One of the greatest concerns that many buyers have with new travel trailers is that many units aren’t built particularly well. Ideally, you want a trailer that’ll last several years, not fall apart the moment you leave the dealership. There are robust campers out here, but they tend to cost a small fortune. One company thinks it can do both. This is the Leaf from Lightweight Innovative Vehicle, and it seems to have it all. It’s a tiny camper that doesn’t weigh a lot, appears to be made well, and doesn’t cost a million dollars. Oh yeah, did I say that this $16,000 camper is made out of plastic?
The RV industry typically isn’t known for innovation, but I’m happy to say that trends have been changing. There are a slew of new faces in the market that offer something different than the stodgy old designs from decades past. Much of the new RV development lately seems to be focused on self-towing travel trailers, all-electric systems, and EREV motorhomes. Some brands are even upping their quality. I’ve been finding myself saying “huh, that’s neat” far more often than usual, lately.
One brand that has been particularly bewitching for me is Lightweight Innovative Vehicle, or LIV. This startup company seemingly came out of nowhere, and its elevator pitch was wild. Instead of building a camper marketed with more AI buzzwords than can fit in a waste tank, LIV wanted to go in the opposite direction and build something crazy simple, but with a twist. Its campers are not made out of fiberglass, aluminum, steel, or wood like the rest of the RV industry. International RV says it wants you to sleep in one of its simple boxes made out of thick plastic.
Progress
I feel like I’ve been watching a kid grow up. When I first saw International RV’s LIV in 2023, the company’s display was tiny, and they couldn’t even get into the big RV show in 2024. International RV has come so far. It had a huge display at the 2026 Florida RV SuperShow with lots of models and a bunch of salespeople
LIV is the RV brand of International RV, which was founded in 2021 in Americus, Georgia. The company’s mission is to solve one of the biggest problems that RV owners face today: Poor longevity due to poor build quality and water leaks. The people behind International RV came from Factory Direct Marine & RV, a retailer specializing in boats, RVs, and their associated parts. This experience in boats trickled down into the RV operation. You’ll see what I mean later.
When LIV debuted in 2023, it made a splash with how it builds its campers. Every LIV trailer is built from top to bottom from a thick thermoplastic honeycomb that is ultrasonic-welded together, making for a “single-piece” shell. The floors and the interior furniture are also plastic and welded to the main structure, too. International RV proudly notes that there’s no wood to rot, no particleboard, no rubberized roofs, and no destroyed rainforests.
International RV says that its honeycomb structure, which is over an inch thick, is so strong that the roof of a LIV trailer can hold 3,000 pounds. The structure also forms a unibody, which negates the need for a large supporting frame. When you look under a LIV, you see a basic and rather small frame, and it holds the trailer’s tongue, tanks, and axle.
This construction has created remarkably lightweight trailers. The company says that its trailers are so light and so well sealed that they can float.
Of course, International RV doesn’t actually want you to use your camper as a boat, but that’s not stopping the company from advertising its trailers by putting them into a lake. International RV also likes intentionally pointing hoses into its trailers to show that they won’t rot out like the trailers of most companies.
LIV even gets funky with its braking systems. Optional on certain LIV models is a surge braking system, similar to what you’d find on a boat trailer or U-Haul trailer. Here’s how it works, from my previous coverage:
A surge brake system is self-contained, requires no modification to the tow vehicle, and requires no fine-tuning from a brake controller. In the tongue of a trailer with surge brakes, you’ll find a master cylinder. When you apply your tow vehicle’s brakes, the tongue of the trailer pushes a rod into the master cylinder, activating the brakes. The brakes work by using our old friend, physics!
Surge brakes do have downsides, like limited braking control going downhill, possibly applying the brakes when reversing, no adjustability, and no manual activation. Thankfully, it’s not a big deal if you don’t like surge brakes, as LIVs have electric brakes as standard. But you can definitely see the LIV’s boating roots.
Something else I like about LIV is that it’s a company that, at least for now, appears to be listening to its customers. Early LIVs had honestly pretty drab interiors, with just plain white walls, plain cabinetry, and plain black floor mats. Now, these campers look pretty darn cozy!
International RV also had to tighten up its quality control. I’ve been a member of the official LIV owners group for a few years, and some folks had a slew of small complaints. I have seen complaints about sticky roof sealant collecting dirt, moss, and other matter, sticking doors, amateurish caulking jobs, poor propane gas flow, frequent circuit breaker trips, and even missing parts. Some of the missing parts were honestly baffling, like stabilizer jacks that had missing bolts or cabinets that didn’t get a door installed. Lots of folks also complained about finding lots of condensation inside their trailers.
Then there were the odd design choices, like an entry door that could not reach its prop rod (above) when the awning was deployed. For all of International RV’s good ideas, it was sort of clear that they didn’t have a ton of experience building production campers, and some of the small details weren’t quite right.
In the time since then, LIV appears to have done a better job putting these things together. It’s still not perfect, but I’m finding that the vast majority of the people in the group are absolutely head over heels in love with their trailers. Most importantly, nobody’s complaining of roof leaks.
The Leaf
The newest LIV model is what I think is the coolest from the brand yet. This is the 13Leaf, and this little guy is supposed to be the cheap camper for a couple or a small family who want a step up from a tent or a tent camper.
Campers in the price range of this LIV tend to have wood framing, rubberized roofs, and frames that start rusting only a month or two out of the factory. Or, they’re built well, but have nothing in them. Alternatively, a $16,000 camper might be something that you cannot stand up in, like a teardrop. Remember, even the legendary Scamp 13 has a starting price of $25,000 nowadays.
The 13Leaf has the same plastic body as the rest of the LIV fleet, only it’s much smaller. The body is 13 feet long, while the overall length is 16’6″. You’re looking at 6’6″ of interior headroom and 8′ feet of width.
The simplicity starts outside, where there really isn’t much of a graphics package, no outdoor kitchen (just an outdoor griddle), no slides, no storage compartment, no ladders, and not much of anything, really. I mean, it also doesn’t have many windows either, giving you only three portals to look through.
You can see International RV’s improvements immediately. The door, for example, holds itself open through friction. Now, there’s no need for a prop rod that can’t reach the door. The exterior finish also looks less “plasticky” than previous iterations. You sort of have to get close to the panels to notice the honeycomb layer underneath.
Check out the underside and the minimal frame:
The minimalism continues inside. If you’re wondering how International RV can make these trailers so cheap, it’s because these campers have everything you need and nothing you don’t. The equipment is all about function over form.
There’s a residential window-style air-conditioner in the back of the trailer and an electric heater just hanging on the wall next to the entry door.
If you think that puny heater won’t do anything, you’d normally be pretty correct. However, something I have learned from LIV owners is that the trailers are pretty well sealed, so that tiny heater will probably keep you warm enough. Well, so long as you aren’t camping in the dead of winter, anyway.
Some of you might be wondering about my assertion about the trailer not having any wood when you can clearly see wood on the cabinetry. Ah, not so fast. Like the dashboard of your GM vehicle, the wood here is just more plastic. Everything in here is plastic.
The rear of the trailer has a couch that pulls out and turns into a bed. The bar seating on the other side of the trailer is a Murphy bed that folds down. Add the beds up, and there’s sleeping for up to four. Or, you can reel both beds in, pop open that back hatch, and park some bicycles inside the trailer.
The kitchen is also a nice little spot. Once again, almost everything you’re looking at here is plastic. You get a two-burner stove, a 5 cubic foot refrigerator, a single-basin sink, a portable Bluetooth speaker, and a microwave. Despite the simplicity, the trailer does have some neat features, like a dry bath, a lithium battery, a power tongue jack, and a power awning. There are ok holding tanks for a unit of this size, as you get a 20-gallon fresh water tank, a 30-gallon gray tank, and a 30-gallon waste tank.
The options list is also interesting. You can order one of these with a diamond plate rock guard, a lift kit, knobby tires, solar panels, a power step, a forced-air furnace, an aluminum chassis, a second propane tank, and more.
I won’t say everything was perfect with this trailer. There’s no storage compartment for stuff that you don’t want inside, and the beds didn’t feel particularly comfortable.
Since International RV is still a newer brand, it’s unclear what this plastic is going to look like 10 or 20 years from now. I’m told the exterior finishes of these trailers are made similar to boat coatings. But again, we have no idea for sure until one of these trailers gets old. Even with that caveat, I still think these trailers are a great idea.
Plastic Fantastic
You get all of this in a package that weighs only 1,740 pounds empty with a steel frame. The people at International RV tell me that this trailer currently costs $15,990. That’s before a freight charge and before options. The reps at the show tell me that after freight, you’re looking at around $17,000 and change. However, you should be able to get out of that freight charge by picking the trailer up at the factory in Georgia.
I was surprised by how much I liked the 13Leaf. When I saw the price, I stopped in my tracks and considered buying one. Then I remembered that I have a lot of big-ticket items to pay for this year, from a new car for my wife to dental work. I don’t need to add a new camper to that list. But for a brief moment, I was sweating because I was seriously thinking about it. Maybe one day, LIV.
But if you’re like me and you like affordable RVs, I do think a LIV is a compelling choice. So far as I can tell, most of the people who buy them love them, and most of the reported problems with them are minor. The 13Leaf can be towed by a huge number of vehicles, doesn’t have any wood, and doesn’t seem to skimp on the basic features that most people want in a hard-sided trailer. Sure, who knows what the plastic will look like 20 years from now, but it’s also only $16,000. I think you can buy one and probably have lots of fun. I mean, I almost signed on the dotted line myself.
I use a small 1500W space heater in my similar-sized camper and it will keep it toasty warm even when it’s close to freezing outside.
It doesn’t sound like these are four season rated, so I doubt they were concerned about that.
I wonder if that’s a problem caused by these being too tightly sealed. Modern houses with vapor barriers and such are required to have an air exchanger system because otherwise the air inside gets very stale. Even in my poorly sealed traditional trailer I will have issues with condensation if it’s very hot or very cold and I can’t open the windows.
Overall, I was pretty excited about this until I saw the shower, which looks useless in this layout. They do have other ones that don’t put the shower on the sloping front wall, but the interior is only 6’4″ and as someone who is 6’5″ barefoot that’s a problem for me. I get away with it in my current trailer because the shower has a skylight that increases headroom, but it doesn’t look like these do.
Havng owned 3 RVs in the past 30 years, 25ft TT, 30 ft Class A Gas and a 36 ft Class A Diesel pusher, this would be perfect in my retirement years. My VW Atlas V6 could easily tow this and it could fit just about anywhere. Perfect solution should I get the RV bug again and at a great price point. I really like the hard shell plastic design. Great article. Thanks.
I dunno, to me I don’t see an RV. I see an ACTUAL way to live decently on some land (or property of friend/family) while saving money to build a house or buy one. It won’t fall apart, it won’t bankrupt you so you can’t buy the property you are saving for and it should resale for good value since the shell should be pretty “bullet proof” and people don’t have to worry and lowball you on leaks.
will i get sick from plastic fumes like the fema trailers after Hurricane Katrina?
I did not smell any plastic fumes, thankfully.
Thanks for the nice article. I checked on LIV after your prior report. It’s great that the build quality is getting better.
I’m surprised that no one has yet mentioned how great it is to have 6′-6″ interior height! And, it looks like a flat ceiling, so that height isn’t limited to the high point of a curved roof. Finally, one in which I can stand while wearing shoes.
On my short list…
Taking “new car smell” (interior plastic off-gassing) to the next level.
This does look compelling for a couple that just wants to get away without spending a large fortune on a trailer AND tow vehicle. Just about anything could tow this.
Thanks for the update on these! I’ve been eyeing them since I saw your first article, and even toured tour of their showroom models at a dealer near the in-laws. As you mentioned , I was disappointed with the small things on those early builds: holes for utilities that looked like they were made by a beaver more than a manufacturer process, sloppy caulk work, and loose, unguarded wires underneath. Glad to hear that they are upping the build quality.
I love their toy hauler model, and can’t wait to pick one up used. The price isn’t terrible, but I’m a cheapskate!
Little RVs and trailers will benefit so much when heat pump prices come down a bit more. I realize that you can’t put a $1000 appliance on a $16000 trailer… but this is such the perfect application due to space, efficiency and even being able to run in dehumidifier mode.
Although you’re not wrong, I do mildly disagree. The various systems in RVs and campers have adequately gotten the job done for decades now – the real pressing need is for manufacturers to simply make a better, stronger, more watertight, and somehow less expensive box to install those systems in. Remember, you’re not paying a separate electric bill when you’re at the campground, so other than for comfort’s sake inside the coach, I don’t really give a damn how much it costs to run the thing, because I’m paying a flat rate anyway.
I say that with a deteriorating, waterlogged 1986 Fireball camper parked next to my driveway, whose roof AC and propane heater, stove, and water heater would still work just fine if installed into a coach that had not sprung leaks and rotted. Regardless of the potential improved performance of a heat pump, they are absolutely not the problem here.
That assumes someone is camping at a commercial campground and paying for a spot with electrical hookups.
Most of our camping is done boondocking or in forest service “campgrounds” that are nothing more than a gravel parking space, a fire ring, and a pit toilet someplace on site.
In that situation heating / cooling is done either with solar or a generator and the more efficient the HVAC the better.
Sure.
And they might still put it in a crapbox that starts leaking way too much way too soon.
My simple point is that the coach itself needs to be reimagined before we go working too hard on the systems contained inside, because they work fine for most people in most situations.
Commercial RVs with a very few exceptions are junk. We all know this. We also know how to fix the problem but that costs money.
Knowing that commercial RVs are junk I built my own. First converting a van (which never leaked once) and now converting an ambulance. The box is aluminum over a 2 x 2 square tube aluminum frame. All welded construction. Also has zero leaks.
We know how to fix the problem – companies don’t because people keep buying junk.
also when electric comes down to a decent price because we’ve built tons of nuclear plants that aren’t just for data centers, right?
The thing is that they all come with air conditioners, which means they do have a heat pump, just one that only works in one direction.
However, I don’t think a heat pump is as big a win in something this small as it might be in a full size house. Even a very small resistive heater can easily heat something like this in any weather where it would be usable.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t take advantage of the existing AC system (and some actually do already), but the energy benefits for a small, occasional-use space like this are likely pretty minimal.
I like weekend articles!
Truly almost perfect. As a recovering camper I recall my family used to have a dining tent in addition to our 8 person camping tent. Like a military grade gazebo and screen sides it was the spot for eating and gaming or just staying dry in the rain because like this camper to small to sit around in. Add a dining tent and you are set.
Ahh – the big screenhouse set up over the picnic table with the camp kitchen inside. Yes.
You got it
Reminds me of the “Monsanto House of the Future” at Disneyland back in the day.
There’s a great story about when they went to tear it down, the wrecking ball just bounced off the plastic walls.
Yep. Exactly what I was thinking of.
I’ve seen the Chinese building trailers and structures out of plastic for some time but didn’t realize it had come to the US market. Very interesting I wonder if there is a connection to the Chinese. The plastic insulated panels I’ve seen used seem to be fairly strong and hold up well. Many of flat pack or fold out structure like a little house or office use them. Erecting them seems a little hokey but once they are up they seem ok maybe a little air leakage you need to address with some kind of foam or caulking. But that trailer being complete I could see being quite weather proof and light weight.
“it’s unclear what this plastic is going to look like 10 or 20 years from now. I’m told the exterior finishes of these trailers are made similar to boat coatings. But again, we have no idea for sure until one of these trailers gets old.”
Check the recycling mark. If it matches what you’d find on a Homer bucket watch out!
Hey if it works for a ports potty why not a camper?
Try picking up a piss and shit filled, thoroughly sun bleached Homer bucket sometime. You’ll get your answer.
Seriously though:
“Your portable toilet’s life expectancy depends on usage intensity and maintenance quality. Standard units typically last 10-15 years under normal rental conditions, while heavy construction site deployment reduces lifespan to 7-10 years. Deluxe models with reinforced HDPE construction can provide up to 18 years of service.”
https://hackneyrenters.org/what-is-the-life-expectancy-of-a-portable-toilet/
I’d expect a MINIMUM of 20 years out of a camper or a boat, even a cheap one.
Yeah, Homer buckets are HDPE, but lack UV stabilizers. Outdoor toilets are stabilized, though I don’t have any experience with their lifespan. UV-stabilized HDPE kayaks, I do, and they last quite a long time. Mine’s over 20 years with no sign of degradation or even fading. Though it’s been stored in an apartment and garages away from sunlight most of the time, many people leave their’s outside and I don’t know of anyone complaining of issues. I would guess 12-15 years would be an acceptable minimum estimate outdoors. On the flip side, I bought an HDPE storage box to store straps and stuff on the front of my utility trailer and the top cover is completely faded after less than 2 years and many coats of 303 plastic protectant. While I don’t know for sure, I think I can assume it has no UV stabilizers.
Of course, what is this trailer? ABS, PP, HDPE, something else? I would guess PP as that’s commonly available in honeycomb panels, which as I understand, has a reduced resistance to UV vs HDPE even when stabilized and is this stabilized? They covered it, which makes it look higher quality, and protects it, but that makes me wonder if they didn’t use that as an excuse to use non-UV stabilized plastic. Whatever the case, it would be smart for anyone buying one of these to make sure they maintain the outer coating if they plan to keep it a long time. The other issue is, whatever plastic they’re using is, it’s going to be pretty low energy, so getting anything to adhere to it can be a challenge. As another personal example, I converted my HDPE kayak to electric, which requires registration, which means a sticker and numbers. I tested flame treating with poor results and that certainly wouldn’t be something one would want to try on an entire trailer. (I ended up plastic-riveting a piece of aluminum to the top of the hull for the sticker and I painted the reg numbers with “plastic” spray paint, which has proved decently resilient with the minimal contact with anything that area gets.)
Sounds like a great idea in theory, let’s hope it works in practice. If they could scale it up to a 20-25 ft dual-axle that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, I think they have a winner.
They have two 26″ dual axle models, one with slide for $48k, and one without for $41k.
Resiliency is a big question mark. The condensation is because it’s so well sealed, an issue with high-efficiency houses, as well. With so little window area, ventilation will be tough, so I wouldn’t leave anything fabric inside for long term storage. As a plus, thermoplastic is DIY weldable and is a lot more recyclable than particle board and fiberglass at EOL.
Whatever is covering the plastic will need to be maintained to prevent UV degradation. I would think it’s something with a similar level of thermoelasticity as the base plastic, but that’s an assumption. Either way, it will also be subject to UV, though I’d trust it to last over time more than the other junk RVs are made from (I have an HDPE kayak I was told should last 5-8 years before UV would break down the elastomers. Though I don’t store it where the sun hits it, it’s over 20 years old and shows no signs of UV degradation and I don’t hear of that being a problem even for people who store them outdoors in direct sunlight).
So if it can double as a houseboat – can I tow it with an Amphicar?
I like the cut of your jib, old chap.
A trailer that won’t leak is one that’ll hold its value longer.
But it seems most RV owners care more about size and subsidizing Indianas lack of workers rights with a meagre paycheck
There’s no excuse to not galvanise the chassis- it’s basically standard over here for any kind of trailer.
Compare this to the $10000 camper from earlier this week. For $6000 more you get.
1′ more length and thus more interior room. A microwave and an extra bed? Lighter weight and more insulated and of course no leaks.
If you were buying a camper to keep long term the no leaks would be a pretty big deal maybe even worth the big price difference.
You also get sleeping for 4 with this trailer, as opposed to 3 with the other one (if I recall correctly). Which is a huge deal for families with 2 kids (like mine). Would definitely be worth the increased price for us.
Or empty nesters like me and my wife, who might want to take another couple on a camping trip sometime.
I love the idea of these trailers, a well engineered, durable product that is lightweight, efficient and won’t leak. But I’m still a bit leery of the execution. It seems like alot of the used Liv trailers on the market are going for really cheap (especially the older ones) which isn’t a fantastic sign. Some also look pretty dogeared so far which considering their realtive age, (read: not too old) they really shouldn’t be yet.The low prices may be from the issues that the earlier trailers had as mentioned above and maybe also a factor of the company’s youth and lack of name recognition yet.
I’m actually still considering one of these (a larger one that this, probably in the 18-20′ range) for when we get a trailer (or maybe we’ll go with a full blow RV if the Mrs has her way, time will tell) along side of a (used) T@B 400 or maybe an Castia. I really like the Escape but they are generally just too expensive even used. The Liv has the price and lightness down but the longevity is still up for debate. I may take a chance if I the price is right (and I win the debate with the Mrs… which I probably wont.)
“and I win the debate with the Mrs… which I probably wont”
To borrow a line from Dirty Harry: A man’s got to know his limitations.
Right there with you, Mighty Bagel.
Upvoted for quoting my favorite, most underrated Dirty Harry quotation.
This actually looks interesting. Thanks for the write-up!
I just want more information about the material. Honeycomb plastic? The only thing I know of is Nidacore, which is used in the marine industry a ton for flooring, ceiling, etc. I rebuilt my twin tunnel hull modVP race boat hull with nidacore, and it’s an incredible material, a 4×8 sheet can be lifted with only a finger a thumb. It DOES, however, require resin and fiberglass, as you need to saturate the large planar surfaces w glass cloth, and bond it. I don’t know how you’d ultrasonically weld such a material tho. Have any more info on the material?
Yeah, I don’t know how they keep such large, flat panels from flexing apart, but I’m giving benefit of the doubt that they have a solution. I’ve only ever seen and worked with small ultrasonic welding units that need specific molds for the parts, but perhaps someone’s developed a way to do large panels? Maybe they run two pieces (say a floor and wall) through a form that holds the pieces together at 90* while allowing linear movement through a fixed welder station or multiple welders that weld a small portion(s) at a time? I would love a “How it’s Made” with these.
Checking Google and their AI (which I have found to halucinate a lot) says that they are made of polypropylene. Same material of Nidacore. I wish they would state the actual material, because different “thermoplastic” materials have different properties.
If they are polypropylene, then LIV needs to protect the material from UV exposure.
Nidacore is PP w non woven textiles sides to absorb resin. Sure looks similar, not sure if they are just bonding the corners by hand or ???
I’m betting nidacore, and I bet they don’t do any of hte ultrasonic welding at their place, they’re just repeating a buzzword that someone said when they bought the material, which looks to be nidacore.
Dry bath again… someone’s been listening to my wife absolutely refuse anything with a wet bath. (Not that I like showering with a toilet, but I try keep an open mind.)
This is probably what we will buy once she gets her new vehicle. (Probably a Mazda CX-90, so lightness is key.)
A rear hatch to load larger items? Okay this is basically perfect for festivals and Burning Man.
They also have a ‘toy hauler’ model with a fold down rear wall/ramp. That’s what I’m eyeing as my eventual purchase in a few years.
See username – I’ve had a fantasy for years now of obtaining a toy hauler trailer, and building a portable recording studio in the “garage” section in back.
“Where did you record this album?”
“Badlands National Park. Although, to be fair, the guitars were tracked at a tailgate outside the Alabama-LSU game, and the keyboards were recorded in the infield at Talladega.”
Even better! I don’t have the sort of things people usually put in a toy hauler, but I do have two adult trikes that we take to festivals and Burning Man and such, and they don’t always fit through RV doors well.
Somehow I did not even know what the difference was between a dry bath and a wet bath. Now that I know, yeah, my missus would also refuse.
This is fantastic. I’ve never seen plastic crack, crumble from UV exposure, or get brittle in cold weather and crack when it gets impacted, so I have no concerns about durability.
Side question, if plastic is so good at keeping water out, why do they need a “sticky roof sealant”?
The issue with condensation inside will be a constant issue when stored if you don’t set up some sort of air exchange system. Plastic isn’t known for breathing well.
My guess is that not all the panels can be joined ultrasonically and maybe there needs to be more flexibility than thermoplastic welding allows or it’s more difficult to QC?
Plenty of plastic breaks down in sunlight. It might take a while, but it does happen.
Which is a good thing! Otherwise we’d be swimming in a lot more discarded plastic than we are.
Eventually microorganisms will evolve to digest plastics faster, then we won’t have to wait for the sun.
I’ve never seen plastic crack, crumble from UV exposure, or get brittle in cold weather and crack when it gets impacted, so I have no concerns about durability.
Leave a paint bucket in the sun for a summer, then get back to us.
Pretty sure it was snark.
woosh