If you’re in the market for a small, lightweight travel trailer that’s easy to tow and has all the amenities you need for comfortable camping, the Forest River R-Pod RP-171 is a great option.
As this compact lightweight camper has a length of only 19 feet and a dry weight of just 2,714 pounds.
Allowing this camper to be towed by most mid-size and full-size SUVs and even some small SUVs.
While still offering all the must-have RV features and amenities for traveling and camping.
There’s so much more to this camper than this though, so if you’re thinking about purchasing the R-Pod 171, you definitely want to keep reading.
As we provide a complete review and breakdown of the RP-171 and answer some of the most common questions about the camper.
Forest River R-Pod Overview
Before we do a deep dive into the R-Pod 171 though, it’s important to first understand where the RP-171 fits into the R-Pod lineup as well as Forest River’s broader RV lineup.
As Forest River is one of the largest RV manufacturers in the industry, producing everything from travel trailers and 5th wheels to motorhomes and destination trailers.
With multiple lineups and brands, including Rockwood, Flagstaff, Cherokee, and Wolf Pup to name just a few.
But one of Forest River’s most popular lineups is the R-Pod, which was designed from the ground up to offer affordable luxury at the lowest tow weight possible.
Currently available in nine different trim levels, the R-Pod offers a variety of trim levels and floorplans to choose from.
But one of the most compact lightweight options is the R-Pod 171, which until recently was the smallest and lightest R-Pod you could buy before Forest River introduced the R-Pod 153.
Forest River R-Pod RP-171 Video Walkthrough & Quick Specs
Perfect for short trips and adventures, the compact lightweight RP171 has everything you need for a quick weekend getaway.
As the R-Pod RP171 is a completely self-contained camper that can be used for both campground camping as well as boondocking and dry camping in the backcountry.
- Length: 19 Feet
- Dry Weight: 2,714 Pounds
- Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4
- Bathroom: 3-Piece Wet Bath
- Slide-Outs: None
- Hitch Weight: 340 Pounds
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 3,840 Pounds
- Cargo Carrying Capacity: 1,126 Pounds
- Exterior Width: 8 Feet
- Exterior Height: 9 Feet 7 Inches
- Air Conditioning: Yes, 13,500 BTU Roof-Mounted AC
- Heating: Yes, 20,000 BTU Furnace
- Water Heater: 6 Gallon Electric/Propane
- Fresh Water Tank: 30 Gallon
- Gray Water Tank: 30 Gallon
- Black Water Tank: 30 Gallon
R-Pod 171 Interior Amenities
Now that we have a general overview of the R-Pod 171, let’s take a closer look at all its interior amenities, to get a better feel for its capabilities and functionality.
Starting with its sleeping accommodations and capacity.
Sleeping Accommodations
The R-Pod 171 has up to a four-person sleeping capacity, thanks to its rear east-to-west short RV queen bed and its front convertible dinette booth.
Making this lightweight camper great for families that need a four-person sleeping capacity but still want to keep the weight and size of the camper to a minimum.
To see other small lightweight campers with a four-person sleeping capacity, check out our blog post “12 Best Small Travel Trailers for a Family of 4“.
Galley
Despite its smaller size, the R-Pod 171 still has a surprisingly well-equipped kitchen.
As the RP171’s galley features a single bowl stainless steel sink with a cover that doubles as a drying rack, a two-burner propane cooktop with a glass cover, a convection microwave oven, and a gas/electric fridge.
Allowing you to cook just about any meal you could want while camping and traveling.
Plus, the galley in this small R-Pod also features a decent amount of storage space with both an overhead and lower cabinet to store all your food and cookware.
Bathroom
While the bathroom in this camper might be a deal breaker for some, due to its three-piece wet bath.
The small compact wet bath in the RP-171 gives you everything you need for getting ready and washing up while camping and traveling.
Including a combined shower and bathroom sink that’s connected to a 30-gallon fresh water tank and a 30-gallon gray water tank.
As well as an RV toilet that’s connected to a 30-gallon black water tank.
Which allows you to use the bathroom both while you’re connected to RV hookups as well as while you’re boondocking or dry camping.
Heating & Cooling
The R-Pod 171 also offers automatic climate control, with standard heating and cooling.
Thanks to a standard 13,500 BTU roof-mounted air conditioner and 20,000 BTU propane furnace.
Allowing you to stay comfortable inside the camper, even when the temperature starts to rise or drop outside.
If you plan to run the AC though, you’ll either need to be connected to shore power or add an aftermarket 30 Amp generator, in order to supply the needed electricity to run the air conditioner off-grid.
R-Pod 171 Exterior Features & Amenities
Now that we’ve looked at some of the main interior amenities of the R-Pod 171, let’s check out its main exterior components as well.
Starting with the camper’s construction.
Construction
While the R-Pod 171 is more of a budget-friendly camper, that doesn’t mean that Forest River skimped on its exterior.
As the RP 171 features many class-leading exterior features and components.
Including a powder-coated steel frame, lightweight durable welded aluminum sidewalls/floor, and Laminlux Azdel fiberglass that will never delaminate.
As well as custom tinted safety glass windows, double aluminum entry door step, black powder coated fender skirts with LED lights, and a rounded friction hinge entrance door with a window.
Propane & Battery Capacity
The Forest River R-Pod RP-171 comes standard with a 20-pound propane tank protected by a hardcover as well as a dual battery rack.
Which provides plenty of off-grid power to run the majority of the systems inside the camper as well as keep all your electronic devices charged up while boondocking or dry camping.
Solar Capability
While unfortunately, a solar package does not come standard on the R-Pod, all R-Pods are pre-wired for solar.
Allowing you to add an optional solar package to the camper that includes a 110-watt roof-mounted solar panel, interior digital controller, and a 1,000-watt inverter to convert DC to AC power.
Allowing you to greatly increase your off-grid power and boondocking capability.
Exterior Storage
While the R-Pod 171 doesn’t have a lot of exterior storage, due to its smaller size, what exterior storage it does have is well-designed.
As the R-Pod 171 features radius baggage doors with Bauer keyed alike key system and magnetic door catches.
Which makes it much easier to access the contents of the exterior baggage compartments.
Plus, the camper also has a dedicated spot to store the sewer hose when not in use, to prevent cross-contamination.
Awning
Because of the small size and rounded teardrop shape of the R-Pod 171, it can’t accommodate a standard awning found on larger more traditional travel trailers.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’re looking for covered outdoor space.
As the R-Pod 171 offers an optional R-Dome awning with a screen room that takes a little extra effort to set up but is more than worth the effort.
As the R-dome awning adds a lot of usable exterior living space to the camper, which adds a lot of functionality to the camper.
How Much Does the R-Pod 171 Cost?
A new Forest River R-Pod 171 will cost between $22,000 and $24,000, depending on its options, while a used R-Pod 171 will cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on its production year and condition.
If you’re looking for a more detailed answer on the cost of the R-Pod 171 or want to see what other R-Pods cost, check out our blog post “How Much are Forest River R-Pods? Answered“.
Are R-Pod Trailers Any Good?
R-Pod trailers are very popular with both first-time RVers and experienced RVers alike, as they offer a great blend of value, quality, and features.
And because of their small lightweight size, they’re also very easy to tow and maneuver.
So if you’re looking for a quality easy-to-tow camper, the Forest River R-Pod is definitely worth considering.
What is the Smallest Forest River R-Pod?
Up until recently, the R-Pod 171 was the smallest and lightest Forest River R-Pod.
However, in 2022 Forest River released the smaller and lighter R-Pod 153, making it the new lightest Forest River R-Pod.
As the R-Pod 153 has a length of 17 feet 6 inches, making it 1 foot 6 inches shorter than the R-Pod 171, and a dry weight that is yet to be announced by Forest River but is expected to be substantially lower than the R-Pod 171’s dry weight of 2,714 pounds.
How Heavy are R-Pod Trailers?
R-Pod travel trailers have a dry weight that ranges from 2,714 pounds on the low end to as much as 4,574 pounds on the high end, depending on the size and trim level of the R-Pod.
R-Pod Trailer Dry Weights (Lowest to Highest)
- R-Pod 171: 2,714 lbs
- R-Pod 180: 2,950 lbs
- R-Pod 190: 2,979 lbs
- R-Pod 192: 3,379 lbs
- R-Pod 193: 3,654 lbs
- R-Pod 196: 3,600 lbs
- R-Pod 201: 4,379 lbs
- R-Pod 202: 4,574 lbs
However, it’s important to keep in mind that no one pulls an empty travel trailer behind them when they’re going camping.
As most RVers will usually load anywhere from 500 to as much as 1,500 pounds of cargo into the trailer and that doesn’t even include the added weight of batteries, propane, and potentially full or partially full holding tanks.
Because of this, the more accurate fully loaded weight of the R-Pod will usually range from 3,500 pounds on the low end to as much as 6,000 pounds on the high end, depending on the size and trim level of the R-Pod.
How Long is an R-Pod Trailer?
An R-Pod travel trailer ranges in length from 17 feet 6 inches on the low end to as much as 25 feet on the high end, depending on the size and trim level of the R-Pod.
- R-Pod 153: 17′ 6″
- R-Pod 171: 19′
- R-Pod 180: 20′
- R-Pod 190: 20′ 4″
- R-Pod 192: 22′ 2″
- R-Pod 193: 22′ 11″
- R-Pod 196: 22′ 2″
- R-Pod 201: 25′
- R-Pod 202: 25′
Conclusion
The Forest River R-Pod 171 is a great option for those looking for a small, lightweight, and easy-to-tow travel trailer that won’t break the bank.
As the R-Pod 171 packs a lot of functionality and usability into a small affordable package.
Allowing you to enjoy all the benefits of camping and traveling without needing to spend a small fortune on a large travel trailer or rig.
Which will usually also require you to upgrade to a much larger and more expensive tow vehicle.
So if you’re looking for a small lightweight travel trailer, the Forest River R-Pod 171 should definitely be on your shortlist.
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