Stop Wasting Money On Bigger RVs: Check Out 'The Swiss Army Knife Of Camper Trailers' Instead

Bigger RVs, like motor coaches and large towables, offer creature comforts that rival those found in many modern homes. While ending your day sitting on a couch watching your favorite show on television is familiar and comforting to many, but the price tags on bigger campers from the best major RV brands often climb well into the six-figure range. If you prefer to camp in wild places, outside of established campgrounds with paved streets, there are a number of off-road campers and RVs built for the backcountry. However, some of those, like Post Malone's new EarthRoamer XV-HD RV, can cost well over $1 million.

If your camping needs are a bit more rustic, you may be wasting money on bigger RVs. If your idea of camping includes sitting in a folding chair around a fire pit at night, showering (and handling other restroom business) under an open sky (but with some privacy), and generally spending most of your waking hours outside, the Tag-Along from Earth First Campers is an option.

A properly equipped Tag-Along camper, aptly dubbed the Swiss Army Knife of campers, according to Playing with Sticks on YouTube, provides space for all the necessities. Best of all, its base price starts at just $5,500 (expected to rise to $6,000 for 2026), and you can tow it with nearly any car, truck, or SUV.

Going camping in a small camp trailer is nothing new. Considering the low price and light weight of the Tag-Along camper, you may wonder what comforts you'll have to leave at home while at camp. The good news is that the Tag-Along gets its Swiss Army Knife of campers nickname by combining all of the most essential necessities into a compact package.

Lighting inside and outside the camper is provided by 12-volt LED lights. There's a master power switch that can shut the camper's electrical system off completely, turning to 120-volt shore power when connected to the grid, drawing 12-volt power from an onboard battery, or a tethered 12-volt source. For self-contained off-grid camping, you'll need to add energy storage via a battery or power bank and solar panels or a generator if you stay out long enough to require recharging.

Accessing the Tag-Along's modular drawers, with amenities like the built-in ice-chest cooler, a sink with hot and cold running water, a propane firepit, and a dry storage box reveals the camper's versatile functionality. A front-bathroom area surrounding the included shower head provides a short composite wall that wraps around a platform built over the trailer tongue. Additional privacy comes from a wrap-around curtain on a removable, collapsible rod. Place a portable toilet on the platform and keep towels and toilet tissue in the built-in vanity shelves to complete the bathroom setup.

The $5,500 price tag is just for the base camp trailer, but you'll need to choose from one of three Rooftop tent (RTT) procurement options. It'll add a little to the cost of the camper, but it's still far below the budget required for bigger RVs. The first option is an RTT from one of Earth First Campers' partners. Earth First Campers will work with the supplier to get the best price on your chosen RTT, roll the cost into your invoice (and financing if desired), and attach it to your Tag-Along camper at no extra cost.

If your favorite new RTT doesn't come from a partner, Earth First Campers will reach out to strike a partnership deal with the new company to get the best price. If that fails, you can simply order it on your own and either have it drop shipped to Earth First Campers, where they'll attach it for a fee, or ship it to your location and install it yourself, just like if you were installing it on your car.

If you already have a suitable RTT that you enjoy, you can save the cost of a new tent. Again, you can wait until you receive your Tag-Along and install your RTT yourself, or deliver it to Earth First Campers and have them do the installation. Costs for anything other than option number one are quoted on a case-by-case basis.