’ll find a tri-fold sofa, two recliners, and a dinette. The recliners sit along the rear wall in front of a huge window, an excellent spot for morning coffee. And I love the bench seating with two freestanding chairs at the dinette for more storage options.

The rear opposing slides make this space feel roomy and more like a small apartment, even though the Arctic Wolf27SGS is under 30 feet long. The corner entertainment center boasts an electric fireplace, which also adds to the overall feeling of “home” in this camper.

Keystone Cougar Sport 2400RE

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Specs

  • Length: 29’4”
  • Dry Weight: 7,635 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,335 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6

The Cougar Sport 2400RE is another unique small 5th wheel floor plan. The kitchen is near the entry door. It’s an L-shaped countertop that provides good meal prep space while also dividing the front living area from the rest of the camper.

In the living area, the corner entertainment center opens to reveal a hidden storage closet. I also love the flip-top table positioned against the rear wall, which allows for even more countertop space. A 12-volt refrigerator, theater seating, and a booth dinette round out the features in the Cougar Sport 2400RE‘s main living area.

Cruiser RV Essence 28DB

Cruiser RV Essence 28DB fifth wheel
Photo by Cruiser RV

Specs

  • Length: 32’9”
  • Dry Weight: 8,746 pounds
  • Hitch Weight: 1,571 pounds
  • Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6

The second small fifth wheel with bunk beds on our list is the Cruiser RV Essence 28DB. These double-over-double bunks provide plenty of space for one child each, but also adequate space for two if you bring friends along or have a larger family.

With a large family, you’ll need a large refrigerator and spacious living area, and the Essence 28DB delivers. The 16-cubic-foot, 12V refrigerator provides plenty of room to store food for a weekend camping trip or longer family vacation.

And with the L-shaped design of the kitchen along the interior wall of the bunk room and the campside exterior wall, there’s no peninsula or island sticking out in the walkway. There’s ample room for the kids to play on the floor or your pet to lounge around.

The bathroom and bedroom are pretty standard for small 5th wheels, but there are washer and dryer hookups in the extra closet. You can also access an outside kitchen to easily grab your s’mores essentials or favorite adult beverage.

What Is Smaller Than a Fifth Wheel?

Fifth wheels, toy haulers, and Class A motorhomes tend to be the largest types of RVs. Finding a fifth wheel under 30 feet is challenging. However, finding a small travel trailer, Class B van, or Class C motorhome isn’t as difficult.

Travel trailers can be as small as a teardrop camper or over 35 feet long. However, many small travel trailer options give you all the essentials while staying under 20 feet long.

Class B vans are the smallest motorhomes and generally stay around 18-20 feet long. While you can find models with bathrooms, most manufacturers use the interior space for cooking and sleeping. Even at 20 feet long, you’ll still find some Class Bs that can sleep four people.

Finally, Class C motorhomes are between Class Bs and Class As. Like travel trailers, these RVs have a wide variety of sizes. But there are many RV floor plans under 30 feet long. Plus, the cabover bed provides a second comfortable sleeping space without having to convert a dinette or use a sofa.


Before you purchase a fifth wheel, read up on hitch and tow basics to ensure you have the right towing equipment. Look out for this common 5th wheel hitch mistake that can seriously damage your tow vehicle. Here are some additional fifth wheel buying guides:

And if you like the idea of a more low-profile camper but don’t want a fifth wheel, check out our list of the best small RVs.

What are the top features or amenities you look for in a small fifth wheel? Tell us 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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