Today’s RV review is of the new-for-2025 Aurora 13BHX travel trailer. A lot of RVers look at RVs as being a great way to bring a comfortable place along with them. As we look at RVs, a lot of us, including me, judge what we see by this measure.
But there is a good number of people who look at an RV as one step up from being in a tent. In fact, Rockwood and Flagstaff have an entry-level series of pop-up campers called the OTG, or Off The Ground, series.
That’s sort of who today’s RV is for—someone for whom this is a big step above tent camping.
A funny story
Incidentally, a month or so ago I actually delved back into tent camping just because I had this crazy idea of taking my travel trailer to a place and then using all the various camping gadgets that I have accumulated over the years along with my four-wheel-drive truck to go a bit further than where I’m comfortable towing the trailer for a day or two.
I shared this idea in my recent review of the Flated Air Topper.
I don’t know if I shared that we did test out the theory by going tent camping near Cheyenne, Wyoming, to chase the Big Boy steam locomotive.
Well, we tested out the whole tent camping situation last weekend again in the Jemez Mountains and didn’t really plan for nighttime temps in the 40s. Brrr. One night was plenty in that situation.
Anyhow, that was a lesson learned.
Start at the road with the Aurora 13BHX
In addition to being a step up from a tent, this trailer is very much designed to be affordable in every way possible. There are premium smaller trailers out there such as the Flagstaff E-Pro trailers, some of which are about the same size as this—but that’s not what this is.
And that makes sense in many cases. KOA reports that the average person only journeys about 75 miles from home about 2-4 times a year. That’s it.
Anyhow, this trailer has a single axle with a leaf spring suspension and off-brand tires. Not my favorite—but if you’re going for price, this is one way to do so.
While dimensions and even pricing details aren’t available for this unit, which is why I don’t have a chart, do know that the selling price of about $13,000 was bandied about in the video I’ve attached below. That’s pretty affordable.
I have seen other price-focused trailers in roughly this same price and size category. Those forgo things like a propane system, relying on electrical systems even for heat by way of an electric fireplace. Meh.
To their credit, Aurora does have a propane system aboard this trailer, including a furnace and water heater. So you are getting a fully-featured RV with this, even though it’s small. There’s also a black tank flush, which used to be so hard to find but now is common. That’s a good thing. And it’s good that it’s here even on this wee trailer.
While we’re down here, let’s also take note that this is a Norco frame. That means it’s built with huck bolts rather than welds, which is purportedly better.
What’s inside the Aurora 13BHX
You may be surprised to find all the usual RV stuff in here, albeit packaged rather tightly. There are actually sleeping surfaces for up to four people.
The bed up front is an east-west bed measuring 54” X 74”, so smaller than a queen. There is a bit of storage at the head, or foot, of the bed in the form of a compartment that you access by flipping up the top.
There’s also a shelf over the bed, but there is no hanging storage in this rig at all. I don’t suspect that you’ll be bringing hanging clothes with you, but who knows?
This also has bunks in the back measuring 29” X 70”.
The kitchen here is also small but still has a two-burner propane cooktop and a small sink along with a microwave. There’s also a smaller fridge and a bit of storage over that and in cabinets in the kitchen, but there are no drawers whatsoever. That is a bummer, but drawers ain’t cheap.
There is also a bathroom with a shower that features a shower curtain, rather than a glass door, which I like better. But the shower walls are the same wall board as the rest of this trailer. With this being a bunk model, I would be concerned about the longevity of those with younger travelers who aren’t the ones making the payments. This isn’t horribly uncommon, but I don’t like it just the same.
There’s also no sink in the bathroom, but there is one right next door in the kitchen.
Final thoughts on the Aurora 13BHX
This could be a great choice for young families or folks who just don’t get out much. There are three floor plans in this series. Only this one has bunks—the others are more couple’s campers.
The one concern I have is that this is small enough that some people, and many lousy RV dealers, are really going to sell this as being towable by smaller vehicles. The empty weight on this is about 2,700 pounds, with a gross weight of just over two tons. Assuming about a 15% weight on the tongue, that’s about 500-600 pounds of tongue weight.
If you’re sporting some SUV and have two kids, you’re really going to want to be sure that you have the 600 pounds of carrying capacity to actually hook this thing up and tow it safely. Most people, and that includes RV and vehicle dealerships, look at what a vehicle can pull. But, really, it’s what it can carry that is usually the determining factor.
That problem isn’t limited to just this trailer, but it is a common situation. I just want everybody to tow safely.
For the price, this could be a great way to get into RVing, making memories with the kidlets and going to new places. For that, it’s not a bad little package.
My thanks to Myles from Firmly Unbound for the video and photos in this article.
More about these RV reviews
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.
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And again, it’s not what you can tow, it’s what you can stop.
If the bed was convertable to a couch it would be much more desirable, as is with no seating inside, not so much. During the hottest part of the day or if the mosquitoes are bad at night you need to be inside.
Thank you, Tony! 🙂 Nice review; thank you! Have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Hmmm…$13k sure is affordable, but I’m seeing base prices here in Phoenix at 21K and up. Did I see that incorrectly?