Many people enjoy a weekend at the lake or the campgrounds with family or friends. But some people would also like to take their ATV or canoe along on the trip. If you are one of those people, you may be considering purchasing a new pop-up toy hauler. We’ve done the research to find out which pop-up toy haulers are the best.
A good pop-up toy hauler needs to have the right mix of being easy to tow and being able to haul all your favorite campsite toys. These campers are lightweight and maneuverable, but still have enough space inside when setup. With that in mind, these are the top pop-up toy haulers we found:
- Forest River Flagstaff 23SCSE
- Lifetime Sahara Pop-up
- Jumping Jack Classic
- Coleman Evolution E3
- Viking V-Trec V3
- Jayco Baja 12E
- Palomino Banshee BSV-1
Each of these trailers has different sizes, hauling capacities, and weights. We’ll discuss these details below, so please keep reading for more information about which pop-up trailer may be right for you.
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7 Best Pop-Up Toy Haulers
If you’re going to the lake for the weekend with the family and you want to take your bikes or you are a camping enthusiast who likes to bring the ATV along, a pop-up toy hauler may be the right camper for you. A pop-up toy hauler is a small, easy to tow camper with a designated space to haul your bikes, ATVs, kayaks, and more.
Pop-up campers have been around for a long time, and are very popular. They are usually easier to tow than a regular camper trailer, and are often light enough that you can tow them with a light SUV or pickup.
After some research, we found a few pop-up toy haulers people regularly recommend as some of the best. Below you will find some information and statistics about each, so you can make the best decision for you and your needs.
1. Forest River Flagstaff 23SCSE
The Forest River Flagstaff 23SCSE is a pop-up toy hauler with room for up to six. There is a queen-size bed on one end and a king-size bed on the other. It comes equipped with a refrigerator, 3 burner stove, and an outside grill. There’s even a roomy dinette inside.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 22’ 3”
- Open Length: 26’ 5”
- Closed Height: 6’ 2”
- Width: 7’
- Box Length: 12’
- Empty Weight: 2,933 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 861 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 294 lbs.
2. Lifetime Sahara Pop-Up
The Lifetime Sahara Pop-up is a little different than the Flagstaff in how it works. Instead of a camper that has room for your toys, it’s more like a trailer that converts to a tent-camper. It does this by attaching the tent to the trailer once you arrive at your destination. This allows you ample room to haul your toys, but still provides sleeping space for up to six when converted to a camper.
You can use this trailer as a standard utility trailer or as a camper. But for that versatility, you give up amenities like a stove, which you may find in some of the other campers.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 10’ 6.5”
- Closed width: 6’ 7”
- Open Width: 9’ 5”
- Empty Weight: 700 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,300 lbs.
3. Jumping Jack Standard
The Jumping Jack Standard is another utility trailer/camper hybrid. This is not your typical pop-up, but it is the same idea of a trailer with a tent-style camper atop it. A Jumping Jack Standard can haul 2 ATVs, and the camper has a capacity of 4 adults and comes with a swing-up table.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 12’
- Width: 7’ 6”
- Closed Height: 4’ 4”
- Bed Length: 8’ 3”
- Bed Width: 5’ 8”
- Empty Weight: 1,245 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,750 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 155 lbs.
4. Coleman Evolution E3
The Coleman Evolution E3 will sleep up to six in two king-size beds. There is a refrigerator, 3 burner stove, and a sink. It has a cassette toilet with curtain walls, a shower, air conditioning, and heating. The Evolution E3 has a slideout to add even more space.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 21’ 9”
- Open Length: 27’ 1”
- Closed Height: 5’ 3”
- Box Length: 12’
- Empty Weight: 3,030 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,370 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 420 lbs.
5. Viking V-Trec V3
The Viking Vtrec V3 sleeps up to six in two standard beds, a convertible dinette, and a convertible sofa. It comes with a toilet, a shower, and a cooking area with a two-burner stove, a sink, and a refrigerator. There’s even a furnace for the cool nights.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 21’ 8”
- Open Length: 23’ 5”
- Closed Height: 5’ 5”
- Width: 7’ 1”
- Box Length: 12’
- Empty Weight: 3,217 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,210 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 427 lbs.
6. Jayco Baja 12E
The Jayco Baja 12E sleeps up to eight. It has 2 king-size beds, a sofa, and a dinette. It comes with a 2 burner stove, a refrigerator, a toilet, and a heater. This trailer has one of the largest cargo capacities we found in a pop-up toy hauler at nearly 2,000 pounds of payload weight.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 22’ 6”
- Open Length: 27’ 6”
- Closed Height: 5’ 9”
- Width: 7’ 1”
- Empty Weight: 2,895 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,955 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 370 lbs.
7. Palomino Banshee BSV-1
The Palomino Banshee BSV-1 is no longer produced, but they are still popular and you can still find them used. It sleeps seven on a queen bed, a full-size bed, convertible dinette, and a convertible sofa. It has heating and air conditioning, a 3 burner stove, an outside shower, and an attachable outdoor gas grill.
Specs:
- Closed Length: 17’
- Open Length: 20’ 2”
- Closed Height: 5’ 4”
- Width: 7’ 1”
- Empty Weight: 2,111 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 1,210 lbs.
- Hitch Weight: 217 lbs.
As you can see, there are a variety of good options available when selecting a pop-up toy hauler. If you want the lightest weight so that it is easy to pull, you may want the Lifetime Sahara Pop-Up or the Jumping Jack Standard. The highest cargo capacity belongs to the Jayco Baja 12E.
Whatever your needs, you will find a pop-up toy hauler that meets them!
How Long Do Pop-Up Toy Haulers Last?
Most pop-up campers, including the pop-up toy haulers, last around 15 years. This is just an average, not a limit. If you take good care of your camper, it could last much longer.
Some pop-up campers that receive proper maintenance last much longer than that average. There are still pop-up campers from the 1960s in use. To keep yours in usable condition, you need to lubricate things on schedule, replace parts as they break, and repair anything that is damaged or broken as soon as possible.
Regular cleaning can help prevent mold damage. If you want to keep your pop-up in the best condition as long as possible, parking it in a garage is the best way to go.
Take care of your camper, don’t mistreat it, and it will last a long time and give you years of camping joy.
How Do You Insulate A Pop-Up Camper?
Whether it is hot or cold, insulating your pop-up camper can help you maintain a comfortable temperature inside. While some pop-ups are better sealed against the heat and cold than others, there are some things you can do to make even the worst insulated campers better in temperature extremes.
Reflectix
Reflectix is very popular, and many people use it to insulate their campers. It is basically a stiff bubble wrap type material that is reflective. Cut sheets of this to fit between the mesh and zip-up fabric of your windows and it will make a big difference.
Click here to see this Reflectix insulation on Amazon.
Blackout Curtains
People usually use blackout curtains in their homes. They come in handy when you want a room to remain dark, even when the sun is shining brightly.
But you can also use them in your camper, and they are one of the easier methods to make your pop-up more comfortable. If you hang them around the inside of your camper, the thick material works to block drafts while adding insulation.
Insulate Under Bunks
Because the area under the bunks is usually open to the outside air, it is an area where cold air seeps in. One thing a lot of campers have good luck with is adding foam insulation boards under the bunk. It can help the cold from seeping up from the ground in that area.
Reflective Tarps
One method that works well in the summer is to cover the bunk ends with reflective tarps. Some people also find that they help insulate the bunk area in the winter weather.
While there are versions designed for specific campers, there are also instructions online to make your own. This usually involves holding a simple reflective tarp or survival blanket like the one below and holding it over the bunk ends with clips or bungee cords.
Click here to see this survival blanket on Amazon.
If you use all or part of the ideas above to insulate your pop-up and you seal all the air leaks you can find, your pop-up will be more comfortable in any weather condition.
See more about insulating your camper in this video:
What "Toys" Can A Pop-Up Toy Hauler Carry?
The typical types of "toys" your toy hauler can carry include:
- ATVs
- Golf Carts
- Bikes
- Motorcycles
- Kayaks
- UTVs
- Snowmobiles
- Scooters
- Canoes
Additionally, some people put electric wheelchairs, coolers, or other cargo on their toy hauler. You can carry almost anything that fits on the cargo rack and is less than the maximum weight of your hauler.
In Closing
Pop-up toy haulers can be a lot of fun, and they allow you to carry your kayak or ATV along on your trip. We’ve discussed some of the best options in this guide. Whichever camper you select should bring you many incredible camping trips.
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