Gone are the days where a camper trailer is merely a tent sitting atop a trailer (although that type is still around if that’s what you’re looking for).
These days camper trailers can be as basic as warm, dry sleeping quarters with a slide-out BBQ, right up to having many of the comforts of a caravan. But along with these additional features comes a fair bit of extra weight.
It’s imperative to be all over camper trailer weights if you’re wanting to invest in one.
Firstly, you’ll need to figure out what your current vehicle is capable of towing (if at all). From there, the next step is making sure that your camper trailer is within its legal limits, yet still carries everything that you require for your adventures.
So, you’re probably wondering, how much does a camper trailer weigh?
The average Tare Weight of a camper trailer is 1,400kg, which is its empty weight (unloaded, empty water tanks and before any modifications or accessories are added). The average ATM (fully loaded weight) of a camper trailer is 1,800kg and is largely dependent on the features and accessories that have been included in the build. You can expect to have an average Payload of 662kg, with 110kg as an average camper trailer Tow Ball Weight.
To find these camper trailer weight averages, I compared 35 models across 14 brands in the camper trailer weight chart down below.
Don’t worry, if you have no idea what tare, ATM, payload and tow ball weight mean, I’ve got you covered!
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Camper Trailer Weight Terms
When researching how much does a camper trailer weigh, there are a few important weight terms that you’ll need to know. These include the Camper Trailer Tare Weight, Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM), Payload (also known as ‘loading weight’) and Tow Ball Weight (TBW).
Where to Find Camper Trailer Weights
All of the weights, which are set by the manufacturer, can be found on the camper trailer VIN plate. There you will find the Tare Weight, ATM and Max Ball Loading (tow ball weight), among other figures. From here, you can always work out what your allowable payload (or ‘loading weight’) will be, as explained below.
Camper Trailer Tare Weight
The tare weight of the camper trailer is exactly what it weighs when it comes out of the factory. This weight is stated by the manufacturer and will be stamped on the camper VIN plate.
Camper Trailer Tare Weight includes any accessories fitted at the time of the build, but with empty water tanks, empty gas cylinders and no luggage etc. Think of it as the weight of the camper as you’d be driving it out of the dealers yard.
| CAMPER TRAILER TARE WEIGHT = Weight of Empty Camper + Only Factory-fitted Accessories |
Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM)
The Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) is the maximum weight that the camper trailer is allowed to be (as set by the manufacturer).
In other words, the ATM is the maximum allowable weight of the camper trailer when fully loaded and unhitched from the vehicle. This weight includes all accessories, luggage, food, full water tanks, gas bottles, tool boxes, bikes etc.
| CAMPER TRAILER ATM = Maximum Allowable Weight of the Camper Trailer |
Payload
The Payload, which can also be called ‘loading weight,’ is the combined weight of all items that you can add to your camper trailer. This is anything above the Tare Weight, without going over the ATM.
To work out the payload, subtract the Tare Weight (empty) from the ATM (fully loaded). The figure that you’re left with is how much “stuff” you can add to the camper trailer.
The payload needs to cover food, water, luggage, hoses, BBQ, outdoor furniture etc. Keep in mind that any modifications you make to the camper (solar upgrades, tool boxes, water tanks etc.) will all come out of your payload as well.
PAYLOAD EXAMPLES:
- Food
- Water
- Clothing
- Full gas bottles
- Cooking items
- Bathroom items
- Hoses, ropes, pegs etc.
- BBQ & outdoor furniture
- Modifications & upgrades
| CAMPER TRAILER PAYLOAD = Available Carrying Capacity |
Tow Ball Weight
Tow Ball Weight is the amount of weight the fully loaded camper trailer puts onto the tow bar of the tow vehicle. Bear in mind that the TBW will change every time you add, subtract or shift your load around in your camper.
The accepted Tow Ball Weight in Australia is generally around 10% of the ATM or a maximum of 350kg, whichever is lower.
So, that 10% of weight comes off your camper trailer and onto the back of the car. Essentially, the Tow Ball Weight will transfer onto your vehicle’s GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) as it becomes part of the car’s payload.
The Tow Ball Weights listed below are for the empty camper trailers. You’ll need to allow adding accessories, water and luggage to your trailer, which will also increase your TBW.
| CAMPER TRAILER TOW BALL WEIGHT (TBW) = Approx. 10% of ATM (up to 350kg) |
How Much Does a Camper Trailer Weigh?
Below I’ve researched and compared the weights of 35 different Australian camper trailer models across 14 brands to be able to deduce some average camper trailer weights.
These averages are based on the camper trailer weight chart below.
AVERAGE CAMPER TRAILER WEIGHTS:
- Tare Weight – 1,139 kg
- Payload – 662 kg
- ATM – 1,801 kg
- Tow Ball Weight – 110 kg
If you’re in the market for a new camper, check out the full list of 64 Australian made and imported camper trailers.
Camper Trailer Weight Chart
Key Camper Trailer Weight Terms:
- TARE – empty camper trailer before adding additional accessories, luggage, water etc.
- PAYLOAD – the amount of “stuff” you can add to the camper trailer
- ATM – maximum weight the camper trailer can weigh (fully loaded)
- TBW – tow ball weight
| MODEL | BERTH | TARE (kg) | PAYLOAD (kg) | ATM (kg) | TBW (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruder EXP-4 | 2 – 4 | 950 | 900 | 1,850 | – |
| Bruder EXP-6 | 2 – 6 | 2,300 | 1,200 | 3,500 | – |
| Bruder EXP-8 | 2 – 5 | 2,700 | 800 | 3,500 | – |
| Camprite G6 MK 2 | 4 – 6 | 950 | 550 | 1,500 | – |
| Camprite TX6 MK3 | 4 – 6 | 1,100 | 900 | 2,000 | – |
| Exceed Campers Off Road | – | 920 | 530 | 1,450 | 80 |
| Exceed Campers Rooftop | – | 1,040 | 560 | 1,600 | 110 |
| BERTH | TARE (kg) | PAYLOAD (kg) | ATM (kg) | TBW (kg) | |
| Jayco Penguin Outback | 2 – 3 | 1,229 | 315 | 1,544 | 166 |
| Jayco Swift Outback | 3 – 4 | 1,062 | 385 | 1,447 | 87 |
| Jayco Lark Bushpack | 4 – 6 | 1,049 | 415 | 1,464 | 76 |
| Jayco Eagle Outback | 4 – 6 | 1,282 | 415 | 1,697 | 149 |
| Jayco Swan Outback | 4 – 6 | 1,376 | 415 | 1,791 | 142 |
| Kimberley Kampers Kamper Platinum | 1 – 8 | 1,140 | 760 | 1,900 | 180 – 240 |
| BERTH | TARE (kg) | PAYLOAD (kg) | ATM (kg) | TBW (kg) | |
| Mountain Trail EDX V2 | 2+ | 1,475 | 525 | 2,000 | 160 |
| North Coast Off Road RVS X.9 | 2 | 850 | 950 | 1,800 | – |
| North Coast Off Road RVS X.12 | 2 | 1,100 | 1,100 | 2,200 | – |
| Offline Campers Raker | 2+ | 1,200 | 700 | 1,900 | – |
| Offroad RV Sniper X.9 | 2 – 3 | 830 | 984 | 1,814 | – |
| Offroad RV Sniper X.12 | 2 – 3 | 1,100 | 895 | 1,995 | – |
| Offtrax Feenix | 2 | 960 | 640 | 1,600 | 90 |
| BERTH | TARE (kg) | PAYLOAD (kg) | ATM (kg) | TBW (kg) | |
| Patriot Campers X1 | 2 – 8 | 950 | 650 | 1,600 | 120 |
| Patriot Campers X3 | 3 – 4 | 1,120 | 480 | 1,600 | 120 |
| Patriot Campers X1-H | 2 – 8 | 995 | 605 | 1,600 | 120 |
| Patriot Campers X1-N | 2 | 830 | 770 | 1,600 | 100 |
| Track Trailer Tvan Tanami | 2 | 985 | 515 | 1,500 | 120 |
| Track Trailer Tvan Inspire | 2 | 990 | 510 | 1,500 | 110 |
| Track Trailer Tvan Zenith | 2 | 1,130 | 670 | 1,800 | 140 |
| Track Trailer Tvan Murranji | 2 | 1,200 | 600 | 1,800 | 145 |
| BERTH | TARE (kg) | PAYLOAD (kg) | ATM (kg) | TBW (kg) | |
| Trackabout Explorer | 2 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 85 |
| Trackabout Extenda | 2 | 1,150 | 850 | 2,000 | 120 |
| Ultimate Campers Xscape | 2 | 1,100 | 400 | 1,500 | 60 |
| Ultimate Campers Nexus | 2 | 990 | 510 | 1,500 | 60 |
| Ultimate Campers GT | 2 | 975 | 525 | 1,500 | 60 |
| Ultimate Campers Xplor | 2 | 950 | 550 | 1,500 | 60 |
| Ultimate Campers XTRK+ | 2 | 900 | 600 | 1,500 | 60 |
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Vehicle Weight Terms
Knowing the camper trailer weights is only one half of the equation. The other step is in understanding your car weights to figure out if it’s legally able to tow the camper or not.
Here are the vehicle weight terms, to help you make sure your tow vehicle is legal and safe when hitching up your camper trailer.
Vehicle Tare Weight
The Vehicle Tare Weight is much like the camper trailer tare.
It’s the weight of an empty vehicle with all of its fluids, but only 10 Litres of fuel in the tank. This is how much the car weighs at manufacturer specification with all fluids and only 10 Litres of fuel, but no payload (passengers, luggage etc.).
| VEHICLE TARE WEIGHT = Weight of Vehicle + Oil & Fluids + 10L Fuel |
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)
The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is similar to the camper trailer’s ATM.
This is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle including passengers, luggage, accessories and Tow Ball Weight. The GVM is set by the manufacturer, which states the maximum weight that the vehicle can be. The GVM must not be exceeded.
| GVM = Maximum Allowable Weight of Tow Vehicle |
Gross Combination Mass (GCM)
The Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is the maximum allowable weight of your car and camper trailer combined. The GCM figure is set by the manufacturer of your vehicle and it cannot be changed.
This total combined mass of both the car and trailer includes all gear and luggage, accessories, driver and passengers, fuel, water etc.
| GCM = Maximum Allowable Weight of Vehicle + Camper Trailer Combined |
Towing Capacity
The Towing Capacity is the maximum weight that your vehicle can legally tow.
The ‘Maximum Braked Towing Limit’ is the maximum trailer weight that the vehicle can tow if the camper trailer has its own braking system. Braked Towing Capacities for Australian cars generally range from 2300kg – 3500kg, depending on the chassis, body construction and engine.
If you’re buying a smaller camper trailer without its own brakes, you’ll need to know the ‘Maximum Unbraked Towing Limit’ of your car. By law in Australia, the Unbraked Towing Capacity of a car is capped at 750kg.
| TOWING CAPACITY = Maximum Allowable Weight the Vehicle Can Tow |
How to Work Out Camper Trailer Weights
If you want to always be on top of your Tow Ball Weight, the easiest way is to get yourself a set of Ball Weight Scales. Alternatively, here are the 3 ways to measure tow ball weight yourself.
| CAMPER TRAILER WEIGHT CALCULATIONS | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle PAYLOAD | GVM – Tare = Payload |
| Camper Trailer PAYLOAD | ATM – Tare = Payload |
| Camper Trailer GTM | ATM – TBW = GTM |
I hope these camper trailer weights and explanations help you on your own camper trailer quest. For a more in-depth look at trailer weights, check out towing weights explained.
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