12 small high-quality RV trailers for 2027
The best 12 high-quality small trailer brands for 2027
What are the best brands of small travel trailers? Who makes the highest-quality trailers in a smaller and more easily towable size? Today we have our StressLess dozen favorite high-quality compact trailers for 2027.
Our article on the ten best small high-quality travel trailers has been one of the most popular articles here so I thought I would update it for the 2027 model year. Interestingly some of the brands that I had before have since disappeared, some have changed and some have gotten better. Here are the latest brands I would feel most comfortable with.
Now, rather than focusing on specific models I’m looking at brands that really do a great job in building smaller trailers that are higher quality. Many of these brands build trailers of varying sizes and floor plans so you can use this as a guide when you’re shopping.
Speaking of shopping, before you buy any new RV take a look at our RV shopping resource - I use my years at an RV dealership plus time spent in the RV industry to help you shop smarter and save money.
One thing to note - the difference between a high-quality trailer and one that will not be StressLess Camping is significant. You can buy an RV that will routinely cause you headaches and require service at seemingly every turn but you can also get models that are high quality. What you pay for an RV absolutely and directly relates to what you’re going to get out of it quality-wise.
I put the list in alphabetical order and we have links to reviews we’ve done for each of these brands.
We also turned this into a podcast episode about the 12 best small high-quality travel trailers for 2027 here.
Airstream Base Camp
Not surprisingly the Base Camp line is Airstream’s most popular series of trailers. While their larger, and very iconic trailers are what you might think of first with the name Airstream, the Base Camp is shaped differently but built fairly similarly to the aluminum Twinkie shape that Airstream is known for.
What I like about these is the flexible space and the rear hatch that allows you to load cargo like bicycles and such into the trailer.
Airstream has also reintroduced the Caravel model which is a name they have had in the past. This is a very compact and somewhat less expensive but traditional Airstream trailer. I haven’t seen this one yet so I am reserving judgement.
You can read our full review of the Airstream Base Camp here.
Aliner
After 40 years in business Aliner has remained independent and is best known for their pop-up campers. While there used to be lots of choices of pop-up campers, that has now dwindled to two major players.
If you balk at the idea of a pop-up camper hold on - they’re much simpler to set up than they were in the past and there are a lot of advantages to them including the fact that they’re very easy towing and garageable, too. This can expand the choice of vehicles you can use to tow them with but also make them a good choice for those that live in places where RV parking is restricted.
You can get smaller models but there are also variants that pop open to offer sleeping for the whole family and even toilets and showers.
Pop-up campers aren’t for everybody, of course, but I think there are a lot of reasons why these should be on your radar if you’re looking for a small high-quality trailer.
Casita/Escape
These two companies almost shouldn’t be lumped into one section, but here we are. The reason I chose to do this is that these are both smaller fiberglass trailers, although Escape is branching into larger models of late.
The advantage of this type of build is that it’s more like a boat. The top and bottom are each formed separately and then brought together to form a single solid shell. Because the entire top of these is a single piece of fiberglass there is much less of a chance of water intrusion, which is the bane of all RVs.
Often times you will see old Casitas in various market places that look as good as the newer ones primarily because these simply tend not to be as affected by the elements.
On the side of Escape one of the things I really like about this company is how detailed you can get with customizations. The company is quite proud of how many things you can tailor in your build.
Ember RV
Ember is a company founded by the granddaughter of the founder of Jayco, Ashley Bontrager, as well as several other RV industry veterans. In the years since that company has been founded they have helped establish a number of new technologies and systems that have spread to the industry including auxiliary safety turn signal lighting, suspension systems and much more.
They are also the only company I know of that has an actual campground on their property and encourage all the team members to try out the product.
Ember is also unusual in that many of their RVs are actually certified for cold and hot weather camping in a climate chamber, not something many RV companies actually do.
We got to interview Ashley Bontrager-Lehman and Christopher Barth in this podcast episode.
Ember offers three series of travel trailers; E-Series, Touring Edition and Overland Series. Each is tailored to different styles of camping although the Touring Edition, to me, is the most universal with the best balance of features and price.
But something unique to Ember in all three series is their EmberTrack system. This is a flexible space that can serve so many purposes including a cargo bay, office, bunk space, bike holder and so much more. I’ve even seen Ashley hang a hammock in there.
inTech
inTech is a company that just builds things differently than most. The small, independent RV builder in Nappanee, Indiana makes a lot of commercial trailers but also builds travel trailers and they’re exceptional.
All of inTech’s products start with an aluminum frame and cage structure that the company builds themselves which is then wrapped in a fiberglass outer skin. These are very impervious to water damage and their unusual styling makes them stand out.
Welding the frame and cage together makes for a very strong structure and the whole thing rides on a torsion axle which helps reduce bumps and shaking from even getting into the trailer in the first place and makes towing nicer to boot.
I would feel comfortable with any of inTech’s products but, for this story, I’ve focused on the Sol Dusk. This is a smaller trailer but with two twin beds and the provision to combine them and make them a single very large king-sized bed. There’s also a new outside kitchen option for 2027 as well as several quality improvements to interior cabinetry and such.
You can read my world premier of the inTech Sol Dusk travel trailer
Lance
Lance has long earned a solid reputation for building high-quality products and, with new private ownership, that quality should remain and likely will improve. The company has a number of state-of-the-art processes in how they build RVs including their intentional wiring systems which helps reduce the likelihood of a repair and would make that repair simpler if it’s needed.
There are a number of smaller models but my favorite Lance is the Lance 2075. This is a no-slide model with an optional rear outside kitchen. I really like the layout and the materials used in these. This isn’t a truly small trailer, and Lance does make smaller trailers, but it’s one I have liked for a very long time.
Another feather in the Lance cap is their ability to weather colder camping. Lance does a good job on being winter-ready.
nuCamp
NuCamp is one of those boutique trailer builders that do a really good job of building a high-quality trailer. Traditionally the company built trailers that looked like teardrops, and still do, but they’ve also introduced a new larger trailer, the nuCamp Haven. The Haven series is larger than what nuCamp traditionally does and features a dry bath, a feature that hasn’t been part of many nuCamp builds.
These use higher-quality climate control systems from Alde which is a quiet, efficient system that both heats water and operates as a cabin heater.
We’re still waiting to get our hands on a Haven to share with you but we have had a chance to look at several other nuCamp trailers including this review of the nuCamp T@B 400 Boondocking Edition and the nuCamp Barefoot travel trailer.
Rockwood Geo Pro/Flagstaff ePro
When Rockwood and Flagstaff first made a smaller trailer with the same build quality feature of their larger models the industry stepped back and gave them some side-eye. But, it turns out, lots and lots of people like the quality but don’t necessarily want the size of a larger trailer.
So the Rockwood Geo Pro and Flagstaff ePro (we have an article about why RV companies make twins) offer a very high quality build in a more compact package.
The company uses things like the Dexter torsion axle, which provides a smoother ride and transmits less noise and vibration to the trailer itself. Dinette bases, bed bases and other structures inside are made of welded aluminum rather than wood which makes them lighter and stronger. The roof builds are laminated using aluminum framing and an Alpha Ply roofing system - the best in the industry.
There are a lot of build quality features that will help these RVs last longer which is how they made this list.
We also have shared a tour of the Rockwood GeoPro/Flagstaff ePro factory.
We also got to speak with several decision makers at Rockwood/Flagstaff to learn how they work to make these RVs better in this podcast episode.
Safari Condo
This Canadian company builds RVs very differently starting at the road with the torsion axle suspension that helps minimize bumps and jolts coming into the camper which can shorten its life. This company makes several trailers, none of which have traditional slide rooms, and all of which are remarkably light for their size.
The secret is that the roof and walls are made of a sandwich-type material with a plastic honeycomb core laminated with aluminum skin on one side and Alufiber or aluminum on the other. Alufiber combines the lightweight of aluminum with the durability of fiberglass. The only materials used in building the Alto are those on which water has little effect such as aluminum, Alufiber, plastic, Formica and glass. Inside, the furniture consists largely of aluminum and composite materials. Rigid and ultra-light sandwich panels are integrated into the bed cushions, while the entire bed structure is made of aluminum extrusions.
Water is heated by a Truma Combi system that also serves to heat the cabin of the trailer by circulating glycol in tubes. This provides a wonderfully even radiant heat but doesn’t heat up the interior as quickly as a fan-forced furnace might.
We have a full review of the Safari Condo Alto F2414 as well as the very aerodynamically-shaped Safari Condo Alto A2124.
SylvanSport GO
In some ways the SylvanSport GO is not quite the definition of an RV but is rather a really unusual tent trailer. But it’s still something that more people should know about. This little trailer can be a tent trailer but also a gear hauler during the week and it stores in a garage.
There’s a lot to like about this small trailer that may be a really great fit for some campers - we have a full review of the SylvanSport GO trailer here.
Interestingly since this trailer essentially has no built-in infrastructure it can be reconfigured based on the trip and getting it ready for winter is about as easy as possible.
Taxa
What happens when a genuine NASA employee decides to build RVs? Well that’s exactly the story behind Taxa with founder Garrett Finney, whom we interviewed in this podcast episode, decided to build things his way.
While Finney isn’t there his fingerprints are with Taxa products being truly unusual in so many ways as you’d imagine from a company on the space coast. These unusual and high-quality trailers come in a variety of sizes and feature spaces that often have multiple configurations.
For example, we reviewed the Taxa Mantis and found things like steps that can also hold water cans, a hinged hiding shower base, hooks and mounts that can hold your utensils but also a hammock.
The trailers built by Taxa aren’t for everybody but they’re absolutely worth knowing about for the way they’re put together and the unusual way they’re designed.
Our review of the Taxa Mantis 5.2
Final thoughts on small high-quality travel trailers
As you can see we did think a bit outside the box on this list with everything from traditional trailers to multi-use models. Is there something you’d add to this list? You can always share your comments below!
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