Fifth wheels are fantastic campers. They are easy to tow, they provide a lot of room, and they offer more head-room than most other RVs on the market.
Unfortunately, many fifth-wheel campers are large and heavy. This leaves people with smaller trucks and smaller garages left out.
But don’t worry, we’ve found nine amazing fifth wheels under 30 feet, and we’ve reviewed them all below!
The Scamp 19
The Scamp 19 is a beautiful little fiberglass fifth wheel that comes in two different models and two different floorplans. These models include the standard model and the deluxe model.
The main difference between the two is the finishes. Also, with the deluxe model, you’ll have the option of a second floorplan which features a slightly different kitchen layout.
With only 19’ to work with, Scamp still manages to squeeze in a queen-size bed in the loft as well as a wet bath, a nice kitchen and a dinette that seats four people. This dinette also converts into a bed so you can comfortably fit and sleep four people.
The overall height of the Scamp 19 is 8’10” which allows the interior to have an interior height of 6’3”. This isn’t a lot of headroom for a fifth wheel, but it is quite high for a camper that only has an interior length of 17’10” and an interior width of only 6’6”.
The camper features a 12-gallon freshwater tank and a two-burner propane stove. There are two propane tanks to fuel the stove, as well as the heater, fridge, and hot water heater.
Half-ton owners will delight in the fact that the camper weighs less than 3,000 pounds. This means that even 4-cylinder trucks should be able to tow it easily.
These campers are built in Minnesota, and they are made to order. For an exact price on a Scamp 19, you’ll need to either buy used or contact the manufacturer. One thing to note, however, is that these can be really difficult to find on the used market. People tend to hold onto these campers, and even the used ones sell for a premium.
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The Escape 5.0TA
The Escape 5.0TA is another fiberglass fifth wheel camper. It is slightly larger and more modern looking than the Scamp 19. The exterior length is 21’2,” and the exterior height is 9’7”.
While the additional exterior height might make this camper a little tougher to tow than the Scamp, it does offer up a lot more headroom inside. In fact, some versions of this camper will offer 7’ of headroom.
The additional length and width give it a much larger water capacity as well. It has a freshwater tank that is 28 gallons, a black water tank that is 30 gallons, and a gray water tank that is 28 gallons.
Inside, you’ll find that the layout is very similar to the Scamp. It has a queen bed in the front and a dinette at the back with a kitchen and bathroom in the middle. The main difference is that the bed is placed lengthwise rather than width-wise, and there is a bit more room to move around in at the center.
The weight of the Escape is still quite light for a fifth wheel. It comes in at a dry weight of 3,810 pounds and a GVWR of 5,500 pounds.
This means that a lot of half-ton trucks will still be able to tow this camper.
Escape trailers are built in Canada, and you can buy them there starting at $37,495.00 CAD or $29,995.00 USD. Choose all of the exterior and interior upgrade options, and you could end up spending over $51,240.00, but you’ll have the best 5.0TA Escape has to offer.
The KZ Sportsman 231RK
The 231RK by KZ comes in at a length of 25’3”. This makes it only about four feet longer than the Escape. However, the Sportsman isn’t built from a fiberglass shell, so it ends up weighing in at 6,170 pounds.
The exterior height with the roof air conditioner puts it at 11’11”. Unfortunately, this only equates to an interior height of 75”.
While you won’t get any additional headroom with this model, you will get a much more spacious layout. The Sportsman has a queen bed up front with plenty of room to walk around each side of it. This also gives it the ability to offer separate closets on either side of the bed.
Move beyond the bed, and you’ll find a full bathroom with a stand-alone shower. There is even a linen closet located in there as well. Head down the steps into the living room, and there is a sofa that is built into a slideout and a dinette with a television on it.
The kitchen is built onto the rear of the camper, and it wraps around on one side to create a bit of extra space. Instead of two burners, you’ll get a 3-burner stove with an oven.
Freshwater tanks are 38 gallons, wastewater tanks are 53 gallons, and the gray water tank is 93 gallons. Combine this with the Sportsman’s 60-gallon propane tank, and you have a fifth wheel that can go off-grid without much trouble.
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TravelHome Macquarie 23
The Macquarie 23 is an Australian fifth wheel camper that comes in at a length of 23’ and a width of 7’3”. The interior height is 6’5”, which isn’t bad for a camper this small.
This camper weighs in at 6,173 pounds, which is surprising considering it’s smaller than the KZ. Many half-ton campers will not be able to tow this, but people with 1-ton trucks shouldn’t have any trouble with it.
The interesting thing about this camper is its layout. Instead of a queen bed up front, you have a set of single beds. Also, one of the single beds can be converted to a double bed, so you have a lot of sleeping options upfront.
At the rear, you have a lounge area that faces inward rather than a dinette. This lounge area can also turn into a bed for additional sleeping.
The center of the camper is similar to the other campers we’ve talked about in that it houses the kitchen and the bathroom. Although the bathroom isn’t very big, it does offer a separate stall shower rather than a wet bath.
This camper also features fiberglass on the exterior, and it has a strong steel chassis. The interior looks very modern, and the inside is nice and bright. Some of the older years even have a separate area that holds a small desk and a computer chair, which would make this a great camper for people traveling and working at the same time.
The Jayco Eagle 29.5BHDS
The Eagle model comes in a few floor plans that exceed 30 feet and a few floor plans that come in under 30 feet. The BHDS model comes in at 29’6,” and I think it’s the most interesting of the Jayco Eagle fifth wheel plans.
This fifth wheel has a nice bedroom at the front with a queen bed, dual nightstands, and dual wards. It also has a larger ward and a nice dresser that fits inside of a driver’s side slideout.
The rear of this fifth wheel also has a bedroom. This bedroom features a bunk that consists of two double beds. There is also a small ward next to these beds.
In the center of the fifth wheel is a nice kitchen, a dinette, a sitting area with a sofa and an electric fireplace. This floorplan looks very comfortable and could easily sleep six campers.
The only drawback to all of this is that there is only one bathroom. This bathroom is quite nice, but it could be taxed quickly with six people using it.
As far as the interior headroom, you have 7’11” in the main living area and 6’2” in the bedrooms. This is a dramatic increase when compared to the other fifth wheels we’ve examined. At 7’11” inside, you’re just one inch shy of the average home’s ceiling height.
The unloaded weight of this camper is 8,870 pounds, and while Jayco claims a half-ton pickup could pull this, I’ve never seen one with that kind of towing capacity. This being said, I’d imagine many 1-ton pickups could handle this fifth wheel.
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The Dutchman Astoria 2513RLF
The Dutchman Astoria is another fifth wheel model that comes in a variety of lengths that all hover around 30’. However, the only model that actually falls underneath 30 feet is the 2513RLF floorplan.
The RLF comes in at 29’6” and weighs 7,703 pounds. It has a freshwater tank capacity of 50 gallons, a gray water tank capacity of 39 gallons, and a black water tank of 39 gallons.
This fifth wheel is unique in that it seems like it’s designed specifically for the comfort of two people. The bedroom at the front of the camper is spacious and features cabinets, a queen-size bed, and a slideout wardrobe. It offers direct access to a large bathroom with a separate shower and a small linen closet.
The kitchen has a 3-burner stove, an oven, a microwave, and double-sinks. There is also a large refrigerator and a u-shaped dinette on a slide. Directly across from this are a fireplace and an entertainment center that faces theatre seating for two. On either side of the theatre, seats are end tables.
This layout would be the perfect layout for a couple that does not have kids, and that does not want to have overnight guests. Without having to make room for extra beds, the floorplan was really able to make things comfortable and spacious for the two people it was designed for.
The Keystone RV Company 23MLS
The Keystone RV Company also has several fifth wheels that come in under 30 feet in length. The 23MLS fifth wheel comes in at just under 27’. It has a height of 11’11” and a weight of 7,116 pounds.
This fifth wheel has a freshwater tank size of 60 gallons and a wastewater tank of 30 gallons. The gray water tank is 60 gallons as well.
The interior has a nice modern look to it, and it is also set up with two people in mind. This being said, the theater seating can be switched out and replaced with a trifold sofa, which gives this camper a little more versatility when it comes to sleeping.
One thing that really separates the Keystone from the Dutchman is that the dinette and sofa area in the center of the camper while the kitchen is on the rear wall. This makes the kitchen a bit smaller, but you’ll get a nice view out the kitchen window while you’re at the sink. In the kitchen, you’ll find a small oven, a microwave, and a large sink. Alongside this is an apartment-sized refrigerator.
An optional solar power camping package comes from the factory and increases this camper’s off-grid capability. A ducted air conditioning system can also be added, which would provide better cooling in the bathroom than the standard AC system would.
The Winnebago Micro Mini 2405RG
I was surprised to find that Winnebago is making an entire line of small fifth-wheel campers. Of course, I shouldn’t have been since Winnebago has been around for many decades now and always seems to have a lot of interesting models to choose from.
The Winnebago Micro Mini lineup consists of 3 floorplans. The 2405RG floorplan most closely resembles Keystones 23MLS. It has a bedroom with a queen bed, two wardrobes, and even a wall-mounted television.
To get out of the bedroom, you need to make your way through a small hallway that has a shower on one side and a toilet and sink on the other side. After making your way through the bathroom, you’ll be out in the living room which features a sofa, a wardrobe, a dinette table on a slideout and a small entertainment center.
At the end of the camper are the entryway and the kitchen. This kitchen also features a double sink and a three-burner stove, oven, and microwave. The fridge might be a bit smaller, but it still features both a fridge and freezer section inside of it.
They even added a small tile backsplash behind the oven, which is a nice touch!
The Micro Mini comes in at 26’9” and has an interior height of 7’ and an exterior height of 11’5”. It has a 31-gallon freshwater tank and a 25-gallon black water tank. On top of this, it also has a 50-gallon gray water tank.
The Forest River Arctic Wolf 251MK
The Forest River Arctic Wolf Lineup comes in a multitude of models, but the one I find most interesting is their upcoming 251MK model. This model is 29’ long with an exterior height of 12’11”. The unladen vehicle weight on it is 7,318 pounds.
This camper is interesting because inside looks more like a small apartment than an RV. The front of this consists of the bedroom with the obligatory queen-sized bed and dual nightstands.
However, it also features a step-in closet that nestles itself inside of the large bathroom.
The bathroom has a nice shower stall and a toilet and sink, and you don’t have to walk through it to get to your living room. The hallway next to the bathroom makes its way to a couple of stairs that lead down to the living area. This living area has a well-equipped kitchen, theatre seating, and a residential size fridge.
Other Features
It also features a fireplace, a large u-shaped dinette, and even a ceiling fan. The interior height isn’t mentioned, but typically fifth wheels with ceiling fans have heights of about 8 feet inside. I’d imagine this fifth wheel would feel quite roomy inside, and a couple could easily live full-time inside of a fifth wheel with this layout.
Also, based on the pictures of the other models in this lineup, you should find the 251MK to have luxurious looking finishes.
In the other models, the countertops are made to look like marble, the floors made to look like hardwood, and there are even faux stones around the electric fireplace.
Inside the bathroom, the camper doesn’t look quite as fancy, but it does have a nice modern skylight above the shower. The interior is also very bright, and this adds to how spacious the models look inside.
What is the Shortest Fifth Wheel Length?
The shortest fifth wheel on the market today is the Scamp 19. It is also one of the lightest fifth wheels on the market as well.
What Sizes do Fifth Wheels Come in?
While there are a few exceptions, most fifth wheels fall into a range of 25’ to 45’ in length.
Fortunately, some of this length will fit over the truck bed, so a 45-foot long fifth wheel might only add an additional 40 feet to the total length of the vehicle.
What is the Most Popular Fifth Wheel Length?
Fifth wheels around the 35’ length seem to be the most popular fifth wheels used in the United States. Fifth wheels of this size are large enough to live in full time comfortably.
Final Thoughts
Fifth wheels come in all sizes, and if you have a pickup truck, there is probably the fifth wheel out there that you can use. Even larger families can fit inside of a fifth wheel that is less than 30 feet too, so don’t feel like you’re restricted just because you don’t want to tow something longer.
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