What Is a Camper? Understanding Different Types of Campers and RVs

Great question! When someone recently asked me, “What is a camper?”, I realized that I didn’t have a dedicated article answering this fundamental question—until now! Welcome to RV52.com’s official answer to the common query: What exactly is a camper?

What Is a Camper? The General Answer

A camper, in the broadest sense, is any type of vehicle—motorized or towable—that allows you to camp in comfort. To put it simply, a camper is a portable home or bedroom designed for camping, whether you’re setting up in the wilderness or parking at a campground.

By this general definition, nearly any type of RV (recreational vehicle) could be considered a camper. Whether it’s a motorhome, trailer, or pop-up, if it lets you sleep comfortably while on the go, it qualifies as a camper.

What Is a Camper? The Specific Answer (RV52.com’s Opinion)

But let’s dig a little deeper. For many people, when they think of “camping,” they envision tents, campfires, and the great outdoors. So when people ask, “What is a camper?”, they’re usually referring to something that offers a more comfortable, yet still outdoorsy, experience than a traditional tent.

In my opinion, a camper is most accurately described as a camping trailer or pop-up trailer—vehicles that provide a step up from sleeping on the ground, but without the full luxuries of a larger RV or motorhome.

What Makes a Camping Trailer a “Camper”?

A camping trailer (also called a pop-up camper) is a lightweight, towable RV that’s perfect for those who enjoy the outdoors but prefer not to sleep on the ground. These campers offer the basic amenities needed for camping, with a focus on portability and simplicity.

Key Features of a Camping Trailer or Pop-Up Camper:

• Lightweight Design: These campers are designed to be towed by smaller vehicles, often a standard car or mid-size SUV.
• Hard-Sided Tent Concept: Many pop-up campers feature tent-like sides that can be raised when parked, giving you extra living space but maintaining the feel of tent camping.
• Compact Size: Camping trailers are typically smaller than larger travel trailers, which means they’re easier to tow and maneuver, especially in tight spots.

While a pop-up camper and a travel trailer may have some overlapping features, the key difference is the size and complexity. As the camping trailer becomes more equipped (with amenities like a small kitchen or bathroom), it starts to blur the line between a traditional camper and a full-sized travel trailer.

Features that Define a Camper or Camping Trailer

Here are the main characteristics that define a camping trailer or pop-up camper:

• Bumper Hitch Tow: A classic feature of smaller trailers, these campers are designed to be towed from the bumper of your vehicle.
• Lightweight: To be towable by standard vehicles (cars or small SUVs), these campers are generally lighter than full-sized RVs.
• Single Axle: Most camping trailers use a single axle for better maneuverability.

Basic Features List for a Camper or Camping Trailer

• Battery – All camping trailers have a battery. If only for the break-away switch and brake.
• Storage – Most RV’s have a little storage. Expect a small amount accessible from the outside, sometimes inside-outside simultaneously accessible and then a small closet in the bathroom and in the bedroom. Of course in the kitchen area there will be some cabinet space. This would be VERY limited on a camping trailer, but most people want to put a cooler somewhere.
• Electric Braking system – Expect all RV’s to be able to apply braking, not awesome brakes, but some braking which is to be used in conjunction with the tow vehicle. The electronic brakes are activated via the cable used when hitching the trailer to the tow vehicle and the battery on the trailer is used to apply the braking energy. This is so that if the trailer comes loose from the tow vehicle the RV will apply the brakes until the battery is ran down.
• Front Jack – All camping trailers have a front jack to lift the unit off of the bumper AND to level the unit front to back.
• Sleeping Arrangements for at least one – usually a queen bed. However, in some of the smaller RV’s used for hunting trips, the bed folds up to create space so it isn’t a permanent fixture like MOST RV’s of a decent size.
• LP Gas Sensor – LP gas is odorless so a sensor is a good idea. The odorant should help you, but I do not have a sense of smell so this is a critical device. Obviously if you don’t have LP gas in your camper this doesn’t matter, but I’ll say it is non-optional.
• Carbon Monoxide Detector – because of burning LP gas it is good to make sure you have one of these too.
• Smoke Detector – Good idea. Maybe if you have ANY LP gas or electric this is a good idea. It is lightweight an inexpensive.

Optional Camping Trailer Features List:

Oddly, most features on Travel Trailers would be optional on a Camping Trailer. Once you get past a bed, wheels and a hitch, then the differences can be plentiful.

How do you decide? The only real answer is “what is important to YOU!?”

• Bike Rack on Rear Bumper – Storing bikes is tough. This is a good idea. But this would be easy to do and fits well with the camping trailer lifestyle.
• Fantastic Fan or Super Fan – These are stellar ventilation fans that can keep the indoor temperature within 2-4 degrees of the outside air and it can do it very quickly. I wrote an article about the super fan recently. A small powered fan for a camping trailer is very practical. Must more so than an air conditioner.
• Blank Tank Rinse – Anything to help make the black tank easier to manage is a good thing. This beats sticking something down the toilet to perform the rinse. IF IF IF you do have a black tank (no guarantee with a camping trailer) a rinse is nice.
• Outdoor Porch Light – Usually there is an outside light – ours has a bunch.
• Safety escape windows – Most RV’s have windows where you can escape just in case there is a fire. In some regards, RV’s are safer than wood frame houses because most houses don’t have these types of windows.
• Stabilizer Jacks – These are jacks in the corners of the RV which you tighten to reduce bouncing when you move inside the RV. RV makers make a bigger fuss over them as features than they should be, but they are needed.
• Awning – Most RV’s have an awning. These effectively increase the square footage of the RV, provide  a neat outdoor area and are really nice to have. Some are manually extendable – tricky the first time – and some are electrically extendable.
• Audio/Visual System – I could see how it would be nice to have a boom boom system built in. But this has to be optional.
• Toilet – All camping trailers – unless they are SUPER small – have a small toilet which drains directly into a holding tank, which is called the black water tank. But since we are talking about camping trailers, I’ll list as optional. You might just have a little porta-potty.
• Black Water Tank – If a camping trailer has a toilet, it has a black water tank.
• Gray Water Tank – If a camping trailer has a sink or shower, it has a gray water tank.
• Fresh Water Tank – Most camping trailers have the ability to store some fresh water so you can camp without being connected to city water.
• Tank Level Sensors – You’ll typically have a set of sensors that tell you how full the black, grey, and fresh water tanks are. It will also have the battery level too generally. The sensors almost never work well.
• LCD TV – Most RV manufacturers have an LCD TV included with the RV. Ours had two included and mounts for 2 more (total 4). Typically they will be from a Chinese manufacturer that you have never ever heard of.
• TV Antenna – controllable from inside the RV. Folds down for travel, unfolds to get TV. You can control its direction in 360 degrees.
• AC to DC converter electrical system – RV’s do take in 120V AC and use the 120 V AC but they also convert much to DC since electronic igniters for hot water, stoves, refrigerator, slide-outs, and lighting all run off of DC power. So there is a system which converts the AC to DC and stores it in one or more batteries. The strength and longevity of your DC system is based on the battery not on the strength of the AC power. Want to last longer on DC only, get more batteries.
• LP Gas System – Typically on camping trailers, you’ll have two 7 gallon LP gas tanks. They are bigger than the normal 5 gallon LP gas tanks you’ll see on your normal gas grill. But the LP gas runs the hot water heater, refrigerator (sometimes), the gas range, the gas oven, and the furnace. Sometimes you can run a generator, but people say gasoline is far more convenient for the generator.
• Air Conditioner – come in many sizes. Usually the AC is a rooftop unit. There is usually some modest ductwork that will distribute the air throughout the RV if the unit has any appreciable length. Only the very smallest RV’s ( like popups – see this small RV video gallery ) won’t have an air conditioner.
• Furnace – Most RV’s have a furnace operated with LP gas. LP gas is a very economic form of energy and very portable so it is used widely on RV’s. However, that is why you need LP gas detectors to help maintain safety. I have anosmis which means that I cannot smell a gas leak – the detector is life safety critical for me!
• Hot Water Heater – For hot water for cooking and showering. Usually very small – as small as 6 gallons. These can run off of LP gas, and electric (AC) as a backup to the gas. These typically do not have pilot lights, but an electronically created spark which lights the LP gas.
• Refrigerator – All but the smallest RV’s have a refrigerator. These refrigerators can be very fancy, running off of AC and then LP gas backup. They are small usually, starting as small as 4 or 6 cubic feet.
• Microwave –  Most are AC operated, but have not checked widely to see if you can use DC with any RV. A microwave is very nice to have and you should expect it on most RV’s.
• Cooking Range – A cooking range, usually a smaller 2 or 3 burner unit. The range is operated off of LP gas. It typically won’t have a pilot light but instead a spark ignition.
• Oven – Usually attached to the range. Very small. You won’t be doing a turkey in one anytime soon. About 2x the size of a toaster oven. We have to light ours with a candle lighter every time we want to use it. Honestly, we use the toaster oven more often than we use the gas range.
• Kitchen Sink – More often than not, you will have a kitchen sink in your RV. The sink drains into the grey water tank. It will have cold and hot running water.
• Bathroom Sink – Most have a small bathroom sink. This drains into the gray water tank. This sink will have cold and hot running water.
• Shower – Usually equipped with a shower some even have a small bathtub. If possible, make sure your shower is a one piece design or you’ll battle water leaks often. Most have a flexible shower head attached to a hose. It is a convenient arrangement. I actually wrote a short article on showering in an RV. You could also think of the article as a concept for showering for the environment too as using very little water is the key theme.
• Bathroom Exhaust Fan – Usually a vent in which you have to manually open it and a small electric switch on a tiny fan. I’m 99% sure it is operated off of the 12 volt system.
•  

Absolutely NOT Camping Trailer Features List :

I would think that these features simply would not make sense on a car-towable camper. So I’m gonna be tough and draw a line with these and say “NO”.

• Electric Front Jack – A nice feature, one you may or may not use often depending upon how often you stop and unhitch or get up and move. I’m putting it in absolutely not because it seems silly to have this weight.
• Toy Hauler Garage – I’m listing this here because if you use part of the RV as a garage, it becomes a toy hauler. Toy haulers have  a fantastic carrying capacity – so there is much more done to beef up their capacity. Since those are the only two big differences, I’m only going to list the garage as an option. A bit disingenuous, I know, but maybe someday I’ll make a toy hauler features article.
• Fireplace – We like ours a great deal and wrote an article about RV fireplaces or inserts.
• Up to 4 slide-outs – These are MAJOR design features and key ways to differentiate RV’s. Slide-outs add major room and and weight. So knowing the number of slides will tell you a great deal about the weight, square footage, and roominess of the RV.
• Satellite Antenna – Put the Dish into the roof for automatic satellite management.
• Central Vacuum System – A system where you only have a hose and connect it to outlets on the RV.  Ours has one. I think it is cool, but Sheri doesn’t. We ended up buying a small vacuum.
• Outdoor Kitchen – Another major differentiator for RV’s. This allows you to cook and grill outside where you keep the RV itself cooler and also when cooking you get to be outside where it is nice.
• Bunkhouse – Another key differentiator in RV’s. This allows you to have more people with you. Bunkhouses can be made like bunks in the navy where they are just sleeping areas and really would be hard to live in them. Some RV’s have bunkhouses that are big enough for small bedrooms for children. Ours is like that.
• Double Pane Windows – RV’s can get darned hot in the summer. These double pane windows can help a little bit.
• Tinted Windows – Another thing you can add to cut down on the heat in the RV. These also make the unit much, much darker so if camping and brightly lit RV is your thing, I might counsel against tinted windows.
• Second Air Conditioner – For really large RV’s a second air conditioner is really needed. You’ll have to have 50 amp service if you have the second AC.
• Second door in/out of the RV – I don’t have much to say about this. Both of our RV’s have second doors and we never used it much. I don’t have a strong opinion on this.
• Second bathroom – probably not worth the trouble. See my article on the value of the 2nd bathroom in an RV.

Amazon listings for camping trailer basics:

CLICK HERE IF YOU DO NOT SEE A NICE SET OF AMAZON SEARCH TERMS RELATED TO camping trailer dummies BELOW

Ebay Listings for Camping Trailer RVs for Sale