01 What makes it unique
Cruiser RV lists the 2025 Shadow Cruiser 251BHS at 6,140 lb dry, a GVWR of 7,834 lb and a net carrying capacity of 1,662 lb. It prints no hitch weight for it. Cruiser RV’s own figures do not add up — a conflict, stated not resolved: 6,140 lb dry plus 1,662 lb carrying capacity is 7,802 lb, against a printed GVWR of 7,834 lb. All three are shown as Cruiser RV prints them and none is corrected; the federal label on the trailer is the one to trust.
It is 30' 5" long and 11' 3" high. Cruiser RV prints no tank capacity for it.
Among the 8 Shadow Cruiser floorplans Cruiser RV’s 2025 Shadow Cruiser brochure lists with a published dry weight, it is number 3 from the lightest, in a range from 5,284 lb (Shadow Cruiser 235RBS) to 8,049 lb (Shadow Cruiser 330BHS). Every figure in that comparison is Cruiser RV’s, for the same model year.
Every number on this page was read on 5 Nov 2026 from Cruiser RV’s 2025 Shadow Cruiser brochure, the maker’s own dated document for model year 2025.
How the 251BHS differs from the other seven Shadow Cruiser floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Dry weight, 6,140 lb: third-lightest of eight, between the 252RKS (5,948 lb) and the 240RPD (6,214 lb).
- GVWR, 7,834 lb: fourth-highest of eight, between the 240RPD (7,796 lb) and the 292BHS (9,470 lb).
- Cargo capacity, 1,662 lb: fourth-largest of eight, between the 252RKS (1,590 lb) and the 235RBS (2,282 lb).
- Length, 30 ft 5 in: fourth-shortest of eight, between the 252RKS (29 ft 5 in) and the 261RB (31 ft 4 in).
Next to the 252RKS, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 251BHS is 192 lb heavier by dry weight, has a GVWR 264 lb higher, has 72 lb more cargo capacity and is 1 ft longer; the two publish the same exterior height.
Next to the 240RPD, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 251BHS is 74 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 38 lb higher, has 112 lb more cargo capacity and is 1 ft 8 in longer; the two publish the same exterior height.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 30' 5"
- Exterior height
- 11' 3"
- Exterior width
- Not published by Cruiser RV
- Interior height
- Not published by Cruiser RV
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 6,140 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 7,834 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 1,662 lb
- Hitch weight
- Not published by Cruiser RV
Capacities
- Fresh water
- Not published by Cruiser RV
- Grey water
- Not published by Cruiser RV
- Black water
- Not published by Cruiser RV
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Not stated per floorplan by Cruiser RV
- Tire size
- Not published by Cruiser RV
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- 7-8
How these published figures sit against the rest of the catalogue: travel trailer tongue weight by size; fresh, grey and black tank sizes; camper trailer size chart.
Drawn to scale
Weight budget
Size (no width published)
Axles, wheels and nose shape are schematic; not a floorplan. Data: dataset.
03 The Shadow Cruiser floorplan family
Cruiser RV’s 2025 Shadow Cruiser brochure lists 8 Shadow Cruiser floorplans; every one with a printed weight has a page here.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Cruiser 235RBS | 25' 11" | 3-4 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 252RKS | 29' 5" | 5-6 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 251BHS | 30' 5" | 7-8 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 240RPD | 28' 9-1/4" | 3-4 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 261RB | 31' 4" | 5-6 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 292BHS | 33' 11" | 9+ | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 300RLS | 34' 11" | 5-6 | Profiled |
| Shadow Cruiser 330BHS | 37' 11" | 9+ | Profiled |
Cruiser RV’s 2025 Shadow Cruiser brochure lists 8 Shadow Cruiser floorplans. Every one with a printed weight has a page here.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Cruiser RV does not publish for the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS
Cruiser RV prints no hitch weight, tire size, interior height, grey-tank, black-tank for this model, so none is given. Nothing is filled from a sibling model, a different model year or a dealer listing.
Read the label on the trailer
Federal rules put a load-carrying label inside every RV trailer: its unloaded weight with full propane, its cargo carrying capacity and its GVWR (49 CFR 571.110 and 571.120). Those figures come from the trailer itself and govern the towing decision.
05 How it compares
5,948 lb dry and 7,570 lb GVWR, against this model’s 6,140 lb and 7,834 lb.
6,214 lb dry and 7,796 lb GVWR, against this model’s 6,140 lb and 7,834 lb.
06 Loading it for a trip
Cargo capacity on the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS is 1,662 lb.
No source publishes a tongue weight for the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS, so its hitch load has to come from a scale ticket taken with the trailer hitched.
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Shadow Cruiser 252RKS, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 5 of the 5 fields both publish (this plan first): length 30 ft 5 in vs 29 ft 5 in; sleeps 8 vs 6; dry weight 6,140 lb vs 5,948 lb; GVWR 7,834 lb vs 7,570 lb; cargo capacity 1,662 lb vs 1,590 lb.
| Shadow Cruiser plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 7,834 | 5 of 8 | 7,570–9,995 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 6,140 | 3 of 8 | 5,284–8,049 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 1,662 | 5 of 8 | 1,195–2,776 |
| Length | 30 ft 5 in | 4 of 8 | 25 ft 11 in–37 ft 11 in |
| Sleeps | 8 | 6 of 8 | 4–9 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Shadow Cruiser 240RPD is 38 lb lighter (7,796 lb GVWR); Shadow Cruiser 292BHS is 1,636 lb heavier (9,470 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Shadow Cruiser siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Cruiser 251BHS | 30 ft 5 in | 8 | 6,140 | 7,834 | 1,662 | — | — |
| Shadow Cruiser 252RKS | 29 ft 5 in | 6 | 5,948 | 7,570 | 1,590 | — | — |
| Shadow Cruiser 261RB | 31 ft 4 in | 6 | 6,262 | 7,699 | 1,405 | — | — |
| Shadow Cruiser 240RPD | 28 ft 9 in | 4 | 6,214 | 7,796 | 1,550 | — | — |
| Shadow Cruiser 292BHS | 33 ft 11 in | 9 | 6,932 | 9,470 | 2,776 | — | — |
| Shadow Cruiser 330BHS | 37 ft 11 in | 9 | 8,049 | 9,995 | 1,195 | — | — |
All 8 Shadow Cruiser floorplans: Shadow Cruiser line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Cruiser 251BHS | 7,834 | 6,140 | 8 | 30 ft 5 in |
| MPG 2650RB | 7,834 | 6,276 | 6 | 31 ft 4 in |
| Cherokee Black Label 26LKBL | 7,832 | 6,142 | — | 31 ft 9 in |
| Airelume 265 | 7,830 | 6,388 | — | 31 ft 8 in |
| IBEX 25RBH | 7,838 | 6,338 | — | 32 ft 11 in |
| Ozark 26KB | 7,845 | 6,398 | — | 29 ft 11 in |
| Mallard (East Coast edition) M251BH | 7,846 | 5,860 | 8 | 29 ft 8 in |
Against the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS: the MPG 2650RB sleeps 2 fewer; the Cherokee Black Label 26LKBL is 2 lb lighter and 1 ft longer; the Airelume 265 is 4 lb lighter and 1 ft longer.
08 Common questions about the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS
How much does the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS weigh?
6,140 lb dry; 7,834 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS carry?
1,662 lb, 21% of its GVWR (median across 1,416 travel trailers here: 23%).
What size tow vehicle does the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS need?
A tow rating of at least 7,834 lb, plus payload for the loaded tongue weight, passengers and cargo.
How many people does the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS sleep?
Its published sleeping capacity is 7–8. 2 of the 8 Shadow Cruiser floorplans that publish a count sleep more.
How long is the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS?
30' 5" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
6 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Shadow Cruiser 251BHS. Not published: hitch weight, exterior width, interior height, fresh tank, grey tank, black tank, slide count, axle count, tire specification, awning, refrigerator, air conditioning.
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: library.rvusa.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA holds 12 recall campaigns and 11 owner complaints (model years 2005 on) against the Shadow Cruiser line (a recall and a complaint are not the same thing).
What to look at on a used one. Across the 11 complaints filed on this line the most-reported components are structure (27%), suspension (27%) and equipment (18%).
Recall coverage here is not complete, and complaints are owners’ unverified reports (how this record is built). Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy. Full tables are on the Shadow Cruiser line page.