Average Camper Weight (2024)
[Plus 17 Examples]

Understanding the Listed Numbers Of Weight

Don’t let yourself get caught off guard and confused when talking to the salespeople. 

Step up your game at an RV dealership!

Expect a whole bunch of different weight numbers listed on the manufacturer’s websites and owner’s manuals. Some people will also tell you the gross weight as well as the dry weight.

But trust me, you got this!

Here’s all you need to know:

Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW) or Dry Weight (DW) –

The weight of a tow vehicle or trailer straight from the manufacturer or factory. It’s how much the trailer weighs when it is empty.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) –

It is the maximum weight that the trailer can handle. This includes the unloaded vehicle weight, optional equipment or accessories, passengers, liquids, and cargo.

The trailer and tow vehicle each have their own GVWR.

Net carrying capacity (NCC) –

The weight of all the items you pack into the trailer.

Dry Hitch Weight –

The amount of weight that’s put on the trailer ball while towing. It assumes your trailer is in unloaded vehicle weight and is usually about 10 percent of your trailer’s weight.

Cargo Carrying Capacity –

The greatest amount of weight your belongings and gear should total to.

You can weigh your items separately before loading, to accurately keep track of your cargo’s weight.

Tongue Weight and Pin Weight –

Tongue weight or pin weight refers to how much vertical weight is actually being expressed onto the back of your vehicle.

This refers to the weight pressure put onto your vehicle’s towing ball during towing.

The dry hitch weight will tend to be lower than the other weights, as the RV’s wheels will take most of its weight, putting less pressure on your tow truck.

 Where Does The Weight Come From?

A camper may put up a greater or lesser weight. Even a small trailer can weigh in on the bulky side.

Here’s why…

Gear and Water

Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, and an average trailer has a 48-gallon freshwater tank.  

So, your freshwater tank will add 400 pounds to the weight of your trailer.

Then, we add the gear weight to the camper. A generator weighs about 90 pounds.

Slides and the Weight of Your Camper

Remember that if your camper has slide-outs, it will increase the weight of the trailer.  A single slide-out adds 800 pounds to the overall weight of the trailer.

An alternative to the slide-out—the popup—helps you gain extra room without the extra weight. Popups don’t add weight since these are generally constructed of canvas or other lightweight, collapsible materials.

Camper Construction Weight

The materials used for the construction of your camper can also have an impact on the overall weight of your camper.

The two main RV construction types are wooden and aluminum frames. 

If a camper isn’t built out of fiberglass, it’s usually with wood and corrugated siding. These campers are heavier and need more power to haul. The wooden frames weigh about 900 pounds more than the aluminum campers.

On the other hand…

Aluminum campers are lightweight because they use aluminum for their structure. You’ll recognize these campers by their smooth sides.

For vehicles that need to pull something that’s on the lighter side,  fiberglass and aluminum campers are great options.

Liquid, Passenger, and Cargo Weight

Each tank on your RV will add in extra weight when full. Freshwater, propane, gasoline, or sewage can all add up from 40 to 400 pounds.

Depending on the number of passengers, this can add on an additional 120 to more than 700 pounds.

Then, with the cargo added to the trailer, that’s an extra 400 pounds of camping gear, food, and kitchen supplies among others.

Extra Equipment

Often forgetting about your camper’s cargo carrying capacity? You’ll likely end up packing more than you expect.

Traveling with boats, bikes, a generator, space heaters?

Always onsider their weight implications. 

Always remember: All these items will add extra weight to your trailer.

Day-to-day Necessities

Pots, pans, dishware, cutlery, food, towels, toiletries, paper goods, linens…

All these things (and more) will also contribute to the weight of your camper.

Suitcases and Clothing

Think of the weight restrictions for luggage on an airplane.

You’ll have to account for the packing you’ve done for this specific trip.

What’s the bottom line?

You must always remember to take note of the weight you’ve started with and do your best to keep track of the weight you’re likely to end up with.