2025 Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS Review

The Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS just might be the perfect fifth wheel for family camping adventures. This RV would be ideal for the growing family that’s ready to upsize their trailer but not necessarily their tow vehicle. That’s because the space efficient GSL Light Duty 274 BHS weighs just over 7,500 pounds. Even loaded up, it’s easily towable by any half-ton pickup truck.

However, being light doesn’t mean a Starcraft GSL fifth wheel skimps on quality or amenities. There’s plenty to love here, including solid construction, a big open floorplan, kid- and pet-friendly living areas, loads of storage, and sleeping space for up to eight people.

So, let’s get rolling with my review of this comfortable and space efficient fifth wheel: the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS.

At a Glance: Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS

Whether you’re looking for a value-packed RV for seasonal or year-round family camping adventures, the 2025 Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS is fifth wheel to consider. The layout is fantastic for families. I loved the spacious kitchen where multiple chefs can collaborate to create delicious camping feasts. The living area and kitchen combine into one huge space where everyone (including the family dog) can have room to stretch out.

To top everything off, the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS is a well-built RV that’s easy to tow with a half-ton. So, no vehicle upgrade is necessary. With all that it offers (and an MSRP of just under $70,000), the GSL Light Duty 274BHS is a fantastic value for anyone looking for family camper with lots of sleeping space.

Check the Specs

Sleeping capacity: 8
UVW: 7,645 pounds
CCC: 1,945 pounds
GVWR: 9,500 pounds
Dry hitch weight: 1,470 pounds
Exterior length: 30 feet 6 inches
Exterior height 13 feet 1 inches
Exterior width: 8 feet 4inches
Fresh/Gray/Black: 55/30/30 gallons
Propane: 60 pounds
Awning: 18 feet
MSRP: $69,774

Features We Love

Low-maintenance PVC Roof
200-watt solar panel with 30-amp controller
Comfortable furniture
Lots of storage
TravelLINK Smart RV system that allows control of awnings slide-outs, climate control, etc. from mobile device via Bluetooth
10-cubic-foot, 12-volt refrigerator
Stain-proof fabrics
Auto-leveling with Strong Arm supports that eliminate rocking
Three (3) 20-pound propane bottles, instead of two 30-pound bottles to make refills easy
Passthrough basement cabinet
16-inch wheels
Prepped for backup camera
On-demand hot water
Storage cabinet for bunks
Open floorplan
Spacious kitchen
Pet/child screen guard on screen door
40-inch, 12-volt smart TV with soundbar
Solid step entry stairs
High efficiency furnace
2-inch hitch receiver on back

Benefits

Light enough to tow with a half-ton
Low maintenance exterior surfaces
Able to go off grid
Storage under front section is big enough to fit a generator for boondocking
Great open floorplan allows families to watch movies together
Bluetooth climate control means you can turn the furnace or A/C on or off from bed
Awning can be opened closed via Bluetooth
Screen guard helps to prevent screen door damage, kids falling through, and/or dogs escaping
Master bedroom is far enough away from the kids’ sleeping area that kids and friends/cousins can have fun without disturbing parents
Lots of sleeping spaces!
Big farmhouse-style sink has lots of room for washing dishes, veggies … as well as small dogs and babies.
Versatile pop-up counter provides extra workspace or a one-seat dining area
Shower is roomy enough that bigger people can shower in comfort

Challenges

Open floorplan means adults have limited ability to escape from the kids indoors
Smaller bathroom for sleeping capacity of eight; also includes plastic toilet to lighten weight, which is more difficult to clean than heavier ceramic versions

Best For

Families that are ready to upsize their trailer but don’t want to upgrade their tow vehicle from a half-ton
Families with older kids or teens and/or large dogs that need lots of space

Key Areas That RV Trader Reviews

RV Trader asked RV shoppers what was most important to them in their RV buying process. Potential buyers — like you — helped us to identify a list of six key areas that camping and travel enthusiasts always look at when they’re searching for the perfect RV: sleeping space, bathroom, living area, four-season capabilities, and storage space.

The RV Trader team then got to work providing you with an honest and unbiased evaluations. And that’s where I come in. I’m Lynne Fedorick, RV expert and enthusiast. I provide an honest look at RVs from an RV industry insider perspective. That way, you can learn the good, the bad, and the intriguing about any RVs I review. I inspect each RV with the buyer’s perspective at the forefront. And I always evaluate those six key areas that buyers have told us that they have in mind.

So, that said, let’s take a closer look at the 2025 Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS.

Sleeping Space

There are oodles of sleeping space for happy campers in the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS. As you enter this RV, there are two double bunks with a 750-pound weight limit. They are also fitted with USB ports, plugins, and places to stash items like books or tablets. At the foot of the bunks is a cabinet that could be used to store clothing and other camping necessities

The master bedroom at the front of the RV features a full queen bed with lots of space underneath for storage. (Or a dog bed or two.) Each side of the bed has its own night table with a pop-up plug in for charging devices and a wall mounted 110-volt plug in. There’s plenty of room for a CPAP machine or books here. The wall at the foot of the bed has a place to mount a TV. There’s also a good-sized wardrobe with a mirror that — aside from letting you know what your fashion choices look like — helps to keep things light and bright. Over the bed, storage cabinets provide extra room for books or other camping necessities.

Presto! Change-o!

In the living area, the dinette is easy to transform into a full double bed, providing sleeping for two. If you need even more sleeping space, the sofa bed quickly expands into a relatively comfortable queen bed.

The master bedroom with a full queen bed. There’s also lots of walkaround floor space.

Always nice to have an end table on both sides of the bed, but it’s especially convenient that both are fitted with a pop-up plug in to charge devices.

Here’s the inside of the spacious bedroom wardrobe. When closed, you the mirrored doors make the space seem even larger and lighter.

Note that the bunk space is very much a part of the living area — both above and behind the couch.

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS is small but efficient. Still, there’s plenty of room to move around. And there is adequate storage for toiletries and towels in both the vanity and medicine cabinet. Starcraft adds some nice touches here, including towel bars and a toilet paper holder. While the shower isn’t huge, it’s certainly roomy enough that bigger people will still be able to shower comfortably.

Just a sense of proportion. I’m not super tall, but even a bigger person would have plenty of space in the shower.

The medicine cabinet in the bathroom offers a surprising amount of storage real estate.

Living Area

The living area is open concept, with shared space for the living, dining, kitchen and bunk areas. Both the comfortable sofa and dinette benches are upholstered with soft, durable and stain-proof fabric that makes them very camping friendly. (As well as kid-friendly and pet-friendly — a trending theme.) The dinette transforms easily into sleeping space and drawer storage under each bench can hold bedding, board games, and other necessities.

On the exterior, the 18-foot power awning creates a great shaded living space outdoors.

Good look here at the living area from the vantage point of the master bedroom entry.

Not only is the sofa comfortable, but I love that fabric is stain-proof.

The dinette is next to the 10-cubic-foot fridge. It not only houses extra storage, but it also doubles as an additional sleep space.

Now a look from above: the living area as seen from the top bunk.

Kitchen

The kitchen in the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS features a farmhouse -style sink, a three-burner propane stove, a propane oven, a 9-cubic-foot microwave, and a 10-cubic-foot fridge. There’s impressive storage for food, dishes, and cooking tools in spacious cabinets and drawers. The amount of workspace in many RVs can be marginal at best. You won’t find that here. There is easily enough counter space in this kitchen to keep most camp chefs and any helpers happy. In case it’s still not enough, a small flip-up counter is ready to be deployed as needed. As mentioned earlier, this could also provide a nice little workstation space. Or just an additional dining spot. Any of those three options — extra cooking, working, or dining space — are all great to have.

Just a quick look inside the fridge. Lots of room in here.

Four-Season Capabilities

The Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274 BHS comes packed with features that make it for adventures, no matter what the weather is doing. It has a lot going for it: R-38 insulation in the ceiling; a heated and enclosed underbelly; R-9 insulation in the sidewalls; and double-insulated baggage doors. All help keep heat in and climate-controlled air flowing. Waste tank gate valves and the outside shower and docking station are all enclosed and protected so they won’t freeze. (That’s important.) When summer heat hits, there are two ducted air conditioners to keep the inside temperature refreshingly cool.

Storage Space

Outside, generous passthrough storage in both the front and the rear sections of the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS provide plenty of storage for camp chairs and other gear. But there’s also enough room to stow an inflatable paddleboard or two. Or golf clubs. Or other sporting equipment. There’s also a cabinet under the front section of this fifth wheel that’s big enough to house a generator for boondocking.

Inside, the cabinet, drawer, under-bed, and dinette-bench storage should be perfect for most families. There are three large drawers in the kitchen that could be used for storing cooking utensils or pantry staples. Plus, there are cabinets above and under the counters. Both the bunkroom and the master bedroom have storage for clothing and camping necessities. A 2-inch receiver hitch at the back of this RV is ideal for mounting a bike hitch.

Quite simply, storage in the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS maximizes efficient use of space, and I was surprised how much storage there is.

So much passthrough storage in the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS. Here’s some in the front.

And here’s some more passthrough storage in the back.

A look at one of three 20-pound propane tanks. Makes it easy to refill.

Just one example of clever interior storage. Here a convenient cabinet is tucked away next to the bunk area.

Closing Notes on the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS

This would be such a fun RV for camping with the family, owing largely to its well-thought-out floorplan and use of space. At just under 32 feet long, the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS is the perfect size for those new to towing a fifth wheel. It’s long enough to have space for everyone yet short enough to back easily into a campsite. I always camp with dogs, so I loved all the durable, easy-to-clean surfaces throughout this RV, as well the screen door guard. The neutral decor is bright but is still easy on the eyes.

The ultra-light weight of the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS makes it easy to tow for most half-ton pickups. However, half-ton towability means it has a few minor drawbacks in other areas. For example, instead of having an easy-to-clean ceramic toilet, the GSL 274BHS gets a lighter (but harder to keep clean) plastic toilet.

The 1,945 pounds of cargo carrying capacity isn’t bad at all for an RV in this weight class, but RV users will need to be weight conscious when they pack the Starcraft GSL Light Duty 274BHS up for a week or two off grid. The shared living and bunkroom area of this RV could be a blessing or a curse. If you’re camping with older kids, it could be a lot of fun. However, children who are still young enough to nap could have trouble sleeping so close to the main living area. Overall, this is a fantastic RV for families who want a spacious fifth wheel, but don’t want to upgrade to a three-quarters ton or one-ton pickup.

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