Today’s RV review is of the 2023 Meerkat trailer. The Meerkat is one of the smallest full-function trailers you can buy and might even be towable by many four-cylinder cars out there.

In one of the groups I belong to there is a constant discussion about small, light weight trailers with at least one person a day asking what they and tow with their Subaru. Or Prius. Until now I suggested the Earth T300 just because it’s so light but now I have something else to refer to: the San Diego, California-built MeerKat trailer.

MeerKat Trailers

The MeerKat is a very light garageable trailer at only 920 pounds and the company claims it makes it trailerable by almost every four-cylinder car on the market. Obviously you’ll want to look at our towing guide before making a final decision.

Among the things the company is proud of is that their trailer is garageable but also offers the ability to stand up inside the trailer. They accomplish this with a pop top much like an old VW camper van. In fact the company states that the interior height is 73” with the top up and you can upgrade this to 79” if you choose.

Funny thing in a video with the company founder he was demonstrating the top and showed how you can look all around like a MeerKat when you’re standing there. I wonder what the “a-ha” moment was like when they applied the functionality to the name?

What’s inside

There are a lot of very small, light trailers that really are more for weekend or short-term camping only in that you’re not going to want to stand at an outdoor kitchen as the only place where you can prepare a meal. Of course there’s also the whole issue of not having a bathroom - putting on in a trailer makes for a whole different experience, in my opinion.

As such the MeerKat has all the typical amenities you’d want for a full indoor experience, despite the really light weight. It’s a very simple affair, of course, with a front counter that incorporates a sink in the top.

The company demonstrated their approach to this as the sink will draw from five gallon containers under the sink with a manually-operated pump and there is room enough for two of these. The advantage to this type of arrangement is that there is literally no work in winterizing - you just leave your five gallon jugs inside the house.

Of course the obvious disadvantage is that you only have five gallons of water at a time but I’ve also seen people bring additional jugs of water in their tow vehicle or just store them in the trailer itself. You could also go fill one at a spigot or something and, if you’re worried about campground water, perhaps using the Clear2o water filter would allay those fears.

In a drawer is a single propane burner but the company also offers a single induction burner which would be my preference. I’m glad they give buyers a choice.

You can get the MeerKat with an optional refrigerator or just space for a cooler. But if I were buying I’d get one of those slick 12 volt refrigerator-freezer “cooler-style” units so I could operate it in the car.

On the road side of the counter is a closet that has a false bottom so you could use it as a pantry space or a full hanging space.

The Porta-potty is at the end of the dinette on the road side of the trailer and under a cover that folds up. Now there are going to be people who absolutely dislike that the pot is right in the main area of the trailer but you have to remember, this is trailer under 1,000lbs (dry) that still even offers a place to go when you’re on the go so some allowances have to be made.

Over the galley is a large, circular pop top and that’s where the headroom comes in in this trailer. The top unlatches with two simple levers and easily pops up giving you the headroom. The top is circular so it basically covers the galley area.

At the back of the trailer is a U-shaped dinette and that’s the bed at night. You can either do two individual beds, or a large bed with a pretty innovative mechanism.

The MeerKat’s designers do have a table on a pole in the back and the typical thinking is that this is the surface that is used to turn two benches into a bed. But not here. Instead that table can also do duty outside and its solid surface construction means that it’s fine to be out there without worrying about damage.

To convert the two benches into a sleeping area there’s a pull-out “shelf” that goes between the beds. It’s a really clever arrangement.

Lastly there’s storage above the dinette across the entire rear of the trailer.

In summary

This is going to be one of those trailers that’s polarizing but will also have people at the campsite gathered around asking questions. I like the fact that you can choose a variety of colors for the interior and exterior and have them match. The company’s founder tows his around with Toyota Yaris.

This is a small, stylish trailer that can really open up the camping experience to a lot of people who are interested but want something they can tow with many of the SUVs out there or other vehicles of that nature. The fact that you can store it in the typical garage is a bonus, especially considering that it’s not a teardrop trailer so that’s quite something.

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