A Pop-up-Trailer or Pop-up-Camper is a very small and compact form of recreational vehicle. In the folded or collapsed position it is easily tow-able by many small cars and pick ups. When at the campsite, the opens up to provide sleeping accommodations for 4-8 people, plus storage areas. Like anything in life the more amenities you want, the more the price goes up.
Most have a small stove and maybe a refrig. Some can have outside showers, but full facilities are not seldom an option and then only in some high dollar / high end units. What they may not have is heating and cooling. You might a fan or two, but the nice stuff is in the higher end units will really include the additional luxuries. If you are shopping for a used one, you can find them with A/C & heat but the price will likely included in the price, a higher price. Many pop-ups are just tent camping with a lot more comfort and conveniences.
Used really small ones could be as little as a few thousand to near $10,000 for high end newer models. If you are considering a pop-up, buy a used one, the cheapest you can find, first to make sure it is right for your needs. You can always upgrade the next season once you know what you want. There are trade offs when purchasing. Some trade off involve the features vs the price. Such as do we need sleeping for eight at a cost of $2,000-$4,000 more or is room for 5-6 enough for now. Some might have only a portable stove that you move outside, others have a larger built in stove. How much storage do you really need? Larger units may have ‘slide out’ giving even more space once set up. But is the cost and the added towing weight worth it?
And while they are light and easy to tow, make sure your vehicle is capable of towing it. Towing is not about the power to get it moving, but the ability to control it on the road, braking control going down hill and overall stopping ability. The smallest units can be pulled behind a car, larger units might need a SUV or pickup.
For the occasional camping a few weekends a year, the pop up offers an excellent value and features. Many RV owners will put down pop-ups as worthless, but they are far from it and represent an excellent price/convenience compromise.
I am including a few random pictures for examples. These are multiple different units and the features will vary with make, model and amenities.
Pictures below are provided by contributors or supporters of this website. If you are interested in sharing your pictures of Nevada, please drop us a note.
Courtesy S. Ward – Lonely highways and byways