Tiny, sub-$10K camper pod builds rep as world's cutest teardrop

Ever since we first laid eyes on it in 2022, the Kleox trailer has been one of our all time favorite teardrops. It pairs a beautifully arched fiberglass body with an exceptionally simple design meant to keep price down well under €10,000. And with a starting weight of under 500 lb, it doesn't require much vehicle to tow it. Some might prefer something with a kitchen and more amenities, or perhaps a more ruggedized off-road-ready 'drop, but as far as simple, affordable camping goes, the Kleox lineup remains one of the most intriguing trailers in the western world. This year, we saw some new colors that make it look even better.

When we looked at both the original lift-gate-accessed Kleox Shelter Travel in 2022 and the newer door-equipped Kleox Festival last year, white – sometimes offset with a contrast center panel or flowery graphics – seemed to be Kleox's color of choice. In traveling out to this year's CMT show and Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, however, we saw the Kleox in a whole new light. And it's just a little bit cuter in multiple colors.

The bright-yellow Festival teardrop Kleox showed at this month's Caravan Salon definitely highlighted the model's unique curves, and the glittering gray metallic paint that the trailer wore at CMT earlier this year was also an eye grabber. The Festival is the newest model in the Kleox lineup, having launched in 2025. It's also Kleox's most traditional design, featuring a side entry door in place of the original lift-gate.

Unlike on other teardrops, the Festival door does not have a window but does include a separate fabric insect screen for letting in fresh air. There's also an openable oval window just behind the doorway on the sidewall, matched to an identical opening window on the opposite wall.

Kleox limits the Festival to a single door, helping to save weight versus the added hardware of a second door. That keeps the base weight down to the same 485 lb (220 kg) as the Shelter Travel, with both trailers' gross mass vehicle weights coming in at 1,650 lb (750 kg). And since there's no water tank or jerry cans to fill, all of the trailer's payload can be used for cargo and accessories like rooftop crossbars.

The primary difference between the Festival and Shelter Travel is the tailgate access in place of the side door. This makes the Shelter Travel more of an effective gear hauler during the ride to camp and for non-camping cargo hauling. It's designed to accommodate items as large as sofas or a pair of washing machines, says Kleox.

Both trailers measure a delightfully tiny 10.5 feet (3.2 m) long, and at just 5.2 feet (1.6 m) high were two of the few RVs in Düsseldorf we towered over comfortably. Width measures in at 5.9 feet (1.8 m). Both units feature an interior floor area of 82.5 x 49.5 in (210 x 126 cm), designed to fit in a double mattress, with a comfortable peak sitting height of 43 inches (110 cm).

Kleox doesn't implement a completely wood-free construction, as it uses plywood to reinforce its floor, but the self-supporting fiberglass body shell keeps things both lightweight and free from the potential problems of wood framing. A full felt interior boosts insulation and creates a cozier, soft-touch living space.

It's the 2020s, and prices on everything have been creeping (or straight leaping) up. The Kleox lineup isn't an exception to that rule, but it is in the smaller subset of products that still feel like a solid deal despite steadily ascending prices. Both the Travel Shelter and the Festival start at the same €6,590 (approx. US$7,600).

For those who really want to save money on their RV, Kleox also offers the Travel Base, stripping back the Travel Shelter to the most modest of specs. The Base is a bare shell without any felt, storage nets or windows. It features the a tailgate for entry, and Kleox offers it as a barebones trailer for use as a cargo hauler or as a base for DIY camper builds. Given how minimalist all Kleox models are, anyway, the Travel Base seems like a solid option for those looking to find the lowest possible price.

We'd love to see Kleox expand with a model with some type of empty kitchen area, maybe a galley or a slide-out, but the company has strived to create more of a "solid-walled tent on wheels" product line, so a more fully featured version might not be in the cards for the Leipzig-based builder.

Source: Kleox