Excellent Pop Up Campers for First Timers

If you’re looking at getting out of a tent and into an RV, or are looking to trade in your current RV, but are intimated by the price and responsibility of a motorhome, travel trailer, or fifth-wheel, then consider a pop up. Pop ups have many advantages, and they’re usually a lot easier to handle. This will help make your transition into your first RV easier and even more exciting. Here are several excellent pop up campers that work well for beginners from both a usability standpoint and a price standpoint.

Forest River Rockwood Tent 1940LTD

Loaded with everything you need to hit the road for the first time, the Forest River Rockwood Tent 1940LTD is an ideal choice for your next adventure (and the one after that, and the one after that — you get the point). Conveniently designed with sleeping zones located at opposite ends from each other and the main living space in between.

The carryout range makes the most of bringing the outdoors in and the indoors out, so you get the best of both worlds wherever you are. Weighing in at 1,608 pounds and measuring just over 14 feet in length, the Rockwood Tent is the perfect introductory camper to take your next trip from basic to brilliant.

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Forest River Flagstaff T12RBST

If storage is your love language, then call me cupid because the Forest River Flagstaff T12RBST comes with a large storage area on the front. Plus, it manages to include all the comfort features you’d expect in a camper. That’s not even the best part! The best part is that it sets up into a firm structure in mere minutes.

It’s an A-frame camper, which is one of the best campers to have if you frequent areas that are known to have bears, but it doesn’t sacrifice comfort or style. At a little over 19 feet in length and 2,120 pounds, this camper will have you asking yourself what took so long to make the plunge into RVing. Seriously, what took so long?

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Jayco Jay Series Sport 8SD

The Jaco Jay Series Sport 8SD is a simple pop up that’s perfect for a small family or a couple and some friends. It has a full bed at the front of the unit, a twin bed at the rear, and a dinette that can be turned into another sleeping area. There’s plenty of storage inside the unit and a carryout stove in addition to the small kitchen area inside the RV’s living space.

This camper is lightweight weighing in at 1,535 pounds and measures only eight feet long when not popped up and deployed. The Jay Series Sport 8SD can sleep up to five people and comes with an affordable price tag. It’s a smart choice. It can be towed by most vehicles out there with a hitch and offers the essentials for camping comfortably.

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Forest River Flagstaff MAC/LTD 176LTD

If your vehicle has a maximum towing capacity of just over 1,500 pounds and you still want a pop up camper, this unit from Forest River might be for you. It weighs 1,465 pounds (a real lightweight RV) and comes with quite a lot for its size. For starters, tt sleeps up to five people!

The layout features a bed at either end of the RV. There’s a gas range on the camp side of the RV next to conveniently located storage. Opposite that is the dinette, which can double as a sleeping area. Next to the dinette is a small sink for washing dishes and your hands. There’s also a carryout range and a seven-foot awning, which allows you to spend a little time outdoors while still enjoying the shade.

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Coachmen Viking LS 1760QS

If you’re looking for something with a different layout from the two options shown above, consider the Coachman Viking LS 1760QS. This camper features a queen bed at the front, a gaucho bed along the camp side of the unit, and a rear entry door. The small compact kitchen offers a two-burner range, sink, and a small fridge. Plus, there’s additional seating at either end of the unit.

With a dry weight of 1,577 pounds and an overall length of 13.5 feet, you’ll see that this is a slightly larger pop up that still delivers a low curb weight making it easy for just about any small SUV or even some cars to tow it with ease. This unit is better for couples in that it only sleeps three people.

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Forest River Rockwood Premier 2514G

The final pop up I want to discuss is a little more elaborate. It features two large beds on either end of the RV and a dinette on a slide-out on the off-camp side of the unit. On the camp side, there’s a three-burner stove and sink. There’s also an L-shaped seating area, and plenty of storage. There’s an exterior gas grille, an 11-foot awning, and a storage trunk at the front of the unit.

This unit, as you might expect, is a little longer and heavier than the other pop ups on this list. At 2,698 pounds, you should still be able to tow this with most crossovers and SUVs. It’ll be easy to tow with any pickup truck. This is a perfect unit for a family. It sleeps up to six people.

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Looking for more pop up camper fun? Check out the advantages of hard-sided pop up campers and see what all the hype is about. RV life is more than just a weekend getaway or an epic vacation, RVing is a lifestyle. Once you start, you never look back.

Do you own a pop up camper? How do you like it? Which pop up do you think should be included here? Leave a comment below!