2027 Opus Camper OP4 LE Review: Cleverly Designed, USA-Made, and Easy to Tow

Outdoors-oriented families in the market for a boondocking and off-pavement travel trailer often lean towards those from Australia. After all, campers from Down Under are designed to endure weeks-long stays traveling in the Outback, with a reputation for stout build quality. They also tend to come loaded with all the features you need to camp comfortably deep in the backcountry.

But there’s a stellar boondocking camper line designed and built right here in the States that seems every bit as strong and well-featured as any Aussie-made trailer, and it’s called Opus Camper. Opus offers seven different off-road-ready pop-up tents and hybrid hardsided trailers, all manufactured in Pittsburg, Calif.

One of the more interesting models that Opus offers is the Opus OP4 — a premium folding pop-up tent trailer that initially debuted back in 2019. This model is one of Opus’s bestsellers — and the 2027 Limited Edition version that I recently tested is likely to be even more popular.

When the top covers of the OP4 LE are unlatched and opened up from travel mode, and the automatic air-inflated tent is standing tall, this pop-up–style tent trailer will easily accommodate up to four adults comfortably, or even sleep six in a pinch.

My wife and I put the OP4 LE to the test when we called it our home away from home for a week, splitting time between a U.S. Forest Service campground along Oregon’s lower Rogue River and Shelter Cove Resort, a private RV campground on the west end of Odell Lake, high in the Cascade Range.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the LE, partly because, as a step above the standard OP4 model, it comes with a Truma Combi Heater, an upgraded Alloy Cargo Rack with a 500-pound capacity, a 2,000W Victron Inverter, and additional storage. It’s also outfitted with upgraded cushions, thicker mattresses, an adjustable swivel table, and bamboo woodwork.

The floor plan of this trailer would be a good fit for anyone spending multiple days or weeks dispersed camping. It’s compact enough in its towing configuration to park in a typical suburban garage, yet roomy enough when opened up to make life very comfortable in the boonies.

Opus Camper OP4 LE Review

Towing Observations

We towed the OP4 more than 600 miles behind a top-tier 2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige AWD. The Kia’s tow rating in this configuration is 5,000 pounds, and one of the X-Pro’s features is its self-leveling rear suspension. The OP4 towed like a dream, largely due to its feather-light 3,100-pound dry weight.

The trailer’s low profile when collapsed (just over 5 feet) really helps reduce wind drag at highway speeds. This makes for much improved fuel economy than you would get towing a more conventional trailer. We averaged just a little more than 14.5 mpg with the Telluride while towing the OP4 LE. That is down considerably from the Kia’s EPA-estimated 19 combined mpg, but there are no free rides when it comes to towing.

While the trailer was well within the Kia’s towing limit, it’s worth noting that the OP4 LE’s heavy tongue weight caused the rear of the Telluride to squat more than I expected. It wasn’t enough to cause any handling issues, but it was enough to suggest the trailer’s tongue weight (which, when loaded, we estimated to be around 525 pounds) was at the max capacity of this SUV.

One reason for the heavy tongue weight is that the OP4 design has a single-axle suspension. This favors the rear, where the water tanks are located.

That leaves the tongue of the trailer carrying the weight of a full freezer/fridge, the heavy-duty cargo rack and any gear on top, two 6-gallon jerry cans, the slide-out storage drawers, and twin propane tanks at 74 pounds when topped off. This feels like a design oversight, given the trailer’s otherwise lightweight design and the type of vehicles that will likely end up pulling it.

If you’re considering purchasing an OP4 LE, make sure your tow vehicle can handle that much tongue weight. Articulating hitches, such as the Cruisemaster DO35 the OP4 LE utilizes, are incompatible with traditional spring-bar weight-distribution systems typically used when tongue weight needs to be adjusted. 

Setting Up Camp

Transforming the OP4 from “travel mode” to “camping mode” was a lot easier than we anticipated. That ease is one reason this tent trailer is popular.

The OP4 utilizes numerous heavy-duty “over-center” bolt latches to tightly secure both the cargo rack and the front/rear bed supports to the body of the trailer.

Once the latches are popped up, the cargo rack can be easily lifted and rotated to stand vertically on the driver’s side of the trailer. The rack also has the accessory shower tent attached to it. The same style of latch is also used to secure the front and rear covers, which are actually the floors for the camp trailer’s double beds.

Release the latches on both sides of the trailer, and the two sections, supported by twin gas struts like those used to lift an SUV’s hatch, are easily flipped up and rotated into their camping position.

The final step in setting up the trailer is closing the five screw-top plastic air valves along the driver’s side of the trailer tent so the onboard air compressor can pump up the air beams that support the tent body.

We timed the entire campsite setup process from the moment after we dropped the tongue jack and four stabilizer jacks to stepping inside the tent. It was 14 minutes. It took the same amount of time to fold everything up for towing. It’s certainly not rooftop tent fast, but it’s a lot roomier, so that tradeoff is worth it.

The Cooking Scene

One of my favorite aspects of the OP4 LE is the outdoor kitchen. It’s large and intelligently laid out, making it a breeze to use. The slide-out for the kitchen is located at the rear of the trailer’s body on the off-side. Open the kitchen’s access door, push the release latch, and slide it out to reveal a big four-burner propane stove, a stainless sink with hot water, a two-tier mesh drying rack, and a food prep area.

We cooked numerous breakfasts and dinners on this slide-out kitchen. The stove is typical of what you find on other RVs and off-road trailers that have a slide-out kitchen. It’s generously sized and very functional.

Having hot water at the sink is a huge plus, especially when it’s time to do the dishes. The Truma Combi heater system ensures that there’s plenty of hot water to go around. The system has good water pressure, and the sink is deep enough to handle cleanup, even after a big meal. The wire-mesh drying rack is also very convenient for camping and cooking meals, and it works a lot better than some of the mesh drying bags on the market.

Our only complaint with this trailer’s kitchen is that it needs to extend a couple more inches from the body to give unobstructed access to the water faucet handle. This inconvenience is far from a dealbreaker, but it does feel like an oversight on an otherwise well-designed trailer.   

Bedtime Tales

Inside the OP4 LE is like stepping into a big, airy, tall tent. The center is spacious, with a thick wraparound sofa and swivel-adjust table. At each end is a double bed (the rear one can be extended into a King) with privacy netting. It has 8 feet of standing height inside, as well, which is a boon for tall campers.

Putting the sofa cushions in their proper place for lounging is kind of like a jigsaw puzzle the first couple of times, but you get used to it. The same holds true if you want to turn the lounge area into a third bedroom. The LE’s upgraded mattresses and cushions provide good support and a level of comfort not commonly found in off-road camp trailers.

We were pleasantly surprised at just how many zippered windows and vents the OP4 has. This maximizes air circulation and provides plenty of daylight, which makes the interior a nicer place to be, especially during the warmer months. And with the Truma heater, this camper would be perfectly suited for use well into the shoulder seasons, too.

OP4 LE Overall Impressions

Our overall impression of the 2027 Opus OP4 LE is that it’s a deceptively spacious camp trailer that does a splendid job both on and off-road. It has all the features and amenities a family of four needs to camp comfortably for days or a week away from civilization.

It’s compact enough to park securely in a typical two-car garage, light enough to be towed by a wide range of mid-size SUVs and pickups, and it’s built rugged enough to last for many years.

The OP4 LE is very easy to set up. The air-inflated tent system is very cool. While I didn’t have the opportunity to deploy the LE’s outside shower, which is enclosed in a tent-like configuration off the heavy-duty cargo rack, I’m confident it works as advertised. And, the Truma water heater provides an enjoyable bathing experience in addition to the hot water it provides for the camp kitchen.

The 2027 Opus OP4 Limited Edition off-road camp trailer is well-designed, functional, and a nice choice for families looking for a rugged yet comfortable camp trailer, though at a considerable cost. The Opus OP4 LE starts at approximately $41,000 before any optional add-ons. That’s a lot, but you are getting a lot for your money.