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KZ Sportsmen 281RL

Travel trailerbuilt 2017–18Mixed build tierFindable on the used market
WHAT ONE COSTS
$18,600est. used (2018, 8 yr old)

Sticker was $32,488 in 2018. Out of production since 2018, so the used market is the only way to buy one. Estimate assumes a 2018 unit.

WHAT IT WEIGHS BEHIND YOUR TRUCK
~7,377 lbestimated as towed, for 2 people

dry weight 6,260 lb + fresh water (38 gal, full) 317 lb + propane + battery 200 lb + gear for 2 600 lb. Brochure dry weight omits water, propane, batteries and your gear; this estimate doesn't.

You want a tow rating around8,200 lb (10% margin)
GVWR (the sticker maximum)8,000 lb
Tongue weight, loaded~931 lb (13%)
WHICH TOW VEHICLES IT FITS: 51 OF 95

Judged the way the app judges: estimated loaded weight against each vehicle's rating less a 10% margin, per model year, because the 281RL's published weights held steady.

VEHICLETOW RATINGVERDICT
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2 V8, max tow) '19-2613,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax, max tow) '24-2622,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '20-2318,510 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '11-1918,100 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '20-2636,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '11-1923,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (max tow) '14-1812,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado EV (4WT) '24-2612,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Suburban (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Tahoe (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,400 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Dodge Durango (5.7 / 6.4 Hemi, tow pkg) '14-268,700 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '25-269,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '18-249,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '24-2613,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '15-2013,200 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '21-2314,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '11-1411,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 Lightning (max trailer tow) '22-2610,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, gooseneck) '20-2222,800 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, tow pkg) '17-1918,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel) '11-1616,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel, gooseneck) '23-2623,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '17-1932,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '20-2237,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '11-1621,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2638,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-450 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2640,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
GMC Sierra EV '24-2612,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
GMC Yukon / Yukon XL (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,400 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Jeep Grand Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-269,850 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Jeep Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-2610,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Land Rover Defender '20-268,201 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Land Rover Discovery '17-268,201 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Lexus GX 550 (tow pkg) '24-269,096 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Armada (3.5 twin-turbo, tow pkg) '25-268,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Armada (tow pkg) '17-248,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Titan (5.6 V8, tow pkg) '17-249,760 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Titan XD (Cummins diesel) '16-1912,710 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (3.0 Hurricane, max tow) '25-2611,610 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi eTorque, max tow) '19-2412,750 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi, max tow) '11-1810,620 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins HO) '19-2620,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins) '11-1817,980 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins DRW, gooseneck) '13-1831,210 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '25-2636,610 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '19-2437,090 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Rivian R1T '22-2611,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Tesla Cybertruck '24-2611,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Sequoia (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '23-269,520 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Tundra (5.7 V8, tow pkg) '11-2110,200 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Tundra (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '22-2612,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
The 44it doesn't fit

These verdicts assume 2 people aboard with typical gear. See the margin for your truck and your crew →

THE SPECS
Length32.1 ft
Height (incl. A/C)11.3 ft
Width8.0 ft
Interior height6.8 ft
GVWR8,000 lb
Dry weight6,260 lb
Dry tongue weight790 lb
Sleeps6
Slide-outs1
Axles2
Fresh water38 gal
Grey water32 gal
Black water32 gal
Air conditioning13,500 BTU

A missing row means the maker never published that figure: unknown, not zero.

WHERE PEOPLE SLEEP
  • 1× Front queen bed(Permanent)60×74
  • 2× Rear-lounge sofas convert(Convertible)—
HOW IT'S BUILT: 2/5
WallsWood frame + siding
FrameWood
RoofWalk-on
UnderbellyEnclosed

KZ (Mixed tier): KZ sits at the better end of the value tier: metal-sided stick construction like its budget rivals, but a 3/8" walk-on Tufflex roof, a standard enclosed and heated underbelly, and a 2-year hitch-to-bumper warranty put it a clear step above Hideout, Springdale or Salem FSX.

YEAR BY YEAR: WHAT CHANGED
  • 2017Introduced in the revived mainstream Sportsmen travel trailer range
  • 2018Final model year
FINDING ONE

Findable: a few listed nationwide most weeks. Why: KZ is a volume manufacturer; only 2 model years. Estimated from build volume and production span, not a count of live listings.

OUR TAKE

A two-year rear-lounge couples plan from the last mainstream Sportsmen TT range before KZ split the line into SE, Classic and Select.

OTHER SPORTSMEN FLOORPLANS
130BH · 3,500 lb · sleeps 4130RB · 2,800 lb · sleeps 4130RD · 3,500 lb · sleeps 3160QB · 3,850 lb · sleeps 3160RBT · 3,500 lb · sleeps 7170MB · 4,400 lb · sleeps 3171BH · 4,800 lb · sleeps 8180BH · 3,750 lb · sleeps 5180RBT · 4,500 lb · sleeps 8181SS · 4,400 lb · sleeps 6190BH · 5,000 lb · sleeps 5191BHK · 4,800 lb · sleeps 6210RDSL · 7,000 lb · sleeps 6221RKSL · 7,000 lb · sleeps 4the whole line →
Find one for sale

Live listings for the 281RL on the big marketplaces. Each search opens pre-filled with this exact floorplan:

RV Trader ↗Camping World ↗FB Marketplace ↗Google ↗

Inventory varies by site and day. Slim pickings? search the whole Sportsmen line ↗

Is the 281RL your #1, or just a spec sheet?

These are the facts. Whether it beats the other six thousand rigs for you depends on what you care about. Set your priorities as sliders, switch on your hard limits, and watch the whole market re-rank around them. Every exclusion explained, every margin shown.

See where it ranks for you →

Data compiled from dealer and aggregator listings, retrieved 2026-07.